Medicines from the Earth Herb Symposium 2023

Past Conference

Videos and audio from this conference are now available! For CE information, please visit the 2023 Medicines from the Earth Recordings CE page.
UNC Asheville
UNC Asheville by Blue Bullfrog / Flickr

We’re excited to share the beautiful UNC Asheville area with you at this year’s Symposium. Tucked away in a beautiful location with on-site lodging next to the local botanical garden, attendees have the option of spending quiet time in nature or exploring downtown Asheville just minutes away.

We’ve moved to a 3-day event. Earn CE, reconnect with friends and explore the Botanical Gardens all while returning home in time for Monday.

Medicines from the Earth officially starts with a welcome reception on Friday night, followed by speaker introductions and the Keynote Address with Chris Kilham. Lectures, demonstrations and herb walks take place Saturday and Sunday, with the Symposium concluding Sunday at 5:40 PM. We look forward to a vibrant weekend of herbal learning and connecting with the community!

Date: June 2 – 4, 2023

Location: UNC Asheville in Asheville, NC

Theme: Aging, Stress and Neurological Conditions: Tradition and Modern Science

Highlights: 24 lectures to choose from, including two panels, herb walks and demonstrations, plus Friday intensives and field studies, a keynote address with Chris Kilham, plus an evening concert with Doug Elliott and friends.

Those who register and attend the symposium in person receive:

  • Attendance at live lectures June 2 – 4 (Friday events, CE fee, lodging and meals are extra)
  • Streaming of all videos made at the symposium for 6 months (except outdoor sessions and Marc Williams demonstration which won’t be recorded)
  • Full set of audio recordings to own
  • Digital lecture notes to own

Registration Information:

  • By February 22: $369
  • By April 6: $439
  • After April 6: $499

Cancellations: By May 11, registration fees will be refunded minus $50 processing per registrant. No refunds can be given after 5/11/23. Refund requests should be emailed to the conference office.

Registration fee covers all lectures, panel discussions and other group meetings. Extra fees for intensives, continuing education, lodging and meals.

Scholarships: In recognition of the need for diversity in the fields of clinical herbalism and naturopathic medicine, the conference is offering a limited number of full scholarships to persons of color (Black, Indigenous, Hispanic/Latino, and Asian-American) who are not yet practitioners and would like to further their education in the clinical uses of botanical medicine. Details


PRE-SYMPOSIUM EVENTS ON FRIDAY, JUNE 2
more details
FEATURED PRESENTATIONS JUNE 3 – 4

Botanical medicine integrated with the latest research, including topics on Aging, Stress and Neurological Conditions: Tradition and Modern Science. 24 lectures including:


Lodging and Meals at University of North Carolina AshevilleUNC Asheville Apartments - Outdoor Seating

UNC Asheville, 1 University Heights, Asheville, NC 28804

Lodging and meal packages start at $343 for two nights lodging and 6 meals.

If you’re staying off-campus, commuter meals are also available for $109 for the weekend.

Student Apartment Lodging at UNCA is now fully booked. Email us if you would like to be on a waiting list for a room in an apartment (private single bedrooms with a shared bath and a common kitchen and living room area).

NEW! Overflow lodging available in a dormitory setting in nearby Founders Hall. Each dormitory space is two single-occupancy rooms (same gender in each room) connected by a shared bathroom. Linens are provided.

All lodging is conveniently situated near Highsmith Union where lectures take place and the firepit where we’ll share stories and music Saturday evening.

The lodging is filling up, please make your reservation today! Cancellation with full refund possible by May 22. No refunds for lodging possible after that.

Alternate Lodging in Asheville: View list


Pre-Conference Events on Friday, June 2

Symposium registration required to attend these extra events, plus extra fee. Choose up to two that don’t overlap!.

Jason Miller, DACM, LAc

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Morning Intensive: Management of Complex Chronic Disease: Combining TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Concepts with Modern Biomedical Analysis ($89)
Jason Miller, DACM, LAc

As a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and an advanced practitioner of botanical medicine based on biomedical testing and research, Jason Miller is uniquely qualified to bridge the gap between TCM and modern herbal therapies. In each section he presents botanical therapies along with time-tested TCM diagnosis and treatment:

• Spleen qi deficiency – The digestive system and the microbiome
• Phlegm-dampness – Metabolic syndrome, cell membranes and fatty acid metabolism
• Blood stagnation – Coagulation and thrombosis

See more details about this intensive in the summary below.

10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Ethnobotanical and Native Plant Field Study ($79)
David Winston, RH (AHG)
Limit: 35 people

We are delighted to welcome David Winston back to Medicines from the Earth in 2023! This field study has become a treasured annual institution at Medicines from the Earth. Join this perennial outdoor favorite for a day with David Winston examining the unique flora of the southeastern mountains and hearing stories of creation and the origin of medicine. Discover how the medicine, food and useful materials provided by the plants have nurtured the Native peoples and Appalachian settlers for millennia. Explore the healing power of the herbs, the water, the earth, the trees, and how you can make them a part of your life. This event fills every year, so please register early! Limit 35 participants.

CE NOTE: Approved for 5 Contact Hours for nurses (AHNA) and approved 5 hours of continuing education credit for acupuncturists. Sorry, but Oregon (OBNM) does not grant ND CME credits for herb walks and field studies.

Jillian Stansbury, ND
Jillian Stansbury, ND

1:00 PM – 5:15 PM
Intensive: Botanical Influences on Cell Membranes ($89)
Jillian Stansbury, ND
Cell biology is inextricably linked with genetics, pathology, epidemiology, epistemology, taxonomy, and anthropology ― Siddhartha Mukherjee in his new book, The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human

By understanding basic interactions on the level of the cell membranes, which are the mediators of all activity within the cell, we can become better at managing a host of conditions we see regularly as practitioners. This intensive investigates four of these interactions and the botanicals and pharmaceuticals acting on them: lipids/eicosanoids; glycoproteins/antivirals; ion channels/muscle relaxation and signal transduction/second messengers. Taken together, the parts of this intensive show us how using botanical medicine to affect cell membranes can improve the overall health of our patients. See more details about this intensive in the summary below.

