Exploring the Roots and Branches of Our Herbal Heritage · The New American Herbalism: Exploring the Roots and Branches of Our Herbal Heritage Photos courtesy of Jonathan Treasure

21st Annual National Symposium

The American

Herbalists Guild

The New American Herbalism:Exploring the Roots and Branches of Our Herbal Heritage

October 1-3, 2010preconference intensives on September 30Hyatt Regency, Austin, Texas

2 0 1 0 A H G N A T I O N A L S Y M P O S I U M

The New American Herbalism: Exploring the Roots and Branches of Our Herbal Heritage

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

of Jo

nath

an T

reas

ure

Join us on a journey through the traditions that have shaped western herbal practice, and gain skills and experience to enhance your relationship with the heal-ing herbs and the people in your lives seeking your knowledge in how to use them.

20 teachers offering over 35 presentations, including classes on Eclectic medicine, traditional women’s med-icine, Physiomedicalist practices; the LeSassier Triune Method of formulating; the teachings of Michael Moore, Galen, and Samuel Thompson; Appalachian Herbal Medicine. And there’s more: Understanding Herbs through Sensory Perception, Science in Herbalism: What Do We REALLY Need to Know (and how to learn it); Hearing the Story: The Art of the Health History Intake; Cannabis History and Applied Ethnobotany; Becoming an Herbal Educator; Herb Walks; Cervical Dysplasia from the ND-Herbalist Perspective; Herbalists and Herbal Medicine in Free Clinics, Barefoot Doctor Healing Techniques, Clinical Practice Panel; Ayurvedic Diagnosis for Western Herbalists

• Keynote with AHG Founding Member and “Herbal Cowboy” Mark Blumenthal

• CEUs for health professionals

• Austin Night on the Town (with line dancin’ y’all!)


Thursday, sEPTEMBEr 30 8:00 — 9:00 a.m. Symposium Registration 9:00 — Noon Morning Intensives 2:00 — 5:00 p.m. Afternoon Intensives 6:00 — 8:00 p.m. Symposium Registration

friday, OCTOBEr 1 8:00 — 10:30 a.m. Registration 8:30 — 10:00 a.m. General Membership meeting 10:30 — Noon Teacher Introductions and Stories 1:30 — 3:00 p.m. Early Afternoon Sessions 3:30 — 5:00 p.m. Late Afternoon Sessions 7:30 — 9:30 p.m. “Texas” Coffee/Tea House and

Herbal Bazaar

saTurday, OCTOBEr 2 9:00 — 10:30 a.m. General Session: “Clinical

Conference” 11:00 — 12:30 p.m. Late Morning Sessions 2:00 — 3:30 p.m. Early Afternoon Sessions 4:00 — 5:30 p.m. Late Afternoon Sessions 7:00 — 9:30 p.m. Annual Banquet Dinner and

Keynote Address 10:00 until ? A Night on the Town: Austin

sunday, OCTOBEr 3 9:00 — 11:00 a.m. Morning Sessions 11:30 — 1:00 p.m. Mid-Morning Sessions 2:00 — 3:30 p.m. Afternoon Sessions 3:30 — 4:00 p.m. Closing Circle

sCh

Edu

LE O

f EV

EnTs

MOrning

Tour of Whole Body at Whole Foods Roy Upton

Whole Foods is by far the leader in the retail sector for organic foods and dietary supplements. With more than 270 stores nationwide, the Austin store was their first and is their flagship store. This excursion, led by Roy Upton, an internationally acclaimed herbalist with almost 30 years of expe-rience watching the retail sector grow and mature and a long-term trainer of Whole Foods employees, will examine the growth of the natural foods market, giving a specific focus to the herbal supplement sector represented in the stores, and the type of training received by employees. Note that this class runs only from 9:30 - 11:30 am.


Full Day PreconFerence IntensIve

Clinical Skills for the Western HerbalistAviva Romm

The clinical encounter for the western herbalist requires a large variety of skill sets. Taking an effective case history, doing an accurate physical exam, understanding labs, time management, communication skills especially with challenging clients, projecting confidence while recognizing boundaries, rec-ommending herbs when clients are on conventional medications, legal issues balancing a traditional approach while working with clients living in a west-ern medical world, and making referrals potentially all come into play. Many of these skills are hard to learn from books and can even be hard to come by in herbal training programs. Come spend a day with Aviva exploring the questions you bring and issues you face in clinical practice while honing your skills in clinical basics including history and physical exam, understanding basic labs, legal issues, herbs and drugs, and practice business basics.

HalF-Day PreconFerence IntensIves

sChEduLE Of EVEnTs Thursday, sEPTEMBEr 30 8:00 — 9:00 a.m. Symposium Registration 9:00 — Noon Morning Intensives 2:00 — 5:00 p.m. Afternoon Intensives 6:00 — 8:00 p.m. Symposium Registration


Comparing Constitutional Patterns of Anabolic and Catabolic Stress with Thyroid Stress

Christa Sinadinos

Learn the physiologic effects of sympathetic and parasympathetic stress, as well as patterns of hypothyroidal and hyperthyroidal stress. You will also learn how to compare and contrast the patterns of nervous system and thyroid stress. As a practitioner, this class will help you to distinguish your clients’ constitution, so that you can increase the effectiveness of your herbal treatments by choosing specific herbs or herbal combinations for the respec-tive constitutional types. This class is inspired by the constitutional system created by herbalist Michael Moore.

