Hello! I'm 20 and have been on an SSRI (fluvoxamine) for the past 9 months or so after a relapse in OCD. The first time I took the meds was a few years ago, quit cold turkey, felt great and improving, but relapsed a year later out of stress.

They're not like a miracle, I still have OCD, but the anxiety from it is much lower (rumination is still there, which I'm assuming is from subconscious anxiety/perceived threat) so I can go about my day more functionally. My mom wants me off the meds asap because of the long term damage they do, and I would ideally want to myself. Best case scenario, I gradually quit them and at least maintain this state though ideally it would improve with self work.

Considering they help manage anxiety and lessened my depression, I've been doing some reading and found that there are natural anti depressants and herbs that work for anxiety and low mood. Of course I'm not a professional, so I'd like to ask here whether it's plausible and possible to simply use supplements, herbs, plants, all the 'safer' options as a substitute for when I come off the SSRI? Have there been any personal success stories with this route?

Might I mention I have hypothoidrism, so my issues could be somewhat stemming from that too but the medication I took for it made me feel nauseous and unwell so I stopped.

If so, what would be good to look into?

I've briefly heard of saffron, st johns wort, even psilocybin mushrooms!, but I need to plan some time to research them first before even considering anything anyway. I'm aware of the classic vit d, magnesium, etc. I guess I'm just looking for some more knowledgeable advice to see if it's even worth thinking about.

Thank you for your time :)

As the title says I'd like your herbalism recipes! While I have no problem taking midern medicine I plan on homesteading in the future and if I can grow, forage or otherwise make my own home cures for ills, ailments and problems then I'd rather do that. I'm looking for everything. You got something for a stomach ache? Gimmie. Diarrhea? Gimmie. Tootch aches? Gimmie. Sleeping problems? Gimmie. Anything you can think of go ahead and write it down in the comments along with how to prepare it. I'll greatly appreciate anyone who writes anything down and I'll put you as the source in my lil herby book.

Edit: by herby book I mean a personal recipe book, no profit will be made as it's only for personal use.

Hi everyone! Im 12 days late for my period which is very abnormal for me. I'm 99% sure I'm not pregnant as I havent had sex since November, and I had a FULL period in December. It was on time, I had a heavy flow with cramping etc, and I lasted about 5 days. I took 2 pregnancy tests just to be sure and both were negative. Anyway, I was wondering what herbs I could take to maybe help balance my hormones and help me start my period?

Thanks!

Hey guys, I just moved my family to my wife's hometown in the extremely arid area West Texas. We're all super dry constitutionally, and my 2yo daughter is already getting dry rashes after two days.

I know licorice has some negative effects to be avoided, though it's a personal favorite. So I'm wondering what and if marshmallow and mullein's negative effects and contraindications are. And if you guys you guys have any other recommendations to keep us from drying out and becoming the desert ourselves.

What is mullein tea supposed to taste like? I have a bag of mullein leaf tea from "FreshDrinkUS" from the last time I was sick. I'm starting to catch a cold or whatever is going around so I just made a glass of it.

Is it supposed to taste earthy/dusty or how dirt would smell? That's the best way I can describe it.

What kind and brand of Evergreen tea would you recommend trying?

(I would just gather some needles from the trees which exist outside, but I'm not entirely confident in my Botany Skills .)

Looking to put together some herbal tea blends for myself but not sure where to start! There used to be a spot cold Wild Terra? (perhaps) in highland park but I think it closed down. Thanks!

Where to source the best mushrooms, herbs, botanicals if residing in Canada. I’m hoping for a business that delivers and has consistent quality and is reputable as well as Canadian.

