herbs are good. was founded by renowned herbalist and healer Steve Kippaxwhose years of practice as a Medical Herbalist and Acupuncturist has led to him developing this line of tried and tested herbal mixtures aimed to support you through daily life.

We provide practitioner quality herbal medicines to members of the public.  Our aim is to provide you with the herbs that you want in a rapid efficient fashion.

We also provide you with background information on certain herbs, pills, and keep you up to date with what is happening in the world of Complementary medicine generally and herbal medicine specifically.


Herbal medicine
Herbal medicine has been used for up to 60,000 years. Approximately 50% of all modern day drugs originate from plants. A dandelion has approximately 130 different chemicals which can be identified. Scientists do not like the idea that a medicine has 130 different variable parts and thus try and isolate and purify what they regard as the active principle.
This gives you drug therapy – drugs do what they are supposed to.
Herbs have provided us with some of the most powerful and effective drugs – Morphine remains probably the best pain killer; Caffeine is probably the most widely available and used stimulant; Ephedrine is of great benefit in allergic conditions and is often present in commonly taken cold and flu remedies.
Sadly as they are so strong and pure they tend to have specific effects and give side effects.
Iatrogenic disease (i.e disease induced by treatment received from the medical profession) is regarded as the third largest cause of death in the western world after cancer and heart disease.
The advantage of using a whole plant extract over an isolated drug is that while the herbs may not suppress symptoms as rapidly they tend not to give side effects to the same degree, and thus offer a gentle, yet effective route to return to health.
Herbs, unlike drugs, can be safely taken not only to treat disease, but also as tonics and rejuvenatives to enhance wellbeing and reputedly prolong life.

A bit of Steve’s history…

My mother was a Homeopathic practitioner and my father was a Baptist minister; from them I inherited my interest in health and matters spiritual. In my early years, when necessary, I was mostly treated with homeopathy and herbal medicines.

I started growing herbs when I was 13, and began to study herbal medicine in 1980 at the School of Herbal Medicine in Tunbridge Wells. I completed the course, joined the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH – the oldest body of herbalists in the western world being formed in 1864), and commenced practice in Suffolk and London in 1985.

By 1988 I was becoming interested in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM); TCM is a theoretical understanding of health and disease which is different to western bio-medicine. Being familiar with both systems of medicine broadens my understanding of health issues; and at times, seemingly unrelated symptoms can be linked, understood and a path to wellness found.

The source text of TCM is called The Yellow Emperors Canons of Internal Medicine, compiled around about 100 BCE. The way that the theory is practically used is through one or more of the following

  • Acupuncture
  • Herbal medicine
  • Diet therapy
  • Massage
  • Qi gong

I studied for 2 years at the School of Chinese Herbal medicine in London, and then went to the Chinese Medicine University hospital in Guangzhou Peoples Republic of China to gain clinical experience. As I so liked TCM as a system, I realised that learning acupuncture was essential. There are certain things that can be done with acupuncture, for instance musculoskeletal problems, that cannot be done as rapidly and effectively with herbs, and other conditions where herbs are best e.g. hormone balancing. However, using both is ideal!

Acupuncture tends to have more of an immediate effect, but also the immediate effects wear off necessitating another treatment – acupuncture is a cumulative process. In acute situations such as intense pain, then having acupuncture more than once a week can be indicated. Herbs tend not to be quite as rapid in action but as they are taken daily the effect is sustained.

I thus went back to Guangzhou in 1993 and graduated from the acupuncture course. I returned in 1995 and completed the advanced herbal medicine and acupuncture course.

As well as continuing with my private practices, I also worked for the NHS at the Gateway clinic in Clapham, the only dedicated TCM clinic in the whole of the NHS where we specialised in treating HIV / AIDS and Hepatitis C with TCM.

From 2000 my London practice was at The Third Space Medicine in Soho where I was Joint Head of Medical Service and Head of Complementary Medicine. In 2003 I gained my MSc Herbal Medicine. In 2006, I was elected President of the NIMH. In 2007, I took 6 students to Guangzhou for their herbal studies, and I learned Tai ji in Yangshuo.

From 2017 I have moved  my London practise to a charming clinic at The London Natural Health Centre, 46 Theobalds Road, London.

After a 12 year gestation period my first book Health in Theory and Practice. Circling the Square was published in 2019.

I like to exercise and practise Tai ji and Qi gong as well as playing the piano and guitar.

In the past, I have helped people with things like:

  • IBS / colitis / digestive problems
  • Infertility – Male and female
  • PMT
  • Menstrual irregularity
  • Stress
  • Insomnia
  • Cardio vascular conditions
  • Infections
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Back and joint pain
  • Tennis elbow
  • Sciatica
  • Skin problems
  • Headaches
  • Depression
  • Auto immune condition