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Ecology, Propagation and Cultivation of Native and Oriental Medicinal Herbs at Mountain Gardens ($69)
Joe Hollis
Limit: 20 people
Joe Hollis specializes in the cultivation and harvest of Traditional Chinese herbal medicine plants at Mountain Gardens. This forty-year-old botanical garden showcases the largest collection of Chinese medicinal herbs in the eastern US. Follow expert botanist and horticulturist Joe Hollis on a leisurely plant walk with detailed information on the ecology, propagation and cultivation of the herbs. We also look at the Mountain Gardens nursery, apothecary and seed bank.


Symposium Schedule
Please note the new schedule beginning Friday, June 2 at 6:30 PM!
The main symposium begins on Friday evening. All events listed below, including the reception and keynote, are included in the basic registration fee. Schedule subject to minor changes.

Friday, June 2

6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Welcome Reception with music
Come join the fun! Joe Hallock & friends will play old-time music.

7:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Opening meeting with speaker introductions
Meet the weekend’s speakers and find out more about them.

8:00 PM – 9:30 PM

Chris Kilham
Chris Kilham

Keynote Address: Plants, People and Places, A Web of Life
Chris Kilham
In the world of medicinal plants, or herbs, the plants themselves, people who work with them and the places where they derive form a trio. In fact the world of beneficial medicinal plants is an entire bustling web of life. In places far and wide men and women of all backgrounds and talents work with herbs by the millions, whether in arid deserts or lush rainforests. With rare images and  first-hand stories we’ll explore some popular and highly beneficial medicinal plants, where they come from, and who works with them, an ultimate insider’s tour.


Saturday, June 3
(Concurrent lectures–choose one–no need to sign up in advance.)

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Clinical Applications of Medicinal Mushrooms with Synergistic Botanicals
Lise Alschuler, ND
This session reviews some of the latest findings on medicinal mushrooms and the mechanisms by which mushrooms interact with our immunity and influence our inflammatory response. While the immune-modulating effects of mushrooms are of critical importance, mushrooms are more than beta-glucans! Each mushroom has an array of compounds which lead to distinctive indications. The clinical significance of these differentiating features is explored leading to discrete applications. Additionally, by pairing mushrooms with botanicals, we can create powerful, synergistic formulas to enhance health.

Case Studies in the Naturopathic Treatment of Neurodegenerative Conditions
Kenneth Proefrock, NMD
Several case studies in a variety of neurodegenerative conditions are presented to illustrate the pharmacology of conventional care and how we specifically strategize to implement alternatives. In each case we discuss the biochemistry and rationale for the prescribed pharmacologic agents and then the botanical and nutritional strategies that we use to eliminate the pharmaceutical, or minimize its dosage, and/or modify its side effects.

Cases included in this discussion: Parkinson’s disease (2 cases), Multiple Sclerosis (1 case with commentary on other autoimmune conditions) and Dementia/Cognitive decline/Alzheimer’s (2 cases–Lewy body and Bismuth toxicity).

NEW! 40 Years of HerbalGram: Working to Ensure Accurate Herb Information and Authentic and Sustainably-Sourced Herbs
Mark Blumenthal, Founder and Executive Director, American Botanical Council; Editor in Chief of HerbalGram

We congratulate Mark Blumenthal on the 35th anniversary of the nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC) and the 40th anniversary of its peer-review journal HerbalGram. Under his leadership, the organization has grown from an herbal education organization to one of the leading advocates and educators for the sustainability and authenticity of herbal materials. The Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program (BAPP) has seen ABC collaborating for over 12 years with leaders in the botanical field to help members of the herbal industry identify and select authentic herbal materials and avoid buying cheap, intentionally mislabeled fraudulent materials. Additionally, ABC’s Sustainable Herbs Program has inspired and educated responsible herb companies to access sustainable and regeneratively farmed botanical materials. Mark’s lively presentation will increase awareness of the positive progress in responsible sectors of the herbal community and how we, as herbal consumers, benefit from this progress.

Outdoor Walk: Identifying and Using Appalachian Medicinal Plants
Marc Williams, MA
A well-traveled and experienced ethnobotanist, Marc Williams shares his knowledge of sustainable Appalachian plant harvest and uses, with an emphasis on how we can all become stewards of our medicinal plant heritage.

Passionflower

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Senescence, Senolytics, and Aging
Mary Bove, ND
Senescent cells play a key role in the aging process and in age-related diseases. Senolytic agents selectively target dysfunctional senescent cells and aid in clearing these dysfunctional cells from the body. This looks at several botanical senolytic agents, their application, dosing, and compounding several agents in formulation and safety.

Bringing Down the Numbers – the Herbal/Nutritional Treatment of Hypercholesterolemia and Hypertension
David Winston, RH (AHG)
Heart diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death in the industrialized world and two major risk factors for myocardial infarctions and stroke are hypertension and unhealthy blood lipids.  The rise in blood pressure and LDL/VLDL cholesterol are treated primarily with medication in the US.  While medication can “bring down the numbers”, it doesn’t always effectively deal with the underlying causes (obesity, metabolic syndrome, lack of exercise, poor diet, chronic stress, smoking, etc). In this class, we discuss herbal/nutritional/dietary interventions that not only help improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels but also help inhibit elevated blood sugar, inflammation, insulin resistance, stress, nutrient deficiencies and sleep issues that promote cardiovascular and other chronic degenerative diseases.

