Herbal Medicine
The art of herbal medicine is probably as old as humanity itself. Archaeologists have found traces of medicinal herbs in Neanderthal tombs in Iraq dating back 60,000 years – and those same herbs are still used by medical herbalists today.
Plants work as medicines because of the chemical compounds that they contain. Many of these chemicals have been adopted by conventional medicine. Metformin, used for diabetes, was discovered in goats’ rue, a herb traditionally used to treat diabetes. And of course aspirin was first identified in willow bark, which has been used for thousands of years to bring down fevers and ease the aches and pains of arthritis. Our herbalist has well over 100 different herbs at her disposal, making herbal medicine one of our most versatile therapies.
Herbal medicine is particularly popular with people concerned about the side effects of conventional medicines, as herbs are often less toxic than their conventional counterparts. Clinical trials have found that St John’s Wort, for example, is as effective at treating depression as standard antidepressants, and has fewer side effects.
The first consultation (90 minutes) comprises a full discussion of your condition and how it is affecting your general health. Our herbalist will check your blood pressure, examine you as necessary and test you for common food sensitivities. She will then dispense your herbal medicines – liquid tinctures, capsules, teas, creams or a combination, depending on your needs. You’ll be asked to book a 30 minute follow up session, usually 2-4 weeks later.
You should usually start to notice an improvement in your health within two weeks of starting the medicine, although this depends on the condition being treated – hayfever treatment, for example, can start to work within 15 minutes!
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Natalia Kerkham BSc(Hons),
MNIMH
Medical Herbalist |
Natalia obtained her degree in Herbal Medicine from the University of Central Lancashire in 2003, and has practised in South Warrington ever since. Originally a finance manager in the NHS, Natalia changed career after one of her children had herbal treatment. "After months of emergency GP appointments and broken nights, we had a healthy child again, and life returned to normal," she says. "I wanted to be able to make that kind of difference for other people." Natalia is a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (www.nimh.org.uk), the UK's leading body of professional herbalists.
Useful Links:
www.urbanherbalist.co.uk
| 2 easy ways to book an appointment. |
| - Call us on 01925 730123 |
| - Use our 24 hour online appointment booking system. |
| Easy to use and you can specify a time and date to suit your requirements, |
| even request a particular therapist! |
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