Low back pain is poorly treated according to a series of papers in the prestigious Lancet medical journal (1), which highlights that about nine million Britons suffer back pain but many receive drugs, surgery, and injections which can be useless or even harmful.

The evidence underpinning invasive treatments such as steroid injections and surgery is very weak and does not warrant using such techniques. Past studies have also shown that pain killers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen barely help relieve back pain.

A third of patients are then given stronger potentially dangerous opioids such as tramadol, codeine, and morphine which can end up making pain worse. Patients can also become hooked and suffer dangerous side-effects.

Herbal treatment could offer an alternative.  Evidence is provided by a Cochrane review (2) which shows three herbal supplements to be effective in treating episodes of back pain. The herbs tested were oral administration of Harpagophytum procumbens (Devil’s Claw) and Salix alba (White Willow Bark), and topical application of Capsicum frutescens (Cayenne). The review contained ten randomized controlled trials that included 1567 adults with non-specific acute or chronic low back pain. All three herbs reduced pain in comparison to placebos.

The approach taken by a medical herbalist in treating back pain depends on the particular presentation of each individual. The aim is to reduce the inflammation, which causes the pain, with anti-inflammatory, analgesic herbs such as those described in the Cochrane report as well as ginger, turmeric and boswelia. These herbs would be combined with others that reduce muscle spasm and relax muscles, restore the function of injured nerves, and promote structural healing of muscles and connective tissues.

Herbs are well tolerated and not only relieve low back pain, but also promote healing without any negative side effects. This allows healing and long term recovery rather than just suppressing the pain.

Herbal treatment for back pain could be combined with the social and psychological approaches advocated in the Lancet studies without the use of ineffective or harmful drugs and surgery.

1.  http://www.thelancet.com/series/low-back-pain (2018)
2. Gagnier, J.J., van Tulder, M.W., Berman, B.M., Bombardier, C. (2011) Herbal medicine low-back pain. Cochrane Summaries. http://summaries.cochrane.org/CD004504/herbal-medicine-for-low-back-pain

What is the menopause?

Menopause is a natural process which is inevitable but many women do not know what to expect.

The first stage of the menopause is called the perimenopause and it can begin anywhere between two and ten years before the menopause. It is a time when hormone levels fluctuate widely and oestrogen production by the ovary begins to gradually decline.

The menopause is reached when you have not had a period for 12 months.

What are the symptoms of the menopause?

The most common first symptom of the perimenopause is a change in how the menstrual cycle works. This can results in more or fewer periods, lighter or heavier bleeding and often a change in symptoms and severity of pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS symptoms of mood swings, swollen breasts and stomach cramps may worsen.

Other symptoms of the perimenopause and menopause can include hot flushes, difficulty in sleeping, vaginal dryness, mood changes, joint pain and headaches. Every woman’s experience of the menopause is different.

How to approach the menopause

Making changes to improve health can greatly reduce the severity of these symptoms. The key is improving diet and taking regular exercise.  Diet should consist of plenty of vegetables and fruit-providing fibre, vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients. 

Protein sources should ideally consist of chicken, fish and legumes such as beans and pulses. Increasing the intake of legumes, including soya, together with flaxseed provides a source of phytoestrogen and is an effective way of modifying the effects of fluctuating oestrogen levels.

It is important to prevent weight gain by cutting down on processed foods that are high in refined sugar. Exercise helps control weight, reduce hot flushes and raise mood.  It is possible to include exercise such as walking that can more easily fit into your daily schedule but should also include resistance exercises or Pilates to help maintain bone density and prevent osteoporosis - brittle bones.

How herbs can support the menopause

Herbs can provide an effective way of managing the changes experienced during the menopause. Beneficial herbs include Chaste Tree to help balance hormone levels and regulate menstruation, and Ladies Mantle and Shepherds Purse to help reduce heavy menstrual bleeding. Herbs that help control mood changes include St John’s Wort and Vervain. Sage can be effective in reducing hot flushes. 

It is important to minimise the effects of stress during the menopause and this can be supported with herbs that balance adrenal function such as Ashwagandha, Siberian ginseng, and Rhodiola.

