Natural doesn’t always mean safe: Clearing the air on herbal medicine

It’s time to clear the air - natural doesn’t always mean safe…

This is something I hear often, and it’s an entirely understandable assumption. When something comes from nature, it’s easy to believe it must be gentle, harmless, or universally suitable. Plants feel familiar. Supplements feel accessible. And “natural” has become shorthand for better.

But just because something is natural - or connected back to nature - doesn’t mean it’s automatically safe. And it certainly doesn’t mean it’s safe for everyone.