Herbmentor Radio

Roy Upton, RH, DAy has been working and practicing professionally as an herbalist since 1981. Trained in ayurvedic, Chinese, and western herbal medicine traditions Roy is the founder, executive director, and editor of the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, is a co-founder, past president, and vice-president of the American Herbalists Guild (AHG), and serves on the Committee of Revision for the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and botanical expert advisory committees of AOAC International, the American Botanical Council, and NSF International.Roy is also visiting faculty for the Master of Science in Herbal Medicine program at Tai Sophia, Laurel, MD, and the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Program at the University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy, Los Angeles, CA. In addition, Roy is the staff herbalist for the California-based herbal supplements company, Planetary Herbals, is a member of the Standards Committee of the American Herbal Products Association, and is an internationally recognized lect

Michael Pilarski is a farmer, educator, and author who has devoted his life to studying and teaching how people can live sustainably on this Earth. He has extensive experience in organic farming, seed collecting, wildcrafting medicinal herbs, plant propagation, horticulture, teaching, and international networking.He founded Friends of the Trees Society in 1978 and has authored many books on forestry, agriculture, agroforestry, and ethnobotany. Michael has been involved in the permaculture movement since 1981 as a writer, teacher, and networker.In this interview, Skeeter and I mostly focus on his work as a professional wildcrafter. We cover wildcrafting in general and then get specific with some of his favorite herbs, which include arnica, Oregon grape, lomatium, and devil’s club. He reveals his secret devil’s club processing trick that he hasn’t shared in public before!Visit Michael at http://friendsofthetrees.net/

Timothy Lee Scott is an acupuncturist and herbalist with a master’s in Traditional Chinese Medicine. His book, Invasive Plant Medicine, demonstrates the ecological benefits and healing abilities of invasive plants.Timothy studied extensively with Stephen Buhner, who wrote the forward to his book. Working with Buhner led him to work in the area of Lyme’s disease treatments, and Tim later formed Green Dragon Botanicals to provide remedies to the greater Lyme’s community.In this interview, we discuss invasive plants, Lyme’s disease, Japanese knotweed, and a few other herbs.You can visit Tim at http://invasiveplantmedicine.com and http://greendragonbotanicals.com

Brigitte Mars is an herbalist, author, raw foods chef, and nutritional consultant from Boulder, Colorado. Brigitte has been teaching for over 40 years, most recently Naropa University, Boulder College of Massage, and Bauman College of Holistic Nutrition. Brigitte is a professional member of The American Herbalists Guild.Her many book titles include The Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicine, Addiction-Free Naturally, Beauty by Nature, Natural First Aid, Dandelion Medicine, Healing Herbal Teas, Rawsome! and Sex, Health and Love.In this interview, we focus on the doctrine of signatures.Visit Brigitte at http://BrigitteMars.com

Caroline Gagnon started teaching and practicing herbalism in 1995, and is co-founder and director of the FloraMedicina School of Herbal Studies in Montreal, Quebec. She also helped create the professional wing of the Guilde des Herboristes (Herbalist Guild) in Montreal.In this episode, Caroline and I explore plant energetics in a way we’ve never discussed on HerbMentor Radio. We can all learn to communicate with herbs in ways that can not be taught in books. It sounds esoteric, but it’s actually quite simple and practical.Caroline explains energetics in a much broader sense, which is really helpful should one want to go on and learn an energetics system, such as Chinese or Ayurvedic medicine. Get ready for a paradigm shift. Caroline also answers HerbMentor member questions.Visit Caroline Gagnon at http://FloraMedicina.com

David Bruce Leonard is a practitioner and teacher of all five branches of Chinese medicine: acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage, food medicine, and martial arts. Besides studying traditional medicines with healers in Asia, North and South America, David also studied Hawaiian native plants for over 20 years and is the author of Medicine at Your Feet: Healing Plants of the Hawaiian Kingdom and Wild Wisdom: Listening to the Heart of Nature. David is Dean of Oriental Medicine at the Hawaii College of Oriental Medicine and founder of Earth Medicine Institute.In this episode of HerbMentor Radio, David explores Hawaiian herbalism, including a few things the elders taught him about herbal learning, gathering protocols, and teachings that cross-cultural boundaries. Also, learn what Hawaiian herbalism can teach you about learning the plants of your own bioregion.Visit David at http://EarthMedicineInstitute.com

Emily Ruff is a community herbalist and health educator who has practiced the art and science of plant healing for over a decade. Her studies have taken her to three continents, where she has studied under indigenous healers of many traditions. She also apprenticed for many years with Rosemary Gladstar. Emily founded Orenda Herbals and is director of the Florida School of Holistic Living. Through the school, she founded the Community Herbal Clinic and the Florida Herbal Conference.The Florida Herbal Conference is February 15-17, 2013 in Orlando. Headline herbal teachers are Matthew Wood and Phyllis Light. Workshops focus on bioregional, earth-centered herbalism, with topics including clinical herbalism, herbal crafts, herbal tradition and history, medicine making, plant identification walks, and many hands-on demonstrations. The weekend also includes a marketplace of herbal vendors and musical activities each evening. LearningHerbs.com is a proud sponsor.Besides hearing Emily’s fascinating story, our intervie

