Beat Blue Monday

January has long been regarded as the worst month of the year and the misery is set to peak on Monday the 19th.

Foul weather, debt, fading Christmas memories, failed resolutions and a lack of motivation are said to be key factors. But don’t despair recent research shows that the herbal remedy St John’s wort may help to bring back the smile to your face.

The largest study ever on the plant, carried out by Dr Klaus Linde, of the Centre for Complementary Medicine, Munich, reports that St John’s wort is as effective for mild-to-moderate depression as conventional drugs such as Prozac.

In a review of 29 studies of the plant, involving nearly 5,500 patients with mild to moderately severe depression, Linde found that, as well as helping to lift the spirits, St John’s wort also has fewer side effects. ‘Overall we found that the St John’s wort extracts tested in the trials were superior to placebos and as effective as standard antidepressants, with fewer side effects,’ said Linde.

Try new Karma®, a high strength St John's wort herbal medicine approved by the MHRA for quality and safety.