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An Introduction to Essential Oils Essential oils are highly concentrated plant extracts that are obtained through steam distillation, cold pressing, or other methods. These oils are known for their distinct aromas and therapeutic properties, and ...
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We offer a wide range of high-quality aromatherapy and essential oils, carefully curated from aromatic plants and known for their therapeutic properties. Our collection includes pure essential oils, fragrance oils, carrier oils, and bath oils, amo...
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At Napiers, we are committed to supporting women at every stage of their lives. We understand the unique health needs and challenges that women face, from reproductive health and menstrual health to fertility and pregnancy, hormonal health, and me...
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Alan is a fully qualified Five Element Acupuncturist and has been practising this wonderful system of medicine at Napiers Clinic in the West End of Glasgow for the past 18 years.
Angela practices Herbal Medicine at Napiers Bathgate, Edinburgh & Glasgow, as well as with the Napiers CLAID Clinic.
Audrey is a Medical Herbalist, graduating in 2007 with a BSc (Hons) in Herbal Medicine & Phytotherapy from Edinburgh’s Napier University and is a registered member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (MNIMH). Audrey is a practicing member within the Napiers CLAID Clinic.
As a fully qualified, experienced Holistic Therapist, Bettina works with clients on a one-to-one basis to establish an optimal treatment plan or therapy to best support your skin health and well-being.
Cat offers a range of massage including holistic, deep tissue, trigger point therapy, advanced sports stretching and pregnancy massge.
Claire is an experienced Western Medical Herbalist (BSc), a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH) and works at Napiers online clinic.
Clare is an experienced medical herbalist based in the West Highlands of Scotland, home to deer, livestock, ticks, and Lyme disease. She works for the Napier's CLAID clinic on a Thursday morning.
Clare began training at Edinburgh’s Napier University in 2005, gaining a Bachelor of Science Degree in Herbal Medicine in 2009. She joined the Napiers Clinic team shortly after her graduation, initially working in the dispensary before beginning her herbal practice in 2010. Since then she has been a key member of our clinical team, working alongside Dee Atkinson in running the general herbal clinics, as well as heading the Baby & Child Clinic.
Cybele is a passionate Sophrologist and founder of Chamapola, Healing Yourself - Healing Together.
Dean is a Naturopathic Practitioner experienced in Nutrition and Herbal Medicine. With interests in nerve problems, cardiovascular health, digestive disorders as well as male and female reproductive system wellbeing.
Dee is the senior herbal practitioner at Napiers the Herbalists in Edinburgh. She runs a general medicine clinic with a special interest in women’s health, managing hormonal health and ageing. More recently, Dee set up the Napiers Long Covid Clinic to facilitate an integrated approach between doctors, herbalists and nutritionist to this new disease.
Isabelle has over 20 years helping individuals and couples achieve their fertility goals through nutrition.
Jill is a fully qualified and insured Advanced Clinical Massage Therapist offering Outcome Based Treatments
John is a friendly and experienced counsellor offering 1-1 sessions on Fridays at Napiers Clinic in Edinburgh city centre and online via FaceTime/Skype. He has worked in private practice supporting people for over 18 years and brings a wealth of experience.
Kate is a BANT registered Nutritionist who owns and runs the Edinburgh Clinic of Nutrition. She trained for three and a half years at Patrick Holford's renowned Institute of Optimum Nutrition in London and is currently studying with The Institute of Functional Medicine in the US.
Kim is qualified in Aromatherapy Massage and Indian Head Massage. Working with the needs of her massage clients led to a deeper interest in their health and Kim studied the BSc (Hons) Herbal Medicine degree at Napier University, Edinburgh. Kim is one of the lead herbalists within the Napiers CLAID Clinic and sees many patients.
Kirstin is a fully qualified member of the Society of Homeopaths and holds an RSHom distinction in Classical Homeopathy. Kirstin qualified from the Northwest College of Homeopathy's four-year training course in Manchester.
Lynn is a registered osteopath and has been practicing osteopathy for nineteen years. She studied osteopathy and cranial sacral therapy at the European School of Osteopathy and graduated in 1991. Lynn has a background in physiotherapy and is trained in structural, craniosacral, functional, fascial and visceral osteopathy.
Malgorzata graduated from the College of Naturopathic Medicine where she studied Western Herbal Medicine and Naturopathic Nutrition /Diplomas in Herbal Medicine (2017), Naturopathy (2017), and Naturopathic Nutrition (2020). She is also qualified in KORE Therapy, Anmo-fu - 5 Element Abdominal Massage, Craniosacral Balance and Stress Release Therapy and Cupping. Her first degree is a PhD in History.
Margaret practices Naturopathic Nutritional Therapy at Napiers Edinburgh.
