Consulting with a Medical Herbalist isn’t just about receiving herbs rather than conventional drugs for a condition, it is about the whole story – the story being you.
Spending enough time to find out about the possible factors that influence our health & when & why we fall ill is crucial.
Factors can be many, so along with areas such as your medical history; things to be taken into account are past life events, current stress levels, exercise, social & dietary habits, relationships, work-life balance, general outlook and so on.
Taking time to really listen to what is going on for someone is an extremely important part of the therapeutic journey & there is research evidence to support this 1.
Unfortunately there is often scant time during a GP appointment for such opportunities, so one can sometimes feel that they haven’t really been heard.
Reasons for visiting a herbal practitioner may be many and varied.
Whilst herbal therapy can be used to focus on a specific imbalance or condition, it can also be used to further enhance the health of an individual without apparent illness. A person might not have a diagnosed illness but a desire to improve their health & help bring about an increase in their vitality and well-being.
It can also be an excellent supportive measure in many situations where conventional treatment is being undergone.
My approach is an individualized, patient-centred, science-based approach that allows myself and who I am seeing to work together to address the underlying causes of disease and promote optimal wellness.
I am a believer of integration in healthcare so if someone is receiving conventional treatments or prescription medication and seeks herbal therapy with me, I will, if appropriate, liaise with the orthodox healthcare professionals caring for them (with the patient’s consent), to work alongside where the situation arises for the best outcome for the patient.
Herbal medicine can also combine well with other therapies such as acupuncture or osteopathy.
There is a great deal of misinformation out there on the web with regard to plant medicines, and there is also much in the way of sound, evidence-based data. Sometimes it is tricky to sort the one from the other, therefore it is always best to seek advice from a professionally qualified practitioner before embarking on any major treatment.
Along with the herbs what is also covered during the consultation?
- Dietary advice
- Stress management
- Exercise
- Advice on other beneficial lifestyle measures
- Mindfulness practice (if desired)
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