Tag Archives: Kava Kava

F is for Fabulous Fighters oF Fatigue

Posted on February 29, 2012 | Leave a comment

Fight Fatigue for Natural Health

Tick tock, Tick Tock – gotta stop staring at the clock and get some sleep?  There are some fabulous natural fatigue fighters you can try to put you to sleep like a baby.

As we get older the amount of the hormone Melatonin, made in the pineal gland, and which regulates your biological clock, gets smaller and smaller until we have to reach for a supplement.  You only need a little to help your body know when it’s time to shut your eyes and start to snore!

Kava Kava is a South American herb that is readily available now in health food stores as an extract.  I recommend taking much less than what they say on the label – a few drops (8 – 10) in a small glass of water is enough to give you 8 hour’s sleep.  Kava Kava works miraculously as far as I’m concerned, but you cannot fight it and try to stay awake.  You need to take it an hour before you want to sleep and then get ready to let it do its magic – get into bed, close your eyes, and let it happen.  No distractions, no lights – otherwise, kava kava miraculously will help you stay awake.

Valerian can take the place of Valium and I’d recommend giving it a try. Valerian can be purchased as a pill or in the form of tea or tincture which you dissolve in a little warm water (about a teaspoon) and take before bedtime.

So stay away from harsh pharmaceuticals like Ambien and try some natural remedies for your natural health!  Sweet dreams! ZZZZZZZZZZZ

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V is for Valerian, Valium and the Value of Sleep

Posted on January 8, 2012 | Leave a comment

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been having a hard time sleeping lately.  And when I don’t sleep, my whole life seems to go crazy.  I get irritable, I don’t look good, I drag myself around – and who wants any of that?  Not I!  Sleep is vital to our overall well-being and natural health.  It enables the body to rest and recharge and repair itself, and sleep is also needed for important physiological processes such as hormone regulation, which affects immune function and overall health.  And when you’re well rested, you look alive and vital, and therefore you need sleep to maintain your natural beauty.

But even the most health and beauty conscious of us toss and turn occasionally.  And that will never do!  I’m not a big fan of pharmaceutical drugs as you can probably tell, so I don’t use things like Ambien or Valium.  I think the side effects and risks of dependence are far too great a consequence to my natural health.

So when I’m troubled and I can’t sleep, I turn to the natural ways of getting a good night’s sleep – lavender essential oil, warm milk (not too much so you’re not in the bathroom all night), kava kava, melatonin, and valerian.

Melatonin is the hormone secreted by the pineal glad, which regulates the biological clock, but as we age our bodies produce less and less of this.    Instead of the high dose melatonin that was on the market years ago and made you feel like you had a hangover the next day, you can get low dose melatonin and use it to supplement what’s necessary for a good night’s sleep.

Valerian root has been used  for centuries to reduce anxiety and tension, and as an aid for sleeplessness.  Valerian works to relax you and reduce stress, which will help you to sleep better and longer.

Kava kava is a South American herb which, in small doses, is a very effective sleep enhancer when used correctly.  Simply put a few drops of Kava extract into a bit of water and an hour later, be prepared and ready to sleep.   Get into bed, close your eyes and relax, and next thing you know, you will be enjoying the deep and restorative sleep we need for our natural health!

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F is for Fatigue Fighters – 4 Fantastic Natural Remedies

Posted on April 2, 2011 | 3 Comments

Natural Remedies for Fighting Fatigue

Lavender and other essential oils used in aromatherapy is one of the best natural remedies for fighting fatigue and falling asleep.  A few drops of lavender sprinkled on your pillow will give you sweet dreams.  An eye pillow filled with lavender blossoms and chamomile leaves, and weighted down with flax seed, will keep your eyelids closed while you inhale the deep relaxing scents designed to lull you to sleep.

Valerian is a great herb for sleeping.  Valerian in the form of tea or tincture, is available for purchase at health food stores.  To use it, you can dissolve a teaspoon of the tincture in a little warm water (not too much or you’ll be up in the bathroom all night!) before bedtime.

Melatonin has been used successfully for sleep deprivation.  Melatonin is the hormone secreted by the pineal glad, which regulates the biological clock, but which also diminishes in production as we age and may need to be supplemented.  When melatonin first gained mainstream popularity, the dosages were quite high.  Nowadays, you can get low dose melatonin and use it to supplement what’s gone and what you need to sleep.

My favorite herbal remedy for sleeplessness is Kava Kava, an herb originally from the South Pacific, and now available in extract form in the health food store.  The label may say 30 drops or one dropperful, but I find only 8 – 10 drops necessary for a good night’s sleep.  Kava has been shown to be an adaptogen, which means it will give your body what is missing – if you want to stay alert and awake, Kava can help you do that.  But if you want to go to sleep, Kava is fabulous – but you have to be ready for sleep.  Put a few drops of Kava extract in a bit of water and an hour later, be prepared and ready to sleep.  No stimulation or you will stay awake.  Get into bed, lie back, relax, close your eyes and next thing you know, you will be asleep – and a deep, relaxing and restorative sleep it will be.  Sweet dreams!

See Previous Post:  F is for Fatigue – Four Fabulous Fixes

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