St John’s Wort: Treat depression and anxiety

The herb that has come to be known as St John’s Wort is known to science as hypericum perforatum, and it was of course named in honor of St. John the Baptist. The golden flowers of St. John’s Wort traditionally bloom in June, which was the month of St. John the Baptist’s birth. The term “wort” means, “plant”, therefore St John’s Wort is actually St Johns plant.

St John’s Wort is a perennial, meaning that it will spring back to life year after year on only a single planting. St. John’s Wort grows wild, particularly in Europe, and it has been used for its medicinal benefits for perhaps thousands of years.

St John’s Wort has been used for thousands of years, with its use in traditional medicine dating back at least 2400 years. As a matter of fact, the founder of the science of medicine, Hippocrates, is known to have used St. John’s Wort to cure such diverse diseases as hemorrhages, dysentery, jaundice, tuberculosis, colds, flu and insomnia.

Major benefits of St. John’s Wort

The herb known as St. John’s Wort is perhaps best known, however, for treating issues like depression and anxiety. Depression and anxiety continue to be serious health concerns throughout the country, and unfortunately many of those who suffer from such conditions resist seeking the professional help they need.

Fortunately for those people, there are a number of natural and herbal remedies for depression, anxiety and related conditions, and St. John’s Wort has shown real promise in treating these serious medical problems. Many clinical studies have backed up the ability of St John’s Wort to improve mood and many people have found real relief from using this herbal remedy.

St John’s Wort has shown so much promise in treating anxiety and depression that it is routinely prescribed for these conditions in many European countries, and it continues to be used in traditional Chinese medicine as it has for thousands of years.

Studies of St John’s Wort have found that this herb contains a unique combination of ingredients, including hypericin. Hypericin seems to be the most important of the many compounds contained in St John’s wort, and it is thought to react with certain brain chemicals, therefore providing a calming effect and a level of emotional comfort in many people. In fact, it is thought that St John’s Wort has much the same effect on these brain chemicals as many common prescription medications used to treat depression and anxiety.

In addition to its effect on depression and anxiety, St John’s Wort is thought to provide relief from insomnia, and possibly even to improve cardiac circulation and the health of the cardiovascular system.

Additional information:

In the United States, there are a great many different preparations of St John’s Wort, made by a number of different companies and available in a number of different strengths.

When used orally, St. John’s Wort is most often taken in capsule or tablet form. The most effective preparation of St. John’s Wort seems to be a standardized dose of 300 mg containing a 0.3 concentration of hypericin. The suggested dosage ranges from 2 to 12 capsules or tablets per day, depending on the condition being treated and its severity.

In addition to tablets and capsules, St. John’s Wort is also available as a tea. This St. John’s Wort tea is made by mixing two teaspoons of the dried herb with hot water, then allowing it to steep for 10 minutes. After the tea has steeped, it is strained, and then mixed with honey or sugar for a tasty and effective drink.

St. John’s Wort can also be infused with olive oil and used as massage oil. This preparation is particularly useful at relieving inflammation and joint pain. In addition, this massage oil may be good at speeding the healing of wounds and bruises to the skin.

As with all supplements, it is important to notify your family physician of all medications and herbal supplements you are taking. It is important for your doctor to have a clear picture of all medications you are taking to treat anxiety, depression and other conditions. This means not only informing your doctor about the prescription medications you are taking, but keeping him or her apprised of all over the counter preparations and herbal supplements as well.