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Billericay Herbal Medicine, Nature's Table, 8 The Walk, Billericay (2026)

18/06/2026

Did you know that today is International Panic Day? I have many people - adults, teenagers and children - contact me about anxiety and panic attacks that affect their lives pretty strongly. Everyone has a certain amount of worry, but we all deal with it differently, and it can be difficult for cool, calm and collected people to understand how others can be so badly affected.

This is my specialist area! Panic and anxiety can be dealt with really effectively with herbal medicine. In the initial consultation, we talk at great length about what worries you (if you like), but more importantly, how panic manifests for you. For example, does it affect your stomach, your breathing, do you go dizzy, do you feel sick, do you feel your heart beating faster? Does everything go dark, or do you get the shakes? All these factors affect the combination of herbs I prescribe for you. Perhaps you can’t sleep at night as your brain won’t switch off. I’m becoming quite well known for helping people deal with the “brain chatter”!

As always, it’s not just about the herbs. We talk about your diet and lifestyle, and discuss ways you can help yourself. When you’re in the midst of a panic or anxiety attack, it can seem impossible to get yourself out of it, and so I discuss self-help methods with my patients.

I mentioned children and teenagers. You don’t have to be an adult to be helped by herbal medicine, and I’ve had particular success with teenagers who are struggling with day to day life. It may be a really long time since I was that age, but I still remember how it feels!

If you’d like a chat about how I may be able to help you, please feel free to get in contact. If you’d rather do so by email, text or message to start off with, that’s absolutely fine. And I offer Zoom appointments if you would feel more comfortable doing this.

17/06/2026

Have you noticed the red clover (Trifolium pratense) has arrived? There are loads of patches of it in Mill Meadows at the moment - at least in parts that are closed off to the cows at the moment! Red clover is often used in farming, as a food crop for livestock, and to improve the soil - but I also use it frequently for my patients, mainly in skin or hormonal conditions.

In herbal medicine, red clover is what we call a lymphatic herb – it improves movement and drainage in the lymphatic system (the lymphatic system is part of the immune system - a network of tubes running throughout the body which carry fluid containing bacteria, viruses, and other waste products such as old cells to be disposed of). This means that we use it for skin problems such as acne, eczema and psoriasis, especially in children.

There's been extensive study into the use of red clover upon hormones, especially in menopause. It can be used for hot flushes, vaginal dryness and atrophy, libido and sleep issues. There is also evidence to show that it may help protect bone density and the heart and cardiovascular system post-menopause - it can reduce total cholesterol and LDL.

It's also expectorant (helps bring mucus/catarrh up from the chest) so it's sometimes used in bronchitis and other "chesty" conditions.

It's often combined with cleavers ("stickyw**d") to make a cleansing tea. According to folklore, if you put a leaf in your shoe, apparently the first person you meet will be the one you marry! 😉

Have you seen any red clover yet this year?

15/06/2026

This week is Men's Health Week, so I wanted to post something about men and herbal medicine. Although I would say the majority of my patients are female, a large proportion are male, from toddlers up to octogenarians!

What sort of conditions do I see in men…well of course the sorts of conditions that are not gender-specific, like digestive issues, anxiety and depression, joint and skin issues and so on. I seem to see more men seeking herbal help for conditions like high blood pressure, piles, low energy levels or recovery from sports injuries.

More specific: prostate issues and er****on difficulties. I’ve heard it all before and you can speak to me in confidence. Same goes for depression and anxiety – I can help support you through whatever you’re going through. I’m frequently told “I’ve never told anyone this before”.

Men can be notoriously bad at seeking help (I know not all of you!), so if you’re reading this with your partner, son, dad, brother or friend in mind, why not get in touch to see how I can help?

14/06/2026

This week has been Aromatherapy Awareness week. Although I'm a medical herbalist rather than an aromatherapist, part of my degree included learning about the use of essential oils in creams, lotions and rubs (never internally) for skin conditions, arthritis, muscle strains and injuries, insect bites and more.

Here's my little case of oils, (there's another layer under there) they smell amazing!

