Herbal Medicine

What is herbal medicine?

Herbal medicine has been used for thousands of years to help with healing disease, illnesses and to help improve the body’s own innate healing ability.

All cultures have their own apothecary of traditional healing herbs that have helped keep people well and healthy.

Our herbalist, Dr Tracie O’Keefe, DCH, BHSc, ND, has trained over a number of years in natural medicine to diagnose and prescribe a wide variety of herbal remedies for many conditions.

Generally herbal medicine uses the whole or part of plants. This is different to allopathic medicine, which uses separated chemicals that the body is often not evolved enough to understand.

Just like animals, we have a physical affinity with plant solutions for our physical needs.
We only use the very best certified plant sources whose quality is monitored by the Australian government, and each prescription may be made up to suit the many factors involved in the patient’s specific needs.

You can either consult with our herbalist or we will fill prescriptions issued by other herbalists from our well-stocked dispensary of herbs.

Why visit a herbalist?

The answer is very simple really. Over thousands of years many herbs have proved their medical abilities. Herbs have fewer side effects than modern medicine and have more gentle yet proven effects.

In fact, just think about all the many herbal preparations you may have already used in your life and how they seemed so natural.

Medical herbalists study for many years at government-approved colleges and universities to be able to blend the precise formulation for each patient’s needs.

One of the major problems in modern medicine is the constant and unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics. There are indeed times when antibiotics are necessary but their over-prescription and mis-prescription often leads to conditions not clearing up and the person’s immune system being weakened.

Generally herbal medicine can often do many of the tasks of healing more efficiently and effectively by supporting the immune system, not damaging it.

What happens in the first consultation?

A herbal medicine consultation consists of taking a case history, asking questions about the person’s problem and situation.

It may include a physical examination with the taking of pulse, blood pressure and temperature, listening to the chest with a stethoscope, a tongue and eye examination, palpating and percussing different parts of the body, and considering the results of blood, urine and faecal screening.

Because herbalists take such detailed information in their consultation, they are able to blend herbs to improve several aspects of health at the same time.

Someone may have an initial consultation and then a follow-up in a few weeks, or for simple conditions such as colds, flu or coughs, the single consultation and medication can be sufficient to help healing and to strengthen the body.

What herbal treatments are offered?

Treatment may consist of different ways of administering herbal formulations.

Sometimes we may blend different liquid herbs that you take a few times a day. Other times we may prescribe tablets and on other occasions you may be given creams to rub into your body.

One of the other ways in which herbalists help heal people is by the administration of specific teas to be drunk at certain times of the day, which aid the efficiency of different body systems and organs.

No two people are alike so each treatment is designed specifically to suit that particular patient’s needs.

Remember, herbal medicine is all about supporting the body’s natural abilities, promoting wellbeing and propelling people to good health and wellbeing. We also prescribe flower remedies, which are very powerful and potent in helping to support the body.

What conditions can our herbalist, Dr Tracie O’Keefe DCH, BHSc, ND help with?

Because Tracie is qualified in several disciplines, including naturopathy, herbal and nutritional medicine, massage therapy, hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, counselling and sex therapy, she is able to offer help with a wide range of conditions, offering a complete holistic, mind-body solution.

These conditions* include:

*Many factors will be important in determining your actual results and no guarantees are made that you will achieve results similar to anyone else’s. Because of the diverse nature of the human body and mind, and the requirement on the part of each individual entering herbal medicine treatments to carry out any additional recommendations outside the session, including changes to diet and lifestyle, no guarantees can be made of results. Medical conditions are complex and may be subject to a range of ever-changing variables.

What diagnostic tests are used?

• Physical examination
• Candida test
• Urine test
• Faecal matter analysis
• Iridology
• Blood testing
• Behavioural profiling
• Hair mineral analysis
• Allergy testing
• Skin analysis
• Comprehensive dietary analysis

Can I claim for herbal treatments on my private health fund?

You may be able to claim for naturopathy treatments through your private health fund, either instantly through the HICAPS machine on the day, or by sending off your receipt to your provider.

For details about claiming for treatments through your health fund, please visit our health funds section.

Are your products tested on animals?

All products used and dispensed at the centre are plant-based, not tested on animals and contain no animal-derived ingredients.

Why choose the Australian Health & Education Centre?

Because Dr Tracie O’Keefe, DCH, BHSc, ND is highly qualified in several modalities, including naturopathy, herbal and nutritional medicine, massage therapy, hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, counselling and sex therapy, with a wealth of many years’ experience, she is able to look at patients from many different perspectives and evaluate what the best solutions are for that person.

She can offer, if necessary, several treatment options within the one clinic. This means your healing process is conveniently managed with the one practitioner.

We are conveniently located on Elizabeth Street, just 10 mins from the CBD and a 5-minute walk from Central Station.

We are happy to see patients independently or to work with patients’ doctors.

Treatments carried out by Dr Tracie O’Keefe, ND, BHSc, DCH
(Doctor of Clinical Hypnotherapy), Registered Naturopath (ANPA), Medical Nutritionist & Aesthetician (APAA)

Phone 02 9571 4333 to book an appointment.

Treatments carried out by Dr Tracie O’Keefe, ND, BHSc, DCH
(Doctor of Clinical Hypnotherapy), Registered Naturopath (ANPA), & Medical Nutritionist.