Western Herbal Medicine
What is Herbal Medicine?
Herbal medicine, also known as botanical medicine or phytotherapy, is the use of medicinal plants combined with nutritional and lifestyle advice to promote optimum health and to prevent and treat disease. It uses whole plants or plant parts for medicinal purposes. Herbal medicine is the most ancient and widely used system of medicine in the world. Modern herbal medicine integrates traditional and scientific knowledge of medicinal plants, health and disease. It is common to all cultures and used in all societies across the earth.
Why Use Herbal Medicine?
Dr Megan at Vitality Vetcare practices as a medical herbalist for humans and animals, because herbal medicine is a gentle, safe and effective way to treat a wide range of acute and chronic conditions. It can be used on its own or integrated with other therapies. Its strengths are its versatility, long history of traditional use, significant scientific evidence base, environmental sustainability and minimal safety issues when prescribed by a professional medical herbalist. Dr Megan Kearney is a full practising Member of the Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia.
What are Herbal Medicines?
Herbal medicines are made from whole plants rather than isolated chemical extracts. A plant is a living thing and a medical herbalist may use the whole plant, flowers, leaves, roots, bark, stems, buds, seed or fruit according to what is required. Herbal medicines are very versatile as they come in many forms including fresh herbs, dried mixtures, tisanes (teas), tinctures, liquid extracts, syrups, powders, tablets, capsules, inhalations, creams, ointments, lotions, gels, oils and poultices.
Herbal medicines are often prepared using water, water and alcohol solutions or oil. Dr Megan grows and prepares some of her own herbal medicines and others are sourced from suppliers that have high quality, safety and sustainability standards. Herbs are best taken under the guidance of a qualified and highly trained practitioner that has taken a full medical history, performed a physical examination and has considered you or your animal’s individual health status, needs and current medications.
What Conditions Can Be Treated With Herbal Medicines?
Herbal medicine can be used to treat a wide variety of acute and chronic conditions. Herbal medicine has a unique way of viewing health and disease. Emphasis is placed on optimal cellular nutrition and elimination by supporting the body’s ability to restore balance and homeostasis. This may be done by supporting the digestion and assimilation of nutrients, improving circulation, balancing hormones, enhancing immune function, relaxing the nervous system and facilitating the elimination of waste products from the body. Herbal medicines can treat functional organ disturbances before frank pathology develops.