Just because something is natural, does not always mean it is safe. Herbal medicine can be effective, but herbs are also drugs, and you should never play around with them, as they can have serious interactions with medical drugs or even supplements and other herbal medicines.
Holistic medicine in the UK is not as regulated as orthodox medicine, so unless your GP is also qualified in herbal medicine, tell him or her that you are seeing a qualified herbalist, if relevant. And vice versa.
Healing Herbs offers 100 plain and simple remedies for common ailments, by a qualified therapist. Read a book like this, when the author knows the contraindications.
Avoid essential oils for pregnancy/nursing and affected medical conditions (and don’t use near young children or pets). If growing remedies, read how to make your garden safe for pets.
This book includes:
- A brief history of herbalism
- An overview of how herbs heal
- The benefits of each herb, and how to use them
- A tour of body systems, and how herbs help
- A herb dictionary
Marlene Houghton PhD has over 20 years experience of working in orthodox medicine in London teaching hospitals. She also works as a nutrition therapist and traditional herbalism, as well as a nutrition consultant.
Why Safety Matters With Herbal Remedies
Herbs act on the body in clear, measurable ways. That is the point. Unqualified advice can turn a helpful plant into a hazard. The wrong herb or the wrong dose can trigger side effects, blunt a prescription drug, or amplify its effect to a risky level.
Self-prescribing is common. So are social media tips and shop counter suggestions. These can miss key details, like a history of high blood pressure or a thyroid condition. Allergies, pregnancy, and liver disease also change what is safe. A trained herbalist takes all of this into account before they recommend anything.
It’s never good to just go into a health shop and pick a herbal medicine off the shelf. Poor-quality products add another layer of risk. Some imported herbs are contaminated with heavy metals, pesticides, or undeclared pharmaceuticals. There have been recalls of herbal products.
National Institute of Medical Herbalists is the site to visit, to find out more and find qualified and insured herbalists, who know what they are doing, and will work alongside GPs.
A qualified herbalist will:
- Review your medical history: diagnoses, surgeries, allergies, and family risks.
- Check medications and supplements: over-the-counter and prescription.
- Screen for interactions: herbs, foods, and nutrients that clash with drugs.
- Source quality herbs: pure, tested, and traceable.
- Monitor your response: adjust dose, switch herbs, or refer when needed.
NHS says to avoid herbal medicines without professional help if:
- Suffering from any medical condition
- Taking supplements or medicines
- For children or elderly vulnerable people
- If pregnant or breastfeeding
- Before surgery
- If you have liver or kidney disease
- If on hormonal contraceptives
Avoiding Dangerous Interactions and Side Effects
Some well-known interactions show why training counts:
- St John’s wort: speeds up liver enzymes, which can reduce levels of antidepressants, oral contraceptives, anti-HIV drugs, and some heart medicines.
- Ginkgo biloba: can increase bleeding risk with warfarin, aspirin, or clopidogrel.
- Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra): can raise blood pressure and lower potassium, which is risky with diuretics.
- Goldenseal: can affect drug metabolism, including some statins and antihistamines.
- Kava has been linked to liver injury.
A qualified herbalist will request a full medication list, including supplements. They will take blood pressure and other baseline measures as needed. If there is a risk, they choose a safer herb or work with your GP to find a plan that fits.
Practical tips to check qualifications:
- Ask where and when they trained, and whether the course was accredited by EHTPA.
- Confirm membership of a professional body and current insurance.
- Look for clear consent forms and record keeping.
- Expect a full consultation, not a two-minute sale.
The Importance of Quality Herb Sourcing
Herbal quality starts with the plant and ends with the bottle in your hand. That chain can break at many points. Substandard products may be diluted, misidentified, or contaminated with heavy metals, microbes, or pesticides. Labels can be vague, and batch testing may be absent.
Qualified herbalists work with trusted suppliers who:
- Use correct species and plant parts: reduces the risk of mix-ups.
- Test for purity and strength: confirms active constituents match the label.
- Screen for contaminants: heavy metals, microbes, and adulterants.
- Provide batch numbers and certificates: supports traceability.
In the UK, the MHRA’s Traditional Herbal Registration scheme sets quality standards for over-the-counter products. Many professional suppliers go beyond this, with third-party testing and GMP manufacturing. Unqualified sellers often cannot show such documentation, and may source from bulk wholesalers with weak controls. The difference is not subtle. It is the difference between reliable care and guesswork.
