FAQs | Functional Herbal and Nutritional Therapy

People often have questions about how functional herbal and nutritional therapy can help. For instance, you might want to know what to expect from a consultation. To make things easier here are the answers to my most frequent questions. But, if I have not answered your question here, then please use my contact form to get in touch.

Which treatment should I book?

I offer two types of appointments.

Functional herbal and nutritional therapy

The functional herbal and nutritional therapy appointment is for people with complex, chronic or recurrent health problems. You might want to consider this type of appointment for any long term problem, autoimmune conditions, recurring infections, circulatory problems, cancer prevention, fatigue, PCOS, menopausal and other women’s health issues. This appointment lasts around 90 minutes and allows an in-depth consultation so that I can really understand what might be the potential root causes of the problem. It also gives us the time needed to produce a plan or strategy together that aims to begin the healing process.

Acupuncture

I also offer acupuncture treatment. These can be stand-alone appointments or used in conjunction with the functional herbal and nutritional therapy appointments to support some aspect of the care plan. I find acupuncture is a fast and effective way to resolve or manage different kinds of pain, inflammation and injury. It is also a wonderful way to bring relaxation to your body, aid sleep, and improve energy and vitality. You might want to consider acupuncture for sinusitis, headaches and migraine or low mood. As well as to help with any condition that is made worse by stress.

The World Health Organisation created a list of conditions that acupuncture is proven to help.

I’ve booked an appointment what happens next?

When you book a functional herbal and nutritional therapy appointment I will send you my intake form, and GDPR consent form. It is best to allow up to two weeks to complete the intake form before your appointment. I will usually also ask you to complete a simple food journal. This helps to give me an idea of your food preferences. Ideally, you would return these forms to me in time for me to review them before we meet. Please allow 48 hours for this. It also helps if you have any prior lab testing results to bring, especially if you can let me have a copy before the appointment.

At your appointment, at the Holistic Health Centre, we will review the intake form together and discuss your main current health concerns. I will need to ask additional questions to piece together a timeline of your medical history. Where it is relevant I will explain, and/or we can discuss, how past events might have led to your current health situation. There will be ample time for you to ask questions. A physical examination might be conducted if necessary, along with a blood pressure and pulse check.

My aim is that we collaborate to produce a plan that will generate and support a lasting improvement in your health. This is not a one size fits all approach. I will make suggestions that I think you will be able to incorporate into your life. These might include dietary or lifestyle changes, individualised herbal formulations from my onsite herbal dispensary, herbal products or nutritional supplements, stress management techniques and so on. Sometimes I might suggest other therapies that I think might benefit you.

Follow up consultations are important so that I can assess how you are responding to the suggested plan and whether we might need to make any changes.

How many treatments do I need?

Generally speaking the longer you have suffered from a problem the longer it takes to resolve. A general rule of thumb is that for every year of ill health you might need a month to improve your health. With complex health issues, or when a patient has multiple health concerns it is like peeling back the layers of an onion. Sometimes we must aim for slow and steady progress, uncovering new challenges as we go.

With functional herbal and nutritional therapy, I generally see patients once a month to begin with. Appointments need not necessarily be in person after the initial appointment. So, in many cases, patients prefer to have their follow up appointments online, using zoom or similar software, or sometimes over the telephone. This makes follow up appointments much more convenient, as they can be conducted from your home, or anywhere you have access to the internet.

For acupuncture treatment, of course, these need to be in person. It is more effective to have weekly, or up to fortnightly appointments, and then as you see improvements occur, the appointments can be further apart. With longer-term problems, monthly maintenance appointments are advisable.

Can I order repeat herbal prescriptions?

Absolutely. Once an effective herbal prescription has been established, most patients prefer to have repeat prescriptions posted out to them. You can order repeats by email or by using the contact form. I will send an invoice by email or text and once it has been paid your medicine will be sent to you by second class post.

Can I take herbal remedies alongside drugs from the doctor?

This is an important question and it really depends on what medications you are taking. Some herbs should not be taken if you are also taking prescription drugs. Your doctor is not usually trained to know which herbs are safe or not. Your medical herbalist is trained to know which herbs might interact with prescription drugs and so should be avoided.

Should I tell my doctor I am taking herbal medicines?

Yes.

I can provide information to explain why I am recommending a particular herb or supplement if required. I am also happy to speak to your doctor if they would like to contact me regarding your care. However, you will first need to provide me with your consent in writing to allow me to do this.

What payment methods do you accept?

If you make an appointment via my secure online calendar you have the option to pay at the time of booking, or at the appointment. I can accept in-person payments in the form of cash or debit or major credit cards. For repeat prescriptions or lab tests, I can send you an invoice by email or text that you can pay by following a secure link. Or, I can accept a cheque for this type of transaction, but this will take a little longer to process.