NOTE: This is the description of last year’s conference. Here is information for 2017:
Medicines from the Earth Herb Symposium, 2017
Last year’s event–thanks to all who made it such a great success!
Friday, June 3 to Monday, June 6, 2016
Blue Ridge Assembly, Black Mountain, North Carolina
Note: Online registration Is now closed but you are welcome to register at the door!
Registration fee covers all lectures, panel discussions and other group meetings. Intensives, lodging and meals are extra.
CE (Continuing education) approvals have all been received (as of May 3),
Registration Fee $399. Online registration Is now closed but you are welcome to register at the door!. Directions.
Phone 541-482-3016
Over 40 presentations by leading practitioners and researchers in botanical medicine. Speaker bios and topics. Schedule
Theme: Integrating traditional healing methods with modern medicine.
Also offering: Friday field study and pre-conference intensive, panel discussions, medicine-making classes and herb walks in a beautiful retreat setting..
FEATURED PRESENTATIONS
Integrating Botanical Medicine and New Scientific Discoveries
Click here for Speaker Biographies and Topics
- Botanicals to alleviate daily toxicant damage
- The microbiome: infants and children
- Botanical considerations in treatment of breast and prostate cancer
- Latest research on paraoxonase 1 and recommendations for boosting its function
- Integrating botanicals and pharmaceuticals: safety, efficacy?
- Intricate relationship: food allergy, endocrine imbalance and weight gain
- Natural therapies in conjunction with the latest cancer treatments
- Recent research on pharmacokinetics: how botanicals are processed in our bodies
ADDITIONAL INTENSIVE WORKSHOPS
Pre-conference Intensive: The Digestive System and Neurological Health. Healing the Gut-Brain Axis with Botanical Medicine
Jason Miller
Friday, June 3, 1 – 5 PM ($79)
Friday Ethnobotanical and Native Plant Field Study
David Winston
June 3, 10 AM to 3 PM ($65-Limit 30)
Biophilia: Green Medicine for People and the Planet
Chanchal Cabrera
June 4, 2 – 5:30 PM ($55)
Treating Infections with Natural Medicine-An Integrative and Cross-Cultural Approach
Christopher Hobbs, PhD
June 5, 2 – 5:30 PM ($55)
NEW! Tour the Gaia Herb Farm on Monday June 6
Ric Scalzo, founder of Gaia Herbs, and Mary Bove, ND
June 6, 3 – 5 PM Free of charge (Pre-registration required, please)
Related Event: Macroscopic and Organoleptic Assessment of Botanical Ingredients
Roy Upton
June 2 (Thursday), 10 AM – 5 PM Near Asheville, organized by BioNetwork. Phone 828.782.2328
Blue Ridge Assembly
Blue Ridge Assembly, 84 Blue Ridge Circle, Black Mountain, North Carolina
The symposium site is nestled on a mountainside surrounded by 1200 forested acres with two rushing streams. Lodging, dining and lectures are all within walking distance. Blue Ridge Assembly is 40 minutes east of Asheville, NC
Blue Ridge Assembly–much more than just a hotel! Read about it here.
All inclusive lodging and meal packages start at $216 for three night’s lodging and eight meals. Commuter meals are also available for $98 for the weekend.
Click here to register for lodging online. Or use this form to register by fax or email.
Thursday, June 2
10 AM – 5:00 PM
Related Event near Asheville: Macroscopic and Organoleptic Assessment of Botanical Ingredients
Roy Upton, RH(AHG)
See flyer here. (Organized by BioNetwork of the North Carolina Community College system–registration is handled by their office. Call BioNetwork 828-782-2328. Cost $275.
Friday June 3
Pre-conference Intensives at Blue Ridge Assembly. Participants may reserve lunch in advance from Blue Ridge here (“Early arrival needs”).
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Ethnobotanical And Native Plant Field Study
David Winston, RH(AHG)
Examine the unique flora of the southeastern mountains and hear 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. ($65)
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
The Digestive System And Neurological Health: Healing The Gut-Brain Axis With Botanical Medicine
Jason Miller, LAc
This intensive explores the complex relationship between the organisms in the digestive system and the health of our nervous system. By examining recent research into the gut-brain axis (GBA) in the light of Traditional Chinese Medicine principles and formulas, an elegant understanding of this new field emerges. ($79) More detailed description here.
5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Registration and Blue Ridge Assembly, Exhibit Hall Opens
(Joe Hallock and Friends play old-time mountain music from 5 – 7 PM at registration. Come join the fun!)