Guided Tour of White Crane TCM Herbal ApothecaryChristopher Hobbs

Join Christopher for a guided tour of a Traditional Chinese Medicine apoth-ecary. The focus will be on getting to know the top 50 herbs used in tradi-tional Chinese medicine for the most widely-discussed and treated symptoms and ailments like flu-like syndromes, blood sugar imbalances, cardiovascular imbalances, insomnia, anxiety, digestive issues, and more. Christopher will share case histories, and his experience and training in plant chemistry, phar-macology, toxicology and botany to draw comparisons between the Chinese herbs and local North American herbs from the same botanical genera to enable the practitioner and herbalist to get to know better and utilize local and sustainable resources. Herb quality, substitution, testing methods, and standardization issues will also be covered. The use of top patent medicines will also be discussed: linaments, plasters, tablets, and syrups. Taste, smell, and interact with live and traditionally processed herbs in the process. Tips on growing your own. White Crane Herbal Medicine, a division of the Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin, has a complete selection of Chinese herbs, books, music, audio, posters, acupuncture supplies, Asian arts, feng shui and gift items. You’ll find specialty teas, tea cups and pots as well as hundreds of herbal product choices, from 350 herbs for raw herb decoctions to powders, patent formulas, tablets & capsules, and extracts.

afTErnOOn

The Foundations of Chronic Disease: An Integrative Model of Herbalism

Paul Bergner

Chronic disease may be viewed as the trunk of a tree, fed by many roots, and giving rise to many branches of symptoms. We can use herbs either to treat the “branches” or to support efforts to correct the imbalances in the roots. This class will present a model for understanding chronic disease, and give examples for approaches to the treatment of autoimmunity, insulin resis-tance, and chronic fatigue.

The Way of Ayurvedic HerbsMichael Tierra

Michael will review basic Ayurvedic theory: the three humours, the con-cepts of Prana, Ojas and toxicity called “Ama” as well as the method of classifying herbs and preparations according to these energetic principles. He will discuss a number of important Ayurvedic herbs including those mentioned above as well as Shatavari, shilajit, Neem, tinospora, the three fruits of triphala - amla, haridra and baheera. Some novel methods and preparations used in Ayurveda for taking herbs and a few of the important traditional preparations will be reviewed.

Tour of American Botanical Council GardensChristopher Hobbs

Join Christopher in the gardens of the American Botanical Council for “Direct Medicine,” tasting and smelling some of the most widely-discussed and used herbs for a variety of common ailments. Go “direct”— growing and eating herbs directly from the wild or from your garden. Cooking with herbs, eating them fresh, juicing, and making teas will be emphasized. The gardens are full of magic and opportunities to discover new herbal allies. Botany, chemistry, pharmacology, extraction, clinical use, personal use, will all be discussed. When the American Botanical Council purchased the Case Mill Homestead in 1997, the 2.5 acre property had a few existing gardens that ABC staff immediately began redesigning. In 1999, internationally-known botanist Gabriel Howearth Landeros worked with ABC staff to design, stake out and plant the first 9 of 20 gardens in the initial phase of the over-all design. Currently ABC has 31 themed gardens ranging from human sys-tems (cardiovascular, reproductive, etc.) to ethnobotanical gardens (Chinese and Ayurvedic) to fragrance, culinary, children’s and first aid gardens.



EarLy afTErnOOn sEssiOns

The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism: The Holistic Approach as Taught by Galen and Culpeper

Matthew Wood

Culpeper’s “A Key to Galen’s Art of Physick” (1652) teaches us how to take a case history in the traditional, natural, and holistic manner: first determine the tissue state (hot, cold, damp, dry, tense, relaxed), then the organ system, then the direction or action of the disease (thin, thick, up, down, in, out). In addition we can adopt two more methods: constitution (vata, pitta, kapha, or thin, medium, thick), and specificity (herb matches symptom or condition very specifically).

Cervical Dysplasia and HPV: A Botanical and Naturopathic Approach

Tori Hudson

This lecture will review current guidelines for pap smear screening and evalu-ation of abnormal findings. Scientific research on herbal and nutritional treatments for cervical dysplasia and HPV will be presented as well as natural medicine protocols for treatment.

A Constitutional Approach to Treating Hypothyroidism with Herbs

Christa Sinadinos

In this class participants will learn to recognize patterns of constitutional thyroid deficiency and the symptoms of hypothyroidism. You will gain an understanding of holistic herbal treatments that support the thyroid.

sChEduLE Of EVEnTs friday, OCTOBEr 1 8:00 — 10:30 a.m. Registration 8:30 — 10:00 a.m. General Membership 10:30 — Noon Teacher Introductions and Stories 1:30 — 3:00 p.m. Early Afternoon Sessions 3:30 — 5:00 p.m. Late Afternoon Sessions 7:30 — 9:30 p.m. “Texas” Coffee/Tea House and

Herbal Bazaar

Science in Herbalism: What Do We REALLY Need to Know (and how to learn it)

Kevin Spelman

There can be an attitude by some herbalists against the use of “science,” which one definition suggests is “systematized knowledge.” But by this definition, TCM and Ayurveda fall within the definition of science. This discussion of the biosciences and their usefulness for clinical practice will review the dangers and benefits of basing one’s practice on modern science. Further discussion will explore how to educate oneself in biosciences with-out turning into the “man.” A suggested reading list will also be presented.

