getting your medicines

Depending on your symptoms & goals, I may prescribe you a range of herbal, nutritional or nutraceutical medicines.

This can include custom herbal blends (liquid, powder or tea), herbal capsules, nutrients, probiotics, tonics, etc.

Generally, I use 2 online dispensaries: vital.ly and Natural Chemist.

You'll receive email notifications once your prescriptions are available to order. From there, you order + pay for the medicines in your own time, and they're delivered to your desired address.

what to expect from natural supplements

Everybody will respond differently to different medicines, herbs & supplements. I'll always give you specific directions for taking your prescriptions via email or through your vital.ly account.

You may not notice a change with natural medicines as quickly as with pharmaceutical medications. A little patience & consistency is needed to reap the benefits! For example, many clients report they may not notice a difference while taking the supplements… until they stop taking them. They then realise that they felt better using the supplements: whether it was improved function, reduced symptoms or simply feeling better.

Generally, taking herbs & supplements with food will prevent any potential nausea, but please always refer back to the specific dosage instructions I've provided for you.

tips for taking supplements & natural medicines:

• for liquid herbal medicines (tinctures): some people love ‘em, some people hate ‘em! Regardless of preference, liquid herbs are a really potent form of natural medicine. Here are some of my tips for making them more palatable so you can take your herbs consistently & feel your best:

  • Shot method: measure your dose of herbs using a measuring cup, measuring spoons or a dropper (depending on your dose)… and just swish it back! Blocking your nose may help if you really don’t like the smell/taste.

  • Chaser method: shot herbs as above, but have a juice or warm drink on standby to immediately follow with. This could be orange, apple, cranberry or another kind of fruit juice, or cup of tea.

  • Diluted method: some people find it much easier to take herbs when the dose is diluted in a glass of water (others find it just extends the taste… so tailor it to you!)

  • Tea method: add your dose of herbs to a cup of tea. The warmth can help offset the taste & evaporate some of the alcohol in the tincture

  • Water bottle method: some prefer to add their dose to their water bottle (or a separate/special herb water bottle!) and sip throughout the day

• We can also use other herbs to create a taste profile that suits your preferences, for example, Fennel, Liquorice, Ginger, Peppermint or glycetract herbs.

• for powdered herbal medicines, I generally recommend adding these to boiled water and made into a hot chocolate. Often these herbs can be mixed with cacao, coffee or warm milk

• for powdered supplements (e.g. a magnesium powder, amino acids or a compounded powder), often they’re designed to be more palatable, but this isn’t always the case. try:

  • first, make sure you’re mixing them with the specified amount of water on the label, as this can impact the taste

  • similar to the shot method for herbs, simply mix & swig them back as fast as you can!

  • mix with orange, cranberry or apple juice

  • add to your smoothie

  • mix in with yoghurt & cocoa powder

  • split your daily dose into 2 doses, so there’s less of a taste per dose

• for tablets, if you struggle with swallowing large ones, I recommend cutting them in half, or even smaller if needed at first (or just drinking with as much water as possible… I promise it gets easier with time!)

• for capsules, pop in your mouth and follow with water, then tilt your chin down to your chest before swallowing. The capsule will float to the top and easily go down your oesophagus when you swallow.