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Herbal Health Treatment of Constipation

September 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Most people report that they have a bowel movement daily and that it is easy to go to the toilet without any pain or discomfort.

Constipation sufferers do not have regular bowel movements and may find it difficult and uncomfortable to go to the toilet. This may be due to poor diet or a sluggish bowel

Two areas to look at closely are diet and the amount of water intake.

Your diet needs to be a balanced one with of fruit, vegetables and high fibre cereals.

An example of a day’s menu may be:-

Breakfast

Porridge with some fruit

Or Muesli

Or Weetabix/Shredded wheat/bran cereal

Seeds/nuts/oat bran are good to sprinkle on cereal to provide extra roughage.

Glass of water

Lunch

Sandwich, preferably with wholegrain bread

Or baked potato

Or salad

Fruit

Glass of water

Dinner

Meat, two vegetables and some source of carbohydrate such as potato or pasta or rice.

Brown rice has more fibre than white

Glass of water

At some point in the day you need to drink another three glasses of water

You will notice that there is no tea and coffee included in this diet. That is because tea and coffee contain tannins and caffeine which slow the digestive process in the bowel down and may cause a sluggish digestion.

Rooibos and herbal teas do not contain tannin and caffeine so are acceptable substitutes.

Gut flora contribute to the digestive process so eat some live yogurt two or three times a week, especially if you have had to have antibiotics or steroids.

If you are fairly sedentary, start doing some form of exercise even if it is walking. This will stimulate circulation around the body and help all body systems to function better.

I love reading the ancient herbals like Culpepper, because most of the remedies seemed to be to “PURGE THE GUT” or to treat “SCROPHULOUS SORES”

I guess the people in those days had very poor diets lacking in both fibre and Vitamin C

There are many herbs which help to improve digestive function:-

All bitter herbs stimulate the liver and digestive enzymes to ensure the food is properly broken down and the waste eliminated.

Dandelion root improves digestion by stimulating the liver

Burdock root more gentle on the digestive system but a good cleanser

Yellow dock root this is strong and will really clear everything out as well as being a good nutritive herb

Barberry a good liver stimulant for a sluggish liver quite strong though and should be used in small amounts.

These may be taken in tincture form as “simples” in other words on their own, or as capsules. If you buy them over the counter follow the instructions on the bottle or packet. Don’t take all of them together you will be sat on the loo for a long long time and they may give you cramps. Also do not take any of them if you are pregnant as anything that stimulates the gut may also stimulate the uterus.

There are many ready made over the counter preparations, but make sure they are licensed products so that you know they have been tried and tested.

Psyllium or Ispaghula seeds are a tiny little seed which act as a gentle bulk laxative in the bowel, they help to retain fluid in the bowel and so soften the stool.

A teaspoon of the seeds are soaked in a glass of water overnight and then drunk the following morning. They go slightly gloopy due to the mucilage they contain, but this helps retain fluid in the bowel and bulk the stool out.

You can buy them in health food shops.

If you need more help and would like to visit me in the Clinic please click here or on the Clinic tab at the top of the page.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

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Herbal Health Information on Tiredness

August 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Having a little nap in the afternoon or falling asleep in front of the T.V. in the evening is perfectly normal. It is waking up tired after a decent nights sleep and dragging yourself through the day that I am going to discuss here.

There are many causes for tiredness:-

Poor nutrition/poor digestion

Heart problems

Depression

Anxiety

Menopause

Post viral

Chronic fatigue syndrome (M.E.)

Unexplained

I would advocate going and having a general check up and a blood test at your doctor’s before taking any other action. If the cause is easily picked up by a blood test, such as Anaemia, or possibly heart problems then it is easily dealt with by orthodox medicine.

If all the tests are coming back ok then there are several things you can do to help yourself through it.

A good diet is essential as you can’t run a tank on empty!

Make sure you get your fair share of:-

Complex carbohydrates such as whole grain cereals

Never snack on sugary foods to try and boost your energy levels if you are suffering from tiredness. What happens is the sugar is easily digested resulting in a sugar “high” in the blood stream giving you a short burst of energy. But if the blood sugar levels are high, the body responds by producing insulin from the Pancreas which removes the sugar from the blood and stores it in the cells either as Glycogen or eventually fat. This then causes the blood sugar to fall, resulting in more fatigue.

