The Irish Herbalist

The Irish Herbalist Ciara Murphy is a Master Herbalist, Iridologist & Colon Hydrotherapist based in Blackrock, Co Dublin.

Medical Practice providing professional consultations and treatments in the following:

� Herbal Medicine
� Iridology
� Colon Hydrotherapy
� Nutrition
� Clinical Aromatherapy

Linseeds — Nature’s Gentle Bowel SupportLinseeds, also known as flaxseeds, are one of my favourite natural foods for sup...
25/08/2026

Linseeds — Nature’s Gentle Bowel Support

Linseeds, also known as flaxseeds, are one of my favourite natural foods for supporting healthy bowel function.

There are two main types of linseeds — golden and brown. Both varieties are nutritious and provide fibre, mucilage, plant-based omega-3 fats and beneficial plant compounds. I personally prefer the golden linseeds as they have a milder, slightly nuttier flavour.

Linseeds are particularly wonderful for the bowel because they are rich in soluble fibre and mucilage. When soaked in water, the seeds release a soft, slippery gel which helps to lubricate and bulk the stool, support regular bowel movements and gently soothe the digestive tract.

How to take them:

Sprinkle whole or freshly ground linseeds over porridge, yoghurt or salads, or add them to smoothies.

My favourite way to take them is to put 1 tablespoon of whole linseeds into a mug of boiling water. Stir every few minutes and allow it to cool until pleasantly warm. Drink the water along with the seeds and the lovely gel that has formed around them.

Start with 1 tablespoon daily and, if you tolerate them well, gradually increase to 2 tablespoons a day. It is important to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day when increasing your fibre intake.

A simple, inexpensive and wonderfully natural way to give your bowels a little extra support.

Colon Hydrotherapy – Supporting Bowel Health Naturally Colon hydrotherapy is not a cure for constipation or disease. Its...
04/08/2026

Colon Hydrotherapy – Supporting Bowel Health Naturally

Colon hydrotherapy is not a cure for constipation or disease. Its purpose is to help gently relieve retained waste and faecal impaction from the bowel, along with mucus, gas and unhealthy bacteria. Therefore supporting the body’s natural elimination processes.

Many people report feeling lighter and more comfortable after treatment. A cleaner bowel environment may also support the re-establishment of a healthy balance of beneficial gut bacteria when combined with a nutritious diet and healthy lifestyle.

In natural healing, we believe that reducing the burden of accumulated waste allows the body’s vital force to work more efficiently, supporting overall wellbeing.

Every treatment is tailored to the individual and forms part of a broader approach to digestive health.

💧What is Colon Hydrotherapy?One of the questions I’m asked most often is, “What actually happens during a colon hydrothe...
24/06/2026

💧What is Colon Hydrotherapy?

One of the questions I’m asked most often is, “What actually happens during a colon hydrotherapy treatment?”

Colon hydrotherapy is a gentle treatment that uses warm, filtered water to help cleanse the large intestine and support normal bowel function. The water is introduced slowly under gentle pressure while light abdominal massage may be used to encourage the natural movement of the bowel.

Is it painful?
No. Most people find it very comfortable. Occasionally you may experience mild cramping or a sensation similar to needing to open your bowels, a bit like having diarrhoea, but this usually passes quickly.

Many clients choose colon hydrotherapy to support digestive health and report benefits such as:
✨ Relief from constipation
✨ Reduced bloating
✨ Feeling lighter and more energised
✨ Improved sense of wellbeing

Every person is different, so the number of treatments recommended depends on your individual needs. Some people benefit from a single treatment, while others choose a course of sessions followed by occasional maintenance treatments.

If you’ve been curious about colon hydrotherapy and have questions, feel free to get in touch

Burdock root has to be one of my favourite herbs in the dispensary — and honestly, probably one of the herbs I rely on t...
24/05/2026

Burdock root has to be one of my favourite herbs in the dispensary — and honestly, probably one of the herbs I rely on the most.

Dr. Christopher described burdock as helping to “release water tension” in the body and supporting the liver, kidneys, gallbladder and digestion, and I’ve found that to be so true in practice over the years. It’s one of those herbs that works deeply but gently.

