Jean Dow Herbalist Ltd

12/11/2025

🌿 Are you ready to boost your immunity naturally this winter?

Once again I’m keeping this affordable for everyone.

Join me for my Immunity Essentials Workshop on Wednesday 27th November, 12–2pm — a live online session packed with practical advice, herbal wisdom, and the latest evidence-based research to help you and your family stay well through the colder months.

It will be recorded for those who can’t attend on the day!

Here’s what you’ll learn 👇

✨ The difference between bacterial and viral infections — and how your approach to treatment should change for each.�🌿 What herbal medicine really is — and how it supports the body’s natural healing processes.�📖 The latest research on the effectiveness of herbal medicines against specific bacteria and viruses.�💚 My Top 7 Herbal Remedies for autumn and winter — trusted favourites for immune support, energy, and resilience.�🌼 Herbal medicines for specific conditions, such as coughs, sore throats, low energy, or recurrent infections.�🔥 The role of fever in healing — and gentle herbal approaches for supporting a healthy fever response.�💊 How to choose the right supplements (and spot poor-quality or unnecessary ones).�🍯 Step-by-step herbal recipes for making your own syrups, tonics, and cough medicines at home.
�📘 Plus, you’ll receive a beautiful e-recipe book after the workshop — with all the herbal recipes, blends, and remedies to make at home!
�🥣 The best foods and nutrients to support your immune system naturally.
�💬 Time for your questions — an open, friendly space to explore what really works for you.

You’ll come away with practical tools, clarity, and confidence — ready to support your body naturally this winter without wasting money on fads or guesswork.

It’s only £19 + VAT, and it’s always a warm, welcoming session full of inspiration and shared learning.

✨ Book your place now and get ready to feel stronger, clearer, and more resilient this winter: https://l.bttr.to/s5zyW

With warmth,�Jean 🌿

11/11/2025

I always think my clinic looks cosy in the winter. Wood burner on - just getting ready to deliver Week 4 of the Brain Vitality Programme.

05/11/2025

ITS RUNNING AGAIN by popular demand

This time it’s a daytime workshop!

27th November – 12 noon till 2pm

Join me in my 2 hour Immunity Essentials Workshop

Cost: I want this to be affordable and accessible for everyone so I'm keeping the cost of this low. £19 plus VAT

As the nights draw in and the air starts to cool, many of us begin to feel that familiar shift — a little less energy, a few more sniffles, and that sense that our bodies need some extra care to stay well through the colder months. This is the time of year when prevention really matters — and when herbal and natural medicine can make a world of difference.

That’s why I’m so excited to be running my Immunity Essentials Workshop again this year on Thursday 27th – 12 noon till 2pm a two-hour online session that’s all about helping you stay strong, nourished, and well this autumn and winter.

During the workshop, we’ll start by looking at what herbal medicine really is, how it works, and why it remains one of the most effective and empowering ways to care for your health. I’ll share the latest evidence-based research around herbal medicine — including how certain herbs have been shown to support immune function and even help the body defend itself against specific bacteria and viruses. It’s always fascinating to see how traditional wisdom is increasingly supported by modern science.

I’ll also be revealing my Top 7 Herbal Remedies for the season — the plants I reach for year after year in my clinic and at home. These are herbs that build strength, resilience, and vitality; herbs that soothe coughs and sore throats; herbs that gently support the lungs, digestion, and energy levels when the colder months start to take their toll. You’ll learn how to use them safely and effectively, and I’ll share some fabulous herbal recipes for making your own tonics, syrups, and simple cough remedies so you can start incorporating them into your daily life straight away.

Of course, we’ll also talk about supplements — an area where people often waste money on products that don’t deliver. I’ll show you which supplements are truly worth your time, and which brands are best. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to look for and how to build a simple, targeted immune support plan that actually works for you.

We’ll even explore which herbal medicines work best for specific conditions — such as coughs, colds, low energy, or recurrent infections — so you can feel confident choosing the right approach for your needs.

What I love most about this workshop is how empowering it feels. It’s a friendly, relaxed space where you can ask questions, share your own experiences, and learn in a way that makes sense for real life. Whether you’re completely new to herbal medicine or already have a growing interest, you’ll come away with clarity, confidence, and a renewed sense of connection to your own health.
The Immunity Essentials Workshop costs just £19 + VAT, making it an easy and affordable way to invest in your wellbeing before winter truly sets in.

If you’re ready to feel more resilient, informed, and supported as we move into the colder months, I’d love for you to join me on the 27th at 12 noon . Together, we’ll make this your healthiest and most balanced winter yet.

