The District Herbalist

Join me in February for a special free workshop for developmentplus about ALL THINGS ROSE. Give yourself a little love ❤️💕❤️🙂

Very happy to be spending the morning with Lincoln Pandas Support Group in February, offering advice and pointers relating to how herbal medicine and home made herbal remedies can support mental health before and after childbirth 🌼

Today marks the grand opening of the Wild City exhibition at Mansions of the Future opposite the railway station in Lincoln. It's an exhibition that explores the wild world we share, how this world has adapted to our changing lives and how resilient it is. Artists Liz Davis' study of plants that thrive at the margins, charts changes in flora and demonstrates an artist's skill of closely looking.
I'm delighted to be involved with this project, and I have worked with the artist... to recreate an Anglo Saxon Herb Charm, using an original manuscript, and to show that despite centuries of change in Lincoln, the plants still flourish here today.
After taking part in the Communal Lunch today, where I was delighted to meet and chat with Liz in person, I will be providing a talk on Tuesday 27th November, 5pm-6pm, at Mansions on St Mary's Street, talking about the Nine Herb Charm, and how some of those plants included within it are used medicinally in modern herbal practice. It is free to attend, but booking is required. Details of how to book, on my talk, and many other wonderful talks by visiting speakers can be found on the Mansions of the Future website here https://mansionsofthefuture.org/whats-on< br> This is a unique and wonderful opportunity for our wonderful city, so please feel free to let your friends and family know about this. The exhibition is open from 10am to 4pm Tues to Sat, until the 1st December
See More

Really lovely morning in the company of some budding kitchen Herbalists, leading a funded workshop for developmentplus about how to make simple kitchen remedies for winter health. We made a cough syrup, fire cider vinegar and two lovely winter tea blends!
More on Tues 27th Nov, when we'll be making some lovely simple skincare and body care products that we can use ourselves, or make in bulk for festive gifts. The session runs from 10 to 12pm, and is free (thanks to funding) , booking required via Developmentplus 🙂 as there's limited places.

At this time of year, when there's lots of season-change bugs and sniffles flying around, it's a really good idea to use our food as medicine.
This lunch, I spent a pleasant 1.5 hours making a gorgeous immune boosting and honkingly smelly soup 🍜😊
For 2 people:... *6 onions, sliced and roasted with 4 crushed garlic cloves, thyme, in a little olive oil for 45 mins *10 organic button mushrooms roasted with another 4 garlic cloves, oil and thyme for 30 mins *1 extra onion, finely chopped and sautéed in a little butter and white wine. * All ingredients then added together and simmered for 5 minutes with 500ml vegetable stock and a hefty seasoning of pepper, and a little soy sauce.
DELICIOUS!! Well worth the time and effort.
Onions contain a number of phytochemicals (natural plant chemicals... All plants contain a wide variety of different ones) that benefit the immune system. Garlic is an incredible antiviral, and if left to the open air for 5-10 mins after chopping or crushing, it increases levels of one of its main beneficial constituents, Allicin. Thyme is great for the respiratory system, as a tonic and expectorant. Fresh is best - I've run out of fresh at home, so had to make do with dried, but it's still good enough.
Soups from scratch are the best! I don't always have time, but when I do, I never regret it 🙂.
#grateful #herbalmedicine #plantmedicine #earthmedicine #herbalism #herbalremedies #herbalist #medicalherbalist #lincoln #lincolnshire #immunesystem #immunebooster #antiviral #allicin #kitchenmedicine #homeremedies #onionsoup #garlic #thyme @ Lincoln, Lincolnshire
See More

As a herbalist and bass player also, I very much concur with this statement by this renowned American herbalist. One of my favourite herbal quotes 💚 🌱🎸 🎶
"As both an herbalist and a bass player, I see a beautiful congruence between music and herbs. Each is unique to the moment - no two musical performances are ever exactly alike, and so it is with the world of herbs and their unique ability to heal when blended in accordance with the needs of the patient" Donald Yance, 1999.

