Herbal Detox, UK Herbalist, Herbal Medicines, Herbs, Herbalism, Detoxify, Naturopathic Medicine

Nik Imrye at 21st Century Herbs, which is a 3rd Generation family business, continues to grow and prepare herbal medicines as we have been doing for over 50 years.

We are located in Northumbria, Britain's last wilderness. We are committed to providing quality products for the UK market.

Nik is one of the UK's leading herbalists. With over 25 years clinical experience he holds clinics throughout the UK. He has experience treating most conditions and all ages of people.

We also recognise the need for knowledge so that one can take control of one's own health. Therefore we have designed courses based on traditional approaches to health. We offer a wide range of weekend workshops and diploma courses for the amateur and professional alike.

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More on Nik Imrye (Taken from www.healthywaymagazine.com)
I remember as a small child, a neighbour knocking on our door late at night asking for our mother’s help. Her son was suffering a severe asthma attack. I can still see the old enamel bowl: she took an onion, covered it with honey and gave it to a somewhat bemused, if not slightly reassured neighbour. My mother instructed her to give a spoonful of the resulting syrup to her son every hour. The next day the woman could not thank her enough: it had eased the spasm almost straight away.

Fifteen years ago I inherited my grandparents’ knowedge of ‘proven’ remedies which I thought would make my career in herbalism fairly simple. I could not have been more mistaken. The formulas my grandfather had used with a great deal of success did not seem to have the same effect with people of the new millennium, who are subjected to modern food, pollution levels and new ways of living.

Nettle, dandelion and hawthorn in equal quantities, taken three times a day, was my grandfather’s favourite for arthritis. It still works extremely well for most people, provided modern food production is taken into account.

If we had said to grandma that, by the year 2000, many children would be intolerant to milk or wheat, I am sure she would have found it difficult to believe. In their days my grandparents drank milk almost straight from the cow. The milk contained bacteria that would live in the gut and help digest it. Whey extract (Molkosan) or yogurt continues to contain these kind of bacteria. Modern pasteurisation or Ultra Heat Treatment of milk destroy these bacteria, making the milk harder to digest. Important ingredients like calcium are less likely to get to the bones where it is needed.

The addition of chemicals, such as antibiotics used in the production of milk, further encourage our bodies to reject it. I found that the elimination of dairy foods when treating arthritis improved the effectiveness of the herbs used.

There is nothing finer than Echinacea for fighting infection. The native Americans would use it even against snake venom. I am sure, though, that it would do a much better job if we did not fill our bodies with antibiotic-laden meat or vegetables sprayed with immune-damaging pesticides. In fact, natural yeasts on fruit and vegetables help keep our immune system on its toes and lessen the need for intervention. We are now realising that chemical antibiotics no longer protect us from the germs that harm us. Is it any wonder, when we use them without discrimination to stimulate growth in cattle; when we spray everything we come into contact with disinfectant and bleach? Just two generations ago all they had was scouring powder and boiling water.

Stress
Something that is regarded as a modern condition is stress. I have spent some time contemplating my own stress and I have questioned many people of all ages and all backgrounds on this subject. I have come to the same conclusion each time: stresses are less than those endured by our grandmother’s generation. They went through world wars, had large families, did everything by hand, went from the Victorianism of being locked behind a kitchen sink to working in the fields and factories. Their partners and their children went to war and they had no idea if they would return. Those that have survived all say the same thing:

‘We did not have problems with our periods like they do today, we were a lot more tolerant of hard work and other people in my day.’

They would not need more than a milk drink or at the most a few drops of Valerian extract to sleep. They could wake without an alarm clock. They still say: ‘I don’t know what is wrong with the children today.’

Children now seem to lack the stamina of their ancestors, even for things that they enjoy such as football. Footballers of my grandfather’s day used to work a six day week down a coal mine, run up and down Northumbrian sand dunes every evening and play a full 90 minutes every weekend in boots reminiscent of surgical shoes.

What is clear to me is that it is our tolerance to stress that is lacking. To an alternative practitioner, tolerance is directly linked to our energy levels. I have found that Siberian Ginseng taken twice daily helps us deal with stress on both a physical and emotional level. Our energy levels in the long term benefit from eating old- fashioned organic wholemeal bread packed with B vitamins and natural sugars which increase our stamina and resistance to outside pressures.

I used to rent a holiday chalet from an old farmer who was still knocking in fence posts at the age of 76. When I remarked on his good health he would smile a knowing smile. He told me of two young men he would hire from the local village to help him with the hay harvest: ‘They always turn up late, armed with cans of cola and packets of crisps. In the old days,’ he added ‘we would be up at the first light, have a good breakfast, and that would be us till lunch time.’ There was a pause then he said: ‘Now you get two hours work, that’s all, then it’s more crisps, more cola. I wouldn’t eat that rubbish.’ Not only did he not eat junk food, but every day he drank boiled water with Golden Rod, to keep his system clean.

It is clear from these stories that if we respect many of the traditional ways understood by our ancestors, such as eating simply and using gentle herbal remedies, we could prevent many of the diseases that have come to scourge modern life. The next time your grandma comes out with one of her stories, take the time to listen. There may be many a scientific truth behind her ‘old wives tales’.

Nik Imrye began learning about herbs at the age of six. He has trained with leading herbalists in New York and currently practices in Northumberland, as well as venues in Scotland, Manchester, Leeds and Blackpool.

Nik and his family spend long periods living and working in untouched woodlands deep in the Northumbrian countryside. They have no electricity other than what they generate themselves and no running water. Nik believes this is the best way to learn about the laws of nature.