Podcasts about black cohosh

On this episode of Vitality Radio, Jared welcomes his favorite guest of all time—his wife Jen—for a deep dive into her personal supplement and body care routine for women's health and vitality. Jen shares the top formulas that have made the biggest difference in her hormone balance, emotional well-being, skin health, and fitness recovery. She also shares some of the things that have been supportive for her teen daughters. From PMS through menopause, this episode is packed with real-life insights, clinically backed ingredients, and a woman's perspective on navigating natural wellness in every life stage.Jen's Favorite Products for Women's VitalityAdditional Information:#303: Collagen, How We Make It, Why We Need It, and How to Build More With Silica#478: The Role of Collagen in Joint and Bone Health with Richard Passwater#446: Your Castor Oil User's Guide#503: Castor Oil - A Timeless Remedy for Modern Wellness with Queen of the Thrones#408: Creatine for More Than Muscle - Mitochondria, Brain, Heart, Gut, Skin Health, and More!Visit the podcast website here: VitalityRadio.comYou can follow @vitalitynutritionbountiful and @vitalityradio on Instagram, or Vitality Radio and Vitality Nutrition on Facebook. Join us also in the Vitality Radio Podcast Listener Community on Facebook. Shop the products that Jared mentions at vitalitynutrition.com. Let us know your thoughts about this episode using the hashtag #vitalityradio and please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. Thank you!Just a reminder that this podcast is for educational purposes only. The FDA has not evaluated the podcast. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The advice given is not intended to replace the advice of your medical professional.

Our website - www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. Instagram - @perksofbeingabookloverpod Facebook - Perks of Being a Book Lover. To send us a message go to our website and click the Contact button.   This week we have Sam Miller, manager at Carmichael's Bookstore in Louisville, with us to chat about books readers might want to consider for their summer reading. It is always fun to hear what is new and notable from Sam.    This is our last episode of the season.  We will be back in July after our summer hiatus with all new episodes. Happy Reading!   Books Mentioned in this Episode:   1- The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebowitz   2- Northern Spy by Flynn Berry   3- Big Girl Small Town by Michelle Gallen   4- Factory Girls by Michelle Gallen   5- Cat's People by Tanya Guerrero   6- The View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani   7- Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani   8- Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid   9- Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter   10- So Far Gone by Jess Walter   11- A Language of Limbs by Dylin Hardcastle   12- A Lesser Light by Peter Geye   13- Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippmann   14- El Dorado Drive by Megan Abbott   15- Big Bad Wool by Leonie Swann   16- Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann   17- First Gentleman by Bill Clinton and James Patterson   18- King of Ashes by SA Cosby   19- Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by VE Schwab   20- Katabasis by RF Kuang   21- Country Under Heaven by Frederic Durbin   22- A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna   23- Isabella Nag and the Pot of Basil by Oliver Darkshire   24- The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar   25- Baldwin: A Love Story by Nicholas Boggs   26- Plato and the Tyrant by James Romm   27- Turning to Birds by Lili Taylor   28- Is A River Alive? by Robert McFarlane   29- Mark Twain by Ron Chernow   30- Charlottesville by Deborah Baker   31- Prairie Fires by Caroline Fraser   32- Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers by Caroline Fraser   33- Fulfillment by Lee Cole   34- If You Love It, Let it Kill You by Hannah Pittard   35- The Fire Concerto by Sarah Landenwich   36- Black Cohosh by Eagle Valiant Brosi   37- Big Swiss by Jen Beagin   38- I Am the Arrow: The Life and Art of Sylvia Plath in Six Poems by Sarah Ruden   39- Red Comet by Heather Clark   40- Bad Badger : A Love Story by Maryrose Wood   Media mentioned--   1- Derry Girls (Netflix, 2018-2022)   2- Christoph Waltz on Jimmy Fallon --https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0jr-HQeT74   3- Floyd Collins Broadway show--https://floydcollinsbroadway.com  

Step into the Heart of the Forest and discover the Spirit and Medicine of the Northeast Woodlands.Join Kate Gilday on a journey through the Northeast woodlands, where Nature encourages us to slow down, observe, and form a deeper connection with the world around us. Kate will share her wisdom and stories, inspiring you to use your senses to experience the unique essence of the forest.Discover the medicinal and energetic gifts of trees like White Pine, Scots Pine, Golden Birch, and Black Birch, as well as the remarkable qualities of at-risk plants such as Goldenseal, Black Cohosh, and Bloodroot. Learn practical methods for sustainably growing and protecting these precious forest medicines.Whether you're an herbalist, Nature enthusiast, or someone seeking to strengthen your bond with the wild, this webinar will illuminate the beauty and healing power of the natural world.To see the slides that Kate is referring to, check out her full recording here.Click here for Kate's Printable Forest Resource ListSupport the show

Have you ever felt drawn to create a sacred space for healing, reflection, or guidance? In this video, we'll explore the rich history and meaning behind altars—why they've been used across cultures and how they can serve as powerful tools for intention-setting in your own life. I'll walk you through simple steps to create a personal plant altar, from choosing a meaningful location to selecting herbs and objects that align with your purpose. We'll look at key plant allies—like Rue, Rosemary, Black Cohosh, Passionflower, Hawthorn, and Yarrow—and how they can support the energy of your altar space. I'll also share a personal story of a time when I built an altar with a specific intention in mind and how that vision became a reality through the daily connection with this sacred space. Whether you're new to working with altars or looking for inspiration, I hope this video provides clear, simple steps to help you create your own. ————  MY ONLINE COURSES

Stress, emotional, and sleep issues impact everyone at some point. Whether you're looking for immediate relief, ongoing support, or ways to help your kids, Wishgarden has a remedy for you! On this episode of Vitality Radio, Jared welcomes back Jamie Cotter from WishGarden Herbs to talk about their mental emotional health formulas that address everything from daily stressors, racing thoughts, muscle tension, low mood, sleeplessness, tantrums, attention, and even grief. You'll learn about the powerful herbs used in these carefully formulated products and how and when to use them to improve your mental health.Products:Wishgarden Herbs12 Days of Christmas code: christmasSeasonings Greetings no code needed!Additional Information:#420: Fast Relief From Seasonal Allergies Using Some Kick-Ass Herbs with Jamie Cotter#473: Supporting Your Immune System Using Some Kick-Ass Herbs with Jamie CotterVisit the podcast website here: VitalityRadio.comYou can follow @vitalitynutritionbountiful on Instagram, or Vitality Radio and Vitality Nutrition on Facebook. Join us also in the Vitality Radio Podcast Listener Community on Facebook. Shop the products that Jared mentions at vitalitynutrition.com. Let us know your thoughts about this episode using the hashtag #vitalityradio and please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. Thank you!

In this video, I'll be sharing the most effective way I've found to work with perimenopausal symptoms using herbs and understanding your unique energetic constitution or tissue state. As a clinical herbalist, I believe that finding the right match can make all the difference. I'll introduce you to American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)—an herb every woman entering perimenopause should consider for overall vitality, along with specific dosing tips. Plus, I'll dive into the four most common tissue states that often get out of balance during this stage: Excitation, Depression, Tension, and Atrophy. I'll guide you through how to identify these states in your body and share the best herbs to help restore balance, with dosing recommendations for each. I'll also cover commonly used herbs like Black Cohosh, Hops, and Dong Quai, explaining which specific patterns they work best with and how they can support your journey through perimenopause. I keep things lighthearted and easy to understand, so you can quickly discover the herbs that will help you feel more at ease and vibrant through this transition. Product Links: Herb for All Women - American Ginseng - Panax quinquefolius - https://mountainroseherbs.com/american-ginseng-extract For Hot/Excitation Types  Milky Oat Tops Tincture - https://amzn.to/4fjafJZ  Hops Tincture - https://amzn.to/48gRhkT  Hops Capsules - https://amzn.to/3YBhNC8 For Cold/Depressed Types  Angelica (archangelica - American or sinensis - Chinese) - https://mountainroseherbs.com/angelica-extract and https://amzn.to/3Yz4dix  Black Cohosh - https://www.herbalist-alchemist.com/shop-products-bck-black-cohosh-extract For Tension Types  Blue Vervain - Verbena hastata - https://www.herbalist-alchemist.com/shop-products-bvv-blue-vervain-extract  Hops Tincture - https://amzn.to/48gRhkT For Dry/Atrophy Types  Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) - https://mountainroseherbs.com/shatavari  Marshmallow Root - https://mountainroseherbs.com/marshmallow-root

In today's episode, I addressed a common question about managing menopause symptoms, particularly sleep issues, without using hormones. This is especially relevant for women with a history of breast cancer where hormone treatments are not advisable. Key Points Discussed: Lifestyle and Behavioral Strategies Sleep Hygiene: Maintain a consistent sleep schedule to align with your circadian rhythm. Develop a relaxing bedtime routine to increase melatonin production and reduce cortisol levels. Optimize your sleep environment to be cool, dark, and quiet. Diet and Hydration: Follow a whole food plant-based diet to reduce inflammation and improve overall health. Limit caffeine and alcohol intake as they can disrupt sleep. Stay hydrated but reduce fluid intake before bed to avoid nighttime awakenings. Physical Activity: Regular exercise can improve mood and regulate circadian rhythms. Avoid intense exercise close to bedtime; opt for relaxing activities like evening walks. Non-Hormonal Treatments Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I): Helps change negative thoughts and behaviors related to sleep. Promotes good sleep hygiene and relaxation techniques. Medications: Melatonin: Useful in small doses to help fall asleep. Gabapentin: Reduces nerve pain and hot flashes. Trazodone: Increases serotonin to help regulate mood and sleep. Other Medications: Clonidine and SSRIs for short-term use to manage hot flashes and sleep issues. Herbal and Dietary Supplements Phytoestrogens: Found in soy products, flaxseed, and red clover, these can provide mild estrogenic effects without the risks of hormone therapy. Black Cohosh, Valerian Root, and Magnesium: These supplements can help alleviate menopausal symptoms and improve sleep quality. Stress Management Emphasized the importance of mindfulness and meditation to manage stress, which can significantly impact sleep quality. I hope you found these insights helpful. Remember, everyone's experience with menopause is unique, so it's important to find what works best for you. Thanks for tuning in, and I'll see you next time! To work with me: https://www.drmarbas.com/ A Big Thank You To Our Sponsors: If you want to work with the best Whole Foods plant-based body recomposition coach, I highly recommend checking out what www.fitvegancoaching.com offers. I did their program and was able to lose 7% of body fat, build lean muscle, and improve my running time. As a loyal subscriber, you get $250 savings on their coaching services. To learn plant-based cooking and get your medical questions answered, join The Healing Kitchen, taught by Brittany Jaroudi and me! Click here to learn more: https://www.drmarbas.com/the-healing-kitchen

Associate Professor Bevin Clare has dedicated her life to plants. Bevin has studied herbal medicine around the world, blending her knowledge of traditional uses of plants with modern science and contemporary healthcare strategies. Several years ago, OptimalRx had the privilege of interviewing Bevin around her clinical knowledge and passion for herbal medicine, and in this podcast episode they share excerpts from a lecture she recorded in 2014. This episode goes back through the Materia Medica of Central North American herbs, American Ginseng, Black Cohosh, and Poke Root. Bevin also discusses salient sustainability issues surrounding these herbs. This is an important podcast for any herbalist interested in the evolution of these herbs, commercially and medicinally.www.optimalrx.com.au

How can I naturally maintain blood sugar balance, support my heart health, reduce menopausal symptoms, ease nausea, constipation, or even a sore throat? Max Willis and Nikita Austen are back with Jared on this episode of Vitality Radio to talk about more medicinal uses of nature's amazing herbs! This time they tackle five herbs  with wide ranging benefits. You'll learn how to use these herbs and which ones you might want to keep on hand in your medicine cabinet.Nikita Austen is the Director of Education and Innovation Specialist for Solaray and Max Willis is Chief Innovation Science Officer for Solaray. Both always bring us such great education on herbs and their many uses!Products:Ceylon CinnamonBlack CohoshHer Life Stages ProductsGingerBack on TractCascara SagradaLean and Clean with Cascara SagradaHawthorn BerrySlippery ElmSlippery Elm lozengesAdditional Information:#371: Her Life Stages Part 2: Supporting Your System from Menstruation to Menopause With Rachel KilroyVisit the podcast website here: VitalityRadio.comYou can follow @vitalityradio and @vitalitynutritionbountiful on Instagram, or Vitality Radio and Vitality Nutrition on Facebook. Join us also in the Vitality Radio Podcast Listener Community on Facebook. Shop the products that Jared mentions at vitalitynutrition.com. Let us know your thoughts about this episode using the hashtag #vitalityradio and please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. Thank you!Please also join us on the Dearly Discarded Podcast with Jared St. Clair.Just a reminder that this podcast is for educational purposes only. The FDA has not evaluated the podcast. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The advice given is not intended to replace the advice of your medical professional.

Today, we cozy up with a cup of tea and reflect on the gifts and challenges of 2023 and ideas and inspirations for the year ahead. Using the Flower Speaks Tarot Deck, we pull cards to explore the Spiritual, Mental, and Physical themes we expect to see in 2024. The cards illuminate our needs and provide insights into how we can achieve them. My daughter Summer pops in to pull the Herb of the Year card, and together, we talk about how we can pull forth the blessings from our ancestors and the generations that made us who we are.

The roasts continue - Nick has some big feels about Scorpio and you will definitely enjoy/be horrified by the fun and hot takes. Shannon covers Black Cohosh and does a dramatic reading of a creepy poem about headless horsemen. Enjoy! To keep up with the witches, follow them on Instagram @wandsandfrondspod. They're always happy to hear from you (and take topic requests). You can also email them at wandsandfrondspod@gmail.com.

This episode is part two of our two part series on supporting the female body through all stages of reproductive health. On this episode, Jared interviews Rachel Kilroy, Director of Innovation at Solaray, to talk about their new line of women's health products called Her Life Stages. There is a product to support each stage of a woman's cycle from the beginning of menstruation to post menopause, as well as a libido formula. You'll learn the thoughtful reasoning behind all of the ingredients in each of the formulas, what symptoms they may alleviate, and how and when you might use each product.  Products:Solaray Her Life Stages ProductsSolaray VitexSolaray Vitex Berry ExtractSolaray Indole 3 SupremeSolaray Yeast-CleanseNatural Balance Saffron ExtractNatural Factors EstroSenseVital 5 Magnesium BisglycinateAdditional Information:Episode #369: Her Life Stages Part 1: Understanding Your Cycle Through The Years With Dr. Pamela PeekeVisit the podcast website here: VitalityRadio.comYou can follow @vitalityradio and @vitalitynutritionbountiful on Instagram, or Vitality Radio and Vitality Nutrition on Facebook. Join us also in the Vitality Radio Podcast Listener Community on Facebook. Shop the products that Jared mentions at vitalitynutrition.com. Let us know your thoughts about this episode using the hashtag #vitalityradio and please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. Thank you!Please also join us on the Dearly Discarded Podcast with Jared St. Clair.Just a reminder that this podcast is for educational purposes only. The FDA has not evaluated the podcast. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The advice given is not intended to replace the advice of your medical professional.

