The best thing about herbal medicine, in my opinion, is that botanicals are natural products made from plants. People have traditional uses for herbal remedies that have stood the test of time. Modern science is now researching these traditional ideas about herbs and either rejecting them or accepting them. The human body can recognize and assimilate the herbs. Learning about herbs and the way they affect a person’s body is the key to using herbs safely in your family.

Personal Story

I’ll never forget the conversation I had with a friend on a Sunday afternoon. I found out that she didn’t take her children to the doctor right away when they had a fever, sore throat, or ear infection. Instead, she had plant medicines that she gave them, and their body had support so it could heal on its own. This was new information to me that I wanted to learn more about!

Gain Knowledge to Lead a Healthier Life

That visit changed my life. I wanted to learn about herbal medicine. I began to seek out how to safely use plant medicines to heal our family’s bodies.

Herb Books

Herbal books provided me much information on herbal safety. I often use books that have a bibliography or other source information to help my learn about safe use of herbal medicine. This gives me the ability to read the original sources for myself to see if the herb is or is not suitable for our use.

Some of my favorite herb books for safety, doses, and toxicity information were ones I used in my studies to become a herbalist.

• Botanical Safety Handbook. Edited by Michael McGuffin, Christopher Hobbs, Roy Upton and Alicia Golberg. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL: 1997.
• The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety, by Simon Mills, MA, MCPP, FNIMH and Kerry Bone, BSc (HONS), DIP Phyto, FNIMH, FNHAA, MCPP. Elsevier Churchill Livingstone, 2005
• The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook by James A. Duke, PhD. Rodale/Reach, 2000

There are many books to choose from to learn about herb safety. These are a good start starting place.

Use Herbs Cautiously with These Family Members

Use herbs with caution for the following groups of people:

• Infants
• Children
• Pregnant women
• Breastfeeding
• Older people
• People on medication
• People with health conditions

I will write more on these groups in the future to help us learn more about safely using herbal medicine to support their bodies.

Purchase Herbs from a Reputable Company

Some of my favorite herb companies with great safety standards are Herb Pharm, Gaia Herbs, and Mountain Rose Herbs.

Dosages

I try to check several sources for dosages and usually go with the lowest dosage recommendation to start.

Watch for Occasional Side Effects

I have learned caution in choosing herbs for a family member who has seasonal allergies. Some herbs could be related to those which cause hay fever and could cause a side effect.  I also check reliable resources for possible herb-vitamin-drug interactions.

Action Step

Take time to learn about herbs for yourself or talk with an herbalist before you choose to use an herbal remedy. Remember to consult a health care professional for any medical condition.

May God bless your healthful endeavors!

Joni

P.S. Please encourage others by writing in the comment section.