Herbal Medicine
                    By. Dr. Megan Kelly BVS’s, DipVet – www.holisticvet.co.za

Herbal medicine involves using plants, and plant extracts, to treat disease. The chemicals in plants (phytochemicals) have a very wide range of effects, and can affect every organ system and tissue in the body. Herbal medicines have an important role to play in all diseases where conventional medicine or surgery alone does not provide a cure. Herbal medicines can be used to treat symptoms of disease, but they are particularly effective at supporting the body to heal itself and preventing disease. For this reason, herbal medicines can be used effectively alongside conventional treatments. Like acupuncture, they can often help reduce the dose and the side-effects of conventional medications.

Benefits of herbal medicine:

• Optimise organ- system function
• Well tolerated, minimal side-effects
• Address mental- emotional aspects of disease
• Prescription tailored to the individual patient
• Integrates well with other treatments
• Useful as preventative and palliative medicine

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