Summer is nearly here …… I truly love this time of year 😊

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Written by Lara Jonasdottir

Medical herbalist BSc, Clinical Education MSc

It is the start of May and the plant growth is in full swing here in Ireland. I really like this time of year when the weather is getting warmer, and the days are getting longer. The leaf growth on the trees is so rapid that it is hard to keep track of it and the same goes for all other plant growth. Some of the most commonly used medicinal plants are in full growth here in Ireland. These include Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica), Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), Cleavers (Galium aparine) (also known as Robin-run-the Hedge or Stickleback), Daisy (Bellis perennis), Primrose (Primula vulgaris), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), ….and many more. Many of these herbs, especially the Stinging nettles, Cleavers, Lemon balm and Dandelion are all herbs that I would frequently use in my clinic practice and I have seen their benefit on repeated bases for many of those attending our clinic. Each of these plants are used for different reasons. Let’s look at two of these in a bit more detail…

Daisy (Bellis perennis): is a low (approximately 10cm) growing plant of the Daisy plant family (Asteraceae) which can be found growing in lawns, along roadsides, and in other short grasslands throughout Ireland.

The leaves and flowers can be used. Daisies can be made into a salve which can be applied to bruises, sores and skin swellings to aid the healing as well as to ease tired muscles. Infusion of daisy can be used for coughs as well as joint pain.

It is also important to mention the lovely tradition of making daisy chains which is therapeutic in its own right 😊

Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica): can grow up to approximately 1m high and have opposite and heart-shaped leaves. The whole plant is covered in small hairs which give the nettle its characteristic sting. Stinging nettle leaves should be harvested when the plants are young. If the leaves have gone too mature or the plant has gone into flowering then it can be cut right back to stimulate new leaf growth for second harvesting.

I use Stinging nettles very frequently in my clinical practice (commonly in formulations) with consistently successful outcomes for my patients. The seeds, young leaf tops and roots can be used although each is used for different reasons. The leaves are rich in a variety of essential elements including iron, zinc, calcium, and many more nutrients which makes this plant very popular for hair growth, skin health, bone support, as well as for general wellbeing. It is also frequently used for allergies and hayfever. These are, however, only a few of the health benefits the amazing stinging nettle can offer. The following diagram offers a good overview of the numerous health benefits of nettles that is, itself, not an exhaustive list.

Diagram as presented by Khuma Kumari Bhusal, et al. (2022). 

One well-known spring cleanse that has been recommended for centuries is a combination of cleavers, nettles and dandelion leaves. This is made into an infusion which is then drunk throughout the day. See recipe below.

All of the herbs mentioned in this post are commonly found in the wild in Ireland, except perhaps Lemon balm which would be more commonly found grown in gardens. I, therefore, invite you to see if you can spot them all next time when you are out walking. Just remember that if you intend to forage herbs for use to be 100% certain about identification of the plants that you harvest. Feel free to get in touch with us in Dr. Clare’s clinic at any stage if you have any questions (www.drclare.ie or by phone 091 583260)

Warm wishes …. or as we say in Iceland hlýjar kveðjur

Lara Jonasdottir 😊

Medical herbalist BSc, Clinical Education MSc

Ref: Khuma Kumari Bhusal, et al. (2022) Nutritional and pharmacological importance of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.): A review. Heliyon, Volume 8, Issue 6, ISSN 2405-8440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09717.

Overcoming the pressures Christmas brings

The Christmas season can be an emotional rollercoaster, with festive cheer mixed with much stress and worry. Many of us can feel the pressure in relation to decorating the house, buying presents, attending all the pre-Christmas get-togethers, managing any family tensions, and so on. The joy of the moment and watching happy memories being created can help override any negativity where it might exist, but not always.

Christmas can be a painful time for a variety of reasons, with increased feelings of isolation for some, stress of the in-laws coming to visit or feeling anxious about socialising. Medical Herbalist, Lara Jonasdottir of Dr. Clare’s Apothecary & Clinic in Galway explains how the right lifestyle and the help of relaxing herbs can come to the rescue. “As a medical herbalist these are the things that crop up in clinical practice as individuals have a full hour to discuss their concerns during their first appointment. A distinct pattern seen is that existing medical conditions including chronic stress and anxiety can flare up during the Christmas season.”

Buy the Dr Clare Relax Time Hamper (pictured above)

“It is therefore helpful in the approach to Christmas to manage expectations all round and to focus on the smaller positive things that do not involve major commitments. Time invested in oneself at this point including regular exercise, eating healthily, having relaxing baths, and getting more sleep can help to build up the energy needed to face the world and navigate through any expected or unexpected choppy waters.”