Saturday June 4
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM Breakfast (for those who’ve purchased meals beforehand)
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM Registration: Blue Ridge Center Lobby
8:30 AM – 9:15 AM Opening Meeting: Washburn Auditorium
(Concurrent lectures–choose one–no need to sign up in advance.)
9:30 AM – 11:00 AM
The Intricate Relationship Between Food Allergy, Endocrine Imbalance and Inappropriate Weight Gain
Kenneth Proefrock ND
Persistent weight gain can be a result of poor diet and lack of exercise, but for some people changing these things is not enough to reduce body fat. The solution for these individuals begins with an understanding of the relationship between the digestive system, nervous system and hormonal systems. This leads us into the ever-more-intriguing world of epigenetics.
Rebuilding Damaged Intestinal Walls and Treating Gut Permeability with Botanical Medicines
Jill Stansbury ND
When the permeability of the gut walls is altered, numerous systemic health complaints may result. Undigested proteins can leak into the submucosal tissue, causing gut reactivity and digestive symptoms. If these proteins are absorbed into the blood stream, allergic and autoimmune conditions may manifest. This lecture offers herbal and nutritional therapies for repairing the intestinal mucosa and restoring optimal gut barrier functions.
Integration of Botanical Medicines with Conventional Pharmaceuticals: Increased or Decreased Safety and Efficacy?
Roy Upton RH(AHG)
One of the primary concerns of patients and health care providers is a fear of negative interactions when drugs and herbs are combined therapeutically. A review of the world’s literature shows relatively few serious negative herb-drug interactions, which can easily be avoided. There are numerous examples of positive herb-drug interactions, which are discussed against a backdrop of the safety of herbal medicines overall.
Edible and Medicinal Plants of Appalachia (Outdoor Walk)
Vickie Shufer
Explore the botanical bounty of the southern Appalachians. We hike the nature trails and identify plants used for food and discuss their health and medicinal benefits. Sustainable harvesting techniques, preparation methods, and how to use the plants on a regular basis are included.
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Refreshments and Exhibit Break
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Common Botanical Agents that Alleviate Daily Toxicant Damage
Walter Crinnion ND
The daily toxicant burden is overwhelming, yet 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 a list of the botanicals that have the widest beneficial effects.
The Worst Weeds are your Best Medicine
David Winston, RH(AHG)
Our reliance in the West on an ever-dwindling materia medica has resulted in overharvesting and adulteration. We can help correct this by the inclusion of unused but effective indigenous and introduced species. There are hundreds of such herbs that have long histories of usage by peoples who depended on these plants for their health and well-being but are considered noxious weeds today.
Mushroom Medicine: Challenges and Potential
Christopher Hobbs, PhD
Mushrooms have consistently shown immunomodulatory and anti-tumor effects when tested on humans. This lecture explores the compounds responsible for these findings, and how best to utilize them in medicine, with a focus on the types and uses of beta-glucans found in fungi.
Pessaries: Feminine Healing for Shining the Light and Mending the Tissues: (Medicine Making Class)
Teresa Boardwine
Learn how to make many different vaginal suppositories depending on a woman’s need: vaginitis, cervical displasia, menopausal dryness, clearing unwanted energies and more.
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch and Exhibit Break
2:00 PM – 5:30 PM
INTENSIVE: BioPhilia—Green Medicine for People and the Planet
Chanchal Cabrera MSc, RH(AHG)
Drawing from her masters research and combining meditation and medicine, Chanchal guides you on a journey deep into the plant spirit world. With a wealth of clinical references and scientific research as well as through experiential learning outdoors, this class can change your whole outlook on the healing power of herbs. ($55) More details
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): Botanical Solutions, Nutrition and Diet
Jason Miller, LAc
Nearly 60% of Americans will develop CKD, at an annual cost exceeding $40 billion, and the number of patients is growing. This lecture describes diagnostics including traditional medicine and lab testing for renal function, and presents effective strategies for treatment of CKD. In mild cases, the use of botanical and nutritional medicine, coupled with specific dietary and lifestyle intervention is sufficient to resolve the condition. In more advanced cases, an integrative approach is called for.
Compliance in Finicky Adults and Kids
Mary Bove, ND
Compliance can be a major factor in the outcome of herbal therapies. It is different in children and adults, and requires creative strategies for the herbalist. This lecture discusses common issues relating to compliance, including hints and strategies for helping children and adults to take their herbs. Based on 25 years experience in the clinic.
