Short- Term Strategies for Reduc­ing Stress.

In addition to adopting long-range lifestyle strategies for combating stress, there are a number of short-term strategies that are helpful. These strategies can be employed in one of two ways. First, they can be em­ployed to help you during an acutely stress­ful time in your life (e.g., short-term use of the herb, Kava-kava). They can also be used to help in optimizing your coping skills in general (e.g., in the case of biofeedback). Figure 21 lists selected short-term strate­gies for reducing stress. You will note that some lifestyle therapies can also be used as short-term strategies.

Herbs and Stress
Research on most herbs has been lim­ited, but some herbs appear to be helpful in alleviating stress. The following are con­sidered to be effective. Kava-kava is helpful for nervousness, stress, and anxiety. Lavender is suggested for loss of appetite, nervousness, and in­somnia. Lemon Balm is recommended for nervousness and insomnia. Valerian can help nervousness, insomnia, stress, and anxiety..
Herbs to Avoid
Just as some herbs may have a role in combating anxiety, other herbs can actu­ally perpetuate problems. Guarana provides one such example. Guarana is a product from the seeds of the Amazonian liana Paullinia cupana, and has recently gained enough popularity to become a cultivated product. It is rich in caffeine and is widely used in Brazil for the production of stimu­lants, soft drinks, and sweets. It has recently been introduced in certain American prod­ucts and herbals. Guarana is a fairly potent central nervous system stimulant, most likely due to its caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine content.
In the May 2000 issue of Herb & Di­etary Supplement Report, registered pharma­cist Daniel T. Wagner makes an important connection with depression and the use of guarana. There he warns that certain antidepressants, specifically Wellbutrin, could theoretically be dangerous if used in conjunction with guarana.
From the book
Depression, the Way Out,
Nedley Publishing, Ardmore, OK, 2001
Neil Nedley, M.D.,
Nedley Health Solutions
P. O. Box 1565
Ardmore, OK 73402
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http://www.drnedley.com/
http://www.myhealthfixz.com/