Testimonials

“I feel sure that I speak for most – if not all – of your clients and patients, when I say that your patience, insight, intuitive perception and real understanding of their actual needs, together with your professionalism, care, love and support, is not only way beyond the call of duty but is a joy to receive.”

Chris K.

“If you are suffering from any kind of health problem, physical or emotional, or stress, I thoroughly recommend that you consult Jo Dunbar who runs Botanica Medica, the Herbal Apothecary: she is an extremely well qualified and experienced medical herbalist of the very top class! I have been a very well satisfied patient of Jo’s for several years now and cannot praise her highly enough.

I was recommended to see Jo by a friend whose ME had been very successfully treated by her. Jo specialises in treating ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Candida by natural means, conditions which are usually left untreated by the NHS. (She has written 2 excellent books on these subjects, available on Amazon, which are well worth reading if you suffer from either of these conditions).

Jo has treated my ME brilliantly and also my severe, chronic neurological pain (called arachnoiditis) that I experience over much of my body. Both of these conditions were originally caused by failed spinal surgery, which has been followed by 3 more spinal operations. She has enabled me to drastically reduce my NHS pain killers, which have terrible side effects. My energy and zest for life has been restored and my mood elevated, for as you can imagine being in constant pain is very depressing, and my mobility has vastly improved. Over the years she has also very successfully treated my other health problems as they arise, including the flu and cystitis.

Jo uses herbal tinctures made from herbs which she grows mainly herself, always tailored to my own individual needs. She also uses supplements and herbal teas and recommends very helpful changes in diet and life style. Thus her approach is holistic and wide-ranging, which I find very reassuring and impressive.

From my very first consultation I felt Jo welcomed and cared for me. I was treated very much as an individual and Jo has got to know me in depth. She always has plenty of time for each consultation, and I never feel rushed. She exudes loving kindness and warmth. and is very easy to talk to. These personal qualities, combined with her impressive professional skills, make her the perfect, 5 star healer!

I also value the opportunity to stay in touch with Jo between sessions, by phone and email, so that I never feel “left on my own” to cope. Also when I am unable to get to the clinic, Jo will carry out a telephone consultation and then speedily post the remedies to me.

In my experience, Jo offers a real professional alternative to treatment on the NHS and often helps where the NHS is unable to. She has helped me to “get my life back”. I am so grateful to her and I would be lost without her. Please don’t hesitate to let her help you too!”

Gillian R., Surrey

“Thanks so much for your expert and caring guidance over the past few months. I’ve reviewed my progress over that time since speaking to you yesterday, considering the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects we discussed, and feel confident that I have more energy, and that the quality of my energy has improved. Thanks to our conversations I also have a clearer sense of where I am in life at the moment, and what I need to do going forward. I’m very impressed by the holistic scope of your approach and especially your superb listening skills. I would recommend Botanica Medica unreservedly to anyone seeking quality support to address their health issues.”

Mike, London

“After a diagnostic test showing high levels of candida and a very low immune system, I was treated by Jo, (Botanica Medica) for a period, which restored me to health and well-being without side-effects. My condition was viewed with care and understanding and the decision to take a slow, gentle approach was right for me. The knowledged of the herbalists at Botanica Medica and the high quality of the herbs used make for confidence and success in a patient. Thank you so much!”

Sue M, Teddington

“Hi Jo, I wish to express sincere thanks and gratitude for your herbal remedy for my post Shingles symptoms known as PHN. My doctor had prescribed Amitryptaline, which I found had worse side effects. You then supplied the herbal medicine, which I understand contains Jamaica Dogwood, Liquorice, Yellow jasmin and Chillie and the symptoms have just about been eliminated after three weeks.”

John Brocklebank, Barnes

“Hi Jo, after 2 doses of your ‘potion’, I am feeling so much more like my old self. After 6 weeks of not being able to exercise, I went to my Saturday weights class this morning. I feel so good in mind, body and spirit. This is the best I have felt for months. Huge thanks.”

Debby Flavell, Henley on Thames

“I’ve used Jo for 5 months at Botanica Medica, mainly to reduce my cholesterol which was very high. With their help it has significantly reduced and I can’t thank them enough, and I would and do recommend them to anyone and everyone.”

Trish Edwards, Twickenham

“I would just like to express my deep gratitude for all your help and advice over the last two years in dealing with my illness. I have found your advice invaluable and the tinctures and herbal remedies have been an enormous aid in keeping me well. I have a great deal of faith in the idea behind supporting my body naturally, in order for it to accomplish the necessary healing. I can’t thank you enough for putting me onto juicing as I feel it has benefited me greatly. Jo, I have learnt so much from you about natural healing and your kindness and concern is unsurpassed. Furthermore, your knowledge of my illness and the natural remedies is greater than any I have come across.”

Sheila B, Geneva.

