I have loved plants for as long as I can remember. As a young child, I was fascinated by scented leaves and flowers, and enthralled by emerging seedlings and I was always growing something on my windowsill.
As a teenager, my interest in nutrition began to develop, and was the cause of much teasing by family and friends as I embraced various nutritional ideas.
However, it was not until I was faced with chronic health problems myself that I really began to explore the medicinal value of herbs and nutrition.
During my twenties, a year of unsuccessful orthodox treatment for a chronic urinary tract infection combined with hormonal and blood sugar control problems left me feeling, not only very much the worse for wear but also very disillusioned with 'modern' medicine which, up until that point, I had had complete, unquestioning faith in.
Although I have huge respect for our hard working orthodox medical professionals, I believe 'modern' medicine is not necessarily the most effective way to address many of today's chronic diseases.
As I began to explore alternative medicine, I learnt (what now seems obvious to me) that the best way to address chronic disease, is to address the underlying causes.
In 2007, after 5 years of arduous studying, I qualified from the prestigious College of Phytotherapy, with a degree in Medical Herbalism. I am a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists and the College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy.