Calder Bendle - Dip Phyt MNIMH

Medical Herbalist

 

 

I have been practising as a traditional medical herbalist for over 20 years. I graduated from the School of Herbal Medicine where I qualified for membership of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists. I was also awarded a Diploma in Phytotherapy (Dip Phyt).

Since qualifying I have worked in my own private practice and since 1998 I have also been working part time within the NHS at a local health centre. I have been a guest lecturer at The Scottish School of Herbal Medicine and I teach herbalists on post-graduate level training courses.

I offer a holistic approach to the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of illnesses. I believe that understanding the links between emotional and physical health is an important part of healing and recovery.

For more information see: www.theherbalist.co.uk

About Medical Herbalism
Herbal medicine is the use of plant remedies to treat disease and is the oldest form of medicine known, as well as the most widely practised world-wide. Herbal medicines are extracts or dried parts of whole plants, which contain many hundreds of constituents. Herbalists believe that the active constituents are balanced within the plant and that this is one of the reasons that side effects are extremely rare during treatment.

Medical Herbalists are trained in similar diagnostic skills to conventional GPs but use a more holistic approach to illness, treating the underlying cause of a problem where possible. We use herbs to restore balance in the body and enable it to mobilise its own healing powers.

A wide range of acute and chronic conditions can be treated and a qualified Herbalist knows how to avoid interactions with other forms of treatment and when to refer a patient back to their doctor or to another therapist.

The National Institute of Medical Herbalists was established in 1864 and is the oldest body of practising Medical Herbalists in the world. Members have undergone a rigorous training for a minimum of three years and adhere to a strict professional code of ethics. They have the letters MNIMH or FNIMH after their names.

What happens during a consultation?
When I see a patient, most of the time is taken up with talking, and usually the consultation ends with my prescribing and dispensing a herbal medication. With consultations lasting up to an hour there is an emphasis on my listening to the patient, and there is space both for hearing the whole of a complex medical history and for patients to unload any emotional burdens that might be associated with this. Herbalists try to balance their insights into the physical and emotional aspects of a patient's condition. Whilst not all consultations will require any physical examination, herbalists will often listen to heart or breath sounds, palpate an abdomen or examine a joint. Recording of a patient's blood pressure is often routine.

Herbalists are trained in orthodox medical science and use the same technical language as the medical professions. Although I may use the same labels in terms of pathology, my aim is to support normal physiology and aid the ways in which the body heals itself rather than to treat a named disease. Sometimes a patient is encouraged to see symptoms such as tiredness or fever as being part of their healing rather than just an aspect of their problem.

While a person may often want a medicine as a quick fix for an illness, their encounter with a herbalist may actually encourage them to place their symptoms and their recovery into a wider context. Patients are encouraged to observe patterns in their illness, and to note how current habits and diet affect their health. A relatively minor condition will be seen as a chance to avert more serious illness in the future by attention to diet, exercise and emotional needs in the present.

What can a Medical Herbalist treat?
Herbal medicine can treat almost any condition that patients might take to their doctor. Common complaints seen by herbalists include digestive disorders such as peptic ulcers, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and indigestion and skin problems such as psoriasis, acne and eczema. Premenstrual syndrome and menopausal problems may be responsive to herbal treatment. Herbalists frequently care for patients suffering from arthritis, insomnia, stress, migraine and headaches, and allergic problems such as hay fever and asthma. Qualified herbalists know when a condition is best seen by a doctor or another therapist.

I have particular interest and experience in treating digestive/gastrointestinal problems and symptoms of stress and depression such as insomnia and panic attacks.