In an ever-changing world it can become a challenge to find our center. Each of us engages with our innate stress response differently, therefore creating many versions of what we term collectively as ‘anxiety’. Anxiety disorders are classified by DSM-V criteria, and categorized by experiencing excessive worry more days than not, restlessness, easy fatigue, difficulty with concentration, irritability, muscle tension and sleep disturbance all with difficulty in controlling any of these symptoms9. Anxiety disorders are often experienced uniquely by the individual with some symptoms remaining constant, others transient and some not present at all. Collectively containing the experience of anxiety into a single set of symptoms is limiting and does not offer a true reflection of the individual process. Ultimately, this may lead to ineffective treatment or improper use of SSRI’s, benzodiazepines and other conventional medications used to treat anxiety disorders simply from a viewpoint of central nervous system sedation. Continue reading
2022 Conference Recordings
If you were unable to attend a conference online or in-person this year, you can now watch and/or listen to these sessions from home. Naturopathic CME is available for all recordings.
Medicines from the Earth Herb Symposium 2022:
Southwest Conference on Botanical Medicine 2022:
Botanical Strategies for Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis
July’s Featured Recording:
Botanical Strategies for Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis with Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG)
Chronic pelvic pain affects up to 39% of reproductive-aged women. This lecture explores common and less common causes of pelvic pain, including endometriosis. This is an area of great opportunity for practitioners, and of great need for women affected, as conventional treatments are limited and often ineffective. We discuss botanical treatments for pelvic pain and endometriosis, including cramp bark, kava kava root and lousewort, as well as supportive lifestyle approaches. (Catalog Code 20ME01)
Herbal Tea Apothecary
May’s Featured Recording:
Herbal Tea Apothecary with Teresa Boardwine, RH (AHG)
Water extracts are an easy and essential source of nutrition and holistic care. Herbal medicines delivered as teas are under-appreciated, powerful allies and can correct imbalances, build vitality and offer therapeutic results. Here Teresa draws on 30 years of experience to describe the art and science of preparing tea blends based on a person’s constitution and the symptoms indicating imbalance. These blends also take into account aroma, taste and eye appeal (beauty) of the mixture. Join her on this audio while she describes three separate cases and mixes the tea blends most suitable for them: nutritive tonic tea, rest and relax tea and cool down tea. (You’ll also hear Teresa call on her assitant for help with the mixtures, since she had recently broken her arm, which has since healed completely.) (Catalog Code 20ME24)
Allergies and Asthma Audio Series
An audio series for health care providers – with continuing education for naturopathic physicians – bundled together in one discounted package:
- Six (6) audio recordings (1.5 hours each)
- Digital book of notes (66-page PDF)
- Continuing education credits: 9 hours for naturopathic physicians
- Order with one click for $55 ($75 value)
Note: The information in this series is provided as a research resource and is not intended to replace diagnosis and treatment by a qualified health care practitioner.
Common Botanical Agents that Alleviate Daily Toxicant Damage
March’s Featured Recording:
Common Botanical Agents that Alleviate Daily Toxicant Damage with Walter Crinnion, ND
A few years ago, at Medicines from the Earth, Leo Trasande, MD gave a thorough presentation on the chemicals in our environment and the harm they do to the human body. He described avoidance as the best solution, and the steps he is taking to show the high monetary cost of these chemicals as a way to convince governments to eliminate them. The next year, Donald Yance presented an intensive which highlighted the research on the concept of hormesis, which showed that a small amount of ingested toxins can actually strengthen the body’s resilience when dealing with these chemicals.
The third prong of the approach to the overwhelming daily toxicant burden is presented here by Walter Crinnion, one of the foremost experts on environmental medicine. He cites extensive research indicating that daily intake of commonly available botanicals (often found in indigenous diets) has shown the ability to both prevent and reduce toxicant damage. A summary of articles published within the last two decades provides us with a list of botanicals that have the widest beneficial effects. (Catalog number 16ME07)
Free CE
2022 Herbal Conferences
Past Conferences: We hope you enjoyed the 2022 conferences and we look forward to seeing you again at the 2023 conferences!