Woody Ethnobotany (Outdoor Walk)
Marc Williams
Learn how to identify trees and shrubs by the leaves, bark, flowers, fruit and growing conditions, and discuss the plant families to which they belong. Common and obscure uses for woody plants that can support overall health, well-being and sustenance are discussed, along with the connection between woody plants and medicinal mushrooms.
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Refreshments and Exhibit Break
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Brain Pain, The Challenge of Migraines–The Herbal/Nutritional Treatment of a Chronic Neurovascular Disorder
David Winston RH(AHG)
This lecture proposes an updated evaluation and treatment program for migraine headaches which draws heavily on Traditional Chinese Medicine principles and botanicals. Different classes of migraines demand different treatment strategies, and starting with a diagnostic evaluation, the presentation covers botanicals for each unique type of migraine, along with dietary, nutritional and physical therapy recommendations.
Medicinal Mushrooms in the Kitchen and Apothecary (Medicine Making Demonstration)
Marc Williams
Learn how to incorporate our fungal allies into tasty therapeutic preparations fit for both the table and the medicine chest. We will demonstrate and sample several medicinal mushroom preparations: concoction, broth, and chai.
Plant-Based Inositol Compounds
Jill Stansbury, ND
Inositol compounds occur naturally in the body, and serve many metabolic, reproductive and inflammation-modulating roles. Inositol also occurs naturally in legumes and other plants, such as carob, Astragalus and Medicago, which can be used therapeutically for PCOS, obesity, diabetes and other conditions.
Herb Walk
Doug Elliott
Whether he’s pointing out poison ivy, pontificating on poke sallet, crooning about creasy greens, jiving about ginseng, or extolling the virtues of dandelions, this herbalist, author, and storyteller will delight and amaze you with his broad, practical, scientific and cultural knowledge of the area’s many useful wild plants.
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Dinner and Exhibit Break
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Keynote: The Future of Botanical Medicine
Kenneth Proefrock, ND
The current exponential growth in the field of medical diagnostics, targeted cancer therapies, genomics, and pharmaceuticals shows how quickly the field of medicine is changing. What is the relationship between traditional botanical medicine and these overwhelming new developments? How do we keep up with them? Do we need to keep up with them? How do we integrate the traditional healing paradigm of botanical medicine with these new developments?
Sunday June 5
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Panel Discussion: Immunotherapy in Cancer Treatment: Is there a Role for Botanicals?
Christopher Hobbs, Chanchal Cabrera and Roy Upton
Immunotherapy has recently become an important part of treating some types of cancer and will impact how we treat cancer in the future. Can botanicals work in the same way, stimulating the immune system to eliminate tumors, or working with pharmaceutical immune stimulators to enhance benefit?
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Refreshments and Exhibit Break
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
The Microbiome in Infants and Children: Maintaining Health and Wellness
Mary Bove, ND
The importance of a healthy microbiome is far-reaching, impacting development of the brain, mood, immune health, stress response, inflammation, mood and skin health. Herbs that impact the microbiome are discussed along with special needs cases such as C-section birth and early exposure to antibiotic medications.
Building an Herbal Formula, Part 1
Chanchal Cabrera, RH(AHG), MScD
From a recent interview with Chanchal on this topic: The human body is such a complex thing, such a thing of delicate beauty, that the right herbs given at the right time can be profoundly effective. Knowing which herbs are the ‘effectors’ that generate immediate or significant change, and which herbs are the ‘normalizers’ that can be used long term as supportive tonics, will allow nuances of formulating that are helpful for patient and practitioner. Knowing what the patient wants and expects, and knowing what the herbs can do, is the art of herbal medicine. Continued in Part 2 after lunch.
Botanical Considerations in the Treatment of Breast and Prostate Cancer
Kenneth Proefrock, ND
Breast and prostate cancers occur in tissues that have a greater sensitivity to hormonal influence. We discuss the mechanisms that underlie these cancerous conditions, beginning with effectors of hormone receptor sensitivity, hormonal detoxification processes, botanical and nutritional strategies to help control the process and/or complement conventional treatments. Botanical agents include Leonurus, Leonotis, Mahonia, Asparagus, Ipomoea, Phytolacca, Iris, Galium, Lycopus, Campotheca, Taxus, Catharanthus, Datura, Lobelia and Alpinia.
