The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies tremors, relaxing the mind, and relieving anxiety and depression.
Exhaustion and Depression: Skullcap is calming and allows the body and mind to rest. This is essential in treating exhaustion and depression. With good sleep and a calm mind, the body is able to put itself back in order and heal mentally and physically.
Harvesting: Wait to harvest skullcap until the plant is in full bloom. Remove stems, leaves, and flowers by pruning off the top of the plant, leaving approximately 3 to 4 inches (7.5 cm to 10 cm) to regrow. The herb is most potent when freshly harvested, but can be used dried.
Warning: Do not take skullcap while pregnant or breastfeeding. Safety is unknown. Use skullcap sparingly in small doses. Large doses may be harmful or could cause liver damage.
Own work, Rolf Engstrand, Commons Wikipedia cc. 3.0
Drug Withdrawal, Smoking Withdrawal, Alcohol Withdrawal: Skullcap helps with withdrawal from drugs, especially benzodiazepines like Valium and Xanax. It also assists with withdrawal from alcohol and smoking by calming the body, relieving
Recipes. Skullcap Tea: 1 Tablespoon fresh skullcap leaves or 1 teaspoon dried, 1 cup boiling water, raw honey or Maple Syrup, if desired. Crush the herbs and place them in a tea ball. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the herbs and steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the teaball and sweeten the tea, if desired.
St. John’s Wort, Hypericum perforatum St. John’s Wort, also called Klamath Weed, is recognized as an invasive weed in most parts of North America. It gets its name from its uncanny ability to bloom on June 24, the birthday of St. John the Baptist. It is in the Hypericaceae (St. John’s Wort) Family.
Identification: St. John’s Wort is an herbaceous perennial with creeping rhizomes. The stems are erect and grow up to 3 feet (0.9m) tall. The stems branch in the upper section and produce narrow, yellow-green leaves that are less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. The leaves have tiny oil glands that look like small windows when the plant is held to the light. Bright yellow flowers, measuring 1 inch (2.5 cm) across, appear on the upper branches from late spring to mid-summer. The flowers have five petals with pointed sepals. The sepals have noticeable black dots. The large stamens are grouped into three bundles and the flower buds have a red resin when squeezed. The plant is widespread. It likes dry soil and sunny locations. 133
Medicinal Use: The flowers and leaves are used for medicine. They are best used fresh if available.
Depression, Anxiety, SAD and OCD: St John’s Wort is most commonly used for treating depression, restlessness, anxiety, and insomnia without adverse effects. People with bipolar disorder should not take it, as it seems to increase the risk of mania. It should also not be taken by people already on an SSRI