Past Conference
Medicines from the Earth Herb Symposium
June 3 – 6
Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, NC
We are happy to announce that Blue Ridge Assembly will be open in 2022! You are invited to join us in person for another weekend in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains. Blue Ridge Assembly is following all CDC guidelines, so right now they are requiring indoor masking and proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test. They’ll continue that requirement as long as it’s warranted, and that may or may not be until June when the symposium takes place.
Speakers: 7Song, Teresa Boardwine, Ruby Daniels, Doug Elliott, Joe Hollis, Kat Maier, Kenneth Proefrock, Mary Rondeau, CoreyPine Shane, Katie Stage, Jen Stovall, Marc Williams and Donald Yance
Past Conference
Southwest Conference on Botanical Medicine
March 25 – 27
Online Conference
Attend this conference online from anywhere. Combination of online live presentations during the conference weekend and pre-recorded video available to all participants.
Speakers: Lise Alschuler, Paul Bergner, Isla Burgess, David Eisen, Deborah Frances, Jason Hawrelak, Jason Miller, Kenneth Proefrock, Mary Rondeau, JoAnn Sanchez, Katie Stage, Jillian Stansbury, Andrea Sullivan, David Winston, and Erica Zelfand
Pre-Conference Intensive: Psychedelics: Therapeutic Uses for Psilocybin and LSD in Mental Health with Erica Zelfand, ND
We’re honored to continue serving your continuing education needs and look forward to celebrating botanical medicine with you for the 29th year.
ADD, ADHD: Attention and Focus Concerns in Adults and Children
ADD, ADHD: Attention and Focus Concerns in Adults and Children with Mary Rondeau, RH (AHG)
According to the CDC, approximately ten percent of children have been diagnosed with ADHD by the age of seventeen. Sixty percent of the children diagnosed go on to have attention and focus issues as adults. A thorough history intake, laboratory assessment, sleep assessment and social history are important in determining proper and effective treatments for attention and focus issues. This lecture features the differentiation of types and subtypes of attention and focus issues, which are important in determining the best plan for managing symptoms. Botanicals are highlighted in treatment options along with Ayurvedic and naturopathic approaches.
(Catalog Number 19ME28)
Preventing Joint Degeneration with Botanicals
January’s Featured Recording: Panel Discussion: Preventing Joint Degeneration with Botanicals
Panelists in order of presentation: Jason Miller, DACM, LAC, Steven Johnson, DO, David Winston, RH (AHG) and Amanda McQuade Crawford, Medical Herbalist
Four panelists discuss joint pain caused by rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, plus prevention and treatment of a host of other musculoskeletal ailments including bursitis, Lyme disease, gout and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. From Traditional Chinese Medicine lifestyle and herbal formula recommendations to Western herbal, osteopathic and naturopathic therapies, this panel contains many useful clinical pearls which address the chronic joint inflammation so rampant in our modern world. Moderated by Mark Blumenthal of the American Botanical Council.
Botanicals for Cognitive Support
December’s Featured Recording: Botanicals for Cognitive Support with Lise Alschuler, ND
Cognitive decline is on the rise in the US population and practitioners will be seeing more questions about this in the years to come. There are limited pharmaceutical options for supporting cognitive health – especially for prevention and early changes. Botanical therapies may limit the progression of cognitive changes through cerebral activation, increased cerebral blood flow, anti-oxidation, and anti-inflammation.
A review of the pros and cons of pharmaceutical approaches is included in this presentation from naturopathic physician, Lise Alschuler. Presentation includes a summary of lifestyle and nutritional therapies to support cognition, and an exploration of botanicals including Ginkgo biloba, Eleutherococcus (Ginseng), Crocus sativus (Saffron), Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s mane mushroom), Bupleurum falcatum, and Boswellia serrulata (Frankincense).
