The Grantham Herbalist

herbal teas

2010-09-21T00:16:00.000-07:00

BBc radio nottingham

2010-08-24T10:40:00.000-07:00

Hi folks

I am now doing a regular slot on the radio for BBC radio Nottingham.

Tommorow I am going to talk about herbal remedies to help you sleep

The show is on wednesday 25th august from 10 am and I will be doing these on a regular basis

Herbs for sleep and Insomnia

simple remedy could be a lavender & hops pillow

or just sprinkle some lavender essential oil on your pillow. Not more than 5 drops as too much can make you feel more stimulated.

Chamomile tea or lemon balm tea: both are good for children as well. Try to use fresh or dried whole flowers. You can purchase these from me at Traditional Medicinals .co.uk. The tea bags are not so effective.

Passiflora or passion flower: this is an American vine and a very gentle nerve tonic. This is one of my favourite remedies to help you have a restfull sleep and wake up feeling refreshed. Passiflora can be combined with Valerian which can really send you off to sleep very quickly if you take enough of it. Valerian is a good herbal alternative to sleeping pills. However if you want to wean yourself off sleeping pills with herbs its probably best to come and see a herbalist. Very occasionaly Valerian can have the opposite effect and can stimulate some people ( also cats) Also its not so good for the hot/fiery type.

Verbena or vervain is a bitter herb which is cooling and good for exhaustion. You can also take the lemon verbena tea which is very calming

If you would like any advice on what herbs may be suitable for your particular constitution, please email me at katiedobiesz@hotmail.com

sleep well

Herbal advice for swine flu

2009-04-29T05:56:00.000-07:00

Prevention
Prevention should be aimed at maintaining a healthy immune system. Keeping physical, mental, and emotional stress under control is important, as chronic stress lowers our body’s natural resistance to infection. Get plenty of sleep, drink enough liquid to keep the respiratory mucosa moist and healthy, exercise daily for fifteen minutes or longer, and try to establish a sense of calmness throughout the day. Eating four or five servings of fresh fruit and vegetables per day goes a long way towards warding off Swine flu

Washing your hands frequently is at least as important as a healthy diet and lifestyle as viruses can linger on door handles. Recent research indicated that washing your hands could radically reduce your chances of picking up infections. Encourage your kids to wash hand especially when others are sneezing around them.

Herbal treatment for Swine Flu
Katie the medical herbalist would aim to support the immune system and keep it in optimum condition before there is a pandemic in this country.

There are also some very useful herbal anti virals and immune modulating herbs that can be blended together to make a herbal tincture that would help to support you.

Herbs such as Astragalus, Echinacea, St jonhs wort, Wild indigo, sage and thyme may all be useful.

However it is best to contact your local herbalist who can make up a prescription right for you.
Katie Practices in Grantham and Spalding: Email her on katiedobiesz@hotmail.com for an appointment.

I will be looking at more specific ways to tackle the swine flu in further posts

Medical herbalist in Spalding Lincolnshire

2009-02-27T12:30:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone
I have just started up a herbal Practice at Aspire in Spalding Lincolnshire. this practice will be on mondays. I am also running several workshops on how to beat the menopause, how to detox and a new talk on herbs for aging; to keep you young and ward of disease.

Please call the practice in Spalding or email me for more details on 27-29 The Crescent Spalding
Lincs PE11 1AE

Tel: 01775 711822
Or email at
katiedobiesz@hotmail.com

Looking forward to seeing you at the new Aspire

a consultation with medical herbalist Katie Dobiesz

2009-01-21T12:06:00.000-08:00

The other day I met medical herbalist Katie Dobiesz who having moved up from London is now the medical herbalist at Living Health in Grantham. Her therapy room is like an Aladdins cave with a whole wall of edifying herbal bottles which can treat conditions from acne to angina. Katie can help whole families protect themselves from winter colds and she advises people who spend a large part of their day infront of a computer (that's me then!) to take time out to 'ground themselves' 'Chronic stress can be linked to a patient's environment and this can have a negative impact on the body' People need to readdress the balance. So when I have time I am going to do exactely that and have a consultation with Katie Dobiesz, who incidentally comes highly qualified, and perhaps she can help me with my insomnia.
Actually I can think of loads of things she might help me with. This week I pulled a muscle in my calf, mostly associated with competitive squash. I sadly was just doing a celebratory jig around the office! As I know Katie's consultation goes much deeper that just identifying symptoms I'm sure she will have her work cut out for her when I lie on the couch. On the other hand I may just fall asleep through chronic fatigue. Either way herbal medicine could be the answer.