I think of burdock as a cooling, cleansing, grounding herb with a real affinity for the blood, lymphatic system and skin. I use it constantly where there’s heat, redness, inflammation, congestion, sluggish skin, eczema, acne, psoriasis, inflammatory conditions, swollen glands, or where the body just seems overloaded and stagnant.

Traditionally, burdock has also been used as a mild laxative and blood cleanser, helping the body to clear waste more efficiently. Herbalists have long used it to help eliminate excess uric acid, which is why it’s often considered supportive in more acidic conditions such as arthritis and gout. I also love it as part of protocols where blood sugar balance and metabolic sluggishness are involved.

Although burdock is widely used in Traditional Chinese and Western herbal medicine, it also grows abundantly here in Ireland — strong, wild and overlooked at the edges of fields and roadsides. I always think there’s something beautiful about the herbs we need often growing close to home.

As burdock is a root herb it has a steady, nourishing nature to it. It doesn’t push the body aggressively — it supports it slowly and deeply.

In the dispensary I’ll often combine it with cleavers for lymphatic drainage, yellow dock for deeper blood and liver support, dandelion root to stimulate digestion and liver function, or sarsaparilla in chronic inflammatory and skin conditions. Most often I prescribe it as a tincture, and I’ve seen some beautiful results with it over the years.

Burdock Root is a strong and steady herb, long valued in Ireland for its dependable nature and gentle support.

In my work as a colon hydrotherapist and medical herbalist, I’ve found that supporting the bowel is one of the most impo...
30/04/2026

In my work as a colon hydrotherapist and medical herbalist, I’ve found that supporting the bowel is one of the most important starting points for overall health. When the digestive system is sluggish, it can have a knock-on effect on many other areas of the body, from energy levels to skin health. Over my career, the majority of people who attend my practice are struggling with bloating, constipation, or irregular bowel movements.

As a qualified colon hydrotherapist since 2000, and Dublin’s longest established practitioner, I’ve seen first-hand the difference this treatment can make. Many clients report feeling noticeably less bloated and more comfortable, with improved regularity and a greater sense of lightness after a session. Increased energy levels are also commonly reported, which may be linked to improved digestive function and nutrient absorption.

During a colon hydrotherapy session, the body is gently rehydrated, which can support overall wellbeing. This rehydration may also contribute to improvements in skin appearance, with many people noticing a clearer, more refreshed complexion afterwards.

From a natural health perspective, when the bowel is functioning well, it allows other systems in the body to work more efficiently. Supporting this process can be a simple but powerful step toward feeling better day-to-day.

I absolutely love the work I do, as it’s incredibly rewarding to see people leave feeling lighter, more comfortable, and more in control of their health.

Benefits of Colonic HydrotherapyHelps relieve constipation by softening and removing built-up wasteReduces gas, bloating...
22/04/2026

Benefits of Colonic Hydrotherapy

Helps relieve constipation by softening and removing built-up waste

Reduces gas, bloating, and abdominal discomfort

Supports healthy colon tone and function

Aids digestion and improves nutrient absorption

May increase energy levels and overall vitality

Helps reduce harmful bacteria, parasites, and fungal overgrowth

Supports immune function and general wellbeing

Can improve mental clarity and focus

Supports the body’s natural detoxification processes

May contribute to clearer, healthier-looking skin

Helps rehydrate the body at a cellular level

Encourages emotional release and a sense of reset

May support metabolism and healthy weight management

Can help reduce food cravings

Supports overall gut health and toxin elimination

Colonic Hydrotherapy Benefits • Helps relieve constipation by softening and removing built-up waste • Reduces gas, bloa...
22/04/2026