Fruit and Veg are both a source of complex carbohydrate and a source of vitamins and minerals which are essential for all body metabolism (chemical reactions)

Proteins, such as Eggs, Fish, Meat and Cheese.

Protein is essential for repairing any cell damage and also new cell growth. Adult humans do not need as much protein as we normally eat as we are no longer growing, but only repairing and regenerating. Children need a good source of protein due to their rapid growth. Any Mums out there will know the “I’m Hungry” mantra that starts the moment children open their eyes!

Despite the drive to encourage us to eat mostly chicken and fish, it is necessary to eat some red meat every week to ensure a good intake of iron.

Essential fatty acids. These are the omega oils about which there is so much talk. They are necessary for cell wall growth and repair. The body cannot manufacture one of these acids, linoleic, and it is a must, to have a source of it in your diet.

Fatty acids are present in oily fish and eggs, seeds pulses oils and margarines.

I know eating sounds like a bit of a mine field but don’t stress yourself about it, just eat a sensible balanced mixed diet and you will be getting all the nutrients your body needs.

This is one of the times that exercise is not a good idea. Your body usually knows when it needs rest, so let it repair itself and then think about the exercise when your energy levels have improved.

There are many Herbs which have tonic properties but it is not a good idea to get a boost of energy too quickly as you will want to rush around and do all the jobs you haven’t done for however long and this will cause further fatigue.

Slow but sure is the best approach.

If a patient visits me in clinic with tiredness I will, as usual, make sure their digestion is working properly. If you have read any of my other articles you will know that it is the “bitter” herbs that improve digestive function. These are herbs such as Dandelion, Burdock, Agrimony, Centaury and Yellow Dock, (only one at a time otherwise you will be sat on the loo forever) all of which we have seen on various Herb walks.

A good digestive system will ensure proper use of the food you eat.

The circulation needs to be working well to get nutrients to where they are required and metabolic by products away as quickly as possible.

Hawthorn is an excellent circulation herb as it supports the heart, at the same time as it increases blood flow to the capillaries.

Nettles and Yellow dock are good tonic herbs because they both contain minerals, especially iron.

Oat is also a tonic herb, supporting the nervous system to improve body functions.

For a month or two it is best to just use a combination of these nutritive and tonic herbs, before boosting energy levels with herbs such as Ginseng and Dong quai (known as ladies ginseng) these two herbs are adaptogens which return body function to normal.

You will find ready made preparations with combinations of these herbs in them or you are welcome to visit me in my clinic to have a tailor made herbal remedy prepared for you.

You can find the Clinic details by clicking here or on the Clinic tab at the top of the page

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist

herbal Health Information

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Herbal Health Information on Sinusitis

August 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The sinuses are just open spaces lined with mucous membranes, easily irritated by whatever enters the airways.

It is thought that they make the skull lighter to carry around and provide a resonance box for sound production.
Here’s the problem though, an open space has no blood supply! Meaning we cannot get any medicine into an infected sinus to clear it up.
As many plants contain volatile oils which evaporate up into the sinuses once they hit the warmth of the stomach, herbal medicine has the answer.

One of the best ways to get medication up into the sinuses is to put essential oils into hot water and inhale the steam that comes off them.

• Fill a basin with very hot water.
• Add 3 drops of eucalyptus oil, 2drops of peppermint oil, and 3 drops of Camphor oil. ( or if you have Olbas oil that’s ok)
• Place a towel over your head and the bowl and inhale the rising steam for up to five minutes. Don’t put your face too near the hot water, to avoid scalding yourself. Also Peppermint oil is very strong so you may need to close your eyes whilst you are inhaling.

You can do this twice a day if you have sinusitis until the sinuses are clear.

The tinctures that help clear and tone sinuses are:
Eyebright, which we saw growing in the Downs walk video and elderflower, which we saw growing in the west rise marsh video.

Eyebright tones all mucous membranes as it is high in tannins and in doing so makes them toughened up and less susceptible to external irritants.

Elderflower, seen in the West Rise Marsh video,  is anti bacterial, anti viral and anti catarrhal, drying up the membranes and preventing them filling up with mucous. It is often a good idea to add an immune stimulating herb such as Echinacea to these two herbs to prevent reinfection.

These three herbs can be mixed in equal amounts and the resulting tincture taken at 5 mls twice a day in a little water. (Echinacea is yukky tasting)

Dietary advice is to dramatically reduce all dairy product intake, as dairy increases the amount of catarrh produced which will contribute to blocking the sinuses.

