Herbal Medicine is the art of using individualised plant-based remedies, combined with beneficial lifestyle changes, to help you experience good health, enjoy life more fully, and have the energy to pursue your goals.
Integral to art of herbal medicine is listening to your story, understanding your health as a whole, and being supportive of the changes you wish to make.
Herbal Medicine draws on both a long tradition of the use of plants in healing, and on modern science and clinical skills. It is the oldest recorded healing art, likely pre-dating humans, with there being evidence that Neanderthals used herbal medicines 50,000 years ago! But not only do Medical Herbalists have a huge tradition to draw on, they also have a growing body of scientific research on the use of herbs in the treatment of disease, and are trained in Western medical diagnosis.
Some of the conditions for which there is good research evidence to support the use of herbal medicine as an effective treatment include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), indigestion, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), back pain and osteoarthritis, mild to moderate depression, migraine, and acute infections including sinusitis, colds and flu, with more research being published all the time. Of course herbal medicine isn’t just about treating individual conditions, it is also about improving your health and well-being as a whole.
Herbal medicines in a skilled practitioner’s hands are very safe and side effects are rare. Fully qualified Medical Herbalists are extensively trained in using herbs safely, in avoiding any herb-drug interactions, in knowing when to use or not to use certain herbs, and how to match herbs to a particular person to give the best results.
The Consultation & Herbal Remedies.
Consultations are fully confidential and take place in a supportive environment. They are an opportunity to discuss your health and the challenges you may be facing. The herbalist is there to listen to your story, to come to an understanding of your health as a whole, and from knowing what it is you wish to achieve, make a personalised herbal remedy to help you towards that goal.
Mark stocks over a hundred different herbs from which he will select those that will best support your health and address the problems you are facing. The herbs are often used in combination, and different types of preparations (tinctures, teas, capsules, creams, etc.) can be used as best suits you. Mark will also look at possible next steps regarding diet and lifestyle changes that may be of benefit to you, and he will support you through any changes that you decide you’d like to make.
As part of the consultation, it can sometimes be helpful to perform a physical examination to help clarify what is going on for you and so help choose the herbs most suited to you. Most often this just involves taking your pulse and blood pressure, or looking at your hands or eyes. Occasionally, if necessary, it might involve listening to your chest if you have a cough, or examining a painful joint, for example. These examinations are only ever carried out if you are comfortable with them, and you are welcome to bring someone along with you as chaperone if you wish.
To find out more about Mark’s clinic and fees you can follow the links on this page, or if you have any questions you’d like to ask Mark or would like to book a consultation you can contact Mark here.
