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 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:
Low vitality/ energy
Allergies: hay fever, asthma etc
Children’s complaints
Digestive and bowel conditions
Cystitis and urinary disorders(male/female)
PMS, menopause, painful periods
Skin: eczema, psoriasis, acne
High blood pressure, angina, poor circulation, varicose veins
Infections and immune deficiency
Stress and emotional problems
Insomnia, headaches and migraines
Musculoskeletal and arthritic conditions
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.
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.
A unique herbal prescription will then be formulated and dispensed. This may be a herbal tincture or tea. sometimes katie makes up a herbal cream for skin conditions.
Friday 22 August 2008
Wednesday 13 August 2008
Red Rice yeast for cholesterol
The red rice yeast product from Traditional medicinals is, I believe, the most effective herbal treatment for hyperlipidaemia available. many of my patients have had a dramatic lowering of total cholesterol and an increase in HDL, by taking this product. The capsules contain Red rice yeat, co enzyme Q10 and Hawthorn.
Red rice yeast is prepared from cooked, non glutinous, white rice fermented by the yeast Monascus purpureus, which is then sterilized, dried, concentrated and ground. Red rice yeast is a dietary staple in many Asian countries, with daily consumption of up to 55g not uncommon
A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 83 men and women found that those taking 2.4g of red rice yeast /day enjoyed a significant reduction in total cholesterol of 17% after just eight weeks of treatment compared to controls (Heber 1999). When broken down, LDL-C levels dropped 22%, and triglycerides 12%, while HDL remained the same. Dietary intake was monitored and there were found to be no significant differences in total calorie intake, total fat, saturated fat, mono-unsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, or fibre. No changes in liver function tests or other serious adverse events were reported.
A pilot trial on 14 individuals with dyslipidaemia related to Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was conducted in 2002 (Keithley et al.). Patients were randomly assigned to receive either 1200mg/day of red rice yeast or placebo for eight weeks in a double blind manner. After eight weeks there was a significant decrease in total cholesterol in the treatment group p=0.01. HDL levels were again unaffected.
It is well known that statins may cause a deficiency in Co-Q10, with resulting fatigue and muscle weakness, which can be serious. Realising that there is a slim possibility of this, it includes 30mg of Co.Q10 in 3 capsules. Co.Q10, in its own right has beneficial effects on cardiac function, improving ejection fraction, cardiac output and stroke volume. Hawthorn is known to help the heart.
If you want any more information on red rice yeast please call me or email me
katiedobiesz@hotmail.com
Friday 8 August 2008
Article by Exclusive Magazine
Sarah Robinson a journalist from Exclusive magazine visited medical herbalist Katie Dobiesz. This is her account of her visit: Using herbs to treat our ills is one of the oldest forms of medicine known to man, and in an age when we are all searching for the healthiest lifestyle, more people are learning its benefits.
Katie Dobiesz is a Medical Herbalist at Living Health in Grantham and treats all kinds of complaints with herbal remedies.
Her treatment room looks a bit like a laboratory with rows bottles on shelves up to the ceiling, bearing Latin names, which you can vaguely recognise – Berberis Vulgaris, Lavandula, Clove etc, which Katie uses to make up wonderful mixtures to fight a whole host of conditions.
A consultation couch is centrepiece and her friendly welcome sets you at ease immediately.
As with other medical herbalists, Katie has a very scientific approach to diagnosing your complaints – but with a consultation that can last an hour or so, you are getting much more detailed consideration than you would if you visited your GP.
That said, Katie has the greatest of respect for doctors and would never advise anyone to stop taking orthodox medicine. If she suspects any of her patients need something beyond her remit, including help such as counselling or even surgery, she instantly refers them to other professionals.
Herbalism has been practised for millennia with our ancestors identifying effective plants by trial and error. More recently science has helped to identify the active ingredients in the plants, and so we can better understand how they work.
