By ABC Staff
Clinical Aromatherapy, 3rd edition, represents a series of firsts: the first peer-reviewed, evidence-based text on aromatherapy and the first book on aromatherapy to receive the Duke award. Nurse and author Jane Buckle’s excellent contribution to the scientific literature on botanical medicine represents years of a growing understanding of the important role essential oils can play in a clinical setting. Read more>>
By Hannah Bauman and Courtney Thompson
Does this remind you of anything? Asparagus gained an early and lasting reputation as an aphrodisiac, but modern research is finding far more intriguing reasons to fall in love with the pungent plant. Both fresh asparagus and asparagus extract have produced promising results in the management of hypertension and as a diuretic, and an extract was found to be as effective in managing insulin as a common diabetic medication. Read more>>
By Connor Yearsley
Herbalist and acupuncturist Christopher Hobbs, PhD, is part of a generation that saw the need for natural health care in the United States. A collector of more than 8,000 books on medicinal plants and an author of more than 25, he has spent his life gathering knowledge for the benefit of others. Learn about his life, his personality, and his unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Read more>>
Christopher Hobbs, PhD
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A Cree Healer and His Medicine Bundle: Revelations of Indigenous Wisdom – Healing Plants, Practices, and Stories was written by David Young, Robert Rogers, and Russell Willier and published by North Atlantic Books in 2015. The excerpt includes Chapter 4, “Field Trip, Summer 2011” and Chapter 5, “Plants Used by Russell Willier.”
In an unprecedented level of access, Cree medicine man Russell Willier allowed anthropologist David Young and ethnobotanist Robert Rogers to document his repertoire of herbal medicines. A Cree Healer and His Medicine Bundle offers readers a comprehensive description of the herbs and plants used in the Cree healing arts and endeavors to preserve Native knowledge for future generations. Though Willier received criticism for his decision to participate, he ultimately agreed to the project to protect traditional medical knowledge and practices from vanishing with time.
In the interests of protecting Native knowledge from exploitation, Young explains in the preface that the book will “document individual plants and how they are used, without publishing the complex combinations that are used for healing difficult cases.”
The text offers color photographs and maps of Willier’s field trips in Alberta, Canada, providing snapshots of his practice that include people, places, and plants. It also includes discussions on indigenous healing practices and how they may be used to complement mainstream medicine, improve the relationship between humans and environment, and provide greater access to healthcare for a wider audience.
This text is available for purchase from the publisher’s website.
The excerpt is from A Cree Healer and his Medicine Bundle, by Robert Rogers, Russell Willier, and David Young, 2015. Reprinted with permission from North Atlantic Books.
Fenugreek Extract Shows Benefits for the “Male Menopause”: Human Data. NutraIngredients-USA. February 17, 2016. Daily supplements of a fenugreek extract may reduce symptoms of age-related androgen decrease and boost testosterone levels in middle aged and older men.
Echinacea Is on a Winning Streak with Researchers and Consumers. Here’s Why. Nutritional Outlook. February 16, 2016. Recent clinical trials investigating the efficacy of echinacea for immune support are contributing to its appeal with consumers.
FDA Targets CBD Supplements. Natural Products Insider. February 12, 2016. The FDA has ruled that cannabidiol is still considered a derivative of marijuana and cannot be marketed as a supplement.
Plant Extract Shows Promise in Treating Pancreatic Cancer. EurekAlert! February 11, 2016. A natural extract derived from India’s neem tree could potentially be used to treat pancreatic cancer, according to a new study.
French Institute Agrees to Share Patent Benefits after Biopiracy Accusations. Science. February 10, 2016. A French patent on a traditional South American malaria treatment has raised ethical issues after it fails to honor the indigenous practices which discovered it.
Global Plant Conservation’s Phase One: The World Checklist of Hornworts and Liverworts. EurekAlert! February 1, 2016. The initiative is a part of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, which aims to list the whole known plant kingdom by 2020 and is available for public access.
Could Kudzu Help You Curb Your Drinking? Mother Nature Network. January 27, 2016. In a recent, placebo-controlled trial, men who supplemented with kudzu cut their alcohol consumption by 34-57%.
Can the Cannabis ‘Nuns’ of California Save Medical Marijuana? Washington Post. January 25, 2016. Though unaffiliated with any religious group, Sisters of the Valley spreads the gospel of medical marijuana through their cannabidiol products.
CRN Announces Industry-Wide Regulatory Conference. Council for Responsible Nutrition. February 17, 2016.
Remarkable Plants of Vanuatu, Now Available from NYBG Press, Provides Comprehensive, Accessible Information About Vanuatu's Noteworthy Plants. New York Botanical Garden. February 12, 2016.
China’s Market Potential for Sustainably Sourced Wild Plants. TRAFFIC. February 11, 2016.
State Officials and Experts Applaud New Report that Evaluates Medical Marijuana Programs Nation-wide. Americans for Safe Access. January 28, 2016.
AHPA Opposes US Customs Proposal to Reclassify Certain Bilberry and Blueberry Extracts. American Herbal Products Association. January 27, 2016.
Missouri Botanical Garden Discovered 180+ New Species in 2015. Missouri Botanical Garden. January 25, 2016.
AHPA and UNPA Launch Campaign to Educate State Attorneys General. AHPA. January 19, 2016.
April 27-29: 2015 Ingredient Marketplace. Orlando, Florida.
May 5: CRN Regulatory Summit. Bethesda, Maryland.
May 9-21: Greek Isles Herbal Tour. Ikaria, Samos, and Kos, Greece.
July 24-27: 9th Joint Natural Products Conference. Copenhagen, Denmark.
This botanical is has been studied for its use as a pain reliever, for gastrointestinal conditions, and even for allergies. It's also 2016's "Herb of the Year." Can you name it? Find the answer here!