2022 Herbal Conferences

Posted on September 21, 2021March 5, 2023 by Caitlin Maher

Past Conferences: We hope you enjoyed the 2022 conferences and we look forward to seeing you again at the 2023 conferences!

Past Conference
M edicines 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

Posted on January 31, 2022February 2, 2022 by Caitlin Maher

February’s Featured Recording:
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

Posted on December 30, 2021February 2, 2022 by Caitlin Maher

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

Posted on November 29, 2021February 2, 2022 by Caitlin Maher

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

Posted on November 5, 2021August 11, 2024 by Caitlin Maher

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

Posted on October 30, 2021February 13, 2023 by Caitlin Maher

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)

Posted on September 29, 2021October 5, 2021 by Caitlin Maher

salvia

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

Posted on September 8, 2021June 22, 2023 by Dr. Allison Williams, ND

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

Posted on September 2, 2021September 8, 2021 by Caitlin Maher

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

Posted on August 4, 2021September 27, 2022 by Caitlin Maher

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

Posted on July 29, 2021August 13, 2024 by Dr. Aisha Nouh, ND, AHG Registered Herbalist

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

Video Series for Clinicians: Mental Health

Posted on July 20, 2021August 11, 2024 by Caitlin Maher

A video series for health care providers – with continuing education for naturopathic physicians – bundled together in one discounted package:

Six (6) video lectures (1.5 hours each)
Digital book of notes (83-page PDF)
Continuing education credits for naturopathic physicians
Order with one click for $89 ($135 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.

Preview: Restoring Mitochondrial Function through Botanicals and other Naturopathic Therapies

Posted on June 3, 2021June 6, 2021 by botanical

Presenter: Mary Rondeau, ND, RH (AHG)

Summary: Mitochondrial dysfunction is characterized by the reduction of energy output from the electron transport chain. Research confirms that reduced mitochondrial function is associated with nearly all chronic conditions, including neurodegenerative, psychiatric, cardiovascular, metabolic, autoimmune, cancer, chronic immune disorders and musculoskeletal. This lecture covers symptoms that are suggestive of mitochondrial concerns and testing methods to determine treatment strategies. These include botanicals specific to organ systems, nutrients and nutritional protocols to increase efficiency and restore function to mitochondria.

Excerpt from the Medicines from the Earth Symposium June 4 – 7, 2021.

2021 Herbal Conferences

Posted on November 10, 2020July 26, 2021 by Caitlin Maher

If you missed our 2021 conferences, all the materials are now offered online:

Medicines from the Earth Herb Symposium
Online June 4 – 7, 2021, Past event

Videos, audio recordings, and the digital book are now available!

Southwest Conference on Botanical Medicine
March 26 – 28, 2021: Past event
videos, audio recordings, and the digital book are now available!

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

Join Doug Elliott at Herb Mountain Farm

Posted on May 27, 2021July 13, 2021 by botanical

Join Doug Elliott at Herb Mountain Farm in Weaversville, NC on Saturday 6/5 for a one-of-a-kind herb walk for Medicines from the Earth Herb Symposium! This beloved herbalist, author, and storyteller will delight and amaze you with his practical, scientific and cultural knowledge of many useful wild plants.

As a naturalist, herbalist and storyteller, Doug Elliot knows ancient plant lore, plant riddles and even sings songs about weeds and berries. His lively, informative plant walks and storytelling sessions create special memories for attendees of the Medicines from the Earth Symposium.

Doug Elliott is a naturalist, herbalist, storyteller, basket maker, philosopher, and harmonica wizard who has performed at festivals, museums and schools from Canada to the Caribbean. He has been a featured storyteller at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN and has conducted workshops and programs at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and the Smithsonian Institution. He has trained rangers for the National Park Service and guided people on wilderness experiences from Down-east Maine to the Florida Everglades. He was named harmonica champion at Fiddler’s Grove Festival in N.C.

Doug regularly writes articles for regional and national magazines. He has authored five books, produced a number of award winning recordings of stories and songs, and is occasionally seen on PBS-TV and the History Channel.

Whether he’s singing about catfish, pontificating on possums, extolling the virtues of dandelions, cawing with crows, pondering the “nature” in human nature, telling wild snake tales or wailing out a jivey harmonica tune, storyteller, Doug Elliott will take you on an unforgettable, multifaceted cultural tour celebrating North America’s back country. He performs a lively concert of amazing tales, lively tunes, traditional lore, outrageous personal narratives, and fact stranger than fiction. He flavors it all with regional dialects, lively harmonica riffs, and more than a few belly laughs.

– For more about Doug, visit his LinkedIn profile.

Weight Management Audio Series

Posted on May 6, 2021August 12, 2024 by Caitlin Maher

An audio series for health care providers – with continuing education for naturopathic physicians – bundled together in one discounted package:

Eight (8) audio recordings (1.5 hours each)
Digital book of notes (99-page PDF)
Continuing education credits: 12 hours for naturopathic physicians
Order with one click for $65 ($95 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.