I am over 40 male (white, northern european descent) and I’m noticing that if I go to a tropical vacation destination, I always burn now even if I apply sunscreen. I used to tan very easily in my 20s and early 30s. And never burn in California really. Looking around the beach during these vacation vacations I don’t see anyone that gets as sunburned as myself and I’m not spending that much time outside. It's very concerning and ends up being embarrassing in front of others. I cannot figure out why this is. My testosterone and hormone levels are normal. The only thing I can think of is that from 2016-2021 I would take chlorophyll drops every day, thinking it was good for athletic training (I'm a runner) due to increased red blood cell production/oxygenation. I have since stopped. I’m wondering if chlorophyll, which can increase sun exposure, has stayed in my body and permanently altered my skin chemistry. I don’t currently take any weird supplements I’ve been taking astaxanthin to help with melanocyte production and improve resilience to sun.

I do typically start building up a tan but only after appealing, and I obviously don’t wanna have to go through that every time. this is really freaking me out so if anyone has any thoughts or suggestions, please let me know..

I recently started taking a tincture with ginkgo in it, and at exactly the same time, started having awful insomnia, which is really unusual for me. In the past, when I’ve been this wired and unable to sleep, it’s almost always due to a supplement. I don’t think any of the other herbs in it (Solomon’s seal, gotu kola, schisandra, cayenne, rosemary) are causing it. I’ve taken the first three individually and never have this problem with them. I’ve also noticed a slight jittery feeling after taking this blend on an empty stomach, like a milder version of caffeine jitters.

I’ve been taking one dose in the morning and one in the early evening. Wondering if I should skip the evening dose and just stick to taking it in the morning. Also, I’m curious if anyone else has actually experienced this with ginkgo? All the things I’ve read say that it supposedly helps with sleep. But then, I often have paradoxical reactions to herbs and meds. (Eg, valerian also causes insomnia for me.) I’m really hoping to be able to continue this tincture, as it helps me focus, and my connective tissue feels better with it, but it’s not sustainable if I can’t sleep.

What can I take to prevent myself from catching the flu after I have been exposed?

Please bare with me on this post as I'm trying to figure out what's going on.

I'm 47 -- and I think I'm just entering perimenopause.

In November I ordered and started applying a pee size amount of wild yam & chaste tree cream to help with "explosive" periods which I've never had before.

I think since I started using the cream my periods have gotten easier to deal with - although unfortunately I don't have any notes from that time, so can't recall 100%

My last period, I just had pain and the explosive period part for the morning / around 3 hours, where I released a lot of blood and then was fine/small/low bleeding for 5-6 days that followed. My periods have always been light so the explosive period and bleeding a lot was weird and a noticeable difference.

Now here's where things get weird and I'm trying to figure this out.

It's been 3 1/2 months of being on this wild yam & chaste tree cream.

I do a pee size amount in am and pm

I have no other perimenopause symptoms that I can think of....

Until possibly recently...

1 - sleep has gotten worse - I have weird cramps at times throughout the night that will wake me up or cause me to toss and turn (i haven't been a good sleeper in general over the years, and working on fixing this now)

and the thing that's bothering me a lot... my hair

2 - I notice my hair seems thinner in the front.... in one of the temples... and the back of my head (crown area - I can see a baldish spot)

this is bugging me out.

I can't figure out if this is perimenopausal symptoms or due to the wild yam & chaste tree cream?

I want to sort this out before I pile on more herbs & supplements.

Now, over the years I have had a goiter/thyroid nodules which is almost 100% healed now -- all labs have always been normal, still are... I'm so happy that I healed this naturally -- so this tells me my body is happy/healthy and I'm going well with my routines...

I also want to share that over the last 2 months I've increased my iron significantly as I noticed my ferritin is low and I think that's contributed to low energy for many years - I'm getting all my levels up to optimal levels with supplements - D, K, Iron, Zinc, etc. and again doing really well.

So again, my body is getting stronger...

But this hair thing?

In writing this post I'm thinking that maybe I just stop the cream and see what happens?

I've noticed a visible difference with my hair this last month... again, do you thikn this is the wild yam/chaste tree creams effect?

same deal with the weird cramps during the night - - never had this before...

or just perimenopause kicking in more?

what are your thoughts?