In today's episode I get to introduce you to my friend, colleague, and mentor Dr. Tori Hudson. Dr. Tori Hudson has been in practice as a Naturopathic Doctor for almost 40 years in Oregon. She is a nationally recognized naturopathic physician, speaker, educator, researcher, clinician and the first woman in the United States to become a full professor of naturopathic medicine. She is also the author of the Women's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine: Alternative Therapies and Integrative Medicine for Total Health and Wellness, and has served as a Medical Director, Associate Academic Dean, and Academic Dean at the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM). Most recently, she has released her new book: The Menopause Companion. In addition to founding and running her own clinic, A Woman's Time, Dr. Hudson is the founder and co-director of the Naturopathic Education and Research Consortium (NERC), a non-profit organization for accredited naturopathic residencies. She currently serves as the program director for the Institute of Women's Health and Integrative Medicine. Dr. Hudson also co-founded Vitanica, a supplement company offering formulations based on her decades of clinical experience. Today we talk about women's health later in life and how we can help women in new ways using a naturopathic approach and natural medicine. How Has Women's Healthcare Evolved Over the Last 20-25 Years? There's been a considerable shift in menopause management. Specifically, the rise and fall, and rise again, of menopausal hormone therapy. Natural medicine started to gain more recognition in the late 80s'. Dr. Michael Murray was very influential in bringing to light the botanical medicine research out of Europe and other parts of the world. Dr. Tori attributes to him the initiation of an awareness of the world of botanical medicine research and the influence it has had on naturopathic practice and the development of integrated physicians. The shift began in using supplements to both reduce the risk of disease and treat disease. Women's health in particular is seeing an immense expansion of options, which can be fantastic, but also more confusing to navigate. People are now able to research different approaches online and they're able to access different practitioners. So, women are more likely to say “I want something different” or “I don't just want a cookie cutter suggestion”. Today, patients are more informed and have more opportunities to be informed. They come more often with their own thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Most the time that can lead to a collaborative process of determining their treatment plan. Women today have a lot more tools to help themselves. They have new ways to get what they need from their healthcare providers, and they have a lot more ability to question if they really need a treatment or procedure. Dr. Tori loves when a patient comes in and asks for a second opinion. Recently, she had a patient asking her if she really needed a particular surgery for her bladder and she was able to reassure her that surgery was the necessary next step. Naturopathic doctors are trained to recognize the value of conventional medicine and how to incorporate that into a natural approach and a naturopathic medicine context. It's important to recognize that every paradigm has its strengths, and every paradigm has its weaknesses. That's what is unique about the modern naturopathic physician - we can really help patients navigate the best opportunities for their healthcare. Naturopathic Medicine as an Individualized Approach for Menopause Perimenopause starts at least a decade before the period ends and then comes post menopause. So, for women living till their mid-80's it's really most of their lives. It's a lot of years of our lives to be navigating hormone shifts, and potential symptoms and health issues, and women really do need help navigating that. Especially because there's still not enough research, and the information that is available is not always consistent and can be confusing. Dr. Tori reminds us that there's rarely a one size fits all approach, which is the beauty of naturopathic medicine. We try to individualize the approach for each person. If there are 10 different women who have hot flashes, there's going to be some recommendations that are common for them all, but there's also the nuance of suggestions that match for the rest of their health. So, hot flashes occur in a context of: does the patient have arthritis, what's their risk for diabetes, do they have high blood pressure, what's their risk for Alzheimer's? There is the quality-of-life issues which can be fairly simple to resolve, and then there's the disease prevention issues and the disease treatment issues which need to be addressed. A naturopathic doctor should help you look at the big picture and then help gather the information to help you make the best decisions possible about what to take and how to support your health. Navigating The Ladder of Intervention in Women's Health Dr. Tori's new book outlines what changes might be happening in your body, how to ask the right questions of your health care provider, what might be problematic in the world of tests and treatments, and more. She compares it to a map, as opposed to a strict sequence. There are many options for how to get on from point A (where you are starting) to point B (feeling better). This is important because we are all coming to the table with a different set of cards, and we may all have similar pathways to navigate, but at the end of the day, each of our approaches needs to be individualized. It is tempting to talk to other women and hear a particular intervention that worked well for them, but your menopausal journey will probably look very different from your friends' or even your family members' journey – and what may have worked well for them, may not have the same impact for you. It's great to share stories and share experiences with other women, but no one else's experience will be your exact prescription. That's where the ladder of intervention becomes helpful. On this ladder you can consider where you are starting and what makes sense in your case. Consider what symptoms you are experiencing, what your family history predisposes you to, your own medical history, and what you've already tried to help you see where you should begin. The beauty of this process is to determine the most minimally invasive intervention we can introduce that will lead to the intended improvements. It's not just a hierarchy for all circumstances, as in we do not always start on the first rung of the ladder. Each person or situation will have their own hierarchy. Maybe you've already been implementing diet and exercise but still experiencing night sweats, or hot flashes, or have osteoporosis. In these cases, we move up the ladder of intervention to see what steps are needed to produce the necessary changes. Multitasking Herbs for Menopause Since our body is an ecosystem, symptoms do not usually occur in the singular. Taken together, the totality of symptoms can provide a more complete picture of what herbs might be most helpful. Dr. Tori refers to these combinations as twofers, three-fers, and four-fers. For instance, if a woman is experiencing hot flashes we will also ask, is she struggling with her mood, does she have achy joints as well, or is she experiencing memory issues. Then we look for herbs or formulas that will cover the most issues for a specific patient. Black Cohosh, for example, has by far more research than any other single herb, but that doesn't mean it's going to work for everyone. Maybe curcumin will be the remedy for someone who has hot flashes as well as joint pain. Better Understanding of Hormone Replacement Therapy Is hormone replacement therapy right for you? Women are often hesitant about hormone replacement for one reason or another, as it can feel drastic. There's newer research that's helping us, even as providers, become more comfortable with hormone replacement therapy. If you have been following a treatment plan, and you've tried herbs and formulas that can help with perimenopausal symptoms, but you're still experiencing night sweats or vaginal dryness and your symptoms are not improving, then we can start talking about some form of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. It's important to understand the benefits and the risks of menopausal hormone therapy. Age will be one of the most important determining factors. How old is the patient, when did she become menopausal, does she have other coexisting health issues or what other coexisting health problems does she have, and what are her risks for what Dr. Tori calls the big three: Osteoporosis, Heart Disease, and Alzheimer's Disease. Additionally, there are three buckets of information that are important to evaluate: what are your quality-of-life issues, what diseases are you at increased risk for, and what conditions or diseases do you already have. All of that informs the decision making on the benefits and the risks of menopausal hormone therapy. If you're within the first ten years of your last menstrual period, less than 60 years old, you haven't had breast cancer, a stroke, or clot, or DBT, then the risks of hormone replacement therapy are negligible. There are a few other risks to consider, like fatty liver, but those are the fundamental considerations. From there we can determine whether menopausal hormone therapy is safe for that person. The risk of breast cancer from going on menopausal hormone therapy is very low if you're in the group just described. In fact, it is much more likely to get breast cancer if you drink alcohol every day, smoke, you don't exercise and you're overweight. There are very few women for whom systemic menopausal hormone therapy is actually contraindicated. There are cautions on delivery methods, for instance if you have a gallstone, we shouldn't give oral hormones, and if you have fatty liver or elevated triglycerides, we shouldn't give oral, but we can give transdermal hormones instead. It's important to work with a practitioner who understand all the options, delivery methods, and ways to customize your dose based on your health. What About Local Estrogen for Vaginal Health? Vaginal estrogen can be a miracle worker for some women. Vaginal estrogen for the purpose of local vulvovaginal problems doesn't increase the risk of anything if it's done properly. Typically, it is prescribed for local dryness, itching, irritation, painful sexual activity, and/or leaky bladder. In these cases, it's often a waste of time to attempt vitamin E, moisturizers, or lubricants. You can skip up the ladder of intervention to vaginal estrogen since it is still very minimally invasive. There are, of course, still instances where caution should be exercised, for instance if breast cancer is or was present. In that case, a non-hormonal option would usually be the beginning recommendation. But even gynecologist societies and menopause societies say you can use tiny doses of vaginal estrogen safely in a breast cancer patient for vaginal symptoms in many cases. A low dose of vaginal estrogen has also been found to be helpful for women who tested positive for HPV and have abnormal cells on their pap smear. With vaginal estrogen, you're improving the vaginal biome and that means you can prevent bacterial vaginosis or vaginal infections. We're finding that the vaginal biome and the species of lactobacilli living in the vagina help fend off HPV as well. Vaginal estrogen gets you a healthier ecological environment and balance of microorganisms. A healthy vaginal biome relies on healthy estrogen levels in the cells. We might first notice vaginal dryness most acutely during sex, but vaginal dryness can be an indicator of other health issues and affect more than just your sex life. Local estrogen can be a preventive medicine that can help with vaginal dryness and a range of other health issues as well. The dryness and discomfort put you at an increased risk for vaginitis, urinary tract infections, possibly HPV, bladder leakage, and overactive bladder. You can prevent those things from happening most of the time by using a small dose of vaginal estrogen twice per week. So, it's not just for sexual comfort, it's related to your overall bladder and vaginal health as well. What Are Some Good Supplements for Menopause and Women's Health? As we mentioned before, Dr. Hudson co-founded Vitanica, a supplement company offering formulations to support women's health. Some of my favorites are: Black Cohosh: The most effective formulation I've ever come across for hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. Chaste Tree Berry: An herb that supports ovulation and helps with symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, breast pain associated with the menstrual cycle, infertility, and perimenopausal menstrual changes. Slow Flow: A formula of herbs and nutrients for heavy menstrual bleeding. CCDG Blend: Tried and true for HPV cases, CCDG contains curcumin, coriolus mushroom, DIM and green tea, all in one. Cranstat Extra: Herbal and nutrient formula for bladder infections. Candidastat: To support a healthy biome and prevent yeast overgrowth. I've been working with these formulas for 23 years (Dr. Doni speaking), and I've seen time and time again how helpful they are for women. That's why I recommend them in my practice. As always, I am here and would love to help you wherever you are in your health and menopausal journey. I'm licensed to help with hormone replacement therapy in several states. Please feel free to reach out with any questions so we can get started on improving your life and your health, together! If you want to reach out to Dr. Hudson and learn more about how she can help you, please make sure to check out her website. Also be sure to check out Dr. Tori's new book, The Menopause Companion, to learn more about how to navigate this process of perimenopause and post menopause, from finding the right practitioner or set of practitioners who can guide you along your journey, and the right questions to ask to take steps in the best direction. If you're interested in learning more about my approach to addressing HPV, including why healing leaky gut is essential, you can find my HPV Recovery Guide here. If you would like more help getting HPV to negative, and are really committed to erasing it from your life forever, you can sign up for the upcoming 5 Days to Heal HPV Workshop here or my Say Goodbye to HPV 12-Week Program here. If you're interested in a safe and effective body, mind and spirit detoxification that will actually make you feel better and that you can do without affecting your daily routine, you can check out my 14-Day Detox Program here. The Detox Program includes a gluten-free, dairy-free meal plan, along with a protein shake (the protein shake is included), as well as videos to guide you every step of the way. If you want to learn more about how stress and trauma have affected you, in terms of your cortisol and adrenaline levels, and how to recover so that you can get back to feeling your best, you may want to read my book Master Your Stress Reset Your Health. To know your Stress Type, which is your unique cortisol and adrenaline levels based on how stresses have affected your adrenal function, you can take the quiz I developed. You can find the Stress Type® Quiz in the book and on my website. If you're ready to start rebalancing your cortisol and neurotransmitters, to help your adrenals reset after stress exposure, you can start by ordering this home test kit. And you can also sign up for my Stress Warrior Online Program to guide you here. You can also subscribe to my newsletter, where you'll receive a newsletter from me every Thursday with the latest episode and additional resources and tools for your success with achieving optimal health. For the most comprehensive support, even with the most difficult health issues (physical or mental), it is best to meet with me one-on-one, which is available to you no matter where you are in the world (via phone or zoom). You can set up a one-on-one appointment with me here. We're here to help you! Connect with Dr. Doni:    Facebook HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/DRDONIWILSON   Instagram HTTPS://INSTAGRAM.COM/DRDONIWILSON   YouTube HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DONIWILSONND   Weekly Wellness Wisdom Newsletter: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/WWW     -   Additional Resources:    If you want to work on your gut health and microbiome you may want to sign up for my Heal Leaky Gut Program (https://doctordoni.com/leaky-gut-program) where I teach you how to heal leaky gut with my proven protocol.    If you're interested in learning more about my approach to healing HPV you can find my new HPV Recovery Guide here (https://doctordoni.com/ddpp/hpv-guide/).    If you are tired of this virus and are really committed to erasing it from your life forever, you can sign up for my Say Goodbye to HPV 12-Week Program here (https://drdoni.lpages.co/hpv-12-week-program/).   You can also sign up for my Stress Warrior Program here (https://doctordoni.com/stress-program).    Also, if you want to learn more about how to recover from stress so that you can get back to feeling your best, you may want to read my book Master Your Stress Reset Your Health (https://doctordoni.com/master-your-stress/). In the book, I also share the quiz I developed to help you identify how stress has affected you specifically by knowing your Stress Type. You can also take this Stress Type Quiz online (https://doctordoni.com/quiz/stress-quiz/)   For the most comprehensive support, even with the most difficult health issues (physical or mental), it is best to meet with me one-on-one, which is available to you no matter where you are in the world (via phone or zoom). You can set up a one-on-one appointment with me here (https://doctordoni.com/work-with-me/)   Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.  

The Hotflash inc podcast is the #1 podcast in Women's Health on Goodpods and in the top 1.5 percent on Listen Notes. Thank you for making that happen! Andrea Donsky is a Canadian nutritionist who turned her own terrible and epic perimenopause into a movement – and a company. Now a Menopause Educator and Researcher with 300,000+ TikTok followers, she is on a mission to change the conversation around perimenopause and menopause. An entrepreneur with more than 23 years of experience in the health and wellness industry, Andrea hosts the weekly ‘Menopause Reimagined' podcast, and appears as a menopause expert on television across North America. To date, Andrea has appeared in over 400 TV segments and has been featured on every major network across the U.S and Canada. Her newest venture, Morphus, (which signifies ‘metamorphosis' + ‘us' as a community), empowers women over the age of 35 to “Reimagine Menopause” as a journey of empowerment so they feel heard, supported, and validated. Morphus empowers women to take control of their symptoms and health with nutrition, resources, and science-backed supplements. Andrea and her business partner Randy are also my partners in the Menopause Shift Summit, which is returning next year! Highlights: What launched her into becoming a menopause researcher and entrepreneur (hint: A horrid, epic perimenopause)Why she focused on symptomologyStarting to understand supplements through ingredients The big problem she had with one of the most common menopause ingredients Why you need to know about guar fiber Pycnogenol: What it is, why she loves it and how much you really needThe one thing you need to know before you take a supplement (hint: It's super-simple but most of us miss it Toco-what? The two things you need to address early in perimenopause Her one golden rule about supplements The scoop on black seed oil – and why it's magic for menopausersWhat to watch out for when it comes to supplement additives (and why they could be the reason what you tried isn't working)Why too many ingredients is a big supplement red flag The benefit of new supplements vs older varieties Why perimenopause is like updating your cell phone's softwareThe goodies of menopause (stay tuned: there are MANY and they are AMAZING)The magnesium-stress loop  Learn more at wearemorphus.comFind Andrea: Podcast: Menopause ReimaginedTikTok: @andreadonskyIG: @andreadonsky @wearemorphusFB: /wearemorphusJoin the Hotflash Inc perimenoposse: Web: hotflashinc.comTikTok: @hotflashincInstagram: @hotflashincX: @hotflashinc Episode website: Hotflashinc See hotflashinc.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Breaking old patterns that are entwined with hurts and past trauma often require assistance and guidance. Black Cohosh is a steady and gentle plant teacher acting as a nervine and tension reliever so we can open ourselves to do the work in a safe and slow manner. In this video I will share how to work with Black Cohosh through dreamwork, exploring the tension between sexuality and sensuality, and lastly, how to stay calm amidst external storms. Please comment and let me know your experiences with this plant teacher and if you have any questions!Herb of the Month: Black Cohosh video, watch here: https://youtu.be/2ZfcoKxKT2Q STUDY WITH ME Good Medicine Confluence in Colorado: https://planthealer.org/gmc.html Parliament of World Religions Conference in Chicago: https://parliamentofreligions.org/parliament/2023-chicago/ Roots and Spheres Online Course: https://www.skyhouseherbs.com/roots-spheres