LaTE afTErnOOn sEssiOns

Barefoot Doctor Healing TechniquesLesley Tierra

Barefoot Doctor techniques are named after the Chinese practitioners who walked from village to village to treat diseases using these tools. They include (but aren’t limited to) cupping, moxibustion, dermal hammer and scraping (gua sha). However, these techniques aren’t native to just China but are still used throughout most cultures today, including those of South America, Europe, the Middle East, Indonesia, and Asia. Learn simple meth-ods for using these techniques on ailments with your clients and family.

The Impact of Botanicals on the Absorption and Metabolism of Medications in Humans

Francis Brinker

With the combining of herbs and drugs growing common, the influence of botanical preparations on the bioavailability of pharmaceuticals may be neutral or possibly either diminish the effectiveness of particular drugs or increase their toxicity. This review emphasizes the necessity of relying on studies of human subjects to accurately assess the potential impact. Likewise, it demonstrates the importance of understanding what prepara-tions, doses, and durations are utilized to adequately apply the information obtained from pharmacokinetic studies to clinical practice or personal use.

Formulation in the Physiomedical ParadigmPaul Bergner

In both North American and Great Britain, the Physiomedicalist herbalists developed a sophisticated system of formulation based on combinations of herbal pairs and triplets. We will describe the system, reference major sources of information, and offer more than twenty useful formulas for the clinic.


Herbal Medicine Business and MarketingAmanda McQuade Crawford

2010 has shown a shift in the way we can market our skills, as care providers and as educators. From organizing one’s physical space and paperwork to presenting oneself on the Internet, this lecture invites others to share their strategies for choosing right livelihood while having well-earned rewards.

Herb Walk7Song


“Texas” Coffee/Tea house and Bazaar

Well, yee-haw and howdy, y’all! Welcome to the great State of Texas where the hats are bigger, the tales are taller, and we talk funny and dance funny, too!

Join us Friday night for something a little different. We’ll have magic, games, big braggin’ and a little buffoonery, and prizes courtesy of the Texas Chapter of the AHG!

We figger on teachin’ y’all to boot-scoot and, since everything’s hotter in Texas, we just might have a hot-sauce contest! So pull on yer Western duds and let’s have us a good ol’ time!

See ya there, if the crops are in and the creeks don’ rise.

gEnEraL sEssiOn: “CLiniCaL COnfErEnCE”This dynamic panel/general session will feature four herbalists as they do an intake and assessment in real time with a live volunteer willing to share their story, symptoms, and health issues. Herbalists will represent traditional, TCM, medical herbalist, and naturopathic models.

LaTE MOrning sEssiOns

Three Treasures and the Development of Spiritual Consciousness

William Morris

Three treasures is an alchemical wellness model. In this class participants will learn facial diagnosis for determining the appropriate herbal agents for nourishing the spirit, energy and essence. These observations are tied directly to the use of herbal agents for developing specific aspects of con-sciousness. Western and eclectic treatment strategies are addressed for traumatic imprints that can impede the clear presence of the spirit, energy and essence. Case examples and live cases will be addressed as well as guided practice so that each participant will be able to assess the spirit, energy and essence with the corresponding herbal agents.

Integrating Traditional and Evidence-based Botanical Therapies in the Management of Common Women’s Health Problems

Tori Hudson

In this class we will review traditional and evidence-based botanical thera-pies for common women’s health problems including vaginitis, cystitis, infertility, menstrual cramps, and menopause symptoms

Understanding Herbs through Sensory Perception James Snow

Traditional healers commonly use sensory perception as a primary way to understand herbs. Focusing on oronasal and gastrointestinal chemosensa-tion, this class will discuss traditional perspectives on the use of pungent, aromatic, astringent, and bitter herbs as well as lessons from modern sensory biology. Relevance to clinical practice will be emphasized.


sChEduLE Of EVEnTs saTurday, OCTOBEr 2 9:00 — 10:30 a.m. General Session: “Clinical

Conference” 11:00 — 12:30 p.m. Late Morning Sessions 2:00 — 3:30 p.m. Early Afternoon Sessions 4:00 — 5:30 p.m. Late Afternoon Sessions 7:00 — 9:30 p.m. Annual Banquet Dinner and

Keynote Address 10:00 until A Night on the Town: Austin

The Triune System of William LaSassierDavid Winston

William LaSassier (1948-2003) was a brilliant, truly eclectic, and unique figure in the renaissance of herbal medicine. He was one of the first people to introduce American herbalists to the idea of energetics and to many of the most effective Chinese herbs. He also created a system for making precise and effective formulas for each patient. In this class we will explore William’s triune (triangle) system and how it can be used by herbalists today.


Pulse Diagnosis and Western Herbal MedicineWilliam Morris

This class will expose the western herbalist to pulse diagnosis in a practical program using lecture, demonstration, and guided practice. The objective is to provide an array of skills for selecting western herbal treatment strategies. Specific methods include analyzing the blood for the purpose of prescribing alteratives, pulse patterns for prescribing adaptogens, and pulse patterns for prescribing carminatives and vasodilators.

Trends in American Herbal Prescribing in the Practices of Eclectic and Naturopathic Medicine

Francis Brinker

With the incorporation of American herbs into reformed medical practice in the early 19th century, the development and discovery of new forms of preparations and approaches to prescribing ensued. The Eclectic doctors pioneered clinical investigations of many native American plants while uti-lizing various hydroalcoholic preparations according to practical preferences and diagnostic criteria that individualized treatment. Naturopathic physi-cians began in the early 20th century with a simple preference for single whole herbs and infusions but later blended Physiomedical practices with Eclectic remedies and scientific discoveries on nutrients to eventually utilize an amalgamation of natural agents to optimize health.