Even better - invite your friends and family to join too so that your support team when you are ill is as informed as you will be.

Click the link to sign up
Book Here https://l.bttr.to/s5zyW

Warmly
Jean

05/11/2025

Such an important topic. Did you know that substantial amounts of plastic particles have been found in the brains of dementia patients, so it's even able to cross the blood brain barrier.

Two recent online articles have highlighted the need for a greater awareness of the potential health benefits of reducing micro- and nanoplastic exposure. The emergence of microplastics (1 µm to 5 mm) and nanoplastics (less than 1 µm) has raised alarms about their harmful effects on human health. Nanoplastics are especially hazardous due to their smaller size and enhanced ability to infiltrate the human body.

The first article reviews a recent paper by Sarah Sajedi and colleagues, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, which examines the science around the health risks posed by single-use plastic water bottles. They are serious, she says, and seriously understudied.

In her analysis of more than 140 scientific papers, Sajedi reports that people ingest an estimated 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles each year. For those who rely on bottled water, that number climbs even higher, about 90,000 additional particles compared to people who primarily drink tap water.

According to Sajedi, the health risks are significant. Once inside the body, these small plastics can pass through biological barriers, enter the bloodstream and reach major organs. Their presence may contribute to chronic inflammation, cellular oxidative stress, hormone disruption, reproductive issues, neurological damage, and some cancers. Still, their long-term impacts are not fully understood, largely because of limited testing and the absence of standardised ways to measure and track them.

Sajedi says: “Drinking water from plastic bottles is fine in an emergency but it is not something that should be used in daily life. People need to understand that the issue is not acute toxicity—it is chronic toxicity.”

The second article in MedPage Today highlights the ubiquitous and insidious nature of micro- and nanoplastics. One of the authors (Meyer) is an emergency physician who believes it is now time to be warning patients about reducing exposure.

Teasing out the health impacts of micro- and nanoplastics requires some nuance. There is never going to be a randomised controlled trial: it is hard to conceive of a control group with no plastics exposure (given their ubiquity) and unethical to deliberately expose an experimental group to high-dose plastics. But waiting for perfect data risks ignoring an escalating health threat. Hence, much of what we know is by necessity extrapolated from animal studies and observational trials -- and there are multiple red flags.

In humans, studies are slowly emerging. In 2024, researchers followed patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy and found that those with microplastics in their plaque had a significantly higher rate of myocardial infarction, stroke or death 34 months later. More recently, decedent human brains from 2016 and 2024 were evaluated for microplastics: concentrations were significantly higher among individuals diagnosed with dementia compared to those without dementia (and plastic concentrations increased 50% from 2016 brains to 2024 brains, consistent with increasing environmental exposure). Last year, researchers at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) reviewed existing human and animal studies and found a suggestion of harm to reproductive, digestive and respiratory health in humans, as well as a possible link with colon and lung cancer.

All of this has been enough to convince Meyer that it is now time to start warning patients about microplastics. Although it would be impossible to avoid plastics altogether, there are some practical steps people can take to decrease their exposure.

To start (as per the first article), it makes sense to give up single-use plastic water bottles in favour of reusable steel or glass bottles. The water in plastic bottles has been found to contain 20 times more microplastics than tap water.

It is also a good idea to limit plastic in the kitchen, since we acquire many of our microplastics by eating and drinking them. This means using wooden cooking utensils and cutting boards over plastic ones, foil over plastic wrap, and glass food storage over plastic. If possible, avoid nonstick and plastic cookware. In situations where plastic containers are unavoidable, don't microwave food in them. And wash them by hand instead of the dishwasher, since heating plastic hastens its breakdown and chemical leaching.

At the supermarket, pack groceries in reusable cloth or paper bags, and try to avoid fruits and vegetables wrapped or packaged in plastic (admittedly challenging). And finally, limit ultraprocessed foods. Not only are they associated with increased mortality, obesity, chronic disease and malignancy, but they also come coated in plastic.

Could the demise of modern civilisation be caused by something we cannot even see?

For more information see: https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-warn-bottled-water-may-pose-serious-long-term-health-risks/
and
https://bit.ly/47TCyO3

03/11/2025

As the year begins to slow down, many of us find ourselves reflecting on how we’re really feeling, what we’ve been carrying, and what we might want to do differently in the new year.
If you’ve been thinking, “I need to prioritise my health next year”, this could be the gentle nudge you've been waiting for.

Last year, I ran a deeply rewarding 8-week group programme exploring functional and herbal medicine through the lens of root cause health. It gave a small group of people the clarity, tools, and confidence to begin addressing their health in a truly meaningful way — from gut healing and hormone balance to stress resilience and detoxification. Im still in touch with all of these ladies and am still seeing the fabulous impact this course made on them.