Creating Herbal Oils (Demonstration)
Robin McGee
Herbal oils are easy to make and can be used for massage, painful muscles and joints, bath oil, skin care, hair and scalp, as a food flavoring and as the base for herbal salves and creams. Learn a step-by-step process for creating herb-infused oils, and the plants commonly used, the methods of extraction, types of herbs (fresh or dried), tips to prevent mold, and storage recommendations for a longer shelf-life.
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch and Exhibit Break
2:00 PM – 5:30 PM
INTENSIVE: Treating Infections with Natural Medicine—An Integrative and Cross-Cultural Approach
Christopher Hobbs, PhD
Evidence-based and referenced, but also drawing on Traditional Chinese Medicine and standards of western herbal practice. Focus is on upper respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, Lyme disease, liver infections, vaginal infections and dysbiosis. ($55) More information here.
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Building an Herbal Formula, Part 2
Chanchal Cabrera RH(AHG), MSc
Drawing from Galen’s humoral model through physiomedicalism to Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory and William LeSassier’s Triune model, we will consider issues of synergy and conflict in a formula, dosing, safety and even how to make the herbs taste better. This lecture moves from theory and philosophy to very practical and pragmatic tools for a practitioner. It is suitable for beginner to advanced students and will provide insights, tips and tools from my 30 years of clinical practice. (Attendance at Part 1 strongly recommended but not required.)
Treatment of Acute and Chronic Trauma through Botanical Medicine, Nutrition and Lifestyle Modification
Kenneth Proefrock, ND
This lecture proposes the idea that physical and emotional/mental trauma have a similar natural history and recovery, and can be aided by similar natural therapies. A wound is not just something to be healed on the physiological level. The experience of trauma and pain is universal and modern medicine doesn’t always provide the kind of care that facilitates complete recovery, if the most critical symptoms are immediately addressed but the psyche is left to heal on its own.
Herbal Treats: BonBons, Truffles and Candies (Demonstration)
Teresa Boardwine
Enjoy making and sampling these delicacies, while discussing how adding herbs into food increases compliance, and offers yet another application of medicinal/edible herbs.
Herb Walk (Outdoors)
Doug Elliott
Refresh yourself in the beautiful Blue Ridge Assembly forest with Doug, the consummate story teller, entertainer and harmonica player. Scientific medicinal plant information and folklore are combined in a seamless whole in this walk on the wild side!
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Refreshments and Exhibit Break
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
A Complete Picture of the most Powerful Antioxidant in the Body: Glutathione
Walter Crinnion, ND
The most active and powerful quencher of free radicals in the body, glutathione is necessary for proper mitochondrial function in every cell. It is the lynchpin for a properly balanced and functioning immune system and is critical for the processing of environmental toxicants. Dietary, nutritional and botanical influences on glutathione are presented.
The Spirit of Chinese Medicinal Herbs: The Cultivation of Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Health
Roy Upton
The existing herbal medicine literature is replete with actions and indications of herbs for the alleviation of symptoms. There is little presented on the use of herbs for optimal health in the absence of symptoms and even less on herb use for mental, emotional, and spiritual development. Traditional Chinese medicine offers a model for approaching healing in a manner that goes beyond symptoms and disease prevention towards optimal health.
Ethnomycology
Todd Elliott
A photographic exploration of the fungi found on six continents and their traditional and historical uses. Wild foraging techniques, ecology and biodiversity principles are woven with stories from those who rely on mushrooms, from 4-star chefs to indigenous hunter-gatherers.
5:30 PM –6:30 PM
Dinner and Exhibit Break
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Sacred Song with Jill Stansbury and Friends
(Fireside program in the amphitheater)
Songs inspired by plants and the natural world to build community and support personal healing. Come to sing, or listen, or both!
Monday June 6
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Natural Therapies in Conventional Cancer Care: Increasing Chances for Survival and Quality of Life
Roy Upton, RH(AHG)
Research shows that large numbers of cancer patients use some type of natural therapy in conjunction with conventional therapies. Physicians often remain skeptical or antagonistic, while patients are often confused and need guidance. Drawing from clinical experience and modern literature, we discuss the use of traditional Chinese herbal immune modulators for adjunctive cancer care.
Weight Loss Herbs: Help or Hype?
Jill Stansbury, ND
Describes botanical agents reported to support weight loss, including purported thermogenic agents such as green tea and cayenne, agents that support insulin response such as chromium and legumes, and agents that affect lipid metabolism such as guggul and berberine. From hoodia to chitosan to coconut oil, we review the research on popular weight-loss aids to help determine which may actually have value.