Mark runs the podiatry clinic, offering diagnosis and treatment of various disorders relating to the feet, ankles, legs and lower back. He offers podiatry, chiropody, orthotics and nail surgery.
Mary is a qualified therapist in Swedish, Indian and Thai Foot Massage.
Mary trained in Edinburgh, and has been working as a complementary therapist since 1999, holding diplomas in Clinical Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Therapeutic Massage and Hopi Ear Candling gained from the International Therapy Examinations Council (ITEC). She is a member of, and is fully insured to practice with, the Complementary Therapists Association (CThA).
Melissa qualified from Middlesex University in 2000. She runs a general herbal practice from her boat, The Herbal Barge, which is based on the river Lea in North London. Melissa joined the CLAID Clinic Co-operative to work collaboratively in an integrated and specialised context to support patients with long covid.
Mike is a body worker and NLP Practitioner who is passionate about working with the person as a whole; offering treatments that integrate body and mind.
Monica has a Masters degree in herbal medicine from the University of Central Lancashire. She is the research herbalist heading up the Napiers CLAID Clinic. The CLAID Clinic specialism is Lyme disease Borrelia burgdorferi and co-infections - crypto-infections Bartonella, Babesia, Rickettsia, Erlichia, Anaplasma, Mycoplasma, etc. A research herbalist is not the same as a medical herbalist and Monica does not run a general clinical practice. This allows her to focus on Lyme disease and bacterial and viral infections.
Natasha is an experienced and qualified medical herbalist in Western herbal medicine, a forager and mycotherapist. As well as practicing as part of Napiers' general herbal medicine practice, she also sees patients as part of the CLAID Clinic.
Nikki was awarded a first class honours degree in Herbal Medicine from the University of East London and trained at clinics in Glasgow and London. She was also awarded the Arthur Barker prize for her final examination grades. Nikki also has ITEC Diplomas in Holistic Massage and Aromatherapy. She is a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists which is the UK’s leading professional body representing herbal practitioners. NIMH members follow a strict code of conduct and are committed to ongoing and continual practitioner development and training.
Ona Madorell is a qualified Naturopathic Nutritionist, graduating with distinction from the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM). She has further enhanced her expertise through a course in blood test interpretation and a postgraduate program focused on the microbiome.
Pearlyn is a licensed acupuncturist and a registered member of the Acupuncture Society, and is fully insured to practice acupuncture, tuina, cupping and moxibustion.
Rebecca is an Associate Nutritionist, specialising in gut health and women's health, from hormone imbalance to fertility, pregnancy and beyond.
Sara is qualified Medical Herbalist, Ayurvedic Therapist and Yoga teacher, holding an MSc. in Western Herbal Medicine from Middlesex University.
Satya trained at the School of Natural Medicine where she graduated with a Diploma in Healing Diets and additional immersion studies in Herbal Medicine, Healing Diets, Iridology & Naturopathy, Quantum Botanicals and Flower Essences. Satya has a Nonviolent Communication Leadership Certificate with Bay NVC and an MA in European Dance Theatre Practice from Trinity Laban.
Sheila is a Holistic Therapist who qualified in KCR in 2019 with the KCR Academy. After a long career in retail, an ankle injury led her to seek an alternative approach to healing.
Shona has worked at Napiers Clinic for 30 years where she has picked up a wealth of knowledge about various complementary therapies. She trained as a Food Sensitivity tester with The Health Partnership Company, where she was taught how to use the 3 point marker system.
Thanos is an experienced Medical Herbalist and practises as a Herbalist and Orthopaedic Acupuncturist at Napiers in Edinburgh and at Napiers Bathgate.
Wendy qualified in 2002 with a BSc(Hons) in Phytotherapy. Since then she has practiced in Fife, Angus and the Lothians. She is a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists.
Unless you sleep alone, snoring can be a real problem as it may keep your partner awake. Sometimes snoring also wakes you up preventing a good night's sleep. Although there are no magic herbs that will instantly stop you snoring, there are herbs t...
Unless you sleep alone, snoring can be a real problem as it may keep your partner awake. Sometimes snoring also wakes you up preventing a good night's sleep. Although there are no magic herbs that will instantly stop you snoring, there are herbs that can help to alleviate many of the causes. So looking at why you snore is a good start.
Snoring is noisy breathing through the mouth and nose while asleep. It happens when the air does not flow smoothly through the air passages. When you sleep deeply the muscles in your throat, tongue and roof of mouth relax and sag. This narrows the airways and causes them to vibrate. About 45% of the population snore from time to time and 25% are habitual snorers.
There are believed to be a number of factors which cause snoring – age, obesity, alcohol and certain drugs, sleeping on your back and structural reasons such as a longer than normal uvula, a low thick set palate or a deviated septum.
Being overweight is a very common cause of snoring and in this case herbs and diet can support the weight loss. Excess fat puts pressure on the lungs, throat, etc. and the noise of snoring is generated by the extra effort required by the body to maintain breathing.
