Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Guide to
Anxiety
Free Living
Dont Surrender to Anxiety
Why Am I So Anxious?
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L-Tryptophan
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L-Theanine
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B Vitamins
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Calcium
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Magnesium
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Herbal Extracts
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Ashwagandha
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Scientific Research
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Brahmi
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Passion Flower
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Conclusions
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Great Strides
Have Been Made
We are pleased to report that in recent years, great strides have been made in
natural treatments for anxiety.
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An Inspirational Story
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Before we get into the specifics of how to best arm your mind and body against
anxiety, we want to share with you an inspirational story from a woman who has
become one of our favorite customers.
Craig and Dana had been married for a little more than
a year. Dana had recently landed a job as an account
representative at an advertising firm and was starting to
come under considerable stress.
She was working late, missing sleep and feeling exhausted, even
on her days off.
She had less time to cook healthy meals, and had been eating more on the go. Over
time, Craig began to notice Dana was getting snippy about minor inconveniences,
like when he came home from work a little later than usual or forgot to pick up an
item at the store.
Craig suggested the two schedule a vacation to the Caribbean for some rest and
relaxation. Dana had always been a bit nervous about flying, but she knew she
needed to relax. As the day approached, Dana was looking forward to it less and
less. Her mind was giving her all sorts of excuses why they shouldnt go: Shed fall
behind on work, the house could be robbed, the trip would be too expensive,
something could happen to the plane...
Finally, the day came. The two were in line at the airport and Danas mind began
to race. She noticed her heart rate jump and she started sweating. Then she felt a
tingling sensation in her arm, like it was about to go numb.
Craig, she said, gripping onto his sleeve with white knuckles. I think Im about to
have a heart attack.
An ambulance ride and a missed flight later, Dana was in the hospital, calm but
terribly embarrassed. After checking her vitals and running a few tests, the doctor
told her that her heart was fine. She had just had her first panic attack, he said.
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The following week, Dana went to a psychiatrist on a friends referral. By the time
she left, the psychiatrist had prescribed her a low dose of alprazolam. Dana had
never been on medication before and was skeptical. She did her research and
was concerned by the long list of side effects, which included nausea, insomnia,
depression, upset stomach, fatigue, dizziness and impaired coordination.
For most of her life, Dana had taken her doctors suggestions, but this time she
wasnt so sure.
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To Dana and Craigs surprise, she started to feel less stressed within the first month.
Dana stuck with our product for six months, well after she came back into balance
and felt leveled out. She and Craig wound up taking that vacation after all, and life
went on. But we are proud that she is no longer a customer, because that means
she is no longer in need of our product.
Dana had reached a place where she was no longer tossing and turning through
restless nights and feeling anxious throughout the day. She was exercising several
times a week, eating healthy, unprocessed foods and feeling great. Tranquilene
helped her along the way, but Dana was able to maintain the progress through her
own natural efforts without any drugs.
That is the difference, Dana learned, between looking to nature for assistance
restoring your bodys natural balance and indefinitely depending on an addictive
narcotic to merely manage symptoms.
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Why Am I So Anxious?
It Could Be a Chemical Imbalance
There are many possible factors at play when a person begins experiencing high
levels of stress and anxiety. It could be that youve had a sudden traumatic event
shake up your life, or maybe youve experienced prolonged exposure to a highstress job or family situation. It could be that you havent slept well for some time
and feel less able to cope, or that you havent been getting the proper nutrition in
your diet to keep your brain strong and healthy. And there are more possible causes
still, some of which modern medicine struggles to understand.
When you experience symptoms like these, what you might not realize is that your
brain chemistry will actually change.
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Neurotransmitters
and Anxiety
The Brain Chemicals That Inhibit Anxiety
On the front lines of the bodys natural defenses against anxiety are
neurotransmitters, the brains chemical messengers. Neurotransmitters are
responsible for much of what goes on in the body: They tell your heart to beat,
make you tired at night, keep your stress responses from getting out of control,
influence your mood, and much more.
There are more than a dozen types of neurotransmitters, but when it comes to
anxiety, we tend to focus on two that are most commonly out of balance. These are
Serotonin (5-hydroxy-tryptophan, or 5-HT) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
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One of the easiest ways to help keep your Serotonin and GABA levels balanced is to
be sure your body is getting enough of the precursor ingredients it needs to make
them. We will outline some of these in the following sections.
