Oral contraceptives and Nettles

[Gabriela1027]

I recently learned not to take St. John's Wort with birth control pills. I also learned that I should not take vitex (chasteberry) while taking birth control. Is there any reason I should not take nettles or oatstraw? Thanks!

[sapphire kate]

If you mean infusions a la Susun Weed than I would say no. They're basically a food so unless you are avoiding food as well then there's not much point in avoiding infusions.

[Gabriela1027]

Oh good news!!!! But then how would this be different from taking a St. John's Wort infusion as "food"? How is one like "food" and not the other?

[sapphire kate]

It's a good question. Nettle is a food - you can dry it and make an infusion but you can just as easily cook it and eat it.

SJW you can't do that with. The taste alone would make eating it in any quantity really hard, not to mention texture and what it would do to your body as a result. SJW is a medicine not a food (nettle is both).

I highly recommend these articles which look at the differences between food and medicine

http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Simple ... dicine.htm

http://www.susunweed.com/An_Article_Weed_Self-help1.htm (all the parts)

[bluebirdmama]

Sapphire, thanks for answering a question I have always had!

[sapphire kate]