This year, I’m bringing it back — but with a little more breathing room, and a lot more flexibility. Im also reducing the cost to make it much more affordable for as many people as possible.

🌿 Introducing: Root Cause Reset — Your Way

A modular series of daytime workshops in functional and herbal medicine, designed to support deep, sustainable change.
Whether you're brand new to this approach or returning to deepen your knowledge, you’re warmly invited to join one, some, or all of these lunchtime workshops, running Wednesdays from 12–1.30pm throughout January and February and March.

You can build your own path, one step at a time — choosing the topics that feel most relevant to you, or committing to the full journey for a holistic reset.

Each topic will be a complete stand-alone workshop diving deeply into functional medicine and herbal medicine giving you tools to take immediate action.

Each session focuses on a key area of health and includes:

✅ Functional medicine insights
🌿 Herbal strategies and remedies
🛠️ Practical tools and lifestyle support
🌀 A deeper understanding of how your body systems connect

🗓️ The Modules:

🌿 Cracking the Code: Understanding Root Causes – A functional medicine and herbal medicine approach- 7th January 2026

Start your journey by exploring how symptoms are often just the surface. In this module, we’ll dive into the core principles of functional and herbal medicine: identifying why symptoms occur and how body systems influence one another. You’ll learn to look beyond the diagnosis and start thinking in terms of patterns, imbalances, and root causes.

Book here https://l.bttr.to/Slncg

🥦 Food as Medicine – Calm the fire within – 14th January 2026
Food can be one of our most powerful tools for healing. This week focuses on how nutrition influences inflammation, immunity, and energy — and how everyday choices can either support or sabotage health. We’ll explore anti-inflammatory foods, functional nutrition basics, and nourishing herbs that work beautifully alongside them.

Book here https://l.bttr.to/neCq2

🌱 Clear the Path: Gentle Detox for Everyday Life – 28th January 2026

Your body is designed to detox — but it needs the right support. In this session, we’ll explore how the liver, lymph, skin, and gut work together to process toxins, and what happens when these pathways become sluggish. You'll learn about herbs like dandelion and milk thistle, foods that assist detox, and lifestyle strategies to support your natural cleansing systems. You will also learn when its NOT ok to detox – this is so misunderstood.

Book here https://l.bttr.to/PsEdv

😌 Steady the Storm: Stress, Cortisol & Emotional Balance – 11th February

Chronic stress affects every system in the body — from digestion and hormones to sleep and immunity. This module looks at the physiology of stress and how herbal medicine (think adaptogens and nervines) can help us regulate cortisol, calm the nervous system, and restore emotional balance. We’ll also explore mindset, boundaries, and gentle lifestyle practices that make a difference.

Book here https://l.bttr.to/vDPFF

🧠 GUT INSTINCT: RECLAIMING YOUR DIGESTIVE HEALTH – 18TH FEBRUARY 2026

Almost every chronic health condition has some link to the gut. This session will cover how digestion affects everything from immunity and hormones to skin and mood. You'll learn how to identify signs of imbalance, understand the role of the microbiome, and discover herbs that soothe, restore, and support the digestive system.

Book here https://l.bttr.to/RGujv

🍫 BALANCING ACT: BLOOD SUGAR, ENERGY & MOOD AND INFLAMMATION – 25TH FEBRUARY 2026

Blood sugar isn’t just about diabetes — it affects your energy, mood, sleep, hormones, and inflammation levels. We’ll unpack how to stabilise blood glucose with smart nutrition, understand the signs of imbalance, and explore herbal allies like cinnamon, gymnema, and adaptogens that support better metabolic resilience.

Book here https://l.bttr.to/mfRmF

🔄 Connecting the Dots – Discovering the Interconnectedness of Body Systems –4th March 2026

No system in the body works in isolation. This module helps you see how digestion affects hormones, how stress impacts immunity, and how the gut and brain are deeply linked. We'll explore how everything is connected — and how working with one area can create healing in others. A vital piece in understanding the whole-person approach. We will also look at blood testing, how to read these tests and interpret them in an “optimal” way.

Book here https://l.bttr.to/2xphq

🌸 THE RIGHT MEDICINE: HERBAL ENERGETICS & INDIVIDUALISED HEALING – 11TH MARCH 2026

Herbal medicine isn’t one-size-fits-all. This final session introduces the concept of herbal energetics — how to match the right herbs to your individual constitution, symptoms, and needs. You’ll learn the difference between heating and cooling, stimulating and calming, and how to make more intuitive, personalised choices in your herbal care.