The microphone is turned as John Gallagher, host of HerbMentor Radio, is interviewed by Rosalee de la Forêt in 2012. HerbMentor members asked for it, and John was happy to sit down and reveal the string of random events that lead to the creation of HerbMentor.com. How did spraying weeds with herbicide begin John on his herbal journey? Why is a dandelion in the LearningHerbs logo? How is Bruce Springsteen responsible for how John creates and markets products? How and why did he start LearningHerbs? What is in LearningHerbs’ future? It’s all here in this fun-filled, action-packed, chocolate-covered, death-defying act of thrilling audio goodness…

Margi Flint practices herbalism in the seacoast town of Marblehead, Massachusetts, and over the last 30 years has become their village herbalist. She is an adjunct professor at North Shore Community College, The Tufts University School of Medicine, Bastyr University, Pacific Rim College, and the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. Margi is the author of the textbook, The Practicing Herbalist: Meeting with Clients, Reading the Body. She also lectures internationally and is a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild.In this interview, Margi discusses her work as a practicing herbalist, how she mentors, facial diagnostics as well as other methods she uses and answers many questions submitted by HerbMentor members on health issues and being a practicing herbalist.You can visit Margi Flint at http://EarthSongHerbals.com

Rebecca Altman is an herbalist, writer, and proprietor of Kings Road Apothecary. As a Scottish herbalist wildcrafting in Los Angeles, she has acclimated well to the Southwest by coming up with herbal remedies that are as unique as she is. Ocotillo blossom elixir, peach leaf and wild rose calming potion, busted joint ointment, white fir and juniper incense, and white sage chaparral salve are just a few of her creations.In this episode of HerbMentor Radio, we meet a young herbalist who is breaking a new group by thinking outside the herbal box. In fact, she even has an herbal CSA called “The Monthly Surprise Box.” You really never know what Rebecca will do next, and this interview will surely inspire you to think differently based on what is growing around you.Rebecca shares some practical advice, including how to make some really amazing and simple remedies using local plants, such as conifer-infused olive oil. This interview was recorded live at the Medicine of the People conference in Arizona.Visit Rebecca a

Sunny Savage is a wild foodie, filmmaker, and homeschooling parent traveling with the wind … aboard a sailboat with her husband and son.She has a Master’s degree in Nutrition Education and taught native nutrition at the White Earth Tribal & Community College. Her ancestry includes pirates, diplomats, farmers, to writers of the French constitution. Her ancestor, Thomas Savage, arrived in Jamestown on the second boat at 13.Sunny was raised by “back to the land” parents and spent a year eating foods only grown within 250 miles of her home. She’s traveled every continent on Earth and has a television show called Hot on the Trail with Sunny Savage that followed her adventures. It airs on Dish 218, FIOS 163, and Frontier 162.Sunny released her clothing line that is made from wild plants, and we talk about medicinal clothing in the interview.Sunny joins John from a cafe in Panama. She’s about to begin another leg of her adventures at sea with her family. She is filming the story.You can visit Sunny at http://Su

Rosemary Gladstar is the author of several books, including the bestseller Herbal Healing for Women and A Family Herbal. She has taught herbs extensively throughout the U.S. and has led travel adventures worldwide.Rosemary has founded the California School of Herbal Studies, United Plant Savers, co-founded Sage Mountain Herbs and is a founding member of the Northeast Herb Association. Her experience includes over 30 years in the herbal community as a healer, teacher, visionary, and organizer of herbal events.Visit Rosemary at http://www.sagemountain.com

A well-known and respected member of the Meso-American Zapotecan people located in Oaxaca, Dona Enriqueta Contreras is a descendant of a long line of Zapoteca shamans that date back to 500 B.C. Dona Enriqueta owns and operates a health clinic for her community, as well as for international visitors, in the small town of San Francisco Tutla.Her history as a practicing midwife of more than fifty years has yielded her a flawless career with no mother or child ever lost during the birth process… an extraordinary feat, even by western standards. She travels the world disseminating her wisdom and knowledge.While her address does not talk about herbs directly, Dona Enriqueta shares very important wisdom from an ancient people. Such wisdom is essential for having a strong foundation for herbal studies.Dona Enriqueta first performs a simple ritual from the Zapotecan people and then reminds us of how important it is to live with the rhythms of nature, work with each other, and give us tips for a healthier world.Wintert

