Better Than Drugs: St Johns Wort - "Nature's Prozac?"

By: kieron mcfadden Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Man-made drugs work by interrupting, derailing or preventing the operation of the natural, normal processes of the body.
Antidepressants are a case in point: they work by acting as poisons: disrupting the natural process by which the body breaks down the brain's feel-good chemical, serotonin. They act like poisons because they are chemicals that are not part of the body's natural evolution.
However, by interfering with, and indeed preventing, a natural process, they create a knock-on effect of throwing out of kilter other processes that are linked to it. This chain reaction of disruption to normal functions is what produces the unpleasant results known as side effects.
Interestingly, perhaps "alarmingly" would be a better term, a side effect of some antidepressants can be depression and suicidal thoughts! For some reason, that danger does not deter the manufacturer from continuing to market and psychiatrists from prescribing antidepressants.
The fact that chemical drugs do not occur in nature and thus can be patented enables the owner of the patent to charge a high price for them, while naturally occurring substances that do a better job more safely and far more cheaply are nowhere near as profitable.
This high profitability had led some corporations to specialize in developing and marketing made-made compounds and to ignore, shun and sometimes even attempt to discredit naturally occurring products or a nutritional approach to the remedy of illness.
St John's Wort is a case in point. Twenty Three random clinical trials recently showed this plant to be as effective - and possibly more effective - as antidepressant drugs. At the same time it does not have the dangerous side effects of the antidepressants.
St John's Wort works to raise serotonin levels but unlike a drug it does not do so by impairing the body's normal functions. Instead of disrupting the routine breakdown of serotonin and its re-absorption by the cells, it simply encourages the body to do more of what it does naturally, make serotonin, by supplying the nutrients it requires so to do.
St John's Wort has other benefits besides acting as an antidepressant; it is valuable as an anti-inflammatory and speeds the healing of wounds. The signs are it may also turn out to be an effective treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and as a treatment for AIDS.
Its disadvantage is that it can be slow acting: you may need to take it for at least a month before you start to see the benefits.
Additionally in a very few people it can also bring about mild nausea, stomach aches and fatigue. It should not be take during pregnancy.
However, if you are feeling down or anxious, you may find St Johns Wort a useful mood lightener with effects that are deep and long lasting, a cheaper, safer remedy than a chemical drug.
One word of warning though: if you are already on psychiatric medication it can be dangerous to just suddenly stop taking them. You will probably need to wean down carefully so SEE A MEDICAL PRACTIONER FIRST AND TAKE HIS ADVICE.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: Visit www.wellhealthy.org for my FREE health ebook