St. John’s Wort and Ginseng for Depression?
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Gill
Posted on: October 03, 2006



Can you tell me if there is any problem in combining St Johns Wort and Ginseng on a daily basis when trying to overcome stress, anxiety and mild depression?

Ginseng should not be taken for long periods of time. It can be taken one month on, one month off, if required. A natural way to take ginseng is to boil a root in with a home made soup broth, then eat the soup over the next few days.

There is no such warning with St. Johns wort, but you should discontinue it at some point, between 16 and 30 weeks, to see if you can function well without it.

If you are taking herbs for depression without consultation with a qualified natural health practitioner, make sure that you have considered the causes for your depression and are working with those causes. Some health conditions that inhibit digestion and absorption of food decrease the uptake of food nutrients by the body, contributing to depression.

Consider other factors in depression: put in place in your life activities that you enjoy; consider consulting with a therapist; exercise is known to be as effective against depression as using drugs after a period of 16 weeks.

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