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Welcome to the August edition of Herbalism Matters.
That statement - Herbalism Matters - has never been more true, as we all try to find ways to prioritise our health in these uncertain times. Medicines that are tailored to individual needs, in-depth consultations where patients voices are heard, and a focus on causes rather than just symptoms mean that herbalism really does matter, which is why we have launched a Supporter scheme to help to promote herbalism.
We also have a really exciting and expansive online conference in October. Please join us and get involved in the discussion with some incredible speakers from across the herbal community.
In this issue:
- BE A PART OF SOMETHING AMAZING - BECOME A SUPPORTER
- THE HERBAL MEDICINE CONFERENCE GOES DIGITAL!
- HELPFUL HERBS - NATURAL REMEDIES FOR MENOPAUSE STRESS
- HERBAL MEDICINE AND DEPRESSION
- STAYING HEALTHY (MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY) DURING TESTING TIMES
- HERBAL EXCHANGES - BRINGING 150 YEARS OF HISTORY TO LIFE
- HERBALISM IN 60 SECONDS
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BE A PART OF SOMETHING AMAZING - BECOME A SUPPORTER
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We believe that herbalism has a huge part to play in supporting the health of everyone, and, given the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, it has never been clearer that society needs to embrace herbal medicine.
That is why we are launching our ''Supporter'' initiative, to demonstrate the the huge, but often silent, support there is for herbalism, and to help us to continue to promote the difference it can make.
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Anyone can become a supporter - it doesn''t matter whether you are a herbal professional, have a herbal interest, or are a patient who knows the difference herbalism can make.
You support will help to support our work to create a world where herbalists provide a recognised and valued healthcare option. You will support world class herbal education, and you''ll be helping us to ensure that people have access to high quality registered herbalists. With your help we can raise the profile of herbal medicine, take part in research to advance herbal medicine and we can help sustain herbalism for the future.
You can become a supporter from just ?4.50 a month. To find out more, including what you would get in return, please visit our Supporters page.
All supporters will also get an exclusive discount on tickets for our Herbal Medicine Conference - see the article below for details of the event.
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THE HERBAL MEDICINE CONFERENCE GOES DIGITAL!
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We are delighted to announce that tickets are now available for the Herbal Medicine Conference 2020, which this year is an entirely online event. Anyone with a herbal interest is welcome, so please join us if you can.
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We have held our annual conference for the last 155 years, but this year it is a little bit different. Our original plans were scuppered by the pandemic, but we believe that this gives us an opportunity to do things differently this year, and we''re excited about the creative ways we can help the herbal community to connect.
Our conference has always been a high point of the herbal calendar, and we hope that the challenges we are all facing at the moment can enable us to embrace new ways of communicating, learning, discussing and sharing.
The event will take place over the weekend of 9,10 & 11 October, and will feature over 40 different speakers, along with Q&As, chat sessions, a chance to meet suppliers and exhibitors in our virtual exhibition hall, and you will also get the opportunity to meet and connect with herbalists and herbal enthusiasts from across the world.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE EVENT
MEET OUR SPEAKERS
Tickets are available from our Eventbrite page, and if you join us a Supporter you will be eligible for a ?15 discount on your ticket.
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the event!
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HELPFUL HERBS - NATURAL REMEDIES FOR MENOPAUSE STRESS
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Life around menopause can be stressful. With internal and external stress factors in play, making changes to diet and lifestyle, adding exercise, adopting CBT strategies may all help, but so can herbs.
Medical merbalist and member Melinda McDougall shares the how's and why's of using herbs to manage symptoms of menopause, with particular reference to stress management.
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Melinda sees menopause as a crossroads in our lives, a time to reboot health and relationships. With so many things happening as our complex web of hormones change, we'll all be affected in different ways.
For some it can be a very big deal, making an individualised approach essential. Understanding how and why stress impacts on menopause, may help to recognise what we can do to get ahead of the game and protect ourselves from the effects of stress.
Herbal medicine is a deep, multi-faceted intervention - during a consultation Melinda considers the mental, physical & emotional, to get a clearer picture of what else is going on in a woman's life, especially when she's assessing the impact of stress on women in menopause.
Read the full article...
FIVE USEFUL TAKEAWAY TIPS:
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Medical herbalists are used to working alongside GPs and with prescribed medicines, so can check for interactions.
