As a trained practitioner in Chinese Herbal Medicine, I often prescribe Chinese Herbal formulas to be taken daily for many of my acupuncture patients. In addition to herbal formulas, I often also prescribe supplements and vitamins to support your specific condition and shorten the total length of treatment needed. These herbs, vitamins, and supplements, however, only work if they are taken regularly and as directed.
All chemical substances have a half life, which is the time it takes for your body to eliminate half of the dosage consumed. Taking your medications, herbs, and supplements on a regular basis allows you to reach what is known as “steady state”. This state is definite as when the amount of chemical substance going into your body (absorption) equals the amount of the substance going out of your body (metabolism and excretion). If you skip doses or take them outside of the directed time window, they may not work properly or give you unintended side effects. If you take extra doses, you could also experience side effects. That being said, I know it is difficult to remember, so I have listed 5 easy ways to remember to aways to take your herbs, supplements, and vitamins!
Keep them in plain sight- Whether that means your bedside table, the kitchen counter, or bathroom vanity, seeing your herbs multiple times a day will act as visual cue and reminder for you to take them. The popular saying “out of sight and out of mind” is so true and definitely also applies here!
Use a pill organizer and get multiple-Many protocols call for combinations of herbs and supplements to be taken at different times of the day and in different quantities. This can become impossible to memorize. Handy pill boxes organize your dosages to take the guesswork out of “which pill comes next?”
Use your phone alarm or calendar app- You always have your phone with you right? Set an alarm coordinated with when you need to take your dosages. On most phones you can set a specific color to correspond with each pill you need.
Associate your dosages with a specific activity- You can tie your herbal dosages with a daily routine or activity like right before breakfast, after you brush your teeth, or after you feed the dog. After time, taking your herbs will just become another part of your daily routine with little thinking required.
Learn about your herbs and think about your “why”- Learning about how the herbs and supplements function in your body will reinforce that you should be taking them. Also, learning about your current medical conditions and how those symptoms present themselves can be a strong motivator for taking your herbs and therefore mitigating those symptoms.
Interested in exploring ways to treat your medical conditions with all natural herbs, vitamins and supplements?
I offer customized herbal formulas, supplements, and vitamins as part of a personalized treatment protocol for all my patients. Reach out today to schedule your first appointment!