Whole-person approach
There are no ‘irritable bowel herbs’ or ‘skin herbs’. I look at every body system and your full history to find the imbalances behind your symptoms.
Herbal medicine
Treating the person, not just the condition
Herbal medicine is safe, gentle and powerful. Your prescription is made from whole plants, blended for you, and adjusted at every visit as you get better.
Free, no obligation. Initial consultation £325. See fees
20+ years in practiceMember of the National Institute of Medical HerbalistsInstitute for Functional Medicine (IFM) Certified Practitioner
Why it’s different
Three things that set it apart
Whole-plant medicine
Plants contain hundreds of compounds that work together. Using the whole herb, not a single extract, keeps that natural balance and reduces side effects.
Made for you
Several herbs are combined in one prescription so they work in synergy. It’s blended at the end of your consultation and changes as you do.
An example
Why the whole plant matters
Meadowsweet contains salicylic acid, a relative of aspirin that on its own can irritate the stomach lining. But the whole plant also contains polyphenols that protect and heal the stomach, so herbalists actually use meadowsweet to help heal ulcers.
This is why a prescription from a qualified medical herbalist is very different from buying over-the-counter herbal extracts.
Your medicine
What you’ll take home
Mostly organic herbs, biodynamically grown or sustainably wildcrafted. Ready the same day, so you can start straight away.
- Liquid tinctures and fluid extracts: the most common, usually 30 drops (1.5ml) three times a day in a little water
- Dried herbs to use as teas or washes
- Creams and ointments
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What happens at my first visit?
We agree your priority health issues and a plan to tackle them. I’ll give you an idea of how long treatment may take, anywhere from a few weeks to several months depending on your condition.
If tests such as bloods are needed, they can be done at the clinic. You’ll leave with your medicine ready to start.
Can I take herbs alongside my prescribed medication?
Often yes, but some herbs and medicines don’t mix. That’s why it’s important to see a qualified herbalist rather than buying herbal extracts over the counter. I’ll check everything you’re taking.
Can I use herbal medicine while pregnant?
Yes, with the right guidance. Please don’t buy over-the-counter remedies. A qualified herbalist can advise which herbs are safe and how to take them, and can help after the birth too, from stretch marks to colic and nappy rash.
Is it suitable for babies and children?
Yes. I see patients from newborns to people in their 90s. For babies and young children, always consult a qualified herbalist rather than self-prescribing.
Can herbal medicine help with serious illness?
For people with a terminal illness, herbal medicine can still play a valuable supportive role, improving comfort and quality of life.
In depth
For those that want more detail
Jean explains how herbal medicine works, and why the whole plant matters.
01A long tradition
The human body has an innate ability to heal itself, and plant medicine has been used for thousands of years to help achieve this. Most people are aware of the traditions of Chinese medicine and the long history of these medicines, but we in the Western world have an equally long tradition of using Western herbal medicines, dating back almost 2,000 years.
02Treating the person, not the condition
Unlike drugs, though, we do not treat conditions. We don’t have asthma herbs or IBS herbs or skin herbs. That kind of approach has evolved through the modern use of drugs for specific conditions. Instead, the medical herbalist looks at the whole person, system by system, taking into account their full case history and seeking out the imbalances, weaknesses and deficiencies. Each system feeds into other systems, and working with only one area of the body tends to treat symptoms and be unsuccessful in the long term.
We then use herbal medicine to heal, repair and restore balance as much as possible. Plants with a particular affinity for certain organs or systems of the body are used to “feed” and repair the parts that have become weakened. As the body is strengthened, so is its ability to fight off disease, and when balance is restored, health can be regained.
03Why herbs are combined
Most herbalists use polypharmacy: multiple herbs in one bottle, addressing the whole patient at the same time, because every system in the body is connected.
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”
This is called synergy, where two or more constituents work together to produce a result that none of them could achieve on their own. It is a fundamental principle of traditional herbal medicine: combining different herbs enhances their overall action.
04Why the whole plant matters
Medicinal plants contain hundreds, if not thousands, of unique constituents, so we always use whole herbs rather than extracts or isolated “active ingredients”. This keeps the plant’s natural balance and helps avoid side effects or adverse reactions. Herbs have thousands of years of safe use in their whole form, and their synergy lets us restore balance in the body, gently but powerfully.
Example 1
Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
Meadowsweet contains salicylic acid, which is closely related to aspirin. On its own, this compound can cause bleeding from the stomach wall (ulceration, a well-known side effect of aspirin). But meadowsweet also contains polyphenols, which protect and heal the stomach. Used as a whole plant, it is actually used to help heal stomach ulcers.
Example 2
Berberine and flavonoids
A study looking for the single “active” ingredient in 14 Vietnamese medicinal plants found berberine to be the most active antimalarial constituent. However, flavonoids found in the same plants slowed microbes’ resistance to berberine. Remove the flavonoids, and the plant could become ineffective as microbes become resistant, which matters greatly given today’s problem with antibiotic-resistant infections.
Source: Synergy in herbal medicines, part 1 (Association for the Advancement of Restorative Medicine)
It is vital that herbal medicine is used in whole plant form. Anything less than this is not true herbal medicine.
05Why see a qualified herbalist
This is the difference between self-prescribing over-the-counter herbal “extracts” and having a qualified medical herbalist make up an individualised, therapeutically targeted, synergistic and accurate prescription.
And the beauty of it is that it is person-specific and can change at every consultation. As the patient changes, so does the prescription. It is a beautiful, safe, dynamic and powerful form of medicine.
Welcome to the wonderful world of plant medicine.Jean Dow
See if herbal medicine is right for you
Book a free 15-minute call and we’ll work out the best next step together.
Book a free 15-minute callFree, no obligation. Initial consultation £325. See fees
