Are you Making Mistakes with Herbal Remedies? Pt 5
When it comes to taking herbs, you may actually be unwittingly making a mistake that could potentially harm your health. Here is a look at one of the biggest mistakes that you could be making when it comes to taking herbs.
Are you being honest with your doctor about the herbs and the supplements that you are taking? One of the biggest mistakes that people make is that they take supplements and herbs directly before or directly after having surgery without telling the surgeon about them. Your surgeon absolutely has to know about any herbs and any supplements that you are taking in order to prevent any complications from occurring. These types of herbs and supplements can actually interact with your anaesthetic, and it could potentially cause an excessive amount of bleeding.
There are certain herbs and supplements that you are simply going to want to stop taking at least two to three weeks before your surgery, including the following: Vitamin E, valerian root, licorice, St John’s Wort, kava kava, chamomile, goldenseal, ephedra, ma huang, feverfew, danshen, omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil, flax seed oil, saw palmetto, coenzyme q10, glucosamine, ginger, chondroitin, ginseng, ginkgo and garlic.
Above all else, it is vitally important that your physician always know what you are taking in terms of herbs and supplements so that he or she can help you choose the right treatments and the right medications accordingly. It is important always to be honest with your physician about what you are taking to ensure that you are always in good health.
