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Billericay Herbal Medicine, Nature's Table, 8 The Walk, Billericay (2025)

06/09/2025

I seem to have more and more elderberries (Sambucus nigra) in my garden every year! They are perfectly ripe now, and the starlings in particular seem to be enjoying them. Don’t eat them raw as they will upset your stomach, but you can make syrup (add ginger, star anise, cloves and cinnamon), tincture, jam or even herbal tea out of them. Please don't forget to leave some for the wildlife though!

Did you know elderberries have medicinal properties? Ongoing research has shown they have antiviral activity, stopping certain viruses from entering body cells and multiplying. Elderberry has also been found to reduce symptoms and duration of flu if taken once the virus has taken hold – they are also decongestant. I keep it as part of my “going down with something” tincture which I give to my family at the first sign of a sniffle. They can also stabilise collagen so can be used for healing sprains and strains, varicose veins and haemorrhoids (the latter two also benefit from the anthocyanin content which can protect the walls of the blood vessels).

There’s a lot of traditional use and folklore associated with the elder tree, which I thought you may be interested to read about. Pagans use elder for protection and to remove negative spells; some also believe if you fell asleep under an elder tree you will dream of the faerie land. However, Christians saw elder as symbolic for death and sorrow, as it was used for the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.

Instruments made from the wood of elder are said to produce the music most loved by the Spirit world. In Serbia, the twigs were believed to bring luck to the happy couple at their wedding. It was also thought the elder tree could absorb her (elder is thought of as being female) owner’s illness by pouring three spoons of their used bathwater over the roots of the tree.

Have you ever made anything out of elderberries?

04/09/2025

The recent heavy rainfall should be good for fungi growth! I saw this fabulous looking fungus this morning: Jelly Ear or Wood Ear (Auricularia auricula-judae), most commonly found on living or dead elder but often on other types of wood. If you prod it, it does indeed have a jelly-like texture. Found in the UK, and can apparently be eaten (it takes on strong flavours well), and often used in Chinese soups (don’t eat anything unless you are 100% certain that you have identified it correctly).

Jelly ear isn’t used so much in Western herbal medicine, but in traditional Chinese medicine, it’s used for heart conditions and circulation. Like many mushrooms, it contains particular polysaccharides which are useful for the immune system. They also work as prebiotics, which help encourage the growth of “good” bacteria in the gut.

Another name for Jelly ear is Judas’ ear – named because apparently the fungus grew on the tree Judas Iscariot hanged himself from.

Have you seen this mushroom when you’ve been out walking?

31/08/2025

For a lot of you, the hayfever season is finishing (sorry to those who go on until October!), and I've been hearing it's been a particularly bad year this year. You may not feel you need to do anything about it this year, but if your antihistamines just weren't cutting it for you, or you're fed up of taking them, why not put a note in your calendar to contact me before it all starts again next year?

The herbal approach is to control both the symptoms and the hypersensitivity (allergic) reaction which is triggered by inhaling pollen. Histamine is produced and released from the mast cells into the lining of the nose and eyes, causing inflammation and irritation. This is why the tablets we get at the pharmacy for hayfever are called antihistamines. We have herbal antihistamines which stabilise the mast cells, reducing the release of histamine. One of the most familiar of these is good old stinging nettle!

Medical herbalists also use herbs to dry up catarrh; for example, elderflower, which is abundant in the UK in spring. We also use herbs that keep the membranes of the inner linings of the nose, eyes and throat in good condition. As always with a herbal prescription, we attack a condition in more than one way for the best results, so it’s not just antihistamines.

It's useful to start a herbal regime for hayfever about a month before it would normally kick in for you so why not pop a reminder in your phone? Although it's certainly not too late once symptoms have started - and to those of you expecting to struggle on until October we can still make a difference now if you'd like to try! Get in touch - I offer appointments in Billericay, Chelmsford and on Zoom.

29/08/2025

The wonderfully-named Devil's-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis)I believe, from the teasel family. These photos show it at different stages in its development at Mill Meadows in Billericay. I had been getting a bit worried as I hadn't seen any yet this year - either the lack of rainfall or the cows had eaten them all!

Devil’s-bit scabious was so called as legend has it that the devil was so annoyed at how useful a plant it was that he bit off part of the root to kill it. Despite this it survived, but from that day it has had quite a stumpy root! “Scabious” apparently comes from the Latin “scabere” – to scratch – one of the traditional uses for the plant was for itchy skin problems. It was also used for the plague and “the bitings of venomous beasts” (Culpeper).

A lovely light purple colour contrasting with the pinks and yellows around it.

27/08/2025

This is a really old photo, but I love it, of the fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) growing over at Two Tree Island, Leigh-on-Sea. If you’re familiar with fennel as a herb, it’s probably as an after dinner tea, either on its own or in a blend of some sort. Its essential oil content makes it what we call a “carminative” herb – it relieves wind in both directions! Excellent for occasional bloating or indigestion after meals, or in IBS. It can also be drunk by nursing mothers with other herbs to relieve baby colic. One caution with fennel (and the same goes for peppermint while I’m here) – if you’ve been diagnosed with GORD/GERD – gastro-oesophageal reflux disease - it can cause vomiting, so check with a qualified herbalist before you use it.