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Amino Acids:
Building Blocks of a Healthy Mind
Certain amino acids have recently gained a reputation as wonder suppressants for
stress, anxiety and panic. We at Tranquility Labs dont like to use such language it
is an oversimplification. Yet, as youll soon learn, amino acids, vitamins and certain
chemical elements are critical to keeping your natural anxiety-fighting systems
strong.
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We cannot fully understand amino acids and the roles they play unless we
understand vitamins. In fact, much like certain amino acids, vitamins can only be
obtained through diet, and our bodies would not function without them. Vitamins
provide essential food to your cells and organs.
When it comes to suppressing anxiety and panic, vitamins are as important as
amino acids. In fact some vitamins and amino acids must combine with one another
to form various neurotransmitters. Even if you have a history of panic attacks, you
are much less likely to experience one if your body gets enough of the vitamins and
amino acids that its natural anxiety-fighting systems need for normal operation. It is
usually when a persons vitamin and amino acid supplies are drained that they are
most susceptible to high levels of anxiety or panic attacks.
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L-Tryptophan
Tryptophan is the No. 1 amino acid you can take to fight stress and anxiety. It is an
essential amino acid that the body converts into 5-hydroxy-tryptophan (5-HTP), and
then to Serotonin. Serotonin, as we know, is involved in mood, appetite, sleep and
impulse control.
The first thing most people think when tryptophan comes up is that its the
chemical in turkey that makes you sleepy. Although there are several other reasons
that the typical full turkey dinner might make someone tired, this is partly true. Since
tryptophan is a precursor to both Serotonin and melatonin, it does help the body
produce sleep-inducing chemicals. But it will not make you tired on its own.
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L-Theanine
Discovered in Japan in the late 1940s, L-Theanine is an amino acid most commonly
found in green tea. It was known for many years that green tea had a certain special
calming quality to it, but it took some of Japans finest chemical scientists to prove
the link (also proving without a doubt that the Japanese really know their tea).
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Trace Elements
and Vitamins
In biochemistry, a trace element is defined as a chemical element that is needed
in minute quantities for the proper growth, development, and physiology of
the organism. Vitamins are also vital nutrients that the body needs for proper
functioning. The body cannot create the vitamins and trace elements it needs on its
own, so they must come from your diet. For normal, calm functioning of the mind, a
few trace elements and vitamins are absolutely essential.
These are:
Calcium
Magnesium
B Vitamins
As with many nutrients our bodies need, these vitamins and trace elements are
much less abundant in the typical modern diet. Overall, most processed foods do
not contain enough to sustain a strong resistance to anxiety.
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B Vitamins
B
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The Anxiety-Fighting
B Vitamins
B1
Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Deficiency can cause beriberi, a disease of the nervous system that can lead to
sudden weight loss, emotional disturbance, irregular heartbeat or feelings of
weakness and limb pain.
B3
Vitamin B3 (niacin)
B5
Deficiency can cause burning foot syndrome, in which a person experiences lack of
feeling in the feet, accompanied by flaming pain. Apart from this, a constant feeling
of fatigue and weakness rules the body. Other major symptoms include insomnia,
anxiety, anemia, vomiting, contraction of muscles and abnormal skin developments.
B6
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Deficiency can contribute to anemia, depression and high blood pressure. Vitamin
B6 is required to synthesize Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA), which helps to
regulate anxiety. As such, B6 deficiency may cause heightened anxiety. B6 is also
involved in converting Tryptophan to Serotonin, the latter of which affects both
anxiety and overall mood.
B12
Deficiency can cause memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, mania and psychosis. The
bodys ability to absorb B12 decreases as we get older, which makes it ever more
important to get enough in your diet.
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Ca
Calcium
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You probably already know that calcium helps build strong bones and harden our
teeth. But more than that, calcium is one of the key minerals influencing muscle
contraction. It also helps our nerves carry messages from the brain to all parts of
the body.
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Mg
Magnesium
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Studies also indicate that a magnesium deficiency can lead to lower levels of
calcium in the blood, creating a domino effect resulting in high anxiety and
intense panic.
