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Some Frequently Asked Questions
What happens at my appointment?
At your first appointment, your herbalist will take a full medical history. This will include details of your current condition and your past medical history. You will be asked about your family history, allergies, and any previous problems you have had with any of your body systems. This top-to-toe review is intended to give your herbalist a full picture of your health and may help to uncover any issues that you may want to address during your herbal treatment. You will also be asked about your lifestyle and diet and any medications or supplements that you regularly take. If necessary, you may be given a physical examination by the herbalist. The herbalist will then prescribe a course of herbs and issue you with advice on the management of your condition. Your herbalist may refer you back to your GP or nurse if this is necessary for your health or well-being.
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Are Herbal Medicine and Homeopathy the same thing?
Herbalists get asked this question a lot. Many people confuse Herbal Medicine with homeopathy or aromatherapy. Herbalism is neither of these. The principles of treatment with homeopathy and the treatments used are quite different to those used in Herbal Medicine. Herbalists and physicians have been using plant-based medicines for millennia. With the advent of pharmaceuticals in the early part of the 20th century, the use of herbal medicines by physicians and their patients has become less common in many western countries, but medical herbalists continue use these traditional plant-based medicines . Modern herbal medicines are commonly made into alcohol or glycerin-based tinctures, which means the plant material is steeped in these substances to extract the active plant medicines. They should be made under the rules of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). Herbal medicines are biochemically and pharmacologically active in your body, and may interact with other medicines or supplements.
Why should I see a Herbalist when I can buy herbal medicines in a health food shop?
Firstly, the herbal medicine industry is currently
undergoing an overhaul in legislation by the government and
by the EU. Many over-the-counter herbal remedies are
unregulated and do not comply with quality standards.
When you purchase an over-the-counter remedy at the moment,
you cannot be sure of its strength or quality, which may
affect your safety. Many qualified Medical Herbalists
purchase their herbal remedies from reputable companies who
can provide batch reports and safety assurances for contents
of their medicines. Make sure to ask your herbalist if
you have any questions about the sources of their herbs.
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Secondly, herbal medicines are active in your body,
this means they can interact with other medicines or
supplements, or even make a condition worse if used
improperly. A few herbal medicines can have
side-effects and should be dispensed and monitored
only by a fully-trained Medical Herbalist. Qualified
Medical Herbalists complete a rigorous 3 to 4 year
training programme, followed by an
apprenticeship-scheme with their professional body,
to insure they are confident and safe with the herbs
they use. They also undergo continuous
professional development and review by their
professional body. They will know which
herbs are suitable for people with multiple
conditions or medications that might be adversely
affected by unsupervised herbal treatment. This
makes a qualified herbalist the safest and best
option for treatment with herbal medicines. |
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