HERB - Re: herbalist V1 #334
Kristine Agnew
kmagnew at hotmail.com
Sat Jul 31 18:15:40 PDT 1999
I find that Kava capsules really do the trick to relax me enough to fall
asleep when I am uptight or in pain, and I tend to sleep deeper than I
ordinarily would.
Happy dreams all!!
Boudicca :0)
>From: owner-herbalist at Ansteorra.ORG (herbalist)
>Reply-To: herbalist at Ansteorra.ORG
>To: herbalist-digest at Ansteorra.ORG
>Subject: herbalist V1 #334
>Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 00:00:12 -0500 (CDT)
>
>herbalist Thursday, July 29 1999 Volume 01 : Number 334
>
>
>
>In this issue:
>
> HERB - Melatonin
> HERB - Re: Sleep Aids
> Re: HERB - plants and prescriptions and dreams
> Re: HERB - Re: Sleep Aids
> catnip and valerian, was Re: HERB - Re: Sleep Aids
> Re: catnip and valerian, was Re: HERB - Re: Sleep Aids
> HERB - Valerian allergy?
> Re: HERB - Valerian allergy?
> Re: catnip and valerian, was Re: HERB - Re: Sleep Aids
> Re: catnip and valerian, was Re: HERB - Re: Sleep Aids
> HERB - Re: Catnip and Cats
> Re: HERB - ragweed and chamomile
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 08:32:37 -0500
>From: Wes Will <wwill at siu.edu>
>Subject: HERB - Melatonin
>
>Greetings.
>
>I have been using melatonin for several years, nightly. Without it, I am a
>basket case, awake for days on end.
>
>I have a serious problem with insomnia and I suspect what they call
>"post-traumatic stress syndrome" from some of the hoo-rah I was subjected
>to while in the military. (The Veteran's Administration and the U.S. Air
>Farce disagree....)
>
>All of the bad side effects that are being described here are known to be
>caused by overdosage. Suppression of dreams, difficulty awakening,
>extraordinarily vivid dreams, are all more than likely due to an overdose
>of this extremely powerful hormone.
>
>I am a rare exception: I _require_ a 3-milligram dose to achieve the
>appropriate effect. Most adults cannot _tolerate_ this amount. 3
>milligrams allows me to sleep easily, awaken naturally, dream appropriate
>amounts, and not awaken shortly after (finally) falling asleep,
>bolt-upright, cold-sweating, clenched fists, lashing out and screaming
>.....
>
>Melatonin is produced in the body naturally, but after puberty, and
>especially in middle age, the amount you make on your own diminishes.
>Supplementing it in tablet form (NEVER buy the capsules, the dosage is too
>hard to adjust) is one way to increase it back to "younger" levels and
>allow natural sleep. Purchase tho 0.5 milligram tablets (I think Schiff
>makes them in this dosage). Break the tablet into fourths. Take ONE of
>these fragments one hour before you wish to be asleep. .13 milligrams of
>melatonin, allowed to enter the system before bedtime, is usually enough
>for most adults. If you do not notice any effect at all after a week of
>this amount, try one-half of a tablet (0.25 mg). Keep upping the dose
>until you can tell it's working, but aren't adversely affected by it.
>CAVEAT: Some folks will always have side effects with some drugs. It may
>not be appropriate for you. Try valerian root, steeped in cold water for
>24-36 hours; drink the decoction, 1-2 tablespo!
>ons to start and increasing the dosage until the desired intensity is
>reached. (2 tablespoons of valerian like this knocks me colder than
>clams.)
>
>Don't expect to become drowsy immediately when using melatonin. It doesn't
>work like that in most people. It will only allow you to go to sleep more
>easily when the dosage is correct. You're more able to quieten the mind
>and ignore the little distractions that keep you awake. That's all it
>should be doing in the appropriate dosage.
>
>Oh, one of the more inocuous side effects which may be used as an
>indication that you have reached a tolerable dosage is a mild tendency
>toward tearing or watery ears about 20 minutes or so after ingesting the
>tablet.
>
>Eoin Caimbeul
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>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 08:50:16 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Jan Ward <hawksbluff at yahoo.com>
>Subject: HERB - Re: Sleep Aids
>
>I wish I'd seen the postings about Melantonin
>yesterday, before I went out and bought a bottle!