Look after your liver

2008-11-23T06:16:00.000-08:00

The liver is the largest organ in the body with an extraordinary amount of reserve and the power to regenerate itself. However when it is bombarded with too much alcohol and other chemicals, which include certain drugs, it can get overloaded and things can start to go wrong.

Most people are unaware that their liver may be involved when they experience headaches, fatigue, aches and pains, indigestion, chronic constipation or mood changes. Many skin conditions may be affected by the liver including: eczema, psoriasis or unexplained rashes.

There are some very good herbal remedies that can help to protect the liver and aid detoxification. One of the main herbs that herbalists like to use is Milk thistle which contains silymarin. This has been shown in clinical trials to help with liver function. Dandelion root and artichoke are also herbs that can support and help the liver. Reducing alcohol consumption, especially binge drinking, and drinking more water is also very beneficial.

What happens in a herbal consultation with a medical herbalist?

2008-11-23T06:14:00.000-08:00

For many, that first visit to a medical herbalist can be a life changing experience, a chance to experience true healthcare as it should be practised. Katie the medical herbalist is a genuine, caring partner in health from the cradle to the third age. Many come to appreciate the power of correctly prescribed, natural herbal medicines dispensed by a highly trained medical professional.

Patients are often amazed at the opportunity to discuss in depth their physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and the sense of freedom and empowerment this imparts to the individual which, combined with the knowledge of an experienced healthcare partner gives the security that your healthcare needs receive the best attention. The results then speak for themselves.

Diet & Lifestyle
Diet & Lifestyle are paramount in your treatment. Katie aims to encourage and support a healthy lifestyle. Nutrition and lifestyle advice will be given. Katie is qualified to support you with professional cleansing and detoxing programmes if they are needed and recommend the right supplements.

What can herbal medicine treat?
Herbal medicine is about restoring the maximum possible state of personal well-being. It is especially effective for treating chronic illness. Conditions often treated by herbalists include:

v Low vitality/ energy
v Allergies: hay fever, asthma etc
v Children’s complaints
v Digestive and bowel conditions
v Cystitis and urinary disorders(male/female)
v PMS, menopause, painful periods
v Skin: eczema, psoriasis, acne
v High blood pressure, angina, poor circulation, varicose veins
v Infections and immune deficiency
v Stress and emotional problems
v Insomnia, headaches and migraines
v Musculoskeletal and arthritic conditions

The first consultation
The initial consultation usually lasts about an hour. A full medical history will be taken. This will look not only at the current health problem but at all details of your past medical history, diet and lifestyle. Physical examinations (if relevant) will be made and blood pressure taken.

Follow-on consultations
A second consultation is usually set for two or three weeks later in order to assess treatment. This consultation usually lasts 30 minutes and is aimed at checking progress and adjusting the medication or dosage if necessary.

Clients of Katie Dobiesz Medical Herbalist comments

2008-11-16T05:05:00.000-08:00

‘Having suffered all the usual symptoms of the menopause. Katie’s herbal medicine really helped me to feel human once again’
B Cave Teddington

I have used the services of Medical herbalists since I was in my thirties and always found them of great help.

I first became a patient of Katie Dobiesz BSc MNIMH, in September 2007.
‘She is so positive, friendly and helpful and really efficient. Nothing is too much trouble and she spent much time researching problems and treatments. She has a very good source of obtaining the best herbal medicines and has commendable qualifications ( Bsc Hons MNIMH). She also has varied experience through lecturing and practising. She is a great listener, has lots of patients, understanding and is very approachable

I would hate to be without her and have much pleasure in recommending her to those in need’

Mrs Thelma June Webb
Peterborough

Natural ways to help you relieve the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

2008-11-01T00:44:00.000-07:00

Irritable bowel syndrome IBS is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases seen by doctors. IBS tends to occur in young to middle aged women (women outnumber men 4: 1) with the major complaint being chronic constipation, diarrhoea, or both that has been present for months to years. Abdominal pain, flatulence/wind, and other symptoms such as faintness and weakness may also be present. People with IBS often feel an urgent need to open their bowels, especially after breakfast. The stools may vary in consistency from hard and pellet-like to loose and watery or just small amounts of mucus. Afterwards, there may be a sense that the bowels have not been completely emptied.