But fennel isn’t just a digestive herb, and it’s not just used in herbal teas, it can be used in tincture form as well. One of the essential oils it contains, anethole, is similar structurally to epinephrine (a neurotransmitter found naturally in the body). This means that it has the effect of relaxing a type of muscle found in the digestive system, stopping spasms; and the bronchi of the respiratory system, opening them up. So for this reason, and also the fact that it has warming expectorant properties (bringing up catarrh), we use it in conjunction with other herbs for chesty coughs and bronchitis.

Fennel contains phytoestrogens ("plant oestrogens") so I sometimes prescribe it for menopausal symptoms. And did you know that fennel can help increase milk flow in breastfeeding mothers? It’s what we call a “galactagogue” and has been used traditionally for hundreds of years for this.

The Greeks knew fennel as "Marathon", and even named a town after it. In medieval times, fennel was hung over front doors on midsummer’s eve to ward off evil spirits. The seeds were also pushed into keyholes to make extra sure. It’s found in drinks such as absinthe, Pernod and sometimes ouzo. Not sure of the medicinal qualities of these though!

24/08/2025

The stinging nettles have very much gone to seed! We often use stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) leaves or even the roots in herbal medicine, but did you know that the seeds also have medicinal properties?
We use the seed mainly when a patient has kidney problems – the tincture has been found to lower blood creatinine levels (high levels mean impaired kidney function) when taken by patients with damaged kidney(s), from disease or certain medications.

Some herbalists use them as a native (grown in the UK) adaptogen to help the adrenal glands cope with stress amongst other things. They’ve been reported to help with brain fog, burnout and problems with physical and mental stamina.

If the seeds are eaten fresh they can be very stimulating to some individuals, one colleague of mine likened them to a “cheap espresso” – so go easy! Dried seeds are less stimulating in this way. It’s recommended that you pass them through a sieve first and then you can mix them in with yoghurt or your cooking. Medical herbalists often use them in the form of a tincture, mixed in with other herbs for whatever issues they are tackling. It can also be used topically as a balm or oil for pain.

From Henriette’s herbal (https://www.henriettes-herb.com/): in 19th century Germany crooks selling substandard horses used to give them a couple of handfuls of nettle seed daily a fortnight before market – giving them shiny coats and making them appear younger and hence bringing them a better price!

22/08/2025

Can you only discuss one issue at a time with a medical herbalist? Due to time limitations, when you see your GP, most surgeries ask you to book a double appointment if you have more than one issue you need to talk about. In a herbal medicine consultation, in the hour we have you can get it all off your chest, and then we’ll ask you even more questions that you didn’t realise you needed to sift through!

You can talk about more than one problem; such as your hayfever and your headaches; your digestive problems and your insomnia; your arthritis, skin problems and anxiety. And in follow up appointments, what happens if something else comes up? Not a problem.

You are prescribed a mixture of herbs and if one condition has started to become under control, we can “tweak” the herbs to concentrate on a different condition. What if we’re still looking at the original condition but in the meantime you’ve had a cough that you can’t shift? After checking for red flags (and referring you to your GP if we are concerned)we can prescribe you a second herbal mix for a couple of weeks to help get rid of leftover catarrh or soothe your throat. Suddenly come up with a skin rash or dry patch? If appropriate, we can mix you a cream.

As we have all your medical details from your first appointment, we can react to what’s important to you at that time. And if you’re a patient who we haven’t seen for a while, as long as no major medical issues have taken place in the meantime, we will of course still have your notes so you can pop back in for new ailments, major or minor. It’s not often that people have only one health complaint at a time and we medical herbalists are fully equipped to deal with this – we’re the ultimate in multi-taskers!

20/08/2025

This is my spearmint (Mentha spicata) plant which has been flowering for a few weeks. You can find it in the wild as well - just rub the leaves and sniff and you'll know you've found it! The close-up photo shows the square stem.

Most people know peppermint as a medicinal herb and may have drunk it in tea for digestion. Spearmint can be used in the same way - it has carminative properties which means it can relieve wind and bloating.
However, perhaps it's main use in herbal medicine is in PCOS (polycystic o***y syndrome) - it can reduce excess free testosterone in women and hence can help with some of the symptoms such as excess hair growth (I'll post more about PCOS soon as it's quite a complicated condition).

I much prefer the smell and taste of spearmint to peppermint - how about you?

18/08/2025

This is thornapple (Datura stramonium - "dhattura" is Sanskrit for "poisoner"!), also known as known as jimsonweed, Devil’s apple and Devil’s trumpet – if you look at the spiky fruits you can see where the name thornapple comes from! The more sinister names possibly come from the fact that it’s pretty toxic. A member of the nightshade family, Thornapple is what we call in herbal medicine a Schedule 20 herb which means that, in the UK, it is illegal for anyone other than a qualified medical herbalist to prescribe it, and there are strict guidelines as to the maximum safe dosage.

