Botanica Health

Botanica Health Welcome to the online community for Botanica Health, an independent health shop, herbalist, and clin

Botanica Health is a boutique health store and clinic specialising in cutting edge supplementation and nutrition.

* As we age the release of stomach acid secretion reduces (and yet so many people on acid suppressing drugs).* It is use...
10/06/2026

* As we age the release of stomach acid secretion reduces (and yet so many people on acid suppressing drugs).
* It is useful to check if you actually have LOW stomach acid. The bicarb test can be helpful.
* B12, other B vitamins, magnesium and zinc are required to make stomach acid and on the flip side if you have low stomach acid absorption of these nutrients will be hindered.
* STRESS (especially chronic) plays havoc on digestion and the body diverts to the ‘fight or flight’ reaction taking attention away from digestion; the opposite parasympathetic phase is known as ‘rest and digest’.
* Mindful eating is paramount, with no or little water taken during a meal to avoid over-diluting gastric secretions.
* Salt aids digestion. Salt helps your stomach form HCL which is a hydrogen and chlorine compound that forms a solution in your stomach fluid called hydrochloric acid.
* It may be necessary to add acid in, in the form of HCL or by taking digestive bitters to create gastric acid.
* Digestive enzymes can be so useful before food to aid digestion and reduce bloating and gas.
* If you have SIBO I recommend Andrographis and clove and oregano supplements alongside a high quality probiotic and Slippery elm.
* Slippery elm is THE herb for acid reflux, marshmallow is also good and you can read about it below.
* IQoro neuromuscular training device has been proven to be highly effective for people with hiatus hernia, acid reflux, swallowing difficulties and snoring.
It is well worth investigating.
* Most digestive complaints can be rectified with the right protocol and support. Life is too long to be miserable.
and breathe deeply. Inhale, exhale. From
the tummy, not the chest.

Myth: Depression is simply a “low serotonin” disorder caused by a chemical imbalance.What the evidence suggests: Depress...
08/06/2026

Myth: Depression is simply a “low serotonin” disorder caused by a chemical imbalance.
What the evidence suggests: Depression is much more complex, and the low-serotonin theory has not been convincingly demonstrated.
What remains true: Some antidepressants can still help some people, even if their benefit is not primarily due to correcting a serotonin deficiency.
But they come at a cost - Emotional blunting (“feeling numb” or less emotionally responsive)
Agitation, restlessness, or anxiety, especially early in treatment and other physiological effects.

The hymn “It is well with my soul” was written after traumatic events by Chicago attorney Horatio Spafford.
‘The first was the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which ruined him financially (Spafford had been a successful lawyer and had invested significantly in property in the area of Chicago that was extensively damaged by the great fire). His business interests were further hit by the economic downturn of 1873, at which time Spafford had planned to travel to England with his family on the SS Ville du Havre, to help with Dwight L. Moody’s upcoming evangelistic campaigns. In a late change of plan, Spafford sent his wife, Anna, and their four daughters, Annie, Maggie, Bessie, and Tanetta, ahead while Spafford was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sea vessel, the Loch Earn, Killing 226 people, including Annie, Maggie, Bessie, and Tanetta.[2] Anna survived and sent Spafford the now famous telegram, “Saved alone ..”. Shortly afterwards, as he traveled to England to meet his grieving wife, Spafford was inspired to write these words as his ship passed the spot near where his four daughters had died! Wikipedia What isn’t mentioned here is that some years later their 4 year old son died of scarlet fever.
When you hear stories like this you can’t believe that anyone can survive the grief but they somehow did survive this terrible loss by leaning on their faith.

The pomegranate study above is astounding, but pomegranate juice cannot be patented so perhaps the big boys don’t care f...
03/06/2026

The pomegranate study above is astounding, but pomegranate juice cannot be patented so perhaps the big boys don’t care for it.
I remember my father telling me about pomegranate juice and how is sloughed off plaque years ago. The study was from 2004 and entitled “Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood pressure and LDL oxidation.”
These patients had 70-90% blockages and were between 65 and 70 years old.
By the 12 month mark of a daily small glass of pomegranate juice the carotid intima-media thickness had reduced by 35%. There was genuine physiological reversal. Not risk factor management. Genuine health improvements.
I wonder how many cardiologists tell their patients of this study or do they even know about it. They should.

