Get the Most Out of Your Healing Regime - Learn the Best Way to Take Herbs and Supplements

How to take herbal preparations:
1. Herbs are absorbed better and work best on an empty stomach. Try taking at least a half hour prior to meals, or at least one hour after meals unless otherwise stated on the label.
2. Liquid herbal preparations: Shake the bottle well and add drops to a small amount of water. To significantly reduce the alcohol preservative in tinctures, add the drops to boiled, steamed water and wait five minutes. Approximately 60-70% of the alcohol will evaporate. Some glycerin products are available on the market.
3. Steep healing teas covered to capture the essential healing oils. Steep 10-15 minutes for leaves and flowers and 15-25 minutes for roots and barks. Use a non-aluminum pot. For the best result, sip these teas throughout the day rather than drinking the whole thing at once.
4. You may drink a whole cup of peppermint, chamomile, Mai-Green, and spearmint tea without sipping throughout the day if desired.
5. Take algae and green drinks on an empty stomach for better absorption.
6. Rotate the use of herbs. Generally, use herbs six days on and one day off. For example, use herbs Mon - Sat., and take Sundays off. Use herbs as recommended or, as a general rule, for 6-12 weeks, then rotate off one whole week to allow your body's own healing mechanisms to take over. Resume your program the following week. Use a calendar to keep track.
7. Take herbal pills, capsules, and caolets with plenty of water in order that they properly dissolve. Caplets, especially Chinese preparations, are very concentrated and will expand in water.
8. Herbal anal suppositories work best when the sigmoid colon is free from compacted feces.

How to take other nutritional supplements like vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other preparations:
1. Most work best when taken with meals (unless otherwise stated on the label).
2. Don't take nutritional supplements and vitamins on an empty stomach. If you must take many supplements, you may break them up between meals. Taking too many together may create an upset stomach.
3. Take supplements with plenty of water. You may notice a change in urine color.
4. Chewables - Chew, chew, chew until liquid. Your saliva has digestive enzymes that begin the digestive process.

Vibrational remedies: Eliminate mint and coffee if you are taking vibrational remedies. Shake the bottle at least 5 times and drop the desired amount in a glass of water (filtered is best) and sip throughout the day at least three times daily. If you take drops directly by mouth, don't let the tip touch your hand or tongue. Remember, many commercial types of toothpaste contain mint.

Aromatherapy oils: Gently roll the bottle in your hand a few times. When applying, avoid mucous membranes unless otherwise stated and dilute in plain base oil, especially if you have a mild skin reaction. Apply 1-3 times per day. Leave the oils on overnight. If you apply during the day, leave them on at least an hour before showering. No exercise, sauna, steam, or whirlpool for at least an hour after application. Use on clean, washed skin. Test first. Some "Young" brand essential oils may be used straight from the bottle, but most essential oils are mixed in a base oil before applying to the skin.

Considerations:
1. Before starting a full regimen, test small amounts of products to rule out adverse reactions.
2. If you drink a lot of drink coffee, alcohol, or if you smoke, herbs and supplements may be less effective. Cut down or eliminate these items.
3. If you are 65 or older, start with a lower strength or dose of herbs and supplements, and increase over time. You don't want to overwhelm your system, as at this age you may respond well to low doses.
4. If your meal doesn't include fats, try taking Hemp Seed, Flax Seed Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil on your salad or in food.
5. Round out your healing regime. Herbs work better in combination rather than a taking single herbs - this is called synergy. If you are taking single preparations, you may want to try to combine some others for the desired synergistic effect. For example, combine one to detoxify, one for inflammation, one for energy, one for tissue repair, etc. Or, purchase a combination preparation.
6. Give yourself time to heal! Herbs and supplements don't work overnight. They work by bringing the layers of the body's systems, brain and glands into balance and harmony, and instigate the body's own healing mechanisms. They work at the root cause of the problem. This will take some time. You may be taking different supplements for a long time. Have patience!
7. Be aware of symptoms of toxicity, sensitivity, or allergy. Anything overdone could cause a reaction. Herbs are generally very safe, but occasionally if two herbs don't interact well in your system, you could have a mild reaction. If, within an hour or more of taking, you experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or headache stop taking and see if symptoms subside. Detoxification of the body can also create temporary headache and some nausea, however, and can be a normal part of healing. Usually, if you're sensitive, you'll see an immediate reaction, but there are exceptions as levels build up in the body. Reactions are especially common if you are taking a number of prescription medications and you try to incorporate too many other supplements. Although rare, a rash is a common indicator of sensitivity or allergy. Discontinue use if you experience a rash, and consult with your physician if the rash is severe. (An anti-histamine, like Benadryl is often indicated for a rash and is usually safe and effective.)
8. For questions on drug interactions, check with your physician or pharmacist. You may also try Michael Moore's excellent text, www.swsbm.com/ManualsMM/HerbMedContra1.txt;
9. Pregnant and nursing women should not take medicinal amounts of healing herbs unless cleared by their medical practitioner. If you are taking medication, some herbs may be contraindicated. Be sure to check with your physician in these cases.
10. Stop herbs and supplements in plenty of time prior to surgeries.
11. If you are sensitive to pollen, you may be sensitive to products that derive from pollens and flowers such as chamomile, calendula, goldenrod, bee pollen, etc.
12. If you are taking prescription medications, herbs and/or medications could be affected or contraindicated.
15. Use only the recommended amounts for the recommended periods. Using more may overwhelm your system. Use wisdom! Using large numbers of different supplements can actually hinder your healing. Don't be tempted to try and fix everything all at once.
15. Products are either water soluble or fat soluble. If the product is fat soluble (like vitamins A, D, E, K), you will need to incorporate oil in your diet in order that the products be properly absorbed.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How long do I take herbal preparations? Usually clients start to see results by taking herbs for one month for every year of the problem. However, for chronic or more complex problems such as IBS, Prostate problems, IC, and some GI and colon problems, you may be rotating off an on different supplements and herbs for a long time. Don't lose hope if natural supplements don't seem to be working after a couple of weeks.

Will I feel different? Some clients report feeling better as early as two to three days after taking herbs. Some clients experience a mild - severe detoxifying effect when starting a new health regime. This effect will usually occur two to four days after starting a program, and symptoms will usually subside after a couple of days. Drink water to aid in elimination. This is especially true if you are doing a candida cleanse or using herbal "antibiotics" and detoxifiers. Herbs are considered food products and foundational nutrients. Be mindful of your sensitivities and allergies prior to ordering and taking. For example, if you are allergic to ragweed and pollen, you may also experience sensitivity to Chamomile tea (made from flowers), Goldenrod, Flower Pollen, or Bee Pollen.

Should I switch on and off preparations? Clients have reported better progress when certain herbs are rotated off and replaced with others. For instance, in the case of herbal antibacterials and antifungals, the body can tend to become less responsive over long-term use. Rotate these items off and replace with another item for best results. I suggest staying on these preparations for 6-12 weeks before rotating to a different preparation.

Sources:
1. Herbal-Medical Contraindications, by Michael Moore, www.swsbm.com
2. Healthy Healing, by Linda Rector-Page