Black Cohosh, also called Black Snakeroot, is a powerful medicine that alters how we process and integrate information. Black Cohosh has specific actions on the body's nervous, musculoskeletal, and reproductive systems. In this video, clinical herbalist Ashley Elenbaas will share how she uses this medicine in her practice and how you can work with Black Cohosh in your own body. RESOURCES Article on Mechanisms of Action: Herbalgram. American Botanical Council, Issue #121. Black Cohosh Monograph. Page 6-16. Link: https://www.herbalgram.org/resources/herbalgram/issues/121/table-of-contents/hg121-herbpro-blackcohosh/https://www.herbalgram.org/resources/herbalgram/issues/121/table-of-contents/hg121-herbpro-blackcohosh/https://planthealer.org/registration.html Good Medicine Confluence in Colorado 2023 https://planthealer.org/registration.html Parliament of World Religions Conference Chicago 2023 https://parliamentofreligions.org/parliament/2023-chicago/

Elizabeth Jinks is a midwife, mother of seven, seed saver and a syntropic food forester. With a Masters' in Primary Maternity Care, she is committed to delivering informed, personalised care that empowers women to birth well, whether in a hospital, birth centre or from the comfort of home. From birthing six of her babies at home with the same midwife, Beth is passionate about offering this continuation of care for other women. Our discussion includes some insightful chats about placenta planting in her garden, her vision for birthing 'on country', and Beth's inspiring Permaculture journey on her property in Koah in Far North Queensland. She shares how she was chosen by the land, and her humble beginnings of a shipping container and caravan that evolved into earth shaping to make swales and a small dam for water harvesting, to an established tropical syntropic food forest which provides most of her sustenance.  Beth explains how she uses herbs in her daily life and, specifically, the four essential herbs; Shepards Purse, Angelica Root, Rasberry Leaf and Black Cohosh that she takes to every birth to support women, as well as her love of Motherwort and Mugwort Moxas as supportive plants for women. The story of how Beth supported Tonielle in her personal home birthing experience is shared in this interview, and how permaculture brought them together and continues to evolve with students visiting and participating in planting in her evolving garden of abundance.  She speaks of her regular use of Aloe Vera and Sacred Basil and lists what is flourishing in her summer garden, and we touch on various plants that can and can't be eaten during and after pregnancy. From Moxa's for Breach babies to Mayan Abdominal Massage to treating Placentas as sacred rather than medical waste...I trust you'll find value in this interview! Show Notes & Links: - Life In Syntropy video - https://youtu.be/gSPNRu4ZPvE - Mugwort and Moxa - https://daoisttraditions.edu/healing-power-moxa/ - Mayan abdominal massage - https://www.rebirthmayamassage.com/post/what-is-maya-abdominal-massage - Sacred Placentas or Medical Waste? - https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319806#Treading-on-unknown-territory - Eucalyptus Grandis - syntropic support specie Connect with Tropical Babies Midwifery:  Website: http://www.tropicalbabiesmidwifery.com.au/services.html Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tropicalbabiesmidwife To learn more about The Elder Tree, visit the website here and donate to the crowdfunding campaign here. You can also follow The Elder Tree on Facebook and Instagram and sign up to the newsletter. Find out more about this podcast and the presenters here. Get in touch with The Elder Tree at:  asktheeldertree@gmail.comThe intro and outro song is "Sing for the Earth" and was kindly donated by Chad Wilkins.  You can find Chad's music here and here.

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-size, bonus episodes offering tips, tricks, and approachable science. In today's episode, Jenn talks about Black Cohosh. This type of shrub found in nature has been turned into a supplement that women can use to support gynecological and mental health. It may have a similar effect to estrogen and can support hormonal balance. Studies show Black Cohosh may help with menopausal struggles, infertility, and PCOS. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to see if this botanical could be helpful for you. Like what you're hearing? Be sure to check out the full-length episodes, new releases every Wednesday.  Have an idea for a nutrition nugget?  Submit it here: https://asaladwithasideoffries.com/index.php/contact/   RESOURCES:Become A Member of Salad with a Side of FriesJenn's Free Menu PlanA Salad With a Side of FriesA Salad With a Side of Fries InstagramJenn's Black Cohosh Product for US Listeners: https://bit.ly/jennblackcohoshUSJenn's Black Cohosh Product for Global Listeners: https://bit.ly/jennblackcohoshglobal

On this Fast Facts: Pharmacology Edition Tom Viola, R. Ph., C.C.P. continues the series that focuses on dietary supplements, today highlighting a supplement known as Black Cohosh. This series is sponsored by our friends at Elevate Oral Care! @elevateoralcare creates innovative and proven prevention-focused oral care products, learn more by visiting www.elevateoralcare.com and schedule your free CE staff-meeting today. See more from Tom at www.tomviola.com @pharmacologydeclassified

On this Fast Facts: Pharmacology Edition Tom Viola, R. Ph., C.C.P. continues the series that focuses on dietary supplements, today highlighting a supplement known as Black Cohosh. This series is sponsored by our friends at Elevate Oral Care! @elevateoralcare creates innovative and proven prevention-focused oral care products, learn more by visiting www.elevateoralcare.com and schedule your free CE staff-meeting today. See more from Tom at www.tomviola.com @pharmacologydeclassified

St John's Wort is highly prized when it comes to supporting healthy moods, lifting depression, easing anxiety, and reducing stress levels. But when it comes to menopause it does so much more.   St John's Wort   Other herbs previously discussed Black Cohosh - episode 108 Shatavari - episode 104 Sage - episode 88 Turmeric - episode 83 Saffron - episode 74  

Hot flashes can be a problem for both men and women. Hot flashes occur with unexpected perspiration that comes out of nowhere with intense waves of heat. You may get drenched in sweat, a flushed face, clammy skin, blotchy chest, and/or chills afterward. This video is about how to help the hormone system and decrease/stop hot flashes. For women: 80% of women have hot flashes, which is the most common symptom of menopause. They can begin years before your periods actually stop. During menopause, the thyroid and adrenal glands are supposed to take over hormone production for the ovaries, but this switch isn't instantaneous and it can cause an overload in hormones which in turn triggers a hot flash. The imbalance in hormones can cause sleep disturbances, mood swings, decrease in libido, weight gain, brain fog, depression, sexual dysfunction, and more. Often the medical interventions used to combat hot flashes for women are hormone replacement therapy. Estrogen can be a concern for increasing the risk for breast cancer and blood clots. Some providers use progesterone, which I think is the miracle hormone. Caution for Soy products: Soy contains large quantities of phytoestrogens, chemicals that act like estrogen in the body. Inflammatory foods, antidepressants, and smoking are also risk factors for hot flashes. ______________________________________________________________________ Treatment ideas: * Balance body chemistry: CBC, CMP * Thyroid evaluation: T3, T4, TSH * Pituitary function and balance * Hormone assay: estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEAS, and cortisol Ragland's Test: Take blood pressure lying down and standing up; evaluates the body's stress response. Black Cohosh: a popular herb for treating hot flashes. Researchers believe it binds with estrogen receptors and/or stimulates serotonin receptors. Supplement considerations: Female Support: Female Adapt Adrenal Support: Adrenal Adapt Essential Fatty Acids: Ultra Omega DIM: Hormone scavenger that gets rid of extra hormones DHEA: regulates stress Manganese: helps regulate the pituitary function (not magnesium) For Men: Testosterone precursors help the body make its own testosterone rather than synthetic/replacement therapy. Male Support: Gladiator or Symplex M __________________________________________________________________ This is just a quick overview of hot flashes. If you're struggling with hormone imbalance the best way for us to help you is to first do an evaluation. Click the link below to learn more. https://www.westcliniconline.com/therapies

Do supplements and bio identical hormones help in menopause and beyond? Coach Kris chats about Black Cohosh, Magnesium and their impact on your hormones. Learn the science behind midlife belly fat and how seed cycling can help support your hormones after the age of 40.

In this episode, Scott Sensenbrenner from Enzymedica to guide us on a deep dive into the way we digest food and absorb nutrients. Scott Sensenbrenner is a natural products industry veteran with a career spanning more than 20 years. He has been the driving force behind Enzymedica as President & CEO since 2009, where he expanded the Florida-based natural digestive health brand to be in more than 30,000 retail locations worldwide. Previously, he was the Vice President of Thorne Research, a leading professional market natural medicines manufacturer servicing over 20,000 health care practitioners. Prior to Thorne, he was the Group Director of Perrigo Nutrition (PRGO – NASDAQ), the largest generic pharmaceutical, OTC and nutritional company in the United States. Scott started his career in the natural products industry with Enzymatic Therapy in the 1990s where he led their strategic planning and marketing when the firm introduced many of the leading products sold in the natural products industry including; Glucosamine, CoQ10, St. John's Wort, 7 Keto, Policosanol, Red Yeast Rice, Standardized Herbs, IP-6, KAVA, and Black Cohosh. In each of these roles, Scott designed and orchestrated business strategies and executed category-changing product introductions.  In addition to his experience in the natural products industry, Scott is well-known for his philanthropic work. He is a passionate supporter of Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center (SPARCC), Vitamin Angels, and is a Board Member for the Economic Development Corporation for Sarasota County. Most recently, he was elected to join the Strategic Advisory Board of the American Nutrition Association® (ANA) – a nonprofit that is the professional association for the science and practice of personalized nutrition.For more information, please visit www.enzymedica.comSupport the show (https://paypal.me/Optamiz?locale.x=en_US)

Welcome back to this week's #FridayReview where I can't wait to share with you the best of the week!   I'm looking forward to reviewing: Founder Week Celebration and Sale A Man's Guide to Muscle and Strength (book) Herb of the Week: Black Cohosh Red Meat & Diabetes (research) Red Meat & Cardiovascular Health (research) For all the details tune into this week's #CabralConcept 2240 – Enjoy the show and let me know what you thought! - - - Show Notes & Resources: http://StephenCabral.com/2240 - - - Dr. Cabral's New Book, The Rain Barrel Effect https://amzn.to/2H0W7Ge - - - Join the Community & Get Your Questions Answered: http://CabralSupportGroup.com - - - Dr. Cabral's Most Popular At-Home Lab Tests: > Complete Minerals & Metals Test (Test for mineral imbalances & heavy metal toxicity) - - - > Complete Candida, Metabolic & Vitamins Test (Test for 75 biomarkers including yeast & bacterial gut overgrowth, as well as vitamin levels) - - - > Complete Stress, Mood & Metabolism Test (Discover your complete thyroid, adrenal, hormone, vitamin D & insulin levels) - - - > Complete Stress, Sleep & Hormones Test (Run your adrenal & hormone levels) - - - > Complete Food Sensitivity Test (Find out your hidden food sensitivities) - - - > Complete Omega-3 & Inflammation Test (Discover your levels of inflammation related to your omega-6 to omega-3 levels)

The girls chat about going to see live chamber music, the benefits of scheduling out the day, using flowers and herbs to create your own bath bombs and teas, and they read from their Power Thought Cards! Things we discussed in this episode: Flower, Roots, Herbs: Chamomile Flower #chamomile #flower https://emeliasapothecary.com/product/chamomile-flower/ Hibiscus Flower #hibiscus #flower https://emeliasapothecary.com/product/hibiscus-flower/ Rosehips #rosehips https://emeliasapothecary.com/product/rosehips/ Black Cohosh #blackcohoshroot https://emeliasapothecary.com/product/black-cohosh-root/ Power Thought Cards: https://www.amazon.com/Louise-Hay-Power-Thought-Beautiful/dp/B00HTJSG6K/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2PCRGL1080E39&keywords=power+thought+cards+keepsake&qid=1641242137&sprefix=power+thought%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-2

Black Cohosh has a long history of use both by Native Americans and European settlers.  For a herb with such as long history of use, it is certainly misunderstood. It is feared by some and loved by others.  Black Cohosh 