Pharmacy Video Series for Naturopathic Clinicians 2021
A video series for health care providers – with pharmacy hours for naturopathic physicians – bundled together in one discounted package:
- Seven (7) video lectures (1.5 hours each)
- Digital book of notes (115-page PDF)
- Pharmacy continuing education credits for naturopathic physicians
- Order with one click for $99 ($140 value)
Note: The information in this series is provided as a research resource for health professionals and is not intended to replace diagnosis and treatment by a qualified health care practitioner.
New Insights into Commonplace and Undervalued Herbs
November’s Featured Recording: New Insights into Commonplace and Undervalued Herbs with Paul Bergner, Medical Herbalist
Sometimes our most commonplace herbs, often growing abundantly around us, are overlooked in favor of newer, exotic, or imported herbs or preparations. But the commonplace “boring” herbs endure through millennia because they are reliable, potent, and versatile in their applications. In this presentation from Paul Bergner, we discuss recent research and traditional uses for Urtica, Matricaria, Althaea, Allium sativum, Plantago, Calendula, and Hypericum.
This focus on using common medicinal plants growing in our own region is more important now than ever before as climate change and overharvesting place a huge stress on wild medicinal plant populations. We can look to new and expanded uses for our common species as part of the solution to this crisis.
Medicinal Uses of Salvia Miltiorrhiza (Dan Shen)
October’s Featured Recording: Medicinal Uses of Salvia Miltiorrhiza (Dan Shen)
This panel featuring Walter Crinnion, ND, Jillian Stansbury, ND, and Jason Miller, DACM, LAc explores Salvia Miltiorrhiza (Dan Shen or red sage). Dan Shen is considered one of the most important traditional Chinese medicines and has widespread use in Asian countries. Traditionally, it has been used to improve bodily functioning, as well as to treat bleeding, abnormal menstruation, miscarriage, swelling, insomnia, and hepatitis. More recent uses include treatment of blood vessel pathologies in the heart and brain. There was lots to discuss in this closing panel from Medicines from the Earth 2017.
Retraining the Mighty Mast Cells: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Histamine Intolerance Revisited
This article is a part 2 to expand on additional interventions in mast cell regulation. If you didn’t read the original article, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome & Histamine Intolerance: An Herbal Approach discusses different types of mast cell activation syndromes and histamine-related issues. Furthermore, this discussion relates to Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and histamine-related symptoms and not mastocytosis. For ease of use, the term “mast cell issues” is used to relate to these conditions throughout the article.
The Mighty Mast Cell Continue reading
Types of Pain and Herbal Management Tools
September’s Featured Recording: Types of Pain and Herbal Management Tools
This lecture by Jillian Stansbury, ND explores valuable pain management tools to counter the opiate crisis. This lecture discusses some of the most commonly encountered types of pain including musculoskeletal, neuralgic, and nociceptive pain. The mechanisms of action of selected anodyne herbs are explored and sample formulas for specific conditions are presented. Botanicals discussed include Boswelia, Vitex, Glycyrrhiza, Piper methysticum, Aloe vera and more.
Environmental Illness Audio Series
An audio series for health care providers – with continuing education for naturopathic physicians – bundled together in one discounted package:
- Six (6) audio recordings (1.5 – 2.0 hours each)
- Digital book of notes (110-page PDF)
- Continuing education credits: 10 hours for naturopathic physicians
- Order with one-click for $55 ($85 value)
Note: The information in this series is provided as a research resource for health professionals and is not intended to replace diagnosis and treatment by a qualified health care practitioner. Continue reading
Botanical Approaches to Manage Chronic Stress
Stress can be rewarding and even pleasant in response to positive stimuli, encouraging intellectual and emotional growth and development. Most often, when we discuss being “stressed out” in a modern context, it is in reference to negative physical or psychological stimuli and an unpleasant reaction. Stress is generally defined as a state of disharmony (allostasis) and is counteracted by physiological and behavioral responses which aim to reestablish homeostasis via the adaptive stress response.1