One of the most important things we can do to cope with stressful times in our lives is to get a good night’s sleep. Deep sleep helps the body heal and allows our body to balance itself to prepare for another day.
Unfortunately, stress often deprives us of restful sleep by making us tense and unable to relax. Herbal Sleep contains three herbs that can help the nervous system to calm down so a person can relax and get to sleep.
With the amount of stress and anxiety experienced by so many people living in modern society, millions of prescriptions for anxiety-relieving drugs are written every year. For instance, 44 million prescriptions were written in 2009 for Xanax (alprozolam), a drug used to treat anxiety disorders and panic attacks. Lexapro (alprazolam), used to treat generalized anxiety disorder and excessive worry, was prescribed over 27 million times in the same year. All together over 173 million prescriptions for drugs used to treat anxiety (and also depression in some cases) were issued in 2009.
Americans need to take a lesson from the Polynesian people and switch from using caffeine and alcohol to self-medicate for stress and fatigue and start using kava kava. Kava is the traditional herbal beverage of the South Seas. In Fiji you can find Kava Bars as commonly as one can find a coffee shop in America. In parts of Polynesia, it is consumed every day as a recreational drink that relaxes the body.
A native to China, Russia, Korea and Japan, schizandra is a highly valued herb in Oriental medicine. Its Chinese name, wu wei zi, means five flavored herb. This is because schizandra has all the five flavors recognized in TCM (traditional Chinese medicine). These five flavors are sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent. This means schizandra balances all five of the Chinese "elements" (earth, wood, water, metal and fire).
Sometimes the stress of life just gets to be too much. It wears us down and we feel “burned-out.” This shows the subconscious association of fire with passion, excitement and motivation. This same association exists in Chinese medicine. When a person becomes deficient in fire energy, they become tired and nervous, feel overwhelmed, vulnerable and “broken hearted,” and lose sexual desire.
Nervous Fatigue Formula is a Chinese herbal formula that nourishes this deficient fire energy. It is a tonic for the heart, nerves and glands, particularly the adrenal glands, which become exhausted under constant stress. A key indication that a person could benefit from is fatigue during the day coupled with disturbed and restless sleep patterns at night. Disturbing dreams are often an early warning sign that we are approaching “burn-out.” As the problem comes more severe we wake up frequently at night or suffer from night sweats.
Passion Flower gets its common name from Spanish explorers, who viewed the cross-like shape at the center of the flower as a symbol of the agony or passion of Christ’s crucifixion, the “Passion of our Lord.” The symbolism is appropriate for a plant that helps to relieve stress and pain.
A fast-growing, perennial, creeping vine that produces exquisite flowers, passion flower is native to the tropical and semi-tropical areas in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central and South America. Primarily known for its tranquilizing effects, this herb was an old remedy in the Yucatan for treating children with insomnia, hysteria and convulsions.
GABA (Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid) is an amino acid that acts as a major calming neurotransmitter in the brain. It is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which means it inhibits over-activity of nerve cells in the brain. Many people with anxiety, insomnia, epilepsy, and other brain disorders do not manufacture sufficient levels of GABA.
GABA plays a critical role in normalizing the nervous system. In fact, it is estimated that 40% of the synapses in the human brain utilize GABA. Proper levels of this amino acid in the brain contribute to motor control and vision and calm the mind, reducing anxiety, fear, hyperactivity and stress-related sleep disorders. This also increases mental clarity.
Melatonin is naturally produced in the pineal gland at the base of the brain. This hormone is essential to three common and inevitable elements of life, namely: energy, sleep, and unfortunately, aging. Melatonin is produced in the pineal from serotonin. When it gets dark, the pineal gland, which is very sensitive to light, begins to convert the neurotransmitter serotonin into the hormone melatonin.
Melatonin helps us get a normal night’s sleep so we can wake up refreshed, alert and energized. It also benefits the immune system helping to promote tissue repair and healing during sleep. Unfortunately, as we age, we produce less melatonin, which means we often have a more difficult time sleeping and healing.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter produced by the brain. It helps elevate mood, promote restful sleep and reduce cravings for carbohydrates. Many antidepressant drugs, such as Prozac and Zoloft, work by increasing the amount of serotonin available to the brain. However, there are more natural ways of enhancing serotonin and one of them is to use a supplement called 5-Hydroxy-tryptophan or 5-HTP for short.
In the brain, the amino acid tryptophan is converted into 5-HTP, which is then converted into serotonin. The amount of serotonin in the brain is directly linked to the level of tryptophan and 5-HTP in the brain. The seeds of a woody shrub in Africa, Griffonia simplicifolia, have been found to contain 5-HTP, so we have a way of naturally increasing serotonin levels using an extract of this plant.
Research continues to show that free radical damage and inflammation are primary causes of aging and degenerative diseases like cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants are nutrients, primarily found in plants, which prevent free radical damage and reduce inflammation.
Research also shows that people who eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, known to be loaded with natural antioxidants, have less degenerative disease. As a result, many nutritionists are recommending we should eat 5-7 generous servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day. Unfortunately, research also shows that very few people actually do this.
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Liquids comprise a big part of today’s supplement market. They’re generally nutritious, easy to swallow (a real plus for children and adults who don’t like to swallow pills), and they taste good. Try these lovely NSP liquids on for size, and prepare to feel your very best!
Nutritional Support that’s Easy to Swallow
Like co-founder Gene Hughes, we know the nutritive power of herbs, and the benefits of putting certain herb powders inside capsules for palatability. But some people have a difficult time swallowing anything in pill form.
With these individuals in mind, Nature’s Sunshine offers a terrific line of liquid herb extracts to support numerous body systems and help make getting herbal support as easy as one or two swallows. Most NSP liquid herbs come in a glycerin base for a naturally sweet taste. Unlike tablets or capsules that require greater digestion, liquid herbs are readily absorbed into the body and can offer rapid support.
Modem psychiatry has provided many treatments for its most common mental illness, depression. But as early as 3000 B.C., Chinese medicine offered an alternative approach to treating "sagging energy."
Chinese herbology deals primarily with energy or the flow of Chi through the body. When the energy of the body "sags" it can result in feelings of gloom and depression, loss of energy, weak digestion, fatigue and congestion. The Chinese formula Jie Yu, sold under the trade name Mood Elevator (AD-C) is designed to regulate the flow of energy in the body. Jie Yu means "relieves the depression" indicating the general purpose of this formula. So, if your mental and physical energies are "down" ,read on. This formula may be just what you need to get you "up" again.
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Spring is a great time to get excited about the NSP Boomerang Air & Surface Sanitizer. Before the pollen and dander really start to fly, get a Boomerang, and start sanitizing your home and office air!
Our most comprehensive weight-loss program. One box contains a 14-day supply. Take AM, NOON and PM packets as directed.
Cortisol appears to be linked to weight. This hormone is produced in the adrenal glands in response to stress. It promotes the release of glucose—fuel used during stressful times.
Collatrim helps increase lean muscle mass, which in turn can lead to fat burning. Available as Collatrim Plus powder or as Collatrim capsules.
CLA, or Conjugated Linoleic Acid, is a mixture of essential fatty acids with health and weight benefits.
Carbo Grabbers is a non-stimulant dietary supplement derived from northern white kidney beans that may help reduce the calories available to your body.
Fat Grabbers has a well-deserved reputation as an important tool in any weight-management plan. This safe, natural product is an effective tool for reducing dietary fat absorption and maintaining cholesterol levels already within the normal range.