The Irish Herbalist Blog

The term hemorrhoids refers to a condition in which the veins around the anus or lower rectum become varicose (swollen or inflamed). In my experience as a colon hydrotherapist, I can honestly say I rarely come across a bum that doesn’t have one! Some hemorrhoids are...

I use the principles of Natural Rearing for my dogs. Natural Rearing is much more than just a diet; it is a holistic approach to life. Simply put… it’s about utilizing the old time, natural ways, essentially caring for your dogs as closely to nature as possible. It’s...

Hot and Cold Showers Water can be used to stimulate circulation and to boost your skin's eliminative function, as well as that of deeper organs of the body. Hot and cold showers should be used on a daily basis for best results. If you have sluggish kidneys or a...

One of the first questions my clients ask me is “How on heavens earth did you end up doing colonics for a living?”I started off my professional career as a nurse. My first experience of bowel cleansing was at the tender of 17, when a staff nurse asked me to observe an...

Sinusitis This is a very common condition that I see people with in the clinic. Sinuses become inflamed and infected as a result of excessive secretions from colds, dental infections, deviated septum’s etc. But the most common cause is s build up of catarrh from...

You can always tell a well-used plant by an abundance of common names and folklore stories about it. The herb yarrow (or Achillea millefolium) definitely falls into this category. It has been suggested that it got its Latin name from Achilles of Greek mythology using...

The emotion of joy is connected with the heart. Happy and sad situations can be a source of stress. Often people who have difficulty dealing with stress may develop heart imbalances which manifest as anxiety, palpitations, hypertension, insomnia, restlessness and...

The large intestine (colon) has a large resident population of microbiota, consisting of many organisms, together with the antigenic load provided by the diet and the constant threat of potential pathogens, means the intestinal immune system encounters more antigen...

Cayenne pepper is regarded by the professional Master Herbalist as the purist and safest stimulant known. It opens up every tissue in the body to an increased flow of blood. Cayenne is well suited to all people but in particular to persons of feeble constitution with...

Garlic is 'Natures Anti-biotic', four cloves of garlic is equivalent to a single dose of penicillin. It is the paragon of blood cleansers and it is capable of killing viruses, bacteria and fungi. The sulphur in garlic is a mineral used as an oxygen carrier. As oxygen...

A castor oil fomentation is an excellent adjunct to alleviating any pain or inflammation anywhere in the body. It dissolves and cleanses the body of hardened mucus which may manifest as cysts, fibroids, tumours, adhesions, polyps etc. Castor oil fomentations relieve...

To me passionflower is the most exquisite and beautiful herb. Its circular, whirling, complex blossom is breathtaking. It's enchanting and exotic, yet this delightful plant grows very well in Ireland and I have it climbing it's way around my back garden! Passionflower...

Red clover is one of my favorite herbs, of which I frequently prescribe in my dispensary. It is abundant in grassland and road verges throughout Ireland at this time of the year. It has had sacred past and was of great significance to the Druids. St Patrick was said...

One of the greatest treasures a person can have is radiant, healthy skin. A beautiful complexion and glorious skin are a reflection of our personal life-style practices. To understand how significantly lifestyle impacts on our skin is important. We need to understand...

A 35 year old lady consulted me regarding sub fertility. She had been trying for three years to conceive and was attending a Fertility Clinic in Dublin. All investigation were normal, except her AMH ( Anti Mullerian Hormone) levels were very low. She was commenced on...

Chamomile is regarded as one of the finest and safest of all medicinal herbs. I use both German (wild) and Roman chamomile in my clinic. Chamomile can be used as an infusion, tincture, essential oil and aromatic water. German chamomile is stronger and more bitter. The...

Neroli is one of my favourite scents, it's abundant, exquisite and floral notes are bright and sunny and the enchanting blossom of the bitter orange tree is one of the world’s most beloved scents. With sweet citrus and floral notes, this sensual scent inspires...

A lady in her early forties with a diagnosis of shingles presented to the clinic for treatment. Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash and is caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that causes chickenpox. This lady had a stripe of...

Skin brushing stimulates the circulation and lymphatic systems and has a powerful rejuvenating effect on the nervous system because of the hundreds of nerve endings in the skin. Vigorous skin brushing over the major lymph glands which are dumping stations for waste...