Tuesday 21 September 2010

Tuesday 24 August 2010

BBc radio nottingham


Hi folks

I am now doing a regular slot on the radio for BBC radio Nottingham.

Tommorow I am going to talk about herbal remedies to help you sleep

The show is on wednesday 25th august from 10 am and I will be doing these on a regular basis

Herbs for sleep and Insomnia

simple remedy could be a lavender & hops pillow
or just sprinkle some lavender essential oil on your pillow. Not more than 5 drops as too much can make you feel more stimulated.
Chamomile tea or lemon balm tea: both are good for children as well. Try to use fresh or dried whole flowers. You can purchase these from me at Traditional Medicinals .co.uk. The tea bags are not so effective.
Passiflora or passion flower: this is an American vine and a very gentle nerve tonic. This is one of my favourite remedies to help you have a restfull sleep and wake up feeling refreshed. Passiflora can be combined with Valerian which can really send you off to sleep very quickly if you take enough of it. Valerian is a good herbal alternative to sleeping pills. However if you want to wean yourself off sleeping pills with herbs its probably best to come and see a herbalist. Very occasionaly Valerian can have the opposite effect and can stimulate some people ( also cats) Also its not so good for the hot/fiery type.
Verbena or vervain is a bitter herb which is cooling and good for exhaustion. You can also take the lemon verbena tea which is very calming
If you would like any advice on what herbs may be suitable for your particular constitution, please email me at katiedobiesz@hotmail.com
sleep well

Wednesday 29 April 2009

Herbal advice for swine flu




Prevention
Prevention should be aimed at maintaining a healthy immune system. Keeping physical, mental, and emotional stress under control is important, as chronic stress lowers our body’s natural resistance to infection. Get plenty of sleep, drink enough liquid to keep the respiratory mucosa moist and healthy, exercise daily for fifteen minutes or longer, and try to establish a sense of calmness throughout the day. Eating four or five servings of fresh fruit and vegetables per day goes a long way towards warding off Swine flu

Washing your hands frequently is at least as important as a healthy diet and lifestyle as viruses can linger on door handles. Recent research indicated that washing your hands could radically reduce your chances of picking up infections. Encourage your kids to wash hand especially when others are sneezing around them.

Herbal treatment for Swine Flu
Katie the medical herbalist would aim to support the immune system and keep it in optimum condition before there is a pandemic in this country.

There are also some very useful herbal anti virals and immune modulating herbs that can be blended together to make a herbal tincture that would help to support you.

Herbs such as Astragalus, Echinacea, St jonhs wort, Wild indigo, sage and thyme may all be useful.

However it is best to contact your local herbalist who can make up a prescription right for you.
Katie Practices in Grantham and Spalding: Email her on katiedobiesz@hotmail.com for an appointment.

I will be looking at more specific ways to tackle the swine flu in further posts

Friday 27 February 2009

Medical herbalist in Spalding Lincolnshire

Hi everyone
I have just started up a herbal Practice at Aspire in Spalding Lincolnshire. this practice will be on mondays. I am also running several workshops on how to beat the menopause, how to detox and a new talk on herbs for aging; to keep you young and ward of disease.

Please call the practice in Spalding or email me for more details on 27-29 The Crescent Spalding
Lincs PE11 1AE

Tel: 01775 711822
Or email at
katiedobiesz@hotmail.com

Looking forward to seeing you at the new Aspire

Wednesday 21 January 2009

a consultation with medical herbalist Katie Dobiesz

The other day I met medical herbalist Katie Dobiesz who having moved up from London is now the medical herbalist at Living Health in Grantham. Her therapy room is like an Aladdins cave with a whole wall of edifying herbal bottles which can treat conditions from acne to angina. Katie can help whole families protect themselves from winter colds and she advises people who spend a large part of their day infront of a computer (that's me then!) to take time out to 'ground themselves' 'Chronic stress can be linked to a patient's environment and this can have a negative impact on the body' People need to readdress the balance. So when I have time I am going to do exactely that and have a consultation with Katie Dobiesz, who incidentally comes highly qualified, and perhaps she can help me with my insomnia.
Actually I can think of loads of things she might help me with. This week I pulled a muscle in my calf, mostly associated with competitive squash. I sadly was just doing a celebratory jig around the office! As I know Katie's consultation goes much deeper that just identifying symptoms I'm sure she will have her work cut out for her when I lie on the couch. On the other hand I may just fall asleep through chronic fatigue. Either way herbal medicine could be the answer.

Sunday 23 November 2008

Look after your liver

The liver is the largest organ in the body with an extraordinary amount of reserve and the power to regenerate itself. However when it is bombarded with too much alcohol and other chemicals, which include certain drugs, it can get overloaded and things can start to go wrong.

Most people are unaware that their liver may be involved when they experience headaches, fatigue, aches and pains, indigestion, chronic constipation or mood changes. Many skin conditions may be affected by the liver including: eczema, psoriasis or unexplained rashes.

There are some very good herbal remedies that can help to protect the liver and aid detoxification. One of the main herbs that herbalists like to use is Milk thistle which contains silymarin. This has been shown in clinical trials to help with liver function. Dandelion root and artichoke are also herbs that can support and help the liver. Reducing alcohol consumption, especially binge drinking, and drinking more water is also very beneficial.

What happens in a herbal consultation with a medical herbalist?

For many, that first visit to a medical herbalist can be a life changing experience, a chance to experience true healthcare as it should be practised. Katie the medical herbalist is a genuine, caring partner in health from the cradle to the third age. Many come to appreciate the power of correctly prescribed, natural herbal medicines dispensed by a highly trained medical professional.

Patients are often amazed at the opportunity to discuss in depth their physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and the sense of freedom and empowerment this imparts to the individual which, combined with the knowledge of an experienced healthcare partner gives the security that your healthcare needs receive the best attention. The results then speak for themselves.

Diet & Lifestyle
Diet & Lifestyle are paramount in your treatment. Katie aims to encourage and support a healthy lifestyle. Nutrition and lifestyle advice will be given. Katie is qualified to support you with professional cleansing and detoxing programmes if they are needed and recommend the right supplements.

What can herbal medicine treat?
Herbal medicine is about restoring the maximum possible state of personal well-being. It is especially effective for treating chronic illness. Conditions often treated by herbalists include:

v Low vitality/ energy
v Allergies: hay fever, asthma etc
v Children’s complaints
v Digestive and bowel conditions
v Cystitis and urinary disorders(male/female)
v PMS, menopause, painful periods
v Skin: eczema, psoriasis, acne
v High blood pressure, angina, poor circulation, varicose veins
v Infections and immune deficiency
v Stress and emotional problems
v Insomnia, headaches and migraines
v Musculoskeletal and arthritic conditions

The first consultation
The initial consultation usually lasts about an hour. A full medical history will be taken. This will look not only at the current health problem but at all details of your past medical history, diet and lifestyle. Physical examinations (if relevant) will be made and blood pressure taken.

Follow-on consultations
A second consultation is usually set for two or three weeks later in order to assess treatment. This consultation usually lasts 30 minutes and is aimed at checking progress and adjusting the medication or dosage if necessary.