Pediatrics and Essential Oils
Mary Bove, ND
Aromatherapy is a safe and effective therapeutic option for infants and children when the oils are used correctly. The discussion includes safety guidelines, application, dosing, topical use, oral use and essential oil quality. Simple applications, formulas, recipes and essential oil preparations are described.
Herb Walk
Doug Elliott
Laugh and learn as Doug guides you through a wealth of medicinal herbs and regales you with stories of the plants, the medicines and the people of the Appalachians.
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Refreshments and Exhibit Break
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Latest Research on Paraoxonase 1 and Dietary Recommendations for Boosting its Function
Walter Crinnion, ND
Paraoxonase 1 is an enzyme produced in the liver that is carried by HDL cholesterol. Low levels are associated with heart disease, diabetes (both types), depression, RA, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. It is also the body’s main defense against pesticides in foods. Fortunately, there are many healthy things to do to boost the function of this enzyme – including the polyphenols in our diets.
Wild Fruits of Fields and Forests and How to Use Them for Food and Medicine
Vickie Shufer
Fruits are the seed-bearing parts of plants and include berries, nuts, and legumes, many of which are edible and provide health and medicinal benefits. Find out which wild fruits can be used as food and medicine as well as creative ways to prepare them. Samples will be available for tasting.
Pharmacokinetics of Plant Compounds: Recent Research
Christopher Hobbs, PhD
This is the science of how active constituents in plants are absorbed by the body, metabolized (usually in the liver), and distributed in the tissues. How do we prepare herbs to maximize therapeutic benefit of, for example, the beta-glucans in mushrooms, the curcumin in turmeric, and the usnic acid in usnea. What does traditional Chinese medicine teach us about herbal preparations that foster better absorption?
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch and Exhibit Break
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Panel: Three Approaches to Anxiety and Depression
Jill Stansbury, Walter Crinnion and Teresa Boardwine
A summary of the environmental, traditional/shamanic and medical herbalist’s approach to anxiety and depression.
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Farm Tour: Gaia Herbs in Brevard, North Carolina
Ric Scalzo and Mary Bove
Free of charge, only open to symposium participants. Sign up in advance to reserve your spot!
This farm is a living laboratory for the latest organic planting and cultivation methods. Certified by Oregon Tilth, the most rigorous of all organic certifying bodies, the farm produces over 5 million individual plants representing 45 species of medicinal herbs, which are then made into medicine at Gaia’s state-of-the-art production facility. On this tour you’ll walk the fields and learn about planting, cultivation and harvest techniques while enjoying the beautiful, fertile valley surrounded by mountains. It’s an experience not to be missed! Sign up in advance. (Open only to registered symposium participants). Learn More.
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Teresa Boardwine
Teresa Boardwine operates Green Comfort School of Herbal Medicine in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, where she offers classes, consultations and online access to her workshops. She has been teaching her hands-on medicine making classes for over 20 years.
Presentations:
1. Pessaries: Feminine Healing for Shining the Light and Mending the Tissues
2. Herbal Treats: BonBons, Truffles and Candies
Mary Bove, ND
A clinical medical herbalist, Mary Bove had a practice in family medicine in Brattleboro, Vermont for over 20 years. She is the author of An Encyclopedia of Natural Healing for Children and Infants, and recently produced an iPhone App, Momma Nature’s Food Pharm Guide. She is currently the botanical educator for Gaia Herbs, Inc.
Presentations:
1. Pediatrics and Essential Oils
2. Compliance in Finicky Adults and Kids
3. Microbiome in Infants and Children: Maintaining Health and Wellness
4. Gaia Herb Farm Tour (please sign up in advance)
Chanchal Cabrera RH(AHG)
Chanchal holds the faculty chair of botanical medicine at Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine, is a Fellow of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (UK) and an herbal practitioner with over 25 years of clinical practice. She is a certified master gardener and a certified horticulture therapist.
Presentations:
1. Intensive: Biophilia: Green Medicine for People and the Planet
2. Building an Herbal Formula Part 1
3. Building an Herbal Formula Part 2
Walter Crinnion, ND
Walter J. Crinnion has been in practice since 1982, specializing in treating chronic health problems caused by environmental chemical overload. He is past director of the Environmental Medicine Center at Southwest College of Naturopathic. He offers a six-month training in environmental medicine, and an annual conference on the topic.