“I have had problems sleeping for about a year now, and after a few particularly sleepless nights during my stay in the area, I decided to see if you had any remedies that might help. I purchased the SleepiTime tea and the Sleep Formula, and have to say I have never tried anything as efficient and gentle before.”

M.W, Norway.

“Those drops are awesome, They just killed my cold”

Greg. Claygate

“Your A-V drops are fabulous. They just stopped my cold from developing. It usually goes onto my chest and lasts for weeks, but it just killed the cold. I am going to take another bottle just in case I get another cold.”

Martin, St Margarets

“The persistent fevers that I experienced could not be treated by my GP who suggested I try alternative medicine. My fevers were eliminated as I responded very well to the herbs dispensed by Jo. I have seen a dramatic and sustained increase in my well-being, and appreciate the advice and support provided by Jo and her team.”

Mr M Gill, Weybridge.

“I saw Jo in late October 07, having been referred by a friend. I have PTSD, and with that have severe anxiety, depression, confusion and fear – even though I know that this state is unwarranted, i.e.: there is no real reason to feel like this, the physical symptoms are all there. All this stress has also thrown me into menopause. The doctor prescribed numerous tablets, all had side-effects which were not pleasant, as well as being addictive, so I then tried 3 local herbalists, as well as many ‘alternative’ treatments – none of which helped. I have been on the herbs from Jo now for 4-5 months, and have experienced a huge improvement – I now have some days when I feel ‘normal’ again. I have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending her, and am hugely grateful for the continual improvement that I have!”

Jackie, Australia

“I came to Jo seeking help with PCOS and after on 4 months, my cycle is regular!!! She is incredible. I am on top of the world and feel like everything is possible again. I have never worked with anyone who spends such time and energy with her patients. I feel so grateful to have found Jo, and am so grateful to be on this road to great health and hopefully a new baby! Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Amy now has a beautiful little boy.

AB, Belgium.

“Thank you for giving me my wife back!!”

Anon. Richmond.

“I am grateful to my Occupational Health advisor for steering me to visit Botanica Medica. I suffered a fracture dislocation of the right leg some time ago and was fitted with an external Ilizarov frame to allow the fractures to heal, unfortunately I contracted Osteomyelitis in the Tibia and through the frame and knee damage this passed into my knee in the form of septic arthritis. For many months now I have been on long term antibiotics and have had many, many operations in an attempt to remove the infection, all to no avail and recently the decision was made by my Consultant Surgeon and myself to remove the leg as a last resort.

I decided to visit Jo in order to get my infection levels down as low as possible prior to the operation to reduce the risk of further infection but in only two weeks of treatment, in line with the “normal” antibiotics the visible signs of the infection are reducing and I am feeling much better in myself in a number of ways. The swelling in my knee joint is reduced, to the extent that I can walk short distances without the aid of my crutches, which in itself was a deciding factor in making our decision to amputate.

I can certainly testify that in my opinion, the tincture and herbal remedies I have received have and I hope will continue to help me in my battle with this deep set infection.

My sincere thanks to all involved with Botanica Medica, I have recommended that friends and colleagues with certain ailments visit as I am that sure of the potential benefits offered.”

Captain M.A. Youel MSM

“My husband has tried everything for his eczema in his ears. Your Mullein ear oil is fantastic and works instantly.”

Anon. St Margarets.

“I would like to thank you for the wonderful Hedgerow Clock. I really enjoyed reading it. It is one of the few internet articles that matches up to books! With warm wishes – Lucia Stuart”

Lucia Stuart

“I love your place and miss it in Switzerland. Yes, the Swiss are quite good about using herbs….but I think the way you practice wellness is fantastic. Good impact on mindset of my family as well.”

Amy

“All I can say is that before I started the herbal medicine treatment, the maximum I could hold was 100ml of urine. Now I can hold in excess of 400ml and I do not have to get up even once during the night.”

Mr C Kitsen, Twickenham.

“I have had Diverticulitis/IBS flare ups and they can be tricky to manage. I was losing weight, unable to work and losing my confidence. Jo came to the rescue. She has gradually built up my confidence in handling the flare ups with herbs, probiotics and diet. When I feel a twinge I now know what to do and can get on top of the flare up before it gets out of hand. Her knowledge and insight is invaluable. The desire to ‘get you better’ overrides everything and is an uplifting support for everyone. Thank you so very much.”

T.H. Twickenham

“During a particularly stressful time in my life, sleep was a big problem. I went to the doctor who prescribed sleeping pills but did point out that after a while they could become addictive. The end result was that I did sleep, but felt wiped out the following day so I stopped taking them. I then went to Botanica Medica who spent 60 minutes listening to what I had to say (40 minutes more than the doctor).

After taking the herbs for two weeks I slept every night, woke up refreshed in the morning, and had a lot more get up and go.