Hearing the Story: The Art of the Health History Intake

Aviva Romm

Almost everything we need to know to make an assessment and plan comes from the client’s story. But how do we elicit a meaningful story? What are effective listening skills? How can we use the health history intake encoun-ter to build clinical rapport with our clients? This session will deepen your understanding of the client story, the importance of relationship in the intake encounter, and some pearls on the art of listening and hearing what your client is telling you


GMPs and the Community HerbalistRoy Upton

The Food and Drug Administration has started to implement herbal prod-uct Good Manufacturing Practices. This class will provide an overview of the regulations for herbal products, guidance for small herbal manufactur-ers, and a synopsis of things FDA is looking for.

Herb WalkNicole Telkes

LaTE afTErnOOn sEssiOns

Samuel Thomson’s System of Herbalism: Putting Old Practices to New Uses

Matthew Wood

Thomson and his successors, the Physiomedicalists, used several practical, simple methods that make work with herbs more insightful and effec-tive. This includes the tissue state model, a simple system of herbal ener-getics, and an understanding of the importance of maintaining a healthy thermoregulatory system through attention to perspiration, circulation, and fever mechanisms. Thomson’s mentor, “the widow Benton,” taught him an ingenious diagnostic technique: check the condition of the skin (dry, damp, warm, cold).

Cannabis History and Applied Ethnobotany as a Guide to its Therapeutic Activity

Ethan Russo

This presentation will focus on the multi-millennial usage of cannabis and therapeutic claims with modern scientific documentation to illustrate their apparent validity. Two modern ethnobotanical expeditions will be highlighted: 1) a field investigation of the claim that cannabis improves night vision, undertaken in the Rif Mountains in Morocco, and 2) a multi-disciplinary team investigation of a large cache of wondrously preserved cannabis discovered in the 2700-year old grave of a shaman in Xinjiang-Uighur Autonomous Region in China, including detailed pharmacological and genetic analyses.

Therapeutic Application of Essential Oils According to the Principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine

William Siff

In this class we will explore how essential oils can be used within the para-digm of TCM to treat patterns of disharmony commonly encountered in the clinic. We will discuss how to Calm the shen, Course stagnant liver Qi, Descend lung qi, Resolve Dampness and more with essential oils. To illus-trate the teaching points we will be passing around essential oils to explore their effects within the our own physiology. Safety information and instruc-tion on dosage will be reviewed. Prior exposure to TCM theory is helpful but not necessary to attend this class.


Reflections on the Clinical Teachings of Michael Moore: 20 Years of Influence

James Snow

James had the privilege of studying under Michael Moore during the Spring and Summer of 1991. This class will look at how Michael’s unique vision of physiological patterns has influenced the presenter’s clinical thinking over the past twenty years. The class will integrate insights from Michael’s teach-ings with the presenter’s own work in areas such as liver health and enhance-ment of overall functional reserve.


MOrning sEssiOns

Women’s Herbal Medicine From the Eclectics to the Wise Woman Tradition

Aviva Romm

From the Trotula to Hildegarde to Jeannine Pravati, women herbalists have shaped, and continue to shape herbal medicine practice today while women continue to outdistance men in the quest for herbal knowledge, earth-centered wisdom, and use of herbal products. Join me on a journey as we revisit some of our greatest women’s herbal allies, reclaim some that are less familiar, and visualize a world of herbalists specifically skilled in addressing women’s health concerns, while honoring some of the women herbalists who have shaped and continue to shape herbal medicine practice. This class is dedicated to my dear friend, the late but ever-present Jeannine Parvati Baker.

Herbalists and Herbal Medicine at Free Clinics7Song

This class will cover a practical perspective on how herbalists can integrate into mixed modality free clinics. Discussion will focus on common ailments seen, working with doctors and other health professionals, acquiring dona-tions, helping patients feel comfortable using herbal medicines, and other day-to-day aspects. This class is drawn from the teacher’s work at the Ithaca Free Clinic for the past five years.

Labeling Herbal Products: What Herbalists Need to Know

Roy Upton

The do’s and don’ts of herbal product labeling — what is required, allowed, and not allowed. This lecture will provide a detailed overview of herbal product labeling requirements and provide guidance on how cottage herbal industries can try to stay “FDA-safe”.

The Appalachian Apothecary Patricia Kyritsi Howell

Plants native to the Southern Appalachians have played a major role in shaping herbal practice in North America. Drawing from their traditional use by native peoples, the Eclectic school of medicine documented the clinical uses of such common woodland botanicals such as black and blue cohosh, Solomon’s seal, goldenseal, pipsissewa and others. These plants are still some of the most commonly used herbs in clinical practice even as our understanding of their actions continues to grow and evolve. This lecture offers an introduction to the rich, botanically diverse region that shelters these plants along with information about their history, current clinical uses, and suggestions for medicinal preparations.


sChEduLE Of EVEnTs sunday, OCTOBEr 3 9:00 — 11:00 a.m. Morning Sessions 11:30 — 1:00 p.m. Mid-Morning Sessions 2:00 — 3:30 p.m. Afternoon Sessions 3:30 — 4:00 p.m. Closing Circle

Herb WalkNicole Telkes

Mid-MOrning sEssiOns

Specific Medication in a 21st Century Clinical SettingPaul Bergner

The practice of Specific Medication, first introduced by the Eclectic John Scudder in the 1960s, went through a profound evolution from its original tentative and sometimes theoretical tenets to a more fully elucidated and developed system by the time of his last works in the 1890s. We will review the fully developed system, describe resources, and give clinical examples for the use of a dozen remedies.

