Chris Etheridge PhD MCPP MRSC, BSc (Hons) Phyto, BSc (Hons) Chem, CChem, DoIC, ARCS Medical Herbalist

Home	What is Herbal Medicine (Phytotherapy)? Herbal medicine has been used for thousands of years to safely and effectively treat a wide range of diseases, a fact that is continuing to be backed up by modern scientific research. It is interesting to note that the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that over 80% of the world’s population currently depends on herbal medicine for their primary healthcare. Modern herbal medicine predominantly uses herbs from the Western herbal tradition (British, European and North American), together with nutritional and lifestyle guidance, to create a holistic treatment plan that focuses on the patient’s individual needs. This modern herbal medicine is also called Phytotherapy (‘phyto’ is Greek for plant). Phytotherapists are university trained to an extremely high standard in the knowledge and skills of orthodox (conventional) medicine, the traditional use of herbs, and the modern scientific understanding of herbal medicines. Phytotherapy is herbal medicine for the 21^st century and is very different in its philosophy, approach and applications from Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic medicine and homeopathy. About Chris Etheridge Chris Etheridge received a first class honours chemistry degree and PhD from Imperial College, London, before continuing his training at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington and the Department of Chemistry, Imperial College, after which he was elected as a Research Fellow/Junior Lecturer. His research in gene therapy for cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer and Parkinson’s disease led to numerous publications and three patents in Gene Therapy, the setting up of a gene therapy company (IC-Vec), and to the construction of a new Genetic Therapies Centre at Imperial. After a number of years researching and teaching at Imperial, Chris became increasingly frustrated with some of the ethics currently pervading modern science, medicine and medical care. He therefore decided to leave gene therapy and pursue a more “holistic” career, where he had time to talk to patients and to actually find out about them. Since a child he had been fascinated by herbs and herbal medicine, so Chris decided to use his prior education in chemistry, biochemistry and medicine and to study the four year herbal medicine degree programme at the College of Phytotherapy, East Sussex, where he graduated with a first class honours in 2006. Chris Etheridge is a fully qualified and practicing Medical Herbalist and a member of the College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy, one of herbal medicine’s major governing bodies. He also works as a consultant for Cancer Options (as Director of Research), a guest lecturer at the Centre for Nutrition Education (www.cnelm.co.uk/), a writer for the charity Action for ME’s magazine (www.afme.org.uk), and as a scientific advisor for Advanced Orthomolecular Research (www.aoreurope.co.uk), and for the charities Kids Integrated Cancer Treatment (www.kict.info/) and Yes to Life (www.yestolife.org.uk). Chris Etheridge’s practice Herbal medicine can be of great benefit in the treatment of a wide range of medical conditions such as: allergies; anxiety and stress; arthritis; coughs, colds and respiratory diseases (including asthma); digestive disorders; fatigue and low energy; heart and circulatory problems; gynaecological problems; menopausal symptoms; migraines and headaches; mood disorders; sleep problems; high blood pressure; skin conditions; and thrush and cystitis. Herbal medicine is perfectly safe for all people and age groups to use, even pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, as long as the treatment is closely supervised by a professionally trained herbalist. All consultations are carried out at either Chris’s London or Hertfordshire clinics. The first consultation generally lasts for about one and a half hours, and during it a thorough medical history is taken involving the current condition, past medical history, family history and an overview of all the main body systems such as the heart, lungs and digestion. This enables Chris to assess how the whole body is working and to formulate an effective holistic treatment plan. He will also conduct any medical examinations that he feels necessary such as taking blood pressure. Once Chris has all the information that he needs to reach a diagnosis, he will outline his ideas on how herbal medicines may be able to help. If appropriate he will be able to provide a herbal medicine (usually as a tincture, tea or cream) together with suitable advice on appropriate dietary and lifestyle changes, as well as any key nutritional supplements called for. Subsequent follow-up consultations last for approximately 30-45 minutes, and are usually at four weekly intervals. Chris Etheridge is qualified to treat a wide range of conditions in his clinic. His particular areas of interest include: · Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) · Alzheimer’s disease · Arthritis · Asthma · Autoimmune disorders (such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)) · Cancer · Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)/ myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)/ postviral syndrome (PVS) · Coughs and colds · Depression · Diabetes · Digestive disorders including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bloating, constipation, indigestion and diarrhoea · Endometriosis · Exhaustion · Gout · Hay fever · Headaches and migraines · High blood pressure · High blood cholesterol · Immune deficiency · Infertility and subfertility · Inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) · Insomnia · Menopausal and hormonal problems · Mental health and mental illness · Osteoporosis and osteopaenia · Parkinson’s disease · Polycystic ovarian syndrome and metabolic syndrome · Prostate disorders for example benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and prostatitis · Recovery after surgery · Sexual disorders such as erectile dysfunction · Sinusitis · Skin problems (including eczema, psoriasis and acne) · Stress and anxiety · Strokes and other ischaemic disease · Tinnitus · Thyroid disorders (including over- and under-active thyroid disease) · Ulcers of the stomach and small intestine · Urinary tract disorders such as cystitis and incontinence · Uterine fibroids · Varicose veins · Viral infections for example swine flu and viral hepatitis Booking an appointment Chris Etheridge currently runs clinics in London (just off Trafalgar Square, nearest tube station Embankment): 22 Northumberland Avenue London WC2N 5AP and in Hertfordshire (in Cheshunt, 10 minute drive from Junction 25 of the M25 motorway): Cheshunt Clinic of Herbal Medicine 62 Roundmoor Drive Cheshunt Hertfordshire EN8 9HQ To book an appointment to see Chris Etheridge at either of his clinics or for further information, please contact him at: Cheshunt Clinic of Herbal Medicine 62 Roundmoor Drive Cheshunt Hertfordshire EN8 9HQ 07779 414 099 Or to email Chris click here. Seminars and teaching Chris Etheridge frequently presents seminars on herbal medicine, conventional medicine topics and related subjects to both professional and public groups. If you would like to be added to his mailing list for seminars or would like to commission a lecture, then please email him by clicking here.
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