Fight or flight is an essential instinct for survival, but when the biological triggers that prompt the body’s
response to fear fall out of alignment, anxiety and phobias can result. If left unchecked and/or untreated,
anxieties and phobias can become debilitating.
In today’s world, man is trying to achieve too many things at the same time. In this process, he is subjected to a tremendous amount of physical and mental stress. Stress for long time, whether a result of mental or emotional upset or due to physical factors such as malnutrition, surgery, chronic illness, chemical exposure, excessive exercise, disturbed sleeping hours, or a host of other environmental causes, results in predictable systemic effects. The systemic effects of stress include increased levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, a decline in certain aspects of immune system function or body resistance, such as natural killer cell cytotoxicity or secretary- IgA levels and a disturbance of gastrointestinal microflora balance. These systemic changes might be a significant contributor to stress associated ill-health.
Historically, St. John’s wort has been the ‘go to’ botanical for treating mild depression. Kava, valerian and passion flower have also been quite popular for relaxation and sleep improvement. Suppliers have continued to broaden their offerings of plant-origin, mood support ingredients, and are lending greater credibility to the segment with products that are supported by strong clinical science.