Health
Kava Cited for Stress Relief
Old remedies increasingly seem to be giving modern medicines a run for their money. One of the latest, kava, is an ancient Polynesian herb making a hit in the treatment of stress, anxiety and insomnia.
Kava is a root of the Piper methylsticum plant and is sold in health shops as tea, tincture or in dried preparation. According to a report provided to the American Psychiatric Association, kava taken in high doses can match prescription tranquilizers in reducing stress.
The report says the herb affects the brain in a fashion similar to that of benzodiazepine tranquilizers such as Valium. Kava "acts as a kind of stimulate at first, but then helps dampen down anxiety," says British herbalist Non Owen.
Experts describe kava as a natural muscle relaxant and painkiller. It also has anti-fungal properties, is free of known side-effects and is non-addictive.
Kava is a root of the Piper methylsticum plant and is sold in health shops as tea, tincture or in dried preparation. According to a report provided to the American Psychiatric Association, kava taken in high doses can match prescription tranquilizers in reducing stress.
The report says the herb affects the brain in a fashion similar to that of benzodiazepine tranquilizers such as Valium. Kava "acts as a kind of stimulate at first, but then helps dampen down anxiety," says British herbalist Non Owen.
Experts describe kava as a natural muscle relaxant and painkiller. It also has anti-fungal properties, is free of known side-effects and is non-addictive.