Katie explained that many of our modern drugs are based on plants – salicylic acid is the active ingredient in Aspirin, and was first isolated from the bark of the white willow tree. This also highlights one of the great benefits of herbal medicine. A reported side effect of Aspirin has been that it affects the stomach lining, however, the herbal extract from the bark of the tree has naturally occurring ingredients which protect the stomach.
“There are things in plants which help to counter side effects,” she explains. “There is a synergy when you use the whole plant so it has a more gentle healing effect.”
Other commonly seen plants can also offer cures for various ailments, says Katie. For example the dandelion leaf is very cleansing and effective as a diuretic. Nettles are also cleansing and are very good for skin conditions.
Katie’s consultation goes much deeper than simply identifying symptoms – it is an holistic treatment, so she spends an hour or so talking to you about your problem, your lifestyle and your diet, which could all be affecting your health.
I found this extremely helpful when Katie carried out a consultation on me – she helps you to identify where your life may be out of balance and having a detrimental effect on your well-being.
She takes your blood pressure, listens to your chest if you have cardio or respiratory problems, lists your medical history and if necessary will give you a physical examination.
“The whole idea of herbal medicine is to restore the body back to balance,” said Katie.
Medical herbalists take a three-year degree course, which includes 500 clinical hours, and at the end they are examined by a medical professional as well as a herbalist. Katie went on to study the effects of environmental stress on health afterwards and now lectures at universities and hosts workshops. “We need to be able to recognise serious conditions,” she said. “We need to know when to refer, just as a GP would refer you on if you needed to see a consultant.
“We are trained to diagnose and learn a lot about anatomy, physiology and pharmacology – we need to know what will react with drugs the patient may be taking.”
Katie is concerned that as there is more of a move towards using herbs to treat medical complaints, people are treating themselves, but she stresses it is much safer to take herbal medicine after seeing a professional. She said: “For example, St John’s wort should not be taken if you are on certain drugs, but you might not know that. Other herbs also might not be suitable, so for your own safety it is better to come to see a herbalist first.”
As her consultation includes advice on nutrition, she will be able to identify changes you can make to your diet or supplements which might be useful.
The list of conditions and ailments she can treat covers most of those you would visit a GP for and a few more ‑ low energy and depression, chronic fatigue, menopause, pre-menstrual tension and painful periods, sleeping problems, skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, stress and emotional problems, musculoskeletal and arthritic conditions, digestive and bowel conditions, allergies and infections, high blood pressure, angina and even varicose veins.
She makes up creams and medicines using tinctures and also prescribes teas to help with various conditions. With her training in environmental stress Katie can also recognise complaints which may be caused by pollution or electro-magnetic fields from electrical equipment such as computers or microwaves.
“Chronic stress, fatigue or ME could be linked to a patient’s environment,” she said.
“Working in stressful environment can have a negative impact on the body – it can upset the balance.”
She would recommend that people who spend a lot of time in front of computers should take time to go outside to ‘ground themselves’ every now and then.
Katie treats both adults and children and offers Echinacea drops to fight off winter coughs and colds – a boon for children who tend to go down with every virus that circulates nurseries and schools at this time of year. And acute colds which can last a week or more can be shortened with a mixture Katie can make up for you there and then.
There is definitely a place in our medicine cabinet for herbal remedies, prepared by medical herbalist Katie.
Katie Dobiesz is a Medical Herbalist at Living Health in Grantham and treats all kinds of complaints with herbal remedies.
Her treatment room looks a bit like a laboratory with rows bottles on shelves up to the ceiling, bearing Latin names, which you can vaguely recognise – Berberis Vulgaris, Lavandula, Clove etc, which Katie uses to make up wonderful mixtures to fight a whole host of conditions.
A consultation couch is centrepiece and her friendly welcome sets you at ease immediately.
As with other medical herbalists, Katie has a very scientific approach to diagnosing your complaints – but with a consultation that can last an hour or so, you are getting much more detailed consideration than you would if you visited your GP.
