St. John’s Wort has become extremely popular in recent decades as a potential cure-all herbal remedy for a wide number of conditions. Unlike many other herbal treatments, many of the health benefits of St. John’s Wort have been verified by the scientific community, and the herbal supplements are commonly prescribed by medical professionals. St. John’s Wort is a small flowering plant from the Hypericum genus.
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| St John's Wort Flowers |
Preparation of Hypericum Oil:
Making an Infused Oil with St. John’s Wort is quite easy:
- Pour the Hypericum flowers in a glass jar.
- Add Extra Virgin Olive Oil to cover them well.
- Seal the jar and place it in a sunny place, ideally for 4 weeks.
- Shake the jar once a day.
After a month the liquid has developed a typical dark red color.
- Press the flowers well and strain the liquid.
- Keep the oil in a clean container. If well stored, it can be used for a year.
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| St John's Wort Oil |
Hypericum Health Benefits:
- Psoriasis: A 2012 study treated psoriasis patients with a St. John’s wort ointment. Patients experienced improvements in swelling and redness, scaling, and thickness.
- Skin Treatment: St. John’s Wort Oil is exceedingly effective at soothing pain and healing wounds quickly. But it also is very effective for larger wounds, burns, swollen glands, and sore muscles. Apply it to a stubborn splinter and eventually it works the splinter out enough for you to get it!
- Anti-Depressant Qualities: Perhaps the most well-known effect of St. John’s Wort is its anti-depressant nature. It has been widely used to relieve symptoms of depression for generations, and is now a popular natural solution that doctors and psychiatrists often prescribe to their patients. St. John’s Wort contains a rare combination of antidepressant chemicals.
WARNING: the oil should not be combined with anti-depressive medicines!
- Addiction and Withdrawal: Although additional research on this particular benefit is still ongoing, early indications show that the use of St. John’s Wort can be very helpful in easing cravings and withdrawal symptoms after quitting cigarettes, alcohol, or other addictive substances.
- Antiviral Agent: New research has recently come to light that St. John’s Wort has certain antiviral capabilities, including the prevention or reduction of risk for AIDS, hepatitis, and other serious viral conditions.
- Hormonal Balance: St. John’s Wort active ingredients have strong effects on hormone regulation in the body.
- Anti-Inflammatory Agent: The soothing nature of St. John’s Wort and the rich concentration of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds make it perfect for easing the aching pains of arthritis, in addition to gout, joint discomfort, and muscle aches.
- Pregnancy Pains: While pregnant, hemorrhoids or other stretched out areas of the body can become very painful. Although it is not recommended to take oral supplements throughout the pregnancy, topical application of St. John’s Wort salves and pastes are highly recommended for women suffering from these pregnancy-related conditions.
- Anti-Cancer Effects: Cancer research has recently begun putting more faith in the role that St. John’s Wort could play. Laboratory research has shown a definite correlation between the prevention and treatment of leukemia with consistent use of St. John’s Wort supplements. Any cancer-preventing substance is highly valued, and this research will certainly be ongoing.
Interactions:
Patients should be cautioned on the potential for interactions and the need to consult their health care provider before taking St. John's wort with prescription or nonprescription drugs.