Over the next six months I have used the herbs only once or twice. They are totally non-addictive. I must admit I did not believe in any of this herbal stuff before I went to Botanica Medica. Make up your own mind because they worked for me.”

Mr M Larkin, Twickenham.

“Dear Jo,

When I came in to see you earlier in the year I was in a lot of discomfort with a painful, bloated and upset stomach. I can most definitely say that the tinctures and herbal remedies that you gave me completely sorted me out and within 2 months I was back to my old self! I also have taken heed of your advice on diet and am now much more selective about what I eat. Thank you.”

Ms S Rowland, Middlesex.

“I will always be grateful that my osteopath encouraged me to visit Botanica Medica. She, herself went to see Jo Dunbar whenever she felt the need and could see that I too would benefit. When I first met Jo I had a variety of problems, the most immediate being that I was so exhausted I could hardly think straight. I was losing confidence in my ability to function at work. Meeting Jo was like coming home. Botanica Medica exudes compassionate wisdom which emanates from the practitioners. I immediately felt a connection and knew I could trust the treatment. From the first week of taking the herbs my spirit began to lift, I felt energised, I slept better… I continue to feel well and I am so glad I have found this haven of good friends to whom I can return whenever I feel the need.”

Mary El-Jamel, Richmond.

“I was first diagnosed with ME about 9 years ago. I was one of those people who typically ‘over did’ it, I was working for my family’s company in a very stressful job doing long hours, I was also captain of a hockey team, over exercised, had a dog and looked after our home.

Being really stressed I found that I had many minor ailments and never took the time out to recover fully, I also had a dreadful diet and did not look after myself properly.

After having a bad inner ear infection, I became seriously ill and was in bed for 2 months and could not walk my dog 100 yards, let alone play any hockey. I did not recover within a normal period of time and after about a year was diagnosed with ME. Eventually I had to give up work completely as I was no longer physically or mentally able to complete daily essential tasks. I suffered from depression and existed, but did not ‘live’ for a long period in my life.

Having exhausted traditional medicine, I tried numerous other remedies including acupuncture, healing and Reiki, all of which did help, but never really put me on the road to recovery, although I managed to return to part time work.

Eventually I looked on the ME website and saw a link for Jo’s web site, I have to say I was perhaps a little sceptical having tried so many other options. My wonderfully supportive husband drove me to Jo’s office in Surrey which was some 2 hours from us. Jo was very kind and noted every point of my illness, the worst of which included migraine-like headaches, thrush, diarrhoea, neck ache, hormonal problems, brain fog and of course continued severe tiredness.

Jo took a blood test which was sent off to a Lab for testing my food intolerances. I received a detailed description of the results and Jo advised me the foods that I should and should not eat. This was difficult for a start as I could not eat wheat or sugar, but within a few weeks, and determined that I was going to get better I adjusted my diet accordingly and took everything Jo had to say on board.

Jo advised me of all the herbs that she would be giving me and addressed each of my health issues individually. Obviously some of my problems were quite personal, but Jo was very gentle and persuaded me to hand over information that I sometimes struggled to give my GP.

Within a couple of months, I started to feel a real difference, but being somewhat of a cynic at that point I thought I was just going through one of my better phases and it would not necessarily be anything to get too excited about.

My headaches became less regular, my energy improved and I felt a new zest for life, but still sat under a conditioned illness umbrella, from which I was scared to travel too far. Monthly phone consultations with Jo and a continued modification of my herbal remedies saw my health and well being increase dramatically. The bad times became less frequent and the headaches were not as wearing. My brain became more active, I increased my hours at work and played competitive hockey.

Somewhere along the way I regained my confidence which had been nearly as diminished as my health. I became a volunteer for Labrador Rescue which I love doing and I rediscovered the better parts of my old self.

Although I still sometimes have to budget my energy, I no longer get as nervous when we get an invitation to go out and do something, I am more positive and importantly found something that I can do in my spare time which is occasionally hard but ultimately completely fulfilling.

I genuinely think I was in a sort of limbo before I met Jo, but with her herbal remedies, first hand knowledge of the illness, care and consideration; she has helped me onto a path that I had thought was not possible.”

L.Parker. Cambridgshire

“I was diagnosed with ME/CFS many years back and 3 years ago really went downhill to the point of spending alot of time in bed and being housebound. Whilst looking round the net I found Jo and started have phone consultations with her.

Jo is very experienced in helping people with ME and I have found her knowledge and kindness to be outstanding. With Jo’s guidance I have made huge changes to my diet and aided along with herbs and powders my health has started to improve. I no longer feel that I’m about to collapse or need to be in bed during the day and I have started to be able to participate in small outings to have lunch or see a family member. After several months of treatment, my quality of life started to dramatically improve, and now I can drive around, and live a full life again.

Many thanks to Jo and her team.”

Anon, Somerset.

