Toxic and Poisonous Herbs

If you’re using herbs in your magical practice, as many of us do, it’s important to keep in mind that they may not all be safe to handle or ingest. Many herbs are fine for people, but toxic to household pets. Still other herbs can be used by anyone but pregnant women. Let’s look at some of the different herbs you may be using in magical practice, and how they can be dangerous if you’re not careful.

Do keep in mind that this is not – and is not intended to be – a list of every toxic or harmful herb. It is a list of some commonly used herbs that can be dangerous to pregnant women or household pets. If you’re using a particular plant and you’re not sure if it’s toxic or not, then do your homework and make sure it’s safe to use before you do anything with it.

HERBS DANGEROUS TO PREGNANT WOMEN

If you’re pregnant, attempting to become pregnant, or nursing, you’ll need to exercise extra caution when working with herbs. Many can cause miscarriage if ingested. Before taking any herbs internally – or, for that matter, handling them with bare hands – be sure to check with your healthcare professional to make sure they’re safe.

The following are just a few of the many herbs out there that can be harmful to pregnant women.

For the rest of this article by Patti Wiggins please click on this link: https://www.thoughtco.com/toxic-and-poisonous-herbs-2562022?utm_campaign=list_paganwiccan&utm_content=20170228&utm_medium=email&utm_source=exp_nl&utm_term=list_paganwiccan

Ask any Pagan or Wiccan what they love most about working with herbs, and chances are good they’ll tell you how much they love the smell. Herbs contain small glands that hold their essential oils, and when these oils are extracted they release scent molecules. The science of aromatherapy takes advantage of this natural phenomenon and expands it just a bit — because olfactory sensation stimulates parts of the brain connected to memory and emotion.

ROMATHERAPY HISTORY

Although aromatherapy is a fairly new practice in the United States, herbal essential oils have been used for thousands of years in other parts of the world. The Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and Chinese have all used essential oils in cosmetics, for ritual oils, and even in cosmetics.

In the modern era, lavender oil and its healing properties was one of the first essential oils to be looked at from a medical perspective. A French chemist named René-Maurice Gattefossé experienced an explosion in his laboratory, during which he sustained a burn to the skin of his hand. He applied lavender oil, and discovered that its healing properties could be used in a number of ways; specifically, he studied its efficacy on war wounds such as gangrene and chemical burns.

It should be noted that not everyone sees aromatherapy as a true scientific discipline; many believe there is simply a placebo effect.

A 2008 study done at The Ohio State University found that “an investigation on how aromatherapy affects health failed to show any improvement in immune status, wound healing, or pain control among people exposed to two scents. But results of the randomized controlled trial… did show that lemon (considered to be a stimulant) appeared to enhance mood, while lavender (thought to be a relaxant) had no effect on mood.”

For the rest of this article by Patti Wiggins please click on this link: https://www.thoughtco.com/magical-aromatherapy-overview-2562017?utm_campaign=list_paganwiccan&utm_content=20170228&utm_medium=email&utm_source=exp_nl&utm_term=list_paganwiccan