Welcome to The Original Alternative CBD Brothers Herbalist Blog pages.
I am Beverley Meredith-Bailey MNIMH, a Medical herbalist who has been using CBD brothers CBD extracts for some years with my patients, and working more closely with The Original Alternative since last April.
You can find me on the shop floor in Bury St Edmunds, usually on a Wednesday and a Thursday. I would have been making monthly appearances in Guernsey, but for obvious reasons, these visits have been put on hold for the time being.
I’m always being asked about what a herbalist actually is, so for the first blog post, I thought a bit of an introduction would be useful.
Qualifications
A qualified medical herbalist holds a Batchelor of Science degree or equivalent in Herbal Medicine. During our studies we learn pathophysiology, anatomy, nutrition and many of the same diagnostic skills as a GP. It is compulsory to undertake at least 500 hours of supervised clinical training before qualifying. We have studied orthodox medicine alongside plant medicine and are able to medically assess a patient in order to spot any signs of serious undiagnosed conditions. We keep up to date with current scientific research and are able torefer you to other healthcare professionals if necessary.
Herbal medicine
Herbal medicine is made from plants, either whole plant, leaves, flowers, roots or bark. It has a long tradition of use, with numerous cultures around the world still using herbs as their main mode of medical treatment. Many of our serious pharmaceutical drugs such as the heart drug digitalis and the diabetes drug metformin started out being isolated from plants. Herbal remedies most commonly take the form of tinctures – a concentrated plant extract using alcohol and water to extract and preserve the active ingredients; dried herbs which can be made into a tea; powders or capsules.
I practice Western herbal medicine, which is different to other herbal traditions such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. You will see quite a lot of crossover with plants simply because the Western tradition has developed over the centuries, blending knowledge from multiple sources such as Arabic, American and European cultures. Where possible, I prefer to use organic and sustainably sourced herbs in my dispensary, from reputable manufacturers. The same selection criteria is used for herbal products available in the shop, so you can always be sure of the quality.
Treatment
When it comes to your treatment, a medical herbalist will ask a lot of questions, building up a complete picture of your health status in order to take a much more holistic approach and treat the underlying cause of disease, not just the symptoms. Herbal remedies are tailored to the individual, prescribed to be safely used alongside other medications, supplements and treatments, whether they are over the counter, prescribed or recreational.
Professional standards
The letters MNIMH after my name show that I am a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists. The NIMH are the oldest governing body of herbal practitioners in the UK. They have a strict code of ethics and practice covering standards of behaviour, qualification to practice, safety guidelines, professional conduct and continuing professional development.
To find a herbalist local to you, check out nimh.org.uk and use the ‘find a herbalist’ search tool
What next?
For more information, to book a consultation, or even if you have a suggested topic for a future blog post email me at herbalistenquiry@theoriginalalternative.gg
Until next time!
Bev
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