A Brief Ancient Greek History
St. John’s Wort, like all the herbs used in our product, Sunny Honey, was commonly used in Ancient Greece by physicians and healers and is still an integral flower to Traditional Greek Medicine today. The bright yellow flower grew abundantly in the hot mountainous landscape of Greece and was believed by ancient herbalists to contain the energy of the God of the Sun, Helios. Because of this belief both Greek commoners and royalty consumed the flower in tea as well as bathed in it because they believed it could provide them with health, youth, and happiness. A pattern I find personally interesting is that although their reasoning may be more spiritual based, many of the claims Ancient Greek Herbalists made about different herbs have now been substantiated by science. For example, St. John’s Wort, was believed to provide happiness and we now know that it contains active ingredients that can increase serotonin levels in the brain. My Yiaya used to say that science is simply the process of discovering islands that spiritual leaders have known about since the beginning of time, and the more I study herbalism, the more I believe this to be true.
Modern Medical Uses
- John’s Wort increases motivation and reported feelings of happiness.
- John’s Wort induces feelings of calm and focus.
- John’s Wort reduces negative PMS symptoms.
Is all St. John’s Wort Made Equal?
In all my blog posts I mention the importance of only consuming herbs that are of the highest quality. However, distinguishing which are safe has become increasingly difficult because the natural supplement industry is unregulated, and the consequences of consuming low-quality herbs can range from not receiving desired health benefits, to becoming seriously ill. This was part of the reason I became a herbalist, because I wanted to create a product that people could experience the positive effects flowers can have when they are grown mindfully and respectfully in their native environment.
