Before you rub an unknown thing on your skin, ingest an unfamiliar thing, light a random recommendation from the internet on fire, or otherwise come in contact with something that you are not personally knowledgeable about, take 2 seconds and google it.
For example:
St. Johns Wort, if ingested, has negative interactions with anti-depressants, and interferes with birth control because it speeds up the metabolism of certain substances.
Continuous exposure to fluorite causes a painful bone disease. Fluorite dust can be absorbed through the lungs, skin, and is soluble in water.
There are parts of yew that should not be burned.
Mugwort is related to ragweed and can cause allergic reactions. Also, it can cause and enhance anxiety.
No, really. 2 seconds. Google. You’re at an internet connected device anyway. Save yourself the trouble of a bad time.
Along with all the above warnings, I find myself telling people at least once a month that certain herbs will interact with your goddamn birth control.
And if you’re pregnant and want to stay that way, stay away from ingesting herbs all together, okay? Mugwort, especially, is Not Good For Pregnant People.
Herbs are not just magical components that only impact the spiritual realms; they’re medicinal and have a very real impact on the physical body. They interact with medications, change chemical balances, and can be seriously detrimental to your health if used improperly – and that means, as the OP said, ingested, inhaled, or applied topically. Please be safe.
the phrase “disney hit squad” is so scary because it lies exactly on the line between “something that would appear in a comedy film” and “something i can imagine reading about in a news article followed by it being swept under the rug a week and a half later by unseen forces”