Mast Cells – Their Role in Health and Disease and Botanical Affectors
Jillian Stansbury, ND
Mast cells are renowned contributors to hypersensitivity reactions, particularly type-I hypersensitivity, through their release of histamine and proteases, as well as potent lipid mediators. The term “Mast Cell Mediator Disorders” is being used to refer to the trickster symptoms now being shown to be contributory to a wide range of disorders, which include not just allergic reactions, but a variety of cancers and autoimmune diseases. Many of these cases stump physicians, presenting as digestive, cardiac, psychiatric or other disorders. They are found to involve a spectrum of mast cell disorders only after years of misdiagnosis and ineffective treatment. This session will take a deep dive into exploring mast cell activity and botanical agents that can help control abnormal mast cell activation.

Plant Walk: Establishing Plant Relations
Kat Maier, RH (AHG)
This experiential class teaches simple methods for developing intimate relationships with the plants around us. We employ techniques such as wide angle vision, sketching, organoleptics, journaling, and other methods in order to understand the depth of the relationships that are available to us with plants. We also pay tribute to Goethe and his study of plant morphology

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Distress, Anxiety and Depression: A Botanically-Based Approach
Lise Alschuler, ND
Is “stress” a misnomer for anxiety and depression? The modern-day solution to chronic stress is often anxiolytic medications including benzodiazepines, 5HT agonists and beta-blockers, and antidepressant medications including SSRIs, SNRIs, tricyclic and atypical antidepressants. While these medications may be helpful in some cases, many people experience side effects, dependence, and… continued stress. We present a botanically-based approach to distress including strategies for supporting the discontinuance of anxiolytics and antidepressants.

Medicinal Mushrooms in Oncology: Everything You Need to Know About Mushrooms and Cancer
Donald Yance, CN, RH (AHG)
The preparation, dosages and active compounds of five mushrooms are covered in this presentation: Trametes versicolor (turkey tail), Ganoderma lucidum (reishi), Inonotus obliquus (Chaga), Cordyceps spp and Lentinula edodes (Shiitake mushroom). In Japan and China medicinal mushroom preparations have been safely used in cancer care for over 30 years, either alone or combined with chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Drawing on long clinical experience, Donald Yance reviews the impact on patient survival, symptoms, pharmaceutical side effects, and quality of life for each of these fungi, in addition to published papers illustrating their effectiveness.

Bitters as Therapeutic Tonics (Demonstration)
Teresa Boardwine, RH (AHG)
Learn to create bitter tonics for systemic health issues. Bitter herbs can be used to affect long term issues such as hyperlipidemia, allergies, the gut/brain connection, trauma and anxiety. Taking examples of the bitter tonics of Italy and Germany, we will build our formulas to be suitable for quick relief and long term change, and explore better bitters for a healthy life.

Herb Walk
Doug and Todd Elliott
Whether pointing out poison ivy, pontificating on poke sallet, crooning about creasy greens, jiving about ginseng, or extolling the virtues of dandelions, these herbalists, authors, and storytellers will delight and amaze you with their broad, practical, scientific and cultural knowledge of the area’s many useful wild plants. Doug has been leading his special brand of herb walks at this event for over 25 years and we welcome him back for another in-person fun fest!

4:00 PM – 5:30 PMCNE nursing
Saturday Panel: Mild Cognitive Impairment: Can it be Halted or Reversed?
Lise Alschuler, ND, Kenneth Proefrock, ND and Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG), FABNG

As our population ages, millions of Americans are being diagnosed with MCI: Mild Cognitive Impairment, which does not yet interfere that much with daily tasks but can progress to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Patients are told there’s really nothing they can do. Many drugs have been tested for treating MCI and the early signs of AD, and just a handful have been approved. Is there another way? Panelists talk about their experiences in the clinical management of MCI, and the wide-ranging causes and possible solutions.

7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Concert with Doug and Todd Elliot and the Possum Gravy Boys
Come and enjoy SOME WILD TALES and a rollicking, stomping good time with Doug, Todd and their backup band of banjo, guitar and bass.

9:00 PM – 10:30 PM
Bonfire outdoors
Bring your own songs and stories. All are welcome to contribute, or just be in the audience.

Sunday, June 4

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Simplicity of Simples in Botanical Medicine
Mary Bove, ND
Take a look at the healing practice of simple herbal preparations for daily body and mind wellness. This practice reminds us of the natural and simple acts of health, the role herbal simples have in healing, wellness, and resilience. A simple act of preparing an herbal tea can provide an affirmation to health along with herbal healing magic. Apply the “Art of Simples” as a clinical tool for resilience. Herbs mentioned: sage, spearmint, lemon balm, hibiscus flower, tulsi, chamomile flower and more.

The TCM Essence/ Modern Genetics Parallel: From Congenital to Post-Congenital / From Digital to Analog
Jason Miller, DACM, LAc
The “digital” makeup of our genes is affected by complex interactions with the environment in which they exist. This “analog” interface of our DNA with the environment is known as epigenetics. Through the interactions of our genome with the surrounding ecosystem of our bodies and environment, phenotype (the outward expression of the organism) is determined. We explore the TCM concept of Jing/Essence: the role it plays in determining health span, how to identify Essence deficiency in Taoist terms, and how to overlay the study of modern genetics onto the energetic diagnosis of the patient. We will review key SNP’s (genetic variations) and their metabolic pathways, and how the application of synergistic herbal and nutritional medicine formulas can alter gene expression and support the overall health of our patients.

How to Put the Brakes on the Runs: Approaches to Finding the Root Cause and Treatment of Persistent Diarrhea
Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG), FABNG
This session describes the workup for malabsorption syndromes, microscopic colitis, and chronic infections, all of which can cause chronic diarrhea. Natural approaches to treatment for these conditions are explored. Also included is an examination of the usual pharmaceuticals prescribed for these conditions, and the possibilities for reducing or eliminating them for successful treatment.

