Medical disclaimer

What that means in practice

Every Wholeleaf article describes how people use a herb or food, what tradition supports the use, and what current research says where research exists. None of that constitutes a recommendation for you specifically. Your body, your medications, and your health history are unique to you, and Wholeleaf doesn't know any of those things.

When to be especially careful

Some readers should treat the site as a starting point for a doctor conversation, not as something to act on directly:

• Pregnancy or nursing.Many herbs that are fine for other adults aren't safe in either window. Skip self-experiment and call your midwife or OB.
• Prescription medications.Herbs can interact with blood thinners, antidepressants, contraceptives, and chemotherapy drugs. Even ‘gentle’ herbs like St. John's wort and licorice carry meaningful interaction profiles.
• Chronic conditions.Diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, kidney issues, liver issues, anything you're managing long-term — ask your prescriber before adding anything.
• Surgery within two weeks. Several common herbs interact with anesthetics or thin the blood. Tell your surgical team about every supplement and tea you take.
• Children under twelve.Pediatric dosing and the list of pediatric-safe herbs are both narrower than adult ones. Most articles aren't written with kids in mind.
• Older adults on multiple medications. Interaction risk multiplies with each prescription. Pharmacists are usually faster to reach than doctors and can flag conflicts.

If a remedy doesn't agree with you

Stop using it. Drink water.

If you're having trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, severe rash, or chest pain, call emergency services. In the US that's 911; the local equivalent elsewhere.

If you're having mild discomfort that doesn't resolve in a few hours, call your doctor or your local poison control line. Herbal allergies and idiosyncratic reactions are real and don't always show up the first time you try a remedy.

How our editorial review works

Some Wholeleaf posts are reviewed by credentialed practitioners — registered dietitians, naturopaths, herbalists, and physicians — before they publish. You'll see ‘Reviewed by [Name], [Credentials]’ in the byline when that's true.

Posts without that line are editor-curated but not clinically reviewed. Treat them as you would a thoughtful friend's recommendation: a place to start asking questions, not a prescription to follow.

Affiliate links and sponsored content

Wholeleaf may earn a commission on some product links. Where we do, we disclose it at the link itself, not just buried at the page bottom — that's the FTC standard and we agree with it.

Editorial recommendations are picked by our team and never paid for by brands. If we ever publish sponsored content, it carries a ‘Sponsored’ label at the top of the page in matching styling, and the sponsor never has editorial review.

Reporting an issue

If a Wholeleaf article carries a claim that's wrong, an interaction we missed, or a tone that worried you, write us at hello@wholeleaf.co with the article URL and what you saw. Acknowledged within five business days. Edited or pulled where warranted.

One more thing

Wholeleaf does not establish a doctor-patient or herbalist-client relationship with anyone reading the site. We can't answer individual health questions over email or DM — not because we don't want to, but because remote diagnosis is bad medicine and we're not going to do it.