ok..I've done a little research. From Christopher Hobbs, L.Ac., "cools liver fire". Now I've looked at the syndromes- "blazing liver fire", and have definitely manifested a couple of symptoms. I have an inclination that this is a heat related disorder. My hives certainly have felt "hot". John Lust says that Barberry is good for promoting the flow of bile...well, I've begun taking echinacea. My immune system, prior to this, was quite strong. It's still strong, I'm feeling good, but obviously something has gone haywire. Is a histamine reaction a symptom of "heat"? So I do feel that it is necessary to bolster the immune system. Will barberry contradict the echinacea in any way? I do feel that you are spot-on with your suggestion. Is barberry rebuilding? How much should I use, tea,tincture..? How should I do this, in what order/combination?
I did my 3rd Liver-Flush last night and I'm not really sure that that's what I need at this point..I'll post results on the Liver-Flush forum tomorrow...anyway, thank you so much for sharing your wisdom.