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There's a range of herbal applications and products - teas, powder capsules, creams, tinctures.
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Persevere with herbal products, it may take a little time before you see an improvement.
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A herbal prescription will be unique to you and your body.
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Find a registered medical herbalist at www.nimh.org.uk
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HERBAL MEDICINE AND DEPRESSION
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Depression is more common than many of us might think, and can affect people''s ability to do everyday things, feel pleasure or take interest in activities. Gina Webley, one of our members who is based in Kent, outlines how herbs can play a key role in a multi-targeted approach to the treatment of depression.
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Depression is a common mental health condition, and one of the leading causes of disability. The search is ongoing to understand how depression develops and to find the most effective forms of treatment. It is clear that depression is a complex condition that results from the interaction of biological, environmental, and psychological factors.
The two most common forms of treatment are antidepressant drugs and talking therapies. Both are effective for some people but not others depending on the cause and severity of the depression. The problems that many experience taking antidepressant drugs has led to the search for other forms of treatment. One of these is herbal medicine.
Read the full article...
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STAYING HEALTHY (MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY) DURING TESTING TIMES
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As we all adapt to ''the new normal'' herbalist Iulia Barta explores how herbal medicine can support every aspect of our health.
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These are strange times, no doubt. It is normal to feel a wide range of feelings, from helplessness and boredom, to guilt and perhaps excitement. Excitement for a new world emerging, a new world with less pollution, stronger community spirit, more time to pursue gardening, to learn about herbs and become more self-sufficient.
At the moment, most people are experiencing higher levels of depression and anxiety. Parents are struggling more than ever, and those living by themselves can feel very isolated. You are not alone. Please connect with others and reach out for help. Also reach out to help others that might be feeling lonely too. A phone call or a friendly message can make someone''s day.
Nourish your body
I cannot emphasise highly enough the importance of having a varied, healthy diet. Studies have even identified a link between low selenium levels and low vitamin D levels and a poorer recovery rate from Covid-19 infections. We can no longer deny the impact of food on our health.
Move your body
Movement is so important. Humans were not meant to be as stationary as we are nowadays. When we exercise, our bodies produce endorphins which make us feel happier and help boost our self-esteem. Our blood pressure lowers (if it''s high), we sweat out toxins and improve our immune systems.
Rest your body
Sleep is essential for a well-functioning immune system. Feeling restless and struggling to get some good quality sleep? You might want to reduce your caffeine consumption and limit it to the first part of the day. Caffeine can stay in the body for over 8 hours!
Read the full article...
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HERBAL EXCHANGES - BRINGING 150 YEARS OF HISTORY TO LIFE
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The Institute celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2014. Institute Member Frances Watkins has shared the story of how our celebratory book ''Herbal Exchanges'' came to be.
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The Institute celebrated its 150th anniversary at the its conference in October 2014. Hananja Brice-Ytsma, the Institute''s Director of Education had phoned me the previous December asking if I would be interested in co-editing a commemorative book with articles written by herbalists from around the world. On reflection, it was meant to be as we did not set any specific themes but allowed the collective energy of the participating herbalists to decide the titles and content!
The only requirements were that articles had to be 500-3,000 words on any aspect of Western herbal practice, referenced and initial drafts submitted within 6 weeks! Everyone who said they would accept the challenge and write something for the book did so within the very short time frame. When we reviewed the twenty six submissions, we were surprised to find that the titles neatly fell into five categories: herbal heritage, herbal research, herbal experiences, herbal therapeutics and herbal philosophy which in turn led us to the title for the book, Herbal Exchanges. It took another 6 months to complete the editing, sourcing images, book production and proof reading before the book was finally ready for launching at the 150th Conference. A tremendous achievement and one whereby all of the herbalists involved in the project gave their time freely and for this we are truly grateful.
Gina has selected excerpts from the book to give you a flavour of its rich and diverse content. You can read these excerpts on her blog here
You can buy a copy of Herbal Exchanges from our shop.
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Institute member Lily Canetty-Clarke recently took part in a short film project seeking to tell the story of people across Bristol in under a minute
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Filmed before lockdown began, Lily and film-maker Jamie from InDepth films spent a lovely afternoon together making medicine and chatting herbs. Click on the picture above to visit InDepth''s Instagram page to view the film (log-in required).
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