Tinctures (liquid extracts) are the mainstay of my dispensary because of their many practical advantages. They only have to be taken in small doses, there’s no complicated boiling or other preparation, and they keep well at room temperature. On the downside, they don’t taste great, but you can use whatever you like to get rid of the taste, and most people get used to them pretty quickly.
Herbal teas, tablets and capsules are also available, and other preparations - creams and ointments as well as more exotic items such as powdered myrrh for use as an antiseptic on weeping or infected skin.
I dispense medicines at the end of each consultation: expect to leave with anything from a single bottle to a sizeable goody bag.
This is like asking whether people are dangerous, and the answer is the same: they’re all different. While it’s hard to imagine a marigold committing GBH, deadly nightshade got its name for a reason – yet in small doses can be good for heartburn, sore throats and abdominal cramps.
Professional herbalists know which herbs can be toxic, and how to use them safely. Special considerations apply to pregnant or breastfeeding women, and to those already taking conventional prescription drugs. Make sure that I’m aware if you fall into one of these groups, so that I can adapt your medicine accordingly.
When I was diagnosed with Polymyalgia Rheumatica – PMR – my GP told me that my only option was to take steroids. I really didn’t want to take them, because I’d heard too much about their side effects. I was in too much pain to cope without some kind of treatment though, and my osteopath suggested that I see Natalia.
After two weeks on Natalia’s medicine the pain was easing, and I had more energy. Within a couple of months the agonising pain of PMR had virtually gone. I continued to take herbal medicines for a couple more years until the PMR had run its course, and I’m sure the herbal medicine has left me healthier than I would have been if I’d I spent two years on steroids.
Rona, Lymm