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HealthyDoesIt Features Writer
It seems not, so says a study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research.
The authors of this study found that healthcare professionals who had personally used herbal medicines had a positive impression of herbal medicines and were more likely to recommend herbal medicines to patients that those who had not used herbal medicines themselves.
The researchers said; “Healthcare professionals identified their lack of knowledge on herbal medicines and insufficient training, which made them unable to advise patients on the safe use of herbal medicines.
The outcome? It was recommended that healthcare professionals had more education on herbal medicines.
This is really important, as herbal products can interact with medications and advice should always be sought before taking any herbal formulation.
If you would like to speak with a herbal practitioner, ask in your local health store who will be able to take your detailed health history and make a note of the medications that you are on.
References:
Bhamra, S.K., Slater, A., Howard, C., Heinrich, M. & Johnson, M.R.D. 2019, “Health care professionals’ personal and professional views of herbal medicines in the United Kingdom”, Phytotherapy research, vol. 33, no. 9, pp. 2360-2368.