Herb Walk
Todd and Doug Elliott
Refresh yourself in the Asheville Botanical Gardens with Doug and Todd, the consummate storytellers, entertainers and musicians. Scientific medicinal plant information and folklore are combined in a seamless whole in this walk on the wild side! The botanical garden features over two hundred species of native plants growing in their wild abundance.

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Aging and the Immune System: Using Botanical and Dietary Compounds for Immune Enhancement and Clearance of Senescent Cells to Combat Aging, Infection, and Chronic Disease
Donald Yance, CN, RH (AHG)
This presentation begins by defining immune senescence and describes what happens in the immune system as we age. It then goes on to discuss the botanicals and nutrients specifically targeting the protection of an aging immune system and how they work synergistically for the greatest effect. Specific dietary interventions for immune system support, including gut health, are covered, along with the application of botanicals in acute situations, including respiratory illness.

Tropane Alkaloids: From the History of Pharmacy to the Modern Practice of Botanical Medicine
Kenneth Proefrock, NMD
A recent foray into the desert to wildcraft Datura led Kenneth Proefrock to ponder the interesting similarities and differences in Hyoscyamine, Datura, Atropa, and Mandragora. There is a whole array of tropane alkaloid-containing plants that also include Garrya, Lycium, Erythoxylum, Duboisia, and Lobelia. We talk a bit about the folklore associated with these plants, their chemistry and actions, and their continued presence in certain domains of medicine (pulmonology and ophthalmology), and discuss a recently discovered group of tropane alkaloids known as calystegines with fascinating chemistry. We explore the effect of pH in the preparation of alkaloid-rich plant materials, and that leads to a discussion of acetracts (vinegar extracts).

Peru’s Sacred Plant Boom and Sustainability
Chris Kilham
Since 2004 or so, Peru has experienced a significant increase in visitors to shamanic centers, and market demand for sacred plants including ayahuasca vine, chacruna leaf, coca, tobacco, San Pedro and more. This demand has been a huge boon for traders. But what are the sustainability issues? Drawing on decades of Amazon experience and a two-year Medicine Hunter sustainability study of ayahuasca 2017 – 2019, we’ll dive deeply into Peru’s world of sacred plants, with vivid images and first-hand accounts, and learn what’s really happening.

Creating an Herbal Day Spa at Home
Teresa Boardwine, RH (AHG)
Finding time for self care has become an achievable goal of mine and millions of others. We seek to create an atmosphere of comfort and relaxation while tending ourselves in ways that are nurturing and nourishing to mind, body and spirit. Learn the recipes and five steps to creating and using home spa products. Be inspired to create an Herbal Spa Day in your home.

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Thought Disorders – A Survey of the Safety of Botanical Medicines in Schizophrenia
Jillian Stansbury, ND
There are no licensed drugs for those at risk for psychosis due to minor early symptoms or a familial predisposition, leaving a large arena where antioxidant herbs, nutrients, and fatty acids may be useful. Although the possible interventions available for individuals in the early stages of psychosis could be immense, the frequency of use is quite rare unless herbalists, nutritionists, or naturopathic physicians are consulted. Because schizophrenia is associated with oxidative stress in the brain, antioxidants herbs, nutrients, nootropics, and fatty acids may be helpful in preventing or slowing the progression of the disease. The side effects and contraindications of pharmaceuticals used in schizophrenia are also described.

We Are Stardust: Trace Elements as Foundational Building Blocks of Health
Kat Maier, RH (AHG)
NASA has confirmed what indigenous creation stories have said for time immemorial. Called nucleosynthesis, the extreme heat and massive size of stars created trace elements that today make up the periodic table, the cells in our bodies and the plants and minerals that lay the foundations for our health. We have known for decades now that our soils are not supplying what we need for complete nutrition. This class identifies the most important of these elements, the best form for assimilating them and the relationships they have with each other. We will look at herbal sources of elements, supplements and the intriguing resin shilijit, Sanskrit for “Conqueror of Mountains and Destroyer of Weakness”. This high mountain compound is primarily composed of fulvic and humid acid, potent anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients.

Invasivorism: Making Tasty Food from some Challenging Weeds (Demonstration)
Marc Williams, MA
Invasive species are flora and fauna whose introduction into a habitat disrupts the native ecosystem. In response, invasivorism explores the idea of eating invasive species in order to control or reduce their populations. Combining his ethnobiological knowledge with his passion as a chef, Marc demonstrates how to harvest, prepare and enjoy these unwanted “weeds.”

skullcap
Skullcap

Outdoor Walk: Appalachian Folk Uses of Local Plants
Rebecca Beyer, MA
Join local ethnobotanist Rebecca Beyer for a plant walk focusing on the Appalachian folk uses of plants, trees and more. Go beyond the medicinal uses and discuss cordage, craft, food and even magical uses of our abundant local flora, both native and non-native, from a historical perspective, but with modern use in mind.

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Sunday Panel: Self Care: One of the Most Challenging and Rewarding Aspects of Patient (and our own) Health
Mary Bove, ND, Kat Maier, RH (AHG) and Donald Yance, CN, RH (AHG)
All practitioners and most of those seeking healing know the basics: eat right, exercise, get enough sleep, manage physical imbalances and reduce stress. But how many really follow through with a wellness program? Our patients, families, friends, and even we, as practitioners, can find it very difficult to make health the highest priority. (“I’m too busy!” “It takes too much time!”) But without this reset, healing can be slow or nonexistent. Four experienced practitioners weigh in on techniques, both herbal and otherwise, to inspire those in our care toward a path to wellness.