Dr. Simon Feeney's journey along the virtuous path of classical Chinese medicine and healing has been far from ordinary. His integrity and purist approach to everything he does, has successfully set a new standard for wholesale Chinese Herbs in Australia, with the establishment of his company/clinic Empirical Health six years ago. Purity, Quality, and Potency are the principle values of Empirical Health; The first and only Australian certified organic Chinese herb wholesaler dedicated to Dao Di principles. A Physician in Classical Chinese Medicine, Acupuncturist, extensively knowledgable herbalist, and ongoing devoted scholar (20 years) of ancient medical Burmese scriptures, Simon's passion for upholding essential ancient knowledge is evident in everything he does. Like all journeys of the heart, Simon's is full of incredible stories; Stories of ancient manuscripts with cures for Leprosy, herbal preparations to treat malaria, being held at gunpoint in the name of preserving ancient teachings, and quests of translating bygone measurements for 2000-year-old formulas used in the Han Dynasty. In this potent conversation, Simon and Mason discuss the preservation of Classical Chinese medicine through lineage, the institutionalisation of TCM (where it's lacking), concocting ancient formulas, species identification when it comes to Dao Di, and the reverence for classical Chinese medicine as a complete system. Tune in for ancient knowledge and so much more.   "If that herb's not available, what are we going to do? How are we going to adapt? Chinese medicine's beautiful like that, all of a sudden new things evolve, and that's the nature of Chinese medicine. It's still evolving. But it's not evolving as the western mind thinks about evolving, in the sense of, "Right, all that stuff's behind me, I need to forge forward into the darkness. No, it's evolving based on history".   - Dr. Simon Feeney     Host and Guest discuss: Pulse diagnosis. The Han Dynasty. Chinese herbalism. Energetics of herbs. Availability of herbs. Plant identification. Administration techniques. Therapeutic alkaloid testing. Quality discernment of herbs. Dao Di (original growing region) principles The evolving nature of Chinese Medicine. Genetic testing and proper identification of herbs. The current Chinese medicine renaissance in the west. Dosage; The right dose, for the right person at the right time.   Who is Simon Feeney? Empirical Health's Director, Simon Feeney continues to pursue his lifelong passion for the study of Traditional Medicine under a Theravadin Buddhist Monk, who has been guiding his learning for the past 20 years. Simon's commitment to fusing ancient knowledge with contemporary insight inspired his formal studies in Melbourne, Australia at the Southern School of Natural Therapies, where he completed his Bachelor's Degree of Chinese Herbal Medicine and Traditional Chinese Acupuncture. Along with his studies in the classical Chinese Medicine works of the Han Dynasty (200BC) and the refined art of Traditional Japanese Acupuncture, Simon is also a trained Bowen Therapist. Having studied intensively under one of Melbourne's leading Chinese Medicine gynaecologists. He has a special interest in chronic conditions, internal medicine, sub-clinical health, and other ‘hard to treat' conditions.   For the last 20 years, Simon has been working closely with his teacher to understand a number of scriptures from Burma (now called Myanmar). These writings, dating as far back as 500 AD, largely pertain to monastic order as well as ancient medical knowledge and further underpin Simon's dedication to preserving the integrity of the ancient ways for modern application and translation. Simon has travelled extensively through Thailand and Myanmar in documenting these texts and assisting in the preservation of this essential ancient knowledge to understand, use, and appreciate in the modern world. Simon has completed an extensive post-graduate education including a specialist course in Canonical Chinese Medicine under the internationally acclaimed educator and physician Dr. Arnaud Versluys Ph.D. director of Institute of Classical East Asian Medicine (ICEAM). He is a member of the Australian Traditional Medicine Society and a registered member of the Australian Health Practitioners Registration Agency (AHPRA). His extensive knowledge as a herbalist came from him spending endless hours working through ancient texts identifying doses of various herbs, deciphering and translating those that were successfully used centuries ago into modern applications, yet have been largely lost in modern times. His growing prominence has now extended from Chinese Medicine physicians to also include a number of veterinarians who have sought out formulas for use in their animal clinics. Simon's life journey and his long-standing passion for helping people has also involved him working with a non-profit organisation and temple, that will help build a library to hold rare and ancient manuscripts.   CLICK HERE TO LISTEN ON APPLE PODCAST    Resources: Facebook Instagram Empirical Health Empirical Health Shop empiricalhealth.com   Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We'd also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or  check us out on Stitcher, CastBox, iHeart RADIO:)! Plus  we're on Spotify!   Check Out The Transcript Here:   Mason: (00:01) Simon, thanks so much for joining me.   Simon Feeney: (00:03) You got it. Thanks for the invitation.   Mason: (00:04) Absolute pleasure. In the flesh no less.   Simon Feeney: (00:06) I know. First time, hey.   Mason: (00:08) Yeah.   Simon Feeney: (00:08) I don't know. Yeah.   Mason: (00:09) You're coming down from Brisbane?   Simon Feeney: (00:11) Yeah, just been up at a conference, so coming back down through here and thought I'd stop in and take up the invitation, and it all worked out beautifully.   Mason: (00:18) Yeah, getting the practitioner gang back together.   Simon Feeney: (00:20) Yes, exactly. Yeah, it's always good to be amongst some colleagues and shoot the breeze and connect after such a long time of separation, and so it's been very nice, very rewarding for everyone, I think.   Mason: (00:32) So I love your company.   Simon Feeney: (00:35) Thank you.   Mason: (00:37) Yeah, I know-   Simon Feeney: (00:38) Ditto.   Mason: (00:38) Thank you. I don't know if it's an unusual friendship or not the... I was very curious about your company when it came up, and you've established it with such authority, and I have so many friends who are acupuncturists, and they were telling me when you first came on the scene, and just how relieved they were that you were bringing Chinese herbs of this quality to Australia because you go to Chinatown, you go and pick up your cistanche, whatever, anything you kind of like, or your formulas, and you're like, "I assume they're clean and pure."   Simon Feeney: (01:21) Well, sometimes you have to pick out cigarette butts or a piece of plastic or something. That used to be what it was like, literally it was like that. I mean, when I trained with my first herbalist, he had his big display, and he was a real traditionalist so he said, "If you can't identify anything, you shouldn't be using it." So he had no names. It wasn't in alphabetical order. It was just depending on how much he used it. But it used to be that he had a bottle of, like a little container, that used to put all the bits that he found into the thing that was just rubbish.   Mason: (01:53) That's amazing.   Simon Feeney: (01:53) Yeah, because it was much less regulated back... There still is no regulation for the quality of Chinese herbs in Australia still to this day.   Mason: (02:02) This is loose.   Simon Feeney: (02:03) So we have to set our own standards.   Mason: (02:06) I mean, I guess there are... Again, it sits in a grey area. Technically, it is regulated, but because it's such an underground world and operation in business, it's not really enforced.   Simon Feeney: (02:22) No, it's not. That's right. I mean, the practise of it is, but the quality is not regulated. You've got these companies in Taiwan and in China now, but there is no official regulation for the quality, but once you start treating patients and you start wanting these herbs for, your kids are born and your wife is pregnant, then you want to have some sort of assurity that they are good quality, and that you're not doing any damage. Do no harm is the foundation of all clinical practise. That's what started the journey for me, so looking for that kind of quality.   Mason: (03:06) And I guess the most obvious one that comes up is pesticides-   Simon Feeney: (03:10) Huge [crosstalk 00:03:10].   Mason: (03:10) ... and I think everyone can relate to that in their immediate consciousness [crosstalk 00:03:15]-   Simon Feeney: (03:15) Yes.   Mason: (03:18) When I started the company I was obsessed, and so that's why I went and sourced herbs that I wanted, but then started to talk to people who, like this woman, she's pregnant. I want to give this to my mom who just had an aneurysm.   Simon Feeney: (03:32) That's right.   Mason: (03:33) All of a sudden, your level of...   Simon Feeney: (03:34) That's serious stuff.   Mason: (03:35) It's serious shit.   Simon Feeney: (03:36) Yeah, it's really... Yeah.   Mason: (03:36) Don't muck around.   Simon Feeney: (03:37) Yeah. No, you're talking about young foetuses. You're talking about the beginning of life, so you don't want to be doing any damage whatsoever, and you want to be assured, assured 100% with no doubt, that what you're doing is safe and not only effective, but primarily safe.   Mason: (03:56) One thing I'm liking though is the self-regulation that does come up because I know you've started out a couple of years ago, a few years ago, officially distributing?   Simon Feeney: (04:06) We've been distributing for about six years or so now. Yeah, yeah.   Mason: (04:11) Wow, and so what's been the uptake? Where have you guys... I guess it's because I've been tuned in to what you're doing. I've seen you grow exponentially, but was there a constant exponential growth in the beginning, or was it a mad slog going up against the big Chinese herb companies in Australia?   Simon Feeney: (04:28) Well, like you said earlier, just coming in it with authority and that sort of certainty. I was never happy with... Basically, I started because it was just in my clinic and wanted to make formulas, so I wanted to make these old ancient formulas from the Han Dynasty, so 2000 year old formulas, figuring out how to make them is a whole 'nother level. I had to work out what a liang was, what a [zhu 00:04:52], what a [fen 00:04:53], what a [zhang 00:04:53], what are all these measurements that absolutely made no sense to what I learnt at university and was completely impractical in terms of figuring out. So I had to figure all that out, but then I had to look at the herbs and figure out all that. So then we're realising that you have all these adulterations in Chinese medicine, so incorrect species identifications, quality discernment, and then safety and purity of the herbs.   Simon Feeney: (05:20) So that led me to kind of trying to find the better, better, better, better quality, and then looking for the paperwork that supported that. Some of it was there, it was kind of falsified. I found all these little things that you didn't want to find as a herbalist, you didn't want to know about, and it was like, "Well, I think I have to try to find the best I can possibly find in the world," and I asked my community internationally, the Chinese medicine community internationally, "Where's the best?" And they all pointed to this one guy in the US, Andrew Ellis. And so I contacted him and I was like, "I want to talk to you." About a year and a half later, he responded back to me on Facebook.   Mason: (06:00) Whoa!   Simon Feeney: (06:01) And then said... Yeah, and then literally I was on the phone with him that afternoon because he said, "What are you doing now?" And I was like, "Oh, man." I had a cancellation from a patient, and so I'm sitting there and all of a sudden it comes up. And then about an hour later on the phone, we started talking about all these ancient formulas, and then he said, "I'm going to Hangzhou in two weeks. Want to come?"   Mason: (06:23) Holy shit.   Simon Feeney: (06:23) And two weeks later, I was in Hangzhou meeting these, I mentioned to you earlier, these big Chinese companies and going out to farms and understanding all the testing, and the rest is history. And then I was like, "I want to bring that back to Australia," and I brought it back to Australia, and I told some of the suppliers and they got so upset with me. They were so upset with me. Some of them are not even talking to me still because I did that. So it was almost like a calling out, it's kind of like losing face for some of those people, which is a shame.   Mason: (06:51) I mean, okay, so there's a couple of things. You've gone over, and you've started going to these meetings with these herb companies that based on the demand of you going, "Hey, I want to know that there's no pesticides. I'd like this testing to be done. I want genetic testing, or proper identification."   Simon Feeney: (07:12) Yeah, yeah. The alkaloid testing and everything, that's what we want.   Mason: (07:16) I can't remember where I've read these stories, but in regards to where this is unregulated... There's an element of upregulation on what is the highest quality herb, and I remember hearing the initial stories of when [Dedao 00:07:31] became relevant, or [Daode 00:07:34], been when all the trading routes became, those roads became really tended to, and all of a sudden you're getting Schisandra berry where Schisandra berry doesn't really grow and then people going, "Hang on. This isn't the excellent Schisandra that I'm used to. Where's it come from? Oh, it's actually coming from over here now because we can grow it more," and then that person that knew what they were talking about going, "No, I want that Schisandra berry from this region and grown this way," and all of a sudden, there's this born this invisible unregulated at just the highest quality. And it's been completely driven by people like yourself, like... was it Andrew?   Simon Feeney: (08:13) Andrew Ellis, yeah. Andy Ellis, yeah.   Mason: (08:16) But it's hard to communicate to people and then you've gone over there-   Simon Feeney: (08:21) It's very complicated.   Mason: (08:22) ... and met with these huge businesses that you've gone, and then driven by Andrew's demands, then furthered by your demands are going, "No. I need the herbs at this level."   Simon Feeney: (08:31) The correct... I mean, the concept of this adulteration concept is very, very complicated, and as you mentioned, it comes all the way back to trade routes and all sorts of things. The principles of Daode are so complicated. You've got everything from completely incorrect species, like just one example is just Sheng Ma. So Sheng Ma's a herb that they use. I think in English it's like a Black Cohosh, and I think that's the English name for it. Anyway, we think about Sheng Ma and different kinds of Sheng Ma, but if you look at Sheng Ma, the actual herb, you can have something in the north called Sheng Ma and the south called Sheng Ma, but the north call that one [Ma Hua Toe 00:09:13], but in the south, they call it Sheng Ma. So, that can be one issue.   Simon Feeney: (09:19) So when I went to Thailand, for example, I went into a wholesaler, I was looking for [Her Hung Hua 00:09:25], and they're like, "Here it is," and I'm like, "No, no, no. You've got it wrong," because what I was saying was [Her Hung Wa 00:09:29]."   Simon Feeney: (09:30) It's like a special, like a flower. And then all of a sudden you realise, "No, no, no. You're using the wrong species." "No, you're not. You're using the wrong species." "But I've been using it in clinics for 10 years." "Well, I don't know, me too." "You've been using it for what purpose?" "I've been using it for this purpose." "Okay." So in some cases there's just incorrect species, so you just get a completely wrong species. In other instances you can have a different... And one thing does what it does therapeutically and the other one doesn't, and it's just been used for whatever reason, maybe it's got a mild action, but sometimes it just doesn't. It doesn't even have the marker, the therapeutic alkaloid in it, because you can measure these things now. That's the first example.   Simon Feeney: (10:11) Second examples are where you have two different species of, same gene, it's different species with exactly the same function. An example of that's suan zao ren, so suan zao ren has two different kinds of suan zao ren, [foreign language 00:10:31] and spinose. So the spinose species is a little bit more effective, but this is for insomnia and that sort of stuff. But the [foreign language 00:10:40] is being used long enough in the history of Chinese medicine therapeutically and effectively in the clinic to say, "Yeah, it's kind of suan zao ren."   Mason: (10:49) Far out.   Simon Feeney: (10:49) Right?   Mason: (10:51) Yeah.   Simon Feeney: (10:52) And then you've got others. You got like a, and don't even get me started on chai hu bupleurum sinensis. I mean, bupleurum species. There's like 50 that are in use. But in the north the bei chai hu is different from the nan chai, so the bei chai hu is very good at venting shaoyang, so getting out pathologies in the system. This kind of lingering, they call it like a lingering pathogenic factor, but it's just kind of a TCM way of seeing this. It's basically stuck, like the shaoyang imbalance, we need to regulate shaoyang. Doesn't stop the flaring from it, but that's a different herb, [wan chin 00:11:29], but the chai hu doesn't... in the sinensis species does that.   Simon Feeney: (11:35) But then the nan chai hu which is the southern chai hu, that vents and courses the liver. So if you're using those the opposite way around because they were written... It's complicated, sorry, if I get distracted.   Mason: (11:49) Go for it.   Simon Feeney: (11:50) The sinensis is used in all Shang Han Lun formulas, so the classical formulas to vent shaoyang. And in the modern one, the nan chai hu is used in Xiao Chai Hu Tang, which is a very common formula in Chinese medicine... Sorry, Xiao Yao San, to course liver chi and get rid of the stasis. When you swap those around and use them in the context of that formula, they can really cause problems. They can cause the adverse effects that you want. And people think, "Oh, it's me or it's something else." No, it's the species. And the complications of species identification is intense and when it comes to Daode the... I was talking to an indigenous guy, indigenous elder in South Australia, and I was asking about this concept. I was talking about this with him because I was talking about, oh, the way you decoct something.   Simon Feeney: (12:41) And he said, "Oh, Simon, I'm going to bring you something." And he brought me this herb and he's like, "Try it, and see what you think," and he wanted to watch me taste it. I'm tasting it and I'm like "Oh, wow. This does this." And he's like, "Oh, good. Good." And I said, "We should get more of this, and teach me how to use it in clinic and I can apply it." And he said, "Oh... " I said, "Can you grow it?" And he said, "No, no, no. You totally missed the point. You totally don't understand. This is only therapeutically effective if it is on the north side of the river on a south-facing slope. If it's on the other side of the river, it doesn't have any function." So that's a whole 'nother level. So now we're talking about, this can actually be the correct species in the correct area, but it comes back to these really deep principles of Daode.   Mason: (13:27) So I always try to get to the crux of why this comes about. Why we get all these problems and I can see, first of all, blaring the obvious is commercialization, extreme commercialization, taking away from the nature based element of this philosophy.   Simon Feeney: (13:41) Yeah.   Mason: (13:42) Then the other one, you're saying, you got all these people in clinic using a herb because it's in a textbook and you told that you can get this in a pulse, and that in tongue, that in a complexion, this is the formula you're going to be using. "Oh, it's not working." Well, something wrong with-   Simon Feeney: (13:55) Something is wrong with me.   Mason: (13:57) ... this person or the herb. Yeah, it's like, oh, yeah, me or...   Simon Feeney: (13:58) Yeah, or Chinese medicine doesn't work. I've given up, I'm going to go and... Yeah.   Mason: (14:01) Well, that's the most, I guess for me it's a funny frustrating thing because Chinese medicine is such a complete and ancient system-   Simon Feeney: (14:10) It is.   Mason: (14:10) ... that we know works.   Simon Feeney: (14:11) It is.   Mason: (14:12) Yet, the way it's been, I can see in Australia the frustration and of course when you see it get kind of very westernised. You see this belittling of Chinese medicine. If anyone comes in with cancer you need to send them to a big boy doctor, that's a western doctor because your system can't do it.   Simon Feeney: (14:29) No, we can do a lot of stuff and it's definitely the bane of my existence. I mean, it comes back to the principles of... And it goes further. You talk about, first thing is, is basically plant identification. That's step one. So we can see already how complicated that is and we haven't really even gone into the... There's a reason that it happens in the first place, like it's not necessarily... It can be because of innocence. It could just be just not only misidentification but just availability, and availability, what's the... necessity is the mother of all creations. People just need that herb, it's just not available. What are we going to do? How are we going to adapt?   