Treating the TCM Patterns of Menopause of the Western Practitioner

Lesley Tierra

Menopausal symptoms are myriad and yet there are many useful tools to help women comfortably transition through this life passage. While Western practitioners generally use herbs with “phytohormones” or those known to reduce hot flashes and palpitations, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) divides the various symptoms into patterns and then treats those. Learn the various TCM menopausal patterns and how to treat them with western and Chinese herbs, foods and lifestyle therapies.

Herbal Synergy in Cannabis & Standardized Pharmaceutical Development for Clinical Practice

Ethan Russo

This presentation will examine: 1) myriad cannabis components, phytocan-nabinoids, terpenoids and flavonoids, and how their actions combine to create therapeutic synergy, 2) how botanical preparation of cannabis can be standardized, developed and brought to the pharmaceutical market with FDA approval, and 3) the numerous modern randomized controlled clinical trials with cannabis and cannabis extracts.

Ayurvedic Diagnosis for the Western HerbalistKevin Spelman

The use of energetic models of medicine greatly enriches the understanding of pathology and subsequent herbal choices in clinical practice. In this lec-ture we will discuss the use of the pulse, tongue, eye and fingernail diagnosis to add tools to the clinical herbalist’s tool chest.



Community Activism in Herbal MedicineWilliam Siff

Come explore the ways Goldthread Herb Farm, located in the hills of Western Massachusetts, is combining the concepts of organic agriculture, education, and herbal medicine to create a sustainable model of commu-nity-based grassroots healthcare. We will take a visual journey through the innovative Farm to Pharmacy program, and include time for questions and discussion on how to apply aspects of our model in other settings.

Specific Medication and Specific Diagnosis: The Eclectic System of Medicine

David Winston

John M. Scudder, MD, almost single-handedly resurrected the practice of Eclectic medicine after the Civil War. He proposed a simple system based on a deep and complete understanding of materia medica. In this class we will discuss the concepts of specific medicine, specific diagnosis, and how these practices can help herbalists be better practitioners and more precise in their prescribing.

Becoming an Herbal EducatorPatricia Kyritsi Howell

Every herbalist is also an educational resource for friends, family, clients and others in their community who have questions about herbs and herbalism. This lecture provides practical suggestions about how to create effective educational materials including handouts, websites, newsletters, and books. The basics of public speaking and teaching will also be discussed.

A Constitutional Approach to Treating the Digestive System with Herbs

Christa Sinadinos

Through this class you will gain an understanding of patterns of digestive deficiency and excess, based on the constitutional system originally devel-oped by herbalist Michael Moore. You will also learn herbal and holistic methods that tailor the treatment to the individual and support the under-lying constitutional imbalance.


Speakers’ Biographies7song, RH (AHG), director of the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine, has been studying, teaching, and pursuing his interest and passion for plants for over 20 years. He has a clinical practice in Ithaca, NY, focusing on home, street and wilderness first aid, emergency and trauma medicine, men’s health and constitutional health care. He is also a practitioner and Director of Holistic Medicine at the Ithaca Free Clinic. A devotee of field botany, he wildcrafts and prepares a wide variety of botanical preparations. 7Song has a deep respect and love for the plants and is thankful to be in a world abounding in them. He believes in bringing herbal medicine with a focus on the plants themselves back into mainstream and daily health care. He looks forward to the day when herbalists are again an integral part of their community.

Paul Bergner, RH (AHG) is Director of the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism in Boulder. He has trained clinical herbalists in a clinical setting continuously since 1996. He has seven books published on the topics of medical herbalism, clinical nutrition, and naturopathy, and has published the quarterly Medical Herbalism journal since 1989. He has practiced medical herb-alism and clinical nutrition since 1973.

Mark Blumenthal is the Founder and Executive Director of the American Botanical Council and Publisher of HerbalGram. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy. Mark has over 25 years of experience with medicinal plants and natural products and has appeared on over 400 radio or television shows and written over 500 articles for such publications as Whole Foods, Health Food Business, Let’s Live, Vegetarian Times, and Natural Health (formerly East West Journal). Mark was an advisor for the World Health Organization in its adapta-tion of the “Guidelines for the Assessment of Herbal Medicines,” and was the senior editor of the English translation of The Complete German Commission E Monographs — Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Mark has been a leader in the concerns for more rational regulations of herbal and natural product manufacturing, and education on alternative medicines.

Francis Brinker, ND has taught botanical medicine at both National College of Naturopathic Medicine and Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and currently serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the College of Medicine at the University of Arizona. Dr. Brinker has written numerous articles and books on medicinal herbs, including Complex Herbs – Complete Medicines, The Eclectic Dispensatory of Botanical Therapeutics, Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions, and The Toxicology of Botanical Medicine.

amanda McQuade crawford, Dip. Phyto, MNIMH, MNZAMH, RH (AHG) is known around the world as a premier spokeswoman for herbs. In private practice for over 20 years, Amanda was one of the original professional members of the American Herbalists Guild. She served on the review commit-tee for Pharmacists’ Letter Natural Medicine Database, and contributes to texts on natural medicine, most recently Antidiabetic Plants (CRC Press). Currently Amanda contributes to monographs for The American Herbal Pharmacopoeia. Aware of spirit in healing, she is a legendary educator.


christopher Hobbs, LAc, RH (AHG) is a California herbalist, fourth gen-eration herbalist and botanist, and acupuncturist known for his prolific writing on medicinal plants, mushrooms and liver herbs. Hobbs has been working in natural medicine for nearly 40 years and is a founding professional member of the AHG and has served on the admissions review committee from its incep-tion. Chris has formulated supplement lines, lectured widely and has written or co-written 24 books on health and herbal medicine, including Herbal Remedies for Dummies and The Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants of the Western US. After completing an undergraduate degree in biological sciences in 2006, Chris began a PhD program at University of California, Berkeley, studying the chemistry, pharmacology, botany, phylogenetics, and ethnobotany of the medicinal genus Artemisia.

