Description

Description

Depression is one of the biggest health problems facing us today. And there is increasing awareness that commonly prescribed medications for it are addictive and not particularly effective. So it is no surprise that there is an increased interest in herbal mood boosters, both from the public and the scientific community.

St Johns wort is an ancient Healing herb, which has been used for over 2000 years by various cultures including the ancient Greeks. The herb was believed to have spiritual benefits and was considered protective. The early Christians gave it its present name because the plant blooms around the time when St John was thought to have been born. This shows that they held the herb in very high esteem.

St. John’s Wort is probably the most popular natural treatment for mental issues like like depression anxiety, fatigue, loss of appetite, and difficulty sleeping. It is also used to ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and menopause symptoms.

St. John’s wort contains many active ingredients but research suggests that two of them, hypericin and hyperforin, have the most medical activity. Other compounds, such as the flavonoids rutin, quercetin, and kaempferol, appear to have medicinal properties.

The substances extracted from St Johns Wort are actually used to make many of the drugs that the pharmaceutical industry earns billions of pounds from every year. But we recommend taking herbs in their natural form. In fact, there is research to suggest that St. John’s Wort performs just as well as common anti-depressants. For example, a 2017 meta-analysis that included 27 clinical trials and over 3,800 patients found St Johns wort to be as effective as SSRIs (one of the most popular types of anti-depressant).

St. John’s wort has been used for PMS symptoms such as depression, chronic fatigue, and hormonal imbalance due to its positive effects on mood. This has been confirmed by scientific studies which have also shown it to improve mood during menopause. This research has led some to suggest that St John’s wort has a hormone-balancing effect in women.

St. John’s wort kills a variety of bacteria and can also aid in the fight against inflammation, which is at the root of many diseases. When applied topically, it relieves symptoms of minor wounds, burns and skin irritations. It has long been used as an eczema remedy, as well as a natural treatment for haemorrhoids.

It even has cancer-killing properties. Researchers discovered that St. John’s wort inhibits tumour cell growth in skin cancers.

With all these benefits, we can see why this herb was considered holy. It has even been used to help people quit smoking – its mood-enhancing effects seem to help with cravings and underlying issues associated with addiction.