Simon Feeney: (15:14) And so, Chinese medicine's beautiful like that and then all of a sudden new things evolve, and that is the nature of Chinese medicine. It is still evolving, but is evolving based on history. It's not evolving in the sense, like the western mind thinks about evolving in the sense of, "Right, all that stuff's behind me and I need to forge forward into the darkness." I learnt this from my teacher, Arnaud Versluys. Obviously, everyone says everything because they're "Who taught them before?" So I've got to acknowledge that this idea came from my teacher.   Simon Feeney: (15:49) So in the west you forge forward into the darkness with your mind like, "Right, we're going to create new things." And the eastern way of thinking is the absolute opposite. It spins around, you're looking at the foundations of what you have and how they manifest into the future, and the future's often behind you and you're sitting in this present moment. That's a completely different way of looking into the future. And so, trying to get these foundations are very, very important so you've got this... Anyway, back to the [inaudible 00:16:18] process. So plant identification is one thing and then you get to the quality discernment of something, and then you're looking at, right, it's this, this grown this time of the year, it's got pungency, it's got this, it's got that, it's got all its nature, it's got its chi, it's got its signature, it's got its flavour.   Simon Feeney: (16:33) And then you look at dosage, it's a whole 'nother thing and it's underpinning your point which is watering down and diluting the efficacy of the medicine. If you're not using the right dose for the right person at the right time, you can't blame the medicine. And then administration techniques, so different administration techniques are being completely ignored during the course of Chinese medicine. It's very interesting to look at.   Simon Feeney: (17:04) An example like qinghao, so Artemisia annua. What was the name? The lady's name? She got a nobel prize for a science in which she went back to the history of where she started testing qinghao for malaria. So she tested it as an extract or as a granule, and she tested it as a powder, she tested it as a decoction, she tested the level in which she was able to break down these malaria strains. And eventually, she kept following her way back, back, back into the history of Chinese medicine.   Simon Feeney: (17:41) She eventually went and came back to this guy called Ge Hong who was the first person to talk about qinghao, and what did he say? "Read the subtext," he says. "Do a cold water extraction." So take the thing and actually take it, wring it out in cold water and beat it 100 times, all right? And then they tested it and it just... just demolished, just demolished. I get goosebumps thinking about it, the malarial strains, and I've seen it effective on the Thai-Burmese border when we're working there, like it's just so effective. But if you don't do it, the correct administration, you don't use the correct administration technique, you're not going to get that purpose. So every step of the way, identification, quality, dosage, administration, all these steps are very... any of those that are lacking. you're going to get an inferior clinical result.   Mason: (18:33) Okay, because I love to jump in because it frustrates me when people are going and getting acupuncture. We talk about, a lot here about finding someone practising a classical Chinese medicine verse just straight out of the western taught model and it's a distinction I think is quite, I think it's quite stark. Someone like yourself is going, "Okay. I'm going to now have to go and study by myself after I've gotten trained." Tahnee, my wife, knew your name because I think podcasts you've been on talking about dose, so I really want to hear about that. But you just bring up a couple of things I think are just super significant in terms of when you're working with a practitioner.   Mason: (19:21) One, we've brought up the fact that someone could be using a herb and that's any... Of course, we can do that, but it also speaks to the quality of practitioner that we're producing that you not able to get into the mindset and question and understand and see, "Okay, I'm going to be able to chop and change and find what is that energetic of that herb that's not working in this situation, and being able to feel, and be present and be tactile." And you encapsulated that in being able to look, by looking behind you to why the history of this medicine and knowing that the answer's going to be there somewhere if you can not just forge into the darkness.   Simon Feeney: (20:03) No, we shouldn't be making... We're not making this stuff up. We are using the history of that medicine. It's the foundation of what we're doing, and I think it's very hard for, because we have huge egos in the west, like we want to be seen as this guru or we want to be seen as these things and I see it every day in Chinese medicine. You see, "Oh, he was wrong and she's wrong," like, man, we're all part of this. We're all part of this medicine and the only way we can make it better is if we work together, we unify and we basically...   Mason: (20:40) Everyone needs to listen to a little bit of Vanilla Ice, "Stop. Collaborate and listen."   Simon Feeney: (20:44) I wasn't expecting that.   Mason: (20:50) It comes up in my head so much because I can't think of the word collaborate without-   Simon Feeney: (20:54) Oh, without, oh, that's your relationship.   Mason: (20:54) ... singing that to myself.   Simon Feeney: (20:54) Yeah, yeah. Nice.   Mason: (20:57) And I mean it's the same for me in business. I'm a very reluctant businessman and watching other people come up in the medicinal mushroom space and the tonic herb space, and watching myself that perhaps at times kind of, like I just observe what my reaction to that is, especially when you see such a lack of collaboration going on. And every time I dip into the Chinese doctor world, the herbalist world, acupuncturist world, and I can see there's a lot of passion without collaboration a lot of the time. Everyone's just bickering at each other and bickering about like, "Well, this text says this and my lineage says this," and it's like, I mean...   Simon Feeney: (21:41) I mean, we do have that division. I mean, it's just human nature I guess. Politics is in everything. There's politics in an elevator. So that is an issue. It's very much like the martial arts world. This technique doesn't work better, but guess what happens, eventually you kind of get better and better and better. That's the nature of I guess competition in a sense. It was very much like that. They're all, "This guy's next to this guy." If you look at the way it was, like they had booze outside hospitals, just a guy waiting to take your pulse and write your script and get a little bit of money to feed his family. So he had to be good, or he or she had to be good.   Simon Feeney: (22:22) And they're always, "Oh... " And I guess the difference is badmouthing other people as opposed to just being good. So you can spend a lot of time, that's what Andy taught me. I said to him, "Oh, I'm so frustrated. Everyone's saying they've got this pesticide test, and said they got this and they got that. They're saying they got the same stuff as us, but I know they don't." And he's like, "Simon. Simon, just let your herbs speak for themselves."   Mason: (22:45) Great advice.   Simon Feeney: (22:45) I was like, oh, awesome advice. Awesome advice. And that's what it comes down to.   Mason: (22:51) And that's walking the path.   Simon Feeney: (22:52) It is walking... Yeah, it is. It's tough-   Mason: (22:54) I love coming across people like that.   Simon Feeney: (22:56) Yeah. Yeah.   Mason: (22:57) Because it's tough when you're getting triggered by your shadows. You get up and there's all these mirrors for yourself when you get into business, and if you can rise above, let your herbs speak for themselves, go, "There's more than enough for anyone. I'm championing the lineage. I'm championing people being well." All of a sudden-   Simon Feeney: (23:15) Yeah. You're bringing awareness to these issues and it's great. It's what we need. It's what everyone needs.   Mason: (23:21) I'm really-   Simon Feeney: (23:21) We're trying to get people well.   Mason: (23:23) I mean, that's ultimately-   Simon Feeney: (23:26) It's for our community, yeah.   Mason: (23:26) That's where I slap my palm on my head when everyone starts like, when people reporting each other, going after each other, stealing from each other, getting sneaky covert calls, and then we figure out what's going on and we're like, "Dude, just call us." We help so many young businesses and I talk to people who are bigger than me. I ask them advice all the time, and it's so nice when you can get out of that, there's that combative nature because we're trying to get everyone well.   Simon Feeney: (23:59) Yes, absolutely we are. And I think, as you must experience it, it's difficult when you're coming from your perspective, and I think you were mentioning before people are saying, "But you're not this, and you're not that."   Mason: (24:12) Not a herbalist.   Simon Feeney: (24:13) "You're not this and you're not that." It's tough. People spend a lot of time training and they get protective. Same things happening in our acupuncture industry at the moment. There's people spending five years studying their butts off, taking time away from their families. They're living really meagerly to get their degree in acupuncture and they come out, and then a dry needler opens up nextdoor to them and says, "Oh, acupuncture's not safe," or something, and then they give someone a pneumothorax, and then it's, what happens? An acupuncture needle did this. Yeah, but who was holding the acupuncture needle? Some person who's...   Mason: (24:58) What you're talking to there is when there's someone, like there's someone with herbs saying they got the same thing. It's hard if you know someone's potentially going to do damage, like that's if you get out and you know you're in a system and it's one thing to ignore if someone's just doing something measly, but if you know that's going to do damage, how do you not get combative and triggered?   Simon Feeney: (25:20) Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So...   Mason: (25:21) Because I know dry needle, it's always funny... Well, for me, verse the ultimate institutional herbal practise. This is why I enjoy going out and seeking these conversations with practitioners, with people like yourself that are such experts in the system of healing. And I've learnt how to not justify my existence but yet acknowledge that there's this part of me that is so... I've always been called to just stay away from becoming a practitioner and be... I love being folky. Okay, cool, we've identified, there's like a rise of, [inaudible 00:26:07] identified that this works in a very lifestyle kind of space potentially to keep us out of the practitioner office and then cultivate an ability to respect when something goes beyond your expertise, and then go and interact with a practitioner. I mean, I don't know if you [inaudible 00:26:22]-   Simon Feeney: (26:21) Yeah, definitely. I mean, it reminds me of when I... In my 20s, we used to hang out with this Buddhist monk. For years and years, we travelled Southeast Asia unearthing these old manuscripts, and I would spend years... He's one of only two people in the world who can read this stuff, and we would... The stuff that we saw, and I sometimes would bring the script to him and say, "Oh, [Bunty 00:26:48], this one looks really old, is this good?" He's like, "Oh, yeah. That's a thousand years old." And all this stuff was just getting eaten by insects and some of it is just, pertains to really interesting information. This is what started my whole journey.   Simon Feeney: (27:01) So one day I gave him... Normally the texts are about two foot long and they're all on palm leaf or etched by hand. This one was only about 20cm long, and I opened it up and it had all these graphs on it and pictures of the body and all these sort of astrological symbols and stuff. And I said, "Bunty, what is this?" And he's like, "Oh, it's a medical text. The reason it's so small is that the monks used to pop it in their robes and then travel with them, " and they couldn't take the big ones because they would stay at the monastery and they would study them. They would study monastic culture... Oh, sorry, the monastic order and things like that. Anyway, spend a lot of time with him and that, and then I said, "What's on it?" And he said, "Oh, this is for, what's that herb? What's the condition where your skin's falling off?" I'm like "Leprosy?" "Yeah, yeah. This formula's for leprosy." "What?! There's a formula here for leprosy in this stuff?" "Oh, there's a lot of stuff in that, Simon. You have no idea, there's a lot of stuff in that." "This has to be known."   Simon Feeney: (27:54) So I spent a lot of time hanging with him and learning about all the individual herbs and all the formulations and did all this stuff at a very grassroots level. It came to the point where he said to me, and I tried to raise all this capital through this big project to get all this funding to help him get this medicine protected, get these manuscripts into museums, all this stuff. We digitalized. I spent many, many days and nights getting smashed by mosquitoes digitizing these things, smuggled them out of Burma, all sorts of stuff, and arrested at gunpoint, it was hectic. And it got to a point where no one would take me seriously. No one would take me seriously.   Mason: (28:34) Why?   Simon Feeney: (28:35) Because I didn't have any credentials. I said, "Bunty, I'm so frustrated that this project would say, Alan, this person wants to know, our investors want to know this or our project coordinator, to get the funding from this we need to have some sort of legitimacy to you."   Mason: (28:53) This is when you're going into the healing of disease state.   Simon Feeney: (28:56) So I'm working into that. Yes.   Mason: (28:56) That kind of thing with these formulas.   Simon Feeney: (28:59) Yes. Yeah, and also sort of building projects to support them as a culture as well in terms of books and just... I mean, legitimization basicallY. And so, my teacher said, "Ah, Simon, you go and get paper." And I was like, "What do you mean, Bunty?" "You, I teach you enough for here. You go get paper" So I was like, "Okay." Everything he's ever said to me I've just listened to, and it's good to have someone like that in life. And then I left and I got my... I spent five years getting a piece of paper.   Mason: (29:34) Here?   Simon Feeney: (29:36) Yeah, in Australia. Yeah. And that's kind of what that was my path, and it depends on which path you're going and I certainly think that there is room for everybody and there's room for being... I think that's... It's just a different path.   Mason: (29:52) Yeah, I definitely did... That story's insane. [inaudible 00:29:57].   Simon Feeney: (29:58) Oh, there's lots more. Yeah.   Mason: (30:00) Well, let's go, like I'd love to go lots more. I mean, there's a crossroad and I can definitely relate to that crossroad. When you're looking at leprosy and you're looking at these, this is a formula classically done and doses classically done. This information needs to get out there. If you want to go out and start talking about that, you need a piece of paper behind you for sure.   Simon Feeney: (30:25) Yes, you do. Yeah, yeah. And it's not for everyone, and I respect people who don't do that just as much. Like Chinese medicine is built on all kinds of people. Actually, the foundations of it come from aesthetics, come from people like [Shen Nung 00:30:40]. Anyway, this guy didn't have a piece of paper, so I'm not saying it's important-   Mason: (30:45) You just had a translucent [crosstalk 00:30:46].   Simon Feeney: (30:46) I did have a translucent [inaudible 00:30:48]. And just lots and lots of meditation and lots of time in a cave.   Mason: (30:53) Yeah. I mean, I feel like-   Simon Feeney: (30:55) There's room for everything.   Mason: (30:57) Yeah. I mean, for me, I, at one point, like I'm walking that line where you've got, like I'm going I want to step out of practitioner, and so there's a level of what grandma and grandpa says like, "Oh, no. Take that. It makes you strong." I'm at that point where I'm like for the least this little bit of my path I'm happy just going, "Yeah, makes you strong. Yeah, that'll get you thinking a bit sharper." I don't want to say anything more than that. I'm going to have to know if we've got TGA products where we can only say immunity and those kinds of things, or actually we're able to say like cultivate Jing and things like that.   Mason: (31:38) But nonetheless, I'm really enjoying, for me, being at that point where I just sit literally within the kitchen household, and then I had all these, for me, then all of a sudden that opens me up to getting really curious and inviting folks like yourself onto the podcast. And then going, I feel like I can go on an adventure with you. I know my place, and I think that's something that I've liked in going forward with tonic herbalism, non-institutionalised kind of like style of herbal, like it's shoot from the hip, it's grassroots and it's chaotic and archaic, and I kind of like that. But the collaboration at some point needs to happen and they need to get humbled, and I think the tonic or herbal world needs to realise where its edges are.   Simon Feeney: (32:33) Yeah, and same with everything. Same with Chinese medicine. I know that I share this with a lot of practitioners whatever they come from, I mean everything from western surgeons to Chinese medicine practitioners is that you have to know the limitations of that. When you come out you're like, "I can treat everything with Chinese medicine." I'm thinking this, right, as a new graduate. There is nothing this medicine can't do, and then you treat it once and it works, and you treat it twice and it works, and you treat it the third time, I've totally got this, and then it doesn't work.   Simon Feeney: (33:12) Right, okay. Well, go back to my training, go back to my [inaudible 00:33:16] again. Try this, try that, try this, try that, do more training, you're upset with yourself. You're like, "Why doesn't this work?" Okay, factor all these things in. Yeah, all this, got the best quality herbs, got the best... You can do all this and be the best you possibly did 100%, got this pulse right, I've nailed it. Still can't get a result, why? Don't know. The person might need surgery. So to come to that realisation that... It's a really good realisation, a very humbling experience because you say, "Right, just there is a time and place for everything."   Simon Feeney: (33:47) I had a patient with terminal cancer, and I had to say goodbye. That was really tough for the first time it happens. It's so sad when your first patient dies. It's really, really difficult because you think that... I mean, coming from the [Daoist 00:34:11] point of view, you're trying to create everlasting life.   Mason: (34:16) Immortality.   Simon Feeney: (34:16) Immortality, maybe. And then all of a sudden that happens and it's devastating. It's devastating, but it's very humbling and it just makes you do what you can do.   Mason: (34:31) Let's go, I want to hear more about these gooey adventures that you go on where you've gone out of like... You've kind of gone from the diagnostic Chinese... Are you all right?   Simon Feeney: (34:42) Yes, yes, yes.   Mason: (34:42) Yeah? Chinese medicine too... and there's times when you have limitations and then obviously there's... But you've looked and gone, yeah, but we're not being as effective as we can be because we're not dosing say correctly or there's this... There's not this, like bricks and mortar, it's not just bricks and mortar style Chinese medicine. There's obviously something else back in the classics that you're wanting to bring to the forefront, particular formulas, dosage, or maybe there's something like a tactile, like being more agile within your clinic where you actually face backwards to the past, and therefore you've actually got your finger on the pulse in a sense where you can move rather than just following the textbook and have that kind of skill.   Mason: (35:29) I'm curious about that, like I don't know if that's even appropriate what I'm bringing up there, but I get the sense of you... There's this movement and you're part of it going back to these classics which makes you more of a personal... brings more of a humanness and this greater agile skillset to yourself in clinic with that patient. I don't know if that makes sense in that statement.   Simon Feeney: (35:50) Sort of, yeah. So I think there is a renaissance in Chinese medicine currently. It's from the west. The west is guiding this because I mean, I could just think of literally like two days ago I got lectured. I'm not sure if I want to bring this up, but look, this is the truth of what happened. I got a lecture. I consider myself a very, not a specialist by any means, but certainly an obsessive, I'm obsessed with the classics. I'm obsessed with this kind of administration, I'm obsessed with understanding these texts, and I was lectured by this lady... Actually, no, I'm not going to talk about that. So, I'm going to change the topic.   