Patricia Kyritsi Howell, RH (AHG) is a clinical herbalist, author and teacher. In her classes, lectures and practice, she combines sixteen years expe-rience as an herbal practitioner, a solid background in the therapeutic use of herbs, and an in-depth knowledge of medicinal plants native to the Southern Appalachians. She serves as a member of the Governing Council of the American Herbalists Guild, advises the Atlanta Botanical Garden on medicinal herb programming, and is the co-founder of the Georgia Herbalists Guild. She is the co-owner of Wild Crete, a company that offers travel seminars on herbs and traditional cuisine on the Greek island of Crete each spring. Patricia is the author of Medicinal Plants of the Southern Appalachians.

tori Hudson, ND graduated from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1984 and has served the college in several capacities since, includ-ing: Medical Director, Associate Academic Dean, and Academic Dean. She is currently a professor there, as well as a clinical professor at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Bastyr University. Tori has been in practice for 23 years and is the medical director of “A Woman’s Time,” her clinic in Portland, Oregon, as well as director of product research and education for VITANICA. Dr. Hudson was awarded the 1990 President’s award from the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians for her research in women’s health, the 1999 prestigious Naturopathic Physician of the Year award and the 2003 NCNM Alumni Pioneer Award. Author of Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, speaker, educator, researcher, and clinician, Tori serves on several editorial boards, advisory panels, and as a consultant to the natural products industry.

William Morris, PhD, DAOM has a master’s degree in medical education, a doctorate in acupuncture and Oriental medicine and a PhD in transforma-tive studies. He has developed two doctoral programs in acupuncture and Oriental medicine and two institutional review boards. As president of the American Academy of Oriental Medicine, he was part of the unification move-ment that led to a single national professional association in the US. With an academic focus on the subject of pulse diagnosis since 1980, he is the founder of www.pulsediagnosis.com. Will also serves as president of the Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin, where he offers special programs and clinics devoted to the study of Chinese pulse diagnosis in early and contemporary forms.


aviva romm. MD, CPM, RH(AHG) is a mom, homebirth midwife, herbalist, and a practicing medical doctor with 25 years of clinical experience and a pas-sion for herbal medicine for women and children. She is the Director of Herbal Medicine for Women, a thriving distance-learning program, the author of numer-ous botanical medicine and natural health books including Botanical Medicine for Women’s Health, and the President of the American Herbalists Guild.

ethan russo, MD, is a board-certified neurologist, and psychopharmacology researcher, and Senior Medical Advisor to GW Pharmaceuticals. He has held faculty appointments in Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, in Medicine, University of Washington, and visiting professor, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is Secretary of the International Cannabinoid Research Society and chairman of the International Association for Cannabis as Medicine. He is author of Handbook of Psychotropic Herbs, co-editor of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Potential, and author of The Last Sorcerer: Echoes of the Rainforest. He was founding editor of Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics, selections of which were published as books: Cannabis Therapeutics in HIV/AIDS, Women and Cannabis: Medicine, Science and Sociology, Cannabis: From Pariah to Prescription, and Handbook of Cannabis Therapeutics: From Bench to Bedside. He has published numerous book chapters, and over thirty articles in neurology, pain management, cannabis, and ethnobotany.

William siff, LAc, RH (AHG) is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist with over ten years of clinical experience. He co-founded Goldthread Herbal Apothecary and Herb Farm in western Massachusetts, and directs the Farm to Pharmacy internship program. He is also a project director for Land is Life, a non-profit based in Cambridge, MA that works with indigenous people throughout the world to help protect land and human rights.


christa sinadinos has been studying and working with medicinal herbs since 1989, and has practiced clinical herbalism and aromatherapy since 1994. Hundreds of students have completed her clinical and professional herbalist training programs at the Northwest School for Botanical Studies. She incorpo-rates Western, Ayurvedic, and Chinese constitutional therapies into her prac-tice and her teachings, and works with clients ranging from infants to seniors. Christa is also the proprietor of the herbal extract business Alpine Meadow Botanicals. She maintains an extensive herbal pharmacy with many organic, locally cultivated herbs, as well as herbs she has carefully wildcrafted or grown. She is dedicated to the conservation and cultivation of medicinal herbs, and maintains an herbal demonstration garden containing more than 200 species.

James snow, RH (AHG) is the director of the Master of Science in Herbal Medicine program at Tai Sophia Institute. He has been working in the field of herbal medicine since 1986, completing the herbal residency program at the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine in 1991. James has been in private clinical practice since 1994, blending traditional herbal wisdom with modern research perspectives. He has recently served as a reviewer for the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia.

