Dosages
Jo Francks MH
When using herbal supplements for treating
physical ailments, it is important to understand how to use the herbs, how much
to take and how often. Most times taking one dose of any herb won’t do much,
but taking it over time will effect a change in one’s health.
Acute
ailments are illnesses that come on quickly with mild to severe symptoms and
last a few days to a few weeks and can become chronic if not treated promptly
and thoroughly. Symptoms of acute ailments often include a fever, cough, runny
nose, diarrhea or vomiting. Examples of acute illnesses are colds, flu, UTIs,
and the current COVID 19 virus. When treating an acute illness with herbs it is
important to know the action of the herb used and whether it is wise to use it
in frequent doses. Herbs that strengthen the immune system are often used in
frequent doses for colds, flu and virus or bacterial infections. These could
include echinacea, elderberries, garlic, goldenseal, astragalus, etc. They can
be used as a tea, extract, capsules or powder. Taking the herbs in adequate
doses every hour has proven to be effective in acute situations rather than
only taking the herbs 2 or 3 times a day. When symptoms ease up a bit then the
dosage can be adjusted accordingly. Acute ailments are aggressive and need to
be treated just as aggressively with herbal protocols.
Chronic
conditions are treated differently because these are conditions that have been
in the body awhile and it takes longer to move them out. These are usually
associated with a toxic condition of the body that will take patience and
perseverance to overcome. It requires dietary changes and using herbs and
other treatments for longer periods of time. The dosage for herbs used in chronic
conditions is up to 3 times a day depending on the action of the herbs taken.
For example, you wouldn’t want to use Dr. Christopher’s Lower Bowel formula
every hour. That formula needs to be adjusted to individual needs and is
recommended to be taken three times a day, over time, to eventually heal the
bowels to help them work on their own. Examples of chronic conditions could
include heart disease, constipation, asthma, skin disorders, diabetes, etc.
Herb categories used in chronic conditions include nutritive herbs, adaptogens,
tonic herbs, blood purifiers, herbal laxatives, etc.
The
amount of herbs to take depends on the size and age of the individual. Adult
dosages are for a person weighing 150 pounds give or take 20-30 pounds.
Children 12 years and up are usually given an adult dose. This depends on their
weight. Recommended dosages on purchased products are intended for adults and
examples are 1 teaspoon loose herbal tea or one teabag per cup of water, 2 or 3
capsules, 15 to 30 drops of a tincture, or ½ to 1 teaspoon of an herbal syrup.
Children ages 8 to 12 get half the dose. Ages 4 to 8 get 1/4 dose. Under 4
years of age get even smaller doses. Start with 1 drop of extract and go from
there.
This
newsletter is intended to help clarify how much and how often herbs are to be
used in different situations. These recommendations may not fit every situation
and adjustments need to be made according to each individual and each
situation.