As usual you are very welcome to come and see me in my clinic, the details of which can be found by clicking here the “Clinic”

Linda Bostock
Medical Herbalist

Herbal Health Information.

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How To Make Mullein Syrup

August 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Mullein Syrup Video:

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Herbal Health Information on Eczema

August 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment

When I had my clinic in Slough in Berkshire, Eczema was the most common condition I treated. I treated hundreds of cases ranging from a 10 month old baby covered from head to foot with red itchy inflamed weeping skin to older children whose skin had become like elephant hide due to the prolonged use of steroids.

Eczema is not an external condition. The problem lies within the body and requires internal cleansing, balancing and restoring to normal function.

Most of the Eczema I treated was Atopic, which is a genetically inherited form usually related to allergic conditions, first presenting at quite a young age as itchy broken skin in the crux of the elbows and knees and spreading around the body

A very interesting thing I noted was that many of the West Indian and Asian children reported to me that when they went back to their native country the Eczema cleared up after a few days and within about five days of landing back in England it would flare up again. So I always worked on the basis that although that particular patient may have been genetically prone to Eczema, diet and pollution were definitely factors to take into consideration.

I can hear you saying here we go again she is going to bang on about diet again, well, YES I AM. I will bang on about it until I know I have got the message across that the food we put into ourselves provides us with the building blocks to stay healthy and to repair damaged body tissue.

Think of it as a building being built with poor building materials, it is bound to fall down quickly, whereas a building built from good quality materials may last forever.

There are several foods to cut down on if a person is suffering from Eczema:-

Tomatoes and oranges are a complete no go area due to their acid content.

We do use too much tomato in cooking and orange juice is now the favourite breakfast drink. But as I have said before, too much of the same food substance is hard for the body to digest.

Cow’s milk has been implicated in Eczema and some people have found Goats milk helps. However I tell people to cut down on the amount of dairy intake, not to cut it out, especially for children who need a high calcium intake while they are growing. Cow’s milk is designed for baby cows and is too rich and hard to digest for humans. Of course in nature ancient man would have been Breast fed until the age of two ish and then not eaten any other dairy product as they did not use milk as a food substance. It was only the advent of farming about 11,000 years ago which meant that cattle could be herded and milked and that is a blink of an eye in evolutionary terms.

An “all things in moderation” diet is a good diet for Eczema sufferers except for oranges and tomatoes. Make sure there are plenty of foods containing

Omega oils….such as oily fish,

Zinc……….. such as peas and pumpkin seeds and oats

Vitamin C…..any fresh fruit and veg

These three ingredients (6 actually as there are 3 Omega oils) are essential for good cell repair within the body.

Drink lots of water and NO fizzy drinks, they contain too much acid.

Right, now on to the herbs. I am going to give you a typical herbal prescription for Eczema but please do remember that people are individuals and respond differently to different plants and Vice Versa!

EXAMPLE OF AN HERBAL TINCTURE FOR ECZEMA

Red Clover ……..we saw this in the walk on the downs video. It is just about the best lymphatic system and skin cleanser

Heartsease……….a little wild pansy, having alterative (changing to normal), anti inflammatory and anti allergy properties with the added benefit of being high in Zinc.

Burdock…………as a liver and digestive system cleanser to make sure no toxins are produced and absorbed from the gut.

Nettles…………….if it is an atopic allergy related Eczema. Nettles are nutritious and blood cleansing.

Celery seed………in small amounts to act as a diuretic to make sure the kidneys excrete all waste products from the body.

Chamomile………something to calm down the irritation

This would be for an initial four weeks, after which I would see the patient again and either keep them on the same mixture depending on the progress or move on to the next stage to improve skin healing with an herb such as Marigold.

I have a high success rate treating Eczema conditions which very rarely return if the patient keeps to a sensible diet.

I do also make up Eczema cream containing, Chamomile and Aloe Vera to soothe and cool the skin whilst it is being cleared out internally.

If you have a child suffering from Eczema please take them to see a Qualified Medical Herbalist, do not try and minister to them yourself as getting the dosage of herbal medicine right is  important. That is also true for anyone.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist, Herbal Health Information

View Clinic details here
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Herbal Health Information on the Immune System and Colds

August 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The Immune system is the body’s internal defence armoury, which protects us from the millions of germs out there. There are so many factors in modern day living which can affect our immune system, resulting in people picking up any virus going and suffering recurrent colds and coughs.

