For centuries herbalism has often been seen as a magical practice, but Sue Cade speaks to an East Devon practitioner determined to bring the tradition back into the mainstream.
I've always been open to alternative therapies – acupuncture for my asthma, reflexology for my back pain, hypnotherapy which helped me quit smoking – so when I heard a herbalist was setting up shop in my hometown of Honiton I was intrigued.
Jane Palmer inherited her passion for plants from her mother: “My mother was a true country girl, growing up with my grandfather, who was head gardener at Arundel Castle during the Second World War. He taught her about the healing powers of plants and she passed it on to me. I remember once driving past a huge field of cowslips and my mother telling me that the plant was good for coughs and chest infections. We picked some and made cowslip tea.”
Jane became more interested in natural medicine after starting her own family. “I wanted to give my children the best start, so health care was one of those things. And if you think about it, mums are already using herbs – gripe water is made from fennel and teething granules are made from chamomile.”
Jane's reputation grew after she began working at Ganesha, a well-regarded health food company in East Devon, and soon people were asking her for advice. “I based my suggestions on what I'd learnt from my mum, but eventually I realised I needed training.”
She combined shift work with studying 30 hours a week to earn a degree in herbal medicine. Jane was taught by Hein H. Zijlstra, one of Europe's most respected herbalists. “Zijlstra was very strict, but also very wise. The first thing he said was that people were afraid of herbal medicine because some plants are classified as poisonous. He then explained the secret: give the right therapeutic dose so that there is no danger.”
I asked her which plants in the garden could be used medicinally. Jane laughed. “You'd be amazed at how useful weeds can be! Dandelion is a mainstay of herbal medicine. The leaves contain a natural diuretic, which helps to reduce fluids and control blood pressure. Dandelion is rich in potassium; traditional blood pressure treatments actually remove potassium from the body, but the roots are great for detoxing. Then there's couch grass. Most gardeners frown on this one, but the rhizome is effective against urinary tract infections and contains a gentle natural antibiotic.”
I told her I was battling a seasonal cold, and Jane took me to a pharmacy where she prepared a tincture for me, telling me about the origins of the herbs she uses. “I only buy high-quality, organically grown herbs from specialist growers, one of which, Rutland Herbs, uses biodynamic farming methods to grow herbs in tune with the seasons and celestial cycles and rhythms.”
As a qualified herbalist, Jane is able to order banned Schedule 3 herbs: “Belladonna, mandrake and monkshood are the ones everyone is wary of” – the horrific deaths that occur in Poirot or Miss Marple spring to mind. Jane then mentions arnica, another “poison” that I've used many times in homeopathic form to treat bruises, which eases my anxiety a little.
“You'll use up to five different herbs depending on your symptoms. Each herb has a therapeutic dose. The trick is to get a high enough dose from each herb to give you the right treatment,” says Jain, explaining that the “formula” is ongoing and ingredients may change during treatment, “and your body may develop a tolerance, so it's a good idea to take a break every six weeks.”
Now head healthcare assistant at Honiton Surgery, Jane decided that 2015 would be the year she would start a modern herbal clinic and, together with her business partner John Lister, have recently opened two ‘Roots to Health’ clinics, one in Honiton which opens every Saturday and one in Axminster on Mondays.
As we talked, I watched Jane measure out liquids from various containers, and then, as I was about to leave, she handed me a bottle of a thick brown liquid. “Dissolve it in a little water and take it three times a day. It doesn't taste good,” she said.
And she was right. Every time I take the tincture I grimace, but after a few days I find that my ailments are cured and I feel much better. I must say I am impressed and a bit invested in modern herbal medicine.
To contact Jayne visit rootstohealth.co.uk or call 07984 227035.
Jane's “Desert Island” Herbs
“If there was one herb I would take with me to a desert island it would be lavender. It's an incredible herb, a powerful antiseptic for cuts, great for campfire burns, a fantastic sedative to help you sleep and it's really good for the skin. Plus, lavender is a beautiful plant with a unique, pungent scent. In fact, we have some growing just outside Honiton Surgery and we often see patients stopping to enjoy the scent.”
Plant extracts in conventional medicine
You may already be unknowingly taking plant extracts or synthetic versions of what we call “conventional” medicines.
Morphine, a powerful painkiller, is extracted from the opium poppy.
Peruvian bark (Cinchona pubescens) is used to make quinine to prevent malaria.
Willow extract is found in everyday aspirin.
Digitalis gave rise to digitalis, a drug used to control heart function
The anticancer drug taxol is extracted from the yew plant (Pacific or Western yew).
