Vitamin C
Molybdenum
Passion Flower
Choline, Inositol, and Methionine
Potassium
Skullcap
St. John's wort
Niacin
Selenium
Valerian
Taurine
Zinc
Wild Yam
Vitamin B complex, vitamin C and
lipotropic factors (choline, inositol and methionine) play
many essential roles in the chemistry of stress responses. I
discuss these beneficial roles fully in the companion volume, The
Butterfly and Life Span Nutrition.
First and foremost, it is important to use
herbs in moderate doses and in rotation. All herbs become
drugs if used in large doses and for long periods of time.
Indeed, historically most drugs were isolated from herbs and
plant sources.
Valerian root in doses of 400 to 1,000
milligrams taken at bedtime enhanced the quality of sleep for
most of my patients. For patients with severe stress, anxiety
and depression, I prescribe 400 to 500 milligrams two or three
times during the day. If necessary, I add melatonin in doses
of 1.5 to 10 milligrams to promote restorative sleep.
Chamomile taken as tea or in capsule form
is helpful in chronic stress and anxiety states. It may be
safely added to prescriptions for valerian. I usually
prescribe two cups of tea or a capsule containing 250 to 400
milligrams once or twice daily.
St. John's wort and Ginkgo biloba
in doses of 250 to 500 milligrams, two or three times a day,
are valuable additions to my total program for the management
of unrelenting chronic stress and depression.
Passion flower, catnip
and skullcap are mild herbs that have been
extensively used for managing irritability, anxiety and
stress. I sometimes prescribe these herbs in combination and
rotation with others included in the above table.
Anise (licorice) is useful for adrenal
support. However, this herb should be used only under close
supervision of an experienced clinician, especially when used
by people with a history of high blood pressure.
Hormonal imbalances almost always occur
in chronic stress. Estrogenic overload, in my view, is one of
the primary health hazards facing American women. I recommend
10 to 15 milligrams of folic acid to prevent troublesome hot
flushes and other estrogen-related symptoms. A natural
progesterone preparation, such as one derived from Mexican
wild yam is valuable for providing a counterbalance to
estrogenic overload. I usually recommend the application of
one-third to one-fourth teaspoon of natural progesterone cream
to the skin of the upper chest or face at bed time for a
period of two weeks before the menstrual period. For
postmenopausal women, I recommend the use progesterone cream
during the last two weeks of the month.