How much magnesium do we need? For female adults, about 300 mg to 320
mg daily, and closer to 360 mg for teenage girls. In males, about 400 mg a
day is sufficient. Grains, leafy vegetables, beans, and nuts are great sources
of magnesium. Try adding foods like black beans, flaxseed, quinoa, bananas,
cucumbers, and spinach to your diet.
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Herbal Extracts
Herbal extracts are the original medications. They have been used for medicinal
purposes since the dawn of civilization far longer than pharmaceutical companies
have been around and well before the beginnings of modern science. In fact, most
medications and modern pharmaceuticals made today are first derived from various
molecules and compounds found in plants.
When it comes to suppressing anxiety, Eastern medical practices like those in China
or India swear by the power of herbal extracts. Any competent naturopath doctor
will tell you that modern medicine really has not greatly improved on what the earth
has always provided in the raw.
One of the greatest advantages of herbal extracts over pharmaceutical drugs is the
overall safety. Since the human body has evolved while using many herbs in both
food and medicinal contexts, we process these herbal extracts safely and usually
without side effects.
You will rarely find harmful side effects from using extracts -your body has evolved over thousands of years to utilize them!
It should not be surprising that more people are turning to natural herbal remedies
now than ever before. Modern medicine has done some great things, but its
methods are far from perfect. Ironically, science is only now catching up to the
power of herbal extracts and rediscovering what natural medicine practitioners have
been saying all along.
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Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha, one of the most vital herbs in Ayurvedic healing, has been used
since ancient times for a variety of conditions, but is most well known for its
restorative and calming benefits.
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Scientific Research
Medical researchers have been taking ashwagandha much more seriously in recent
years and at the time this e-book was written, more than 200 studies of its healing
benefits have been performed. The results are summarized below:
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Brahmi
In the Ayurvedic tradition, Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) is one of the best-known
herbal extracts for improving learning, memory, and mental clarity. The herbs name
comes from the Sanskrit term, brahman, which translates to the totality of life.
Brahman is the knowledge of the ultimate reality: that the entire expanse of life is
nothing if not what we perceive from our inner awareness.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0944711398800019
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Passion Flower
For centuries, herbal medicine practitioners have used Passion Flower as a natural
remedy for anxiety, stress and insomnia.
Modern clinical studies show that Passion Flower extract significantly lowers
anxiety levels and promotes a more tranquil frame of mind.
Studies also indicate that Passion Flower can reduce anxiety-related discomfort
caused by withdrawal from opiates and other drugs. One study concluded that
Passion Flower is an effective drug for the management of generalized anxiety
disorder and compared it as having an advantage over oxazepam.
Passion flower has been shown to work similarly to the pharmaceutical Alprazolam.
Compounds that exist in the root and leaves of Passion Flower act as natural MAO
inhibitors, which aid in the metabolism of Serotonin. Moreover, research shows
that the plant stimulates an increase in the production of GABA, producing a mild
calming, sedative effect.
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Conclusions
Weve covered a lot of ground here, and hopefully you are feeling empowered
by this information. Like you, weve been disappointed with the lack of credible
and clear information on the internet about a more natural approach to managing
anxiety. Thats why we took all the research we put into our own products and
compiled it into an e-book to pass our knowledge onto our customers. We want
you to be as well-informed as we are.
Now that you understand what your body needs, youll be pleased to learn that
Tranquilene contains all of the minerals, trace elements, amino acids, vitamins
and herbal extracts covered in this e-book. When you take them all together, you
instantly address nearly every common imbalance that contributes to anxiety and
high stress.
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Perhaps the one secret to getting the most from the Tranquilene program is the
enhanced results people see from using our spray-form sleep aid, SleepFast, in
conjunction with our supplement. Our sleep-assisting oral spray delivers a solid
dose of melatonin and a blend of some of natures best sleep aids: valerian root,
chamomile and lemon balm. It also contains a natural blend of sleep-assisting
nutrients like 5-HTP and vitamin B-6. Six sprays under the tongue before bed will fill
in the nighttime side of the Tranquilene program to help you fall asleep faster and
sleep more restfully.
