{"id":6071,"date":"2019-04-30T02:43:27","date_gmt":"2019-04-30T02:43:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=6071"},"modified":"2021-04-01T14:35:23","modified_gmt":"2021-04-01T14:35:23","slug":"14-steps-to-prepare-home-remedies-with-st-johns-wort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-steps-to-prepare-home-remedies-with-st-johns-wort\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Steps to Prepare Home Remedies with St. John’s Wort"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Known by its Latin name, \u201cHypericum perforatum,” St. John\u2019s wort is a perennial herb that grows in areas all around the world. It\u2019s easy to identify the plant through its bright yellow flowers that bloom during the summer months of the year. Hold a St. John\u2019s wort leaf up to the sunlight, and you\u2019ll notice it has tiny perforations in the foliage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St. John\u2019s wort also goes by the moniker, \u201cgoat weed.\u201d This potent form of natural medicine is one of the few herbs recognized by the medical community for its health benefits in treating a wide variety of inflammatory diseases and mental health disorders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you press the yellow flowers of the plant between your fingers, you\u2019ll notice a red stain develop on your skin. This discoloration occurs due to \u201chypericin,\u201d one of the active polyphenol compounds found in the herb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should your doctor recommend you start using St. John\u2019s wort, read through this brief guide on how to prepare home remedies using the herb.
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1.    Use the Fresh Flowers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

St. John\u2019s wort<\/a> starts to flower from October through January. During this flowering season, the plant produces light-yellow flowers that have black oil glands near the edges of the petals. We recommend that you harvest your flowers before they fall from the plant and only use the fresh flowers to make your St. John\u2019s wort remedies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We recommend using fresh flowers because they tend to lose potency and medicinal activity during the drying process. Should you choose to crush the flowers for your remedies, then you\u2019ll notice that the flowers turn red when you\u2019re pressing them, giving an appearance of the flowers \u201cbleeding.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When extracting oil from the fresh flowers, it typically starts as a clear solution, then slowly turns reddish in color over time. It\u2019s possible to preserve the polyphenol in the flowers using a freeze-drying method, but unless you have the equipment on hand, we think it\u2019s best to use the fresh flowers for your remedies.
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2.    Harvesting Tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The delicate flowers of St. John\u2019s wort require special handling skills to ensure you don\u2019t damage the leaves during harvesting, allowing you to benefit from the multiple flowering sessions of this perennial shrub every season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When harvesting the plant – it’s best to pick the fresh buds and flowers in the evening or first thing in the morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By using this method, you supposedly let the buds and flowers yield more polyphenols <\/a>and micronutrients in the oil extract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your plant id overdue for harvest, then you can also try the harvesting strategy of cutting off the entire top section of the plant. Remember to cut at a 45-degree angle, and use sharp shears, to ensure that the plant regrows its flowers next season. Take the top 2 to 3-inches of the plant, and then separate the flowers and buds from the stem. While some people have success cultivating this plant at home, many choose to harvest the wildflower.
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3.    Fresh Remedies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We always prefer making our raw remedies that purchasing a store-bought St. John\u2019s wort supplement from a health retailer. The fresh flowers are excellent for making the essential oil<\/a> and tinctures \u2013 which is the most potent form of the plant available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, while the dried flowers may lose some of their potency, they still do provide some benefit to the body, making it worthwhile to cap-up some of your dried leftovers. Purchase a pill-holder and scraper online from a health retailer \u2013 along with some empty pill capsules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crush your dried flowers and spread them on the pill tray to load your capsules. Cap them up and add them to an air-tight bottle. Store your herbal supplement in the fridge to increase longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making the essential oil isn\u2019t rocket science, but you will still need to follow the guidelines, or you risk damaging the flowers and ruining the polyphenols \u2013 rendering your oil useless.