“Why has the pleasure of slowness disappeared? Ah, where have they gone, the amblers of yesteryear? Where have they gone...
01/06/2026

“Why has the pleasure of slowness disappeared? Ah, where have they gone, the amblers of yesteryear? Where have they gone, those loafing heroes of folk song, those vagabonds who roam from one mill to another and bed down under the stars?”
Milan Kundera, Slowness

Blaise Pascal once famously said, “The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.”Everything flows from the he...
28/05/2026

Blaise Pascal once famously said, “The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.”
Everything flows from the heart.
Heart herbs - Hawthorn, Lemon balm, Rose, Holy basil, Astragalus, Andrographis, Rosemary 🌿
The heart is electrically active ⚡️
Your heart beats because specialised heart cells generate and conduct tiny electrical impulses. These impulses tell the heart muscle when to contract and relax.
The electrical system starts in the sinoatrial (SA) node — often called the heart’s natural pacemaker — and spreads through the heart in an organized pattern.
An ECG/EKG measures this electrical activity.
Electrolytes are essential for that electricity ⚡️
Electrolytes are minerals that carry electrical charge when dissolved in body fluids. The main ones involved in heart function are:
Potassium (K⁺)
Sodium (Na⁺)
Calcium (Ca²⁺)
Magnesium (Mg²⁺)
These charged particles move in and out of heart cells to create the electrical impulses that trigger each heartbeat.
For example:
Sodium and calcium help start electrical activation.
Potassium helps reset heart cells after each beat.
Magnesium helps regulate electrical stability.
The heartbeat works because of ion movement ❤️
At the cellular level, the heart runs on controlled shifts of charged ions across cell membranes.
This process is called an action potential.
That formula broadly represents how membrane voltage depends on charged ions and their concentrations.
When electrolytes are off, heart rhythm can change
Too much or too little potassium, calcium, sodium, or magnesium can cause:
palpitations
arrhythmias
muscle weakness
changes on ECG
in severe cases, cardiac arrest
That’s why electrolyte balance is medically important.

26/05/2026

Floroquinolones are a powerful class of broad-spectrum antibiotics used to treat severe bacterial infections (like complicated UTI’s and pneumonia) when alternative options are unsuitable. Because they can cause severe serious, long-lasting side effects involving tendons, muscles, joints and nerves, they should only be used after carefully weighing risks.
They carry a strict “black box warning” due to the severity of certain potential, sometimes permanent, side effects -
Peripheral neuropathy
Severe anxiety, depression, confusion and hallucinations
Tendon rupture (especially Achilles)
Cardiac issues
Aortic aneurysm
Severe digestive issues like C. diffile

Watch our whole interview on our Botanica Health YouTube channel

The Elderflower always brings back childhood memories for me.We would collect it in the local village, using it fresh or...
25/05/2026

The Elderflower always brings back childhood memories for me.

We would collect it in the local village, using it fresh or drying it over our red AGA, filling the house with this most beautiful soothing scent.

I remember as a child having elderflower tea as a diaphoretic (to induce a sweat) if I had a fever. I can still smell it now, in a steaming cup with some other herbs to help ease me out of the flu.

It is also a useful relaxant, for colic, upper respiratory tract congestion and depression.

