Valerian

Valerian root was probably the first human tranquilizer, and its appearance in human use is lost in the fog of prehistory. As far as we know, it has been used for at least one thousand years to help people "calm down" and cope with what we modern people would call a stressful environment. As with many herbs, it can be found in copies of the United States Pharmacopoeia before 1940, and it first appeared around 1850.

Valerian's active and natural biochemical's work by attaching themselves to the same sites in the brain that are affected by modern medications, such as tranquilizers and mood elevators, which a doctor would prescribe for stress and anxiety. Animal research leaves little doubt that valerian is effective in helping people cope with stress and the anxiety that follows.

The dosage of herbs can be problematic because they aren’t standardized as medications and vitamins are. So. the dose of valerian varies with the method of preparation. Daily use should not exceed 1.5 grams of plant material. That translates to:

• 15 to 20 drops of a 1:5 tincture in water two or three times daily;

• 1 teaspoon of root steeped ten minutes in hot water, three times daily; or

• 1 tablespoon of valerian juice three times daily.

Valerian comes with several precautions:

• Not for pregnant women.

• May cause frequent urination.

• Use caution when operating machinery.

• Never use when taking Ativan, Valium, or Xanax. Ask your pharmacist about other drugs.

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