The aim of current legislation is to protect the public from misleading and unsubstantiated medical claims for herbal and nutritional supplements. The standard advice is to refer patients to their GP, but in practice, very few GPs know enough about herbal medicine to answer these questions. Choosing a herbal or nutritional remedy is a minefield for the poor consumer. Lack of information is just as dangerous as misleading claims. But supplements come in different forms.
Herbal products can be just as confusing.
Treatment options Treatment often includes dietary advice and lifestyle advice such as advice on relaxation, as well as medicine. For example, a patient might be told to avoid foods that provoke wind, in an attempt to calm down the digestive tract. They are usually given a blend of herbs tailor-made for them. It might include a digestive tract carminative, a sedative herb to help with anxiety, an antispasmodic and a liver tonic to improve digestion. The medicine is often given as a tincture, usually containing 25-40 per cent alcohol.