Like I said, I've been researching herbs but dont want to keep piling things on... maybe this chaste tree / yam cream is throwing off my progesterone and estrogen levels bad that i'm noticing hair thinning?

Hey. Does smoking mugwort work better than mugwort tea?

I’ve been trying to induce my period (on time, not mid cycle. I’m already at the end of my luteal phase) drinking it as tea isn’t working.

I have some herbs (tulsi leaf)

Rather than take it as a tea each day, I thought I'd grind it in my blender and then take the herb in water

My question is this -- when I look online it says 3 capsules = 900 mg. Which seems weird to me. Capsules fit a lot of herbs. Bcacuse when I look up how many tsps equals 500 mg it's only 1/4 of a tsp

So I ground up some tulsi leafs and 1/4 a tsp (again to equal 500 mg) and it's SUCH A SMALL AMOUNT.

How are they filling 3 capsules to make 900 mg?

The capsules look like they fit so much more.

So either my measuring is off or theirs is?

Is anyone making sense of this?

I bought some Mullein, Damiana, Mugwort, Raspberry Leaf and each came in their own bag, and they have lots stems/small twigs in them.

Is this considered lower quality and/or not clean?

So I saw a how to remove alc from tincture video how they leave it out and a gooey resin is left, so this is the concentrated form left over

What if I make a bigger batch and bottle it up in a jar or soemthing and take it as if it was shilajit ? Nothing but a pure concentrated benefit of whatever herb

Specifically Id like to consume gynema Sylvester for its blood sugar lowering property

My question is, Will a tea lower my blood sugar or a tincture lower it quicker ?

Should tinctures be really looked at as a quick go too if you don’t have time and herbal tea will always be the traditional method ?

I read so much positive reviews and feedback from this herb for anxiety, but when I tried it (as a tea) and twice, each time I just was in an endless loop of depressing thoughts and wanting to cry about everything and even did cry. The first time drinking it, I thought it was just an overexaggerated anxiety episode of mine, so I decided to try again but the second time the same feelings came up. I have never had this happen to me with any other herb. Like for example passionflower, chamomile, kanna, valerian, lemon balm etc, all work really well for me.

I’m about to start a program through my job that is going to require a lot of studying, particularly in Algebra and Trig. I’m not exactly fond of Algebra and have no knowledge of Trig. I’ve bought several books for reviewing and learning the necessary materials but if any of you have any suggestions on a supplement that might help with the memorization and retention aspect of things I would greatly appreciated it. Give me your best brain power boosting recommendations!!

I’m looking into tapering down & eventually off one of my medications with of course my doctor knowing but I’m looking to see while tapering down some kind of natural supplement that can help with my moods. I know when tapering they’re gonna be all over the place. I’m mainly worried about my ups they call it mania.

i had a couple of stds a year ish ago and i heard that can throw off the balance of my ph. whenever i drink or am dehydrated it really hurts when i pee. anyone know what herb that can help with this?

So I am looking to use wood betony for grounding and helping with a level of dissociation.

Of course this applies to other herbs but how much would be good to take each day? I’m assuming it could be somewhere between 1-4 cups (or tsp?), just curious what people may think.

Hello. I have read that licorice can lower your potassium levels. I like to use these dutch licorice salted candies (no sugar but sweet cuz of licorice) throughout the day. They help my digestion and fatigue. At what point should I back off because of the potassium issue? Thatnks

also is it safe for minors (<18) to consume the alcohol content in herbal tinctures on a regular basis? i know that the alcohol content for small doses are usually around the same as a ripe banana and the net positive of the herbs makes the possible downsides negligible but i keep stumbling on conflicting information where any amount of alcohol is inflammatory for the body and that most people recommend to avoid it.

Please be nice. I’m new to this

I have looked high and low for the book Health Secrets Industry Hides and can't find it online. So either I wrote the name down wrong or they are actively censoring its spread. Also, I don't know the authors name so that hasn't helped my search either.

Any suggestions of where I could get a copy? Thanks