Monday, January 31, 2011

Student herbalists offer free information and sample consultations and local shows!

A few colleagues and myself attended the Victoria Health Show on January 22-23.  We were very pleased with the turnout of eager individuals inquiring about Pacific Rim College and the field of Herbal Medicine!  I had the opportunity to give a few free herbal consultations to introduce the protocol and share the benefits of this approach to healthcare.  Proceeding the intake of personal medical history and present ailments, we create a formula according to the individual's needs.  Whether the concern be regarding acid reflux, stress, insomnia, aches & pains, PMS, etc. we make up a personalized bottle of medicine; how awesome is that!  It was great to have the opportunity to answer questions and give people the opportunity to experience a holistic approach to medicine using herbs.
We are going to be attending the Victoria Tea Festival to provide more information on the services we provide and how you can benefit! We hope you'll come and visit us there: Saturday February 12th (12-5pm) & Sunday February 13th (11-4pm) @ the Crystal Gardens. http://www.victoriateafestival.com/index.php

Contributed by Dayley Harper, student in the Diploma of Phytotherapy program @ Pacific Rim College

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Upcoming Learning Opportunities

Interested in learning more about herbal medicine and holistic healing? Here is a brief list of upcoming online learning opportunities:

The Pungent Taste of Herbs – presented by Rosalee de la Foret with commentary by Michael Tierra

Tuesday February 15th, 2011 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM PST

This free webinar, presented by Rosalee de la Foret with Michael Tierra, will take a closer look at the therapeutic use of pungent herbs. They will begin by discussing the philosophy of the pungent taste and then look at how these concepts are applied in our daily lives. Rosalee has collected many important historical and modern formulas and recipes to share with you to bring these applications to life.”


Nourishing the Wild You – Food, Energetics, and Nourishment

Online 8 week intensive

Feb 15th – April 19th 2011

Join Herbalist, Nutritionist, and food lover, Darcey Blue French of Brighid’s Well Herbs (www.brighidswellherbs.com), for an 8 week online intensive course on the energetics of food, true nourishment, nutrition, relationship with place and food, nutritional healing and more.


Sylvan Institute of Botanical Medicine

"The Sylvan Institute of Botanical Medicine strives to facilitate the expression of herbal medicine in clinical settings, homes, and any other imaginable venue. Our classes are geared toward Licensed Acupuncturists, Doctors, Nurses, Naturopathic Doctors, Pharmacists, gardeners, parents, community-based herbalists, and students."


Gail Faith Edwards

Gail offers a free webcast every Monday as well as more in-depth learning opportunities online or at her Farm School.



Monday, January 17, 2011

First Edition of our Herbal E-zine!

We hope you enjoy this first edition of the Herbal Medicine Education Association virtual newsletter. We hope you'll check back for more interesting herbal info and feel free to send us questions........... 

Do you have cold hands and feet? Add some cayenne or ginger to your cooking! Both will increase your blood circulation and keep the flow going to your hands and feet. Otherwise, consider visiting a herbalist who may select herbs that support and tone the blood vessels to your limbs.

Do you suffer from seasonal allergies? Plan ahead for spring! It's never too late to start building immune system tolerance to allergens. Drinking Stinging Nettle tea throughout the year, and especially before and during allergy season, can significantly reduce your body's hypersensitive reaction. Stinging Nettles (Urtica dioica) provide the body with nutrients, increase its natural resistance and assist in the elimination of toxins from the body. Remember, if you are going to pick Stinging Nettles yourself this spring – ensure you identify them properly (or ask a herbalist or botanist), wear gloves (they sting!) and dry or boil them before touching or consuming.

Everyone experiences mild anxiety, but there are ways that lifestyle and herbs can help! Try reducing caffeine, alcohol and sugar, and eat a wholesome diet. You may also find it helpful to get regular exercise or to try breathing and relaxation exercises. Herbal teas that ease stress and anxiety include chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, and wood betony.

A bit of herbal history: Pedanius Dioscorides (circa 40-90CE) was a Greek physician, botanist and pharmacologist who contributed greatly to the practice of herbal medicine. He authored a five-volume encyclopedia of medicine and pharmacopeia of medicinal substances called De Materia Medica. It was translated to Latin and Arabic and was use until 1600CE.

A wesbite to check out: http://www.gardenweb.com/. They have a zone finder to help you plan your garden, as well as beautiful photos in their Garden Gallery.

Visit us in our clinic at Pacific Rim College. There is no charge for a herbal consultation. You only pay for the herbs, which are customized for you. We dispense a variety of organic tinctures, creams, dried herbs and tea.

Contributors to this edition: Lauren Truscott, Grace Szucs, and Lindsay Hounslow, students in the Diploma of Phytotherapy program @ Pacific Rim College