Nikki Bostwick, founder of THE FULLEST, talks to us about her saffron based supplement line, which offers saffron in a variety of formats and dosages. If you haven’t tried their Warm Feelings Saffron Latte yet, it’s an instant pick me up. That’s because the aromatic spice, commonly used in Middle Eastern dishes, has some serious mood boosting benefits. In fact, studies have shown that just 30 mg of saffron a day is as effective as Fluoxetine, the generic form of Prozac. It also helps to relieve anxiety, bloating, inflammation and has a host of skin beautifying properties.

Nikki, what inspired you to create THE FULLEST?

Growing up as a first generation Iranian-American meant that I had a very strong understanding of my culture and an awareness of Traditional Persian Medicine. The combination of my background and a personal interest in wellness and preventative medicine is what inspired me to create a platform that educates women to trust their intuition and have a better understanding around ancient healing practices and modern holistic medicine. We hold the experience of our readers and customers to a high standard and we want to support them on their journey towards living their fullest expression, the way nature intended. Our products are an extension of what we believe will support women on their journey to live a more intentional, non-toxic life.

THE FULLEST offers an assortment of saffron-based supplements. Can you tell us why you love saffron?

Saffron has been used for centuries in Iranian cooking as an aromatic spice that also has mood-elevating properties. It also helps with bloating so it’s the perfect addition to a rice dish, which is how it’s commonly used in the Middle East! They intuitively knew back then that it works as an antidepressant, but it wasn’t until recently that science has been able to prove the exact dose these healing benefits will come through.

Because saffron is intimidating to cook with (it comes in thread form and needs to be ground down and activated with hot water to make a tincture that you then use a portion of in your cooking), I knew I needed to use my culinary background to formulate something easy and instant! The amount of saffron in ethnic cooking is not nearly enough to be a medicinal dose, so I formulated an easy-to-make beverage that has 150mg of saffron per serving, to make sure you have that potent medicinal dose to reap the mood-enhancing, anxiety-reducing, digestion-supporting, and skin-clearing benefits.

How does saffron support depression and anxiety?

According to this double-blind placebo study, 30 mg of saffron per day is as effective as Fluoxetine, the generic form of Prozac. What is even more profound is that pharmaceuticals for anxiety and depression (SSRIs) take 4-6 weeks to kick-in but saffron works right away! At that dose, saffron reduces anxiety and increases serotonin and dopamine levels.

How many mg of saffron are required in order to improve depression and anxiety?

At least 30 mg per day is the healing and medicinal dose.

Can you tell us about saffron’s beauty benefits?

Other than making you more attractive by making you stress out less, saffron supports your complexion by reducing redness, brightening the skin, and clearing your complexion from blemishes.

How does saffron support the immune system?

Saffron is one of the richest sources of riboflavin, a B-vitamin that helps you maintain a healthy immune system. Also, saffron’s potent anti-inflammatory properties help support individuals with autoimmune conditions.

Are there any other benefits to supplementing with saffron?

Saffron is proven to help prevent and treat Alzheimer's symptoms. It also protects your eyes (which we all desperately need from being on screens all day), acts as an aphrodisiac and antifungal (breeding grounds for cancer), and helps with symptoms of ADD/ADHD.

What is your favorite way to enjoy saffron?

I love all of our products – I use our Warm Feelings Saffron Latte for an instant pick me up because it offers a high amount of saffron in a bioavailable form that doesn’t need to be broken down like a capsule does in my stomach. I then take the Kinder Thoughts capsules mid-morning and use our Mindful Immunity syrup and Strands of Sunshine saffron threads to make a tea.

***THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR REGULATED BY THE FDA. WE ARE NOT DOCTORS, THEREFORE ALWAYS CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR FIRST.