Moodle at CCNM

An Herban Legend is a persistent, widely and firmly held belief about a plant and its medicinal effects which is not true. The origin of the Legend or its rationale is obscure or forgotten, and is usually based on misinterpretation of some fact of science or tradition. It is repeated, believed and repeated again from textbook to textbook, teacher to teacher, article to article and herbalist to herbalist, across a generation, and guides regular practice. A large number of such Legends, most arising in the last 30 years, infect the modern North American materia medica and weaken the effectiveness of our clinical practice. Each of the herbs, however, have some potent “clinical pearl” unrelated to the legend itself. We discuss Herban Legends and Clinical Pearls for Devil's Club (Oplopanax), Lomatium, Saw Palmetto (Serenoa), Feverfew (Tanacetum), Juniper (Juniperus), Lobelia, Echinacea, Goldenseal (Hydrastis), and Wild Yam (Dioscorea).

This interactive workshop addresses using herbal and pharmaceutical medicine to support trans and gender-diverse people, with a focus on common health issues that arise in the first year of physical transition with hormones. Participants learn tools and resources, with a focus on herbal interventions, for treating common issues that come up with folks using hormones to transition and maintaining the optimal wellbeing of patients. We also talk about basic language guidelines, consent, trauma-informed care, and many more topics that address how to affirm trans and gender-diverse populations. This presentation reviews the possible effects or interactions of pharmaceuticals such as estradiol and testosterone. It also covers the ethical guidelines and cultural considerations of working with trans and gender-diverse populations.

Going well beyond ginkgo, we'll explore how herbs can impact our ability to think clearly, remember well, and stay focused. Emerging allies, from Chinese club moss to the bulbs of snowdrops and daffodils, can be used alongside traditional neurotonics to give protocols fast-acting, specific life-enhancing effects. We will discuss the appropriate use of entheogens, both in microdoses and at therapeutic levels, to help catalyze positive change in mind/spirit function and engagement. We will cover the clinical research around these herbs, and organize them into protocols that honor the cyclical nature of creativity and inspiration. These strategies are applicable for those caring for elders, but can play a role to support cognitive function for clients of any age.

This introduction to phytochemistry as it relates to herbal medicine is taught in simple and friendly terminology. Topics include polysaccharides, polyphenols, alkaloids, tannins, resins, glycosides, volatile oils, and many more! Participants learn how to recognize various chemical structures and how the nature of these structures plays a role in the activity of the medicinal constituent in the body. The information is also utilized to inform our medicine making practices with information relevant to solvencies.

A menstruum is a liquid mixture used to extract herbal products. Herbalists and medicine makers always have lively discussions about using which concentrations and combinations of alcohol, glycerin and water make the best herbal extracts. Dr. Nagel discusses the various menstruum options and which maximize different herbal constituents. This class offers answers and practical, take- home advice on how to making the best medicine for your purposes.

Research into the role of the microbiome in autoimmune disease has advanced rapidly in recent years, implicating microbiome-immune system interactions as critical factors may promote the development of autoimmunity. Microbial dysbiosis may lead to decreased immune tolerance and increased inflammatory activity, both of which are thought to be essential features of many autoimmune diseases. In addition, certain normal (commensal) microbes and pathogens can promote autoimmune reactivity via specific mechanisms, such as molecular mimicry and protein modification. Current understanding of the role of microbiome-immune interactions will be discussed in the context of specific autoimmune diseases. Clinical applicability of the information presented will be illustrated through examples of functional testing results (including microbiome, immune and genomic tests), and microbiome-based therapeutic approaches. We will conclude with a brief discussion of the prospects for a paradigm shift in the understanding – and treatment - of autoimmune diseases.

This presentation covers natural options that clinicians have for providing post-surgery care to their patients. Focus is given to herbal treatments that can reduce inflammation and pain associated with recovery from surgery.

1 in 7 mothers experience postpartum depression. Between 5-10% of women will develop postpartum thyroiditis in the first year postpartum. Mothers are deeply struggling with health issues while also trying to care for their young babies. As a mother myself, I experienced the struggle which is why I have developed my Postpartum Wellness Protocol. As naturopathic doctors we are in a unique position to help women feel balanced and healthy on their motherhood journey. In this presentation you will learn effective ways to support postpartum women in your practice including lab work and breastfeeding-safe herbs and supplements.

Teas, tinctures, and capsules are great, but what about other ways to use herbs medicinally? We'll talk about ways to achieve profound physical healing with herbs that don't require taking them orally. Engaging with plants in these other ways can be fun, creative, sensual, or deeply pragmatic. Plus, it expands the range of people who can work with herbs safely, making herbalism more accessible to all. Come expand your understanding of what constitutes 'medicine!’

Herbalists view their therapeutic agents in the paradigm of humoral and clinical actions, and therapeutic uses. In the long traditions of medical herbalism, dietetics and nutrition have been essential elements of a therapeutic plan, and individual macro and micronutrients may also be viewed as possessing actions identical to those of medicinal plants, such as tonic, adaptogenic, antispasmodic, immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory and so on. In many cases giving herbs with such actions without simultaneously replenishing the nutrient factors that support normal functions simply temporarily masks a deficiency. We will discuss macronutrients, vitamins, minerals and other special nutrients in terms of what their actions would be if they were plants.