Why visit a Medical Herbalist?

A medical herbalist can help you manage the transition through the perimenopause and menopause. Each woman has a different experience and a medical herbalist will provide dietary advice and select herbs tailored to the changes and symptoms that you are experiencing.

Contact me at the Clinic to arrange an appointment.


“I approached Gina because I was looking for a natural way to manage some symptoms of being (what I suspected was) peri-menopausal. Symptoms included night-sweats, aching joints, intermittent IBS, bad sleep pattern and irregular periods. 
 
Gina helped me by looking at my symptoms, and lifestyle (food, exercise, previous medical history etc) and coming up with a holistic approach that fitted in with my busy work/life schedule. “
Mrs Jacky Cumberland
 

What is food intolerance?

Food intolerance is the inability to properly digest certain foods. The symptoms of food intolerance include bloating and flatulence, stomach pain, headaches, skin rashes, and fatigue. It is a common cause of IBS.

How a Medical Herbalist can Help

A Medical Herbalist can help both identify the cause and help ease the symptoms of food intolerance.

 What approach will a Medical Herbalist take to identify the cause? 

The approach taken by a Medical Herbalist is to identify foods that may be causing the reaction by recording the symptoms, taking a medical history and using a food diary to identify a specific exclusion and reintroduction diet. The common causes of food intolerance include wheat based foods, gluten, dairy, eggs, soya, nuts, and some fruits. Advice is given on how to systematically carry out the diet to identify the one or more foods causing the symptoms while maintaining a balanced diet.

Also offered is another faster but more costly way of finding food intolerances which is to measure food-specific IgG antibody in a finger prick blood test. One company is able to test 150 different foods in one blood sample. This can be helpful in identifying foods but does not always given an accurate answer as food intolerances can have a number of causes which may not be evident from only measurement of IgG.

How will a Medical Herbalist treat food intolerance?

A Medical Herbalist will use herbal medicines to reduce factors that may have contributed to the food intolerance. These include herbs to improve digestion to ensure food is fully digested, to repair a leaky gut wall that may have allowed partially digested food into surrounding tissue, and to improve liver function.

To help ease the symptoms of food intolerance herbs will be given to reduce inflammation, bloating and contraction of the wall of the digestive tract wall, and to restore normal gut flora. The herbs selected will depend on the symptoms experienced by each individual.

Why visit a Medical Herbalist?

A Medical Herbalist will help you identify the cause of your food intolerance, recommend improvements to your diet and provide herbal treatment to ease digestive comfort.

Contact me to arrange a consultation at the Clinic to discuss your diet and symptoms.    

'I thoroughly recommend Gina, she is an extremely well qualified and experienced Medical Herbalist'
Mrs Vera Nugent
 

The weather is bad, the nights are long, and the Christmas festivities are over. This is a difficult time of year to cope with.

You can maintain both physical and mental health by improving diet and increasing exercise. Herbal Medicine can provide support by helping to fight infection, minimise the effects of stress, and raise mood.

Here are some herbs that are effective in raising low mood. Numerous studies show that St John’s Wort, the so called sunshine herb, has mood-enhancing and spirit-lifting properties to help fight depression. Its antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties also make it effective in preventing colds and flu.

Saffron, from the crocus flower, has been shown to improve mood in those with mild to moderate depression. It was as effective as the conventional drugs tested but without the associated side effects.

Rhodiola is another herb that can be particularly effective in raising mood. Its anti-stress actions help to reduce depression by acting on both the brain and adrenal glands to normalise the body’s response to stress.

More and more people are interested in how inflammation causes depression. An over active immune system resulting from infection or illness can trigger inflammation throughout the body causing low mood and fatigue. Low mood often occurs when fighting a virus infection such as a cold or flu. Treatment to reduce inflammation can alleviate depression. This has been shown with turmeric whose anti-inflammatory action is beneficial in reducing anxiety and depression.

A Medical Herbalist will identify the herbs that will be most beneficial for you and prepare a mix of herbs to raise low mood, reduce the stress response, and help fight infection.