Audio Series Details
(See below for lecture titles and descriptions)

One-click orders all eight recordings selected from the Botanical Medicine library, plus a 99-page PDF of notes. Together these provide comprehensive information for clinicians on one of the most pressing challenges of our age.

We have included eight audio recordings since this is such a large topic, which includes not only dietary measures for weight management and exercise, but mitigating factors often not considered, including allergy, endocrine dysfunction, insulin resistance (metabolic syndrome), stress, lack of sleep, environmental toxicants and the effect of widespread use of antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals on the obesity epidemic in the US. Pharmaceuticals for weight loss are mentioned and evaluated.

(Series price of $65 includes a 99-page PDF of lecture notes.)

Naturopathic CE:

12 total CME hours if not claimed previously for the above lectures
11.5 general + .5 pharmacy credits
Approved by Oregon Board of Naturopathic Medicine (OBNM)
Full CE details

Presentation	Speaker(s)	General Hours (approved by OBNM)	Pharm Hours (approved by OBNM)
Weight Loss Herbs: Help or Hype?	Jillian Stansbury, ND	1.5
The Intricate Relationship between Food Allergy, Endocrine Imbalance and Inappropriate Weight Gain	Kenneth Proefrock, NMD	1.5
Herbal Medicine and Weight Management	Amanda McQuade Crawford, MA	1.5
Natural Weight Management, Part 1	Donald Yance, RH (AHG)	1.5
Natural Weight Management, Part 2	Donald Yance, RH (AHG)	1.5
Panel: Naturopathic Approaches to Weight Management and Obesity Prevention	Lise Alschuler, ND, Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG) and Marianne Marchese, ND	1.0	.5
Botanical Therapies for Insulin Resistance and Metabolic Syndrome	David Winston, RH (AHG)	1.5
Role of Environmental Toxicants in Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome & Type 2 Diabetes	Walter Crinnion, ND	1.5

Southwest Conference Preview

Posted on March 22, 2021November 1, 2021 by Caitlin Maher

The 2021 Southwest Conference on Botanical Medicine has now passed. If you were unable to attend the conference this year, you can now enjoy the sessions on video, audio or digital book.

Here is a sneak peek into the videos that you’ll find in our full video set…

Read the transcript for this video.

Other sessions include:

COVID 19: Acute and Chronic Considerations in Naturopathic Patient Management
The Antiviral Materia Medica
Opiate Use Disorder and its Treatment from a Body-Mind-Spirit Perspective
Hormonal Imbalances and Gynecological Patterns
Panel Discussion: Naturopathic Approaches to Weight Management and Obesity Prevention

Preview Transcript:

Lise Alschuler, ND: As you can see in these studies, that really, across the board,St John’s Wort is decreasing the plasma level of the drug.

Paul Bergner, Medical Herbalist: Because all bacteria have a large amount of their genome conserved. It’s the same.

Deborah Frances, ND: But it was really getting at the underlying cause of what was going on. So the plantcan really helpusto open to parts of ourselves as well as others.

Lori Harger, PHMNP: Heart rate variability is very important in terms of psychological resilience,adaptability andexecutive function.

Feather Jones, Herbalist: Think gotukola(Centella asiatica), which is shown to stimulate T-cells by improving vitality through its energizing properties.

Heath McAllister, ND: Scutellaria baicalensis, I also love this herb. Potent anti-inflammatory,not really related that much to the other, Scutellaria lateriflora,in terms of its actions.

Kenneth Proefrock, ND: Galangal, speaking of heating, moves us into a slightly different category of plant medicines. These are agents that help improve bloodflow and specifically help resolve inflammation more rapidly.

Mary Rondeau, ND, RH (AHG): So we see that crocin inhibits the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine, where safranalinhibits the reuptake of serotonin.

JoAnn Sanchez, MS: There’s a wild plantain that grows here in the desert flora and it’s Plantago minorand it has a tiny little stem. So these plantains really tell us which species they are by their leaf size.

Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG): Topical calendula preparationsare excellentfor skin healingand areanti-inflammatory. Calendula is antiseptic too and can help with Staph aureus.

Jillian Stansbury, ND: We can classify the kinds of phytosterols that we find in plants: steroidal saponins, Isoflavones…..

Naturopathic Approaches to Weight Management and Obesity Prevention

Posted on April 20, 2021August 7, 2024 by Caitlin Maher

Working with patients to manage their weight includes prevention of weight gain, control of age-related gains and treatment of obesity. This requires a broad understanding of many factors, including insulin resistance, environmental toxicants, the gut microbiome and the effect of pharmaceuticals on weight gain. Panelists at the 2021 Southwest Conference on Botanical Medicine, naturopathic physicians Marianne Marchese, Katie Stage, and Lise Alschuler, discussed new research, practical naturopathic interventions and specific recommendations for clinical practice. A synopsis of each presentation follows.