5:30 PM – 5:40 PM
Closing remarks


Speakers and Topics

Lise Alschuler, ND
A naturopathic doctor with board certification in naturopathic oncology, Lise Alschuler has been practicing since 1994. She graduated from Brown University with an undergraduate degree in Medical Anthropology and received a doctoral degree in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University. Dr. Alschuler is past-President of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and a founding board member and current President of the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians. She is currently an independent consultant in the area of practitioner and consumer health education. More about Lise Alschuler.

  1. Clinical Applications of Medicinal Mushrooms with Synergistic Botanicals
  2. Distress, Anxiety and Depression: A Botanically-Based Approach
  3. Saturday Panel: Mild Cognitive Impairment: Can it be Halted or Reversed?

Rebecca Beyer, MA
Rebecca Beyer is the woman behind the Blood and Spicebush School of Old Craft. She lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina, where she manages a homestead and teaches traditional witchcraft, foraging, and Appalachian folk medicine. She has a BS in Plant and Soil science from the University of Vermont and a Masters in Appalachian Studies and Sustainability, concentrating in Appalachian Ethnobotany at Appalachian State University. She is also a member of the Association of Foragers. She spends her days trying to learn what her ancestors did and finding ways to share traditional skills while tackling cultural appropriation and the complexities of living in the modern world. More about Rebecca Beyer.

  1. Outdoor Walk: Appalachian Folk Uses of Local Plants

Mark Blumenthal
The founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council and the editor and publisher of HerbalGram (an international, peer-reviewed quarterly journal), Mark has written hundreds of articles and appears on national radio and TV. More about Mark Blumenthal.

  1. 40 Years of HerbalGram: Working to Ensure Accurate Herb Information and Authentic and Sustainably-Sourced Herbs

Teresa Boardwine, RH (AHG)
Green Comfort School of Herbal Medicine in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, is where Teresa Boardwine offers classes, consultations, and online access to her workshops. She has been teaching her hands-on medicine-making classes for over 20 years. More about Teresa Boardwine.

  1. Bitters as Therapeutic Tonics (Demonstration)
  2. Creating an Herbal Day Spa at Home

Mary Bove, ND
A clinical medical herbalist, Mary Bove had a practice in family medicine in Brattleboro, Vermont for over 20 years. where she assisted at the birth of a whole generation of children. She is the author of An Encyclopedia of Natural Healing for Children and Infants, and co-author of Herbs for Women’s Health. Since starting her herbal journey at age 18, Mary has held firm to three tenets: “Walk your talk, believe in the plants and practice herbalism every day in your life.” More about Mary Bove.

  1. Senescence, Senolytics, and Aging
  2. Simplicity of Simples in Botanical Medicine
  3. Sunday Panel: Self Care: One of the Most Challenging and Rewarding Aspects of Patient (and our own) Health

Doug and Todd Elliott
For many years Doug Elliott earned his living as a traveling herbalist collecting and selling herbs, teas and old-time remedies. Along with healing plants, Doug searches out old-timers and elders from various cultures. From these bearers of tradition, he has assembled an extensive body of knowledge of the botanical aspects of plants, their history, legends, and lore, their uses in various cultures, medicinal properties, food value, as well as other practical ways we can use wild plants every day. More about Doug Elliott.

Not surprisingly, Doug’s son Todd Elliott has had a passion for the natural world since childhood, which led him to co-author his first peer-reviewed scientific publication by age 14. His ongoing studies of global biodiversity and interrelationships in nature have taken him to remote corners of the world on six continents. Todd has collaborated on many publications covering this research, and his book Mushrooms of the Southeast (USA) was released in 2018. He is currently a PhD candidate in Environmental and Rural Science at the University of New England, focusing on the role of macrofungi in vertebrate diets. More about Todd Elliott

  1. Two herb walks

Joe Hollis
Joe Hollis has lectured, consulted and taught workshops in medicinal herb identification, cultivation and processing at Mountain Gardens and at various colleges and conferences in North Carolina for over 30 years. Mountain Gardens sells its seeds, plants and preparations at herb fairs and medicinal herb conferences, and via the internet. More about Joe Hollis.

Presentation:
1. Friday, 1:00 – 5:00 PM: Ecology, Propagation and Cultivation of Native and Oriental Medicinal Herbs at Mountain Gardens ($69)

Chris Kilham
Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter, author, educator and TV personality who promotes natural, plant-based medicines, sustainable botanical trade and indigenous cultures. He has conducted ethnobotanical plant research in 45 countries and lectures worldwide about holistic wellness and botanical medicines. Chris helps to develop and popularize traditional medicinal plants, including kava, maca, rhodiola, ashwagandha, ayahuasca, and hundreds of others.

Chris has been featured in The New York Times, Outside Magazine, Forbes, Psychology Today, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, CNN, NBC Nightly News, The Dr. Oz Show, Fox News Health, ABC Good Morning America, ABC Nightline, and many other top-tier media venues. He has written 15 books, including The Ayahuasca Test Pilots Handbook, The Five Tibetans, and his latest, The Lotus and the Bud: Cannabis, Consciousness, and Yoga Practice. The New York Times calls Chris “Part David Attenborough, part Indiana Jones.” More about Chris Kilham.

  1. Keynote Address: Plants, People and Places, A Web of Life
  2. Peru’s Sacred Plant Boom and Sustainability

Kat Maier, RH (AHG)
A practicing herbalist for over twenty years, Kat Maier is currently director of Sacred Plant Traditions in Charlottesville, Virginia where she offers a three-year clinical/community herbalist training program. She began studying plants in the Peace Corps in Chile. More about Kat Maier.

