My experience at Herbfeast 2025
- laraherbalist
- Jun 14
- 3 min read
I recently had the honour of speaking at Herbfeast, a festival held at the beautiful Wells House in Wexford, Ireland. The venue was absolutely stunning, and I found all the presentations I attended to be very engaging. Esteemed speakers such as Simon Mills, Jo Goodyear, Julia Brehens, and many others contributed to the event. While I could only attend on Sunday, both the Saturday and the Sunday lineup were equally intriguing. There was also yoga and a number of herb walks, which offered a nice change from the seated workshops. There even was a herbal quiz to shake things up on Saturday night, as well as singing and dancing 🎉
Topics of Discussion
The festival covered a range of topics, including:
Herbal medicine approaches to viruses
Neurodiversity
Introduction to Lyme disease and herbal approaches
Talk on Propolis
Mind and Body - Understanding the role of the nervous system
Herbal brain food
Medicine in Medieval Ireland 1200-1650
Medicinal mushrooms and their role in Lyme disease recovery
Viruses and long COVID - an update
The clinical aspects of neurodivergence
In the talk I gave, I took the opportunity to ignite a discussion on the alarming rise of polypharmacy in recent decades. In England, the incidence of polypharmacy — generally defined as the use of five or more pharmaceutical drugs — has quadrupled in those aged 65 and older when comparing the time periods 1991-1993 and 2008-2011. A 2024 paper indicates that approximately 67% of the frail population is currently affected, which is an even further increase in polypharmacy. This trend raises serious concerns about where we might find ourselves in 10 years, 20 years, or even further into the future.
In recent years in clinical practice, I feel I see more often individuals taking ten or more medications. This highlights that not only is the frequency of polypharmacy rising, but there is a potential that the number of pharmaceuticals per person may also be increasing.
One major challenge regarding polypharmacy is the lack of review processes, clear guidelines on responsibilities, and effective communication among healthcare professionals, including doctors and pharmacists. Patients frequently find themselves caught between multiple prescribers, with oversight and regular pharmaceutical reviews severely lacking.
The Role of Herbalists
One of the key advantages herbalists can offer is the fact that the duration of their consultations is generally considerably longer than a GP appointment. Herbal medicine consultations commonly last between 30 and 90 minutes. This extended time allows for a thorough exploration of the patient's overall well-being, challenges they face, lifestyle factors, and current symptoms. It also allows for time to discuss the current medications and supplements as well as the timeline regarding how long each has been taken. Unfortunately, herbalists commonly operate somewhat outside the current mainstream medical framework, making communication challenging. Patients may encounter negative reactions from their doctors when they mention consulting a herbalist, and some even feel ridiculed for seeking such alternative advice. This is not helpful for patients who should be the central focus and in some cases might even prove harmful as patients may start to hide information from their doctors to avoid feeling ridiculed or shamed.
Fortunately, this is not universally the case, as an increasing number of doctors recognise the benefits of herbal medicine and the value of including herbalists in the healthcare team. Ultimately, the focus should always remain on the patient's needs and health. To achieve this, enhanced communication among healthcare professionals is essential, particularly concerning polypharmacy.
I would like to extend my gratitude again to Herbfeast for the invitation to speak at this year’s festival. I feel truly honored and hope that Herbfeast continues to thrive well into the future.
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