Two of my favourite reference books too - my copy of the Fragrant Pharmacy is probably getting on for 30 years old. Which are your favourite essential oils? I love orange and, being an old goth, patchouli of course! 🖤

12/06/2026

Have you been told you are “pre-diabetic” by your GP? A diagnosis of pre-diabetes means that your blood sugar (glucose) levels are above the normal range, but not high enough for you to be considered as diabetic. Usually, a blood test is used to measure your HbA1c levels – your average blood sugar levels for the past 3 months – if it’s between 42 and 47 mmol/mol this means you are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Often there are no symptoms of pre-diabetes, but you may have noticed getting up to go the loo more in the night, feeling tired, or more thirsty than usual. Type 2 diabetes can develop because the body can’t process sugar properly. When we eat, the pancreas sends insulin into the bloodstream to process the sugar so it can enter the cells to be used as energy. In diabetes either not enough insulin is produced or the body becomes resistant to insulin, so blood sugar levels keep rising.

Sometimes pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes are associated with other conditions, such as high blood pressure, low levels of HDL (“good” cholesterol), and increased waist size – if so, this puts people at a higher risk of heart disease and stroke. Developing type 2 diabetes can then lead to other complications, such as nerve damage, kidney problems, and damage to eyesight (see my post earlier this week for more about this).

Being diagnosed with pre-diabetes doesn’t mean you are destined to develop type 2 diabetes, and often patients are able to make lifestyle changes and avoid taking medication. These changes include increasing activity levels, changing diet, and losing weight.

Herbal medicine can also help! A combination of herbs to help control blood sugar levels; support liver and pancreatic function; avoid insulin resistance and support the cardiovascular system (heart/blood vessels) can work well with lifestyle changes in helping avoid progression to type 2 diabetes. I've had several patients recently who have been delighted to see their numbers going down.

As always, please get in touch if you’d like to discuss this further!

10/06/2026

Following on from Monday's post about herbal medicine and diabetes (this week is Diabetes Week), today I'm going to talk about one particular herb, goat's rue. If you’re diabetic, or know someone who is, chances are you’ve heard of the drug metformin (Glucophage – literally means “glucose eater”). It’s quite often the first drug to be prescribed by doctors when someone is diagnosed with Type II diabetes - it lowers blood glucose levels by reducing the amount of glucose produced and released by the liver, and by increasing insulin sensitivity.

But did you know metformin is actually derived from a plant, goat’s rue (Galega officinalis) – often found at the roadside in the south east? Goat’s rue was used traditionally to treat the plague and snake bites but as far back as the 17th century it was also used to treat diabetes. In the 1920’s it was found that the hypoglycaemic (blood sugar lowering) effect was due to compounds called diguanides and biguanides, amongst others, and eventually in the 1950’s, dimethylbiguanide or metformin was artificially synthesized and prescribed as an orthodox drug by doctors. Since then, 120 million people worldwide have taken metformin!

In the meantime, medical herbalists continue to prescribe goat’s rue in combination with other herbs and specific diets for diabetes or to keep blood sugar levels consistent in non-diabetics. It doesn’t have the same side effects of diarrhoea and wind that metformin can have. Goat’s rue can also help with PCOS (polycystic o***y syndrome). And it is also known to increase milk production and flow in breastfeeding mothers. Ironically it’s thought of as an invasive w**d!

08/06/2026

It's Diabetes Week and so I thought I'd write a little about potential complications of diabetes and where herbal medicine comes in. Complications of diabetes include retinopathy (sight problems, blindness), nephropathy (kidney failure), neuropathy (nervous system damage which can eventually lead to amputations eg of the toes), and general cardiovascular and circulation problems.

How do these complications happen? It’s basically as a result of hyperglycaemia (raised blood sugar levels) over a long period of time. This damages blood vessels and nerves and affects bloodflow throughout the body, also causing high blood pressure which can affect the health of the kidneys (nephropathy).

-In the eyes, the blood vessels swell and leak fluid into the back of the eye, which starves the retina of oxygen, causing extra blood vessels to grow.
- In the kidneys, there is a deterioration of the tiny blood vessels called capillaries that filter waste, stopping the kidneys doing their job properly and causing UTIs.
- In the nervous system, nerve damage (by starvation of oxygen and nutrients from weakened capillaries) stops nerves from sending and receiving signals properly, so there are problems with loss of sensation, ulceration, tingling, er****on difficulties and bladder problems amongst others.
- Infections – these are fed by the excess sugars in the bloodstream, and made worse as poor blood vessel quality means healing is more difficult. If neuropathy (nerve damage) is present then diabetics can be unaware of an infection on, say, the sole of their foot.