Kevin spelman, PhD, MCPP, RH (AHG) is a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health, a core faculty at the Tai Sophia Institute and a past Marie Curie Research Fellow in Paris. He has practiced western phyto-therapy, informed by the Ayurvedic system and the medical sciences since 1989, and was a founding faculty of the first Bachelors of Science degree in botanical medicine (U.S.) and most recently of the first Masters of Science degree in clinical herbal medicine in the U.S. Past research has included pro-teomics, molecular biology and clinical investigations on the bioactivity of medicinal plants, as well as international research including the analysis of nutrient levels in women of early childbearing age in West Africa, working with children with neurological disorders in Central America and malaria research in Paris. He is also a member of the College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy in the United Kingdom.

nicole telkes, RH (AHG), LMT has a background in botanical studies, plant conservation work, community activism, and herbal first aid clinics. She has spent the last 15 years traveling around North America wilderness and waste places studying and using the native and naturalized species of Central Texas and other bioregional medicinal plants. She has a great passion for the green path and is the lead teacher and founder of the Wildflower School of Botanical Medicine, a 200+ hour herbal apprenticeship program working towards training an herbalist for every corner of every neighborhood.

lesley tierra, Lac, RH (AHG) has a practice in Santa Cruz, California where she combines acupuncture, herbs and food therapies along with lifestyle and inner growth counseling. Lesley has authored several books, including Healing With the Herbs of Life and A Kid’s Herb Book. She has taught TCM theory and techniques, herbology and women’s groups at various schools and symposia throughout the United States and England since 1983.

Michael tierra, OMD, RH (AHG is the author of numerous books on health and herbal healing including The Way of Herbs, The Natural Remedy Bible and The Way of Chinese Herbs, Planetary Herbology, Chinese Traditional Herbal Medicine, Vol. 1 & 2, Biomagnetic and Herbal Therapy, and The East West Course of Herbology,) He practices at the East West Clinic in Santa Cruz at the northern end of Monterey Bay in Central California.


roy upton, RH (AHG) is trained in both Western and Traditional Chinese herbalism and has been working professionally as an herbalist for 20 years. He is the Executive Director and Editor of the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, and a member of the Standards Committee of the American Herbal Products Association. Roy is a founding member and the Vice President of the American Herbalists Guild

David Winston, RH (AHG) is an herbalist and ethnobotanist with over 35 years of experience in Cherokee, Chinese and Western herbal traditions. David is also the president of Herbalist & Alchemist, Inc. an herbal company manufacturing over 300 products, and founder/director of David Winston’s Center for Herbal Studies. He is an internationally known lecturer and teaches frequently at medical schools, symposia and herb conferences. David has writ-ten or co-authored numerous books, including Saw Palmetto For Men and Women and Herbal Therapies and Supplements — A Scientific and Traditional Approach. He is the Director of Admissions for the American Herbalists Guild.

Matthew Wood, MSc (Herbal Medicine), RH (AHG) has been a practicing herbalist for over twenty years. He is the author of three books on herbal medicine: Seven Herbs, Plants as Teachers (1987), Vitalism (formerly The Magical Staff) (1993) and The Book of Herbal Wisdom (1998). His latest book is The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism (2004).



Lodging: This year’s Symposium will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Austin, TX. The hotel is offering our attendees a discounted rate of $139 for all reservations made by September 9. Rooms booked after that date will be offered at a rate determined by availability. The rooms will fill up quickly, so reserve yours early to assure a space. For lodging, please contact Hyatt Reservations at (800) 421-1442 or make a reservation online at https://resweb.passkey.com/go/herbalists

Alternate Lodging: Contact the AHG office for a list of alternate lodging options.

Meals: Individual tickets for Saturday night’s annual banquet must be purchased with your Symposium registration or through the AHG office before Monday, September 27.

Transportation: The Hyatt Regency in Austin, TX is located 8 miles from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. SuperShuttle (512-258-3826) is available 24 hours a day for $13.00. Guests can pick up the shuttle at the airport without reservations but guests must have concierge arrange pickup from hotel to airport.

Continuing Education: CE credits are expected to be offered for acupuncturists, naturopathic physicians, and nurses. We are explor-ing options for offering credits to pharmacists as well. A certificate of attendance will be available to any attendee on request.

Student Rate: To qualify for the student rate you must either be an AHG student member or you must include the membership fee with your registration.

Elder Rate: AHG wishes to honor our elders by offering a discounted rate to registrants over 60 years of age.

Proceedings: Proceedings books will be available for purchase at the Symposium. Audio recordings of classes will also be available for pur-chase during the Symposium.

Cancellation Policy: Before September 17, Symposium and pre-conference intensive fees will be refunded minus a $75 processing fee per registrant. No refunds can be given after 9/17. Please make all refund requests in writing. Lodging cancellations are handled directly by the Hyatt.

For further information and registration, please call the AHG office at (203) 272-6731, email to [email protected], or visit

www.americanherbalistsguild.com.

Don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes (boots)!

To register, please fill out the registration form and mail, with the appropriate payment, to: AHG, 141 Nob Hill Road, Cheshire, CT 06410

You can also register by phone (203) 272-6731 or fax this form (203) 272-8550. Register online at www.americanherbalist.com

The registration fee includes attendance at all sessions and workshops, herb walks, and entertainment. There is an additional charge for the pre-conference intensives and for the banquet dinner.

