Valerian is great but can be addictive. Use only when needed.
Kava taken every day for 3 to 6 weeks is a natural anti depressant. Do not take with alcohol or if you have liver issues. After 2 week loading time don't drink every day move to every other day. Don't take with Xanax.
Ginseng works for 2 years. Use only when needed.
Ashwaghanda is an amazing mood enhancer as well.
I've found valerian to be too sedating for it to be addictive. You're right about kava, no alcohol, and don't take it everyday. Ginseng works well I've found almost daily, but take a couple days break every so often. That goes for most herbs, moderation is key. Some other ones that aren't as well known about that I personally enjoy (and grow) are Jiaogulan, which has all the compounds of ginseng plus some more. Also Gotu Kola is good for your skin, memory, and anger (thanks jews). Chrysanthemum Morifolium (chinese) anti inflammatory, and tonic. Yerba Buena ( a native mint) that's good for headaches and makes a delicious refreshment on a hot day
The addiction comes from your body becoming dependent on it for sleep. Like exogenous testosterone, when you start adding it your body stops making its own stuff.
I've never heard of jiagolun it sounds neat I'll have to look it up. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, valerian can be habit forming in the same way that sleeping pills can be for an insomniac, still it's better than pharmas for sleep. Jiaogulan (gynostemma pentaphyllum) is really an interesting herb, it's naturally sweet (like licorice or stevia) and has been suggested as the herb of immortality due to the fact that regions in mountainous china with the highest concentration of supercentenarians (>110 years of age) regularly consume the tea. If you're interested in herbs that reduce the effects of aging, also check out astragalus or mongolian milkvetch (astragalus membranaceous), which reduces the length of telomeres removed during cell replication, which is the process implicated in aging. Sorry if it sounds like I'm dumping all this info on you, this is one of my passions and hobbies
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