Plants are getting serious attention as the source of effective therapies for depression and may help to alleviate problems of anxiety, stress, agitation and sleeplessness that accompany low moods. 

Promising remedies for mood disorders:

St. John’s wort:  Generally used for anxiety, mild to moderate depression, and seasonal affective disorder, St. John’s wort is an affordable antidepressant that some research suggests is as effective as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in treating mild to moderate clinical depression (5).  Most studies are short-term use of St. John’s wort (2).  Side effects, which are mild, include dizziness, headache, dry mouth, confusion and nausea.  Dosages range from 900 to 1,800 mg per day.  Caution:  St. John’s wort interacts with SSRI’s, anticoagulants, oral contraceptives and a number of other drugs (1, 5).  Just to be safe, do not take with ANY other medications.

Kava:  This mild sedative is made from roots of the kava kava tree.  Studies show it...