Local community development charity developmentplus , that I've worked alongside and supported for many years, have organised a great set of FREE workshops in November, on Portland Street in Lincoln to help ease you into winter in better health. I'm providing two herbal workshops: Thurs 8th Nov , 10am-12pm, where we'll be making Natural Winter Remedies and Tues 27th Nov, 10am - 12pm, where we'll have a fun morning making herbal themed Christmas gifts (all with a health focus).... You do need to book on to attend (places are limited), by calling their office on 01522 543361 or email enquiries@developmentplus.org.uk
It would be lovely to see you there!
See More

This has just popped up on my radar, and it's important, so wanted to share with you. If you are male and over 45, or know a male over 45, please share this with them. Prostate cancer screening is so important, and is easily tested for (no physical examination with this one, just a simple blood test). The earlier it is spotted, the better it can be treated. Go on, get yourself tested. You know it makes sense 🙂

A week of creating some beautiful tea blends for patients, in clinic this week 💜
Here's a 'before and after' , of one I blended as part of a prescription for skin issues
#herbalmedicine #plantmedicine #earthmedicine #herbalism #herbalremedies #herbalist #medicalherbalist #lincoln #lincolnshire #womensherbs #acne #skincare #skinproblems @ The District Herbalist

So, today is #WorldMenopauseDay . If you've been following our video series this week, OptiMum Health Lisa and I have been exploring different aspects of menopause, as we believe that it isn't talked about enough. Menopause symptoms vary hugely for each and every person, and there's often far more to consider than just hot flushes and potential mood changes. Today's video explores a really common symptoms associated with menopause, and the effects - physical and emotional - t...hat this can bring. It's something that I hear time after time when working with ladies going through the menopause, but there are absolutely herbal solutions available, that really can help to make a huge difference to your life.
Are there any, what you would consider 'unusual' symptoms of the menopause that you've experienced? Let's start talking about it. Media portrayal is often too limited, making us feel like were 'alone', when in fact, we're really not. Please feel free to message me or comment below, if you want to talk about this further. And share with friends and family who you feel may benefit from hearing this. Thank you!
See More

As part of the run up to #WorldMenopauseDay2018 tomorrow, today's video focuses on what the benefits are of booking in to see me, as a Medical Herbalist. Whilst we're all trained in the same manner, we all work slightly differently, so here's a little about how I work, and a little about what you can expect to see, if you book in for an appointment. There's lots more to how I work, but here we're focusing on safety, actually getting something that works, and not relying on 'Dr Google' 😉... (I used to have a rather funny meme about this, but can't find it for the life if me now!).
Last part of this video series with Lisa from OptiMum Health is tomorrow, when we really get down to the nitty gritty of some of the more invisible symptoms of menopause.

Good morning ! Day 2 of talking all things menopause with Lisa from OptiMum Health. Today's little vid focuses on that all important question that everyone wants to know - does sage stop hot flushes / flashes! Also, what types of herbal preparations are available via my herbal dispesnary.
If you know someone going through perimenopause / menopause / post-menopause, and you think they may benefit from seeing this vid, why not tag them in a post or share. Sharing is caring .
... Let's keep the conversation going! Let's make menopause less of a taboo subject. Oh, and by the way, what Lisa doesn't know about the pelvic floor really isn't worth knowing - there's so much more than Kegel exercises! Check out her page.
See More

As you may have caught yesterday, it's National Menopause Day on Thursday, so in celebration of that, Lisa from OptiMum Health and I have made a series of 4 little videos together, with a focus on menopause. I'll post a new vid each day, so you can follow the conversation through the week.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask below, or send me a message :)