That said, Katie has the greatest of respect for doctors and would never advise anyone to stop taking orthodox medicine. If she suspects any of her patients need something beyond her remit, including help such as counselling or even surgery, she instantly refers them to other professionals.
Herbalism has been practised for millennia with our ancestors identifying effective plants by trial and error. More recently science has helped to identify the active ingredients in the plants, and so we can better understand how they work.
Katie explained that many of our modern drugs are based on plants – salicylic acid is the active ingredient in Aspirin, and was first isolated from the bark of the white willow tree. This also highlights one of the great benefits of herbal medicine. A reported side effect of Aspirin has been that it affects the stomach lining, however, the herbal extract from the bark of the tree has naturally occurring ingredients which protect the stomach.
“There are things in plants which help to counter side effects,” she explains. “There is a synergy when you use the whole plant so it has a more gentle healing effect.”
Other commonly seen plants can also offer cures for various ailments, says Katie. For example the dandelion leaf is very cleansing and effective as a diuretic. Nettles are also cleansing and are very good for skin conditions.
Katie’s consultation goes much deeper than simply identifying symptoms – it is an holistic treatment, so she spends an hour or so talking to you about your problem, your lifestyle and your diet, which could all be affecting your health.
I found this extremely helpful when Katie carried out a consultation on me – she helps you to identify where your life may be out of balance and having a detrimental effect on your well-being.
She takes your blood pressure, listens to your chest if you have cardio or respiratory problems, lists your medical history and if necessary will give you a physical examination.
“The whole idea of herbal medicine is to restore the body back to balance,” said Katie.
Medical herbalists take a three-year degree course, which includes 500 clinical hours, and at the end they are examined by a medical professional as well as a herbalist. Katie went on to study the effects of environmental stress on health afterwards and now lectures at universities and hosts workshops. “We need to be able to recognise serious conditions,” she said. “We need to know when to refer, just as a GP would refer you on if you needed to see a consultant.
“We are trained to diagnose and learn a lot about anatomy, physiology and pharmacology – we need to know what will react with drugs the patient may be taking.”
Katie is concerned that as there is more of a move towards using herbs to treat medical complaints, people are treating themselves, but she stresses it is much safer to take herbal medicine after seeing a professional. She said: “For example, St John’s wort should not be taken if you are on certain drugs, but you might not know that. Other herbs also might not be suitable, so for your own safety it is better to come to see a herbalist first.”
As her consultation includes advice on nutrition, she will be able to identify changes you can make to your diet or supplements which might be useful.
The list of conditions and ailments she can treat covers most of those you would visit a GP for and a few more ‑ low energy and depression, chronic fatigue, menopause, pre-menstrual tension and painful periods, sleeping problems, skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, stress and emotional problems, musculoskeletal and arthritic conditions, digestive and bowel conditions, allergies and infections, high blood pressure, angina and even varicose veins.
She makes up creams and medicines using tinctures and also prescribes teas to help with various conditions. With her training in environmental stress Katie can also recognise complaints which may be caused by pollution or electro-magnetic fields from electrical equipment such as computers or microwaves.
“Chronic stress, fatigue or ME could be linked to a patient’s environment,” she said.
“Working in stressful environment can have a negative impact on the body – it can upset the balance.”
She would recommend that people who spend a lot of time in front of computers should take time to go outside to ‘ground themselves’ every now and then.
Katie treats both adults and children and offers Echinacea drops to fight off winter coughs and colds – a boon for children who tend to go down with every virus that circulates nurseries and schools at this time of year. And acute colds which can last a week or more can be shortened with a mixture Katie can make up for you there and then.
There is definitely a place in our medicine cabinet for herbal remedies, prepared by medical herbalist Katie.
Look after your liver
We keep hearing about how alcohol, chemicals, smoking and too much fat can be bad for our hearts but there is another organ we need to look after, our lovely liver. Most of us don't give much thought to our liver as it is an easy organ to ignore--it rarely gives us symptoms to let us know when things are not right.But just because your liver goes about its business quietly that doesn't mean you should take it for granted. This amazingly complex organ affects virtually every physiological process in the body, either directly or indirectly. If your liver isn't working as well as it should, it may affect other aspects of your health.