For lodging, please contact Hyatt Reservations at (800) 421-1442 or make a reservation online at https://resweb.passkey.com/go/herbalists

METHOd Of PAyMENT

o Check/money order (US$) to AHG

o Credit card: MC, VISA, AmEx, Discover

Card # ___________________________Exp _____

SyMPOSIUM fEES By 7/15 By 8/15 After 8/15 AHG Member $280 $305 $335 Non Member $325 $360 $390 Student/Elder $225 $250 $275

PRE-CONfERENCE INTENSIVES — half-day intensive $50, full-day intensive $100 (except for Whole Foods tour: $25)fULL dAy ___ Clinical Skills for the Western Herbalist (Romm)

MORNING (choose one) ___ Tour of Whole Body at Whole Foods (Upton)___ Comparing Constitutional Patterns of Anabolic and Catabolic Stress with Thyroid Stress (Sinadinos)___ Guided Tour of White Crane TCM Herbal Apothecary (Hobbs)

AfTERNOON (choose one)___ The Foundations of Chronic Disease: An Integrative Model of Herbalism (Bergner)___ The Way of Ayurvedic Herbs (Tierra)___ Tour of American Botanical Council Gardens (Hobbs)

I would like to purchase_____ tickets to the AHG Annual Banquet at $50 each.I would like to make a donation (tax deductible) to the AHG Herbalists Health Trust of $_________.

Name

Address

City State Zip

Home Phone Work Phone

Email

PAyMENT SUMMARy

Symposium registration __________

Pre-conference Intensives __________

Banquet Dinner __________

Health Trust Donation __________

TOTAL __________

Register online at www.americanherbalist.com


Lodging: This year’s Symposium will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Austin, TX. The hotel is offering our attendees a discounted rate of $139 for all reservations made by September 9. Rooms booked after that date will be offered at a rate determined by availability. The rooms will fill up quickly, so reserve yours early to assure a space. For lodging, please contact Hyatt Reservations at (800) 421-1442 or make a reservation online at https://resweb.passkey.com/go/herbalists

Alternate Lodging: Contact the AHG office for a list of alternate lodging options.

Meals: Individual tickets for Saturday night’s annual banquet must be purchased with your Symposium registration or through the AHG office before Monday, September 27.

Transportation: The Hyatt Regency in Austin, TX is located 8 miles from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. SuperShuttle (512-258-3826) is available 24 hours a day for $13.00. Guests can pick up the shuttle at the airport without reservations but guests must have concierge arrange pickup from hotel to airport.

Continuing Education: CE credits are expected to be offered for acupuncturists, naturopathic physicians, and nurses. We are explor-ing options for offering credits to pharmacists as well. A certificate of attendance will be available to any attendee on request.

Student Rate: To qualify for the student rate you must either be an AHG student member or you must include the membership fee with your registration.

Elder Rate: AHG wishes to honor our elders by offering a discounted rate to registrants over 60 years of age.

Proceedings: Proceedings books will be available for purchase at the Symposium. Audio recordings of classes will also be available for pur-chase during the Symposium.

Cancellation Policy: Before September 17, Symposium and pre-conference intensive fees will be refunded minus a $75 processing fee per registrant. No refunds can be given after 9/17. Please make all refund requests in writing. Lodging cancellations are handled directly by the Hyatt.

For further information and registration, please call the AHG office at (203) 272-6731, email to [email protected], or visit

www.americanherbalistsguild.com.

Don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes (boots)!

To register, please fill out the registration form and mail, with the appropriate payment, to: AHG, 141 Nob Hill Road, Cheshire, CT 06410

You can also register by phone (203) 272-6731 or fax this form (203) 272-8550. Register online at www.americanherbalist.com

The registration fee includes attendance at all sessions and workshops, herb walks, and entertainment. There is an additional charge for the pre-conference intensives and for the banquet dinner.

For lodging, please contact Hyatt Reservations at (800) 421-1442 or make a reservation online at https://resweb.passkey.com/go/herbalists

METHOd Of PAyMENT

o Check/money order (US$) to AHG

o Credit card: MC, VISA, AmEx, Discover

Card # ___________________________Exp _____

SyMPOSIUM fEES By 7/15 By 8/15 After 8/15 AHG Member $280 $305 $335 Non Member $325 $360 $390 Student/Elder $225 $250 $275

PRE-CONfERENCE INTENSIVES — half-day intensive $50, full-day intensive $100 (except for Whole Foods tour: $25)fULL dAy ___ Clinical Skills for the Western Herbalist (Romm)

MORNING (choose one) ___ Tour of Whole Body at Whole Foods (Upton)___ Comparing Constitutional Patterns of Anabolic and Catabolic Stress with Thyroid Stress (Sinadinos)___ Guided Tour of White Crane TCM Herbal Apothecary (Hobbs)

AfTERNOON (choose one)___ The Foundations of Chronic Disease: An Integrative Model of Herbalism (Bergner)___ The Way of Ayurvedic Herbs (Tierra)___ Tour of American Botanical Council Gardens (Hobbs)

I would like to purchase_____ tickets to the AHG Annual Banquet at $50 each.I would like to make a donation (tax deductible) to the AHG Herbalists Health Trust of $_________.

Name

Address

City State Zip

Home Phone Work Phone

Email

PAyMENT SUMMARy

Symposium registration __________

Pre-conference Intensives __________

Banquet Dinner __________

Health Trust Donation __________

TOTAL __________

Register online at www.americanherbalist.com

Documents

Exploring the Roots and Branches of Our Herbal Heritage · The New American Herbalism: Exploring the Roots and Branches of Our Herbal Heritage Photos courtesy of Jonathan Treasure