Frequently Asked Questions about Herbs

What are herbs?
Herbs are the highest quality food known to man containing vitamins, minerals, and trace elements that are used as natural medicines to activate the body's own self-healing powers.

General guidelines on the question of DOSAGE:
a) Prevention - 2 plus per day
b) Vague problem with mild, recurring symptoms - 4 plus per day
c) Average problem (chronic, prolonged) to get results - 6 plus per day
d) Painful, acute symptoms or an infection exists - 4 every half-hour to an hour

There are exceptions to these rules. Most notable are Cascara Sagrada, Senna, and Lobelia. Your age and size are a factor. Also your level of deficiency, diet, stress level, emotional state, and environmental influences all play a role in determining dosages.

When using a new herb, begin with a recommended dosage and observe how your body reacts to it. If you do not receive the desired result, increase or decrease the dosage accordingly. When herbs are used for restoring health, dosages will need to be five to seven times that which is required for maintaining health. Common sense and personal judgment will ultimately determine the amount of any herb you take.

How soon should I get results?
There is no set answer. Many factors are involved: Severity of problem, assimilation and digestive system, number of herbs taken, and the particular problem.

Disease often takes many years to manifest and the return journey to good health is not an overnight trip. Depending on the ailment and severity of the illness, approximately three months of sustained high dosage is usually required before the body is repaired.

The science of homeopathy teaches that it takes one month for every year of illness for the person to rebuild the body. However, some problems like constipation and blood sugar imbalance will usually get excellent results within a day, while someone with cancer or arthritis may not feel the difference for weeks.

Are there bad side effects from using herbs?
No, but some experience a cleansing action on the body when using herbs (such as nausea, diarrhea, a runny nose, fever, aches and pains, etc.), especially if they take an excess of cleansing herbs first.

It is this detoxifying process that helps bring the body into a state of health. This is nature's way of righting what was wrong.

Herring's law of cure states, "All cure comes from within out, from the head down and in reverse order as the symptoms have appeared in the body." This is an elimination process in which the strengthened organs and tissues finally throw off the toxins and acid wastes that were causing the problems.

When is the best time to take herbs?
Since herbs are food, you can take them whenever you want. Most people will take them before meals so the liquid won't dilute their digestive juices. Others, on a busy schedule will take them first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. (Some people who take herbs after meals experience burping.)

Herbs for insomnia and cleansing are mostly taken at night. Appetite depressants and blood sugar balancers are best taken 15-30 minutes before the problem hits.

Can I quit taking my chemical drugs?
Herbs are a slow, safe cure. Don't ever quit taking drugs you're dependent on. Many people have gradually decreased drug dosage and frequency with the use of herbs.

Always check with your doctor or other health professional before discontinuing any prescription medication. Ask for his/her assistance in monitoring your health for any major changes to your medication/supplement regimens.