Herbal Medicine
| Published: 29th May 2008 10:25 |
Herbal Medicine is the treatment of illness using medicines made from plants. Typically, a Medical Herbalist will see a patient for a consultation, after which they make up a tailor made herbal medicine for that patient alone. The initial visit takes 1.5 hours including making up the medicine. Medical Herbalists are trained for 3-4 years at degree level, covering conventional medical science as well as in-depth knowledge of medicinal plants. They undergo rigorous clinical training, make responsible assessments of every patient's needs, have robust professional indemnity insurance and adhere to a strict code of professional ethics.
Herbalists use a wide variety of plant remedies from across the world in traditional, not industrial, preparations. Their selection of remedies for a particular client depends on careful clinical assessment in conventional terms and in holistic terms, coupled with a consideration of plant knowledge from modern science, folklore, traditional use and empirical data. In other words, herbalists match people with plants for the treatment of a wide range of illnesses including disorders of the circulation, digestion, lungs, joints, skin, nervous system and urinary system.
Your local herbalist is Donald Purves who has practiced in the area for 19 years. In addition to his initial training by the prestigious School of Herbal Medicine/Phytotherapy, he has an MSc in Herbal Medicine from the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine and is a Lecturer on the BSc Herbal Medicine programme at The University of Lincoln.
He periodically conducts medicinal plant walks in Gledhow Valley Woods and is facilitating a Herbal Medicine for Beginners course at Roundhay Friends' Meeting House during June and July 2008.
Donald A Purves MSc MNIMH
Consulting Medical Herbalist
52 Hill Top Mount
Leeds
LS8 4EW
Tel 0113 2491711