Stress, poor diet, Insomnia and any long term illness can all prevent the proper functioning of the immune system.

We really must look after ourselves. Put a bit of time and effort into YOU and the payback will be a healthier, fitter, happier, more energetic li

Diet

Breakfast

You must eat it!

Porridge/ muesli/ any wholegrain cereal/ fruit/juice. Not all at once!

Lunch

Salads or baked potato or sandwich some fruit if you didn’t have any at breakfast

Dinner

Cooked meal with some protein foods such as meat eggs or fish /pulses beans for the vegetarians or just if you like them. Fresh veg although fresh frozen will do if you are busy. Some carbohydrate such as rice potato or pasta.

Always vary it though and make sure you do not eat too much of any one thing. For example don’t eat toast for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and pasta for dinner. That’s three lots of wheat a day and the gut will not like digesting all that!

Loads of Vitamin C containing foods, which is all fruit and veg but especially citrus fruits and zinc containing foods which is oats, peas, pumpkin seeds, lentils and Oysters if you are feeling rich.

Zinc and Vit C help the body fight of viruses.

Drink water and not too much tea and coffee

Stress

Have a look at the article on stress to learn more, but briefly, make relaxation and switching off time for yourself. Dance, sing, read, watch a film, join a meditation or yoga class, anything that helps you to relax.

Exercise I can almost hear you groaning but this is really not an option. It gets the body in good shape to be able to cope with external and internal changes.

Alcohol and cigarettes also affect the immune system, so if you can reduce, it will help.

Herbs

Echinacea is the Media’s herb of choice to boost the immune system which it does by raising the white blood cell count and increases the body’s own powers of resistance. It also has the ability to stimulate Killer cells called Phagocytes, that chomp up any foreign material in the body especially bacteria.

There is a problem with Echinacea though, in that many people are taking it constantly and bacteria are cunning little devils they have the ability to adapt and become immune to anything trying to kill them off. So Echinacea should only be taken,  EITHER when you feel a cold/cough coming on to boost the immune system and help the body fight the virus or bacteria OR for short periods of time to boost the immune system generally. About three weeks taking Echinacea is enough time to boost the immune system and then let the body take over. There are many over the counter preparations of Echinacea but make sure it is a good quality preparation with a licence, meaning it has been through a rigorous testing programme.

St John’s wort and Elder Flower have directly anti viral properties and elder is my herb of choice if someone presents with recurrent colds.

Never forget Garlic. I know some people won’t touch it because of the smell but eat as much garlic as you can in your food. It is the most astounding food for all kinds of conditions in the body one of them being to boost the immune system as well as having antiviral properties. As it is breathed out through the lungs, the volatile oils sterilise everything on the way up so it is a good cough and cold remedy.

If all else fails come and visit me in clinic!

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist, herbal Health Information

View clinic details here

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Herbal Health Information on Headaches

August 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment

I am assuming here, that you have been to the doctor and eliminated anything serious.

That usually leaves tension headaches which are brought on by unconsciously clenching the muscles in the shoulder which are attached to the back of the head. This then pulls the muscles in the head causing them to pull, resulting in headaches. There are other common causes of headaches such as eye strain, tooth pain, viral infections, neuralgia, sinus infections, arthritis and dehydration.

What I am going to talk about here is the tension headache as the others all need dealing with in their own right.

Stress is a factor in tension headaches so look at the stress article and see if you can reduce the amount of stress you have.

Become conscious of what you are doing with your shoulders. If you find yourself constantly hunched up over the computer or whatever you are doing here is a little yoga exercise you can do three or four times during the day:-

STOP EVERYTHING YOU ARE DOING

Close your eyes, sit comfortably, legs uncrossed and feet slightly apart, relax your hands on to your lap.

Breathe normally, but count how long it takes you to breathe in and breathe out. Do this for about a minute.

Lift your shoulders up to your ears as far as you can, without causing yourself pain, whilst you are breathing in.

Slowly relax your shoulders back down whilst breathing out.

Do that for a couple of minutes and it will make you aware of your neck muscles so that you will get to know when you are tensing them up and be able to relax them.

The whole exercise only takes three or four minutes and is easily done sitting at your desk.