  1. We Are Stardust: Trace Elements as Foundational Building Blocks of Health
  2. Plant Walk: Establishing Plant Relations
  3. Sunday Panel: Self Care: One of the Most Challenging and Rewarding Aspects of Patient (and our own) Health

Jason Miller, DACM, LAc
Jason Miller, DACM, LAc, practices botanical and nutritional medicine, acupuncture, and Asian bodywork at his clinic, Jade Mountain Medicine, in Ashland, Oregon. He received his master’s degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in 2005 and completed a postgraduate internship at the “House of Celebrity Doctors” in Nanjing, China. He earned his Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in 2018. His approach bridges the frameworks of traditional and modern medicine in the management of chronic disease. At Jade Mountain, he specializes in the management of cancer, diabetes and neuromuscular disorders. More about Jason Miller.

  1. Friday Morning Intensive: Management of Complex Chronic Disease: Combining TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Concepts with Modern Biomedical Analysis ($89)
  2. The TCM Essence / Modern Genetics Parallel: From Congenital to Post-Congenital / From Digital to Analog

Kenneth Proefrock, NMD
A naturopathic physician practicing in Sun City, Arizona, Kenneth Proefrock specializes in difficult-to-treat conditions in his clinic, Total Wellness. He is the Vice President of the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners and chair of the biochemistry portion of the naturopathic physician’s licensing exam. His lectures combine a detailed understanding of biochemistry and physiology with a passion for plant medicine. More about Kenneth Proefrock.

  1. Tropane Alkaloids: From the History of Pharmacy to the Modern Practice of Botanical Medicine
  2. Case Studies in the Naturopathic Treatment of Neurodegenerative Conditions
  3. Saturday Panel: Mild Cognitive Impairment: Can it be Halted or Reversed?

Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG), FABNG
Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG), FABNG is a naturopathic physician and registered herbalist of the American Herbalists Guild. Her lectures are full of clinical information based on experience in her practice in family medicine at the SUHS Medical Center in Tempe, AZ, where she practices family medicine focusing on optimizing women’s/men’s health, gastrointestinal diseases, and mental health. Her lectures combine clinical information with a deep respect for indigenous healing and the ability to heal oneself through connection with nature and simple lifestyle practices. She is also a member of the Ric Scalzo Botanical Research Institute.More about Katie Stage.

Presentations:
1. How to Put the Brakes on the Runs: Approaches to Finding the Root Cause and Treatment of Persistent Diarrhea
2. Saturday Panel: Mild Cognitive Impairment: Can it be Halted or Reversed?

Jillian Stansbury, ND
Jillian Stansbury is a naturopathic physician who has been practicing in SW Washington State for over 30 years, specializing in women’s health, mental health, and chronic disease. She holds undergraduate degrees in Medical Illustration and Medical Assisting and graduated with honors in both programs. She was the chair of the botanical medicine department at the National University of Natural Medicine for over 20 years. Jill has recently published five herbal formularies for health professionals, comprehensive, practical reference manuals for herbalists, physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals More about Jillian Stansbury.

  1. Friday Afternoon Intensive: Botanical Influences on Cell Membranes ($89)
  2. Mast Cells – Their Role in Health and Disease and Botanical Affectors
  3. Thought Disorders – A Survey of the Safety of Botanical Medicines in Schizophrenia

Marc Williams, MA
Ethnobiologist Marc Williams has taught hundreds of classes to thousands of people about plants, humans, other life forms and their interface. His training includes a B.A. in Environmental Studies/Sustainable Agriculture from Warren Wilson College with a minor in Business and a M.A. in Appalachian Studies/Sustainable Development from Appalachian State University with a minor in Planning/Geography. He has spent over 20 years working at various restaurants, farms, and travels throughout 30 countries in Central/North/South America, Europe and all 50 states in the USA. More about Marc Williams.

  1. Invasivorism – Making Tasty Food from some Challenging Weeds (Demonstration)
  2. Outdoor Walk: Identifying and Using Appalachian Medicinal Plants

David Winston, RH (AHG)
David Winston is an Herbalist and Ethnobotanist with 54 years of training in Chinese, Western/Eclectic and Southeastern herbal traditions. He has been in clinical practice for 47 years and is an herbal consultant to physicians, herbalists and researchers throughout the USA, Europe and Canada. David is the founder/director of the Herbal Therapeutics Research Library and the dean of David Winston’s Center for Herbal Studies, a two-year training program in clinical herbal medicine. He is an internationally known lecturer and frequently teaches at medical schools, professional symposia and herb conferences. He is the president of Herbalist & Alchemist, Inc. a manufacturer that produces herbal products that blend the art and science of the world’s great herbal traditions. More about David Winston can be located at Herbal Studies.

  1. Friday Field Study: Ethnobotanical and Native Plant Field Study ($79)
  2. Bringing Down the Numbers – The Herbal/Nutritional Treatment of Hypercholesterolemia and Hypertension

Donald Yance, CN, RH (AHG)
Donnie Yance, RH (AHG) is a clinical master herbalist and certified nutritionist who is internationally recognized for his comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the healing properties of plants and nutrition. Donnie conducts his clinical practice at the Mederi Center in Ashland, Oregon, utilizing his unique integrative model known as the Eclectic Triphasic Medical System, which he evolved over more than twenty years of successful patient care. More about Donald Yance.

  1. Medicinal Mushrooms in Oncology: Everything You Need to Know About Mushrooms and Cancer
  2. Aging and the Immune System: Using Botanical and Dietary Compounds for Immune Enhancement and Clearance of Senescent Cells to Combat Aging, Infection, and Chronic Disease
  3. Sunday Panel: Self Care: One of the Most Challenging and Rewarding Aspects of Patient (and our own) Health

Lodging, Meal and Travel Information

Apartments at UNC Asheville

All inclusive lodging and meal packages start at $343 total for two nights’ lodging and 6 meals. Commuter meals are also available for $109 for the weekend.

Alternate Lodging in Asheville: View list

Cancellations
Before May 11, symposium and intensive fees will be refunded minus $50 processing fee per registrant. No refunds can be given after May 11, 2023. Please make all refund requests by email.


