St. John’s Wort, Hypericum perforatum

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 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. 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, 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. 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

medication. It is very effective for SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and OCD and is often paired with Lemon Balm.

Menopause, PMS and Menstrual Cramp-

ing: St John’s Wort reduces the symptoms of hormonal imbalances in menopause including depression and fatigue. It helps balance the hormones and stimulates the organs, increasing the tone of the uterus. It is also beneficial for relieving cramping, bloating, and mood symptoms of PMS.

Opiate Withdrawal and Quitting Smoking:

St John’s Wort helps with the symptoms of mild opiate withdrawal and aids people trying to quit smoking. It calms the nervous system and alleviates the physical symptoms of withdrawal from opiate-based drugs and helps relieve anxiety and depression for people quitting smoking. Use an internal St John’s Wort Tincture for this.

Cuts, Bruises, Burns, Sunburns, and Other

Injuries: Extracted St John’s Oil is an excellent antiseptic and anti-viral and contains tannins that facilitate healing. Apply topically to heal burns, sunburns, injuries, wounds, and infections.

Neuralgia, Bell’s Palsy and Nerve Pain:

Nerve pain and neuralgia benefit from topically applied oil and internal tincture or tea. You can also use it for sharp and convulsive trigeminal neuralgia and sciatica. Apply the oil or salve on the affected areas 3x/day. Muscle Pains: For back pain, muscle pain, and general body aches, use St John’s Wort Oil or salve. It is useful taken internally and when massaged externally into the muscles. Peptic Ulcers, Gastric Problems: St John’s Wort attacks ulcers and gastric problems by calming the digestive organs and by attacking the bacteria and viruses that are causing the problem. It is effective against infective digestive problems such as gastroenteritis, dysentery, and diarrhea. Hemorrhoids: The oil of St John’s Wort is almost a miracle cure for hemorrhoids. It effectively reduces the inflammation, relieves the pain, and speeds the healing process. Use the recipe below and apply topical to the affected area 3x/day.

Epstein Barr Virus, Shingles, Hepatitis and

Herpes Virus: The healing properties of hypericin, found in the petals and stems of St. John’s Wort, may work as an anti-viral. It can also be applied externally for herpes and shingles outbreaks. Removing Fluids and Toxins: The diuretic properties of St John’s wort help to remove fluids from the body and flush away toxins through urination. Bedwetting in Childhood: Giving 5 to 10 drops of St John’s wort tincture in the late afternoon can help children with bedwetting problems. Flushing the excess fluids out of the system before bedtime helps prevent the buildup of fluids in the bladder. Arthritis and Gout: St John’s Wort reduces inflammation and pain, relieving the symptoms of these joint diseases. For best results, use it daily as the benefits increase over time as the inflamed joints heal.

Chest Colds, Congestion, and Respiratory Disease: In addition to the anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial benefits of St John’s wort, it is also an effective expectorant that helps clear chest congestion and phlegm. It speeds healing of infections and common coughs and colds. It is also used against influenza.