St. John's Wort: Nature's Blues Buster [Paperback]

Hyla Cass (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1997

- A thorough examination of the use of the natural supplement St. John's wort in treating depression

- An estimated 18 million Americans suffer from depression at some point in their lives

- Studies show that St. John's wort is as effective as prescription antidepressants (50 to 80 percent of patients show improvement) -- but without their negative side effects

- In Germany, St. John's wort outsells Prozac by 4 to 1

Increasing numbers of people have been p ascribed antidepressant medications such as Prozac, yet these synthetic drugs, In addition to being costly, frequently have side effects that can make long-term use problematical. Now consumer's attentions are turning to St. John's wort, an he that scientists have confirmed as being quite effective in treating several types of depressive disorders. It has the advantages that it is available without a prescription, is less expensive, does not cause drowsiness, and does not prevent dreaming.

St. John's Wort: Nature's Blues Buster is a detailed and thorough yet highly readable presentation of the health benefits of St. John's wort. Dr. Hyla Cass presents historical research on the herb, real-life anecdotes from people have taken it, and her own clinical experience with it, and shows how St. John's wort works to provide relief for a variety of depressive conditions, to fight off disease, to cure insomnia, and even to treat PMS and menstrual cramps. Making a strong, persuasive argument in favor of St. John's wort, Dr. Cass covers the general topic of antidepressant medications, and gives specific practical details on the appropriate use of the herb, including Correct dosages and administration, referral with a physician, andgetting important feedback from others.

Dr. Cass also profiles the type of people who can benefit most from taking St. John's wort and describes other natural approaches to mental health, including tips or, nutrition and lifestyle that can increase the effectiveness of the herb.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Already widely used in Europe, St. John's wort (wort is an old English word meaning plant) has recently become known and used in the U.S. The plant's main benefit lies in combatting depression, and substantial use of it in Germany has meant that sales of Prozac and other antidepressants are much lower there than in the U.S. Cass, who uses it in her psychiatric practice, points out that it also serves as an antiviral, helps in treating burns, and possibly alleviates the radiation damage of cancer therapy. She describes the plant's chemistry, dosages, and occasional side effects, and precautions and contraindications for its use. She includes 11 pages of references in the scientific literature, some in recognized U.S. journals but many more in obscure European publications. It seems clear, however, that under the guidance of a professional health caregiver, St. John's wort is effective and safe for a variety of purposes. William Beatty --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Avery (1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0895298341
• ISBN-13: 978-0895298348
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #309,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful information on St. John's wort & depression, October 23, 2000

By 

Kim Boykin (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: St. John's Wort (Paperback)

While trying to decide whether and how to use St. John's wort, I read three books on it and flipped through some others, and I liked this book the best. I appreciated that, although Dr. Cass seems to lean toward "alternative" treatments for depression--including St. John's wort and large doses of vitamins and minerals--she is not ideologically opposed to "conventional" antidepressants, which she also uses in her clinical practice, and so she is able to offer some helpful comments on the relative merits and appropriate roles of St. John's wort and synthetic antidepressants. The book includes chapters on what depression is, what St. John's wort is, how to use St. John's wort, the evidence for its efficacy, synthetic antidepressants, nutrition, and other elements of a "depression-free lifestyle."

(Two other recommendations on depression: Richard O'Connor's "Undoing Depression" and John and Andrea Nelson's "Sacred Sorrows.")

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative and easy to read!, December 20, 2000

By 

Natanya (Wien, Österreich) - See all my reviews

This review is from: St. John's Wort: Nature's Blues Buster (Paperback)

I bought this book (and a bottle full of St. John's Wort!) after two deaths in my immediate family pushed me over the edge of depression. It talks about the different forms of depression, how St. John's Wort helps with the symtoms and who should or shouldn't try the herb. It gives a lot of study cases of people Dr. Cass worked with and also offers some statistical information on research. All of it is put in a very readable and enjoyable form and I finished the book in a couple of bedtime reading sessions (definitely important when you're reading about something that you hope and pray will help you with your current state of depression!) I highly recommend both the book and the herb to anyone thinking they may suffer from depression.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good info - needs caution., July 31, 2000

By 

Vikram Chonok - See all my reviews

This review is from: St. John's Wort: Nature's Blues Buster (Paperback)

Cass has done a great job of explaining how the natural supplement, St. John's Wort, can work to alleviate depression. A caution that I have is that not all St. John's Wort is made the same. Unless it is processed so that the finest hypericum is extracted, the molecules will be too big to cross into the membranes of the brain for the proper serotonin regulation. She explains the body's need and utilization of St. John's Wort in a comprehensive way. A link to this book would be the site iHerb which gives additional information about hypericum and offers a variety of products/dosages of the flower extract.