St. John’s Wort Herbal Tincture: For Mood Balance and a More Positive Outlook

By Sara Tipton

Known for its exhaustive medicinal value, St. John’s Wort is one of the best herbs to add to your herbal medicine cabinet. In addition to its medicinal properties, an herbal tincture can have the powerful effect of balancing your mood and helping you achieve a more positive outlook naturally.

St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a flowering plant named because the bright yellow flowers were said to bloom for the first time around St. John the Baptist’s birthday. The word “wort” means “plant” in Old English.

And evidence suggests that the plant might be better at handling mild to moderate depression than a placebo. A 2015 study published in the Annals of Family Medicine, for instance, examined whether antidepressants were more effective than a placebo in a primary care setting. For the analysis, scientists examined 66 previously published studies (with a total of 15,161 participants) and found that antidepressant medication and St. John’s wort extracts were more effective than a placebo. But the real positive aspect of this herb was that it was associated with fewer dropouts because of adverse effects compared to tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (NRI), a serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI; venlafaxine), and noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant agents (NaSSAs).  Meaning more people continued to take St. John’s wort than other medications because they were not experiencing devastating side effects.

St. John’s is a wound-healer with antimicrobial effects, the latter against organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus.  St. John’s is also one of the herbs that are highly effective in combatting hemorrhagic flu viruses.  It relieves a host of different symptoms and problems that women may find useful. It also aids in dulling nerve pain and pain caused by arthritis.

Depression and anxiety, so common during menopause have been found to be reduced with the use of St. John’s Wort.  It also reduces the symptoms found with PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) in a study performed with the administration of just one 300 mg (milligram) tablet per day with standardized 900 mcg (micrograms) of Hypericum, the chemical lending its name to the scientific name for St. John’s Wort, or Hypericumperforatum.  The herb has anti-inflammatory effects as well as being useful as a sleep aid.

When used topically, as an essential oil, it assists in minimizing muscular pain and swelling, helps to heal minor burns, sprains, bruising and is great in treating wounds that have punctures in the skin. -Ready Nutrition

Ready Nutrition’s St. John’s Wort herbal tincture is an organic tincture for mood balance and positive outlook support. The St. John’s Wort in the tincture is a neurotransmitter modulator that increases Serotonin levels in the brain through a process called natural reuptake inhibition. It will help boost your mood, promote a positive mood balance, improve day-to-day outlook, and increase daytime energy levels.

To use it, take one or two dropperfuls every six to eight hours. Drop desired amount into water, tea, or your favorite beverage!

Possible Side Effects

St. John’s wort (both oral or topical) can increase the sensitivity of your skin and eyes to sunlight. If you have a condition or are taking medication that increases your skin’s sensitivity to sunlight, talk with your doctor to weigh the risks. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to conceive, or you are taking oral contraceptives, it’s important to talk with your doctor before taking St. John’s wort. The herb can decrease the effectiveness of medication but it can also make the effects of a medication stronger, so it’s important to speak to a medical health professional if you’re taking other drugs before considering St. John’s Wort.

While the research on St. John’s wort is promising, it’s crucial that you work with your health care provider and discuss whether the supplement is appropriate for you, rather than trying it on your own, as with all medications.

St. John’s wort herbal tinctures are increasing in popularity thanks to the turn toward a more natural and holistic lifestyle. If you want to balance your mood and increase your positive outlook toward life, consider trying an herbal tincture! They really are nature’s medicines.

This article was sourced from Ready Nutrition.

Subscribe to Natural Blaze for health freedom and natural living headlines to your inbox. Follow Natural Blaze on Twitter and Facebook.

Image credit: Pixabay