Expert: Tonja Wells - 3/21/2010

Question
I have used herbs my whole life and am now in my mid 80's.  I am in good health and do not take any prescription drugs.  My main complaints are a mild irregular heart beat and arthritis-- both of which I control with herbs. I recently had a bad reaction after taking an herb combination and am wondering if you can point to the source. I have had all of these vitamins and herbs before individually and in various combinations.  One morning with my breakfast I took Hawthorne berries (565mg), glucosamine (2000mg)--my regulars-- and also added aloe leaf(25mg), nettle (300mg), burdock (425mg), garlic (1ooomg), B complex-- with a boost of B12 of 1,200mcg--, A (5000IU), D (400IU), selenium (200mcg), and an echinacea blend (450mg)--which included a proprietary blend of goldenseal, burdock, gentian, cayenne pepper, & wood betony.  My reaction began within 10 minutes of taking them and included a drop in blood pressure, a racing pulse, nausea, vomiting and dizziness. I am having trouble finding information about compound herb interactions and would appreciate being pointed in the right direction to avoid this problem again.

Answer
Hello Vince,

Did you drink any caffine with thise or take in any food with thise?

Nettles can work as an natural antihistimine.
Garlic is a good blood purifier
B12 can boost the nervous system.
My first thought thought is the cayenne, it really can get things heated up.
If it were me I would start with one at a time and add one back every three days.
It may be just been too much for you. May have been that the liver with the burdock detoxed and your body was working on your behalf.
Without a full client consult knowing your health issues, it an be hard to know for sure. But don't thing of this as a reaction like a drug would give but rather your body working for you and on your behalf.
I would go to the herbalist you purchaed these from and work with them. If you are not working with anyone. Find someone who does muscle testing.

Usually the reaction your body had is either one of the herbs your body did not need so it got rid of it or you may have had some food posioning.

Nothing you took was in and of itself a bad choice but maybe just not for you. That is why it is alwasy good to work with an herbalist so they can find specifically what yoru body needs.

To your health

Tonja Wells, CNHP, NHC

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This information is for educational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose and treat diseases. If you have any health problems consult a health practitioner before embarking on any course of treatment