Pain is an important indicator of tissue damage and part of the body’s defence mechanism to prevent further damage. Nerve impulses are sent from pain receptors in damaged tissue to the brain for interpretation.  Pain can also result from damage or disease that affects the nervous system causing dysfunction of the pain perception system. Most of us will experience pain at some point as either acute pain in response to injury or more chronic pain as part of an ongoing condition.

Treatment of pain consists of reducing the perception of pain with analgesics and treating the cause of the pain. Herbal medicine offers a natural approach to pain relief particularly for chronic pain where long term use of drugs is associated with unwanted side effects. The aim of treatment with herbal medicine is to treat both the symptoms and the cause.

The analgesic action of plant-derived compounds is used in many modern analgesic drugs such as morphine from the opium poppy, atropine from the night shade family, and salicylates from poplar and birch barks. These together with the improved targeting of synthetic analgesics provide powerful pain reducing drugs.

The analgesic action of herbal medicines derived from the whole or part of the plant are relatively gentle. However the combination of compounds from a single source or selection of herbal medicines prescribed by a Medical Herbalist can reduce pain by combining a range of actions. Herbal medicines are able to reduce pain associated with inflammation, visceral or vascular spasm and neuralgic pain by anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and nerve modifying action.

Examples of herbal medicines that reduce pain by anti-inflammatory action include ginger, tumeric, and devil’s claw. Herbs such as valerian and cramp bark can reduce pain associated with visceral muscle spasm in conditions such as IBS and cystitis and feverfew can reduce pain associated with vascular spasm in migraines. Capsicum provides topical pain relief by depleting substance P, a pain inducing chemical released by nerve receptors. Other herbs that can reduce neuropathic pain include St John’s wort, yellow jasmine, California poppy and Jamaica dogwood. Combining herbs with anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and direct nerve action can provide effective pain relief.

Another plant derived medicine that is receiving increased interest for the treatment of various types of pain including arthritic pain, muscle spasm in multiple sclerosis and general chronic pain is cannabidiol (CBD) oil derived from cannabis and hemp. CBD is one of 60 cannabinoids compounds and does not have the psychoactive properties of another cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). CBD acts on our bodies own endocannabinoid system to provide a safe and effective way of reducing pain.   

A Medical Herbalist will consider all aspects of pain relief and provide a tailored mix of herbs for each individual.

Herbal medicine is made exclusively from plants. Whereas Pharmaceutical drugs contain one or two compounds which are concentrated and have a potent action that can lead to side effects, herbal medicine contains hundreds of natural compounds which work together and each compound is only present in small amounts. Herbal medicine is particularly good for treating mothers and babies because it has a gentle action with few side effects and babies are responsive to very small amounts.  

There are several ways that herbal medicine can be used to treat babies: externally as a cream or lotion applied to the skin or adding to the bath and internally as drop amounts or if breast feeding via the mother’s milk so the mother can be treated with a tincture or tea.

Two conditions which can be effectively treated with herbal medicine are eczema and colic.

Ezcema/dry skin
Babies are born with perfect if very sensitive skin. The smallest thing can set off a rash or some sort of skin irritation. It is no wonder that many babies develop baby eczema with patches of red, dry, flaky and often itchy skin in very visible places such as the face, behind the ears, on the scalp and also in the elbow creases, behind the knees and even around the groin.

The most common cause of baby eczema is a sensitivity/intolerance to something in the baby or mother’s diet. The most likely foods are dairy particularly cow’s milk, soya protein, histamine containing foods such as citrus fruits, red skinned berries and food colourings, too much refined sugar, or yeast containing food such as bread.

External herbal treatment consists of an oat bath or the addition of chamomile tea in the bath to sooth inflamed skin. A cream can be applied to cool and moisturise inflamed, dry and itchy skin such as one containing hemp oil, liquorice and chamomile.

For internal treatment of baby eczema a Medical Herbalist will prescribe a gentle mix of herbs to reduce inflammation, balance the immune response, fight infection, and soothe dry, itchy skin. Herbs which have been shown to be very good for treatment include chamomile, heartsease, cleavers, liquorice, nettle, and calendula.

