Kitchen herbs such as garlic, thyme and basil may contain healing properties; when starting an herbal health regime it is wise to consult a health professional and exercise caution when beginning.

Carefully consider how an herb tastes as that will give an indication of its actions; bitter herbs aid digestion while astringent herbs tighten tissues.

1. Know Your Herbs

Herbal medicine offers an ideal alternative to pharmaceutical medications, supporting prevention, healing and ongoing health. When taken as prescribed by a naturopath in appropriate dosage either alone or alongside pharmacy drugs (which should also be disclosed), herbs tend to be gentler yet just as effective than their synthetic counterparts.

Herbs come in various forms, from capsules and powders to tea and tincture tinctures, available at health food stores, naturopath offices or online. However, growing your own herbs or purchasing from reliable sources provides greater control over quality while showing how the medicine will affect you directly.

As it’s important to recognize, not every herb will suit everyone, each herb can serve different functions and treat various imbalances; therefore, finding an expert who understands your herb of choice and how it will benefit you is key.

When purchasing herb products, it’s essential to verify whether or not they contain chemicals, and are suitable if you are also taking other medications – this is particularly crucial if pregnant or breastfeeding women take herbal remedies.

When choosing which herbs to grow, it can be useful to keep a look-alike chart on hand as this will enable you to ensure that you harvesting the correct plant without wasting any useful parts of it.

2. Make a List

Herbal medicines come in many different forms, from capsules and teabags to liquid drops and skin creams. You can buy herbal preparations at health food shops, supermarkets, pharmacies or herbal practitioners; most preparations are unregulated so be wary where and how much you take. They may be sold under false names with different ingredients to the label listed; as with any medication taken as well, always consult with a GP first as taking herbal remedies may interact negatively.

Herbs are used for many different reasons, from treating infections and strengthening immunity, to relieving pain. Herbal remedies work naturally with your body to address root cause rather than symptoms; this has contributed to the success of herbal treatments like Echinacea in treating herpes and SARS or African flowers for HIV prevention.

Herbal medicines can be powerful substances and should be taken with equal precaution as pharmaceutical drugs. Like all medicines, herbal remedies may cause side effects – some herbs are even toxic if taken internally by humans! Herbs or supplements could interact negatively with over-the-counter and prescription medications; so always inform your healthcare provider if you take any such treatments, such as surgery or any other forms of therapy.

4. Be Patient

Herbal medicine (herbalism or phytotherapy), commonly used as part of traditional health practices like Ayurveda, Chinese herbal medicine and Native American remedies.

Herbal medicine differs from modern medicines in that it targets the root cause of an illness rather than only treating its symptoms, potentially producing lasting relief versus temporary. Before beginning herbal use, however, it’s best to speak to your physician first as they can advise which ones are safe to take and any possible interactions between medications you’re already taking and herbal treatments.

Be mindful that there is no scientific basis for some claims made about herbal medicine, such as its efficacy in treating cancer or AIDS. Furthermore, herbal products may contain contaminants like pesticides or pharmaceutical drugs and some are unregulated and do not undergo regular safety testing as other medications do.

As much as an experienced herbalist can assist with finding the appropriate herbs to treat your condition, be prepared to pay their services. In addition to your initial consultation session and purchasing any recommended items from him or her, prices of herbs vary widely between stores – it would be wise to do some price comparison shopping before making your final decision.