What is Herbal Medicine and Why See a Herbalist?
Throughout all of human history all peoples across the world have, and still use herbal medicine. Over 80% of world’s population rely on herbs as their main source of treatment, whether as Western herbs in Europe, or Ayurvedic or Chinese medicine alongside the knowledge of every indigenous culture. Our human bodies being the last to evolve on the planet understand how to process the herbs on a fundamental level, like foods, and thus enable our bodies to naturally find and restore their optimum healthy dynamic. Herbs in the widest definition encompass any plant material such as root, bark, leaf, flower and seed. Herbs can be administered in a variety of methods depending upon on what is required. The most widely used in my practice are tinctures and teas, and can include poultices, compresses, ointments, creams and more.
Consulting a herbalist provides you with a unique and caring experience. While I am trained in the same diagnostic skills as a medical doctor I take an integrated view of your needs, not just focusing on diagnostic labels and symptoms, but rather seeking to identify the underlying causes and triggers of ‘dis-ease’. Thereby enabling me to understand what is preventing well-being and thereby tailoring remedies to help you find your natural balance. Herbs are safe, gentle and not addictive. They can provide support in depleted conditions or can ‘re-set’ systems that have become overloaded or out of kilter. In all treatments it is important to understand the natural cycles and where we are in the ‘arc of our days’. Herbal Medicine can be used alone or alongside prescribed allopathic medicine.
‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.’
Over my many years of practice I have worked with all sorts of people with all sorts of thing happening in their lives! Here is just a sample of some of things they have found the herbs have helped with:
Digestive Problems e.g. heartburn, food sensitivity, IBS, & constipation. Depleted Immune states such as, chronic fatigue, ME, shingles, & lowered resistance to viruses. Cardiovascular complaints such as, high or low BP, varicose veins, intermittent claudication, & high cholesterol. Hormonal issues such as PMS, heavy and irregular periods, menopausal symptoms, infertility in man and women, alternatives to HRT, Endometriosis. Emotional and stress induced issues such as insomnia, headaches, migraines, grief, post traumatic stress, anxiety attacks, depression. Respiratory conditions e.g. chronic chest infections, tonsillitis, asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, inner and middle ear infections. Digestive Problems e.g. heartburn, food sensitivity, IBS, constipation, ulcerative colitis, poor appetite. Skin conditions e.g. eczema, psoriasis, lichen sclerosis, impetigo & acne. Joints/connective tissue e.g. arthritis, rheumatism, gout, injuries, broken bones. Urinary tract issues eg.cystitis, bladder weakness, Candida/thrush. Acute conditions e.g infections, colds, flu, sickness, diarrhoea, hay fever and allergies and support for travel abroad. Cancer Treatments – side effects from chemotherapy. Baby and childhood issues such as nappy rash, fussy eating, bed-wetting, emotional upset and all manner of coughs, colds and infections!