This information is meant for educational purposes only and not intended as a guide to self-treatment. You should always seek professional advice. Remember that herbs can interact with other drugs and may be contra-indicated if you have certain medical conditions, are pregnant or lactating. Take care when using wild plants or any herbs, that you have the correct species from a reliable source. Catherine Schofield BSc MNIMH Herbalist Cheshire Herbs and Herbal Medicine
What a fabulous spring we are having, the hawthorns are just showing their first powdering of green leaves along the hedgerows and the flowers will soon follow. I love the hawthorn, it is such a common plant, but it is so useful. Although it is a plant of ancient use - its wood is said to burn very hotly - as such it was used by black smiths to heat their forges and there is much magic and folklore surrounding it. However it is a widely used as a medicinal herb today and medical herbalists use the flowers, new shoots and the berries, as they all contain substances that are good for the heart. It is cardio-protective and actually acts on the heart muscle in three ways: strengthening the heart beat and the nerve impulses to the heart and it lessens excitability . It is used as a general heart tonic, to help with arrhythmias, and a range of other heart problems including some angina. It is also good for managing high blood pressure and palpitations that are due to anxiety. It can be used with some other medicines, but really should only be used with professional advice, as like all herbs, it is not good for everyone.
This information is meant for educational purposes only and not intended as a guide to self-treatment. You should always seek professional advice. Remember that herbs can interact with other drugs and may be contra-indicated if you have certain medical conditions, are pregnant or lactating. Take care when using wild plants or any herbs, that you have the correct species from a reliable source. Catherine Schofield BSc MNIMH Herbalist Cheshire Herbs and Herbal Medicine
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I sometimes do free mini (about 10-15 minutes) at Marple Health Shop in Marple, Stockport, for people who are interested in herbal medicine, but want to know more about its potential for them. There is absolutely no obligation, if you would like to come in for a chat., I would be happy to see you and will help where I can. The next one will be on the 2nd April - 2-4pm. It is best to contact me if you want to reserve a slot- 07947128709.
I have quite a number of patients who come to me for help with their skin problems, these range from acne, psoriasis, eczema, acne rosacea, to itchy and imflammed skin of unknown origins. It is interesting, especially with the skin to see how individually everyone responds to herbs. In some ways this is only to be expected as everyone is different and one of the strengths of herbal medicine is the way in which every patient is treated on the merits of their own case history. Diet, often (but not always) can be a factor in some conditions. Herbal medicine treats digestive and nutrition problems as possible contributory factors to many kinds of skin complaints, as the skin is intimately related to the gut in a number of ways. It is also an organ of excretion, so it makes sense that if your gut is not working properly, this may put more pressure on your skin to help your body to eliminate substances it doesn't need or want - hence, with some people, this can cause problems. Also stress and other life-style issues can aggravate skin problems in a number of ways and part of the herbal medicine therapy is to work out how these things may be impacting on your skin. Medical herbalist have a very wide range of herbs that can be useful for your skin and will mix these according to your presentation. In with these will be a number of herbs that support other bodily functions, such as the digestion, nervous system and the liver.
Home treatments to care for your skin, herbs have been used for centuries as beauty aids and aids to general skin health and can still be useful natural alternatives to the ready-made things you find in the shops, that are full of synthetic chemicals. For instance, you can make up a chamomile wash, by pouring boiling water on a chamomile tea bag - cover and cool and use this to bathe irritated skin - it is usually best if you make a new infusion each time you need this - this can be helpful for acne rosacea where you need to treat the skin with care and where other cleansers may aggravate. Similarly a few chamomile flowers in the bath can be soothing - or a strong infusion made up beforehand and added to your bath may even help with the itching of eczema! As an added bonus, this is also very calming if you have had a busy or fretful day. Do be a bit careful with chamomile, however, although it is a very safe herb, like everything a few people are sensitive to plants from the daisy family (Asteracea) so stop using if it cause you any irritation. Psoriasis, eczema and other itchy skin conditions can also be soothed by putting a smallish amount (perhaps a couple of tablespoonfuls) of rolled oats tied up into the foot of an old (but clean!!) pair of tights, which is either put under the running tap as you fill your bath, or swished around in the water. It will release a milky liquid, which is surprisingly good for the skin (if you can use organic oats, as these will be free of any residual chemicals). Some of our grandmothers and great grandmothers and any amount of great great grandmothers, will have used this on a daily basis to keep their complexions sweet, rather than assaulting their skins with harsh soaps that can leave residues and alter the delicate balance of the skin surface, which can lead to problems. |
Cate SchofieldBSc (Hons) BA(Hons) MSc MNIMH
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