Colic
Many babies suffer from colic, most commonly in the first three months when the digestive system is adapting to life outside the womb. It is usually worst in the evening when all concerned are tired.

Colic can be due to the baby not being correctly latched onto the nipple or feeding too quickly so swallowing a lot of air with the milk. With bottle fed babies it can be due to an allergy to the formula milk or air in the bottle. Feeding too frequently can exacerbate the problem.

If breast feeding it is important that the mother avoids foods that can upset the baby’s tummy such as onions, garlic, beans, lentils, cabbage and spicy foods.

Herbal tea is an effective treatment for the mother if breast feeding or can be given to the baby a teaspoon at a time or added to a bath.  A tea containing fennel, which is a carminative that reduces wind, and chamomile which is very relaxing for the digestive system, is a good combination for treatment of colic. A Medical Herbalist will provide a more specific tailored mix of herbs if further treatment is required.

To hear more about herbal treatment for Mothers and Babies visit the Baby Bubble on Monday November 20th.  http://www.theglades.co.uk/events/baby-bubble/  

Fibromyalgia is a nasty illness that makes life miserable and can lay people low for long periods. It will certainly become better known given the sad news that Lady Gaga is suffering from it and has cancelled her huge European tour. It's too late her many disappointed fans but an accidental by-product is that more people will now know about the illness and how to treat it.

First, what is fibromyalgia? There is no definitive test as yet but its symptoms include generalised aching, muscle pains, trigger points around tendon insertions, muscle stiffness, fatigue, and poor sleep. It may affect as many as one in twenty people.

The cause of fibromyalgia is unclear but it can be initiated by poor sleep, emotional stress, infection, or a traumatic event. It is often associated with reduced 'delta sleep' - the deep stage of sleep in the first part of the night that analysts think has a vital restorative function. Other symptoms include a reduced threshold to pain perception and tolerance, adrenal depletion, and abnormal growth hormone levels.

The orthodox treatment for fibromyalgia includes pain relief with NSAIDs, antidepressants, and sleep medications. But there are possible side effects.

Herbal treatment can offer more. It is a gentle treatment with few side effects that acts on the body as a whole to normalise function. It can be varied so that it treats the possible cause and reduces the symptoms experienced by each individual.
The actions of herbs that may be selected include nerve tonics to help manage pain. Adrenal tonics and adaptogens to normalise cortisol release from the adrenal gland, immune modulating herbs, anti-inflammatory and analgesic herbs, herbs that reduce anxiety and reduce sympathetic nerve over activity to help promote sleep and herbs that increase blood supply to tissue.

Treating fibromyalgia with a combination of herbal medicines plus improving diet and exercise is an effective way to treat this debilitating condition. I wish Lady Gaga a quick recovery and that she can get back on the road soon.

The importance of diet in treating and preventing obesity and ill health is highlighted in two recent books. The books have different approaches but arrive at a similar conclusion that modern diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates are the cause of much of today’s ill health.

‘The Clever Guts Diet’ by Dr Michael Mosley discusses the importance of the gut microbiome and how the diversity and numbers of bacteria in our gut are vital for our immune system, metabolism and mental health.

‘The Pioppi Diet’ by Dr Aseem Malhotra and Donal O’Neill describes the health benefits of the diet and way of life of people living in the Italian village of Pioppi which results in healthy longevity. A key conclusion of Dr Malhotra, a cardiologist, is that heart disease is not caused by a diet high in saturated fats but rather a diet high in refined carbohydrates. This type of diet results in insulin resistance and chronic inflammation which are the causes of obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Both diets are similar in that they advocate a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, oily fish, nuts, lean meat, eggs, some dairy and fermented foods. The Clever Guts diet particularly recommends sources of fibre for promoting good gut bacteria. The Pioppi diet recommends a daily intake of 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil as one of the healthiest foods for your heart. In both, sugar, processed food and refined carbohydrates such as white rice and pasta should be eliminated but thankfully both identify the health benefits of a glass of red wine and a piece of dark chocolate.

Herbs and spices are very important in the diets. Those recommended include garlic, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, thyme and basil. In the Clever Guts diet, turmeric is identified as good at inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria and directly protects the wall of the intestine whereas the key role for turmeric in the Pioppi diet is its anti-inflammatory action inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins.