DIET

No Caffeine

No Caffeine

No Caffeine

I hope you get the message!

And drink at least two pints of water a day (not juice or hot drinks, just water)

P.S. caffeine withdrawal is dramatic and will give you headaches so come off it slowly, substituting it with herbal teas.

HERBS

The aim is to help you relax.

Crampbark, which we saw on the West Rise marsh video, is a wonderful muscle relaxant taken internally as a tincture. Both Passionflower and Pulsatilla are calming and relaxing as well as being nervous system supporting herbs.

Lavender oil in the bath or as a rub for the shoulders is relaxing and soothing.

Essential oils must always be diluted, so measure out 10 mls of any base oil, such as Grapeseed, into a container. Add 5 drops of lavender oil and there you have a muscle rub.

If you would like to visit the clinic for more help please click on the Clinic tab

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist

View Clinic details here
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Herbal Health Information on Migraines

August 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Migraine headache is caused by the over dilation of arteries in the brain after they have constricted. Sufferers describe various symptoms such as, nausea, visual disturbance, flashing lights, strange smells and headache. Sometimes the visual disturbances may occur without the headache.

The causes are possibly dietary, hormonal or emotional disturbances.

In all cases it is important to try and prevent the arteries going into spasm initially.

DIET

As with tension headaches, CUT THE CAFFEINE OUT. Do it slowly so that you do not suffer Caffeine withdrawal on top of everything else.

Here’s where you are really going to hate me

No Chocolate Cheese or Red wine!!!!!! It was always thought that the Tyramine they all contain can have a constricting effect on blood vessels. However modern research has both proved and disproved this. So let’s go with the tradition and cut them out to be on the safe side.

Many people find other food substances may trigger migraine so it is worth keeping a food diary to check.

Drink at least two pints of water a day.

HERBS

Keeping the blood vessels from going in to spasm is the first line of defence.

Crampbark, seen in the West Rise Marsh video, Valerian and Chamomile , seen in the shingle beach video,are all good muscle relaxants and feverfew is the long standing traditional herb which has anti spasmodic properties.

Together with a muscle relaxant herb I would add a nervous system supporting and repairing herb such as St. John’s wort or Vervain.

If the Migraine is related to the monthly cycle, in Clinic I would add a hormone balancing herb such as Agnus castus or Dong quai

None of these herbs are any good if you are in the throws of a Migraine, they are all preventative treatments and should be taken regularly for a period of three to six months.

There are over the counter preparations of migraine herbs and you will be able to find Feverfew preparations in any Health shop.

Make sure the “over the counter” preparations are licensed products so that they are safe to use.

If you would like to visit the Clinic for more help with Migraines, then click on the Clinic tab at the top of the page.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist, Herbal Health Information

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Herbal Health Information on Cystitis

August 17, 2011 by Leave a Comment

A one off bout off cystitis is easily dealt with, with antibiotics and like any other acute infection such as earache that is the right course of action to take.

It is with the recurrent or chronic form of cystitis that the herbs can be of enormous help.

This condition can cause burning and stinging on passing urine, frequency of passing urine, a desperate urge to pass urine and is life affecting due to the need to be near a toilet all the time.

You may be surprised to know that urine is normally sterile and used in the past  for sterilising wounds inflicted by war. In olden days surgeons used to get the men to wee directly on to the open wounds as it was probably the only sterile fluid around with which to wash the wound out! Bacteria can only enter the bladder from the skin externally via the urethra, which is the tube carrying urine from the bladder to the outside. So no matter how clean you think you are, it is worth taking extra care with your personal hygiene if you suffer from cystitis. Unfortunately the vagina lies on top of the urethra and over enthusiastic sex can cause injury to the urethra leaving it more prone to infection, so you may need to be a little careful.

As usual I am starting with dietary advice.

DRINK LOTS OF WATER. Tea and coffee aggravate the kidneys

Do not eat any oranges or tomatoes or drink their juices. These two fruits seem to be too acidic for the urinary system and will irritate the bladder lining.

Cranberry juice is good and stops bacteria sticking to the wall of the bladder.

As with the gut it is a good idea to coat and protect the bladder wall lining to prevent it being further irritated by bacteria. There is nothing better than Marshmallow to do this job.

We saw the Marshmallow growing profusely in the Cuckmere river video, when I explained to you about the mucilage content of the marshmallow. It is this that coats mucous membranes and for the bladder, it is the leaf of the marshmallow that is used.

