herbal foundations

one

Please don't just google for your herbal information.

While  search engines are amazing sources of seemingly endless information,  they are set up as a kind of popularity contest. The first listings you  see are either paid listings or the most popular listings. These are, in   almost every case, not my favorite sources for herbal information. In  fact, these are often poorly researched clickbait with no references or  sources, at all. These articles are often quoting other poorly  researched articles, and on and on it goes.

What   I prefer is to have tried-and-true reference materials that I know I  can refer to for rock solid herbal information. For me, this includes a  personal library of herb books (known as herbals) and herbal reference  materials. I also have a collection of trusted online sources of herbal   information.

I suggest collecting some trusted resources of your own.

Click here to check out some of my favorite herbal resources.

two

There are a couple of aspects to this.
 

1) When you are flying down  the highway and you want to change lanes,  you don't yank the steering wheel in one direction or the other. You look around, assess the  situation, and make very small movements that guide the car, almost effortlessly, into another lane.

Sometimes, our bodies just need these small calibrations, as well.

Know  what kind of herb you are using and start with the recommended dosages,  or less. You can alter the dose down the road, if it seems like a good  idea, after you have some more experience with it and have done more  research about it.

2)  A little  is good, a lot is better…. right? Wrong. So wrong. If you take too much  of the wrong herb, it will kill you. Period.
 

Do your research.

three

Stay humble. There's simply no way that anyone could know everything about herbs and herbal therapies.

These  are exciting times. There's new information coming out about herbs  every day. In a lot of cases, traditional herbal wisdom and cutting-edge  science are meeting in the middle, and the results can be fantastic.  Keep your mind open, your ear to the ground, and be willing to let go of  what you always thought was true.

four

The body is more than a bunch of organs and bones tossed inside of a sack of salt water.

There  are complex interconnections going on in our bodies that mainstream  science can only, currently, dream about understanding.

There  is a deep practical wisdom that comes with acknowledging the  interconnection of everything, even when we have no hope of completely  understanding it.

Now, of  course, this means that it is helpful to train our minds to accept and  work with this complex interconnection, instead of expecting to adhere  to a set of predefined rules.

There  is no hard and fast list of herbal contraindications. This is an  intricate web. Proceed with caution, common sense, and respect. Always  do your research. 

five

If you aren't sure about the necessary preparation method, then do your research, because it makes a difference.
 

Sometimes, the tincture will  give you the active constituents, but an infusion won't. Some plants  must be boiled before consumption. Sometimes, the dried plant holds  medicine, and the fresh plant holds poison. Figure out what you're doing  and why, and you can help keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

If  you aren't sure about dose, then find out. You don't want to stop anybody's heart or poison anybody's liver, right? This is serious.

If  you aren't sure you have the right plant, then just put it down and  walk away. You wouldn't take some random capsules that you found on the  counter. Don't take an herb unless you know it has been properly  identified, first. 

six

While   we always remain in control of our own healthcare decisions, an  openminded healthcare practitioner is such an important part of  maintaining our health. 

It is  such a  blessing to find a medical doctor, nurse practitioner,  naturopath, or doctor of osteopathy that we can trust to be  well-informed and openminded. Sometimes, even if our health care  provider isn't trained in holistic therapies, they are open to  discussion and suggestions.
 

Get a dialog going, and you might be surprised.

These  intelligent and openminded people are out there, and so many of them  are so amazing and open to collaboration between science and natural   therapies.

The meeting place of  science and traditional wisdom is a treasure trove. Find yourself a  good partner for the adventure and have some fun with it.

seven

A  contraindication is some consideration that, for whatever reason, makes  it a bad idea to take a certain herb in a given situation. This could  happen for a lot of reasons.

Maybe  you are already on prescription medications, or you're pregnant or  nursing. Perhaps, the person who would be taking the herb is either very  young or very old. All of these reasons, and many more, are cause to  deeply consider any possible contraindications before beginning or  suggesting any herbal therapies.