In the year 800 CE Charlemagne decreed that an Elder be planted in every yard in his realm, to be a “medicine cabinet” for immediate use. How wise these people were.

recipe ~ elderflower delight

Pick 10 generous elderflower heads, shake out any insects

Also:

4 flat tbsp of gelatin granules – buy here
350g granulated sugar
70ml + 150ml + 50ml of water
1 lemon juiced
1 heaped tbsp of cornflour + another 60g
1 heaped tbsp of icing sugar

Place the gelatin in a small bowl, add the 70ml of water, stir and leave to bloom for about 15 minutes. It will swell and bloom.
Put the sugar, lemon juice and 150ml of water in to a smallish saucepan and heat gently. Stir from time to time to ensure all the granules have dissolved. Turn off the heat and move aside.
Line a small dish, about 15cm by 15cm with parchment paper. Sift the icing sugar with the 1 tablespoon of cornflour generously over the base of the dish. Save the rest until later to dust the delight.
Remove most of the stems from the elderflower and place the blossoms in a piece of muslin making a small pouch, and tie with a piece of cotton.
Stir the 60g of cornflour into the 50ml of water making a smooth paste.
Put the sugar syrup back on to a low heat and when warm whisk in the gelatin and cornflour paste. Make sure the gelatin has completely dissolved.
Recipe cont. in comments.

Seated above the kidneys are the adrenal glands. These small organs are responsible for producing hormones including cor...
22/05/2026

Seated above the kidneys are the adrenal glands. These small organs are responsible for producing hormones including cortisol, aldosterone and adrenaline. They help regulate your metabolism, immune system, blood pressure, response to stress and are vital for other essential functions.

Existing in flight or fight mode and in a chronically stressed state the adrenals release greater amounts of cortisol. Adrenal fatigue occurs when the glands become overworked by the release of excess cortisol. They can no longer produce amounts of cortisol and aldosterone necessary for optimal body function.

Adrenal Fatigue Symptoms

When suffering from adrenal burnout you may experience –

Fatigue
Nervousness
Agitation
Weariness
Body aches
Insomnia
Digestive upset
Low blood pressure
Light headedness
Therefore it is vital that the adrenal gland hormones are supported and so this starts with having adequate, balanced minerals. Sodium and potassium are the two most important minerals for maintaining the hormone aldosterone. The orange juice, containing Vitamin C, helps repair the damage caused by stress.
The Adrenal Cocktail is best consumed around 10am and/or 2pm, when the body naturally starts to run low on adrenal gland hormones.
I often add ReMag to mine.
You should feel more rejuvenated and less fatigued.

Not to be used as a meal replacement and should be included as part of a normal diet where 3 meals a day are consumed.

19/05/2026

In the incredible book Livewired, David Eagleman shows that “The brain is not hardwired. It’s livewired.”
It captures the entire thesis of the book: the brain is constantly rewiring itself in response to experience, environment, attention, injury, learning, and habit.
Your body is rebuilding itself every moment. Healing is not an exception to life, it is one of life’s main activities.

💛 I wear sunglasses much, much less, but use for bright glare etc - this is hard to begin with because everything just f...
17/05/2026

💛 I wear sunglasses much, much less, but use for bright glare etc - this is hard to begin with because everything just feels so bright and then you adjust
💛 I try my best to view early morning light every morning, I need to be more disciplined and want to do it for longer, but I try to do this before picking up my phone! Without contacts or glasses
💛 Five evenings out of 7 we have about a 40 minute walk, about 15 minutes after eating dinner - any amount of time is better than just slumping on the sofa after dinner, even just 10 minutes
💛 I swapped uv-blocking contact lenses to non blocking - I’ve worn them for long periods from about the age of 15 and feel they have been detrimental
💛 I only wear a natural suncream when it’s necessary, or seek shade, a cap etc
💛 Eat to protect skin - bright coloured fruits, berries, reducing seed oil consumption as much as I can. Only using olive oil, butter, coconut oil to cook at home
💛 Keep lights dim in the evening at home and don’t have the energy saving bulbs with the depressing blue hue
💛 The sun is not our enemy. The sun is our original medicine.
💛 Every day is an education, of learning and unlearning.
💛 and my new saying for eating out in the evening is “it is so 1980’s” - I’m very happy with a lunch date and home by dinner time ;-)
💛 “We are creating the sickest population the world has ever seen because we have forsaken nature, being lured-in by the false trappings of technology.”
Auguste Rollier

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Tunbridge Wells
TN48RY

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