St. John's Wort// Review
This isn't a review of a film about some Saint with a gross wart or anything, don't worry! It's actually a review of a natural herbal remedy I have been taken for a couple of weeks now, and I wanted to share it with you guys!
St. John's Wort (hypericum perforatum) is basically a herbal remedy for people who may suffer from depression, anxiety or seasonal affective disorder, and need that extra boost. The name 'St. John's Wort' comes from the flower/herb that produces the remedy. The active ingredients are hypericin (used to treat depression) and hyperforin (present in antibiotics) as well as many other chemicals found in the plant.
Scientific research, and my own experience, shows that St John's Wort has the same function as many anti-depressants but with far fewer side affects. The only side affects are...
It is a natural, rather than chemical, mood elevator. It has also been proven to come into effect more quickly then anti-depressants such as fluoxetine, which takes two weeks to kick in.
My older brother works in GNC, a health shop run by Holland and Barratt, and very kindly purchased me some of these tablets just after I'd come off my anti-depressants. This was because I still wasn't feeling 100% myself. I've only been taking these tablets for a couple of weeks now but I can honestly say I feel like a new person when I take them. When I was on fluoxetine one of the side effects I noticed most was that I felt emotionally numb and still had some times where I was thinking some dark thoughts.
I haven't experienced any negative side affects although by the middle of the day I will feel a bit more relaxed and sometimes a bit drowsy but this isn't really a problem and never leads to me actually falling asleep when I should be doing something. I also find that taking it before I go to bed makes me a little hyper too, so I can get all my energy out that I've stored up throughout the day and then n about half an hour I will start to feel sleepy and fall asleep which is great!
It will not interfere with your day to day life, just your moods!
When taking St. John's Wort though you should be really pre-cautious of a few things..
St. John's Wort (hypericum perforatum) is basically a herbal remedy for people who may suffer from depression, anxiety or seasonal affective disorder, and need that extra boost. The name 'St. John's Wort' comes from the flower/herb that produces the remedy. The active ingredients are hypericin (used to treat depression) and hyperforin (present in antibiotics) as well as many other chemicals found in the plant.
Scientific research, and my own experience, shows that St John's Wort has the same function as many anti-depressants but with far fewer side affects. The only side affects are...
- Stomach irritations causing potential nausea, physical sickness and diarrhea
- Headaches
- Potential allergic reaction (consult with your GP before purchasing this product)
- Dizziness
- Tiredness
- Confusion
Which, compared to the side affects listed on the leaflet provided with any anti-depressant prescription...is absolutely nothing!
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| St. John's Wort in it's natural herbal form... |
It is a natural, rather than chemical, mood elevator. It has also been proven to come into effect more quickly then anti-depressants such as fluoxetine, which takes two weeks to kick in.
My older brother works in GNC, a health shop run by Holland and Barratt, and very kindly purchased me some of these tablets just after I'd come off my anti-depressants. This was because I still wasn't feeling 100% myself. I've only been taking these tablets for a couple of weeks now but I can honestly say I feel like a new person when I take them. When I was on fluoxetine one of the side effects I noticed most was that I felt emotionally numb and still had some times where I was thinking some dark thoughts.
I haven't experienced any negative side affects although by the middle of the day I will feel a bit more relaxed and sometimes a bit drowsy but this isn't really a problem and never leads to me actually falling asleep when I should be doing something. I also find that taking it before I go to bed makes me a little hyper too, so I can get all my energy out that I've stored up throughout the day and then n about half an hour I will start to feel sleepy and fall asleep which is great!
It will not interfere with your day to day life, just your moods!
When taking St. John's Wort though you should be really pre-cautious of a few things..
- Never ever ever take it with any other anti-depressant as they could interfere with one another and intensify side affects
- St. John's Wort can pro-long the effects of sleeping tablets and anesthetics. So if you're gonna have surgery make sure you let your anesthetist know that you've taken some!
- It can also reduce the amount of oral contraception in your blood stream which increases the risk of pregnancy or breakthrough bleeding!
Personally I think they are the best alternative to anti-depressants you could ask for, along with a healthy balanced diet, exercise and self-love! They started working for me in the space of a couple of days and I honestly feel like a new person. I am no longer getting snappy with people such as Tom or my family and friends and I have begun to have a much more positive out look on my life.
This tablet is legal and a registered medicinal product around the UK and Europe. Many countries around Europe even prescribe the medicine although there are a lot of places which don't because it isn't funded by the NHS. It's also not prescribed as it's use is based on more traditional use rather than clinical trials. If you are purchasing it from a shop though, always check for this label to say that it has been registered and approved by the Traditional Herbal Medicines Registration Scheme.
You can purchase this magical herbal remedy from your local health food shop, GNC (owned by Holland and Barratt) or Holland and Barratt. Prices can range from £3.99-£9.99 depending on the size of the bottle that you get and how many pills they have.
If you are considering taking St. John's Wort whether because you have depression and/or anxiety and would like to avoid being put onto anti-depressants or even just come off then recently, then I definitely recommend that you go ahead with your plan as soon as you are aware of the side affects and precautions you must take. I wish you the best of luck and hope it works out for you like it has for me! Stay safe, love ya!
Grace xo
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