Welcome to Glenorchy Herbs and Healing.
My name is Fiona McQueen and as a retired medical practitioner and specialist physician, I have 40 years of experience in the traditional Western medical approach to health and disease. For many years I have also studied alternative healing techniques from a holistic, mind-body perspective. I now incorporate meditation, yoga and naturopathy into my own regular health routine along with mindful eating of a largely organic, wild-food and often plant-based diet.
My focus is now on exploring herbal medicine. The use of plants for the treatment of disease underpins the modern science of pharmacology. For example, aspirin was derived from a natural substance called salicin. Salicin is present in many plants including willow bark and knowledge of its beneficial effects in relieving the symptoms of arthritis goes back to the ancient Sumerians and Egyptians.
But there is more to herbalism than isolating and refining chemicals from plants and using these to fight against human disease. This reductionist approach is all too often associated with the unwanted side effects common with modern pharmaceuticals. Western herbalists believe that herbs should be used in their complete or “whole plant” form to ensure that the balance of constituents is retained. Plants are viewed as “allies” in the quest for wellness.
Herbal remedies tend to be especially helpful for the treatment of chronic, ongoing conditions and are often combined with dietary and lifestyle advice to maintain and improve overall health. For optimum results, “health” needs to encompass physical, mental and spiritual domains.
I see clients for holistic health consultations in the setting of a beautiful herb garden surrounded by the breathtaking scenery of the Southern Alps. It is a place of peace and tranquillity and I have set the intention that it also be a focus for healing.