>I guess I'll have to go back to my stand-by chamomile,
>hot milk, or valerian.
>By the way, when I make valerian tea, my cat tries to
>climb into the teacup. She comes from clear across a
>room, sniffing until she locates it, then starts
>rubbing the side of her face and head on the top of
>the cup, while I'm trying to fend her off with the
>other hand. Last time, I poured a little of the tea
>into a saucer and just let her have at it. I'd never
>seen a cat get voluntarily wet before. I had heard
>that the cats would try to dig up the roots if you
>grow Valerian in the garden. My cat seems to get the
>same pleasure she gets from catnip. Is that usual?
>Will it harm her?
>Edwinna
>
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>------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 12:17:18 -0400
>From: "Gaylin Walli" <gwalli at infoengine.com>
>Subject: Re: HERB - plants and prescriptions and dreams
>
>Caro asked:
> >Just a curious question (no, I am certainly not planning any
> >experiments!!): are they vivid in a "hard to separate from reality" way,
> >or vivid in a "I just lived through this again" way, or in a "hey, I
> >dreamed this two weeks ago, and now it's happened" way, or in a "sideways
> >reality" way, or a "hallucinatory" way? I know others have different
> >definitions, so I was just curious as to which was meant.
>
>When I was little, I used to suffer substantially from very bad
>nightmares. My parents, forward thinking folks that they were
>(prior to my mother getting all weird on me) had the sense to
>send me to a guided imagery specialist who taught me to train
>my dreams. Or, rather, to be conscious enough in my dreams
>that I could wake myself up when I got too uncomfortable with
>what was going on. He also taught me to learn to experience my
>dreams with curiosity, rather than with fear.
>
>Now, certain plants and substance will affect this in different
>ways. Melatonin is one of them. Melatonin gives me the same
>vivid, dark, incredibly realistitc, I can't escape, and I can't
>wake up dreams that I had as a child.
>
>Valarian gives me the vividness of dreams that are...uhm...not
>dark. I can wake up. But the dreams are detailed. Very very
>detailed. Very easy to remember. Typically about things that
>happen in every day life with no evidence of the supernatural
>or the fantastic (unless of course something like that really
>happened to me during the day, in which case, of course i'm
>going to dream about it that way).
>
>Marijuana gives me very colorful dreams. Bright. Rich and thick,
>but lacking the detail of Valarian dreams. Also lacking the darkness
>of Melatonin dreams. Lush is a good word to describe them. I
>guess I don't classify these as hallucinatory. They seem...normal,
>but more sensuous.
>
>Catnip and lavender relax me if used in tea form and drunk
>1/2 hour before bed. My dreams seem normal and I believe
>I go to sleep faster, but I don't sleep as deeply or as completely
>as when I take Valarian. My husband confirms this.
>
>Chamomile tea. Can't use it. Makes me lightly snotty and chesty.
>
>Warm milk. Works well, but gives me the hiccups, same as
>thanksgiving turkey and also mashed potatos. No changes in
>dreams with this (or from turkey and mashed potatos). *grin*
>
>Alcohol, or rather, overindulgence in alcohol, usually supresses
>my dreams entirely. Or, if I do dream, I don't remember them.
>I do, however, sleep like the dead. I can be woken up. And I can
>wake up. But it difficult. I sleep extremely deeply.
>
>Sleeping medications, well, they keep me awake or so close to
>being awake as to not have slept at all. Like I said in a previous
>message...I'm just weird that way.
>
> >Feel free to contact me privately if you don't want this on the list.
>
>I don't mind. If other people can learn or be more aware or more
>comfy about their lives from what I have to say or report
>about mine, then I've done something good or put a little love into
>the world. Can't complain about that, eh?
>
>Jasmine
>Iasmin de Cordoba
>gwalli at infoengine.com
>
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>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 09:36:54 -0700
>From: "Lynette K LaFontaine" <LKLC at prodigy.net>
>Subject: Re: HERB - Re: Sleep Aids
>
>I
> Jan Ward Wrote: My cat seems to get the
> > same pleasure she gets from catnip. Is that usual?