The underlying cause of IBS is not known. It is thought to be a combination of psychological, physiological, and dietary factors. Unlike Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, IBS is not a disease of inflammation. It is usually a diagnosis of exclusion. A complete examination should be done that includes a thorough history, stool examination for parasites, blood, and bacteria, complete physical examination, and possibly a colonoscopy.

IBS symptoms usually occur in response to some kind of trigger, which is often dietary or stress-related.
Stress
It is often suggested that stress, anxiety and depression cause IBS, but these conditions often only exacerbate the symptoms rather than bring them on. Research has found the colon muscle of someone with IBS is more sensitive than that of a non-sufferer, which means that IBS sufferers have strong reactions to stimuli that would not affect others. It is also suggested that hormones may influence symptoms, as women generally have more symptoms of IBS when menstruating.

Magnesium and B complex vitamins may help reduce the effects of stress.

Diet
Those who have a tendency towards constipation, and to a lesser extent those with diarrhoea, will benefit from increasing their dietary fibre, especially in the form of fruits and vegetables. Porridge or slippery elm is a more soluble form of fibre. Dried apricots or prunes are also beneficial.

Herbalists often recommend an elimination diet to determine if symptoms improve with the removal of certain foods. Some researchers suggest that up to 45% of those with IBS have a sensitivity or intolerance to dairy and certain grains.

Flatulence comes from two main sources swallowed air and the breakdown of undigested foods by bacteria in the colon. Eating or drinking too fast can cause this. Sometimes, however, the body lacks enzymes necessary to break down certain carbohydrates. Katie has supplements of natural plant enzymes that can help with this condition. She has found them very successful in helping people to reduce wind especially after a big meal.
Herbal teas that have carminative (wind reducing) and stress reducing properties are often helpful. Chamomile, lemon balm, fennel and valerian may be taken separately or in combination and taken throughout the day to ease symptoms.

Enteric-coated peppermint oil: one to two capsules (0.2 ml peppermint oil per capsule) three times a day after meals has been found very beneficial in clinical trials on IBS.

Herbal medicine is very beneficial in addressing digestive system illnesses. Katie Dobiesz BSC MNIMH will address all aspects of your diet and lifestyle and devise a unique herbal treatment plan which is aimed at reducing your symptoms. She runs a clinic at Living Health in Grantham on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Please call on 01780 757442 or email katiedobiesz@hotmail.com

For advice on IBS or to make an appointment for a consultation
Herbal teas that have carminative (wind reducing) and stress reducing properties are often helpful. Chamomile, lemon balm, fennel and valerian may be taken separately or in combination and taken throughout the day to ease symptoms.

Enteric-coated peppermint oil: one to two capsules (0.2 ml peppermint oil per capsule) three times a day after meals has been found very beneficial in clinical trials on IBS.

Herbal medicine is very beneficial in addressing digestive system illnesses. Katie Dobiesz BSC MNIMH will address all aspects of your diet and lifestyle and devise a unique herbal treatment plan which is aimed at reducing your symptoms. She runs a clinic at Living Health in Grantham on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Please call on 01780 757442 or email katiedobiesz@hotmail.com

For advice on IBS or to make an appointment for a consultation

What happens in a herbal consultation with a medical herbalist?

2008-08-22T01:31:00.000-07:00

For many, that first visit to a medical herbalist can be a life changing experience, a chance to experience true healthcare as it should be practised. Katie the medical herbalist is a genuine, caring partner in health from the cradle to the third age. Many come to appreciate the power of correctly prescribed, natural herbal medicines dispensed by a highly trained medical professional.

Patients are often amazed at the opportunity to discuss in depth their physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and the sense of freedom and empowerment this imparts to the individual which, combined with the knowledge of an experienced healthcare partner gives the security that your healthcare needs receive the best attention. The results then speak for themselves.

Diet & Lifestyle are paramount in your treatment. Katie aims to encourage and support a healthy lifestyle. Nutrition and lifestyle advice will be given. Katie is qualified to support you with professional cleansing and detoxing programmes if they are needed and recommend the right supplements.

