Cleansing and Detox Remedies

12/15/2009

 
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Tues. 11th May 2010
7.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.

Find out which herbs are used by herbalists to cleanse and detox the body. As part of the Herbal Make and Learn series, the session will cover the folklore, history and properties of a number of plants together with a practical demonstration on how to make your own remedies. Then it's your turn! We provide the equipment and ingredients to make your very own remedy and whatever you make, you can keep. 
In this session we will let you into the secret of our famous hang-over cure and then help you make your very own version to take home.
Price £25 includes all the equipment and ingredients on the night together with handouts and refreshments.
To Book on this course tel 01706 558904 or use the booking form on the right
 

Make your own Spring Tonics

12/15/2009

 
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Tues 13th April 2010
7.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.

Find out which herbs provide the perfect spring tonic following the long winter months. As part of the Herbal Make and Learn series, the session will cover the folklore, history and properties of a number of plants together with a practical demonstration on how to make your own remedies. Then it's your turn! We provide the equipment and ingredients to make your very own remedy and whatever you make, you can keep. 
In this session you will learn about restorative herbs and show how to make a powerful spring tonic. You will then be able to make up your own herbal tea made from selected spring herbs to take home. 
Price £25 includes all the equipment and ingredients on the night together with handouts and refreshments.
To Book on this course tel 01706 558904 or use the booking form on the right
 

Make Your Healing Creams

12/15/2009

 
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Tues 16th March 2010
7.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.

Find out which herbs can be used to make healing creams and lotions. As part of the Herbal Make and Learn series, the session will cover the folklore, history and properties of a number of plants together with a practical demonstration on how to make your own remedies. Then it's your turn! We provide the equipment and ingredients to make your very own remedy and whatever you make, you can keep. 
In this session you will learn how to make a herb-based cream from scratch and make your own special cream with a choice of ingredients, for you to take home. 
Price £25 includes all the equipment and ingredients on the night together with handouts and refreshments.
To Book on this course tel 01706 558904 or use the booking form on the right
 

Make Oils and Rubs for Winter aches

12/15/2009

 
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Tues. 16th Feb.  2010
7.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.

Find out which herbs can be used to ease those aching joints. As part of the Herbal Make and Learn series, the session will cover the folklore, history and properties of a number of plants together with a practical demonstration on how to make your own remedies. Then it's your turn! We provide the equipment and ingredients to make your very own remedy and whatever you make, you can keep. 
In this session you will learn how to make an infused oil and make your own special rub, with your own choice of oils to take home. 
Price £25 includes all the equipment and ingredients on the night together with handouts and refreshments.
To Book on this course tel 01706 558904 or use the booking form on the right
 

Make Coughs and Cold Remedies

12/15/2009

 
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Tues 19th Jan. 2010
7.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.

Learn about herbal remedies for colds and flu from our resident medical herbalists. As part of the Herbal Make and Learn series, the session will cover the folklore, history and properties of a number of plants together with a practical demonstration on how to make your own remedies. Then it's your turn! We provide the equipment and ingredients to make your very own remedy and whatever you make, you can keep. 
In this session you will get to make your own elderberry tincture and learn to make a traditional cough syrup.
Price £25 includes all equipment and ingredients plus refreshments
Places limited to 10 people
To Book ring 01706 558904 or use the Online booking Form on the Right
 

Swine Flu

12/14/2009

 
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The Swine flu epidemic is upon us with between 20,000 and 45,000 new cases a week and latest figures showing that around 1 in 14 of us will catch swine flu. Fortunately, the virus is mild in most people, but it still poses a risk to certain groups and we should all try and protect others and ourselves against this flu. Following the "Catch it, Bin it, Kill it" advice is useful, especially to stop it spreading - but is there anything else we can do or take to stop getting the virus or reduce the symptoms if we do get it? There are many rumours and tales doing the rounds about what herbs should and shouldn’t be taken for swine flu – Here’s Vitality’s take on the main contenders:

Echinacea

Supporting the immune system and keeping yourself as healthy as possible seems a sensible way to prevent catching the flu and as herbalist we would recommend regular doses of Echinacea to both support the immune system and as an anti-viral. Although there has been some debate as to whether Echinacea can raise the risk of a ‘cytokine storm’ in someone who has a swine flu, there is no evidence for this and most herbalists are happy to use Echinacea as a prophylactic. However, it would be wise to use different herbs once someone has contracted the virus and in particular during a fever.

Star Anise

The belief is that because Star Anise is used in Tamiflu, taking it will therefore ‘cure the flu’ – this has lead to shortages and price increases of this oriental spice. Firstly, no herb or drug can cure the flu – all they can ever do is reduce the symptoms or reduce the risk of you contracting it in the first place. Secondly, the so-called ‘magic ingredient’ in Star Anise, Shikimic acid, actually has no anti-viral properties of its own, but is only used as a precursor in the manufacture of Tamiflu. That said, Star Anise does contain linalool, which is anti-viral so it may be worth taking, but there are more effective herbs in this area. If you do decide to take Star Anise, make sure you use the Chinese Anise (Illicium verum) rather than the similar looking Japanese Anise (Illicium anisatum) which is highly toxic. 

Elderberry

Elderberries have traditionally been used to help patients with colds and flu and recent studies seem to back up Elderberry’s ability to reduce the duration and severity of virus infections. One study in particular in 2009, by Roschek et al showed elderberries ability to bind directly to the H1N1 virus particles, stopping them entering the body’s cells to reproduce. In fact, elderberry juice seems to ‘mop-up’ the virus in the body and helps reduce the spread of the disease, significantly improving recovery times. Elderberry, either as a juice, tincture or syrup, would be seem to be the preferred treatment for reducing Swine flu severity and can also be used prophylatically in combination with Echinacea.

Boneset 

Bonset, or Eupatorium perfoliatum, though not being widely touted as treatment for Swine flu by the chattering classes on the Internet, is valued by herbalist for it’s ability to reduce flu symptoms and was used to great effect in America of the great flu outbreak of 1918. A native to North America and first used in western herbalism by the Eclectics, this bitter herb seems to reduce fevers, sooth aches and reduce the chances of secondary infections such as pneumonia. However, as with all Eupatoria species professional care is advised and this herb should only be taken under the supervision of a qualified medical herbalist.