When you go to your Western medical practitioner, they usually ask you about your pharmaceutical medications. They want to know what you are taking and how they are interacting in your body. They are trained to manage these so that their patients can live full, healthy lives. Many doctors have begun to ask what herbal prescriptions and/or supplements you may also be taking but bottom line, that isn’t what they were formally trained to manage.
Licensed herbalists can help you manage your herbal supplements because this is what we have been formally trained to do!
I personally have continued my herbal education with a focus on herb-drug interaction, thanks to the fantastic knowledge and education imparted from Dr. John Chen, pharmacist, herbalist, and owner of Evergreen Herbs and the Lotus Institute in California. I have only begun my education in this area but have learned key aspects regarding the body’s metabolic processes of medications, when to take volitile pharmaceuticals and herbal formulas without absorption interference in the cells, and how to prevent and recognize herb-drug adverse reactions. I have had several clients of mine recently mix Western pharmaceuticals and herbal supplements, suffering from minimal to severe side effects. This can be prevented by making me (or a licensed herbalist with continued education in herb-drug interactions) your Go-To source for your herbal medicine management. Always find a licensed herbalist who is willing to work with your Western medical practitioners for a comprehensive approach to your health. I look forward to working with you in the near future!