Many of our customers are anxious in part because their Serotonin system is out
of balance. This can also indicate that they are not producing a healthy amount of
melatonin, which the body uses to help you sleep at night. While our Tranquilene
supplement is great at boosting Serotonin and reducing daytime stress, we were
careful to make it a non-drowsy formula.
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Research
and Further Reading
Below are links to a number of studies and articles that we think you may find
helpful. Topics include the effectiveness of various nutrients in treating anxiety, the
dangers of pharmaceutical drugs and the importance of diet to a healthy mind.
GABA
1. Life Extension on Anxiety: Gaba
2. The Complexity of the GABA Receptor
3. How to Take GABA for Anxiety
4. The Role of GABA in Anxiety Disorders
5. The GABA System in Anxiety and Depression and its Therapeutic Potential
Tryptophan
6. Anxiety and Emotional Health- Tryptophan
7. Serotonin (5-Ht) In The Regulation Of Depression-Related Emotionality
8. Effects of Acute Tryptophan Depletion on Brain Serotonin Function
9. Tryptophan Depletion Reverses the Therapeutic Effect of SSRIs
L-Theanine
10. L-theanine Relieves Anxiety Symptoms in Patients with Schizophrenia
11. Effects of L-Theanine or Caffeine Intake
12. The Acute Effects of L-Theanine in Comparison with Alprazolam
13. L-Theanine for Anxiety
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Vitamin B-Complex
14. The Effects of a High Dose of Vitamin B-Complex On Work Stress
15. Magnesium and Vitamin B6 Reduce PMS Symptoms
16. What B Vitamins Are Good for Anxiety & Stress?
Calcium
17. Calcium Deficiency and Mental Health
18. The Effects of an Oral Multivitamin Combination with Calcium, Magnesium,
and Zinc
19. Calcium on Life Extension Research
Magnesium
20. Study in Mild to Moderate Anxiety Disorders
21. How Magnesium Helps You Sleep
22. Magnesium and Stress Reduction
23. Magnesium and the Brain: The Original Chill Pill
24. Anxiety and Emotional Health
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Ashwagandha
25. Ashwagandha Derivative A Inhibits Growth of Human Breast Cancer Cells
26. Ashwagandha Root in Reducing Stress and Anxiety in Adults
27. Ashwagandha, Stress Reduction, Neural Protection
28. An Overview on Ashwagandha: A Rejuvenator of Ayurveda
Passion Flower
33. P
assionflower in the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety: A Pilot Double-Blind
Randomized Controlled Trial with Oxazepam.
34. The Best Dosage of Passionflower for Treating Anxiety
35. Passionflower as a Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder
36. Best Teas for Stress and Anxiety
37. Using Passion Flower for Anxiety, Pain Relief
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Further reading
38. C
omplementary Medicine, Exercise, Meditation, Diet, and Lifestyle
Modification for Anxiety Disorders: A Review of Current Evidence
39. Drug Deaths Now Outnumber Traffic Fatalities in U.S., Data Show
40. Nutrition & Chemical Imbalances
41. Neurotransmitters and Nutrition
42. Mortality Hazard Associated with Anxiolytic and Hypnotic Drug Use
43. Serotonin and Central Nervous System Fatigue: Nutritional Considerations
44. Nutritional and Herbal Supplements for Anxiety and Anxiety-Related
Disorders
45. A Healthy Body, a Healthy Mind: Long-Term Impact of Diet on Mood and
Cognitive Function
46. Food and Nutrient Intake in Relation to Mental Wellbeing
47. Dietitians Use and Recommend Dietary Supplements
48. Pharmacotherapy of Generalized Anxiety Disorder
49. A
nxiety and Depressive Disorders in 4,425 Long-Term Benzodiazepine Users
50. Anxiety as a Consequence of Modern Dietary Pattern in Adults
51. Non-Processed Food Diet
52. The Effect of Multivitamin Supplementation on Mood and Stress
The information contained within this eBook is based solely on the research and experience of
Tranquility Labs LLC. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is
not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
This eBook is for distribution only by Tranquility Labs LLC.
Copyright 2013 Tranquility Labs LLC
The Natural Guide to Anxiety Free Living
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