> > Will it harm her?
> > Edwinna
> > have read that valerian does seem to have this effect on cats. Can't
>comment further; no experience.
>Lynette
> > _____________________________________________________________
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> >
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>------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 11:57:50 -0500
>From: Kathleen Keeler <kkeeler at unlserve.unl.edu>
>Subject: catnip and valerian, was Re: HERB - Re: Sleep Aids
>
> > Jan Ward Wrote: My cat seems to get the
> > > same pleasure she gets from catnip. Is that usual?
> > > Will it harm her?
> > > Edwinna
> > > have read that valerian does seem to have this effect on cats. Can't
> > comment further; no experience.
> > Lynette
>
>Valerian (root) is supposed to be what the Pied Piper used--it has an
>effect on
>mammals generally (dogs, rats...)
>I've offered it to a variety of cats myself and haven't seen the response,
>but
>I think I may have had leaf material.
>
>But even catnip is only active on about 80% of cats.
>
>This and lots more is in an article on catnip in Economic Botany in the
>1980's--including the results of testing every cat in the zoo (lions
>,tigers,
>lynxes, pumas, bobcats, margays, jaguars ....)with catnip--yes, they mostly
>repond!
>And the age at which kittens generally start reacting, and the chemistry of
>the
>active ingredient and..
>
>A. O. Tucker and S. S. Tucker. 1987. Catnip and the catnip response.
>Economic
>Botany 42: 214-231.
>
>They quote Mrs. Grieve (A modern herbal) on valerian and the Pied Piper, by
>the
>way.
>
>Agnes
>kkeeler1 at unl.edu
>
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>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 10:30:08 -0700
>From: "Lynette K LaFontaine" <LKLC at prodigy.net>
>Subject: Re: catnip and valerian, was Re: HERB - Re: Sleep Aids
>
> Kathleen Wrote:
> But even catnip is only active on about 80% of cats.
> >
> > This and lots more is in an article on catnip in Economic Botany in the
> > 1980's--including the results of testing every cat in the zoo (lions
>,tigers,
> > lynxes, pumas, bobcats, margays, jaguars ....)with catnip--yes, they
>mostly
> > repond!
> > And the age at which kittens generally start reacting, and the chemistry
>of the
> > active ingredient and..
>
>Intresting stuff I Just happened to remember I had a cat that was very
>turned on to catnip. But as I recall the more I used it the more immune
>she
>became until she did not react at all.
>I don't reacall all the specifics it was a long time ago. Lynette
>
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>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 15:27:56 -0400
>From: Norma Storms <stormsno at oplin.lib.oh.us>
>Subject: HERB - Valerian allergy?
>
>Greetings to the list!
>
>I have some interesting allergies to drugs and I've just found out that I'm
>WIDE
>AWAKE with valerian (Nyquil does much the same thing). Does anyone have
>any
>suggestions? Chamomile tea doesn't seem to help much, and warm milk with a
>bit
>of honey stirred in helps only a tiny bit. I'm hesitant to try the
>melatonin,
>and I'm not sure why, but every time I pick up a bottle of it at the local
>herb
>store, for some reason I have to put it right back down. I'm not currently
>experiencing insomnia, but sometimes I get a bout of it, so any help would
>be
>gratefully accepted.
>
>Thanks ever so much!
>Francesca
>Marche of Alderford
>Canton, Oh
>
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>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 13:38:02 -0700
>From: "Danie'l Twombly" <tarna at tic1.net>
>Subject: Re: HERB - Valerian allergy?
>
>I have been using Kava kava and sweet woodruff tea to help me sllep when I
>am up tight..
>- ----- Original Message -----
>From: Norma Storms <stormsno at oplin.lib.oh.us>
>To: <herbalist at Ansteorra.ORG>
>Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 1999 12:27 PM
>Subject: HERB - Valerian allergy?
>
>
> > Greetings to the list!
