Herbal Safety

Just because herbs are “natural” does not necessarily make them always safe to use. Some herbs can effect the dosage of pharmaceuticals that have been prescribed. Some herbs can cause a harmful reaction if taken with some other herbs. Some herbs should not be taken several days prior to having surgery. (For example, therapeutic doses of garlic thins the blood – a good thing normally, but not when you need to make sure your blood coagulates well when under the surgeon’s knife!)

Like pharmaceuticals, dosage can become critical when using herbs. Using too little of an herb may do nothing in achieving the desired healthy result. Using too much of an herb may cause undesirable effects, maybe even death! What exactly is too little or too much of an herb depends on weight, current vitality, gender, and/or stage of life.

Some herbs are beneficial for specific conditions normally experienced during a stage of life. And some herbs should not be used during some stages of life (especially infants and women who are pregnant).