Here  are just a few examples of contraindications, and what we can do to,  hopefully, avoid any dangerous or difficult situations.

Example #1 - The elders and the children

Some  herbs that are no big deal for most adults will be too strong for  elders or children. And, for that matter, some herbs that would not  handle a health crisis in an adult will be effective for the very young  or the very old.

Suffice it to say that it is always worth it to do the extra research when you are dealing with the babes and the grandparents.

Example #2 - Pregnancy and nursing

If   you are pregnant or breast feeding, it is very important to deeply  consider the situation before beginning any herbal protocol.

Of  course, we don't want to allow anything into the baby's bloodstream  that would poison the nursing child or negatively affect the health of a  baby that's still developing.

Beyond that, there's so much more to consider.

Some simple and otherwise gentle herbs could stimulate a miscarriage or dry up the production of breastmilk. 

And  while there are plenty of herbs that should be safe during every   trimester, it's always worth doing the extra research when you're using   herbs during your pregnancy.

Example #3 - Prescription medications

In this example, we'll be considering hawthorne berry (Crataegus oxycanthoides).

Hawthorne is widely known and accepted as a very gentle tonic for the heart that can be used safely in most circumstances.

However,   there are some very important contraindications that make it crucial  that we look at the bigger picture, even when we are considering the  gentlest of herbs.

Hawthorne is  what is known, in the herbal world, as a cardiac tonic. We have  traditional  knowledge and scientific evidence that the hawthorne  berries strengthen,  tone, and nourish the heart tissue in a gentle way  that, over time, can bring more cardiac health and vigor to the person  taking it.

For so many people who take this herb, their heart begins, slowly, to work more efficiently.

Amazing.

This plant has been observed to either lower or raise the blood pressure according to what the body is needing. Wow. Incredible.

So, what's the problem with that? That sounds amazing, right?

The   problem comes in when we consider the medications that are usually  prescribed for heart conditions and cardiac disease. These prescriptions  are usually working to fine tune the action of the heart in one way or  another.  Blood pressure too low? There are prescription medicines that  can be used to raise your blood pressure. Blood pressure too high? There  are prescriptions for that, too.

Now,  imagine that someone has been diagnosed with high blood pressure. Their  doctor puts them on a prescription to lower their blood pressure,  things even out and they carry on. Down the road, let's imagine, that  this person hears about the gentle strength of hawthorne and decides to  start taking it.

No big deal, right? Hawthorne is "safe," right?

Well,  let's say this person takes hawthorne for a month or two and their  heart begins to function more efficiently, and their high blood pressure  begins to drop.

That's good, right? Isn’t that the idea?

Well,   the potential complication is that this person is already on a   prescription medicine to lower their blood pressure. And if the  hawthorne is also working, slowly, to strengthen the heart and, in this  example, lower the blood pressure, then all of a sudden, their blood   pressure is too low! Whoa. That's also a problem, of course.

This is how one of the gentlest plants in the apothecary can create a potentially serious situation.

It also shows us that it is imperative to deeply consider any herbal choices when you are on any prescription medicines.

These are just a few examples that should give you an idea of the gravity of the situation.

We know that herbs are natural... but we also know this doesn't necessarily mean herbs are safe.

It's so important to keep an open mind, stay humble, and do our research. 

And in a lot of circumstances, it's a fine idea to go ahead and give the herb a try.

But  it's always a good idea to proceed with caution, use some common sense,   and (I'll say it one more time) be sure to do your research.

I hope you've found this lesson helpful. 
 

Do you agree with my 7 tips to  keep  yourself safe? 

What kind of research do you do before you start  to take  an herb that's new to you? 

Important  note: The information contained here is not intended to  diagnose or  treat any disease or imbalance. This lesson has not been evaluated by  the FDA. Nothing here attempts to replace the advice of a  trained  medical professional. Your healthcare choices are your own.