Continuing Education Information
  • Please sign up for CE when you submit your registration form ($29 additional fee for all CE)
  • We offer CE, CME and PDAs through these approvals
  • Credits issued for full or partial attendance
  • Totals below include attendance at Friday events

Continuing Education Credits:

NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS:

ACUPUNCTURISTS:

NURSING:

This nursing continuing professional development activity was approved by the American Holistic Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Approved to award 55 contact hours.

Approval for contact hours through the American Holistic Nurses Association is based on an assessment of the educational merit of this program and does not constitute endorsement of the use of any specific modality in the care of clients.

We will post application status and details of approvals as they are available. Number of credits depends on which lectures are attended.

CE Questions? Contact us and we’ll be happy to help.


Lecture Notes

Lecture notes
are compiled into an online book (proceedings) which is available to all registrants at no cost. Before the event, registrants will be sent a link and password to access the digital notes online.

Exhibitors

The exhibit hall will take place in the hallways of Highsmith Union this year, right in the heart of all the activity! You can shop and browse between sessions and during breaks without leaving the main building.

If you’re interested in being an exhibitor, please contact us.


Schedule Overview
FRIDAYJune 2
9 AM - 12 PMIntensive: Management of Complex Chronic Disease: Combining TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Concepts with Modern Biomedical Analysis
Jason Miller, DACM, LAc ($89)
10 AM – 3 PMEthnobotanical and Native Plant Field Study
David Winston, RH (AHG) ($79)
1 PM - 5:15 PMIntensive: Botanical Influences on Cell Membranes
Jillian Stansbury, ND ($89)
1 PM - 5 PMEcology, Propagation and Cultivation of Native and Oriental Medicinal Herbs at Mountain Gardens
Joe Hollis ($69)
5:30 PM - 6:30 PMDinner
6:30 PM - 7:30 PMWelcome reception with music
7:30 PM - 8 PMOpening Meeting with speaker introductions
8 PM - 9:30 PMKeynote Address: Plants, People and Places, A Web of Life
Chris Kilham
SATURDAYJune 3
7 AM - 7:45 AMQiGong with Tyler White
9 AM - 10:30 AMClinical Applications of Medicinal Mushrooms with Synergistic Botanicals
Lise Alschuler, ND
Case Studies in the Naturopathic Treatment of Neurodegenerative Conditions
Kenneth Proefrock, NMD
40 Years of HerbalGram: Working to Ensure Accurate Herb Information and Authentic and Sustainably-Sourced Herbs
Mark Blumenthal
Outdoor Walk: Identifying and Using Appalachian Medicinal Plants
Marc Williams, MA
11 AM - 12:30 PMSenescence, Senolytics, and Aging
Mary Bove, ND
Bringing Down the Numbers - The Herbal/Nutritional Treatment of Hypercholesterolemia and Hypertension
David Winston, RH (AHG)
Mast Cells - Their Role in Health and Disease and Botanical Affectors
Jillian Stansbury, ND
Plant Walk: Establishing Plant Relations
Kat Maier, RH (AHG)
12:30 PM - 2 PMDistress, Anxiety and Depression: A Botanically-Based Approach
Lise Alschuler, ND
Medicinal Mushrooms in Oncology: Everything you need to know about mushrooms and cancer
Donald Yance, CN, RH (AHG)
Bitters as Therapeutic Tonics
(Demonstration)
Teresa Boardwine, RH (AHG)
Herb Walk
Doug & Todd Elliott
4 PM - 5:30 PMPanel: Mild Cognitive Impairment: Can it be Halted or Reversed?
Panelists: Lise Alschuler, ND, Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG), FABNG, Kenneth Proefrock, NMD
7:30 PM - 9 PMConcert with Doug and Todd Elliot and the Possum Gravy Boys! Come and enjoy a rollicking, stomping good time with Doug, Todd and their backup band of banjo, guitar and bass.
9 PM - 10:30 PMBonfire outdoors—bring your own songs and stories. All are welcome to contribute, or just be in the audience.
SUNDAYJune 4
7 AM - 7:45 AMQiGong with Tyler White
9 AM - 10:30 AMSimplicity of Simples in Botanical Medicine
Mary Bove, ND
The TCM Essence/ Modern Genetics Parallel: From Congenital to Post-Congenital / From Digital to Analog
Jason Miller, DACM, LAc
How to Put the Brakes on the Runs: Approaches to Finding the Root Cause and Treatment of Persistent Diarrhea
Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG), FABNG
Herb Walk
Doug and Todd Elliott
11 AM - 12:30 PMAging and the Immune System: Using Botanical and Dietary Compounds for Immune Enhancement and Clearance of Senescent Cells to Combat Aging, Infection, and Chronic Disease
Donald Yance, CN, RH (AHG)
Tropane alkaloids: From the History of Pharmacy to the Modern Practice of Botanical Medicine
Kenneth Proefrock, NMD
Peru’s Sacred Plant Boom and Sustainability
Chris Kilham
Creating an Herbal Day Spa at Home
Teresa Boardwine, RH (AHG)
2 PM - 3:30 PMThought Disorders - A Survey of the Safety of Botanical Medicines in Schizophrenia
Jillian Stansbury, ND
We Are Stardust: Trace Elements as Foundational Building Blocks of Health
Kat Maier, RH (AHG)
Invasivorism: Making Tasty Food from some Challenging Weeds
(Demonstration)
Marc Williams, MA
Outdoor Walk: Appalachian Folk Uses of Local Plants
Rebecca Beyer
4 PM - 5:30 PMClosing Panel: Self Care: One of the Most Challenging and Rewarding Aspect of Patient (and our own) Health
Panelists: Kat Maier, RH (AHG), Mary Bove, ND, and Donald Yance, CN, RH (AHG)
5:30 PM - 5:40 PMClosing remarks


