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)

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.

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).

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.