The doctor warned about the dangers of folk herbs

Using herbs for treatment can be dangerous to your health. Daria Khaikina, an endocrinologist and nutritionist at the SM Clinic, told Gazeta about this on May 14.Ru».

According to Khaikina, due to the lack of proven treatment methods, including antibiotics, hormonal drugs and other modern ones, traditional methods of treatment have spread: herbs, roots, tinctures, however, with the development of medicine, doubts have arisen about the effectiveness of such methods of treatment.

"Of course, some plants do work — willow bark (a precursor to aspirin), St. John's wort (a mild antidepressant), valerian (a sedative) — all this has been confirmed. However, there are herbs that are dangerous, but many consider them useful and safe. Besides, these plants are very popular," Khaikina emphasized.

The specialist named five popular herbs that are often used to improve health, but with regular use or without taking into account contraindications, they can be dangerous.

As Khaikina noted, chamomile was in the first place. It can provoke allergic reactions, reduce blood clotting, and cause headaches and drowsiness in case of overdose. This is followed by St. John's wort. It is believed that this is a popular remedy for depression, but it reduces the effect of many medications, from antidepressants to heart medications, and also increases photosensitivity, so frequent use increases the risk of burns and pigmentation, even with short exposure to the sun.

The remaining places were occupied by licorice (licorice root), mint and sage, which pregnant women need to be especially careful with — high doses of this herb can provoke uterine contractions.

"The truth is that herbal medicine is not as harmless as it seems. Unfortunately, today we are increasingly choosing herbs at random, forgetting that "natural" does not always mean safe. And the best thing you can do if you get sick is to see a doctor," Khaikina concluded.

I don't want to: retail alcohol sales in Russia decreased by almost 15%

The reduction affected almost all types of drinks.

On May 12, Khaikina warned in an interview about the dangers of combining alcohol with soda. According to her, one of the main reasons for the danger is the accelerated absorption of alcohol.