It's definitely an Autumnal nesting day today, isn't it!
Whilst I'm catching up with a few things prior to the start of the new week, I thought I'd let you know that over the course of the next 4 days, I'll be releasing a video each day, that I did in collaboration with the wonderful Lisa from OptiMum Health, where we talk a little about what a herbalist does, and how I work, but also focusing on Menopause, as it's #NationalMenopauseDay on Thursday 18th. Like me, Lisa has a s...pecialism in womens' health, including menopause.
Much of my own inspiration in working with women going through the menopause comes from my own experience of being placed in medically-induced menopause for a year, as part of my treatment for breast cancer, back when I was 30, and how I used herbal medicine to help me through the process, by learning first hand what really worked, and what maybe didn't work so well, and what my physical and emotional needs were, at that time.
One of the keys aspects, is recognising that as with all aspects of health, menopause can throw up a whole host of different health changes and 'symptoms', and not everyone experiences the same thing, and that's regardless of whether it's as a result of medically-induced menopause, pre-menopause hysterectomy, perimenopause or through menopause itself.
So, to find out a little more, come back and visit this page every day between tomorrow and Thursday. I'll be on hand all week to answer questions, and if you'd rather send a Message via Facebook, or email, that's also most welcome. I'll be happy to help.
It's good to talk. Let's not be ashamed and afraid of menopause and the challenges and opportunities that it can bring. There is help. Herbal medicine offers a beautiful companionship through it all.
See More

I think I may have just found my new favourite autumnal drink!
Pukka Herbs have just launched their new herbal latte range, so have bought a couple of the range (this one, and the turmeric one) to road test.
It tastes AMAZING!!!! ❤️💜💚💜❤️
... So many good quality organic ingredients #cacao #ashwagandha #shatavari #cinnamon #cardamom #maca
Whilst I'm not dairy free (I do eat organic cheese, yoghurt, and use organic free range milk in cooking occasionally), since I tried going dairy free for a couple of months back in 2009 for a Uni project, I've never been able to stomach hot milk in drinks and on cereal, so just drink black coffee (why spoil it with milk?!?) and use almond milk or oat milk for hot things like this. The creaminess of the almond milk really works with this.
Definitely recommended checking these out!
#herbalmedicine #plantmedicine #earthmedicine #herbalism #herbalremedies #herbalist #medicalherbalist #lincoln #lincolnshire #ayurveda #ayurvedicmedicine #pukkaherbs #organicherbs #ethicalshopping #ethicalfood @ Lincoln, Lincolnshire
See More

Today was annual 'silly hat day'. We waved a fond farewell to put latest cohort of BSc Herbal Medicine graduates at the Cathedral, with an after celebration at Lincoln Castle. After welcoming the lovely latest cohort last weekend, just starting their journey in herbal medicine. Endings and new beginnings. A joyous lifelong journey 💚🌱🌿🌼

It's the NLHS annual produce and flower show today, and Bailgate Methodist Church, open to the public from 12pm to 2.30pm. 50p entry for non members.
If you're looking for some inspiration to grow your own veg and produce, this is the place to be!
I'm here with my, stand offering growing advice, and selling my extremely limited remaining stock of elderberry syrups, and some great little herb books.
... It's Farmer's Market in Castle Square today, just at the other end of Bailgate, so why not make today a day for celebrating all things locally grown and healthy 🙂
See More

I'm working from home today, catching up with the various bits and bobs that running a business entails... Accounts, emails, planning..
Anyway, I completely forgot to share that I was really proud to be accepted for membership of the Unified Register of Herbal Practitioners back in July. So if you see MURHP listed after my name anywhere, this is what it means 🙂. It's a professional association, representing Herbalists, just like NIMH (which I've been a member of since qualifying). Just need to find a nice frame for this and it'll be going up in my clinic wall 🌿.
Right, back to the accounts!

Having just watched this episode of Panorama, I thought I'd share the link with you here - it's well worth a watch. In clinic I'm noticing more and more the detrimental effect of smart tech addiction, on health, as well as issues with using blue screen tech before, or in bed. Even as someone who's very aware of the psychological techniques used to draw us into smart tech, I found huge benefits by turning off most of my notifications, both noise and light ones, a few months ba...ck, so that I check my phone when I want to, not when a ping / flash tells me to look.
The The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has just launched Scroll Free September, which I'm trying out myself. There are various options to try. I do need to use social media for my business, and staying in contact with family and friends in different places, so I'm trying the 'Night Owl' option, where you don't check social media after 6pm. Day one, complete. Let's see how I get along over the rest of the month!
Anyway, here's the link to the Panorama programme. Worth the 30 minute watch https://www.bbc.co.uk/…/…/panorama-sm artphones-the-dark-side
PS: I do appreciate the irony of posting this on social media 😉
See More