Valerian

Valerian has a long and storied history. It was used by the ancient Greeks as a diuretic and in World War I was given to soldiers suffering shell shock to calm their frayed nerves. The roots of the plant have clear medicinal value, especially as a sleep aid and a mild tranquilizer, but the herb's risks and benefits have yet to be clarified by large-scale studies. * Uses: Mostly to treat insomnia, improve sleep and relieve anxiety.

Relaxation drinks aren't nearly as popular as energy drinks, but they're coming on strong, according to manufacturers showcasing their wares at the Natural Products Expo Friday in Anaheim. Energy drinks are hugely popular. But some have gotten a bad rap for potential side effects, especially in children and young adults, such as anxiety, heart palpitations and high blood pressure. That has opened the door to relaxation drinks, some of which may trigger their own set of health problems.

Relaxation drinks aren't nearly as popular as energy drinks, but they're coming on strong, according to manufacturers showcasing their wares at the Natural Products Expo Friday in Anaheim. Energy drinks are hugely popular. But some have gotten a bad rap for potential side effects, especially in children and young adults, such as anxiety, heart palpitations and high blood pressure. That has opened the door to relaxation drinks, some of which may trigger their own set of health problems.

I have suffered from insomnia for many years. My doctor prescribed Ambien , but it doesn't seem to be working very well anymore. I also suspect that it affected my memory. Now the doctor is suggesting the antidepressant amitriptyline (Elavil) . The side effects I have read about make me nervous. Is there any herb or home remedy that might help me get some sleep? Amitriptyline is an old-fashioned (tricyclic) antidepressant. Some people experience a morning hangover effect that leaves them drowsy and disoriented.

Steven Wynbrandt sticks his hand deep beneath the layers of straw that blanket his enormous compost heap and pulls out a fistful of black gold, sweet and earthy. “Look at this soil,” Wynbrandt says with excitement as his fingers open, revealing his secret recipe for compost: decomposed dairy cow manure, alfalfa, yarrow, camomile, stinging nettle, oak bark, dandelion and valerian flowers. “I'm an alchemist.” PHOTOS: The Wynbrandt backyard As further proof that compost is to gardening these days what grass-fed beef and gluten-free gourmet foods are to the world of food, the Wynbrandt compost heap photographed by the Los Angeles Times would later sell through word of mouth for $1 a pound.

"The Sopranos," season finale, HBO, June 4. The premise CHRISTOPHER Moltisanti's (Michael Imperioli) new girlfriend is Julianna (Julianna Margulies), formerly involved with Tony Soprano. Christopher and Julianna meet at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, which they attend because of drug addiction. During one of their trysts, Julianna is suffering from a bad cold, and Christopher suggests Robitussin with dextromethorphan.

Valerian S. Rybar, whose work for the wealthiest families in the world gave him a reputation as the world's most expensive interior designer, has died of prostate cancer. Rybar was 71 when he died Saturday at his Manhattan home, said his partner, Jean-Francois Daigre. At his death, Rybar had established an international reputation as the creator of opulent rooms and extravagant party designs.

Archbishop Valerian Trifa, head of the Michigan-based Romanian Orthodox Church before he was deported from the United States in 1984 for concealing his wartime links to the Nazis, died Wednesday after a heart attack, authorities said. He was 72. Trifa was head of the 35,000-member Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of North America when he was stripped of his U.S. citizenship and deported for lying about his role as a leader of the Nazi Iron Guard in Romania. The U.S.

It's as close to a gardening craze as you're likely to find, this sudden interest in genuine geraniums. Virtually unknown in Southern California, and seldom seen until a few years ago, avid gardeners are talking about them, and nurseries seem to have a new kind every week. "It's the flavor of the month" is how Robin Parer, who runs a geranium-only nursery in Northern California, explains their sudden popularity.

Soviet diplomat Valerian A. Zorin, who scoffed at U.S. charges that his country had installed offensive missiles in Cuba, died on his 84th birthday, the Communist Party newspaper Pravda said. Pravda said Zorin died Jan. 14, but gave no cause of death in its weekend report. Zorin had been removed from key positions in 1971 and held the post of ambassador-at-large at his death.

"The Sopranos," season finale, HBO, June 4. The premise CHRISTOPHER Moltisanti's (Michael Imperioli) new girlfriend is Julianna (Julianna Margulies), formerly involved with Tony Soprano. Christopher and Julianna meet at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, which they attend because of drug addiction. During one of their trysts, Julianna is suffering from a bad cold, and Christopher suggests Robitussin with dextromethorphan.

Valerian has a long and storied history. It was used by the ancient Greeks as a diuretic and in World War I was given to soldiers suffering shell shock to calm their frayed nerves. The roots of the plant have clear medicinal value, especially as a sleep aid and a mild tranquilizer, but the herb's risks and benefits have yet to be clarified by large-scale studies. * Uses: Mostly to treat insomnia, improve sleep and relieve anxiety.

Bottles and boxes fill an entire aisle, offering all-natural relief from a cornucopia of ailments: memory loss, insomnia, hay fever, enlarged prostate, menstrual cramps, depression, back pain, headaches. The products--ginkgo biloba, valerian, red clover, saw palmetto, feverfew, St. John's wort, milk thistle, cat's claw, echinacea--used to be found only in a botanist's guide or a health-food store.

Valerian S. Rybar, whose work for the wealthiest families in the world gave him a reputation as the world's most expensive interior designer, has died of prostate cancer. Rybar was 71 when he died Saturday at his Manhattan home, said his partner, Jean-Francois Daigre. At his death, Rybar had established an international reputation as the creator of opulent rooms and extravagant party designs.

Archbishop Valerian Trifa, head of the Michigan-based Romanian Orthodox Church before he was deported from the United States in 1984 for concealing his wartime links to the Nazis, died Wednesday after a heart attack, authorities said. He was 72. Trifa was head of the 35,000-member Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of North America when he was stripped of his U.S. citizenship and deported for lying about his role as a leader of the Nazi Iron Guard in Romania. The U.S.

Soviet diplomat Valerian A. Zorin, who scoffed at U.S. charges that his country had installed offensive missiles in Cuba, died on his 84th birthday, the Communist Party newspaper Pravda said. Pravda said Zorin died Jan. 14, but gave no cause of death in its weekend report. Zorin had been removed from key positions in 1971 and held the post of ambassador-at-large at his death.

Bottles and boxes fill an entire aisle, offering all-natural relief from a cornucopia of ailments: memory loss, insomnia, hay fever, enlarged prostate, menstrual cramps, depression, back pain, headaches. The products--ginkgo biloba, valerian, red clover, saw palmetto, feverfew, St. John's wort, milk thistle, cat's claw, echinacea--used to be found only in a botanist's guide or a health-food store.

I have suffered from insomnia for many years. My doctor prescribed Ambien , but it doesn't seem to be working very well anymore. I also suspect that it affected my memory. Now the doctor is suggesting the antidepressant amitriptyline (Elavil) . The side effects I have read about make me nervous. Is there any herb or home remedy that might help me get some sleep? Amitriptyline is an old-fashioned (tricyclic) antidepressant. Some people experience a morning hangover effect that leaves them drowsy and disoriented.