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4.    Making Essential Oil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The essential oil of St. John\u2019s wort flowers offers the most potent form of the plant for treating ailments. To make the oil, pick the buds and flowers, adding them to a half-pint canning jar. Fill the flowers to the top and lightly pack them down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take a cup of jojoba oil <\/a>and fill the canning jar, covering the flowers. We like jojoba oil because it\u2019s a fantastic carrier oil to use for topical and internal use. However, you can use any oil you prefer, but we recommend sticking to olive oil, jojoba, or grapeseed for best results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cover the jar with a lid and place it outside in the sun. The sun’s UV rays cause the activation of the polyphenols to infuse with the oil. You\u2019ll need to leave the jar in the sun for 2 to 4-weeks, depending on what concentration you prefer for your oil \u2013 the longer you leave it, the stronger the intensity of polyphenol antioxidants and micronutrients.
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5.    Making Tincture<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After essential oil, creating a tincture with St. John\u2019s wort is our ideal natural remedy for this plant. Most tincture recipes call for the use of alcohol in the ingredients, instead of carrier oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, the upside of using alcohol in the recipe is that you dramatically reduce the amount of time the mixture needs to leech the antioxidants <\/a>from the flowers into the tincture. It\u2019s possible to have a tincture ready in as little as two weeks after starting the distilling process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start your tincture recipe by filling a glass jar with St. John\u2019s wort flowers. Cover the herbs with 90-proof vodka. Try to aim for a 1:2 ratio of flowers to vodka, and use a grain-free traditional potato-based vodka product for your tincture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leave the jar in the sun during the day, and give it a shake during the morning and evening to help the polyphenols absorb into the vodka. Your tincture is ready when it starts to turn red in color \u2013 this may take up to 4-weeks.
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6.    Making Herbal Tea <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Drinking herbal tea<\/a> has plenty of health benefits. Green tea and chamomile are some of our favorite options. However, if we get the chance, we love drinking a cup of St. John\u2019s wort herbal tea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tea from the flowers has a lemony and bitter taste, so you might want to add some nutritious raw honey to improve the flavor and give it a boost of additional energy and antioxidants that enhance gut health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The soothing and calming effect of St. John\u2019s wort makes this herbal tea suitable to drink when you\u2019ve had a hard day at the office. The antioxidants and polyphenols in the tea reduce stress levels and soothe feelings of anxiety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take the fresh flowers of the St. John\u2019s wort shrub, and add them to a tea diffuser. Steep in hot water, (not boiling water \u2013 it kills the beneficial polyphenols,) for 5 to 6-minutes, and then drink the beverage as warm as you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll notice the effects of the tea within 15-minutes after drinking. Assess your current state of mind before you pour yourself a second serving \u2013 as it may have potent sedative-like properties that make you want to fall asleep.
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7.    Making a Salve<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We enjoy creating a salve from St. John\u2019s wort extract. Ointments are excellent for healing cuts and scrapes on the skin, and it also has a benefit as a natural lip gloss with potent anti-inflammatory<\/a> and healing properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making salve isn\u2019t as challenging as you might think. All you need is some beeswax and St. John\u2019s Wort essential oil. We recommend you visit your local beekeeper for some organic beeswax that\u2019s straight from the hive and still contains live enzymes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This organic beeswax has healing characteristics of its own, and when combined with the medicinal properties of St. John\u2019s wort, you have a potent natural medicine that can treat anything from eczema flare-ups to cuts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Place a crockpot over low heat and add the beeswax. Add a few drops of vitamin E oil, along with five tablespoons of St. John\u2019s Wort essential oil extract. Let the ingredients simmer for a few minutes \u2013 mixing with a wooden spoon until the wax melts and all the ingredients combine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pour the salve into small glass jars and store in the fridge for up to 6-months.
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8.    Make a Face Serum <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The polyphenols and antioxidants found in St. John\u2019s Wort give it medicinal healing properties and anti-inflammatory properties that make it ideal for use as a facial serum. Compliment your current skincare routine with the use of St. John\u2019s Wort natural remedies you can make in your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Face serums are a favorite part of any skincare routine, especially for women that want their face to remain youthful into their adult years. However, many cosmetics brands offer serums that are ineffective or contain harmful chemicals. Making some at home allows you to control what you put onto your skin<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To make the serum, take two ounces of St. John\u2019s Wort essential oil, and add it to a glass measuring cup, along with 5-drops of rosemary essential oil, 20-drops lavender essential oil, and stir well. Leave it to set up overnight before using it in your regular skincare routine the following morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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