The liver is the largest organ in the body with an extraordinary amount of reserve and the power to regenerate itself. It is responsible for the detoxification of many chemicals and for the processing of vitamins, fats, proteins, glucose, and other substances needed by the body. 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. Most herbalists will always treat the liver when addressing any of these conditions, they are aware of the implications on health by even mild neglecting of the liver
Cirrhosis is a chronic disease of the liver. The most common cause of cirrhosis is excessive alcohol consumption but it can also occur as the result of infection, medication, or for unknown reasons. Early in the disease, there may be no symptoms. Gradually, weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, weakness, abdominal pain, swelling in the legs and stomach (ascites), mental confusion, and increased risk of bleeding may be symptoms. The diagnosis is made by blood tests, physical examination, and confirmed by a liver biopsy.
Removal of all toxins and implementation of a healthy lifestyle is key to helping the liver repair itself. Unless the damage is too extensive, some repair is possible, even though the process is very slow.
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. If you feel that you may want to discuss making some lifestyle and diet changes and need the support of herbal treatment.
If you are worried about your liver function or just want some advice
email me katiedobiesz@hotmail.com
Natural ways to sail through the menopause
The Menopause is a natural event in every woman’s life, the cessation of having regular monthly menstrual flows. Unfortunately in our western society people tend to consider this period as a disease and women are often encouraged to start HRT (hormone replacement therapy), which doesn’t suit a lot of women and can have its own rather unpleasant side effects including abnormal bleeding and weight gain. There are also increased risks of breast cancer and cardiovascular problems. In many primitive societies this is a period to embrace; the older women are respected and looked up to.Some women appear to pass through this time with very few physiological or emotional complaints. Others will experience hot flushes and some emotional ups and downs while some may become debilitated by the physical and emotional manifestations of the “change.”
There are many natural ways to help centre your self during this period. Aromatherapy oils offer a simple and effective way of calming or energizing you throughout the day. Take a small spray bottle of water and add a few drops of lavender, geranium or rose essential oils. These oils can also be placed in a warm bath to help you sleep.
Develop strategies for dealing with any stress in your life. Take a walk in a relaxed environment, set aside a special corner of your room for listening to quiet music and meditating, go to a yoga class or whatever other approach you think will reduce tension and promote a sense of relaxation. Give yourself more ‘you’ time, as you deserve it.
Regular exercise is important for preventing heart disease and osteoporosis. Weight bearing exercise increases your bone density, while aerobic activity strengthens the heart. Exercise can also improve your mood and lift your spirits. Exercise early in the day if you have difficulty sleeping.
Eat a diet which is low in fat and rich in fiber and plants. Avoid caffeine containing drinks and chocolate. These will aggravate hot flushes and increase mood swings. Add phytoestrogen-rich foods to your menu. These include soy, flaxseeds, red clover sprouts, rice, sunflower seeds, olives, olive oil, oats, tofu, pumpkin, barley, and apples. Japanese women who have a lot of soy and tofu in their diet do not experience hot flushes and do not even have a word for them. Ensure that you are drinking adequate amounts of water. Dehydration increases your likelihood of having hot flushes, headaches, and fatigue.
There are some very good herbal remedies available. Drinking cold sage tea can alleviate hot flushes and supplements of Black Cohosh or Red Clover can help to combat the symptoms. Agnus castus (Vitex) is very useful if you are peri-menopausal and having irregular menstrual cycles.
Katie Dobiesz BSC (Hons )MNIMH specialises in helping women feel more comfortable and reducing hot flushes in the menopause. She uses a combination of herbs that fit the unique symptom picture, as every woman is different and may need different treatment. She can be contacted by phone: 01780 757442 or email katiedobiesz@hotmail.com She runs a clinic on Wednesdays and Saturdays at Living Health, 2-6 North Parade, Grantham, Lincs
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