Health Topics

Late summer in the ponderosa forest, after the monsoons have taken effect, is my favorite time for wild greens. The two primary greens found here are goosefoot and amaranth. A nutritional profile from the USDA lists these two greens, along with dandelion leaves, as the three healthiest ‘weeds’ available to us. Besides the nutrition, another bonus is that they are quite palatable; foods I would gladly choose to eat. (Plus they are free and they get us out into nature, which is nutrition for our soul. But that isn’t the point of this post.) In addition to eating them raw […] See More

Safety issues connected to the internal use of various Comfrey (Symphytum officinale, S. uplandicum x) species have been a controversial topic since I became active in the herb community in the early 1990s. Many presentations in articles, blogs, classes and conferences prefer to address the therapeutic benefits of this plant and avoid directly giving information on the question of safety. The presentation usually has some version of "Do your own research and make your own decision" about comfrey. The main drawback to this approach is the reader - student is left with no guidelines on where or how to get […] See More

Cortisol is commonly known as the “Stress Hormone” and is released by the adrenal glands in stressful situations. It is primarily a catabolic hormone as it signals the body to release energy for what it perceives to be an emergency survival situation. It has short term beneficial effects when stress is sporadic and short term. It has profound long term detrimental effects when stress is chronic. For most people who live within the influence of fast-paced 21st Century lifestyle, chronic stress and the resulting long term levels of excess cortisol are a primary health problem. The detrimental effects are far […] See More

The following sources are provided for learning more about prostate health. Links to both mainstream medicine and herbal medicine are included. 1. This link is from the National Institute of Diabetic and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Its main focus is Prostate Enlargement, also known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia or BPH. 2. This link shares various treatment options for BPH in mainstream medicine. 3. This link has an herbal formula from David Winston that has been created to support prostate health, especially for men with BPH. 4. This link is for a book on the Saw Palmetto Berry (Serenoa repens) […] See More

The following article is taken from the curriculum presented during the Metabolic Syndrome class. This topic is included in both the Advanced Topics in Herbal Medicine and, beginning in 2019, the Foundations of Herbal Medicine programs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Simply informing someone that excess white sugar or processed carbs are unhealthy and should be taken out of the diet is not enough. It is more helpful to look at the source for the need/desire for sweetness and develop a plan accordingly. 1. In nature, foods with a sweet taste are the most physically nourishing. This desire/need for nourishment is also true emotionally. […] See More

Understanding how our brains function and learning ways we can support cognitive health is part of the longer courses at our school. The following links are resources to support the information shared during class. Brain Overview http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/B/brain.html Brain Anatomy http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-AnatBrain.htm Alzheimers http://www.innerbody.com/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease Hypomania v Mania http://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/breakingbipolar/2010/08/what-is-the-difference-between-mania-and-hypomania/ Neurotransmitters http://www.brighthubeducation.com/science-homework-help/62633-neurotransmitters-in-the-brain/ Neurons http://www.brighthubeducation.com/science-homework-help/62839-function-and-structure-of-neurons-in-the-brain/ Synapse http://www.brighthubeducation.com/science-homework-help/109310-how-brain-synapses-work/#imgn_3 Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor - BDNF http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2015/03/30/8-ways-to-increase-bdnf-levels-brain-derived-neurotrophic-factor/ Beta Amyloid Plaque https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19679659 https://www.alz.org/braintour/plaques.asp See More

Metabolic Syndrome (also known as Syndrome X or Insulin Resistance) is an increasingly common disorder in modern society. It is primarily due to easy access to poor quality carbs combined with a sedentary lifestyle. This condition, including a detailed herb - diet - lifestyle protocol, is addressed during the Advanced Topics in Herbal Medicine course. The links below have been gathered to support the class-based materials. Many of these links are to diabetic websites. The information is helpful to anyone who wants to lose excess weight, balance blood sugar or increase heart health. The relevance of these sites is most […] See More

In recent years, the issue of intestinal inflammation, commonly known as Leaky Gut Syndrome, has become a topic of much discussion and some controversy.      The protocol for Leaky Gut Syndrome is addressed in detail in our Advanced Topics in Herbal Medicine program. The following links have been gathered to support the information shared in class. These links include views from Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, mainstream western medicine and traditional western herbalism. Our hope is you will find these helpful in your ongoing work towards greater health and becoming a more skilled herbalist. An in depth article on this topic from […] See More

These links have been gathered to assist people in accessing more information on a variety of topics related to the Cardiovascular Health class that is part of the Advanced Topics in Herbal Medicine program. 1. A heart health-based E book from the blog of Chris Kresser. This is one of the better health blogs out there. It is not specifically geared to herbal medicine but gives quality heart-based information in many areas including saturated fat, cholesterol, low fat, metabolic syndrome and chronic inflammation. 2. Good heart healthy info from Rosalee. She has one of the best herb-based blogs and this […] See More