I get asked this question quite a lot: “What herb is good for…..[enter health condition]…?” I usually pause and then explain (to the person’s slight irritation that they didn’t get a quick answer) that I don’t treat illnesses – I treat people. But what does that mean? It means that when a person comes to see me at my clinic be it for a skin condition, hormonal imbalance or a digestive problem, I don’t just match the ‘condition’ with the appropriate herb as your G.P might do with conventional drugs. My holistic approach means I look in detail at a person’s history and circumstances like a detective, trying to find out what the possible root causes might be of their health imbalance. I recognize that the reasons which led to a health condition can be very different from person to person and therefore the treatment may also need to be.
I want the person to get better for good, so I want to find out why they got ill in the first place and see if I can address this from the bottom upwards. I want to find out about the person’s life experiences, emotional history, diet, previous illnesses, family health history as well as current habits – to get an idea of how a person’s body or mind may have become out of balance.
I then make up a unique treatment plan for the person with a bespoke Herbal formula which aims not only to ease current symptoms but aims to try to help resolve the root cause of the illness. Now, of course the root causes aren’t always clear cut, there may be multiple factors which converged over time to create this health imbalance be it stress, diet, hidden allergies, lack of sleep or other illnesses. Over time I will try to help resolve each of these possible root causes in turn and I will see the person for regular check-ups to track their progress. The treatment plan will also often contain dietary advice and supplement suggestions which may help, alongside lifestyle suggestions which are often related to stress management and attaining good quality sleep. I feel this individualized well-rounded approach brings the best chance of recovery and increased wellbeing, for the longer-term.