Jeffrey Judkins, DVM
"The Art and Practice of Herbal Formulating" Herbs have been combined into formulas to treat a wide variety of ailments in every traditional medical system for centuries. Most herbalists accept this without question, but what is the basis for this approach? Why not use just a single, well-chosen herbal remedy for a specific health condition? Most books on herbal therapeutics contain monographs on specific plants, and often list herbal formulas designed to address various conditions. This is all well and good, but rarely is there any insight into how and why individual herbs are combined into formulas. In the first part of this intensive we explore why plant medicines are combined and how they can be formulated to match not only the patient's symptoms, but also the constitution and current energetic balance of the patient. Using this approach, herbalists can treat more than just the symptom at hand, but also the underlying conditions that give rise to the symptoms. In the second part, we will present clinical cases and encourage participants to create their own formulations that will be shared and discussed in class. |
Elaine Sheff, RH (AHG)
"Herbs for Your Last Nerve" Feeling on edge? Join herbalist Elaine Sheff for an in-depth look at herbal support for the nervous system. Elaine will discuss the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system, giving special attention to the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic systems. Elaine will focus on the issues of stress, insomnia, memory and mood. Herbal categories discussed will include adaptogens, analgesics, nervine relaxants, sedatives, nervine stimulants and tonics for the nervous system. A slideshow, recipes and handouts are included. |
Kevin Spelman, PhD, RH (AHG), MCPP, CNS
"Considering Cannabis in the Therapeutic Tool Box" Cannabis is practically everywhere, yet few practitioners feel like they understand the ins and outs of its therapeutic use in clinical work. In this intensive, we will look at practical considerations such as dosing, indications, product preparation and home extraction and the newest preclinical and clinical research that has accumulated since my last intensive. |
David Winston, RH (AHG)
"The Ten Tastes: The Energetics of Herbs" All of the world's great indigenous systems of medicine have two things in common. They utilize a system of energetics to help practitioners understand an herb’s properties and uses, and differential diagnostics which allows them to match the herb(s) to the unique constitution and symptoms of each individual they treat. In Chinese medicine there are 5 tastes or flavors. In Ayurveda there are six. In my easy to learn and use system there are ten flavors which can give you precise information on the uses of an herb, as well as the knowledge of whether it is appropriate for a given person. Drawing from Chinese medicine, Ayurveda and Southeastern Folk traditions, this class will explore the Ten Tastes which will allows us to use herbs with greater efficacy, safety and precision. More than 2000 years ago Hippocrates is believed to have said "it is more important to know the person who has a disease, than the disease a person has." He was right and this system will give you the ability to do it. |