Presentations:
1. Common Botanical Agents that Alleviate Daily Toxicant Damage
2. A Complete Picture of the most Powerful Antioxidant in the Body: Glutathione
3. Recent Research on Paraoxonase 1:and Dietary Recommendations for Boosting Function
Doug Elliott
Doug Elliott is an herbalist, storyteller, basket maker and author who presents programs from Canada to the Caribbean. He has written four books, including Wild Roots, and recorded a number of award-winning albums of stories and songs. His latest book: Swarm Tree: Of Honeybees, Honeymoons and the Tree of Life.
Presentations:
3 Herb Walks
Todd Elliott
Todd Elliott is a freelance biologist, naturalist, and lecturer. His research has focused on studying global biodiversity and interrelationships in nature. These studies have taken him to remote corners of the world and allowed him to learn from traditional people and to explore tropical rainforests, deserts, temperate forests, beaches, and high mountains on six continents. These locations and the indigenous plants are the subjects of his award-winning photographs. Much of the research from these expeditions has been or is being published, including the description of organisms new to science.
Presentation:
1. Ethnomycology
Christopher Hobbs, LAc, PhD
Christopher Hobbs, a fourth generation herbalist, is the author of 22 books on health and herbal medicine. He is a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist, consultant to the natural products industry, author, public speaker and now a PhD (UC Berkeley) in the plant sciences of evolutionary biology and botany.
Presentations:
1. Mushroom Medicine: Challenges and Potential
2. Pharmacokinetics of Plant Compounds: Recent Research into the Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion of Plant Medicines
3. Intensive: Treating Infections with Natural Medicine—An Integrative and Cross-Cultural Approach
Robin McGee
Robin McGee is a community herbalist, organic farmer, herbal educator, writer and storyteller. From her early childhood, it has been her intimate relationship with the Plant People and the Tall Standing Ones that feeds her soul. She lives with her husband on their chemical-free farm and botanical sanctuary in Anderson, SC.
Presentation:
1. Herbal Infused Oils
Jason Miller, LAc
Jason Miller 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. His approach bridges the frameworks of traditional and modern medicine in the management of chronic disease.
Presentations:
1. Pre-conference Intensive: The Digestive System and Neurological Health. Healing the Gut-Brain-Axis with Botanical Medicine
2. Chronic Kidney Disease: Botanical Solutions, Nutrition and Diet
Kenneth Proefrock, ND
A naturopathic physician practicing in Sun City, Arizona, Kenneth Proefrock is also the owner of Vital Force Naturopathic Compounding. 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.
Presentations:
1. The Intricate Relationship Between Food Allergy, Endocrine Imbalance and Inappropriate Weight Gain
2. Botanical Considerations in the Treatment of Breast and Prostate Cancer
3. Treatment of Acute and Chronic Trauma through Botanical Medicine, Nutrition and Lifestyle Modification
4. Saturday Night Keynote: The Future of Botanical Medicine
Ric Scalzo
Richard “Ric” Scalzo has more than 25 years of clinical and practical experience with herbal medicines. As an innovator and pioneer in the herbal products industry, he is a leading authority on the cultivation of herbs, extraction processes, whole plant standardization, and traditional herbal therapies. He is the founder and CEO of Gaia Herbs, Inc and the co-author of Herbal Solutions for Healthy Living and Medicines from the Heart of the Earth.
Presentation:
1. Gaia Herb Farm Tour (please sign up in advance)
Vickie Shufer, MA
A naturalist and herbalist with a master’s degree in therapeutic herbalism, Vickie Shufer teaches classes on edible and medicinal plants, as well as outdoor education programs. She is the author of The Everything Guide to Foraging and was the editor/publisher of The Wild Foods Forum newsletter (1994 – 2014). She also owns and manages a native nursery, The Wild Woods Farm, where she propagates native plants.
Presentations:
1. Edible and Medicinal Plants of Appalachia (Outdoor Walk)
2. Wild Fruits of Fields and Forests: How to Use them for Food and Medicine
Jill Stansbury, ND
A naturopathic physician, Jill Stansbury specializes in women’s health, mental health, and chronic disease. She teaches on the faculty of National College of Naturopathic Medicine, where she was chair of the botanical medicine department for 25 years. She travels extensively in the Peruvian Amazon to study indigenous healers and their herbs.
