HELEN ROBERTSON
(MBAcC MRCHM Dip TCM )has been practising acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine since 1997. She is also the Director of Belsize Health. Prior to setting up the clinic in 2001, she was an assistant lecturer in massage and anatomy at the University of Westminster. She specialises in pain relief, skin conditions and women’s health.

LYNN OSBORNE (Lic Ac Nan Jing MBAcC MBAOT SROT)
has been practising Chinese medicine since 1984 and has run a successful general practice specializing in women's mental and gynaecological health with a particular emphasis on infertility. 

Lynn has also taught and lectured on integrating daoist techniques with rehabilitation, focusing on the spiritual and emotional causes of disease

 

CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE

Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is one discipline within a broad tradition that also includes acupuncture, massage, dietary therapy and exercise. It is the great herbal tradition of the world, with an unbroken history of more than two thousand years. Chinese Herbal medicine retains a strong presence in contemporary China and is practiced alongside western medicine in state hospitals throughout the country. Like other aspects of Chinese medicine CHM is based on the principal that good health depends on achieving optimum vitality and balance.
Treatment with Chinese Herbal medicine involves the use of combinations of herbs designed to correct the particular disharmony of the individual. Several hundred ingredients are commonly used in Chinese herbal medicine, including roots, stems, flowers, leaves and barks.  A balance of ingredients with certain properties is matched to the individual patient's pattern, allowing the practitioner to adapt to the changing needs of the patient. Herbs can be taken as capsules, teas, granules or pills.
What Can Chinese Herbal Medicine Treat?
The possible uses of Chinese Herbal Medicine are very wide, and people of any age or constitution can benefit from it. The following conditions are commonly treated:

  • Skin disease, including eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea
  • Respiratory conditions, including asthma, bronchitis and chronic coughs; allergic and perennial rhinitis and sinusitis
  • Digestive complaints, including irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion, and ulcerative colitis
  • Gynaecological problems, including pre-menstrual syndrome, painful periods, menopausal syndromes, endometriosis, some forms of infertility
  • Urinary Conditions, including chronic cystitis
  • Rheumatological Conditions, including rheumatoid and osteo-arthritis
  • Headaches and migraines
  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Anxiety and Depression

How long will treatment last and what will it cost?
The length of treatment will vary according to the condition, but could be anything from one to six months. Chinese herbs vary in price according to the strength of the dose and the form in which they are administered. As a guide, if you are taking the herbs as granules they should cost under £12 per week.
Are Chinese herbs safe?

Chinese herbal medicine has a very good safety record, but it is essential that you consult a practitioner who is trained to a high standard and complies with UK laws regarding the administration of certain herbs - this is assured by membership of the governing body the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM). It is also important that your practitioner takes note of any pharmaceutical drug treatment you may be receiving in order to ensure that it is safe to take CHM. The RCHM condemns the illegal trade in endangered plant and animal species and its members obtain their herbs exclusively from regulated suppliers who are prohibited from using any such material.