HerbMentor Radio

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 travelled 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 recently re-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.

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 interview focuses on many of the medicinal herbs found in Florida. Most people never consider that we have amazing botanicals growing right here on the mainland U.S. We take a virtual plant walk to discover saw palmetto, hibiscus, passionflower, tropical chickweed, St. John’s Mint, and even lemongrass and cayenne.

Rebecca Altman is an herbalist, writer and proprietor of King’s 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 new ground 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 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.

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 author of the text book, The Practicing Herbalist: Meeting with Clients, Reading the Body. She also lectures internationally and is a professional member of the American Herbalist 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 EarthSongHerbals.com

This is a replay of our very first HerbMentor Radio episode. We’ve nearly been on the air 5 years, and we wanted to celebrate our beginning with the event that started it all. Rosemary Gladstar is the author of several books, including best seller Herbal Healing for Women, Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health, and her newest title, Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide. Rosemary has founded the California School of Herbal Studies, United Plant Savers, co-founded Traditional Medicinals tea company, co-founded Sage Mountain Herbs, and is a founding member of the Northeast Herb Association. One of her herbal startups even turned into the present day Mountain Rose Herbs. Her experience includes over 30 years in the herbal community as a healer, teacher, visionary and organizer of herbal events.

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 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 as 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.

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.

Will Endres is an herbalist, wildcrafter, and outdoor guide with more than 40 years 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. You can learn about Will’s classes and private consultations at WillsWildHerbs.org.

Robert Rogers has been a student of native plants and fungi from the Canadian prairies for over 40 years. He teaches plant medicine at Grant McEwan University and the Northern Start College of Mystical Studies in Edmonton, Canada. Robert is a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild, and chair of the medicinal mushroom committee of the North American Mycological Association. He is also on the editorial board of the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms. Robert is the author of 14 books, including his latest, The Fungal Pharmacy, The Complete Guide to Medicinal Mushrooms Lichens of North America. In this episode of HerbMentor Radio, Robert gives us a wonderful introduction to medicinal mushrooms, their ecological and human health importance, and shares the medicinal qualities of some of his favorites. He also shares an excellent tip on how to tincture reishi for your fungal pharmacy.

Dr. James Duke is an ethnobotantist with a Ph.D. in botany from UNC, served with Missouri Botanical Garden in his earlier years, and for over 3 decades in several posts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He was chief of the Medicinal Plant Resources Laboratory and chief of the USDA’s Economic Botany Lab. One of the most frequented part of the USDA website is his ethnobotanical and phytochemical database he created before retiring. Dr. Duke has written more than 30 books including the best selling Green Pharmacy, Dr. Duke’s Essential Herbs, Herbs of the Bible, Handbook of Edible Weeds, Duke’s Handbook of Medicinal Plants of Latin America, and Peterson’s Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs: Of Eastern and Central North America. He’s also spent years exploring the ecology and culture of the Amazon Rain Forest. Dr. Duke is currently updating the third edition of the Peterson’s guide. He mainly care takes the Green Farmacy Garden with his wife Peggy and volunteers

Sean Donahue is a traditional herbalist and poet.  Sean’s primary teachers have been the wild and feral plants growing in the forests, fields, and swamps around him. He has trusted his own health completely to the plants since they first began helping him begin to heal the asthma he struggled with since childhood.  For Sean, magic, medicine, and poetry are all expressions of a deep connection to the living Earth, and personal, cultural, and ecological healing are inextricably linked. He is currently working on his first book, a guide to plants for the underworld journey.  He identifies deeply with the traditions of the edge dwellers – those who live in the places where the human and wild meet, bridging the worlds

Bevin Clare, M.S., LDN, CNS, RH(AHG), is a clinical herbalist and nutritionist with a deep love of plants. Bevin holds a M.S. in Infectious Disease from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, with her thesis research conducted at the NIA (National Institute on Aging) at the National Institutes of Health, and a B.S. in ethnobotany from Lesley University.  She has studied herbal medicine around the world and blends her knowledge of traditional uses of plants with modern science and contemporary healthcare strategies. Bevin is the Clinical Division Chair of the Masters of Science in Herbal Medicine Program at Tai Sophia Institute in Laurel, MD, a 2.5 year clinical training program in Herbal Medicine. She also serves on the faculty of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, is on the board of directors of United Plant Savers, is co-director of the Herbal Clinic for All, and lectures nationally. Bevin is a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild, where she serves as vice-president. In this episode of HerbMentor Radio, Bevin answers over a dozen HerbMentor member submitted questions. Topics include her favorite herbs, tinctures, herbs for recovering from surgery, herbs for the aging, adrenal herbs and MUCH more

Nome McBride is an herbalist, farmer, wildcrafter and medicine maker from Eugene, Oregon.  He grew up farming in Indiana and was making tinctures in his parent's garage before he could drive. Nome founded Pharmacopia Herbals in 2004, whose original name was Under the Yew Botanicals. You can find Nome’s book, the Herbal Preparations Books, along with hundreds of products Pharmacopia Herbals creates at PharmacopiaHerbals.com

This is a replay of the November 17, 2011 HerbMentor webinar with Susun and John. After the class, Susun answered as many HerbMentor member questions as she could in the time available. Celebrating her new book, Susun covered… Approaching sexual and reproductive health the Wise Woman Way A simple way to cut your risk of ovarian cancer in half The truth about PSA (Prostate-specific antigen) tests What to do if you are diagnosed with HPV An amazing secret about your clitoris The best herb for staying juicy, increasing libido, and amping up performance in bed Prostate health ideas Lots more… This is a conversation for men and women

Todd Caldecott is a Medical Herbalist and practitioner of Ayurvedic medicine, author of Ayurveda: The Divine Science of Life and Food as Medicine: The Theory and Practice of Food, and is an editor of a text on Nepalese ethnobotany called Ayurveda in Nepal.  Todd teaches and practices in the Vancouver, BC area in Canada. He also works as a consultant in the natural products industry. Todd was also the Director of Clinical Herbal Studies at Wild Rose College and is a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild.  Todd’s practice integrates Western Clinical Herbalism with Ayurveda and the synthesis results in an insightful look at Western herbalism from a unique perspective