Presentations:
1. Plant-Based Inositol Compounds
2. Rebuilding Damaged Intestinal Walls and Treating Gut Permeability with Botanical Medicines
3. Weight Loss Herbs: Help or Hype?
Roy Upton, RH(AHG)
Roy Upton is trained in Ayurvedic, western, and traditional Chinese herbalism and has been working professionally as an herbalist for more than 30 years. He is the director of Planetary Herbals and the executive director and editor of the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia™, an organization dedicated to the development of quality control standards.
Presentations:
1. Natural Therapies in Conventional Cancer Care: Increasing Chances for Survival and Quality of Life
2. Integration of Botanical Medicines with Conventional Pharmaceuticals: Increased or Decreased Safety and Efficacy?
3. The Spirit of Chinese Medicinal Herbs: The Cultivation of Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Health
4. Related Event Thursday, June 2 near Asheville: Training with Roy Upton–Macroscopic and Organoleptic Assessment of Botanical Ingredients. See flyer here. (Sponsored by BioNetwork of the NC Community College system)
Marc Williams
An ethnobotanist, Marc Williams has taught hundreds of people about the marvelous world of plants, people and their interface, while working with over 50 organizations and online at the website www.botanyeveryday.com. He is dedicated to improving our current global ecological crisis. His training includes a B.A. in Environmental Studies/Sustainable Agriculture and an M.A. in Appalachian Studies/Sustainable Development.
Presentations:
1. Woody Ethnobotany (Outdoor Walk)
2. Medicinal Mushrooms in the Kitchen and Apothecary (Medicine Making Demonstration).
David Winston RH(AHG)
David Winston is an herbalist and ethnobotanist with 41 years of training and clinical experience in Cherokee, Chinese and Western/Eclectic herbal traditions. He offers a two year clinical training program in botanical medicine at David Winston’s Center for Herbal Studies and is the founder and president of Herbalist and Alchemist, Inc.
Presentations:
1. Friday Ethnobotanical and Native Plant Field Study
2. Brain Pain, The Challenge of Migraines–Herbal/Nutritional Treatment of a Chronic Neurovascular Disorder
3. The Worst Weeds are your Best Medicine
Registration Fees
$399
Symposium registration includes all presentations except intensive workshops. Lodging and meals are extra.
Online registration Is now closed but you are welcome to register at the door!. Directions.
Phone 541-482-3016
Lodging and Meal Information
Blue Ridge Assembly Lodging and Meal Information click here
Alternate Lodging in Black Mountain:
Quality Inn (828) 669-9950
Super 8 Motel (828) 669-8076
These are both about 10 minutes away.
Camping:
The closest campgrounds are in Swannanoa, about 10 minutes away from Blue Ridge Assembly. They offer tent camping, RV hookups and camping cabins. Call KOA at (800) 562-5907 or Mama Gertie’s Hideaway at (828) 686-4258 for reservations.
Airport Transportation
The closest airport is Asheville Regional Airport. Airport van: Diamond Executive Car Transportation. Reservations: call (828) 281-8139 and mention the herb symposium. Please have your flight arrival and departure times ready when you call. Cost: $65 one way from the airport to Blue Ridge (45 minute trip) for one person. Fees are divided up if there’s more than one person per trip.
Cancellations
Before May 18, symposium and intensive fees will be refunded minus $50 processing fee per registrant. No refunds can be given after May 18, 2016. Please make all refund requests by email
CE (Continuing Education)
See more CE details here. Credits depend on how many lectures are attended.
• Nurses: 23 contact hours approved by the Western Multi-State Division, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. 16 contact hours for the live event and an additional 7 hours for listening to recordings afterwards. Details.
• Naturopathic physicians: 21.5 general credit approved by OBNM of which 3.5 can be pharmacy
• Acupuncturists: 22.5 PDA points (hours) approved by NCCAOM.