What can herbal medicine treat?
Herbal medicine is about restoring the maximum possible state of personal well-being. It is especially effective for treating chronic illness. Conditions often treated by herbalists include:

Low vitality/ energy
Allergies: hay fever, asthma etc
Children’s complaints
Digestive and bowel conditions
Cystitis and urinary disorders(male/female)
PMS, menopause, painful periods
Skin: eczema, psoriasis, acne
High blood pressure, angina, poor circulation, varicose veins
Infections and immune deficiency
Stress and emotional problems
Insomnia, headaches and migraines
Musculoskeletal and arthritic conditions

The initial consultation usually lasts about an hour. A full medical history will be taken. This will look not only at the current health problem but at all details of your past medical history, diet and lifestyle. Physical examinations (if relevant) will be made and blood pressure taken.

A second consultation is usually set for two or three weeks later in order to assess treatment. This consultation usually lasts 30 minutes and is aimed at checking progress and adjusting the medication or dosage if necessary.

A unique herbal prescription will then be formulated and dispensed. This may be a herbal tincture or tea. sometimes katie makes up a herbal cream for skin conditions.

Red Rice yeast for cholesterol

2008-08-13T12:45:00.000-07:00

The red rice yeast product from Traditional medicinals is, I believe, the most effective herbal treatment for hyperlipidaemia available. many of my patients have had a dramatic lowering of total cholesterol and an increase in HDL, by taking this product. The capsules contain Red rice yeat, co enzyme Q10 and Hawthorn.

Red rice yeast is prepared from cooked, non glutinous, white rice fermented by the yeast Monascus purpureus, which is then sterilized, dried, concentrated and ground. Red rice yeast is a dietary staple in many Asian countries, with daily consumption of up to 55g not uncommon

A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 83 men and women found that those taking 2.4g of red rice yeast /day enjoyed a significant reduction in total cholesterol of 17% after just eight weeks of treatment compared to controls (Heber 1999). When broken down, LDL-C levels dropped 22%, and triglycerides 12%, while HDL remained the same. Dietary intake was monitored and there were found to be no significant differences in total calorie intake, total fat, saturated fat, mono-unsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, or fibre. No changes in liver function tests or other serious adverse events were reported.

A pilot trial on 14 individuals with dyslipidaemia related to Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was conducted in 2002 (Keithley et al.). Patients were randomly assigned to receive either 1200mg/day of red rice yeast or placebo for eight weeks in a double blind manner. After eight weeks there was a significant decrease in total cholesterol in the treatment group p=0.01. HDL levels were again unaffected.

It is well known that statins may cause a deficiency in Co-Q10, with resulting fatigue and muscle weakness, which can be serious. Realising that there is a slim possibility of this, it includes 30mg of Co.Q10 in 3 capsules. Co.Q10, in its own right has beneficial effects on cardiac function, improving ejection fraction, cardiac output and stroke volume. Hawthorn is known to help the heart.

If you want any more information on red rice yeast please call me or email me

katiedobiesz@hotmail.com

Article by Exclusive Magazine

2008-08-08T02:52:00.000-07:00

Sarah Robinson a journalist from Exclusive magazine visited medical herbalist Katie Dobiesz. This is her account of her visit: Using herbs to treat our ills is one of the oldest forms of medicine known to man, and in an age when we are all searching for the healthiest lifestyle, more people are learning its benefits.

Katie Dobiesz is a Medical Herbalist at Living Health in Grantham and treats all kinds of complaints with herbal remedies.

Her treatment room looks a bit like a laboratory with rows bottles on shelves up to the ceiling, bearing Latin names, which you can vaguely recognise – Berberis Vulgaris, Lavandula, Clove etc, which Katie uses to make up wonderful mixtures to fight a whole host of conditions.

A consultation couch is centrepiece and her friendly welcome sets you at ease immediately.
As with other medical herbalists, Katie has a very scientific approach to diagnosing your complaints – but with a consultation that can last an hour or so, you are getting much more detailed consideration than you would if you visited your GP.

That said, Katie has the greatest of respect for doctors and would never advise anyone to stop taking orthodox medicine. If she suspects any of her patients need something beyond her remit, including help such as counselling or even surgery, she instantly refers them to other professionals.