The aim of these diets is to prevent ill health and the need for drug treatment. Dr Malhotra states that ‘Prescription medications are the third most common cause of death after heart disease and cancer’.  Herbal medicines can play a crucial role in preventing drug treatment and improving the health benefits of these diets. Herbs taken as teas and tinctures have larger amounts of the active compounds than in food and offer a wide range of beneficial actions. Those that specifically support the benefits of these diets include improving digestion, gut flora, immune function, circulation and control of blood glucose.

These books provide a new consensus on the foods we should be eating to ensure good health and prevent disease. Herbs are a key to this as both part of our diet and as our medicine.
 

This week is Herbal Medicine Week (HMW) 17th -25th June. It was created to help Medical Herbalist come together as a nation-wide community to raise awareness of what we do.  The theme for this year is mental and emotional wellbeing.
 
In the UK mental health problems will affect 1 in 4 people at some point in their life. The NHS is struggling with this and we have so much to offer as Herbalists.
 
Find out how herbal antidepressants can offer
an alternative treatment.

http://buzz.bournemouth.ac.uk/2017/01/herbal-antidepressants-another-option/
 


The benefits to you of visiting a Medical Herbalist are that we provide:

• An in-depth consultation (1-1.5 hour) to assess your overall health profile. 
  
• Diagnostic and clinical skills.
• Treatment of underlying causes as well as symptoms.
• Continuity of care.
• In-depth knowledge of herbs and plant medicines.
• Use of liquid preparations (tinctures) which allows the inclusion of several different herbs in one preparation. 
• Preparation of a unique combination and dose of herbs tailored to your individual requirements.
• Access to quality effective herbal medicines that are not available over the counter.
• Safe prescription of herbs and understanding of contraindications and interactions with orthodox drugs.
• Expert advice on diet and lifestyle.
  

Consider visiting a Medical Herbalist as part of Herbal Medicine week and find out how Herbal Medicines can provide you with a safe, effective and natural form of treatment. Herbal medicines provide a real alternative choice of treatment that complements orthodox treatment and allows you to take more control of your own health for long-lasting health and wellbeing.

We all suffer from stress at times in our lives. Students are now experiencing the stress of exams. Some stress can be helpful and healthy in preparing the body for an optimal response to a demanding event but continuous stress can be damaging.

According to a recent BBC programme stress accounts for half of all sick days and is considered the health epidemic of the 21st century. We can be exposed to a variety of pressures throughout the day which initiate stress responses by the body. Some stress can be effectively harnessed to perform well in exams and sporting events. It is the chronic daily stress that can have a detrimental effect on the body causing long term health problems through increased blood glucose, blood pressure, anxiety and depression as well as a weakened immune system.

Ours bodies are well adapted to responding to acute stressful events which ensure the ‘flight or fight’ response where the release of adrenaline and cortisol from the adrenal glands prepares the body for coping with a stressful event.  If the stress is ongoing and the body is unable to return to a restful state, adrenal cortisol secretion is prolonged and we can become exhausted and no longer able to focus and perform effectively.

The BBC programme described three ways to improve our response to stress: improved diet, regular exercise, and mindfulness. Herbal medicines should be added to this list.

Herbal medicines can provide an effective way of normalising the adrenal response and help us to responding effectively to stress. A key group of herbs are the adaptogens, which act on the brain-adrenal axis to balance the release of adrenal hormones.  Herbs shown to have this action include Siberian ginseng , Ashwagandha ,Rhodiola, Astragalus and Schisandra. Others herbs which help cope effectively with stress are nervines or nerve tonics such as Oat seed, Skullcap, and St John’s Wort which are calming and relaxing, restore emotional balance, and nourish the nerves and nervous system. Combining adaptogens and nervines herbs restores the function of the nervous and adrenal systems and allows the body to normalise its response to stress.

The choice of herbs will depend on each person’s stress response but finding the right herbal mix and combining it with improvements in diet and exercise could lead to improved quality of life and increased ability to cope with stress.