Herbal remedies

Herbal remedies have stood the test of time. They’ve been used in many cultures for centuries.
‘I’m seeing more and more clients coming to me for prevention,’ naturopath and women’s health specialist Emma Sutherland says. ‘More people are turning to naturopaths for wellness – to be on top of their game.’

About 80 per cent of the world’s population use natural remedies in some aspect of their primary healthcare, naturopath Tasha Jennings explains.
‘Natural remedies can be used to effectively treat and prevent many health concerns,’ she says.

Here are a few simple herbal remedies they recommend...

Symptom: I’m sleeping at night, but the quality is poor
Solution: Tasha says chamomile contains chrysin, a specific flavonoid, which has anti-anxiety properties. It’s also an effective mild sedative and is safe for children. Emma recommends buying dried flowers, rather than tea bags, to get the right strength.

She says: ‘It’s two teaspoons to 100ml of water. Steep, covered, for three minutes. The active ingredient is in the essential oils, which can dissipate if not covered.’

Symptom: I have an upset stomach
Solution: Emma says ginger is great to curb nausea and vomiting as it has antispasmodic properties. ‘You just need a teaspoon of grated ginger in hot water,’ she says. ‘A lot of people make it too weak and they don’t get the therapeutic benefits.’

Sometimes an upset stomach can be caused by an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. A good probiotic supplement, available from most chemists, can help replenish the good stuff.
‘It can support optimal digestive function, assisting recovery and helping prevent recurrence of nausea and stomach upset,’ Tasha explains.

Symptom: I have BAD period pain
Solution: Tasha says B vitamins, particularly vitamin B6, are important for hormone regulation. ‘A daily B complex supplement can be beneficial to help treat and prevent period pain,’ she says. ‘Antispasmodic herbs, such as cramp bark, can also provide symptomatic relief and are available in tablet form.’ There is research now surfacing about the pain relief properties of tumeric, a herb from tropical south Asia that belongs to the ginger family, according to Emma.

‘If you get period pain you can start putting some in your salad or other food as a preventative measure,’ she says.

Symptom: I have a tension headache
Solution: ‘The first thing I would think of is magnesium, which helps relax your muscles,’ Emma says. ‘The powdered form of this supplement is much more quickly absorbed, so you are going to get a faster action than tablet form and you can mix it in with some water.’

Tasha recommends aromatherapy to ease a sore head by rubbing oils into the nape of the neck and temples. She says: ‘A mixture of peppermint, ginger and wintergreen oils is ideal, but lavender oil can help relax and soothe.’

Symptom: I’m running around all the time and feeling stressed
Solution: Emma recommends seeking out the herb withania. ‘That’s an absolute female specific herb – most women are multi-tasking at a million miles an hour. What happens is their adrenals get really exhausted and then you burn out and get run down. This herb helps look after the nervous system and the adrenals.’

Emma says the power-packed Amazon acai berry can boost your energy. ‘It really is, out of all the superfoods I’ve trialled, the best one for busy people,’ she says. ‘Buy it in powdered form and put it in juice or on cereal.’