Herbalism has been practised for millennia with our ancestors identifying effective plants by trial and error. More recently science has helped to identify the active ingredients in the plants, and so we can better understand how they work.

Katie explained that many of our modern drugs are based on plants – salicylic acid is the active ingredient in Aspirin, and was first isolated from the bark of the white willow tree. This also highlights one of the great benefits of herbal medicine. A reported side effect of Aspirin has been that it affects the stomach lining, however, the herbal extract from the bark of the tree has naturally occurring ingredients which protect the stomach.

“There are things in plants which help to counter side effects,” she explains. “There is a synergy when you use the whole plant so it has a more gentle healing effect.”

Other commonly seen plants can also offer cures for various ailments, says Katie. For example the dandelion leaf is very cleansing and effective as a diuretic. Nettles are also cleansing and are very good for skin conditions.

Katie’s consultation goes much deeper than simply identifying symptoms – it is an holistic treatment, so she spends an hour or so talking to you about your problem, your lifestyle and your diet, which could all be affecting your health.

I found this extremely helpful when Katie carried out a consultation on me – she helps you to identify where your life may be out of balance and having a detrimental effect on your well-being.

She takes your blood pressure, listens to your chest if you have cardio or respiratory problems, lists your medical history and if necessary will give you a physical examination.

“The whole idea of herbal medicine is to restore the body back to balance,” said Katie.

Medical herbalists take a three-year degree course, which includes 500 clinical hours, and at the end they are examined by a medical professional as well as a herbalist. Katie went on to study the effects of environmental stress on health afterwards and now lectures at universities and hosts workshops. “We need to be able to recognise serious conditions,” she said. “We need to know when to refer, just as a GP would refer you on if you needed to see a consultant.

“We are trained to diagnose and learn a lot about anatomy, physiology and pharmacology – we need to know what will react with drugs the patient may be taking.”

Katie is concerned that as there is more of a move towards using herbs to treat medical complaints, people are treating themselves, but she stresses it is much safer to take herbal medicine after seeing a professional. She said: “For example, St John’s wort should not be taken if you are on certain drugs, but you might not know that. Other herbs also might not be suitable, so for your own safety it is better to come to see a herbalist first.”

As her consultation includes advice on nutrition, she will be able to identify changes you can make to your diet or supplements which might be useful.

The list of conditions and ailments she can treat covers most of those you would visit a GP for and a few more ‑ low energy and depression, chronic fatigue, menopause, pre-menstrual tension and painful periods, sleeping problems, skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, stress and emotional problems, musculoskeletal and arthritic conditions, digestive and bowel conditions, allergies and infections, high blood pressure, angina and even varicose veins.

She makes up creams and medicines using tinctures and also prescribes teas to help with various conditions. With her training in environmental stress Katie can also recognise complaints which may be caused by pollution or electro-magnetic fields from electrical equipment such as computers or microwaves.

“Chronic stress, fatigue or ME could be linked to a patient’s environment,” she said.
“Working in stressful environment can have a negative impact on the body – it can upset the balance.”

She would recommend that people who spend a lot of time in front of computers should take time to go outside to ‘ground themselves’ every now and then.

Katie treats both adults and children and offers Echinacea drops to fight off winter coughs and colds – a boon for children who tend to go down with every virus that circulates nurseries and schools at this time of year. And acute colds which can last a week or more can be shortened with a mixture Katie can make up for you there and then.

There is definitely a place in our medicine cabinet for herbal remedies, prepared by medical herbalist Katie.

Look after your liver

2008-08-08T02:36:00.000-07:00

We keep hearing about how alcohol, chemicals, smoking and too much fat can be bad for our hearts but there is another organ we need to look after, our lovely liver. Most of us don't give much thought to our liver as it is an easy organ to ignore--it rarely gives us symptoms to let us know when things are not right.

But just because your liver goes about its business quietly that doesn't mean you should take it for granted. This amazingly complex organ affects virtually every physiological process in the body, either directly or indirectly. If your liver isn't working as well as it should, it may affect other aspects of your health.

The liver is the largest organ in the body with an extraordinary amount of reserve and the power to regenerate itself. It is responsible for the detoxification of many chemicals and for the processing of vitamins, fats, proteins, glucose, and other substances needed by the body. However when it is bombarded with too much alcohol and other chemicals, which include certain drugs, it can get overloaded and things can start to go wrong.