Thornapple is actually a safe herb, when used within the correct guidelines which also include contraindications – medical conditions or drugs that it shouldn’t be taken with. It has a number of different medicinal properties – it is antispasmodic, anti-asthmatic, painkilling, anticholinergic (can block a certain type of nerve impulse – useful in conditions such as Parkinsons), decreases some secretions like saliva, mucus and sweat, and is also sedative.

We don’t use it as much as some other herbs, but it can be very effective in certain types of asthma or persistent coughs (in previous time it was actually smoked), and as I mentioned, Parkinsons – it can help with the tremors and excess salivation.

The Zuni people of New Mexico believe datura can help commune with dead ancestors. There are also medical reports from the 1600s detailing its use for mind control, and from 19th century India where curry laced with the seeds would be served to travellers by professional thieves before robbing them!

Thornapple grows on wasteland or disturbed land, and I was really excited to find it less than half a mile from my house where a load of earth had been piled up at the edge of a field and left. I’d never seen it before! Always lovely to find my herbs growing in the wild 🙂

16/08/2025

One of my favourite wildflowers - I love the contrast of the purple and yellow of the tiny flowers of bittersweet, also known as woody nightshade (Solanum dulcamara - "dulce amara meaning "sweet-bitter"). Related to deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), you can find it flowering at the side of paths along hedgerows or in ditches - it seems to like darker areas most. It also climbs along whatever it can find. Other members of the nightshade family include tomatoes, potatoes and peppers - you might notice the resemblance of the berries and the leaves.

Bittersweet is not used to my knowledge these days by herbalists but one of the most common uses in the past was to keep gentlemen invigorated for longer! (please do not self-medicate - it's not safe!) It was also worn as a band around the head for tinnitus. Farmers would adorn their cattle with chains of bittersweet if they suspected their herd had been cursed, and it was recommended bittersweet was combined with holly for horses. Norwegian traditions involved combining bittersweet with tree sap and heath-spotted orchid and smearing the resulting mixture on people and animals as protection against demons.

The photos show the ripening berries which often develop while the plant is still flowering.

14/08/2025

Have you heard of vulvodynia? It’s chronic (long term) pain and discomfort around the vulva/genital area with no apparent cause. It can be experienced differently – some say it is a burning sensation, some stabbing, sore, throbbing or itching; some also experience the pain in the va**na either during s*x or inserting a tampon (including muscle spasms, or vaginismus), or just spontaneously, whereas some only experience external pain. The pain can even be brought on by certain types of clothing, riding a bike or even just sitting down. Some experience swelling in the area. It’s not caused by any infection, but sometimes can be as a result of one. Some find the pain changes according to their cycle. Vaginismus can even be leftover from pain experienced years ago. It can have a really negative effect upon someone’s life.

Most of the time, a patient experiencing vulvodynia and/or vaginismus will have already been to their GP or a gynaecologist. Sometimes they will have been prescribed creams, and sometimes an antidepressant called amitriptyline – this is because it’s thought that the condition could be caused by a problem with the nerve fibres and amitriptyline can help with this. A specialist physiotherapist can be helpful to learn to relax the muscles if there is tension.

What can herbal medicine do? First, it helps to talk to someone in confidence – the first appointment is an hour so you don’t have to get across what you want to say in five minutes. We also talk about the emotional side of what’s been going on. Herbally, as always, I approach the condition in different ways. Like orthodox medicine, I often use herbs that help with nerve pain. We can discuss whether your symptoms change with your cycle, and use herbs to gently balance your hormones. I ask questions about your gut health, and often prescribe accordingly. If relevant, I may use anti-inflammatory herbs, or herbs to help the muscles relax. And of course, I may feel you might benefit from herbs that help *you* relax too! I may also prescribe a soothing cream, or if you feel it’s too painful to even apply this, I can help with herbal baths or washes to “swoosh” over the area.

Vulvodynia is a complex condition, so if you’d like to have a no-obligation chat about how I might be able to help you, please get in touch.

12/08/2025

This is white bryony, also known as snakeweed and dead creepers (Bryonia dioica), found climbing all over the ferns at Mill Meadows nature reserve recently. White bryony has a long tradition of use in herbal medicine but isn’t used so much these days. It’s mainly used for “pain that is aggravated by movement” and tends to be given in very small doses.

White bryony works upon serous membranes, such as the synovial membranes in some joints and the pleural membranes (between the lungs and the chest wall) which have become dry after inflammation, causing rubbing and pain. In addition, it can be used for neurological pain.

There was also some Russian research in the 90s which lead to it being used to help protect exposed workers and members of the public from radiation in the wake of the Chernobyl disaster.

White bryony is from the cucumber family and has similar tendrils to help it climb. Later in the year it should produce a red, non-edible, berry.

It has massive roots which were once used instead of mandrake roots to hang up in old apothecaries! These roots are very good for carving, and in the 17th century it was quite common for people to carve out figures and enter into competitions. Culpeper even wrote about a root that was "the size of a one-year-old child!"

Billericay Herbal Medicine

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