Joan Dugdale is a Medical Herbalist with a Diploma of Botanical Medicine and an Advanced Diploma of Herbal Medicine. She uses plant medicines and lifestyle advice, and vitamins and minerals, to treat a wide range of illness, especially chronic conditions.
SERVICES
1. WHAT I DO
I have a general practice, but I see many chronic conditions such as arthritis, dermatitis, diabetes, asthma. These usually respond well to natural therapies, even when other medical treatments have failed. Even dementia can be greatly helped.
I treat your whole person, not just your symptoms. At your first consultation, I would take a history of every aspect of your health; your eating, sleep, exercise and bowel habits. If necessary, I test for blood type, or I may do a urine test to measure bowel pathogens. I may recommend laboratory tests for allergies, or for tissue mineral analysis, salivary hormone or liver function tests, or suggest a comprehensive stool analysis.
Once I have a full picture of your health, I prescribe and dispense medicines made from plants. These may be herbal tonics, tablets, teas, ointments or oils. If appropriate, I will prescribe minerals and vitamins as well. And I give dietary and lifestyle advice, guided usually by your blood type, because this has an important bearing on your health and well-being.
First consultations take about 1.5 hours and cost $100, plus the cost of medicines. Subsequent consultations cost $20 per 20 minutes, which is usually long enough. Two repeat prescriptions may be possible before another consultation is necessary. Consultation fees are GST free and many health funds offer rebates on them.
3. ABOUT ME
I became a medical herbalist after overlapping careers as a broadcaster, organic farmer and novelist (I am the author of five published books). I have been interested in herbal medicine for many years but only began formal study for the profession after watching a member of my family die of liver disease. I've now been in practice since 2000 and I am deeply committed to helping people develop real health through the healing power of plants.
Every month brings rapid advances in my field and it is very important to keep up with them. Since 1999, when I graduated with a Diploma of Botanical Medicine (and a prize for academic excellence) I have continued to study part-time. I obtained my Advanced Diploma of Herbal Medicine in 2004. A mixture of study and herbal practice is challenging and personally rewarding for me. I think it benefits the health of my patients, as well.
3. MY POLICY & ETHICS
I am an active member of the National Herbalists Association of Australia and abide by their code of ethics. I support the Association's policy of nationwide registration of practitioners and training institutions, to ensure the highest possible standard of practice.
Herbal medicine is preventative medicine: it helps to keep people well and out of hospital. Compared with other forms of medicine, herbal medicine is relatively inexpensive. I think those who choose this form of medicine should also receive the benefits they pay for in their Medicare levy.
NHAA Website
QUALIFICATION DETAILS
Advanced Diploma of Herbal Medicine; Diploma of Botanical Medicine; Member of the National Herbalists Association of Australia.
Allergy Testing / Treatments, Herbalists
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