Overcome winter blues with St. John's wort
‘Tis the season all you want is cozying up under a thick blanket? You are not alone! With the sun going down early and rising later we might feel that we are more tired perhaps even a little bit blue. The so-called winter blues is very much a thing and it’s mostly connected to being exposed to less sunlight as the days get shorter, which affects the body's ability to produce vitamin D3 and, as a result, affects our energy levels. So if all you feel like doing is snuggling up under the blanket maybe you can get into a better mood by trying St. John’s wort, which you can easily find pretty much everywhere.
St John’s wort can be your ally in flighting off mild depression, anxiety and more.
What is St John’s wort?
It’s a small woody plant containing a powerful active ingredient called hyperforin, a photochemical, a chemical component that protects the plant from harmful sun rays. Hyperforin is the single most important agent in making this plant very powerful when it comes to fighting off mild depression, like seasonal depression, driven by external factors like the weather. In fact, studies have shown that hyperforin acts very much like a synthetic antidepressant, inhibiting the uptake of serotonin and dopamine, by increasing the concentration of sodium (Na+) in the cellular brain, while also having less side effects.
Furthermore, hyperforin has been found to be very effective in lowering anxiety while enhancing cognitive functions. It has been proven helpful in addressing somatic symptoms disorders which manifest in excessive focus on pain which provokes unnecessary emotional stress.
Lastly, St. John’s wort can be very effective in tackling menopause symptoms, like hot flashes, whether it is used alone or coupled with another wonderful estrogen-balancing herb, native to North America, known as Black Cohosh.
This is quite a powerful herb and the effect can be seen after as little as a week. For this reason it is important to consult your doctor and verify what are the possible interaction this powerful herb might have with any medication you are taking, especially antidepressants or gaba enhancers, like gabapentine.
St. John’s wort can be a very effective natural alternative to consider when experiencing mild depression, hormonal imbalances or anxiety.
Another all natural alternative Semaine Health solutions contain a mix of herbs that can help with a wide range of symptoms including mood swings, menopausal symptoms and other hormonal imbalances.
Try it and let us know what you think!
