Herbal remedies

Herbal medicine is suitable for all ages

A visit to our medical herbalist can be a life changing experience.  You will be amazed at how the opportunity to discuss in depth your physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing will give you a sense of freedom and empowerment.  This freedom and empowerment when combined with prescribed herbal remedies will not only lift your spirit, but can also stop medical complaints that previous NHS treatments have failed to correct.

Suitable for all ages, herbal medicine can treat most of the same conditions with which you would visit your GP. Although not exhaustive, the list of treatable complaints includes digestive discomfort, circulatory problems, skin complaints, stress and anxiety issues, hormonal disruptions, respiratory conditions and musculoskeletal aches and pains.

What is herbal medicine?

Medical Herbalists use plants instead of orthodox drugs to manage and treat conditions. In many cases orthodox drugs use individual constituents from plants, however the potency of the effects is very often due to the symbiotic relationship of all the constituents, herbalists therefore use the whole plant to achieve rounded thorough results.  The clinical medicine and diagnosis behind the conditions is the same as in conventional medicine, but is sometimes viewed in a slightly different light that tends to be a more holistic approach.

Your herbal medicine consultation

Your first consultation will take about 11/2 hours during which we will gain a rounded and full picture about you, your diet, your lifestyle and your medical history instead of just focusing on the complaint. Blood pressure is then recorded and if necessary an external physical examination is carried out. After the consultation you can relax in the reception and enjoy a hot drink whilst your individual herbal prescription is made for you with all the instructions you need.

The medications provided are usually enough for about 3 weeks at which point it is a good idea to come back in for a review so that we can discuss any changes and if necessary alter your prescription to address these changes. Review appointments usually take around 30 minutes.

What form do herbal remedies come in?

The form of prescribed herbal medication depends on the type of condition you are have and the constituents required to treat it. Some constituents need alcohol to extract them whilst others can be extracted using water. Constituents that require alcohol are prepared as tinctures, where a typical dose would be 5ml twice daily. Constituents that can be extracted in water are prepared as teas. For some conditions a topical cream or oil is recommended. People who do not wish to consume alcohol can add their tincture to boiling water to burn off the alcohol before consumption.

How long do herbal remedies take to work?

The length of time you are required to take the herbal remedy depends on your condition. Acute conditions may only require a short prescription around 3 weeks, however more chronic conditions can take longer to ease the body back into its natural rhythm and in some cases several months. Some conditions may require a maintenance mix which most clients are happy to take long term.

Our medical herbalist is Lorna Stoddart who is a firm favourite with many of our customers.