“Herbal medicine can also be helpful with many relaxing herbs available such as chamomile (Matricaria recutita), passion flower (Passiflora incarnata), linden flowers (Tilia europea), lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis). These can be taken as teas or tinctures.” (links go to Dr Clare's Shop product offer)

Many of us have a laundry list of symptoms and a central role of the medical herbalist is to take the time to listen and help to make sense of these with a view to providing a beneficial course of action. For some this might involve a combination of more straightforward lifestyle changes and useful additions like herbal teas, creams, or other off-the-shelf products. For others this might involve an individualised herbal therapeutic plan in combination with a comprehensive review of potential contributing factors to ill health and any follow-on referrals. The aim in all cases is to find an appropriate level of intervention that delivers sustained improvement without causing any additional problems. 

So when approaching the stresses that unfold this Christmas think about yourself first, without looking after you, you cannot look after anyone else.

For more information on stress free Christmas go to drclare.ie or call Lara on 091 583260.

 

Dr Clare’s Apothecary - Witch Hazel Cream

At Dr Clare’s Apothecary, we have created a comprehensive range of traditional herbal-based natural personal care creams to help with our customers physical and emotional wellbeing. Our personal care creams are part of our integrated medicine approach that combines the best of pharmaceutical medicine and complementary medicine.

Dr Clare’s Apothecary has carefully curated a high quality, sustainably sourced range of therapeutic herbal medicines. This includes a wide range of supplements, dried herbs, tinctures, capsules, pessaries and creams. Our therapeutic herbal medicines are available from the clinic dispensary, online shop or by telephone order. We also provide online consultation about the health and wellbeing benefit of all our products.

Witch Hazel Cream

Witch hazels (Hamamelis) are a plant family, with three species in North America, one in Japan and one in China. Witch hazels are deciduous shrubs with leaves that are oval with a smooth wavy border. Hamamelis means "together with fruit" which likely refers to the plants flowering and the maturing of their fruit both happening at the same time.

Witch hazel cream offers a broad range of medical applications that can be used in a number of different ways. Its leaves and bark can be made into ointments and applied to the skin for its ability to ease inflammation and soothe sensitive skin. 

Here are Dr Clare’s top 5 benefits of witch hazel.

1. Relieves Inflammation

Witch hazel contains numerous compounds that provide anti-inflammatory properties. Antioxidant properties also help to prevent further spreading of inflammation and neutralize the build-up of free radicals within your body. It is therefore understandable that witch hazel is widely known for its potential to help with conditions such as acne, eczema or psoriasis.

2. Helps Sensitive and Irritated Skin

Research has suggested that witch hazel can be beneficial for sensitive skin including the treatment of inflamed, irritated or broken skin. Witch hazel may help to reduce skin redness and provide relief for irritated and sensitive skin.

3. Helps Fights Acne

Witch hazel offers powerful anti-inflammatory properties that could be useful in the treatment of acne by acting as an astringent, causing your tissues to contract and help shrink skin pores. This has the benefit of preventing acne-related bacteria from entering your pores.

Witch hazel is therefore commonly found in many over-the-counter acne products. It is particularly useful for people with oily skin and can also be applied through steaming.

4. Relieves Scalp Irritation

Witch hazel may help reduce scalp irritation and inflammation, including the treatment of dandruff and dry skin. Scalp sensitivity can be caused by a number of factors, ranging from cosmetic hair treatments to dermatological conditions, such as psoriasis or eczema.

Dabbing your scalp with witch hazel before washing your hair may help treat scalp sensitivity and provide relief from dryness, itching and tenderness.

5. Offers Relief from Hemorrhoids

Witch hazel may be used as a natural remedy to provide relief from the itchiness and pain frequently caused by haemorrhoids because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Add witch hazel to a clean cloth or cotton ball and dab directly to the affected area to soothe the skin.

In Summary

Witch hazel is an astringent that is often used as a natural topical remedy. It contains several compounds with potent anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, which may be useful in treating a variety of conditions ranging from acne and scalp sensitivity to haemorrhoids.

Dr Clare’s witch hazel cream can be applied directly to your skin and safely administered for the treatment of haemorrhoids after each bowel movement. Doing an initial skin patch test on a small portion of your skin can help prevent unwanted side effects and skin reactions.

You can read some of our many product reviews on our Facebook page, to see what dozens of our happy customers think of our range of herbal remedies. If you would like to discuss a specific treatment such as the use of witch hazel or any of our other properties, you can call us on +35391583260, email us at support@drclare.net or book an appointment through our website. 

