Improve Your Gut Health With The Right Supplements

Having a healthy gut means being healthy in general. It affects almost everything in your body and it’s affected by everything you do to your body. All the alcohol, junk food, sleepless nights, pills, antibiotics you took will affect your gut flora.
And, did you know that if your gut health is disturbed that it will affect your entire immunity system?
You don’t have to be ill, to have gut problems. So, how to keep the gut health in balance? Do you take any gut health supplement? A mix of healthy food and gut supplements can do miracles for the health and balance of your guts.

St John’s Wort for Anxiety and Depression

St John’s wort also known as Hypericum perforatum is a herbal medicine famous for its bright yellow flowers and named after the time it blooms which is around St. John the Baptist’s birthday. In old-English, “wort” means “plant”. It had formerly been used for a plethora of indications but today this popular herb found its place in treating anxiety and depression disorders. In recent years St John’s wort has been studied extensively and it’s one of the most commonly purchased herbal products.

What Does St John’s Wort Do?

It is believed that hypericum supplement boosts mood and provide relief from anxiety and depression. Research suggests that some ingredients in this herb such as hypericin and hyperforin increase levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin (which sends messages between nerve cells in our body and play an important role in regulating our mood). The main reason why people go for this natural remedy for anxiety and depression (as opposed to antidepressants) is that St John’s wort has fewer side effects than standard antidepressant medications.

St John Wort for Anxiety and Depression

Depression is a common but serious mood disorder. It affects the way you feel and thinks and it greatly impacts your sleeping, eating and working habits. In Australia (on average) one in four people is estimated to experience a mental health condition once in their lifetime. Every year, around 1 million Australian adults will suffer from depression and more than 2 million might have symptoms of anxiety.

If you experience anxiety, depression or low mood, you may decide to buy St John’s wort tablets from your pharmacy, as you can get these herbal tablets without a prescription. Make sure you choose high-quality regulated products from trusted and licensed manufacturers as this will help you avoid problems with strength, consistency and contaminants. Studies have shown that people who were taking St John wort were more likely to continue the treatment because of good effectiveness and fewer side effects (when compared to standard antidepressants).

What Are St John’s Wort Side Effects?

People who are taking St John’s tablets may experience possible side effects such as mild stomach upset, diarrhea, dry mouth, headache, tiredness, dizziness, restlessness, allergic skin reactions, vivid dreams etc. It can also increase your eyes sensitivity to sunlight. This is a greater risk for people with fair skin. However, when using St John’s wort avoid the sun as much as you can, and wear sunscreens when you must be in the sun.

When used topically, St John’s wort may cause skin irritation. In case you’re taking other medications that can promote photosensitivity ( like certain acne medications) then you should contact your doctor or pharmacist and consider risks and benefits of taking St John’s wort.

What Are the Benefits of St John’s Wort?

In addition to its use for anxiety and depression, this herb is also known for treating some other issues including menopause-related problems, premenstrual syndrome, seasonal affective disorder, viral infections, fatigue reduction in people receiving chemotherapy for cancer as well as tobacco dependence. Thanks to its antibacterial, antioxidant and antiviral properties, St John’s wort oil has also been used topically to heal wounds, hemorrhoids, eczema and other skin conditions. However, only a few beneficial effects were widely studied.

Possible Drug Interactions

Using St John tablets alongside other medications may induce faster metabolization. This means that body breaks some medications faster than usual making them less effective. That’s why a doctor will not recommend using St Johns wort if you take medications used to treat HIV, cyclosporine (used to prevent organ transplant rejection and birth contraceptive pills. Taking St John’s with other medicines that affect the levels of neurotransmitters, you might experience a condition called serotonin syndrome. This syndrome cause symptom such as tremors, sweating, agitation and diarrhea.

How to Take St. John’s Wort?

You can find St John’s wort supplements on the market in form of liquid extracts, dried herb, tea and tablets. Even though you can buy st. john’s tablets over the counter, always consult your pharmacist or doctor about the optimal dosage so it can successfully impact anxiety, promote happy thoughts and improve your sleep. It usually takes 4 to 6 weeks for St John wort to start giving the desired results. In case you’re pregnant or breastfeeding always consult with your healthcare provider before starting with this supplement.

Different causes of depression and anxiety can lead to a severe illness that can increase the risk of harming yourself or others. St John wort can treat mild to moderate depression, but it won’t treat severe depression. Although showing positive short-term effects, it’s less likely providing long-term ones. If your symptoms of anxiety or depression become severe, the best solution is to get effective, professional care and help.