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Herbal festival survival guide

  • Katie Pande
    Katie Pande

    Katie is a qualified Medical Herbalist, and member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH), currently practicing in Shaftesbury. Katie holds a BSc (Hons) in Herbal Medicine and a BSc (Hons) in Plant and Environmental Biology.

    Her decision to study herbal medicine was sparked whilst she was studying for a degree in plant biology in Scotland. She spent the summer of my 2nd year in Egypt undertaking conservation work and, unfortunately became ill. No conventional medicines proved effective, and it was only after taking advice from the local Bedouin ‘medicine man’ that she started to recover. She has since deduced that this miracle plant was a relative of the Thyme family. It made her aware of how plants have the power to support whole communities by becoming sources of food, shelter and, most importantly, medicine. It was this experience that encouraged her to embark on a second degree in herbal medicine.

    Katie is passionate about herbs because they stimulate the body’s natural healing ability. One of the most important philosophies in herbal medicine is not to mimic the natural regulatory processes of the body but to stimulate these processes so that the body can then heal itself. In today’s society it can be difficult to regain our connection to nature and the earth: The incorporation of healing plants into our daily lives can help us reconnect with the earth and also encourage our body’s natural rhythms which can become somewhat lost in the workings of the modern world. Katie believes that true healing is rooted in enabling the individual to reconnect to themselves and helping them to understand the health of their whole body.

  • 2:50 reading time (ish)
  • Mobility & Fitness Western Herbal Medicine

Explore our top herbal tips for making the most out of your festival.

How do you avoid dehydration from the alcohol and sun?

Herbal tea in a glass cup, metal sieve with dry mint leaves, fresh mint leaves on the background of wooden boards

To stay hydrated, drink plenty of cooling herbal teas of peppermint, chamomile, licorice, fennel and roses. These have a soothing effect on your thermostat and will help to rehydrate you. They don’t have to be drunk piping hot: you can let them cool, bottle them and take them with you if you are out and about. Your aim should be to match your alcohol intake with water.

If you have fair skin or haven’t been in the sun much then build up your tolerance slowly. Some exposure to the sun is a good thing: the sun is a great source of Vitamin D. Cover-up in light cotton and wear a sun hut to protect from burning and dehydration. At the end of the day use some aloe vera juice directly on your skin. You can make ice cubes from it and then let it luxuriantly melt as it cools you down or just dab the juice on cool from the fridge. Forget all the aloe vera ‘gels’ around. They have minimal aloe vera and are mainly made from water and thickening agents. For a quick and cooling ‘spritz’ mist yourself in rosewater. Roses have long been used for tightening the skin and are used to soothe and cool that prickly heat sensation. You will smell divine too.

Katie Pande

Katie is a qualified Medical Herbalist, and member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH), currently practicing in Shaftesbury. Katie holds a BSc (Hons) in Herbal Medicine and a BSc... Read more

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