Mason: (36:40) I don't know even if it helps in that context not talking about that specific situation, but let's see on not with you but in a broader sense maybe bring up where's the clashing of the heads between the renaissance and what's maybe been really institutionalised in Australia in the west and China.   Simon Feeney: (36:59) Yeah, definitely. So the way that the TCM model is being taught currently, it's lacking. It's lacking the clinical application. It wasn't until I met my teacher, Arnaud Versluys that I really realised, "Wow. This is really, really good medicine," and I talked to people about his level of pulse diagnosis that he has taught us in Australia to other people who are super experienced and they're like, "That's impossible. You can't have two people feeling the same pulse and coming up with the same conclusion." I'm like, "No, no, no." I've seen it time and time again. I can give you an example, if you like?   Mason: (37:35) Yeah, please.   Simon Feeney: (37:36) First time I met Arnaud, we had 50 students on either side feeling each pulse. So 50 students feeling the right pulse, and 50 students feeling the left pulse, and he felt both-   Mason: (37:47) I can just imagine.   Simon Feeney: (37:47) It was awesome. It was awesome. And so, he's just in the centre figure feeling these people's pulses. He's feeling the pulse, writing the script, giving it to them, to the patient. The patient's going over sitting there, and then everyone's trying to feel what he felt, and this is part of the training and part of his training, it's called pulse calibration. So what we're trying to calibrate our fingers to feel exactly what he's feeling.   Simon Feeney: (38:06) One of his top students was there and anyway, so there's a patient sitting down and she comes over to the patient and says to the student that's feeling her pulse, "Would you mind if I just quickly feel the pulse? Just wanted to jump in." "Course, no worries. You're the... " So she feels the pulse, and he's like, "Would you like to see the formula?" And she goes "Oh, no, no. It's fine. I just want to check." And then she said the formula name [foreign language 00:38:28]. And he said "Oh, wow. That was pretty good." The student said to her, "Wow, I bet you don't know the dosages," which is kind of being a bit condescending to her. And she's like, "Well... " blah-blah-blah. And she said about one of the doses, she said the [Che Bai 00:38:45] was at 48g. And he goes "No, 24". He thought she got one thing wrong and that was enough to say that she wasn't legitimate, like that was already just super, super... I was just going, "Wow, whatever. I want to learn this." But then she goes, "Oh... " And she didn't take offence to it.   Simon Feeney: (39:08) She in fact just went and took the opportunity to feel the pulse to figure out what she'd done wrong, and then she feels the pulse and she's like, "Really? I thought he would have done 48." And he's like... And she said, "Can I see the paper?" "Yeah" The student had written 24. She said "Excuse me, Arnaud. This patient, did you do Che Bai at 24 or 48g?" And he goes through his notes and he goes, "48," and she looked down at the student. She said, "Maybe you need to check your notes." And I was just blown away. I've never seen anything like that in pulse diagnosis, to be able to replicate that, and that's what Chinese medicine is, is replication. But that information and trying to replicate it without diluting it, it takes a lot of effort to say the least. It's hard. It's hard to keep that level of quality going. Anyway, off tangent but...   Mason: (40:07) Well, I mean, it's on tangent because I think we are... I mean, especially on the podcast and the people that tune in, we're such, for me, I'm such a fan of Chinese medicine and I'm such a fan of clinical acupuncture, and to see it flail sometimes is really heartbreaking.   Simon Feeney: (40:29) Yes, yes.   Mason: (40:30) And to hear something like that, it's such a transformation. Immediately, it transforms me into a way of seeing the world that I always, I move towards. I feel like there's a sense, when you look at the classics and you look at the metaphor and the story there's a sense of animism that emerges in me and I can feel the world view and the skillset that a practitioner's going to need in order to be able to come up with the same pulse diagnosis every single time, and I think, what happened? We took out the story, the love, the animism and everyone goes, "Yeah, but that's going to be good because it's going to be [inaudible 00:41:14], we cut out all the shit that's not... " Cut the spirit out basically, and we're going to get more consistency.   Simon Feeney: (41:20) Yeah. That's what happened.   Mason: (41:20) And the opposite happened.   Simon Feeney: (41:20) Yeah. Well, I mean the TCM model is still being taught every day. Look, if you talk to some incredible acupuncturist like David White here in Australia, and these guys are bringing back some of that old acupuncture system, but it died, like it was killed. They killed it. It was dead. Luckily, we had actually had it for herbalism, Chinese herbalism, we had an actual physical thing to touch and to measure. So during the cultural evolution that was actually an opportunity to grow. It was then institutionalised obviously, but some of that old stuff survived. It survived in Taiwan, really. That's really what's made that survival. But it survived in practitioners like my teacher's teacher's teacher, Dr. Tian.   Simon Feeney: (42:14) So he lived till 98 basically treating 300 patients a day, and passed it onto a few students and one of those students was my teacher's teacher. And he survived with that same thing even though he went through that period, but he just kept practising the classic, kept practising the classic, practised what his teachers practised and he managed to pass it onto Arnaud, and now Arnaud is passing it onto us. But most of it definitely has been lost to a degree, very much similar to what happened in western herbalism. I remember talking to Jimi, I heard you interview Jimi and he's-   Mason: (42:49) Love him.   Simon Feeney: (42:50) He's a great guy. Yeah. He-   Mason: (42:52) That's Jimi Wollumbin, everybody.   Simon Feeney: (42:54) Yeah.   Mason: (42:54) Yeah.   Simon Feeney: (42:54) Yeah, he called me up one day just out of the blue and we just started talking, and I was like, "Wow, I could talk to this guy for a long, long time." So, yeah, very interesting, and I think he was sort of illustrating that as well, kind of that massive loss of herbalism, and then I think people like him are really kind of bringing that back to western herbalism, seems to me.   Mason: (43:15) Yeah.   Simon Feeney: (43:16) Seems to me. It's needed.   Mason: (43:16) And likewise yourself.   Simon Feeney: (43:17) Yeah.   Mason: (43:18) Having these conversations when... Well, I mean for you especially, and I know we won't go too much into it, you're really playing in both worlds.   Simon Feeney: (43:26) Yes.   Mason: (43:26) You really got your foot... You're rubbing up against the way that TCM is being taught here.   Simon Feeney: (43:32) Yeah.   Mason: (43:34) Directly with the new-   Simon Feeney: (43:35) Yeah, a lot of people get upset with me, unfortunately. Yeah. Yeah.   Mason: (43:37) It's kind of fun, isn't it?   Simon Feeney: (43:38) So you're thinking, welcome to my world.   Mason: (43:39) [crosstalk 00:43:39] world. I mean, I kind of tell people regularly. They're like, "How often does it happen that you have someone contacting you and getting upset?" I'm like, "I don't know why, not often."   Simon Feeney: (43:53) Oh, good, good. Yeah.   Mason: (43:55) But I don't know why. I think because I was beaten by the press and I think and try and have a conversation with myself to be like, "What am I doing that rubs up against the wrong way of... " and it's the TCM people, or even my classical acupuncturist. He gets upset at me sometimes because he's moved away now so, people, you can't ask me for his name because everyone's looking for that classic like, "Oh my God, you got a classical acupuncturist in the area? Can I have his name?" You know, for having like a few individual herbs, and I'm like, "I get it." I'll sit down and have a discussion of my rationale or where I was when I brought them into the range and now, how they're being used and how practitioners are using, so on and so forth. But I would much prefer to have it than leave that conversation in the shadows.   Simon Feeney: (44:47) Yeah. I think it's probably just jealousy for other people. I think they're probably just jealous of your success and that's not very attractive for those people.   Mason: (44:58) It's weird.   Simon Feeney: (44:59) But I think bringing this awareness to people in Australia is necessary. I think it's great what you've done, what you've achieved. I've seen your place now, it's really great. Well done. Yeah. I think it's great, yeah.   Mason: (45:12) Thank you very much. I really appreciate it. I think part of the mission is on the sidelines it can be the joker scallywag bringing attention to what you're talking about, to what Jimi Wollumbin is talking about. Do you know Rhonda Chang?   Simon Feeney: (45:25) I don't, no.   Mason: (45:25) I'm going to see if I've got a spare one of her books to give you. She's got a book called Chinese Medicine Masquerading as Yi.   Simon Feeney: (45:33) As?   Mason: (45:33) Yi.   Simon Feeney: (45:33) Oh, yeah. Okay.   Mason: (45:38) Blows it out, like documenting exactly how this new TCM is an invention that came about in the 50s.   Simon Feeney: (45:46) Yes, yes. Yeah.   Mason: (45:48) And I'm sure none of it's going to be news to you.   Simon Feeney: (45:50) Yeah. Well, it's funny, I was talking about the, even on the weekend someone was talking about some basic concepts like chi, people still think it's energy. You look at the translation, it's really fair. So these kinds of ideas are very new to the western Chinese medicine practitioners. It's very hard to understand that, because a lot of people come into the medicine with a very romantic view of what Chinese medicine is and can do. I was the same. I was very, how herbalism they can treat all this stuff, but then when you really start to practise and you realise it's not as... You've got to be very pragmatic about it, you've got to be very systematic about it, you've got to approach it with a clinical mindset. It's a very different thing, a very different way of thinking about it.   Simon Feeney: (46:47) But when you see how it connects with natural phenomena then you can actually reconnect with that whole idea. When you start to understand that, for example, you learn about different conformations, or just the translations. So for example, like the six, they call the six channels, they used to call the six channels or the six meridians or the six systems or the six warps. It just gives you a... It's very planned, and you can learn it like that. I'm talking about Tai Yang, Yang Min, Shao Yang, et cetera. When you translate it a different way, which is we translate it as conformations which is the way my teacher, Arnaud, translates it. It takes on a whole different perspective.   Simon Feeney: (47:29) So a conformation is something that's... It's vessels that are conforming to natural phenomena. So all of a sudden you're looking at it from a natural perspective and you're looking from a metaphoric, you're using natural metaphors to understand the body because we are just the microcosm of the macrocosm. And then you can get that whole romantic perspective and artistic perspective of what the medicine is. It returns, but it's only due to this renaissance that we're going through at the moment. It doesn't happen in the current model that's taught, but it's like everything, probably the same as accounting, I don't know.   Mason: (48:15) I mean, the world of numbers, I know there's a... I know, I've got friends that are sacred mathematicians [crosstalk 00:48:22]-   Simon Feeney: (48:21) Yes, exactly. There you go. Well done, exactly. Well said, yeah.   Mason: (48:27) Yeah. It is exciting. It is exciting feeling the story-telling and the metaphor and the alive, spiritually alive world can-   Simon Feeney: (48:38) It is. It's living and breathing. You feel it when the pulse changes. When you give someone a formula and their pulse changes and you go, "Whoa!" Or the seasons change, you feel it in their pulse. It's awesome.   Mason: (48:48) I mean, and I know what happened to the water.   Simon Feeney: (48:51) Yes. Yes.   Mason: (48:51) I can feel that. Was it like-   Simon Feeney: (48:52) Yes, it changes. Things change. Everything courses and lives and breathes.   Mason: (48:59) It's nice to see that, it's so simple. It's something that's so, it's so looked down on to have that romantic, that animism, yet you should have that with extreme structure and discipline at the same time.   Simon Feeney: (49:17) It does. It's both of those things simultaneously, and that Daoist medicine. That is the interaction and the mutual exchange of yin and yang and the cosmos, it's good.   Mason: (49:31) And the people that feel it, they feel the lineage.   Simon Feeney: (49:34) Yeah, it's very, very... It's in you. Yeah, absolutely. You practise it, and that's why it's kind of protected.   Mason: (49:42) I'd love to just go down that rabbit hole maybe hear some more adventures along the way, especially around the dosing. As I said, Tahnee knew you.   Simon Feeney: (49:51) Yes. Dosage stuff, yeah.   Mason: (49:53) Yeah, heard your stuff and I mean, if anything can go to the difference between something not working clinically and working clinically...   Simon Feeney: (50:01) Yeah.   Mason: (50:02) Transformational.   Simon Feeney: (50:03) Yes, it's huge. Yeah. So that whole dosage journey started when I started to make those classical pills. So a good example is MaZiRenWan. It's a hemp seed pill that's used for chronic constipation and inflammation in the small intestine, and that formula when I was trying to physically make it, because this is what I was trying to do. I wanted to use the, this back to this kind of original dosage but as an administration technique, so I was trying to use the administration techniques to be the way they were originally used. As I mentioned before with Artemisia, these kinds of factors are really, really huge.   Simon Feeney: (50:41) So you have Tang, Sans and Wans. So Tang's a decoction, so it's much more for sorting the organs clean, a very acute medicine. Sans are the powders, and they're for things that you need a little bit of hydrochloric acid to absorb into the body. And then Wans are pills, so they're much more chronic issues that have to be gently administered into the body or you want them to slowly get into the bloodstream. So you use honey, acts like a slow-release mechanism so it helps the herbs to stabilise, not get affected by the hydrochloric acid and absorb through the walls of the small intestine, straight into the bloodstream, straight into the liver, and then systematically.   Simon Feeney: (51:20) So, I didn't want to use Wans as Tangs and Tangs as Sans and Sans as Tangs or Wans. I wanted to use them according to the classics, so then I have to make them. So, go to the textbook, go to make them, read the current dosages, like this gramme equal this liang, this is this gramme, make it, slop. What's going on? Try a different formula, totally dry. How am I going to roll this into a pill?   Simon Feeney: (51:51) Now, I'd made medicine with my teacher on the border in Burma and Thailand, and I made boiled pills with him. I'd seen everyone, I'd hang out with the monks in the temples, breaking, grinding up herbs. I'd been doing that for years, learning all these techniques. I went "This is not right. Something's not right here." So, then I went "Okay, well, like you do, foundational medicine. Go back to the foundations." Went back to the foundations, what were the dosages? Oh, it's one liang of this, I have no idea what that is. It's half a jin. Well, I don't know what that is. It's one jin. Well, at least I know that half a jin, if I figure out what a jin is, I can figure out what half a jin is. A zhang? Don't even know, that's like a volume measurement? And then a [chur 00:52:35]. A chur is just a foot of something. I'm like, what the hell am I doing? How am I going to make this formula?   Simon Feeney: (52:43) So, okay, what is a liang? Because I knew that eight liang is one jin, half a jin will be four liang, et cetera, et cetera. Then you have these fen measurements and zhu measurements, and all these old measurements. I read every book I can find about this measurement stuff, and then I start going to the people who I feel like know the most in the English world, and even found some Chinese text. One liang equals 15.625g, and I'm like, "That's pretty precise."   Simon Feeney: (53:17) My dad's a PhD in algebra and he taught me at a very age about all sorts of mathematical things, so I was obsessed. How come everything thinks it's 3g when he's saying, and these people are like the authority, it's 15.625. So find out that, I mean how much do you want to know? Do you want me to... Am I boring you?   Mason: (53:37) I mean, I'm fascinated.   Simon Feeney: (53:40) Okay.   Mason: (53:40) Screw everyone listening, I want to hear you.   Simon Feeney: (53:43) I'm not sure this is right for your audience, but even if it's just for me and you... Yes, I mean, I don't care if you-   Mason: (53:47) No, go for it. You'll be surprised at how much they'll be loving this.   Simon Feeney: (53:53) Okay. So, yeah, 15.625g. So it turns out that this weight system comes off an old measurement system, so it's this old bell and you need to use a pitch pipe to tune the bell and it's called a Huang bell, and you use this pitch pipe that's cut with a particular size of bamboo. You know, how you got the knots in the bamboo and the gap? So then they create this at different sizes, and would create a different tune, right, when you "hoo". You... whatever, blow on it, right?   Mason: (54:20) When you hoedown on it.   Simon Feeney: (54:23) So in order to figure out how high that had to be, it was based on putting pieces of broomcorn millet inside this thing, and 1200 of those would be where you cut it off to make the pitch for the bell, this is a ceremonial bell. Turns out 1200 of that is 12 zhu, and 24 zhu is one liang. So I went and became a specialist in black broomcorn millet because of course that's what you do.   Mason: (54:56) Of course, that seems so obvious.   Simon Feeney: (54:58) Then I counted... It was such an obvious conclusion, right. So I had to find not only that but I had to find black broomcorn millet that was produced in the Han dynasty, which was an interesting process. Counted them all out, 1200, weighed them all out, 7.8g, right, 15.625, that's how they came up with the conclusion. So I was certain that's what that dose was.   Mason: (55:17) There's no industry for this in the Han... Where did you say was it?   Simon Feeney: (55:20) In the Han dynasty.   Mason: (55:21) In the Han...   Simon Feeney: (55:22) Yeah. Oh, sorry.   Mason: (55:22) Like where were you sourcing the millet? Where did you say you had to go and source it somewhere in China?   Simon Feeney: (55:26) Oh, basically just research. Yeah, just extensive research into the growth patterns of black broomcorn... because I didn't want to know that the size was different. Like the wheat grain had changed, it's different. The size, so if I'm counting them individually...   Mason: (55:39) That's what I'm thinking, yeah.   Simon Feeney: (55:40) Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we're talking about a volume measurement with something that could be potentially bigger or smaller. So, long story short, I started to figure out what a liang was. Then I could find out what a jin was, and half a jin was, and then this, and a zhu and a zhang. Put it all together based on those weights, perfect pills.   Mason: (55:59) Do you know where the-   Simon Feeney: (56:00) Like, yeah!   Mason: (56:01) Like that is [crosstalk 00:56:01] I'm feeling [crosstalk 00:56:02].   Simon Feeney: (56:03) Yeah. It was good moment.   Mason: (56:05) You're looking at your dad about how elated he was when he got like a massive formulation and you're like, "I get it."   Simon Feeney: (56:11) Yeah. It was a revelation, yeah.   Mason: (56:15) Where was the crux point where it's gone away from these forms of measurements? Where has the standardisation occurred that led to such dramatic poor translations on the formulas?   Simon Feeney: (56:28) What an awesome question. I mean, gosh that's complicated. So many factors. I mean, every factor from... As we mentioned earlier, quality to so many species differentiation, change in the environment, change in climate, lifestyle, people's... In the Han dynasty [inaudible 00:56:48] are living in huts versus living in air conditioned housing, so the strength of someone's digestive system that could cope with that compared to now. So that's one theory why it kind of got reinterpreted, but then if you look back through the dynasties each measurement system sort of changed, and then there's conflicting arguments, and then it kind of... and let's just all, just a big discussion.   Simon Feeney: (57:15) And so, there's sti