” — a moment to pause, refocus, and invest in how you want to feel in the months ahead.

Book here https://l.bttr.to/PLNIY

For those people really committed to change and who would like support and guidance throughout – you can book the whole programme at a discounted rate:

Book here https://l.bttr.to/uABbN

Lastly - Its always nice to have a freebie -

For those who book four or more modules there will be a standalone free 2 hour workshop on hormonal health. We will cover all aspects of hormones from puberty to menopause and beyond.

This is a fabulous opportunity at a much reduced price to ensure it is available to as many people as possible.

(Each Module - Early bird for booking before 1st December - £49 plus VAT £58.80)

I hope some of you will join me on the journey. My passion is to empower people on their own health journey – to give control and agency back to the individual. With the right resources your body has the capacity to heal and repair – lets focus on making sure you have those resources.

With love and in health.

Jean x

03/11/2025

I regularly test my patients oral microbiome as part of a functional medicine whole body approach. I must say that the results I see are outstanding when I test before and after. It's fabulous to see herbal medicine outperforming other non herbal methods.

Contemporary reviews and consensus statements now frame oral health as integral to overall health across the lifespan, with credible links to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, adverse pregnancy outcomes, pneumonia, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease, dementia, and even some cancers, especially colon. While the evidence comes from observational studies (association not causation), the associations are generally strong and causality signals are strengthening through Mendelian randomisation, intervention trials and mechanistic data, but do vary by condition. Guideline/consensus bodies now explicitly recommend medical-dental co-management for cardiometabolic risk.

Oral dysbiosis/infection from bacteria appears to be the causal link, driving low-grade systemic inflammation and endotoxaemia, recurrent bacteraemia, immune priming, molecular mimicry and microbiome translocation (oral–gut axis).

In this context, the finding that a Chinese licorice root (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) mouthwash slashed plaque and gum-inflammation scores by around 40–50 % in just five days has implications well beyond just oral health. The herb wiped out several major periodontal pathogens, including Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticol, and substantially outperformed the speed of improvement seen in green-tea or conventional mouthwash trials. These results spotlight licorice as a fast-acting, natural antimicrobial for gum and oral health.

This was a randomised, double blind, controlled study conducted on 60 patients who visited a dental clinic in South Korea. For the periodontal clinical parameters, the O'Leary index, plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and periodontal-disease-related bacteria in subgingival plaques were examined (at baseline and after 5 days of treatment).

The O’Leary index decreased by 40.43%, the PI decreased by 51.29% and GI decreased by 44%, In terms of bacterial outcomes, the licorice gargle produced antibacterial effects on both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens involved in periodontal disease.

Active treatment was 15 mL of the licorice solution applied once a day as both a gargle and mouthwash for 30 seconds for 5 days. This was prepared as follows: dried Glycyrrhiza uralensis root was extracted (70 % ethanol), filtered, concentrated and freeze-dried into a powder. This concentrated extract was then dissolved in distilled water to make a 0.5 % w/v mouthwash (the test solution). No eating, drinking, or other oral hygiene procedures were allowed for 30 minutes after use to maximise mucosal contact and antimicrobial exposure.

Given the phytochemical similarities, it is highly likely that European licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) will have the same benefit. I recommend a 1 in 10 dilution of a high glycyrrhizin licorice 1:1 extract. This should be considerably stronger than the test mouthwash/gargle used in the trial.

For more information see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40413479/

30/10/2025

At last night's Immunity Essentials workshop there were some questions around honey. I thought this an excellent explanation of why it's important to buy proper raw honey - ideally from a local farm shop or beekeeper if possible.

28/10/2025

jeandowherbalist
Immunity essentials: Its tomorrow
Join us for a fabulous workshop all about your immune system and how you can take care of yourself and your family over this winter.

Weds 29th 6-8pm

Deliberately kept affordable - only £19 plus VAT.

Book here https://l.bttr.to/46aW3

25/10/2025

Immunity essentials

Only a few spaces left.

Weds 29th 6-8pm

Deliberately kept affordable - only £19 plus VAT.

It will be recorded.

Book here https://l.bttr.to/46aW3

23/10/2025

Immunity essentials. It's filling up fast.

Ignore the wrong date I said in the video!

Next Wednesday 29th at 6-8pm

Book here

https://l.bttr.to/46aW3

£19 plus VAT

23/10/2025

Immunity essentials. It's filling up fast.

Next Wednesday 29th at 6-8pm

Book here

https://l.bttr.to/46aW3

£19 plus VAT