Use of Kava as a Safe Treatment for Mild and Moderate Anxiety

Anxiety is a common condition affecting millions of people all over the world. Yet anxiety is not experienced the same way by everyone. Some people experience very mild symptoms of anxiety anxiety before an important meeting with clients, for example. Others experience more moderate anxiety, such as persistent generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety attacks, panic attacks and more. Others experience severe anxiety, which can be debilitating and requires a great deal of treatment.

Debilitating anxiety requires professional treatment. Enrolling in talk therapy to learn new coping mechanisms and gauging in a complete lifestyle change is important, otherwise the anxiety can only worsen and drastically affect your quality of life. But not all anxiety is debilitating. Often people simply need help managing their daily moderate anxiety symptoms.

Medicines for Anxiety

Pharmaceutical medicines for anxiety are extremely potent. They’re designed to provide instant and through anxiety relief, because the anxiety itself would otherwise be unmanageable. They cloud the mind and tire the body. They have countless side effects, potentially disrupt your thinking, and can even change your personality.

This is an unacceptable response to mild and moderate anxiety, which is why finding an alternative to these medicinal treatments is important. There are several natural treatments for mild anxiety that have shown promise, yet anti-anxiety herbs, in general, have wavered on their effectiveness for moderate anxiety. Luckily there is one herb that has shown a great deal of success: Kava.

Kava and Anti-Anxiety

Before research halted in the United States in the early 2000’s, Kava had received a great deal of research proving its effectiveness as a treatment for moderate anxiety. Meta-analysis of several studies has proven that this Polynesian root is far more powerful than placebo, able to produce a relaxation effect that is strong enough for even persistent generalized anxiety disorder.

Kava root contains kavalactones. These kavalactones produce a sedation effect, and also act as a muscle relaxant which helps calm both the mind and the body. Research has likened it to several current pharmaceutical medicines, as powerful as some of the leading moderate anxiety treatments.

Kava and Side Effects

One of the things that make kava a useful choice as a moderate and daily anxiety treatment is that it is side effect free. Not long ago it received a great deal of bad publicity when it was linked to liver damage if taken in excess. But subsequent research uncovered that those that were abusing kava were also abusing alcohol, and kava and alcohol interacted in a way that damaged the liver. That is why anyone using kava regularly is urged not to drink any alcohol (useful advice for anyone suffering from anxiety).

But taken independently, kava has shown no side effects. It does not have withdrawal symptoms either. It is a natural herb that is backed by science as a potential short and long term solution to anxiety when taken in the correct doses for your body type.

Taking Kava Regularly

Kava can be taken in a variety of methods, but the key is to get roughly 250 kavalactones. Kava comes in various teas on the local market, but most of these are very low dose and are not necessarily strong enough to have any effect. If you plan to take it with tea, the best choice is to use loose leaf kava and keep it in water overnight. Kava is also fat soluble, so adding some type of milk or butter to the kava tea is encouraged.

You can also take kava in supplement form and even subscribed to programs that send you monthly shipments of Kava with the ability to delete account at any time. Once again, make sure to read the amount of kavalactones per serving. Many companies use supplements that are too low a dose to experience the benefits, or the delivery method is not idea for getting the immediate relief you require. Also, remember to take those supplements with food, as not all supplements have been made with fat soluble materials.

Starting a Kava Regimen

If you have severe and debilitating anxiety, seeking professional help is strongly encouraged, and crucial to help you recover. Kava is a great way to treat the symptoms of anxiety, but severe anxiety requires you to explore anxiety causes and completely alter your life to handle the stress. But even for mild to moderate anxiety, you should still contact a doctor and make sure that taking kava will not interact with any medications or problems with your current health that would be affected by kava.

Yet once the doctor approves your kava use, you should find that the kava has a fairly powerful effect, without affecting your mood, personality, alertness or health. It is one of the most well researched and verified herbal supplements available and a great choice for those that want to manage their anxiety without the harmful side effects of modern medicines.