How long will it take for the detoxification symptoms to pass?

This will vary from person to person. Normally, if the herbal treatment is followed properly, you can see improvement within 3 weeks to one month.

Are there any preexisting conditions that should be taken into consideration?

No, because this is not a rigorous detoxification. It is gentle and gradual.

How important is it that I know what the herbs do?

Ayurvedic herbs balance the body, mind and emotions so that ultimately the symptoms disappear. Their work is in balancing rather than on fixing specific situations, so it is not that important that you know what they specifically do. Basically, Ayurveda doesn't just work on particular symptoms and their solution. Instead, it works on balancing the doshas, balancing the cause. The main thing the herbs do is to help eliminate toxins and rejuvenate the body. They work on 4 levels at the same time. One level balances the cause by bringing the doshas into balance, the second increases immunity, the third removes the toxins and the fourth rejuvenates the body. These herbs work on all four levels simultaneously.

Last month I needed to take antibiotics while on your program. Is it fine to do both or should I stop taking my Ayurvedic herbs?

It's fine to take both, but it's best that you wait 15 minutes after taking the antibiotics to take your herbs. Don't take them at the same time. This holds true while taking any allopathic (Western) or homeopathic medicine.

So typically blocks in the physical body affect the mind and emotions?

That is one possibility. There are also blocks in the emotions. Blocks exist everywhere and each one affects another. But it also depends on whether a physical block is affecting the mental level. Let's say a woman has a block in her leg from a serious injury there. But because she has this, she cannot move, so she begins to feel stress. Or sometimes she feels nervous. It depends on the situation. If it is summer, the woman might not feel nervous. But because it is winter, with snow and ice, then walking makes her nervous. And maybe that woman is 50 years old and may think, "Oh my God, I might have started osteoporosis, menopause." Now, on top of everything else, she has a fear of brittle bones. So, this actual or physical block in her leg creates a mental block - imaginary fear and anxiety. The real cause is the leg, not the mind. You cannot really do anything with that mental fear. But what you can do is to manage the block in the leg. This is what we do.

What else can people do to assist the purification and detoxification process?

Your diet can definitely have an effect on the progress of the detoxification. It can either support the process or counteract the herbs and act as an antidote. Without getting into specifics, as a rule of thumb the things to watch are junk food, sugar, desserts, caffeine and smoking. Try to be conscious of foods like wheat and dairy products while you are detoxifying, because they tend to produce more mucus.

What about caffeine - tea or coffee? Is it okay to take some of these each day?

If you take them moderately - one or two cups - it is okay. But it's best not to drink too much.

Should I drink more water while taking the herbs?

If you feel thirsty, you can take more water. If not, that is fine too.

When I began taking the herbs, I experienced gas and sometimes burning in my stomach. Why?

It's not the herbs that were creating the gas. Ayurveda does not believe in suppressing anything. Again, when you are removing the toxins, when they are coming out, sometimes they can create disturbances. But these are all temporary disturbances. After a few days, or maybe a week or two, everything balances again. Again, Ayurveda does not merely remove the symptoms. It works on the accumulated toxins that are lodged within the body. With that gas, the toxins are being removed as well.

If this happens, should I keep taking the herbs?

Yes, definitely! Don't stop, because this is a very good sign. When you start detoxifying the body, the body is a bit shocked. It is shaken up. All these things show that the herbs have started working.

Is there anything I can do diet-wise, like drinking water or juice if I have these reactions?

If there is a lot of gas, there is a good home remedy that will make you feel more comfortable. It is: 1 tsp. cumin powder, 1/2 tsp. natural sugar, 1/4 tsp. coriander powder and 1/2 cup water. Mix these and drink it twice a day. This will reduce gas and acidity. If they persist, add 3-4 pinches of 1/8 teaspoon of cardamom powder. This will take care of everything - gas, acidity or bloating.

Are there any other effects that people may experience when they first start taking the herbs?

You may find yourself going to the toilet more than usual since some of the herbs in balancing the doshas eliminate toxins through the digestive system.

Should I keep taking the herbs if at the beginning I felt a lot and then some time goes by when I feel nothing?

Sometimes you may feel very good results and then suddenly you don't think anything is happening. This doesn't mean the herbs are not working. It means there is a second block that the herbs are trying to break through. Now, this block is not your friend in that it will necessarily agree to break in one or two or three days. We never know how long it will take. But the process is going on - all four processes are going on - circulation, rejuvenation, breaking the block and digestion. So, you must continue taking the herbs regularly. It may take some time to see the results.

Are there ever really severe reactions?

No, there are never severe reactions. Due to some other conditions in your particular health, symptoms may already be there. But aching joints, gas, bloating and such things are never due solely to the herbs.

Why do some people get results from the herbs so quickly and I haven't felt the same results?

It depends on how long the toxins have been building in your body, on how long you've had the blocks inside. If there are simple blocks, people feel well quickly. If the toxins have built up for a long time, it may take longer to feel the results. You cannot say it will happen in a certain time frame - like allopathic (Western) medicine. The herbs go on and release what's inside.