Hey folks! As you may have read recently, I'm all about natural remedies. I have had issues with my menstrual cycle for years and also suffer from (albeit self-diagnosed) Seasonal Affective Disorder. So, when I came across Boline Apothecary I couldn't wait to try some of their remedies out for both!
As I'm sure you can guess, the "I'm S.A.D." tincture on the left in the picture is specifically formulated to help with seasonal affective disorder symptoms. I had already been taking a St.John's Wort essence to help with SAD, so I wasn't surprised that it is one of the main ingredients in this one as well. If you're not familiar with tinctures (which I've just recently started learning more about myself!), it is "made by extracting the medicinal properties out of plants in either alcohol or glycerin." In other words, it's "just the good stuff" and no extra junk, which is one of the reasons I am loving these things over vitamins or other supplements!
I have been using I'm S.A.D. for about a month now. According to the directions, you should use 30 drops 2-3 times daily. To be completely honest, though, I've only been taking it once a day. However, I really feel like it has been helping more than the St.John's Wort essence I was taking before. I feel like my moods haven't been fluctuating as much and I have enough energy (and some extra, some days!) to get things done that are necessary, which was a struggle before I started taking ANYTHING.
It is definitely noticeable if I miss a day of taking the I'm S.A.D. tincture. Usually the next day or two I get moody again and have a hard time getting motivated to do anything. It might sound crazy, but I believe in the power of plants!
As some of you may have read in some past posts, I have taken my menstrual issues into my own hands and drink an herbal tea my husband came up with to help regulate them. It works very well most of the time and sure beats the prescription medicine I took for a few months over a year ago. (Can you say two periods only a week apart? No thank you!) So, moral of the story, I was interested to see if there is something else (natural) out there that can help!
The Vitex Simple is great in that it is designed to regulate your hormones, whether you have too many or too little. This one is also meant to be used 3 times a day, but I've only been using 30 drops once a day as well, just to put its effectiveness to the test. ;) I have been using this one for about a month as well, and, since I tend to have longer than "normal" cycles anyways, the jury is still out on this one. (For the record, I only drank my herbal tea twice this month, just to see if the Vitex Simple worked about the same.)
That being said, I still have high hopes that it has been helpful, even if I didn't take it exactly as directed. I have been charting my basal body temperatures and all that other fun stuff as well, and I should be and am showing some signs of Aunt Flo visiting very soon. I'm pretty sure I didn't ovulate at all this month, which may just be coincidence since that is supposedly normal for most women at least once a year, but I'd love to get another bottle of Vitex Simple and take it as directed to see if that gets things going, so to speak!
I also forgot to mention that I mix my tinctures in a glass of water. I'm not sure if you're supposed to take them that way, but I don't see why it would hurt. I'm sure you can just place the drops right on your tongue as well...but I'm afraid I would lose count. ;) Oh. And yes. They do add a slight flavor to your water, but it's not bad. The I'm S.A.D. one actually tastes a little like licorice to me. ha ha!
Boline Apothecary offers a wide range of herbal products for a wide range of ailments. (And just nice, relaxing items for everyday!) You can find body scrubs to kid-friendly sunscreen, earache oil to wellness tea! And, if you live in the Columbus, Ohio area, you can visit their storefront in person. They actually just moved to a new location! Whether you live close or not, be sure to stay up-to-date with them on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and on their blog.
Oh! One more thing before you run off: Be sure to head over to the giveaway page for your chance to win a Moisturizing Whip and Body Scrub from Boline Apothecary. Just click on the image below to go there!
Disclaimer: I received the products mentioned above in return for my honest opinion/review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and may differ from your own. This post is in no way affiliated with any of the social media platforms mentioned above, including, but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
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