Chinese herbal medicine
Herbal Consultation
Herbs that work from the inside, chosen for you and updated as your body changes. In person, online, or a mix of both.
How the consultation works
A herbal consultation can be face-to-face, entirely online, or a first appointment face-to-face and then online. Whichever you choose, we start from the same place: your history, your symptoms, and a close look at your tongue, ears and pulse.
If you live far away, or travelling is difficult, online works well. If you’re nearby, meeting in person for the first appointment lets me read your pulse and see your tongue and ears directly, and the follow-ups can then happen online, which many people find easier to fit into daily life.
Your herbs are posted to you, so you don’t need to come in to collect them.
Why herbs
- They can be used alongside acupuncture sessions, and the two work well together
- They help a lot with many internal problems
- They keep working between appointments, every day
- They are adjusted to you: your formula changes as your condition changes
Realistic expectations
Time, and why your herbs keep changing
Realistically, 7 weeks can offer a good chance to see an improvement. Some people notice a change within the first one or two weeks, while long-standing or more complex problems can take longer.
Your herbs are updated often. Herbs act, and as they act your internal condition changes, so the formula that suited you at the start will not be the right one a few weeks later. At each follow-up, about every 10–12 days, we look at how you’re responding and I adjust your formula: I may reduce some herbs, add others, or change it altogether.
The Herbal Healing Journey follows this rhythm: a 45-minute initial consultation, then four 30-minute follow-ups over 7 weeks, in person or online. It costs £295, plus the cost of your herbs (separately: initial consultation £90, follow-ups £60). See prices & booking for the details.
Your first consultation
Your first herbal consultation takes up to 45 minutes in person, or 30 minutes online. Before we meet, please fill in the herbal consultation form. We’ll go through it together.
I’ll ask how the problem started and about your symptoms, lifestyle, diet, sleep, stress and general health, and note any medication and allergies. Some herbs can interact with medication, particularly blood thinners, so I always check what you take, prescribed or over-the-counter, before prescribing anything.
Your herbs
I usually prescribe concentrated Sun Ten granules, supplied by Herbprime in Manchester, which simply dissolve in water. The taste can be strong, but even my youngest patients manage it. If you prefer, the extract can be made into capsules for an additional charge, or you can cook raw herbs yourself. Herbs are charged at cost, with no margin added.
You can read more about herbs and nutrition, and the research behind them, on the nutrition page.
Online herbal consultations
What I need from you
For an online herbal consultation, I can’t feel your pulse, so your tongue and ears tell me a great deal. Please send, by email to ela@zestacupuncture.co.uk:
- the filled-in herbal consultation form (essential)
- clear photos of your tongue and ears (JPEG), as described below
Please send these at least 48 hours before your first consultation, and 24 hours before each follow-up.
Online consultations are held on Zoom. The full guidance, with prices for the 1-hour and 2-hour online consultations and the recorded tongue & ear analysis, is on the online consultation page.
Your photos
Your photos
High-quality photos are essential, because I pay close attention to a range of visual details: subtle variations in colour and structure, the presence of moles, and any patches or coating on your tongue and ears. Shadows make this analysis less effective.
Guidance
- Take all photos in the morning, if possible. Always with the flash on.
- It is best if someone else takes them for you.
- Send two or more photos of each view.
- Let’s get the clearest possible photos on the first try: please check your images before sending, to make sure they are free of shadows. This helps me assess them accurately and avoids delays.
Tongue
Tongue photos
Photos must be taken with the flash on. Best done in the morning, on an empty stomach. Please don’t take them in a room or bathroom with blue or any other coloured light: use plain, white light only, so the true colour of your tongue shows.
Additional notes
- Photos should be clear and well lit.
- Photos should be in focus, not blurry.
- Photos should be high resolution.
- Save the photos in JPEG format.
Ears & palms
Ear and palm photos
The same guidance as above applies. Please use the flash while taking the photos. The ears mustn’t have shadows: everything should be clearly visible.
Common questions
Can I have a herbal consultation online?›
Yes. It can be face-to-face, fully online, or begin face-to-face and continue online. For online consultations I need your herbal form and clear photos of your tongue and ears, sent by email beforehand.
How long before herbs help?›
Realistically, 7 weeks gives a fair chance to see an improvement, and many people notice changes sooner. Herbs are updated often because they act and your internal condition changes.
Can I have herbs together with acupuncture?›
Yes. They work well together and help a lot with many internal problems.
General questions about acupuncture, treatments and booking are answered in the FAQ →
Ready to begin?
Please email your form, and your photos (JPEG) if your consultation is online, to ela@zestacupuncture.co.uk. Online care doesn’t replace medical care: if your symptoms are new, severe or getting worse, please see your GP.