Most people are unaware that their liver may be involved when they experience headaches, fatigue, aches and pains, indigestion, chronic constipation or mood changes. Many skin conditions may be affected by the liver including: eczema, psoriasis or unexplained rashes. Most herbalists will always treat the liver when addressing any of these conditions, they are aware of the implications on health by even mild neglecting of the liver

Cirrhosis is a chronic disease of the liver. The most common cause of cirrhosis is excessive alcohol consumption but it can also occur as the result of infection, medication, or for unknown reasons. Early in the disease, there may be no symptoms. Gradually, weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, weakness, abdominal pain, swelling in the legs and stomach (ascites), mental confusion, and increased risk of bleeding may be symptoms. The diagnosis is made by blood tests, physical examination, and confirmed by a liver biopsy.

Removal of all toxins and implementation of a healthy lifestyle is key to helping the liver repair itself. Unless the damage is too extensive, some repair is possible, even though the process is very slow.

There are some very good herbal remedies that can help to protect the liver and aid detoxification. One of the main herbs that herbalists like to use is Milk thistle which contains silymarin. This has been shown in clinical trials to help with liver function. Dandelion root and artichoke are also herbs that can support and help the liver. Reducing alcohol consumption, especially binge drinking, and drinking more water is also very beneficial. If you feel that you may want to discuss making some lifestyle and diet changes and need the support of herbal treatment.

If you are worried about your liver function or just want some advice
email me katiedobiesz@hotmail.com

Natural ways to sail through the menopause

2008-08-08T02:22:00.000-07:00

The Menopause is a natural event in every woman’s life, the cessation of having regular monthly menstrual flows. Unfortunately in our western society people tend to consider this period as a disease and women are often encouraged to start HRT (hormone replacement therapy), which doesn’t suit a lot of women and can have its own rather unpleasant side effects including abnormal bleeding and weight gain. There are also increased risks of breast cancer and cardiovascular problems. In many primitive societies this is a period to embrace; the older women are respected and looked up to.

Some women appear to pass through this time with very few physiological or emotional complaints. Others will experience hot flushes and some emotional ups and downs while some may become debilitated by the physical and emotional manifestations of the “change.”

There are many natural ways to help centre your self during this period. Aromatherapy oils offer a simple and effective way of calming or energizing you throughout the day. Take a small spray bottle of water and add a few drops of lavender, geranium or rose essential oils. These oils can also be placed in a warm bath to help you sleep.

Develop strategies for dealing with any stress in your life. Take a walk in a relaxed environment, set aside a special corner of your room for listening to quiet music and meditating, go to a yoga class or whatever other approach you think will reduce tension and promote a sense of relaxation. Give yourself more ‘you’ time, as you deserve it.

Regular exercise is important for preventing heart disease and osteoporosis. Weight bearing exercise increases your bone density, while aerobic activity strengthens the heart. Exercise can also improve your mood and lift your spirits. Exercise early in the day if you have difficulty sleeping.

Eat a diet which is low in fat and rich in fiber and plants. Avoid caffeine containing drinks and chocolate. These will aggravate hot flushes and increase mood swings. Add phytoestrogen-rich foods to your menu. These include soy, flaxseeds, red clover sprouts, rice, sunflower seeds, olives, olive oil, oats, tofu, pumpkin, barley, and apples. Japanese women who have a lot of soy and tofu in their diet do not experience hot flushes and do not even have a word for them. Ensure that you are drinking adequate amounts of water. Dehydration increases your likelihood of having hot flushes, headaches, and fatigue.

There are some very good herbal remedies available. Drinking cold sage tea can alleviate hot flushes and supplements of Black Cohosh or Red Clover can help to combat the symptoms. Agnus castus (Vitex) is very useful if you are peri-menopausal and having irregular menstrual cycles.

Katie Dobiesz BSC (Hons )MNIMH specialises in helping women feel more comfortable and reducing hot flushes in the menopause. She uses a combination of herbs that fit the unique symptom picture, as every woman is different and may need different treatment. She can be contacted by phone: 01780 757442 or email katiedobiesz@hotmail.com She runs a clinic on Wednesdays and Saturdays at Living Health, 2-6 North Parade, Grantham, Lincs