The Natural Answer to Insomnia

Valerian and L-tryptophan, are they the natural answer to insomnia?

Both these substances have been heralded as the "natural" answer to sleeping difficulties. But are they as safe as they sound?

What about other herbal products like Valerian and L-tryptophan?

Valerian is a herb which is often used for insomnia and it can be very effective. However, we prefer not to make use of Valerian in our remedies. Most experienced naturopaths are aware of the fact that continued use of Valerian can worsen or cause depression.

L-tryptophan is not a herbal product. L-tryptophan is a chemical which is naturally found in some foods. It is used by the body to manufacture serotonin and melatonin. That is why L-tryptophan has been used as an aid to sleep and a treatment for depression.

In the 1980's there was a serious problem of contamination of L-tryptophan. This caused over 40 deaths and more than 2000 people developed a disabling muscle disorder called eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS). Although it is asserted that the problem was temporary and has now been resolved, at Native Remedies we care for your health and would not like to take a similar risk!

What about Melatonin?

Because melatonin is a naturally occurring substance in the body and is directly responsible for inducing sleep, it can be a very effective aid in the treatment of insomnia.

However, melatonin is often synthetically manufactured (called pharmaceutical melatonin) and therefore not a natural remedy - or it can be directly derived from animal sources, which carries the risk of contamination. It is not always clear what the source is of the melatonin sold in health stores.

There has also not been sufficient research on the long-term effects of taking additional melatonin. There are suggestions that regular use could suppress the body's own production of melatonin, causing a chronic sleep problem or that taking additional melatonin can have a negative effect on the immune system, particularly in people who are prone to auto-immune illnesses like arthritis, lupus, MS, etc.

The amount of melatonin found in sleep and depression remedies is many times the amount needed for healthy sleep and no one really knows what the effects could be in the long term.

Our policy at Native Remedies is to introduce as few foreign chemicals into the body as possible, especially those that have not been adequately researched and, as far as possible, to use herbs and other natural ingredients which have been tried and tested, clinically and traditionally, to be both highly effective and safe.
Native Remedies has answers based on scientific principles and up to date research!

During times of physical and emotional stress, we know that the body uses more serotonin than it can produce. Without adding anything artificial to the body, Serenite-LT stops the over metabolism of serotonin, allowing it to naturally return to optimum levels. Taken over a 3 - 5 week period, Serenite-LT will therefore restore normal sleep patterns. While Serenite-LT is taking effect, we recommend SerenitePlus Drops to help induce drowsiness and relaxation before bedtime and Triple Complex Sleep Tonic to assist the body in processing nutrients on a cellular level, thereby maximizing cellular health and ensuring balanced sleep hormones.

Many people have found that their sleep problems disappear completely after a course of Serenite-LT combined with SerenitePlus Drops and that they are able to once again fall asleep and stay asleep without the use of any medication at all.

The above article excerpt is copyright protected and is published with permission from the Native Remedies website found at www.nativeremedies.com

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