Herb Focus – St John’s Wort

A little about the herb, why we should stock up on it?

St John’s Wort is most commonly known for it’s use with anxiety and depression but it has a wide range of nerve and brain related support abilities. This includes impaired memory, sleep disorders, tension headaches, dyslexia and seasonal affective disorder. It also treats a wide range of microbial invasions to include viruses. It’s lesser known uses are invaluable and include external use of cold-pressed St John’s Wort oil for swelling, bruises and sprains, soothing inflammations, and providing pain relief.

How much should we be taking?

St John’s Wort comes in capsules and Tincture form for internal use – you can also make a Tea. Otherwise a cold–pressed oil can be purchased and used on external injuries. The upper parts of the plants are used e.g. flowers and leaves.

This herb grows like a weed in the U.K. and Europe and many other parts of the world. To use more like a food then drink the tea a few times a week, or daily for 1-2 months. For Anti-depressant and Anti-inflammatory food alternatives take food source Omega 3 e.g. Flax seed oil, fish oil, fish.

Can help many conditions which would otherwise need prescription or O.T.C. pharmaceutical medication e.g. Anti-Depressants, Anti-inflammatries. For use with virus’s no medication exists so this is a bonus.

Not to be used if pregnant or breast-feeding. Not to be used if taking any Prescription Drug from your GP, especially if on anti-depressants. Other side effects can include loss of skin pigmentation in some areas if used for longer than 4-6 months. Do not use if taking Amino Acid supplements.

The vast majority of Qualified Medical Herbalists prefer the use of whole herb extracts rather than standardized extracts.

Need to Know