David Hoffmann, B.Sc., F.N.I.M.H. has traveled the world, run for Parliament on a Green Party ticket, and has been an activist in the Green and Peace movements for longer than he cares to remember. He is the author of 17 books, his latest is a textbook on science and clinical skills for phytotherapists entitled Medical Herbalism, published by Inner Traditions. These accomplishments aside, David, a Fellow of Britain’s National Institute of Medical Herbalists, has been a phytotherapist (that’s a practitioner of herbal medicine) for over 30 years.David promotes herbal medicine around the world, teaches at the California School of Herbal Studies, Bastyr University, and the California Institute of Integral Studies, and, as previously mentioned, has authored many books about plants and plant medicine. Books include The Holistic Herbal: A Safe and Practical Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies and The Herbal Handbook: A User’s Guide to Medical Herbalism.David is on the advisory board of the American Botanical C

Lesley Tierra, L.AC., AHG is a California State and nationally certified acupuncturist and herbalist. In her practice, she combines acupuncture, herb, and food therapies along with lifestyle and inner growth counseling. She is a founding professional member of the American Herbalists Guild. Lesley is the author of Healing with the Herbs of Life and Healing with Chinese Herbs.She collaborated with Michael Tierra to produce the East West Herb Course and is its dean. She also co-authored Chinese-Planetary Herbal Diagnosis with Michael and Chinese Herbal Medicine. She has also co-authored with Michael a two-volume text on Chinese Herbal Medicine, published by Lotus Press. In addition, she has written a special herbal for young children called A Kid’s Herb Book (for children of all ages).Lesley and Michael Tierra run the East-West School of Herbology. You can visit them at http://PlanetHerbs.com

Will Endres is an herbalist, wildcrafter, and outdoor guide with more than 40 years of experience. Originally from West Virginia, Will studied 28 years with herb doctor and healer CF “Catfish” Gray. He has had many herbal elders and has been deeply influenced by the traditional Cherokee approach to plants and medicine. Will runs “Will’s Wild Herbs” in North Carolina, and has been in business for 37 years. Living and working in the woods has given him a uniquely intimate knowledge of the natural world. He offers year-round walks, talks, classes, and apprenticeships.In this episode, we hear about the unique way Will was mentored, and how this affected his relationship with plants. There is a lot of wisdom to be gained by listening to our herbal elders, including Will’s mentor Catfish Gray. Will is one of these elders, and his story is incredible. This HerbMentor Radio is sure to give you a new perspective on the way you learn about herbs. You’ll learn about some plants close to Will along the way.You can learn

Sandor Katz returns to HerbMentor Radio in celebration of his new book, The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from Around the World. This nearly 500-page volume gives practical information on fermenting vegetables, fruits, grains, milk, beans, meats, and more. It has a forward by Michael Pollan and is published by Chelsea Green. Sandor is also the author of Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods and The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved: Inside America’s Underground Food Movement. Starting with sauerkraut, Sandor has been fermenting foods for years. As an avid cook, gardener, herbalist, and nutritional enthusiast, his interests have led to a life of spreading “culture” wherever he travels. He refers to himself as a "fermentation revivalist."

Rosemary Gladstar covers the importance of wild greens, both nutritionally and energetically. Dandelions, plantain, nettle, chickweed, and many more favorites will be covered. In addition to her favorite ways to prepare wild greens, Rosemary will also cover ethical wild harvesting. It’s time to clean out the closets and leave the winter blues behind!Rosemary Gladstar is the author of many books, including Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide, Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health, and Herbal Healing for Women. Rosemary has been inspiring herbalists for nearly 40 years with the herbal schools, conferences, organizations, and companies she has founded, which include the California School of Herbal Studies, Traditional Medicinals, the International Herb Symposium, and United Plant Savers.

Dr. Patrick Jones is a veterinarian with a passion for herbs. He grew up close to the land, and his interest in herbs eventually led to him treating animals with herbal remedies. He has a private practice and is also does formulation, support, and training for Silver Lining Herbs. Patrick's wife LoriAnn is also an herbalist, and together they have raised 15 children. Patrick practices veterinary medicine in Twin Falls, ID.Patrick is also a long-time HerbMentor member and a regular presence in the forum. In this episode of HerbMentor Radio, Dr. Jones answers many questions that HerbMentor members posted about herbs for dogs and cats. We cover basic herbal nutrition, delivery methods, common pet issues, what not to give your pets, and the truth about catnip.

Chanchal Cabrera, MSc, FNIMH, (RH)AHG is a medical herbalist whose clinical specialty is helping people manage cancer and chronic disease. Chanchal has held the faculty chair in Botanical Medicine at the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine in New Westminster since 2004. She serves on the board of advisors of Dominion Herbal College in Burnaby, on the editorial board of Medical Herbalism clinical newsletter and she publishes widely in professional journals and lectures internationally on medical herbalism, nutrition, and health. Chanchal is the author of the book Fibromyalgia – A Journey Toward Healing. published by Contemporary Books.Chanchal is a certified Master Gardener and a certified Horticulture Therapist. Chanchal has been a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists in the UK since 1987, wherein in 2009 she was honored with a Fellowship for service to the profession for over 25 years. She lives on Vancouver Island in BC where she and her husband farm 7 acres.This interview mostly fo