Protecting Endangered Species
Even though it’s illegal to sell dodgy animal ingredients in the UK (like tiger or rhino horn or bear bile), some items do filter through), so only use reputable traditional herbalists, who can guarantee source.
This not only is safer and helps other creatures, but could also literally stop some going extinct (there are less than 5000 wild tigers left in the world, often due to ‘traditional medicine’ illegally sourced from poaching.
Qualified Herbalists Deliver Better Outcomes
Safety is the baseline. People also want results. Qualified herbalists bring clinical reasoning to plant medicine. They match herbs to the person, not just the symptom. They use evidence from research, clinical tradition, and their own case outcomes. They integrate care with your GP or specialist when needed.
Tailored prescriptions are central to this approach. Two people with the same symptom can have different drivers. Sleep problems can relate to anxiety, pain, hormones, or blood sugar swings. A skilled practitioner chooses herbs that fit the pattern, then adjusts the plan as your body responds.
They also look beyond the bottle. Diet, stress, sleep, and movement shape recovery. A herbal prescription can calm an overactive gut, but it will work better if the diet shifts too. A good herbalist knows how to build a simple plan that fits your life.
Common areas where people see gains include stress and mood support, digestive complaints, mild hormonal symptoms, skin flare-ups, and recovery after illness. These are not quick fixes. They are steady changes based on close follow-up and precise adjustments.
Personalised Treatment Plans for Your Needs
A qualified herbalist will start with a long consultation. They will ask about symptoms, medical history, diet, sleep, work, and stress. They may check blood pressure, pulse, and tongue or skin signs. They might request recent test results, or suggest you speak to your GP about further tests.
From this, they create a tailored plan. It often includes a liquid formula blended for you, or capsules and teas. Diet tweaks and simple lifestyle steps support the herbs. Follow-ups track progress, side effects, and any change in your goals. If your needs shift, the plan shifts too.
Contrast this with generic advice from a shelf or a forum. Mass tips miss nuance. They ignore your unique mix of medications, history, and triggers. Personalised care saves time and avoids detours.
Evidence-Based Advice Backed by Training
Medical herbalists study both plants and people. A degree typically covers anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, phytochemistry, and clinical practice under supervision. This foundation helps them read research, understand lab results, and spot red flags.
Ongoing professional development keeps skills sharp. Members of respected UK bodies must log CPD, follow an ethical code, and carry insurance. This culture of learning leads to more consistent results than trial-and-error methods.
Evidence in herbal medicine ranges from clinical trials to well-documented traditional use. A qualified herbalist weighs the total picture, then applies it to your case. They know when a herb is a good match, when a nutrient or diet shift helps, and when referral is the right call.
Reasons to Choose Qualified Care
Healthcare brings duties to patients. Qualified herbalists accept those duties. They follow professional codes, keep detailed records, gain informed consent, and protect your data. They hold insurance. They know their limits and refer when a case sits outside their scope.
Registration brings accountability. While medical herbalists in the UK are not statutorily regulated, members of recognised bodies meet set standards. Complaints can be investigated. Poor practice can lead to retraining, sanctions, or removal from the register. That process protects the public.
Insurance matters too. If a mistake happens, you have a clear path to raise concerns and seek redress. Ethical codes require honesty about benefits and limits, realistic timelines, and transparent pricing. That builds trust, which improves outcomes in its own right.
If you want a starting point, search the registers of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists or the College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy. You can also look for qualifications accredited by EHTPA and for practitioners on accredited voluntary registers overseen by the Professional Standards Authority.
Protection Through Regulation and Accountability
Professional bodies set standards for entry, conduct, and ongoing learning. The National Institute of Medical Herbalists, founded in 1864, requires a recognised degree, supervised clinical hours, CPD, and professional indemnity insurance. Members agree to an ethical code that covers consent, confidentiality, boundaries, and evidence-based practice.
If standards slip, there is a process. Complaints are reviewed. Cases can lead to advice, retraining, suspension, or removal from membership. This framework encourages good practice and gives you recourse if something goes wrong.
This kind of structure is absent when you buy herbs from unverified sellers or take advice from untrained influencers. Choosing a qualified practitioner reduces risk and gives you clear lines of accountability.
