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St John's Wort Tea |
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Nowhere is the sacred power of plants more evident than in the help they offer us by countering the negative effects of stress. Herbs can help clear everything from anxiety to depression, addiction to sleeplessness - even burnout. The loving energy of plants pours forth in abundance whenever we need it most.
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BRIGHT AS SUNLIGHT
Bright as morning sun, the yellow flowers and dancing leaves of St John’s Wort - Hypericum perforatum – bring balance and joy. This plant may be slow to act, but its effects are deep and long lasting. St Johns Wort is nature’s answer to Prozac. Every part of this joyous herb yields uplifting power – its leaves, its shoots, its glorious yellow flowers. Even the way it grows seems to celebrate life. Use St John’s Wort to banish anxiety, bring light into the dark depths of depression, and to transform difficult times – the loss of a job, of a lover, or of sense of purpose - into times of power. Recently St John’s Wort has attracted a lot of attention. Twenty three randomised clinical trials have shown that this plant is just as effective, if not more so, as standard antidepressant drugs. Yet it comes without negative side effects. Like anti-depressant drugs, St John’s Wort increases the levels of serotonin, the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter, in your brain. In Germany alone, 600,000 prescriptions are written for this plant each year. The bright yellow flowers of St John’s Wort contain a red oil called hypericin which is anti-viral and probably mood enhancing. Many studies show that it is whole plant extracts, however, rather than hypericin alone that have the best anti-depressant effects. |
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St John’s Wort Tea You can pick the flowers, leaves and stems of St John’s Wort while the plant is in flower. Dry them quickly as you want to preserve the red oil in the flowers. To make tea, use 1-2 teaspoons of the dried herb in a cup of boiling water. Steep for 10-15 minutes, strain, and drink 3 times a day. |
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One of the most effective ways to use St John’s Wort for depression is as a tincture. When you feel at your lowest you don’t have to go to the trouble of making a tea. Take 1 teaspoon of St John’s Wort tincture in a little water 3 times a day. When used as an anti-depressant it should be taken for at least a month before results. A lucky few people, however, respond right away. Caution: In a few people St John’s Wort causes mild nausea, stomach-ache, depressed appetite, tiredness, and in even fewer still, sensitivity to sunlight. It shouldn’t be taken during pregnancy. If you are already taking anti-depressant drugs do not stop taking your medication without consulting your doctor. |
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The classic definition of a herb is a non-woody plant which dies down to its roots each winter. This definition is far too limiting. It was probably made up by 19th Century European botanists who had never seen the rainforest in which, of course there is no winter to die back in. Neither had they ever heard of woody trees and shrubs such as hawthorn and ginko and elder which are some of the best selling herbs on the market these days. I define a herb as a medicinal plant. It can come from any climate and be a leaf, a bark, a flower or a root. It can be home-grown or wild, a weed, a spice, a plant which is used for its healing or culinary or beautifying properties. Once you discover the power of herbs it is easy to become so enthusiastic about them you go overboard trying to use them for everything. It is not wise to take lots of different plants all at the same time. Or you might start to think that since a small amount of something is good for you, taking twice or three times that amount will be even better. It isn’t. If you want safe and sane herbal help here are a few guidelines to follow:
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