In terms of herbs, our main aims as medical herbalists are to support the function of the pancreas (which produces insulin) and liver; support the cardiovascular system to help prevent furring of the arteries, blood vessel damage and retinal changes; modulate blood sugar levels and avoid insulin resistance; support the kidneys and protect the nerves.

If you'd like to discuss this further, get in touch!

If you have a friend or family member with diabetes and you'd like to know how to support them, Diabetes UK have a helpful guide:https://www.diabetes.org.uk/sites/default/files/2026-06/How-to-be-a-diabetes-ally-advice-for-loved-ones1.pdf

07/06/2026

Loving this purple plant I've been seeing on my walks in the fields: salsify or purple goat's beard (Tragopogon porrifolius). It looks so exotic but it's just popping up amongst the cleavers and buttercups at the edges of fields alongside the ditches! A little research told me it's used in cooking (the roots mainly) although it was traditionally used medicinally for jaundice.

A casual glance at the yellow flower and you might think it's a dandelion, but this is the related goat's beard (Tragopogon pratensis). So you get two for the price of one today. Both flowers apparently close at noon (and are known as "Jack-goes-to-bed-by-noon) - my walk tends to be in the morning so I've obviously been lucky!

The photo in the dry grass shows the first salsify I saw this year - at the edge of a (yellow) green in a local estate, it was nice to see it thriving!

Has anyone else seen either of these flowers?

05/06/2026

This week I've been talking about heart health, and this is an alternative to foxglove that I mentioned earlier in the week. This is lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis), which I was most jealous to find growing in my in-laws’ new front garden in Billericay when they moved in a few years back (mum-in-law was really pleased as she had it in her wedding bouquet fifty years ago!). A delicate little flower with hidden powers, it contains cardioactive glycosides which means that, like the drug digoxin, it increases the strength/force of the heartbeat without increasing the heart rate or causing the rhythm of the heart to be disrupted. In effect, the heart can work more efficiently without extra strain being place upon it.
This means that in herbal medicine, we use it in cases of angina, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, low blood pressure, heart weakness after infection, and pulmonary oedema. It’s a herb that is only legal for qualified medical herbalists to prescribe in the UK as there are various situations where it should not be used and it’s essential that the correct dose is given - never experiment with it yourself.

The leaves of lily of the valley are very similar to those of wild garlic and before they flower the two are easy to confuse, showing the importance of never eating something you aren’t 100% certain you’ve identified correctly!

Also known as “Our Lady’s Tears”, formed from the tears Mary wept as Jesus was crucified, and Eve’s tears when she was banished from the Garden of Eden. An Irish legend tells how the flowers were from the cups of fairies and the large green leaves were there to hide them. The flowers appear in May – it is also said that when you see them you should plant your tomatoes! Lily of the valley is symbolic of happiness, chastity, purity and modesty and as a result has been used in wedding bouquets since the Middle Ages; for some brides, it’s the fifth item to be carried after something old, new, borrowed and blue!

03/06/2026

You may have seen my post earlier on in the week about how herbal medicine can help a number of heart and circulation issues and today I wanted to show you a relevant plant. This is foxglove (Digitalis species): did you know that this beautiful plant gave us the heart drug digoxin?
Foxglove was traditionally used for “dropsy” – the swelling of the legs that comes from heart failure. Eventually, in the late 19th century, physicians started to experiment with foxglove because of its effects upon the heart and pulse rate, and its diuretic effect (like a “water tablet”). They found that these effects were due to the chemicals in foxglove called cardiac glycosides – digitoxin and digoxin.
Digoxin was eventually developed into a drug prescribed by doctors to control the heart rate. It works by increasing the intensity of the heart muscle contractions but decreasing the rate, meaning the heart doesn’t have to work so hard. Only a minuscule amount (of either foxglove or the drug digoxin) is required and there is such a narrow margin between the effective dose and the lethal dose that medical herbalists in the UK no longer prescribe foxglove.

These days we use a much safer herb with a similar action to foxglove in our heart patients – Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis). Post on this to come!

Oh - and a little bit of folklore I learned that I thought some of you might like...foxgloves are so called as apparently foxes put them on their paws so they can creep around more quietly! 😆

Billericay Herbal Medicine

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Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
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