June 20, 2001
Herbal History
It has been suggested to me recently, that I may benefit from taking some St. John's Wort. Now I have always associated the use of St. John's Wort with reducing depression and thought to myself, "I am not depressed, I don't need that!". But in a recent search that I completed on this herb, I found out that it has many benefits, one of which is a general mood enhancer, anxiety reliever and can also help with sleeplessness. It also has been found to help combat infections that are caused by viruses! St. John's Wort also treats a variety of other ailments. From a historical perspective, drugstore.com has the following informations about it.
"St. John's Wort has been a valued herb since the time of the ancient Greeks when it was thought to have powers that could ward off evil. Early authors claimed the red spots on the leaves of theplant are symbolic of the blood of St. John, hence, its name. Today, St. John'sWort is one of the most popular and widely used herbs in Europe. Hypericin, the active ingredient in st. John's Wort, may inhibit the breakdown of specific neurotransmitters and may lead to a feeling of mood elevation." I think I am going to have to go pick some of this up tonight, I'll post the results after a few weeks of use.