Thursday 22 January 2015

Herbs during and after childbirth

If you’re opting for a natural birth without pharmaceutical pain relief then a herbal medicine birthing plan may be of interest to you. Herbs in the early stages of childbirth can help regulate contractions, ward off exhaustion and soothe pain, and they can also be used after birth to assist delivery of the placenta, soothe the perineum, assist with after-pains and promote the flow of breast milk.

However, certain herbs are not safe to take during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so it is important that you speak to a qualified herbalist. Dr Lois Bradnam specializes in women’s problems, infertility and pregnancy and has appointments available on Mondays between 3 and 7 pm. You can even pop in for a free, no obligation 15-minute chat to see if herbal medicine is for you!


If you are interested in finding out more, or would like to book an appointment, please call us on 01223 315 400 or email us. You can find out more about Lois and herbal medicine on her website.

Herbal medicine for high blood pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) is something that affects many of us these days and the underlying cause is often unknown, although certain factors are thought to raise the risk of developing hypertension, such as older age, a family history of hypertension, excess salt in the diet, smoking and drinking alcohol.

It usually has no obvious symptoms and many people have high blood pressure without knowing so it’s important to get checked as, untreated, it can lead to serious diseases, including stroke, heart disease and kidney failure. In fact, it is recommended that all adults get their blood pressure checked at least once every five years.

If you suffer from mild hypertension but don’t yet feel ready to take pharmaceuticals, or if your GP has advised you to make lifestyle changes instead, herbal medicine may be able to help you.
Herbal medicine is a comprehensive healthcare approach that relies on the natural strength of herbal remedies to remove barriers to healing and promote optimum health by enhancing the innate wisdom of the body to heal itself. Several clinical studies have shown that herbs, such as hawthorn, lime blossom and motherwort, can have a beneficial effect on heart health and some herbs may even act in a similar way to anti-hypertensive drugs, but with fewer side effects.

If you would like to come in for a free 15-minute chat with one of herbalists and get your blood pressure checked, please call or email us to book an appointment.

Herbalists at The Therapy Room:
Lois Bradnam: Mondays 3–7 pm
Katherine Rouse: Fridays 9 am–1 pm


If you have persistent headaches, blurred/double vision, nosebleeds or shortness of breath, please visit your GP as soon as possible.