How to Start Taking Herbs
If you are new to using herbs, or just adding a new herb to others you use regularly, it's best to do so with some caution. Some herbs will give you no trouble, but others you might find you have an allergy to or they make your stomach upset. The best way to avoid having a bad experience with a new herb is to take it nice and slow. Don't rush into taking large doses. Here are some tips for starting carefully:
- If you're using powdered herbs, try taking just 1/16th of a teaspoon of the herb for a couple days. This is a good way to test for allergies to start.
- If you feel fine after a few days of just 1/16th a teaspoon, increase to have two doses that size, once in the morning and again in the evening. Try this for a few days, then increase size and dosage to get closer to the dose you need.
- After about 5 days with no issues, increase your dose and how often you are taking the herb. You could try having them morning, afternoon, and evening and from there increase to morning, afternoon, evening, and bedtime doses.
- Keep up with the slow and gentle increases until you hit tolerance. Your stomach shouldn't be upset and you shouldn't be having headaches or feeling off any other way. This includes breaking out in hives, feeling angry for no reason, or experiencing just a general queasiness in your stomach. If you feel off somehow, that's a sign you should lower how much of the herb you are taking and see if that helps.
If your doctor or healthcare professional provides you with instructions, always be sure to follow their advice and check with them before you add any new herbs to your routine.