> >
> > I have some interesting allergies to drugs and I've just found out that
>I'm WIDE
> > AWAKE with valerian (Nyquil does much the same thing). Does anyone have
>any
> > suggestions? Chamomile tea doesn't seem to help much, and warm milk
>with
>a bit
> > of honey stirred in helps only a tiny bit. I'm hesitant to try the
>melatonin,
> > and I'm not sure why, but every time I pick up a bottle of it at the
>local
>herb
> > store, for some reason I have to put it right back down. I'm not
>currently
> > experiencing insomnia, but sometimes I get a bout of it, so any help
>would
>be
> > gratefully accepted.
> >
> > Thanks ever so much!
> > Francesca
> > Marche of Alderford
> > Canton, Oh
> >
> >
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> >
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>------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 13:03:57 -0700
>From: Paul Gieri <dragon at lemoorenet.com>
>Subject: Re: catnip and valerian, was Re: HERB - Re: Sleep Aids
>
>Kathleen Keeler wrote:
> >
> >
> > But even catnip is only active on about 80% of cats.
> >
>I have been following this with interest but I have to share this.
>
>In my life I have had dozens of cats. I have 12 right now. I have
>never had a cat that wanted anything to do with catnip. I grow it for
>tea and they just ignore it. Catnip toys don't interest them either.
>Is this weird or is it just my imagination?
>
>Ginger
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>------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 17:13:15 -0700
>From: "Deborah Schumacher" <chicagojo at RNI.NET>
>Subject: Re: catnip and valerian, was Re: HERB - Re: Sleep Aids
>
> > Kathleen Keeler wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > But even catnip is only active on about 80% of cats.
> > >
> > I have been following this with interest but I have to share this.
>
>Then Ginger said..
>
> > In my life I have had dozens of cats. I have 12 right now. I have
> > never had a cat that wanted anything to do with catnip. I grow it for
> > tea and they just ignore it. Catnip toys don't interest them either.
> > Is this weird or is it just my imagination?
>
>My Cats are nuts for Catnip. The little one is so bad that he got the
>empty catnip container stuck on his head as he was inhaling the fumes.
>
>They also seem pretty wild for Valerian, When ever i make my husband tea
>they go nuts. Bt when i offer them the dry herb they ignore it. It seems to
>be the scent they like.
>
>Zoe Valonin
>Barony of Sundragon
>Atenveldt
>
>
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>------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 18:31:06 -0700
>From: Sara Bairrington <katri4684 at surfree.com>
>Subject: HERB - Re: Catnip and Cats
>
> >Kathleen Keeler wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >> But even catnip is only active on about 80% of cats.
> >>
>
>Then Ginger Wrote:
> >I have been following this with interest but I have to share this.
> >
> >In my life I have had dozens of cats. I have 12 right now. I have
> >never had a cat that wanted anything to do with catnip. I grow it for
> >tea and they just ignore it. Catnip toys don't interest them either.
> >Is this weird or is it just my imagination?
> >
> >Ginger
>My old cat has always loved fresh growing catnip. He'd roll over the plant
>over and over then lick his coat. He would have nothing to do with the
>dried plant. I had to plant some for him on the ground, and some for me in
>pots away from his 'rolling' plants.
>
>What is odd is that my dogs used to love to lick him too after he got
>covered with the catnip oils from rolling.
>
>Ulrike
>
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>------------------------------
>
>Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 23:37:28 -0500
>From: "Kathleen H. Keeler" <kkeeler1 at unl.edu>
>Subject: Re: HERB - ragweed and chamomile
>
>Subject: HERB - ragweed and chamomile
>
> > What is the connection between the two?
> >
> > Ya Samee'nah
>
>I'm responding to an old post, but somebody (Jasmine?) commented that
>chamomile made them congested--
>
>As several people have said, ragweed and chamomile are in the same plant
>family (Asteraceae, also called Compositae) which also contains sunflowers,
>daisies, marigolds and several thousand others.
>
>The point of making the link, tho, is that ragweed is a potent source of
>allergy ("hay fever") and chamomile's chemistry is similar enough, as
>indicated by membership in the same family, that people with allergies to
>ragweed should beware of consuming chamomile.
>
>I have a friend who worked professionally on the taxonomy of the Asteraceae
>and so should understand the science involved: she strictly avoids
>chamomile because she is so allergic to ragweed.
>
>Agnes
>kkeeler1 at unl.edu
>
>
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>------------------------------
>
>End of herbalist V1 #334
>************************
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