Ann Armbrecht, Author, "Business of Botanicals" - Y on Earth Community Podcast The post Episode 108 – Ann Ambrecht, Author, “Business of Botanicals” first appeared on Y on Earth Community.

Discussing the ins and outs of Black Cohosh and why I've been recommending it for over 20 years : ) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dr-mcdaniel/message

In this episode, we review some of the most studied integrative therapies for the woman who is struggling with menopause symptoms (which is 80% of us!).  We review the benefits or the not-so-benefits of: 1. Hypnosis 2. Yoga 3. Aromatherapy 4. Black Cohosh 5. Wild Yam 6. Dong Quai 7. Maca 8. Evening primrose oil 9. Phytoestrogens - Flaxseed Share it with a friend who you know has been complaining of menopausal symptoms, whether it be hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, depression, anxiety, sleep disorder, etc... Shownotes HERE ---------------------------------------------------------------- Our Manifestation 4-Step Hypnosis Recordings is Still Available on Our Website for a Limited Time You can sign up here! ------------------------------------------------------------------ Don't forget to check out our social media, FOLLOW and leave us a comment! 1. Instagram @Health_Is_PowHer 2. Facebook  3. Pinterest ------------------------------------------------------------------ We hope you enjoy the episode and if you do, please SUBSCRIBE, RATE, and REVIEW So you can help us increase our reach to help more women awaken their best selves, have more energy, and live the life they dreamed of while healing and recovering from any pain and health issues! ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Health Is PowHer wellness coaching members club has launched! We'd love to have you and if you're interested in awakening your best self, having more energy, and living the life to your full health potential, and are determined to feel better then check us out with the link below! https://healthispowher.com/health-is-powher-members-club/

* Alchemilla's website: alchemillas * Matthew Wood: Matthew Wood Institute of Herbalism --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/amanda-dilday/support

Body Parts Affected: Uterus, nerves, joints --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Black cohosh, Kali Ma, eight of swords, five of fire… Darkness!! Are you ready for this?? This is an intense and powerful herb of the week with a lot of nudges to dive into our darkness to do our healing work. Have your dark night of the soul! Are you ready for this? Yes, of course you are. You must. It is time. Black cohosh is here to help. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/herboracle/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/herboracle/support

What is Black Cohosh, benefits and uses. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ronda-herbert/support

It's Pluto Retrograde!!! But what does that mean?! And how do I figure out what that means for me? All the details are included in this episode, and the gist is that transformation upgrades are flowing through by the minute! Don't fear the retrogrades— they're just here to give you the upgrades you need to ascend. And if times get tough, lean on Pluto-ruled herbs like Saw Palmetto, Spirulina, Chlorella, Raspberry Leaf, and Ginseng for tinctures or for dietary assistance! You can also seek out Pluto-ruled flowers like Black Cohosh, Poke Berry, Henbane, Helebore & Moonflower (and technically all fungi!) for support through flower essence medicine or visual healing. And you can use Pluto-ruled crystals like Spinel, Tourmalated Quartz, Kunzite, Labradorite & Malachite to help you stay true to your path as your power grows. Tune in to receive all the details. Intro song called “Song of Lyra” by Judy Satori. Cover art designed by @tazhaworld. Insta: @findme_inthestars & @findmeinthestarspodcast. Rate, review, and share as you like

Sharing some natural remedies for common menopause related issues! Thank you so much for watching. Your support means the world to me! ~Erin xo ===== SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER ===== Get TWO FREE Wardrobe Basics Checklists, Weekly newsletter and FREE lookbook full of style and beauty tips! http://eepurl.com/bedNIr ===== PRODUCT LINKS HERE ===== Problem #1 | Weight Gain | 02:40 Apple Cider Vinegar, $3 | https://rstyle.me/+k6zjW2FxsIRjpVO381... Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies, $19 | https://rstyle.me/+sqzRXKh_PqBdX7b-2l... Problem #2 | Fatigue | 06:19 Vitamin B Complex, $17 | https://rstyle.me/+8u7NcFUUtv2UCC60Lk... Problem #3 | Hair | 06:35 Biotin, $9 | https://rstyle.me/+ipc4QEr1IixE_ePKAp... Collagen, $14 | https://rstyle.me/+DuImiMRb-byXiGyiGf... Collagen Powder, $26 | https://rstyle.me/+MG_Jqg9YuDOwk72-CZ... Collagen Capsules, $23 | https://rstyle.me/+A9liuypiiAqKHQUQnw... Jojoba Oil, $8 | https://rstyle.me/+W-HcmO50ay1k8qFXD1... Natrafol, $88 | https://rstyle.me/+MkCMNVNQN4gTi8Aj88... Problem #4 | Hot Flashes 07:11 Evening Primrose Supplement, $17 | https://rstyle.me/+HUEIFRID5OVyFuN-9m... Black Cohosh, $10 | https://rstyle.me/+kWwWua8ON9xq3NFSWK... Sage, $15 | https://rstyle.me/+EQNaMZn6nCDyCmoksL... Thistle, $13 | https://rstyle.me/+YMtNaxXmcbX0aIWyby... Ground Flaxseed, $12 | https://rstyle.me/+OPQGbMbYRs0q_9asof... Omega 3, $21 | https://rstyle.me/+2LFCfzJknRWdjSYJTN... Soy Capsules, $24 | https://rstyle.me/+BqMTML8diAj19GUfKJ... Fenugreek, $15 | https://rstyle.me/+3lg1aun3vOIeIWN7Vx... Problem #5 | Digestion | 08:00 Kombucha, $4 | https://rstyle.me/+YxjrbhYGeLSftIHea2... Problem #6 | Sleeping | 08:17 Magnesium, $9 | https://rstyle.me/+VYHrgwchrxvRiMQSxB... Black Cherry, $10 | https://rstyle.me/+Skvkr7qT_e4yzygOsB... Problem #8 | Natural Estrogen | 08:37 Wild Yam Cream, $10 | https://rstyle.me/+BDzpfyMBfnuRRWjGpp... Maca, $13| https://rstyle.me/cz-n/d4pfcx58an Problem #9 | Inflammation | 09:22 Dandelion Root, $40 | https://rstyle.me/+KVKUMSM8QVTOSEqhTR... Sage, $15 | https://rstyle.me/+EQNaMZn6nCDyCmoksL... Problem #10 | Vaginal Dryness/Wellness | 10:07 Soy, $15 | https://rstyle.me/+yXCbUZKgFUoJ-CwGEJ... Black Cohosh, $10 | https://rstyle.me/+kWwWua8ON9xq3NFSWK... Coconut Oil, $12 | https://rstyle.me/+2zOKPHykUwXEzF9jIJ... Evening Primrose Supplement, $17 | https://rstyle.me/+HUEIFRID5OVyFuN-9m... Wild Yam Cream, $10 | https://rstyle.me/+BDzpfyMBfnuRRWjGpp... What I'm Doing | 12:14 ===== OTHER VIDEOS TO WATCH ===== MENOPAUSE VIDEO #1 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K3CS... MORE REAL TALK VIDEOS | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3cTQ... ===== MORE STYLE IDEAS on my WEBSITE ===== http://busbeestyle.com/ ===== SOCIAL MEDIA ===== INSTAGRAM | http://instagram.com/busbeestyle TWITTER | https://twitter.com/BusbeeStyle FACEBOOK | https://www.facebook.com/BusbeeStyle PINTEREST | http://www.pinterest.com/busbeestyle/ THE HIVE | https://www.facebook.com/groups/36832... *DISCLOSURE: I use affiliate links. That means IF you buy something through one of my links, I make a small percentage of revenue. Thank you for supporting me and my mission to help make style and shopping simple. ~Erin xo

Part 1 of 2 (Aging Parents) Is your family ready? As we are coming off of the holidays, and you may have spent time with your parents, or siblings and have the the slightest feeling that you should start preparing for the future of aging, this podcast episode will help answer some of the questions. We have a tendency to avoid things that make us uncomfortable, but with 10,000 people turning 65 every day, it’s not a matter of it this is going to affect you, it’s a matter of when. Kelli Bradley, is an expert on caregiving, and has both lived the journey personally while caring for her parents, but she will also share her knowledge and insight and empower you to take on this challenge with grace. You’ll find yourself prepared to for the future, and ready to ask the tough questions. Kelli is a native Oregonian who has dedicated the last twenty years of her life both personally and professionally to senior care. Kelli's mom was diagnosed with diabetes many years ago, and she suffered multiple complications ranging from blindness to kidney failure. It was during that time Kelli realized they were not the only family struggling to find solutions for care. That realization led her to create and run one of the leading in-home care companies. Over the next decade, Kelli served hundreds of families, helping them to navigate the ins and outs of caring for an aging family member. But Kelli knew something was still missing. Kelli knew there was more to helping families than just in-home care. The Devoted Daughter was soon born — a comprehensive resource for family caregivers. Kelli serves her clients through workshops, speaking events, and digital courses. She also published her first book titled, "Always Her Daughter." The book is part memoir and part caregiver manual.To learn more about her services, you can visit thedevotedduaghter.com and visit her on social media.Menopause Miracle: https://pinklotus.com/elements/?r=74&campaign=FearlesslyFacingFifty Menopause Miracle provides fast and significant menopause symptom relief for over 90% of women, scientifically backed by 3 randomized clinical studies. The patented and FDA reviewed ingredients are safe, drug-free, non-estrogenic, vegan and clinically proven by placebo. Developed to provide relief from hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood swings, insomnia, headaches, fatigue, joint pain, and more.Many women experience initial relief within the first month. Over 90% show comprehensive relief by the 2nd month of taking the product daily.Estrogen and Hormone Free! Ideal for anyone concerned about estrogen levels and those looking for a safe and natural alternative to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).Works for women who enter menopause due to age as well as those who have symptoms from chemotherapy or ovary removal (with or without a hysterectomy).100% vegan, non-GMO, soy-free and Gluten-free. Free of additives. Does not contain Black Cohosh, which has been linked to liver toxicity.Multiple side benefits: Lessens skin wrinkles, increases skin moisture, improves triglycerides (higher HDL, lower LDL), elevates bone density, and does not cause weight gain.

Using his extensive knowledge of medicine, Dr. Michael Gerber shares his integrative remedies A-Z. In this episode, Dr. Gerber continues sharing his extensive list of integrative remedies beginning with the letter B! From Bucco, Bryonia to Black Cohosh and Borage Oil, Dr. Gerber shares how he uses these remedies to treat a variety of ailments.Learn More About Dr. Michael Gerberhttps://themedicinewheel.org/michael-gerber/Please rate our podcast and subscribe to say in the loop.Subscribe to our podcast:Apple:https://apple.co/34x71OqSpotify:https://spoti.fi/2CivYRGLearn More:https://themedicinewheel.org/Subscribe to our YouTube Channel:http://bit.ly/2rdMIqSLike us on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/themedwheelFollow us on Twitter:https://twitter.com/themedwheelFollow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/themedwheel/DISCLAIMERhttps://themedicinewheel.org/disclaimer/The information shared in this podcast is for general information only and should not be construed as medical advice and understand that no doctor-patient relationship is formed. The use of this information and educational materials link to this podcast and website are employed at the user's own risk.Rather read the interview instead? We offer transcriptions for every episode.https://themedicinewheel.org/podcast-ep-9/Support the show (http://www.themedicinewheel.org/omcare/)

Talk to a Dr. Berg Keto Consultant today and get the help you need on your journey (free consultation). Call 1-540-299-1557 with your questions about Keto, Intermittent Fasting, or the use of Dr. Berg products. Consultants are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 9 pm EST. Saturday & Sunday 9 am to 5 pm EST. USA Only. Take Dr. Berg's Free Keto Mini-Course! Biggest Body Problem Survey: http://bit.ly/2GaUQyH Dr. Berg's Estrogen Balance: https://bit.ly/2TFTFdU Dr. Berg talks about hot flashes and the mechanism behind it. Vasomotor Instability is the medical term for a hot flash. It means there is an instability in the feedback loops between the hypothalamus and ovaries that creates a flashing response called Superficial Vasodilation and a deep drop in the core temperature every 4 minutes (which could cause palpitations, perspiration, problems on the heart, etc.). He also talks about what triggers instability that causes the symptoms. Black Cohosh is also a good support to supply phytoestrogens to help complete the circuit. Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio: Dr. Berg, 51 years of age is a chiropractor who specializes in weight loss through nutritional & natural methods. His private practice is located in Alexandria, Virginia. His clients include senior officials in the U.S. government & the Justice Department, ambassadors, medical doctors, high-level executives of prominent corporations, scientists, engineers, professors, and other clients from all walks of life. He is the author of The 7 Principles of Fat Burning. ABOUT DR. BERG: https://bit.ly/2FwSQQT DR. BERG'S STORY: https://bit.ly/2RwY5GP DR. BERG'S SHOP: https://bit.ly/2RN11yv DR. BERG'S VIDEO BLOG: https://bit.ly/2AZYyHt DR. BERG'S HEALTH COACHING TRAINING: https://bit.ly/2SZlH3o Follow us on FACEBOOK: https://www.messenger.com/t/drericberg TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DrBergDC YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/drericberg123 Send a Message to Dr. Berg and his team: https://www.messenger.com/t/drericberg

We wish you a happy healthy new year! We're talking about an herb that indigenous people used for millennia. Black Cohosh was used mostly for women's health and especially around childbirth pms type symptoms, fibromyalgia and menopause. It's on the UPs endangered list, so purchase responsibly & thoughtfully! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jayne-simmons/support

