Saffron

Once upon a time, I liked to cook. 
SURPRISE

Actually, two parts of the same story:

PART 1:

A particularly handsome man-person went across the world on a study abroad. Upon his return, he brought me a plethora of exotic and expensive spices. Not the least of which was a giant, 36 g container of saffron. 

For those that don't know: that's really... rEaLLy...REALLY cool.  Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. It runs between $2,500-$5,000 a pound--or more, depending on the variety. Saffron comes from the red stigmas of a blue crocus flower. It takes around 80,000 crocus flowers (about a quarter million dried stigmas) to make 1 pound of saffron. Hand picked, hand processed. So...it's expensive. Especially in the States. 

That being said, I didn't have the opportunity to use saffron much until it was gifted to me. I have since experimented quite a bit. To the point where, when another particularly handsome man-person goes across the world, I will be sending money so that he can bring me back some more spices...okay, more saffron.
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PART 2:

During the time said boy was away, I sunk into a deep depression. I have been dealing with a lot the last few years, and I think my mind and body and spirit just kind of ran out of steam. I was having a really hard time. 

That's enough of THAT part of the story. Gosh, what a downer. Back to the handsome boy part, Sabs.  

Okay, so handsome boy-person gets home and gives me crimson gold. I start experimenting.  During this time, I gradually start feeling much better. I am working things out and getting my life back on track. I'm working really hard, and it doesn't always help, but I can tell the fog is lifting a bit and I'm feeling better about life. The depression doesn't "go away," but I'm managing it a bit better. I joked with this boy that ever since he got back, my depression was getting better, and he was good medicine. haha, right?

So today, I'm doing a bunch of research for work, and it leads me to some phytomedicine/ethnopharmacology journals. Basically plant medicine and traditional healing methods. 
REAL SURPRISE TIME:  Turns out, saffron has been used as a legitimate anti-depressant agent for centuries. Current medical journals have been studying the difference between a daily dosage of saffron and a daily dosage of Prozac. Saffron has seemed to be just about as effective. :-D  Cool, right??

Now, obviously I haven't been taking saffron in 15 mg daily dosages. But hey, at least I'm not crazy!  It really could be helping!  :-D We live in such a cool world.