Herbal Medicine for Prevention of Illness

We are fast approaching the time of year in which we should think about preparing our bodies in readiness for those cold, dark and damp Winter days and nights ahead. If our bodies are ready for the changes in the seasons, then we are less likely to suffer from those niggling little health problems, such as Winter viruses and colds.

Herbal Medicine, when used efficiently, can be a wonderfully supportive medium, through which we can be prepared for Winter. In Herbal medicine we not only look at strengthening the immune system, for which Echinacea is most well known, but all of the other body systems as well.

The circulation and lymphatic systems must both be working well, to ensure that the body is able to circulate and eliminate the body's waste materials. Of course the digestion must be working properly so that the body is able to take in all of the nutrients which are needed, and perhaps most importantly elimination must be working well, to ensure that the body is cleansed, promoting cell renewal and preventing stagnation. If the nervous system is not at its strongest, then this in turn puts added pressure on our immune system, so we must also ensure that our nervous system is supported.

Of course we could really do all of these things through diet - for example, the best food for the nervous system is porridge - it contains Oats, which is used in Herbal Medicine as a nutritive nerve restorative. Garlic is one of the best foods which acts on bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, as well as reducing cholesterol by cleansing the blood and lymphatic systems.

A Medical Herbalist can help you to embrace preventative medicine. A consultation lasts for an hour, in which the herbalist will look at the whole person, at the function of each body system, and then decide on and dispense a prescription made up of a number of herbs. Unlike pharmaceutical medicine, the herbs are perfectly and naturally designed. They act as catalysts for the body rather than imposing an action upon it, so that the body can rectify itself. Hippocrates said, over 2000 years ago, that it is more important to know what sort of person has a disease, than what sort of disease a person has. Holism is not a new concept! So each person is treated differently, which is why a personal consultation is more useful than buying over-the-counter medicines, so that we can get the most benefit from the herbs. The Medical Herbalist may also offer dietary and lifestyle advice.

To ensure that the Medical Herbalist is properly trained, look for the letters MNIMH after their name - this confirms that they have undergone a 4 year degree course in Herbal Medicine and are registered with the oldest professional body of Medical Herbalists, the National Institute of Medical Herbalists.