Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a perennial plant named after the Latin term “valere,” which roughly translates to “strong and healthy.” The plant is considered native to Europe and various regions of Asia and tends to bloom pinkish and/or whitish flowers in the summer seasons. Upon blooming, its flowers are universally known to have a sweet, …
Effexor (Venlafaxine) is a drug that was introduced in 1993 as a pharmaceutical antidepressant by Wyeth; its marketing rights are now owned by Pfizer. Pharmacodynamically, it functions primarily as a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) and is understood to be the first-ever “dual reuptake inhibitor” approved by the FDA for the treatment of major depressive disorder. …
Inositol (cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol) is a non-essential nutrient synthesized within the body from glucose and is abundant within spinal fluid. Although inositol exists in the form of 9 distinct stereoisomers, the most abundant format within cellular membranes is myo-inositol, accounting for approximately 95% of free inositol within the body. Myo-inositol was initially isolated by researchers in 1849, …
OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) is a psychological condition that hijacks the brain, forcing us to think unwanted, “obsessive” thoughts and perform behaviors to reduce anxiety associated with these thoughts called “compulsions.” The obsessive thoughts are unpredictable and provoke extreme anxiety that leads us to believe we’ll never have control of our thoughts. To cope with …
Panic attacks can strike at anytime and turn a seemingly normal situation into sheer terror. Unless you’ve personally experienced a panic attack, it may be difficult to understand what it feels like. Many panic attacks are caused by a specific stimulus or “trigger” (i.e. person, event, etc.). In other cases they may occur organically without …