“Hi Jo – I’m not sure if you’ll be picking up emails while on your course, but I wanted to write because I’m noticing such improvements in my health all the time still and felt keen to tell you. The latest batch of herbs seems to really suit me and on top of the health improvements I’d already told you about, I feel a building stamina and vibrancy that is making life so good.

Each day I notice improvements and my drive is returning. On top of the exhausted feeling having left me some time ago, I now have far more zest for life and want to get out and do things again. Now I bounce off to meet people and hop on and off the train or bus, swim, go out at night, live life again. Simple things please me the most, I feel engaged with life and getting such a buzz out of being part of the world again.

I’m beginning to see that the reason I haven’t been writing more than I have is that my energy has been building slowly but surely and I probably needed it all for just living and reintegrating into a social life again and searching for suitable employment. Now is the time to push on with the writing, now that I’ve got so much more vitality about me.

I’m applying for a few jobs but trying to enjoy this time as a real blessing and going with the flow. I’ve booked my flights now for the Lanzarote trip next month too, so that will be lovely. It will be nice to be with someone who has gone through such a similar time with his body and talk things through, face to face. I’m finding now is the time to talk about what was happening to my health, now that the crisis is behind me.

I thought you might like to know how thankful I am to you and wonder where on earth I would be without your guidance and treatment.”

Amanda Ramsay, Surrey

“Discovering Jo has been one of the best things that has happened to me in the last 12 years since contracting glandular fever and then M.E. With her extensive knowledge of the medicinal qualities of herbs and the many complex symptoms of M.E. she has, after only 4 months, been able to greatly improve my quality of life. I would have no hesitation in recommending her to anyone suffering with M.E.”

Anna Walker, Surrey

“Dear Jo – For a long time now I have been wanting to say “Thank you” but the words in themselves seem so inadequate. So I would like you to know that they are said here with a very genuine heartfelt and deep deep gratitude for all your help, your kind words and your loving support in seeing me on the road to recovering from M.E., regaining my confidence and to get my life back. I could write pages and pages on how your expertise and your herbs have helped me but they would not come close to expressing how I feel. I thought I was doomed to a life of existing rather than living. Now I am having so much fun living again and it feels great to be alive again. Thank you to you and Janine.”

Rehanna Nightingale, Middlesex

“My son Tom recently suffered from Post Viral fatigue/ME symptoms for several months after having had a nasty flu type virus. Jo treated him with herbal medicine that was tailored to treat his individual symptoms. He started to feel better after 2-3 weeks and now over a month on, is feeling fully recovered and back to his old self! I would like to express my gratitude to Jo for all she has done for Tom in restoring his good health.”

Tom, Farnborough

“I am converted to herbs. My cold sores are under control. HerpEase is so much cheaper than Acyclovir and works much better too.”

Anon, St Margaret’s.

“Your colic glycerite is the only thing that works for my baby. He is putting on weight and is a much happy little fellow. Your colic herbs are absolutely fantastic. I have told all my friends about it and we all use it!!”

Mothers in Claygate and St Margarets

“Before I started using MaleVital, I used to feel so tired all the time. I am now able to cycle for miles building up fitness and body strength. My zest for life has lifted. I feel 17 again!”

Anon. St Margarets

“I am very thankful I came across the Botanica Medica website 3 years ago – Jo has totally transformed my life. She has helped me improve my health and wellbeing through herbs and I have had a few hypnotherapy sessions which have cleared and healed and brought peace & harmony into my life. Jo’s hypnotherapy approach is wonderful as it allows the individual to unravel each and every problem and resolve them with her support and guidance. During every single hypnotherapy session with Jo, the care and compassion shown was incredible. The results from my hypnotherapy sessions have been amazing and I am living the life that I had always dreamed about. A big thank you to Jo for all of her assistance.”

S.O. Twickenham

“Jo had already turned my health around when I first spoke to her about hypnotherapy. I knew I was susceptible, but my last experience with it had been less than positive and I was, frankly, a bit concerned.

I have many deep-seated issues that six years of talking therapy had failed to resolve. The hypnotherapy was a transformative experience – physically, emotionally and spiritually. By confronting my problems on a sub-conscious level I was able to let them go for the first time. It literally felt as if a constriction in my chest – which a previous therapist had described as a’frozen lake of tears’ – had dissolved. The process also validated a spiritual calling I’d felt for a long time but had been unable to fully acknowledge. I’m now following a new path as a result.

Jo is a compassionate and completely trustworthy guide. With her help I’ve turned my life around – and I’m off antidepressants for the first time in 25 years. I really can’t recommend her highly enough.”

LD. Surrey

“Well Hello Jo, I just got the results back from my urine test and I am clear. No Ecoli so thank you very very much. I had been struggling for a year and refused to take antibiotics…I got there in the end with your help and guidance. Thank you so much.”

Emma, Dubai