Herbal Trip to Iceland

I could not be more fortunate than having my first trip to Iceland in the company of my colleague Lára Jónasdóttir and her husband Tim Morrissey who is a geologist. The warm hospitality of Augusta and Jonas (Lara’s parents) framed all of the herbal and landscape outings along with the welcome of their friends and herbal colleagues along our travels.

The wild flowers were in abundance, the Blue Lagoon of hot springs and mud packs were great fun, natural geysers and a trip to meet the Director of Floral and Horticultural studies brought me to the unsuspected vision of bananas growing in Iceland.

The herbs of Iceland are both familiar and strange. Familiar because many of the same herbs are common in Ireland but the herbs are adapted to the long cold winters and short summers with long light-filled days. So the seasons are condensed. I was not prepared for the profusion of wild flowers and herbs.

The Silver Birch is much more aromatic and full of flavour and is in fact used to flavour soft cheeses. Traditional indications for the Silver Birch are similar  between our two countries for arthritis and inflammation.

Our cleavers , Galium aperine (photo to the left) are not found in Iceland, these are known as Robin Run the Hedge or Sticky Willy Back at home and are traditionally used for encouraging lymph flow. Here in Iceland they use a closely related herb called Lady’s Bedstraw ,Galium verum (photo to the right) for the same indications.

Rhodiola rosea does grow wild here and is much loved by the sheep, hence it is hard to find. I did see it growing in the Botanic Gardens in Reykjavík. This is a lovely place to visit, if only for the wonderful café.

Geum Urban

Emerging Beech

There are not many herbalists practising herbal medicine in Iceland, but they create a big impact:

Anna Rósa Róbertsdóttir has written a beautiful fully illustrated book on Icelandic medicinal herbs. She includes both the traditional therapeutics and scientific information. She has a clinical practice and a best selling range of creams available in pharmacies and health food shops throughout Iceland. She makes many of the medicines she uses in clinical practice.

Kolbrún Björnsdóttir also makes many medicines, she has a beautiful herbal dispensary in Reykjavík and dispenses mainly powders and capsules alongside her clinical practice. She has written a beautiful herbal nutrition book.

  

I am inspired to make more of the herbal riches that grow on our own doorstop. 

Irish Herbal Industry: forging a future

The Herb Room of the Aboca Museum, Sansepolcro

I am ready to commit plans to paper and scrutiny as I am on my way to meet Italian herbal producers to see what might be possible in Ireland regarding growing and harvesting our own native herbs for herbal medicines and ‘superfoods’. In Ireland we tread on valuable herbs and we mender alongside them on our daily walks. You may wonder what plants have such wonderful properties, and you will be surprised to learn that they include elderflowers, nettles, dandelion roots and leaves, hawthorn flowers and leaves and rosehips. Less obvious ones include agrimony, cramp bark and valerian.

When we think of medicinal herbs our mind’s eye immediately goes to chamomile, rosemary and lavender and we are not aware of our own hidden northern European heritage. These plants are part of our hidden heritage and they have a useful place in prosperity for our future.

Spices and herbs on display

I am exploring liaison with Mediterranean herb growers, and developing links with potential Irish farmers. It would be such a pleasure to travel rural Ireland and see fields of mallow and St John’s Wort and to see the hedgerows harvested and valued. This would play a part in biodiversity, rural sustainability and development and make connections between our love of the land and the bounty of crops to harvest. This industry will see us well into the future as part of agribusiness that does not depend on artificial fertilisers or herbicides because the plants are naturalised and many thrive on marginalised land. Plants often produce medicinal constituents as a result of adaptation to marginal soil conditions.

Looking to the future I hope that establishing an industry in herbal medicines will support education in herbal medicines. From an education centre for schools, to a blended learning (on-line and direct clinical training) course; from certificate level, to University degree level courses in clinical herbal medicine. Robust clinical training is key to the future of Herbal Medicine Physician training.

This is of key importance for herbal medicine practitioners because they diagnose illness and prescribe medicines.

This is a new departure and a new vision for the next ten years. It will be achieved with allies along the journey, agus le cúnamh Dé (and with the help of the Gods-and Goddess's of course).

I do not know where this journey will lead, who I will meet and how the future will come to meet me. It feels like a big task but one that will present with one or two projects to follow at a time. I will keep you posted.

Dr Dílis Clare

Watch this video of Aboca Herbs, Italy for awesome inspiration.