St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is found growing abundantly alongside roads and in fields. This plant is easy to spot with its clusters of bright sunny yellow flowers that begin to bloom in June at the time of the summer solstice. The health benefits of this amazing herb include its anti-depressant, anti-viral qualities, skin care, and many more.
St, John’s wort is most known for boosting mood and depression and relieving SAD, anxiety and mood swings. It can be found in capsule, tincture or oil form. The chemical make up of St. John’s wort includes bioflavonoids and a range of antioxidants that have a significant impact on the hormonal, physical, and chemical behavior of your body.
It’s An Herbal Antidepressant!
The most well known and famous use of St John’s wort as a remedy is for mild to moderate depression. It is one of the most studied herbs for depression, with thousands of studies and clinical trials performed to assess its usefulness as an antidepressant.
This herb contains the active phytonutrient hypericin, a natural compound and together with another natural compound hyperforin, is one of the principal active constituents found in St John’s wort. Many studies have found this herb to be as effective as traditional antidepressants, but with fewer side effects in mild to moderately depressed people.
In this study, researchers investigated the efficacy and safety of St John’s wort extract and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s ) in the treatment of depression.
Many people don’t want to take prescription anti-depressant drugs so taking St. John’s wort offers an effective and safe alternative to the prescription medications. This herb contains chemicals that block the negative mood transmitters.
SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)
SAD occurs only in the winter, due to the lack of sunlight. It’s sometimes known as winter depression because the symptoms are more apparent and more severe during the winter. SAD responds very well to St. John’s wort and research has found that using this herb in combination with photo therapy works even better.
One of the side effects of St. John’s wort can be increased photo sensitivity, but light therapy can be safely combined with St John’s Wort because light boxes used in light therapy don’t produce ultraviolet light.
Alleviates PMS Symptoms
This herb taken as a tincture helps relieve the physical and emotional symptoms of PMS including cramps, stress, irritability, food cravings, and tender breasts. The active compounds in St. John’s wort helps women cope with the very physical and emotional roller coaster ride that occurs every month.
The days immediately before the start of a menstrual cycle and the menopause phase are full of such tensions. St. John’s Wort contains chemicals that counterbalance the severe mood variations that these bodily changes set in motion. In addition to easing the mental torment, users of the herb find relief from cramps and other physical symptoms.
St. John’s wort has been used to alleviate and naturally remedy PMS symptoms, such as depression, chronic fatigue and hormonal imbalance.
in this study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial, researchers studied the effectiveness of St. John’s wort for PMS relief.
Relief From Anxiety
St. John’s Wort is excellent for those who suffer from anxiety problems. It’s a restorative tonic to the entire nervous system, calming and soothing frayed nerves or when you feel anxious, nervous or irritable. With the pressures of busy lives, jobs, families and the world in general, there’s been an increase in the numbers of people having difficulties getting to sleep, nerves that are on edge much of the time, and chronic fatigue.
The chemicals the herb releases in your body make it easier to attain a healthy hormone balance and reduce stress symptoms significantly. This herb also gets your internal clock working normally again.
The tincture * is useful for depression, menopausal mood swings, anxiety, SAD and repairing nerves, to name a few uses. A few drops of tincture in a glass of water lifts your spirits and alleviates anxiety. Take 25-30 drops of tincture in a glass of water a couple of times a day to help relieve depression, pain and mood swings.
An Herbal Painkiller
St. John’s wort oil is excellent for cramps and muscle aches. St. John’s wort is very soothing and the rich concentration of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds makes it an excellent choice for anything that hurts; sciatica, arthritis, nerve injury, wounds, burns, fibromyalgia, varicose veins and muscle aches. The red oil is analgesic and anti-inflammatory, applied on your skin helps heal burns, sunburn, and damaged skin. This oil relieves sore muscles, joint pain and nerve pain. Massage the oil into your skin as needed for relief.
Skin Care Benefits
St John’s wort oil * is also used as a sunscreen. It’s used before and after sunbathing and exhibits none of the photo-sensitizing traits attributed to the internal use of the herb. To prevent sunburn apply liberally to exposed skin. If you do get a sunburn, treat it by applying the oil every 5 – 10 minutes or as needed to relieve pain.
St. John’s wort has antibacterial, antioxidant, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Because the herb is an anti-inflammatory, it’s applied to the skin to help heal wounds and burns.
More Benefits
Because St. John’s wort has anti-inflammatory properties, it lowers inflammation in the cardiovascular system, helping lower blood pressure and decrease stress on the heart.
St. John’s Wort tincture eases flu & cold symptoms. A dropper of tincture ( 25-30 drops) in a glass of water taken several times a day helps combat flu and colds because of its anti-viral properties.
St. John’s Wort regulates hormonal activity too, since its active ingredients have strong effects on hormone regulation. The herb can lessen hypothyroidism symptoms and aids the thyroid gland in producing adequate amounts of hormones.
Make Your Own Oils
If you would like to make your own St. John’s wort oil, here’s a post I wrote on how to make an infused oil. Fresh St. John’s wort gives your oil the bright red color, using dried plants gives your oil a lighter red color.
CAUTION
Seek expert medical advice before taking St. John’s Wort with medical drugs. Avoid intense exposure to sunlight or UV light while taking St. John’s Wort internally. Keep Out of the Reach of Children.
This plant can very well be your go to herb for all kinds of conditions, whether in tincture or oil form. The health benefits of St. John’s wort is tremendous.
