• Skin conditions including eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea

• Respiratory conditions including asthma, bronchitis, chronic coughs, throat infections, hay fever, rhinitis, sinusitis

• Digestive problems including IBS, indigestion, diverticulitis, ulcers

• Gynaecological problems including pre-menstrual syndrome, painful periods, menopausal symptoms, endometriosis, fibroids, candida infections

• Urinary conditions including cystitis, prostate problems

• Circulatory conditions including hypertension, angina, poor circulation

• Muscular / joints problems including arthritis, gout, fibromyalgia

• Infections, viral and post viral conditions

• Anxiety and depression, stress, insomnia

• Headaches and migraines

• Childhood ailments

Herbal Medicine

Herbal Medicine is the oldest known form of medicine in the world, it has been used since the earliest times to treat illness and restore good health. Today, herbs are still used globally for their medicinal properties and remain the most extensively used remedies worldwide for the treatment and prevention of disease. Modern research is adding to our knowledge of the healing power of plants - by using whole plant extracts, the full range of a plant’s potential is available for use as a medicine.

There are two main ways in which herbal medicine is accessed in this country at the present time:

1. Over the Counter Medication (OTC) from health food stores and chemists

2. Via a consultation with a professional medical herbalist.

Whilst OTC remedies are marketed very much in the line of a particular herb being the remedy for a particular complaint, medical herbalists will work rather differently.

A herbalist will think of herbs as having a number of actions (such as promoting wound healing or as being anti-inflammatory) or qualities (such as being drying or cooling), and will try to match these as carefully as possible to what they have learned about the patient and their needs. To do this they will usually make up a mixture of herbs which will be dispensed as either a tea or as a tincture. The aim of this prescription will be to support the body's own tendency to heal itself, and will be uniquely formulated for each particular patient. Two people suffering from, say, rheumatoid arthritis, are likely to be offered the same anti-inflammatory herb from a health food shop. If the same two people visit a medical herbalist, they will probably each be given different prescriptions according to how long they have had the illness, how it affects them and which factors alleviate or aggravate their condition. The herbalist will also take into account the patient's general state of health and medical history.

Medical herbalists are trained in the same diagnostic skills as orthodox doctors, but take a more holistic approach to illness. Herbal medicine aims to treat the whole person – so encouraging the body to heal itself. The underlying cause of the problem is sought and treated, and the plant remedies help to restore balance to the body. Herbal medicine aims to treat the person, rather than the disease. Herbalists treat people as individuals, as this approach gets the best results.

Herbal medicine is a safe, gentle, effective form of medicine, and can also work well alongside orthodox medicine.

The Consultation 

The first consultation normally lasts about an hour, when a careful medical history will be taken; you will also be asked questions about your general health, previous ailments, diet and lifestyle and any medication that you are already taking, Your pulse and blood pressure will also be taken. If necessary, and with your permission, a physical examination may be carried out.

After the consultation, a prescription specially tailored for you, will be made in the form of a liquid tincture or a tea. Your individual treatment plan may also include external preparations such as creams and lotions, and advice on diet and lifestyle. All this enables herbalist and patient to work together in harmony with the common goal of improved health for you.

Follow-up consultations will be typically take half an hour, any changes to your condition will be discussed, and your prescription adjusted accordingly.

The herbal medicine consultation gives you an exciting opportunity to benefit from a powerful therapy used since the dawn of time. Herbal medicine can bring great benefits to your health and well-being.

Liverpool Medical Herbalist

Vanessa Chellembron