St John’s wort is antibacterial and anti viral and can be toning for the bladder.

The best urinary antiseptic is an herb called Buchu which I love to smell, as it smells of blackcurrants and is apparently the flavouring used in the old “Spangles” sweets.

The hairy bit that comes out of the top of a corn on the cob is called corn silk and is a diuretic, but also coats and protects the bladder due to it’s mucilage content.

An irritated bladder also needs relaxing as it goes into spasm causing a constant feeling of wanting to “go”.

We saw Crampbark in the West rise marsh video and I explained it was a muscle relaxant. Well the bladder wall is just a muscle and Crampbark works very well to relax it if it has gone into spasm. Pulsatilla works well as an anti spasmodic to prevent the bladder cramping up.

There is a form of Cystitis which, when the urine is cultured, is found to be sterile. This is often diagnosed as interstitial Cystitis and this form of cystitis needs a similar approach to above as well as herbs to heal the bladder lining. For this I use Marigold, just about the best healer in the herbal pharmacy.

A typical mix of herbs in tincture form I would use in clinic for someone presenting with Cystitis is:-

Marshmallow leaf

Buchu

Crampbark

Pulsatilla

But it obviously depends on what the patient tells me and what the symptoms are.

You will find over the counter remedies with some of these herbs in them, but make sure they are licensed or visit a qualified Medical Herbalist .

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist

Herbal Health Information

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Herbal Health Information on Menopause

August 17, 2011 by Leave a Comment

What I am about to say about menopause may surprise you:-

It is not an illness!

Rather look on it as a change, just like first starting your periods was a change in the way your body functioned.

I have helped so many women in my clinic get through menopause I feel it is a bit of a specialist area for me.

Having said it is not an illness, I of course know it causes many women serious distress, with many symptoms both physical and emotional.

Most common of the symptoms are hot flushes ranging from a few mild ones a day to 2-3 an hour with face redness and sweating.

Apart from the flushes, symptoms include, poor sleep, digestive problems, weight gain, depression, headaches and more.

My approach is to help people get through the menopause as easily as possible which means getting the body to accept this new way of functioning as normal and to prevent it trying to return to its youthful state which is the major cause of the symptoms.

There is a system in the body called the Endocrine system, consisting of the Thyroid, Adrenal glands and Ovaries or Testes, which are responsible for the production of most of our hormones.

It starts with the Pituitary gland situated just below the brain which controls the secretions from the Thyroid, Adrenal glands and Ovaries/Testes. These organs send messages to the pituitary gland and to each other to give a status update and messages from the pituitary control the output of the hormones produced in these organs.

When the ovaries stop ovulating (producing an egg) each month, the message to the pituitary is one of panic SEND REINFORCEMENTS I can’t manage on my own!

Unfortunately for us the area of the brain which controls the pituitary is right next to the temperature control area and any message which goes up there to stimulate the pituitary into action also stimulates the temperature control area. Hence the hot flushes. Who designed that?

It is completely wrong to try and increase the amount of oestrogen in the body in hopes of stopping the flushes. We need to get the body to accept the new lower hormone levels so that it is not sending panic messages around and about.

There is one herb I have found to help the body adjust to these new levels and that is Dong Quai. Which of course we have not seen on our herb walks as it is a Chinese herb. To help with the flushes I use the traditional herb, Sage, which we have not looked at yet, but we will visit an herb garden and have a look at soon in a video, so keep your eye on the walks section. Sage is not the be all and end all for hot flushes but does help to reduce them. There are other herbs for flushes such as Willow and Zizyphus but these need to be used under the supervision of a practitioner as they are not commonly available over the counter.

I often mix these with a liver herb such as milk thistle, to ensure the liver is metabolising hormones properly and calming herbs such as Passiflora or Motherwort.

St. John’s wort which we looked at in the shingle beach video is also excellent during menopause as a nervous system supporting herb, but remember cannot be taken if you are on any orthodox medicines.

Eat sensibly and cut out Caffeine containing drink and food (sorry, chocolate), drink plenty of water and you are going to hate me for saying this, but many many women report that alcohol sets off flushing horrendously.

Of course if you get stuck qualified Medical Herbalists are around to provide excellent support.

Linda Bostock

Medical  Herbalist

Herbal Health Information

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