how herbs work
it's easy to get impatient and think that the herbs aren't working
When I work with someone in an herbal consultation, I like to prepare their expectations for how soon they'll feel the results.
Herbs tend to work in two ways:
Slowly
Quickly
Ok, that's oversimplifying, I know. Here's more detail:
For chronic conditions or complex health pictures, herbs will work by slowly bringing the body back into balance.
It might take up to two weeks for you to notice a change, and six to eight weeks to really feel a difference.
Even if you know this going into it, it's easy to forget. It's so exciting to get your bottle of personalized tincture formula -- you want to feel something right away! And you might, especially if you're really sensitive. But often you won't. And the change will happen so gradually that you might not notice it.
So this is what I tell my clients: before you start taking your herbs, write down how you feel, what your symptoms are, etc. Then put a reminder in your phone or calendar to check in at two weeks, six weeks, eight weeks. Two weeks feels like a really long time when you're living it. It's easy to get impatient and think that the herbs aren't working.
Ask yourself: how long has my body been in this state? If your body has been in a certain way for years, it might take longer to heal than if it's just been a few weeks.
The great thing about herbs is that they're addressing the root cause of the issue, so the shift will be long-lasting. Yes, change may take longer, but it will last longer, too.
For acute conditions, herbs work very quickly.
Examples of times that herbs can take effect within hours or days: upper respiratory virus, intestinal virus, nausea, headache, menstrual cramps, muscle tension, stress, anxiety, wound healing, cough, sore throat, etc.
So there you go. If you ever start taking herbs to address a health issue, you'll be prepared with reasonable expectations.
Is there something you'd like to address with herbs? Take a look at my Consultations page.