Herbal Medicine
"ok........I know what a Nutritionist is, but what on Earth is a Medical Herbalist?"
A Medical Herbalist has essentially undergone the same medical training as a GP in the areas of clinical diagnosis, pathology, physiology, biochemistry, psychology etc. The major difference between ourselves and a GP is that we are trained in the use of plant based medicines as opposed to their chemical counterparts. 85% of drugs prescribed by a GP are of plant origin - we just use the original source material.
Herbal medicines are in no way fluffy hippy medicines. They are powerful pharmaceutical agents that can have an effect equally as potent as conventional drugs, but without the damaging side effects. I use these medicines mainly on a short term basis. My main strategy is to enable patients to achieve lasting health, mostly through educating them as to how to maintain it themselves. Sometimes though the body needs an extra little nudge to restore balance. This is where herbs come into the equation. Medicinal herbs can also be used as daily tonics, a practice that I undertake every day of my life.
These medicinal plants can be applied to almost any condition that you could imagine. I have worked with patients presenting with everything from childhood eczema, acne, depression, right through to conditions such as hypertension, HIV/AIDS, and cancer.
Herbal medicines are given in many forms such as liquids, teas, capsules, and tablets. I often included medicinal plants in my culinary recipes, which takes these dishes into a completely new dimension.