Herbal Remedies Or Not?

The first thing I need to point out is that I am not a medical expert in any shape or form. Just a normal ‘Joe Egg’ bloke with the same ailments as so many others. Also, another point I need to stress is that I am not knocking the NHS. As you will have seen from an earlier post I rate our Countess of Chester very highly indeed. In case you missed the article, you can catch it again HERE. No, this is just a discussion about how I find the virtues of herbal remedies.

So, herbal remedies or not? Are they for you, or do you think they are just a load of old baloney that should be left alone. After all, according to one sceptic I was speaking to recently (in the pub naturally. Where else do men strangers strike up seemingly random conversations), herbal remedies are for tree huggers only. By the way, I’m not a tree hugger either.

My own trip down the herbal remedies or not road began quite innocuously really. There I was wandering down Charles Street in Hoole (going for a haircut I think) some years ago when I saw an interesting looking shop. I think I’ll pop in there after my hair trimming ordeal. There used to be a time when I used to joke about cutting out the grey hairs only. If they did that now they may as well just shave the whole lot off. Not much…..I can’t even remember what my original colour was, brown (?) hair left anymore. Anyway, I digress. All neatly trimmed I popped next door to have a look around the intriguing store with the wide variety of….I wasn’t sure what.

The Groves, Charles Street, Hoole

Health and Fitness – The Groves – Charles Street – Hoole

I guess it was probably about seven or eight years ago when I first met Sandra, the proprietor of The Groves. Ideally located in Charles Street, the shop was well stocked to say the least. After what seemed hours of, “what’s that?” and “what does that do?” interrogation, Sandra finally managed to get rid of me. Armed with some strange smelling and even stranger sounding bottles of liquid, I managed to make it home without feeling the need to hug a tree.

So far, so good. But what do I do with these concoctions? Now I must admit there was a bit of trepidation creeping in now and then. The reason for this was because I had previously tried a bit of the old acupuncture at a Chinese remedy store. If that’s what you call them?

Again, I must stress I am not knocking Chinese remedies. It is all about opinions. What works for some people does not mean that it will work for everyone. My experience with the acupuncture itself wasn’t the problem. It was with what was recommended afterwards. After my needle treatment it was recommended that I try some Chinese tea. “I don’t mind if I do”, I said.

“No milk or sugar for me”

Serving me a nice cup of tea wasn’t exactly what they had in mind though.

You Call This Tea?

While I’m getting my kecks, socks and shoes back on, my doctor (at least I think he was a doctor), disappeared into the back. After hearing much clanking of bottles and the rustling of paper, he reappeared about 10 minutes later. “I wonder who all those big brown bags of twigs and leaves are for?”, I wondered.

“And where’s my box of tea bags?”

To say I was shocked to find that the early morning Delamere Forest samples were mine, was a massive understatement. My doctor (are they doctors in Chinese herbal remedy shops?) must have thought I was either deaf or daft. Or both? I lost count of the number times I asked, “I do what with it?”

“Are you sure?”

Anyway, the upshot of it all was that I was to take the contents of these large brown bags and boil them. “You want me to boil these twigs and leaves?” I asked looking for either some reassurance or, better still, my doctor’s (are they really…oh, never mind), realisation that he got me the wrong ‘medicine’.

The trick was that I had to boil the mulch for 30 minutes, then drain it. After draining I would bottle the by-product and wait for it to cool down. Sounds simple enough so far. And it was. But what you weren’t prepared for was the smell!! Wow, that was some pong. Was that paint already peeling off the kitchen wall?

Do I Have To Drink It?

Sure enough, the concoction had to be drunk. The texture, colour and taste was just like pond water. How do I know what pond water tastes like? Well, it was when…..oh never mind, it’s a long story!! The saving grace was that I could mix natural honey in with it. I’m not a big fan of honey normally, but boy did I pile plenty of honey in.

In all, I was prescribed with seven bags of twigs and leaves at £5.00 per bag. After one bag I thought, can’t I just go and top up with some scrapings from Grosvenor Park (well worth a visit by the way – see HERE). But then I realised, maybe not, as I might also be scooping up some squirrel droppings. Hang on….hang on….that might actually improve the flavour!!

Joking apart though, the contents of the bags clearly have some medicinal powers as they are still being prescribed. But they are not for me. Others maybe.

Which brings me back to the main point of my post. Herbal remedies or not? There will be countless number of patients who swear by pond water. And rightly so if it does what they want it to do.

For me though, I had this in mind when I was looking to try Sandra’s potions for the first time. So, initially before I tried a drop I already had a negative spin on herbal remedies or not. I was expecting the “Not” verdict.

Was I Now A Herbal Remedy Convert?

The short answer is “Yes I am”

And very much so. For the record, I need medication for my arthritis, so Sandra provides me with a nice little cocktail of an anti-inflammatory and an immune system stabiliser (for want of a better word) mixture. Does it work for me? Most definitely so. So much so in fact that I now look upon Sandra as a genuine medical guru.

I remember a few years ago when I was just sticking my toe in the medical water so to speak (I said medical, not pond water!!). Already on some NHS medication, an appointment with my Rheumatologist was looming. (I called my Rheumatologist at the time a drugs salesman).

However, it was felt that my NHS prescribed drugs were not working and there was a need for change. To what I thought? While chatting away, my Rheumatologist was busily taking a variety of leaflets and A4 sheets out of several drawers of a desk. “What are those?”, I asked. “Are they the details of the possible side effects of the drug you’re thinking of putting me on?” When the reply was that all the paperwork was information about possible side effects, I politely declined the suggestion of my new proposed drug.

“But we can’t give you anything else” was the response from my Rheumy. “Then don’t”, I said. With that I left the clinic and headed straight to The Groves to see my expert. Sandra recommended herbal alternatives and I thought, why not!! Go for it in a big way. If it didn’t work for me then I could always go back to my Rheumy with my tail between my legs.

The Verdict?

But, I didn’t need to go back to my Rheumy because Sandra’s potions worked (he said tapping wood for good luck as I type). The reason I “touch wood” is because it may not work for me as time goes by. Who can say? Suffice it to say though, it is working for me at this moment in time. Only time will tell.

In addition to Sandra’s potions, I do now also look so much more closely at other natural remedies. For instance, turmeric is so good for so many ailments. As I said to another arthritis sufferer, turmeric does everything apart from clean the windows. Well, it does for me. Others may swear by the NHS drugs. In fact I know of some that wouldn’t touch anything else. And that’s fine. Whatever works for you.

I have my regular, early morning, magic medicine every day now. It’s a combination of Sandra’s potions, a bit of turmeric, black pepper, Aloe Vera, Apple Cider Vinegar and a bit of fruit juice. It does work so well for me.

In conclusion therefore and in answer to the question, “Herbal remedies or not?” – it’s a resounding “Yes” from me.

So, if you are ever passing through Hoole and thinking you may try a herbal alternative, then call into Charles Street  and see Sandra. She is so knowledgeable on so many ailments, not just my arthritis. Oh, and if you’re looking for the best turmeric or other spices? Then look no further than the Spice of Asia or the Chester Spice Market. You can find them both in Brook Street.

Best of luck with finding the right solution for your own ailments.