How long can you take herbs for homeopathy/holistic use?

Question

I have heard certain herbs like Echinacea should only be taken a few months before cold/flu season starts and not everyday all year-round, or otherwise, they are not as effective, as you build up some sort of immunity to its effectiveness.

Is this true for most herbs? Or are there other herbs that can be taken all the time - like Ginseng, Garlic, etc. as a daily supplement for overall health or Milk Thistle/Dandelion to cleanse/detox the liver?

While I am familiar with all of the benefits of herbs, and know about shelf-life, expiration dates, know that the FDA does not approve certain herbs, etc., I am still unclear about long-term use/effects. Can someone please clarify any known long-term use adverse affects of any known herbs?

Thank you in advance for your help/information.

Answer 1

as a trained chinese herbalist i can ell you that yes, there are absolutely some herbs that you should not take for extended periods of time.

garlic is fine on a daily basis, and is nearly impossible to overdose on (unless you're a vampire or planning on breathing on anyone ;)

ginseng on the other hand is a tonic, and is designed for long term use IF (i stress if) you are of deficient constitution! it can have detrimental side effects if taken long term or in doses that are too large (insomnia, sweating, anxiety...). a trained chinese herbalist can tell you whether or not you are of a constitution to use/need ginseng.

liver detox herbs such as milk thistle or dandelion also need to be dosed correctly, as too much at once can lead to nausea, headaches etc (especially if you aren't used to cleanses.) as for use over time, cleansing herbs should be used seasonally, typically in the spring, and avoided at other times unless warranted by something like a surgery (anesthesia), food poisoning, etc. too much cleansing can over-stress the body and end up draining your energy instead of increasing it.

there are a number of other herbs that are sold otc and each herb has different contraindications etc. my advice to you would be to consult with an herbalist before considering taking anything or if you have any questions/concerns.

hope that helps!

Answer 2

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Answer 3

i hope these sites may be of some use to you.


They can have dangerous side effects if used too long