Colonic Hydrotherapy Benefits
• Helps relieve constipation by softening and removing built-up waste
• Reduces gas, bloating, and abdominal discomfort
• Supports healthy colon tone and function
• Aids digestion and improves nutrient absorption
• May increase energy levels and overall vitality
• Helps reduce harmful bacteria, parasites, and fungal overgrowth
• Supports immune function and general wellbeing
• Can improve mental clarity and focus
* Supports the body’s natural detoxification processes
• May contribute to clearer, healthier-looking skin
• Helps rehydrate the body at a cellular level
• Encourages emotional release and a sense of reset
• May support metabolism and healthy weight management
• Can help reduce food cravings
• Supports overall gut health and toxin elimination

The principle of a clean colon is the foundation of good health. 70-80% of my clients are constipated, and most are unaw...
11/04/2026

The principle of a clean colon is the foundation of good health. 70-80% of my clients are constipated, and most are unaware of it. Before any health conditions can be addressed the colon must first be cleaned.

Constipation is when a person has difficulty emptying their bowel. I have noted that the average person who attends my clinic has only three bowel movements a week. In a healthy body we should have three a day, one for every meal we eat.

THE CAUSES OF CONSTIPATION
Stress
Inherent weakness
Dehydration
Diet- mucus forming foods, high protein diets, white foods, cereals etc
Sedentary lifestyle
Medication- NSAI, analgesics, antidepressant, antispasmodics, anti cholinergenics and iron supplements.

IDEAL BOWEL MOVEMENT After every meal consumed (aprox 3 daily)
Soft (cow pat)
Float
Effortless
No marks on toilet bowl
No need for toilet paper!
Medium brown or green
A definite feeling to go but not urgent
No conscious straining
Slides out smoothly
A feeling of complete emptiness in the lower bowel.

STOOL COLOUR
Ideally it should be mid brown or green.
Mucus indicates inflammation and irritation. Bad bacteria thrive in this environment.
Black stools can be a result of iron supplements, wine, charcoal, upper GIT blood loss or beetroot consumption.
A red movement is usually fresh blood from haemorrhoids, or in colitis, or ulcerative colitis
Green stool can be seen in chlorophyll rich diet.
Pale or light clay may be attributed to gallbladder issues, lack of bile secretion, a fast transit time or fats in stool .

TRANSIT TIME
This is the length of time it takes for ingested food to leave the body.
Normally, four-fifths of food ingested should be eliminated over an eleven to nineteen hour period of time.
Every eight hours there is a peristaltic urge triggered by the gallbladder.
If a bowel movement is passed on waking at 7:00 a.m., then the next one should be passed at approximately 3:00 p.m.
A good way to find out your transit time is to eat sweetcorn or beetroot!

My goal as a herbalist and colon therapist is to
rebuild and renew the colon and body through diet, lifestyle and herbs to achieve a clean functioning bowel.

Cleavers is a traditional Irish spring herb, and here in Ireland we see it weaving its way throughhedgerows and gardens ...
09/04/2026

Cleavers is a traditional Irish spring herb, and here in Ireland we see it weaving its way through
hedgerows and gardens at this time of the year.

Cleavers is classed as an alterative — a herb that gradually restores normal metabolic and
eliminative function. Rather than forcing dramatic purging, alteratives work steadily over
time to improve the quality of the blood and lymph by enhancing elimination. Cleavers is
considered a lymphatic deobstructant; it helps thin and mobilise congested lymphatic fluid,
encourages proper elimination through the kidneys and skin, and reduces inflammatory
stagnation under the skin.

I use it for swollen lymph nodes like tonsillitis, for skin problems and for its diuretic action.

I combine it with nettles or red clover for skin problems; with Echinacea and calendula for lymphatic and immune system problems; and with dandelion leaf as a diuretic tea.

As well as cleansing the lymphatic system, cleavers are also useful in purifying the bloodstream. I always use cleavers in formulae for skin conditions such as eczema, acne and psoriasis.

It may be juiced fresh in season, taken as a tea (which is
how I most often use it in clinic), or given in tincture form as part of a combination formula.
It can also be applied externally as a fomentation or wash for irritated skin.

I always include it in a formula when the person displays lymphatic congestion in their Iris. It’s a very safe and steady herb and one that I use everyday in the clinic.

Address

7 Rockville Road, Blackrock
Dublin
A94RC52

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 8pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm
Saturday 8am - 3pm

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