How do we and our clients remain emotionally balanced when life keeps throwing curve balls? Trauma is real and some populations have more exposure than others, so how do we address trauma as clinicians if we are not trained to offer talk therapy? Some physical signs of illness and disease can be traced back to emotional, or some believe, spiritual roots. This class covers ways to stay mentally healthy and offer unique solutions for clients dealing with mental health struggles pulling from traditional practices like Curanderismo and Ayurveda. We discuss story medicine, ritual, and using unique herbal remedies for cleansing, as well as ways to incorporate plants on various levels of healing for emotional and spiritual health. We also talk about single plants and pairs that are used to help balance emotions as whole plants, and essential oils, and flower essences.

Organ reserve was first was described in the 80s by Dr. James Fries after seeing the significant variability in function in geriatric populations. Defined as innate and environmentally induced modes of favorable adaption that lead to extended cellular defense as well as physical and cognitive function, this construct is not just about genes. Environmental exposures such as diet and medicinal plants appear to play a significant role in extending functional capacity. Unfortunately, the paradigm of organ reserve is poorly understood in clinical therapeutics four decades later. We discuss this insightful and clinically relevant model and the implications of the trophorestorative plants that may preserve our reserve and induce the ability of organs to successfully return to their original physiological state following repeated episodes of biochemical, physical and emotional stress.

In 1896, Benedict Lust had opened up his first business selling health products, including a full line of Father Sebastian Kneipp herbs. Kneipp’s apotheca became the foundation for the early naturopaths and continue to form the main elements of an herbal apothecary today. Lust had studied with Kneipp and used the entire Kneipp apotheca, which consisted of less than 50 common herbs all of which were classified as non-toxic. Over the next two decades, Lust enriched and expanded the Kneippian apotheca to include more than 175 herbs -- with uses that may surprise that may surprise the modern practitioner.

Actaea and Caulophyllum species have been used in North American medicine for centuries, and were mainstay herbs in the medical practice of all schools medicine. Baneberry and Black Cohosh of the Actaea genus are frequently viewed today as different medicines even though historically they have been used interchangeably. And while Actaea species and Caulophyllum are not related through constituents or botany, they have many properties in common, and have frequently been used historically as a pair in neurological, respiratory, and obstetrical applications. This presentation reviews the science and the traditions of these three powerful herbs.

Impaired intestinal motility leads to dysbiosis and predisposes to SIBO. When motility impairment is severe, gastroparesis may result, in turn leading to malnutrition, frequent nausea and vomiting. Impaired motility can also lead to osteroporosis, anemia and other complications. This presentation discusses numerous botanical options for restoring impaired gastric and intestinal motility, and shows why acid-blocking drugs may contribute to motility disorders. Dr. Stansbury also details how the hormones motilin and ghrelin – the hunger hormone – may offer some benefits.

As compassionate professionals or devoted caregivers, we may at times be invited into conversations with patients or clients that addresses religious views on death and the afterlife. Meeting people "where they are" in terms of belief systems is a delicate art that requires patience, wisdom and skill. How do we offer compassionate listening and support for beliefs that may not resonate with our own? How can we honor the other person's reality fully and lovingly, without imposing our own views and biases?

We know that people experience and heal from trauma differently. Have you ever wondered why herbal and other therapies that should be effective don’t seem to work in some cases? The emerging field of psychogenetics offers important insights that can help us better individualize our herbal, flower-essence and nutritional therapies and to help people truly heal. We’ll begin with an overview of basic genetic variances that raise the risk of developing PTSD and discuss how to identify them in practice – with or without genetic testing. Using those insights we’ll differentiate among different herbs, flower essences and nutrients for each PTSD subtype.

While much of the medical community is learning about the cannabinoids, the Cannabis industry itself has been enamored by the terpenes, specifically the mono and sesquiterpenes, with good reason. Many of the terpenes are known to be psychotropic, alter pharmacokinetics and potentially enhance the pharmacodynamic of the cannabinoids. The current understanding of chemovars, is arguably about terpene profiles rather than cannabinoid profiles, and these profiles offer a better understanding of indica vs. sativa differences than supposed speciation.

Formulation is the artistry of herbalism: it combines everything you know about materia medica and research with gut instinct to create unique formulae for each patient. But formulating also can be daunting, trying to cover all bases while offering the minimal intervention necessary to help the body restore itself. This class looks at simples, pairs and structures for creating multi-herb formulae. The presenter also discusses ways to improve your formulations and common pitfalls.

The gluten-free diet is a frequent staple in a practitioner’s list of modalities to use for a myriad of conditions. “Try a gluten-free diet” or “go gluten-free” has become a common phrase heard even between friends and neighbors, nutritionists and bloggers. However, a gluten-free diet (GFD) is a medical prescription for celiac disease. When prescribing a GFD prior to thoroughly testing for celiac disease, a practitioner is unwittingly denying that patient a chance at revealing the root cause of symptoms and a life-long/permanent systems-damaging inflammatory autoimmune process with grave associated repercussions. We wouldn’t ask a non-type 1 diabetic to “try insulin” – it’s inappropriate. As conscientious practitioners, the medical community needs to be diagnosing celiac disease appropriately, or thoroughly ruling it out, prior to prescribing a GFD. Dr. Shaver presents the top reasons why prescribing a GFD is unethical in the absence of first performing thorough testing for celiac disease, from high risks of developing other unidentified autoimmune diseases to repercussions amid an entire family tree, to increase risks for cancers in celiacs who continue undiagnosed