Detailed Summaries of Friday Intensives
Jason Miller
Friday, June 4
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Morning Intensive: Management of Complex Chronic Disease: Combining TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Concepts with Modern Biomedical Analysis ($89)

Jason Miller, DACM, LAc

As a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and an advanced practitioner of botanical and nutritional medicine based on biomedical testing and research, Jason Miller is uniquely qualified to bridge the gap between TCM macroecology and modern medical analysis. In this intensive he presents a series of three modules on TCM and its biomedical correlations:

Spleen Qi Deficiency, the Digestive System, and the Microbiome:
From deep in antiquity, the TCM term, “Spleen Qi Deficiency” has been used to describe a set of symptoms that is encountered frequently in the clinic today. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been identified as a major factor in a host of modern chronic diseases, and in TCM theory, all chronic disease stems from dysfunction of the Qi. The Spleen Organ Network is a functional network, and includes functional aspects of the stomach, spleen, duodenum, and pancreas. It is literally in the center of our bodies. Through elegant and complex interactions between many interwoven systems, the Spleen refines what we eat, transforming our food into tiny, bioavailable metabolites that supply our body with nutritive Qi, Essence, and nutrition. This action is achieved through the complex interaction of many specific enzymes, the microbiota, and the diverse community of cells that make-up the human GI tract.

Phlegm-Dampness, Metabolic Syndrome, Cell Membranes, and Fatty Acid Metabolism:
For centuries, doctors of Taoist medicine have identified the pattern of phlegm/dampness in their patients. The diagnosis is made based on an extensive physical exam, thorough questioning, and an observation of the tongue and pulse. The existence of Phlegm-Damp Syndrome, often accompanied by Liver Qi Stagnation and Spleen Qi Deficiency, parallels the biomedical diagnosis of Metabolic Syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is defined as the existence of the following factors: hypertension, high blood sugar and insulin levels, excess body fat around the waist, plus abnormal cholesterol and/or triglyceride levels. The biomedical standard of care approach to understanding lipid metabolism and its role in cardiovascular health is often based on a superficial assessment. In this section we will delve into the complex set of factors that influence lipid metabolism, the health of the cell membrane, the cardiovascular network, and how to address them.

Blood Stagnation – Coagulation, and Thrombosis:
The TCM diagnosis of Blood Stagnation is made based on the observation of a number of specific factors in the overall physiological assessment of the patient. When coupled with a biomedical assessment of a specific set of coagulation-related biomarkers, physiological targets become more specific, and synergistic therapies can be applied effectively. In this section, we’ll cover key blood stagnation related biomarkers, their utility and application for specific conditions (including cancer), and key therapeutic strategies to address them. We will cover interventions from several toolboxes, including: botanical and nutritional medicine, diet and lifestyle, as well as pharmaceutical agents, with special focus on the integration of therapies from multiple toolboxes into synergistic protocols.

Elemental Endocrinology: The Five Organ Networks and Biomedicine:
The contents of this section will be woven throughout the intensive, and we will close with an overview of the biomedical correlations with the TCM Five Organ Networks. We will look at physiological function, organic organs versus functional networks, and we will overlay symptoms with biomarkers.


Jillian Stansbury, ND
Jillian Stansbury, ND
Friday, June 4
1:00 PM – 5:15 PM
Afternoon Intensive: Botanical Influences on Cell Membranes ($89)

Jillian Stansbury, ND

Understanding the basic interactions on the level of the cell membrane can help us manage a host of different conditions and understand why our therapies work, and how to wean patients from pharmaceuticals in favor of botanicals and other natural substances with similar effects.

This intensive presents an overview of four influences on cell membranes and their therapeutic applications:

1) Lipids & Eicosanoids: Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are versatile anti-inflammatory agents used to make eicosanoids (compounds derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are involved in cellular activity).  These lipids are used to synthesize prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and thromboxanes with profound impact on allergies, chronic disease, and inflammatory cascades. Important botanical sources of  membrane lipids are reviewed along with the clinical application for allergic disorders, neurodegeneration and vascular disease.

2) Glycoproteins & Antiviral Drugs –  Whisker-like glycoprotein chains project outward from cell surfaces and play important roles in cell to cell communication, pattern recognition and the entry of various substances into cells.  Viruses, for example, may trick some cells into allowing them entry by binding glycoprotein receptors.  Metabolic diseases such as diabetes involve gumming up of glycoproteins in a manner that interferes with cell function.  A survey of important glycoprotein mechanisms and relevant herbal and drug affectors are reviewed.

3) Ion Channels & Muscle Relaxation – Ion channels control the flow of sodium, calcium, potassium and chloride through the cell membrane and are especially important to the function of nerve and heart muscle cells.  Many botanical medicines calm electrical excitability and relax spastic muscles via effects at ion channels.  Common pharmaceuticals for hypertension and arrhythmias are used as examples along with botanical agents useful as hypotensive agents and muscle relaxants.

4) Signal Transduction & 2nd Messengers – The domino-cascade sequence of steps that allow cell surface events to create appropriate responses inside the cell is referred to as “signal transduction”.  Cells capable of very rapid response possess second messengers such as G proteins or cyclic AMP that speed the delivery of cell surface phenomena.   Botanical agents that improve metabolic rate, heart function, and other cellular responses via enhancing signal transduction are explored.

Taken together, the parts of this intensive form a picture of just some of the ways cell membranes have direct effects on health.


Questions? Contact us.
Summary
Event
Medicines from the Earth Herb Symposium 2023
Location
UNC, 1 University Heights, Asheville, NC,-28804
Starting on
June 2, 2023
Ending on
June 4, 2023
Description
Herbal Medicine conference
Offer Price
USD 499