Valerian
Special Precautions of Valerian
Pregnant or nursing women and children should not use valerian.
People taking medications for insomnia or anxiety, such as benzodiazepines, should not combine these medications with valerian.
Side effects of valerian may include headache, dizziness, itchiness, upset stomach, drowsiness during the daytime, dry mouth and vivid.dreams.
Rarely, liver damage has been associated with the use of valerian. It's not certain whether the cause of the liver damage was due to valerian itself or to contaminants in the product. Until we know more, people should use valerian only under the supervision of a qualified health care practitioner and those with liver disease should avoid it. Although liver damage doesn't always produce noticeable symptoms, if excessive tiredness, intense itching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, pain or discomfort in the upper right side of the abdomen, or a yellowing of the whites of the eyes or skin occurs, see your doctor immediately.
Possible Interactions
Valerian may cause excessive sleepiness or daytime drowsiness if combined with other drugs that cause drowsiness, such as the benzodiazepines Ativan (lorazepam) or Valium (diazepam), some antidepressants, narcotics such as codeine, and barbituates such as phenobarbitol, or with over-the-counter sleep and cold products containing diphenhydramine and doxylamine.
It may also cause excessive sleepiness if taken with herbs thought to have a sedative effect, such as hops, catnip and kava.
Valerian is broken down in the liver. Theoretically, it could interfere with the effectiveness of medications that are broken down by the same liver enzymes, such as:
allergy medications like Allegra (fexofenadine) cholesterol medication such as Mevacor (lovastatin) antifungal drugs such as Sporanox (itraconazole) and Nizoral (ketoconazole) cancer medications such as Camptosar (irinotecan), Etopophos, Vepesid (etoposide), Gleevec (STI571), Taxol (paclitaxel), Velbe (vinblastine) or Oncovin (vincristine)
The benefits of Valerian are
- Valerian or Valeriana Officinalis is an herb that is much more known to treat sleeping problems such as insomnia.
- it also said to be effective in alleviating high blood pressure. The Valerenic acid hinders a certain enzyme in the body that is responsible for the breakdown of Gamma-amino-butyric-acid or GABA which is the main controller of blood pressure.
- Valerian is sometimes paired with other herbs such as lemon balm or skullcap to help overcome daytime anxiety.
Please remember that when you utilize these natural remedies, make sure that you are procuring the right ones from a reputable source because you might jeopardize your health status when you buy the wrong product. Buy and use the ones that have been organically grown. If possible, use the freshest herbs to achieve greater effects.
Aside from the ones mentioned above, there are also other herbs which you may use to lower high blood pressure levels. Examples of which are: asparagus, dandelion, fennel, parsley and hibiscus. It is also important that you keep yourself hydrated. Drink lots of water and minimize, or avoid, carbonated and caffeinated beverages.
The herbs mentioned here may be readily found in your kitchen or even in your garden. All you have to do is to check on herbs that you may already have. Not only can you save money but you can also save a life – your life!
Keep in mind that a healthy mind and body must be maintained. Proper diet and frequent exercise are needed to achieve optimum health. Always think that one cannot work effectively without the other. It will only be as effective as you want it to. So it is important that you must possess a strong sense of self-discipline to continue having a healthy lifestyle and the right motivation and inspiration to keep going.
