Mental Health Awareness week recently highlighted the often hidden reality that one in four of us experience some sort of mental health problem but resources for NHS treatment are limited.

We need to do much more to boost prevention and early intervention. Mental health care has now been declared a high priority and solutions are being sought. As well as improving NHS services, we should examine ways of preventing demand for NHS treatment in the first place.

There is increasing evidence, for instance, of the benefits of gardening and growing food to improve mental health for those suffering acute or persistent problems.

Other forms of treatment need to be considered. Using herbal medicine prescribed by Medical Herbalists, together with diet and lifestyle advice and the therapeutic benefits of a consultation, can be very effective in treating anxiety and mild to moderate depression, improving general health and vitality, and helping to limit the side effects of drug treatment. Such early intervention can stop such issues seriously deteriorating.

Many herbal medicines can be beneficial. St John’s Wort is a well-proven treatment for mild to moderate depression. Other important nerve tonic herbs include Skullcap, Vervain and  Schisandra.  Anxiolytic herbs such as Passionflower and Valerian are used to treat anxiety together with herbs that restore adrenal function such as Liquorice, Rhodiola, Withania and Siberian ginseng.

Using these herbal medicines with their gentle action and few side effects in combination with diet advice, and a listening ear could provide a turning point to improving mental health and a way of avoiding the need for NHS treatment.

We all need to look after our own health if we are to avoid visits to the GP and live longer. Using herbs as part of our food and as medicine provides a simple and effect way of keeping healthy and treating simple ailments.

Many herbs we use in cooking have known therapeutic actions. Peppermint is a gut antispasmodic reducing indigestion and bloating. It improves liver function and is cooling and anaesthetic when applied to the skin.  Thyme is antimicrobial and used to treat sore throats, coughs and catarrh as well as a digestive tonic for indigestion and flatulence.  Spices such as turmeric, chilli and cinnamon reduce inflammation, relieve joint pain and balance blood sugar, respectively.

We can increase the intake of herbs and spices by adding more to our food and by regularly drinking tea made with dried or fresh herbs.

Living Medicine is an award-winning charity which develops hands-on skills and knowledge on how to use foods and herbs to promote our own health and wellbeing.  Medical Herbalists run workshop based courses on how to use foods and herbs for daily healthcare and how to turn plants into safe and effective remedies. Visit www.livingmedicine.org to find out more information.

Women with PCOS are increasingly seeking treatment for their symptoms from a Medical Herbalist.  The symptoms experienced include irregular menstrual cycles, hirsutism, weight gain, acne, hair loss, anxiety and depression.  The majority of women with PCOS have insulin resistance which results in high levels of insulin and this can lead to increased androgen production by the ovary.

Those with PCOS are dissatisfied with the orthodox treatment available. Metformin, an insulin-sensitising drug, is associated with unpleasant gastro-intestinal side effects. Other options such as the contraceptive pill, synthetic progestin and anti-androgens are also associated with unwanted side effects so many look for alternative forms of treatment.

The key to treatment of PCOS is a change in diet and increase in regular exercise to promote weight loss. This reduces insulin resistance. The diet should have a low glycaemic index with a reduction in refined sugar and increase in vegetable intake.

Successful results have been obtained for the use of herbal medicine in the treatment of PCOS (1). The approach of a Medical Herbalist is to select a mix of herbs tailored to each individual to give an integrated and holistic approach to treatment.  The herb actions selected will help decrease insulin resistance, decrease androgen production, balance ovarian hormone production, promote liver function, reduce cystic growth and support the nervous system.

PCOS is often associated with low thyroid function. Herbs may therefore be given to promote thyroid function which may help to balance metabolism and improve weight loss.

PCOS is a complex condition with a wide variation in the symptoms experienced by each individual. The tailored multi-target approach of herbal medicine when combined with diet and lifestyle changes offers an effective treatment option.

1. Rooney, S., Pendry, B. (2014) Phytotherapy for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: a review of the literature and evaluation of practitioners’ experiences. Journal of Herbal Medicine 4: 159-171.