• Pharmacists: 12 hours approved for North Carolina pharmacists through the NC Pharmacy Association
A certificate of attendance is available to any participant who requests it
Lecture Notes
Lecture notes are compiled into an online book (proceedings book) which is available to all registrants at no cost. In the beginning of May registrants will be sent a link and password to access the teacher materials online. Printed books are also available for $20 at the symposium ($30 afterwards.).
| THURSDAY, June 2: | 10 AM – 5 PM | Related Event: Macroscopic and Organoleptic Assessment of Botanical Ingredients with Roy Upton Details | |||
| FRIDAY, JUNE 3: | 10 AM – 3 PM | Native Plant and Ethnobotanical Field Study with David Winston ($65) | |||
| FRIDAY, JUNE 3: | 1 PM - 5 PM | Pre-conference Intensive: Healing the Gut-Brain Axis Jason Miller ($79) | |||
| FRIDAY, JUNE 3: | 5 PM - 9 PM | Registration in the Pavilion (5 – 7 PM Joe Hallock and Friends play old time mountain music!) | |||
| SATURDAY, JUNE 4 |
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| 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM | Registration—Blue Ridge Assembly Lobby | ||||
| 8:30 AM - 9:15 AM | Opening Meeting—Washburn Auditorium | ||||
| 9:30 AM - 11 AM | Food Allergy and Weight Gain Kenneth Proefrock | Rebuilding Gut Integrity Jill Stansbury | Botanicals and Pharma Safety Roy Upton | Plant Walk Vickie Shufer |
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| 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM | Refreshments/Exhibit Break | ||||
| 11:30 AM - 1 PM | Alleviating Toxic Damage Walter Crinnion | Worst Weeds/ Best Medicine David Winston | Medicinal Mushrooms Christopher Hobbs | Feminine Health: Pessaries Teresa Boardwine |
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| 1:00 PM - 2 PM | Lunch and Exhibit Break | ||||
| 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Chronic Kidney Disease Jason Miller | Herbal Compliance Mary Bove | Woody Ethnobotany Marc Williams |
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| 2:00 PM - 5:30 PM | Intensive: Biophilia—Green Medicine for People and the Planet Chanchal Cabrera |
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| 3:30 PM - 4 PM | Refreshments/Exhibit Break | ||||
| 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM | Plant-Based Inositol Compounds Jill Stansbury | Migraines David Winston | Mushroom Medicine Making Marc Williams | Herb Walk Doug Elliott |
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| 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM | Dinner and Exhibit Break | ||||
| 7:30 PM - 9 PM | Keynote: The Future of Botanical Medicine Kenneth Proefrock | ||||
| SUNDAY JUNE 5 | |||||
| 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Panel Discussion: Immnotherapy in Cancer Treatment: Is there a Role for Botanicals? Roy Upton, Chanchal Cabrera, Christopher Hobbs |
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| 10:30 AM - 11 AM | Refreshments/Exhibit Break | ||||
| 11 AM - 12:30 PM | Breast and Prostate Cancer Kenneth Proefrock | Children’s Microbiome Mary Bove | Formulation Pt. 1 Chanchal Cabrera | Herbal Infused Oils Robin McGee |
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| 12:30 PM - 2 PM | Lunch and Exhibit Break | ||||
| 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Acute and Chronic Trauma Kenneth Proefrock | Herbal Treats Teresa Boardwine | Formulation Pt. 2 Chanchal Cabrera | Herb Walk Doug Elliott |
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| 2:00 PM - 5:30 PM | Intensive:Treating Infections with Natural Medicine—An Integrative and Cross-Cultural Approach Christopher Hobbs |
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| 3:30 PM - 4 PM | Refreshments/Exhibit Break | ||||
| 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM | Glutathione-Antioxidant Walter Crinnion | Chinese Herbs Roy Upton | Ethnomycology Todd Elliott |
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| 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM | Dinner and Exhibit Break | ||||
| 7:30 PM - 9 PM | Sacred Song in Amphitheater Jill Stansbury | ||||
| MONDAY JUNE 6 | |||||
| 8:30 AM - 10 AM | Cancer Care Roy Upton | Weight Loss Jill Stansbury | Pediatric Essential Oils Mary Bove | Herb Walk Doug Elliott |
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| 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Refreshments/Exhibit Break | ||||
| 10:30 AM - 12 PM | Paraoxonase 1 and Health Walter Crinnion | Pharmacokinetics Christopher Hobbs | Wild Fruits Vickie Shufer |
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| 12:00 PM - 1 PM | Lunch--Exhibit Hall closes at 1 PM | ||||
| 1:00 PM - 2 PM | Panel: Three Approaches to Anxiety and Depression Jill Stansbury, Walter Crinnion and Teresa Boardwine | ||||
| 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Farm Tour at Gaia Herbs in Brevard, NC with Ric Scalzo and Mary Bove (Free: pre-registration required) | ||||
ONLINE REGISTRATION
Registration fee covers all lectures, panel discussions and other group meetings. Intensives, lodging and meals are ext
- $399
Phone 541-482-3016