Nasal congestion, which will force someone to breathe through his or her mouth, will also increase the likelihood of snoring.
Rarely snoring can indicate a more serious condition called sleep apnoea. This is interruption in breathing while asleep. When breathing stops the brain responds by waking a person up. This can happen several times a night and result in fatigue and an increased risk of more serious health problems.
Self-help advice for snorers includes trying to sleep on your side instead of your back, raising the head of the bed and avoiding alcohol before bed.
Weight: Losing weight helps to stop or lessen snoring. Sleeping on your side, so that excess weight is not pressing directly on your lungs and diaphragm, may also help. If you are overweight and a bad snorer, then getting support on a weight loss program will be an important part of relieving not just snoring but other health issues.
Nightcaps: Drinking alcohol in the evening can also contribute to snoring as it causes muscles to relax even more than normally. It also causes irritation and congestion in the nasal passages that in turn increase snoring. If you are addicted and can’t stop drinking try to at least have your last drink 4 hours before bedtime to try to reduce the likelihood of alcohol-related snoring.
Drugs: Sedatives such as sleeping tablets or those prescribed for depression can also relax your muscles more than normal and contribute to snoring. If you have been prescribed medication and have snored since, or existing snoring has got worse, discuss this with your doctor.
Sinuses: Aside from being overweight, one of the biggest problems related to snoring is blocked sinuses. So advice given for sinusitis is also relevant for snoring. Herbs can help alleviate nasal congestion, reducing the production of catarrh, and tone the mucous membranes.
First, try cutting out dairy products for a while. Milk, cheese and other products congest the mucus membranes and this is often the culprit behind blocked sinuses. Cut them out for 3 weeks and see if the breathing clears and the snoring lessens. If it does, see if it gets worse again once diary products are reintroduced again. For people who really love dairy try soy, almond or oat milk instead of cows milk and sheep or goats cheese instead of cows milk cheeses. Foods high in chilli, such as curries, conversely help sinuses by thinning and encouraging the flow of mucus.
If blocked sinuses are suspected, massaging the cheekbones, nose, forehead and temples around the sinuses with Napiers Sinus Rub can help to keep them clear. You can also massage the chest with Napiers Vaporese Oil or add a few drops of it to a stem inhalation to clear sinuses. Some people find that a neti-pot of saline solution which is squirted into the nose helps to keep them clear.
If sinuses are often blocked but cutting out dairy products makes no difference, you may need to look at other possible allergens. There are less well-known allergies, such as a sensitivity to sulphur that can play a part. Sulphur dioxide is found as a common food preservative, very common in dried fruits such as apricots, mango, etc and also in wine. So if your nose is often blocked the morning after you’ve had a few glasses of wine, then sulphur may be the cause.
Try drinking a herbal tea before bedtime to reduce nasal stuffiness. A combination of elderflowers and eyebright herbs is both tasty and useful. If you don’t want a full cup of tea add 5ml of tincture to a smaller glass of water. You could also add in plantain leaf which is a gentle expectorant. These can be found combined as tinctures in our Sinus Support food supplement. Stronger herbs include garlic, which thins mucus and tackles any mild infection, sage or oak leaf – both high in tannins - that helps to dry out sinuses and are used for thicker more severe catarrh in blends such as Catarrh Blend food supplement.
Ideally it is advisable to consult a herbalist if you have constantly blocked sinuses. Some people have also found acupuncture and hopi ear candling of some help with snoring but success depends very much on why you snore in the first place.
Other Articles
Self Help for Sinusitis by Zoe Naylor, MNIMH
Hay fever and Summer Allergies by Dee Atkinson, MNIMH
by Monica Wilde
Research Herbalist
References
Banno, K., Walld, R., & Kryger, M.H. (2005). Increasing obesity trends in patients with sleep-related breathing referred to a sleep disorders centre. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 1(4), 364-6.
Braver, H.M., Block, J., & Perri, M.G. (1995). Treatment for snoring combined weight loss, sleeping on side and nasal spray. Chest. 107. 5: 1283-1288.
Dixon, J.B., Schachter, L.M., & O’Brien, P.E. (2001). Sleep disturbance and obesity: changes following surgically induces weight loss. Archives of Internal Medicine. 161(1), 102-6.
Kopelman, P.G. (1984). Clinical complications of obesity. Clinics in Endocrinology and Metabolism. 13(3), 613-34.
Levy, P., Pepin, J.L., Mayer, P., Wuyam, B., & Veale, D. (1996). Management of simple snoring, upper airway resistance syndrome and moderate sleep apnea syndrome. Sleep. 19 (9), S101-10.
Madani, M. (2007). Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. Archives of Iranian Medicine. 10(2), 215-26.