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| What is Herbal Medicine? | How do herbs work? | What can be treated? | Are herbs safe? |
 
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 Herbal Medicine is the forerunner of modern orthodox medicine. Our ancestors discovered the most effective local plants to treat their illness by trial and error. However, with the advancement of science we are now able to identify the chemical constituents within these plants to better understand their benefits upon our health.
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Herbs contain many naturally occurring chemicals which exert a physiological effect on our bodies. Many of today's pharmaceutical drugs are based on plant chemicals. For example, aspirin was developed from constituents discovered in Willow bark and Meadowsweet. In fact many people are unaware that 80% of modern drugs come from isolated chemicals found in plants. Even now scientists turn to the plant world to seek new drugs. The difference is that whilst orthodox medicine uses drugs made from concentrated, isolated compounds, Medical Herbalists use whole plant extracts in their natural form, hence avoiding many of the side effects associated with modern medicine. Both traditional Herbal medicine and modern drugs have an important role to play in our healthcare today. |
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Herbal Medicine can be used to treat most of the ailments seen by a G.P. A qualified Medical Herbalist is trained in the same diagnostic skills as doctors, yet take a more holistic approach to the individual and their illness. They know when a person's condition is best seen by a Dr or other therapist and refer accordingly.
Conditions commonly seen by a Medical Herbalist include:
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Many patients are already receiving treatment from their G.P. This does not preclude the use of herbs. However whilst herbs are natural, like orthodox drugs they can be contraindicated with certain medications or conditions. Hence if considering the use of Herbal Medicine whilst taking additional medicines of any kind, it is sensible to do so under the supervision of a qualified Medical Herbalist.
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