St. John’s Wort – Is it Nature’s Smile for Happiness?

Is this Natures Happiness?

Anti-depressants are the most prescribed drug in the US. This is an interesting fact, because it either means that people are taking responsibility for their own happiness and choosing to do something to improve it, or that we are essentially all pretty stressed with modern living.

Whichever way you look at it, there’s no doubt that the quest for happiness can lead people to do anything possible to improve their situation. With one person in every five estimated to suffer from some form of mental health problem, it’s not surprising that we are turning to drugs to try and combat issues such as stress, depression and anxiety.

If you think about it, all the drugs that are consumed go back in to our water systems and are recycled, so it could be possible to say that the entire US is now on anti-depressants!  That is a scary thought!

If you are one of the people out there who needs a boost but would prefer to do it without chemicals, there is an alternative solution. A plant called St. John’s Wort has achieved great results when it comes to boosting happiness levels, and this little herb could hold a small secret to happiness.

St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a long-living plant with yellow flowers whose medicinal uses were first recorded in ancient Greece. It contains many chemical compounds. Some are believed to be the active ingredients that produce the herb’s effects, including the compounds hypericin and hyperforin.

How these compounds actually work is not yet fully understood, but several theories have been suggested. Preliminary studies suggest that St. John’s wort might work by preventing nerve cells in the brain from reabsorbing the chemical messenger serotonin, or by reducing levels of a protein involved in the body’s immune system functioning.

St. John’s wort has been used over the centuries for mental conditions, nerve pain, and a wide variety of other health conditions. Today, St. John’s wort is used for anxiety, mild to moderate depression, and sleep disorders. In Europe, St. John’s wort is widely prescribed for depression. In the United States, there is public interest in St. John’s wort as a treatment for depression, but it is not a prescription medicine. St. John’s wort products are sold as capsules, tablets, teas or liquid extracts.

While there is still little hard clinical evidence to suggest that St. John’s wort is as effective as prescription anti-depressants, many people are using it as an alternative to boost mood. It may be worth looking it up and seeing what you think, and whether it could help you to improve your mood.

Bear in mind that like any other drug (natural or otherwise), St. John’s wort can have side effects and may not be suitable for people taking other things. Check all the information about the plant carefully before you decide to go for it.

If you have tried St. John’s wort to boost your mood, and found it helped, let me know and I’ll post up the information in a future blog update! Keep smiling.

Always Reach for your Happiness Within,
Debbie