In my experience and reports from other herbalists, it seems that a large proportion of people who consult a herbalist nowadays are suffering from very serious conditions such as autoimmune conditions and cancer. Some may try a herbal approach when other options have been exhausted and most people don’t think of using herbs as an initial solution to a minor health problem.
As a herbalist I want to promote the message that herbs are an ideal treatment for a wide range of relatively ‘minor’ complaints such as sleep problems, fatigue, recurrent colds, mild hypertension, insulin resistance, poor healing, circulation or digestion. Using herbs to treat minor imbalances can help to prevent them developing into more damaging pathologies over time.
A very useful group of herbs for general well-being is the ‘adaptogens’ such as Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) which are used aid the body’s response to stressors of any kind, from emotional stress to physical work.
