St. John's Wort, a herb known for its mood-elevating capabilities, is taking the world by storm!

Historically used as a nerve tonic, St. John's Wort is currently the leading treatment for depression in Germany, where physicians write some three million prescriptions a year, 25 times the number they write for Prozac.

Time Magazine recently called St. John's Wort "the natural alternative to Prozac". Best of all, St. John's Wort doesn't have the disturbing side effects like most synthetic anti-depressants on the market today.

People have been ingesting this yellow-flowered plant with the Latin name Hypericum perforatum, for some 2,000 years. The herb has long been popular as a natural tonic for the nervous system, especially when the brain seems depleted or when the nervous system is out of balance.

Its action is based on the ability of the active ingredients hypericin to increase capillary blood flow and inhibit the breakdown of neurotransmitters in the brain. The herb also inhibits monoamine oxidase (MAO) and works as a serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SRI). Both are anti-depressant drugs. Hypericin has also been documented to increase theta waves in the brain. Theta waves normally occur during sleep and have been associated with deep meditation, serene pleasure and heightened creative activity. Hypericin may also improve perception and clarify thinking.

Europeans have used St. John's Wort for years to help treat not only depression but sleep disorders, anxiety, painful menstruation, minor stomach pains, diarrhea, bed wetting and even weight loss. It has been known to promote relaxation without drowsiness.

According to legends surrounding St. John's Wort, St. John of Jerusalem is said to have used it in the time of the crusades as a battlefield balm for its abilities to clean and heal some terrible battle wounds. It is said to have worked so well that legends are built around it. St. John's Wort has been found to be very beneficial in healing dirty, septic wounds. It does not destroy the healthy tissues and cells but it cleans the wound. It helps reduce the inflammation in septic sores, boils, cellulite and lymphangitis.

The compound Hypericin was isolated from the flowers, leaves and roots of the St. John's Wort plant in 1942 and experiments started to determine its properties, which were found to have tranquillising effects.

St. John's Wort relieves pain, it has a sedative effect and is used for the treatment of neuralgia, anxiety and nervous tension. It can be applied as a liniment or poultice to relieve pain over the spine, for relief of nervous diseases that are related to this area, such as sciatica, neuralgia, rheumatic pains, or as a lotion for pain relief and easing bruises.

Among the uses for St. John's Wort are a variety of conditions such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and mental burnout. It has been used for control of viral infections and has shown to have helped in the reduction and control of tumour growths.

ADVISORY

The typical time scale for notable improvement varies from four to six weeks.

St. John's Wort is intended for mild to moderate levels of depression, not severe cases.

CAUTION

Always consult  your doctor if you are taking other medication. YOU MUST NOT TAKE ST. JOHN'S WART IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY TAKING PRESCRIPTION ANT-DEPRESSANTS, without firstly consulting your doctor.

DO NOT TAKE IF PREGNANT OR BREAST FEEDING

SUGGESTED USE

Take one herbal capsule 2-3 times a day with water or you can take 2-3 capsules prior to bed-time for sleeping disorders, or if should experience undue fatigue, which can sometimes be a result of taking St. John's Wort.

Price

From Nutrition For Life :

        90 capsules for £16.00

From Nutri Products :

        60 tablets for £15.00

From Higher Nature / 300mg :

        30 tablets for £6.00

        90 tablets for £13.50