Episode seven of the Ground Shots Podcast.   A conversation with folk herbalist, teacher, witch and forager Rebecca Beyer of Blood and Spicebush, out of Barnardsville, NC.       We talk about:   a few plants in the southern Appalachia and the folklore around them different ways to think about how to responsibly teach about Appalachian folk herbalism acknowledging the erasure of the contributions of West African folks to Appalachian folk herbalism practices due to white supremacy ethical questions and ponderings around wildcrafting in different bioregions the need for conversations around dispelling the myths surrounding rural Appalachian folks as 'primitive ancestors'        Links:  http://www.bloodandspicebush.com/ https://www.sassafras-school.com/ Becky's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloodandspicebush/ Becky's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bloodandspicebush/   episode photo by: Shauna Caldwell ********************     Support the podcast on Patreon and access a plant profile on Black Cohosh written by Becky. +++ We are aiming for 75 patrons by January! (We are currently at 53!) Help us make this goal by pledging monthly at any level, so we can continue to provide free content for everyone. +++ Visit our website Of Sedge and Salt Our Instagram page @goldenberries Join the Ground Shots Podcast Facebook Group to discuss the episodes Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on the Ground Shots Project Theme music: Mother Marrow Produced by: Opia Creative

Episode Three of the Ground Shots Podcast.   Interview with Laurie Quesinberry, 'granny root digger' and founder of Bear Alchemy out of Laurel Fork, Virginia, a small community in southern Appalachia.  We talk about:   the complexity of traditional Appalachian root digging the complicated nature of wildcrafting, especially in the southern Appalachia alternatives to digging highly sought after Appalachian root medicine like Black Cohosh and Ginseng-- using leaf medicine and Laurie's experiments and observations the Black Cohosh catacombs and the waste created in the disconnect sometimes between the harvester, the economics of herb buying and the strength of medicine needed for it to work changes in Laurie's community and heritage the problematic nature of getting herbal 'wide eyes' as a new herb student  Laurie receiving the United Plant Savers' 2018 Medicinal Plant Conservation Award   Links:    Laurie's website: http://bearalchemy.com/ The United Plant Saver's website: https://unitedplantsavers.org/   ********************************* Music by Mother Marrow Produced by Opia Creative ***********************************   Stay updated on our latest episodes: http://www.groundshotsproject.com Contact : kelly@ofsedgeandsalt.com Support the podcast on Patreon to keep the audio project going. Access Patreon-only content related to the podcast and our other projects. We will be doing a giveaway of Laurie's medicine through the Ground Shots Project Patreon page for supporters of the project. Follow us or support us there to see when we start the giveaway period. Find out more at: http://www.patreon.com/ofsedgeandsalt Read our blog, check out our store: http://www.ofsedgeandsalt.com Follow us on Instagram: @goldenberries Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ofsedgeandsalt/

It's time for Q&A #5 with Robb and Nicki for Episode 397 of the podcast. And don't forget to submit your own questions for the podcast here: https://robbwolf.com/contact/submit-a-question-for-the-podcast/ Enjoy!   Show Notes 1. [3:30] Are vegetables out to kill us? Robert says Hi Robb, I love the new format of the podcast, and really enjoy the episodes that leave the health sphere just a little. The episode about self-defense was a great listen! This question is really aimed to help you get rid of your pesky listeners - especially those that you've convinced to eat a meat and veggie diet. After the zero-carb episode with Dr. Shawn Baker, I decided to give carnivorousness shot. Some greasy used car salesman keeps telling me to try it and see how I look, feel and perform, so I figured might as well. To my surprise, I didn't develop horrendous constipation, gastrointestinal distress, or even scurvy. In fact, I felt pretty damn good. After a couple of weeks I started looking at re-introducing some higher fat foods into my diet, like avocado. In seeing who else has been down this road, I found that others stay with a carnivore diet avoid avocados, coconut, and other fatty fruits and veggies because of the high salicylate count. Holy smokes, now I've got another thing to worry about! I have no history, signs or symptoms or salicylate intolerance, so I'm wondering if salicylate intolerance is limited to only those who exhibit intolerance to salicylate, or can modern day marvels make others intolerant to salicylate as well? Yes, I'm trying to kid, but honestly I never knew how much gluten was dragging me down until I avoided it. At the end of the episode with Dr. Shawn Baker, he talks about how eating fruits is likely better than eating vegetables. Ignoring the fact that avocado is a fruit, is this the strategy you would take? I know I can introduce it and see how I feel. That strategy falls apart a little when the placebo effect is strong - getting objective measurements is pretty challenging at this point. And researching this feels like I'm hitting some dogmatic areas of the internet. What are your thoughts? Thanks much! Robert Side note: I signed up for the Keto Masterclass a while ago. I've been struggling with Keto for a couple of years - I seem to respond well to the ~70-100g carb range, getting down to 30g never worked. Well, going carnivore really helped with this! The meals I was eating lined up perfectly with the ketogains macro calculator. Not sure how many would buy into it, but this could be another tool in the keto toolkit. 2. [9:14] Storage kit in case of emergency Karen says: Hello, Some (or many??) years ago there was an article/blogpost (or maybe a podcast) on the website about which (paleo/keto) foods, drinks and other stuff you need to have in storage in case of an emergency. I can't find it anymore.  Do you have this somewhere? (or maybe some idea for a podcast?? :-) ) Looking forward to hear from you. Best regards, Karen Notes: http://www.icanfixamerica.com/controversial-truth-episode-21/ http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/tag/robb-wolf 3. [11:00] Goal: Min effective dose for gaining several pounds of muscle--3-5 David says: Hi Rob, I'm 46, paleo for 8yrs, but not rigid, 165lbs, 10-12% body fat. In 2008 I was in great shape, but eating an unhealthy low carb diet and had food issues. I also hurt my shoulder and rehabbed for several months to get back to health. Also had back issues, albeit minor. I have always been good at backing off before major problems arise, except with the shoulder. I found Doug McGuff's book and a trainer who promoted that type of training as well and have been pain free ever since. I lift at a gym 2x/wk and do one-limb eccentric movements 7 reps with 10 sec negatives, then switch and resetting with help from other hand. Rest 1 min and do a regular set of 8-10 with 5 sec negatives. This is all machine for chest, legs, and a mix of the other parts of body. Wed workout is chest, back, shoulders 2 exercises each, and Fri is legs and arms-bi's and tri's. I really have grown to like the high intensity nature of the work out and have come to terms with sacrificing my former size --180 and in good shape. I'd like to be able to get bigger, without injury risk and extra time. I am guessing it takes much more sets and reps, and want to do it safely. Interested in new ideas. Thanks and I've really enjoyed following you since I found your article in '10 on Tim Ferriss's blog. David Notes: https://www.t-nation.com/training/defrancos-training-rules-for-washed-up-meatheads 4. [18:19] Maintaining a healthy gut after antibiotics Whitney says: Hi Robb and Nicki.  I would like your thoughts on protecting the gut after large doses of antibiotics.  A quick back story to my question is that my son had a ruptured appendix at the age of 11.  It took the doctors 4 days to figure out what was wrong and kept telling us he had a viral infection and to wait it out.  Three surgeries, two pic lines, multiple weeks of high doses of antibiotics (at 1 time he was on 3 doses of 1000mg of vancomyacin a day) and finally a case of c diff, we finally got him healthy.  I made them give him probiotics in the hospital and gave him  prescript assist on my own with the ok from his I.D. doctor.  At 15 he's seems perfectly healthy but I still wonder what the after effects of those doses of antibiotics will be down the road and how that will affect his health later on.  Are there any ways to regain what he lost in an instance like this? Also, I know this is long so feel free to shorten it however you need. Thanks for everything you do and know that you are making a huge impact on peoples lives out here in the real world.  Peace. Notes: Healthy Gut Healthy You- https://www.amazon.com/Dr.-Michael-Ruscio/e/B07912JZ8C/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1 5. [23:24] Pork, Shellfish and Organ meats Amanda says: Hi! I have been searching the internet to find some articles that address or refute this thinking but I haven't come up with much.  I grew up in a moderately health conscious family.  Probably about 15 years ago, my Dad heard a couple of bad things about pork/shellfish so that was cut out of our diets.  I since have started eating pork again as I got older and ate my own food and it's become a very regular thing since I haven't been living with them.  So I supposed what they heard was from Dr. Ted Broer and his reasoning is that pigs eat garbage and don't sweat, and shellfish are bottom feeders.  So the idea is that what you're eating is toxic.  I haven't read whatever book my dad read but heard about it a lot as a kid/teenager.  I'm hoping you can help explain to me the science - how pork & shellfish are safe as long as you are getting them from a good source.  Also, are there any nutrients that we can get from pork, but not other meats? The second part to my question is organ meats.  I have heard a lot about organ meats being very nutritious and high in iron, etc., but my mom just brought up that things like liver are filtering out toxins, so why would we eat that? Could you help me understand if that is a concern or if it isn't, why? Thank you so much, love listening to your show! Notes: King San- https://www.amazon.com/Kung-San-Women-Foraging-Society/dp/0521295610/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528821550&sr=1-1&keywords=kung+san+men+women+and+work Paleo Manifesto: https://www.amazon.com/John-Durant/e/B00BM8APVI/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1 6. [30:34] Keto/Paleo & Menopause Laurie says: Hey, Nicki and Robb! Huge fan of your work and appreciate the science behind the 'what' when it comes to eating and training to optimize health. My question is this: what food choices, workout tweaks or other possible naturopathic supplements might I look into as I navigate the epic joy that is menopause? Brief history for you: I stair-stepped into Paleo beginning about five years ago now (at around age 45), though I've been dairy free since my 30s. Since dipping into Keto about a year and a half ago and experimenting with macros, I think I've found my nutrition "sweet spot": around 50 grams of carbs (berries, chocolate, sweet potato), 90ish grams of protein (animal mostly, some plant proteins) and the rest from fats (coconut oils, animal fats, avocado, etc)...I'm 52,  5' 5 1/2" tall, 131 pounds and 17% body fat (per my last InBody reading)...I weight train 3-4 times a week (at least two of those super heavy), walk and garden a few days a week, run or do stair sprints every 7-10 days. Since I switched from a super low-fat, high carb, grain based diet, my HDL has risen, my triglycerides plummeted (from over 125 to 43!), my total cholesterol is improved and my fasted blood sugar is in the upper 70s, low 80s. My weight dropped from 150 and has been the same within a pound of two for five years running now... And then: menopause. My sleeping has gone to hell with night sweats and I've had all sorts of weird food reactions since going off birth control for good four months ago. Doctor's suggestion of going off, then back on the pill a year ago seemed to do a number on my gut and I became a mess. So I went back off the pill four months ago and did my own AIP protocol and think I found the culprits (almonds and nightshades). My gut issues are much improved and I'm trying some Black Cohosh and using Clary Sage for the hot flashes with mixed results. So, my question: I want to be back to feeling 110% all of the time (not a big ask, I don't think), but this menopause nonsense is getting on my last nerve. Anything I can do that doesn't include artificial HRT?  My insurance doesn't cover functional medicine, naturopathy or acupuncture, but I am hoping to change insurance. Thanks for any help or insight! Laurie

This program explains what menopause is and the kinds of side effects that come in its three stages. In part 1 of the interview with 110 Pharmacy - Surgical's nutritionist, Rachel Maro, we consider Hormone replacement treatments- Yes or No-, natural replacements for estrogen and progesterone, how Isoflavones may a-or may not- be of help to women with menopause, the use of Black Cohosh, and other adaptogens. This program will be of help to all women who are facing or experiencing peri-menopause, menopause, and post-menopause..

Podcast Episode 066 - Black Cohosh      Last week we talked about Blue cohosh and mainly how blue cohosh is used by midwives to make childbirth easier, because it causes the uterus to contract. But we also learned that blue cohosh should not be confused with BLACK cohosh, and that although they are similar, they are different... ...so that peeked my curiosity and made me want to find out more about this black cohosh and what is the difference between them.   Please remember to Subscribe, Rate & Review! To leave a comment, or feedback, leave a message at 404-828-0051

In this podcast, Associate Editor Denise Bounous and author Michelle C. Cora discuss her article "A Black Cohosh Extract Causes Hematologic and Biochemical Changes Consistent with a Functional Cobalamin Deficiency in Female B6C3F1/N Mice" featured in the July 2017 issue of Toxicologic Pathology.    Click here to read the article. 

Episode 26: Learn about native Appalachian herbs in this interview with educator, designer, and farmer Trevor Piersol. Co- founder of the Shenandoah Permaculture Institute, Trevor grows perennial fruits and medicinal herbs, with a focus on easy-care native plants, in his home state of Virginia.  Appalachia, a vast mountain region of the United States, is rich in botanical diversity and herbal lore. In this episode, Trevor talks about American Ginseng, Goldenseal, Blue Cohosh, Black Cohosh, and two of the many fungi that grow in this region, Reishi and Chaga. Trevor shares with us the type of medicine these plants provide,  how to use them, how to ensure that the plants you buy are ethically harvested,  and how you can grow them at home or in a nearby woodland.  Threatened by habitat loss, climate breakdown, poaching, and over-harvesting, these living treasures need to be protected.  For more information about Trevor and his work, visit the Shenandoah Permaculture Institute.com.

In this show, Sheri Hupfer returns to talk about Black Cohosh (aka "Snake root).  We make many correlations between Mars/Venus and this profound root, seeing how it can help with our grief, our sexuality, and our relationship strategies.  We hope that you enjoy our conversation. www.Holestoheavens.com www.thealchemyofartemis.com

Chris and Mike get to the bottom of phytoestrogens including Soy, Black Cohosh, Red Clover and a few others. They get into the science of how phytoestrogens affect the body and what they may be useful for.

Bone Health: Today’s show is about bone health and density. When it comes to bone density issues the two most talked about complications are Osteopenia and Osteoporosis. Osteopenia basically means your bone density is lower than normal. And Osteoporosis is a more severe condition and is diagnosed when your bones become brittle and fragile due to the loss of tissue. Typically, these issues are a result of hormonal changes or a deficiency in calcium or vitamin D. The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) say that the percentage of men 50 years of age or older with osteoporosis of the femur neck or lumbar spine is 4% The percentage of women 50 yrs. of age and over with osteoporosis of the femur neck or lumbar spine: 16% making it 4 times more likely for women to get it. This is mainly due to estrogen levels decreasing after menopause and the fact that most women have smaller and thinner bones. If you have questions regarding herbal nutrition or are looking for a natural solution to something that ales you, please give us a call at 512 853 9005 and we will try our best to answer your question. This show is sponsored by Dr. Vim's Herbal Nutrition. Dr. Vim's herbal formulas are designed for men and women to mental focus, physical energy, stress reduction and a healthy libido. They use only filler free high potency botanical extracts. ensuring that every batch delivers a full dose of the most powerful phytonutrients on the planet.     SHOW NOTES: Things you can do to reduce the chance of getting osteopenia or osteoporosis. Stop drinking carbonated beverages. Soda, Sparkling water, Champagne all leach calcium from your bones. A Harvard Study on 16 to 20yr. old women showed that half of them were already showing bone loss as a result of soft drink intake. Also, carbonated beverages have phosphates which cause even more calcium loss. Cut back on the Caffeine! With every cup of coffee you drink, you lose 150 mg of calcium in your urine. Decaf is no better because they contain chemicals that interfere with the detoxification process. Cut back on Protein. Taking in too much protein can cause acidity in the body which causes calcium to be lost when you urinate. However, protein is necessary to make strong bones, so we're just saying we need a balance between getting enough without eating so much that you create an acid-alkalinity problem. Lay off the Tums. Tums is one of the worst sources of calcium, It’s composed of calcium carbonate which is a poorly absorbed form of calcium. You want to get Calcium hydroxyapatite or Calcium Citrate which are the best forms of calcium.  Not to mention it's taking away the stomach acid we need to break down and digest our food. Check out our alternative digestive support below if you are looking to find a Tums replacement (Bitters, Digestive Enzymes, and Betaine HCL). What about Sunlight?  You need Vitamin D because it helps to absorb calcium into your bones. It’s made in your skin when you go out in the sun, but since skin cancer is a concern and sunscreen blocks 90% of the vitamin D from absorbing into the body we recommend not being out in the sun for extended periods of time. Consider taking a Vitamin D Supplement as an alternative source. Stress Reduction! We’ve mentioned before, stress raises cortisol levels and if your cortisol is too high for a long period of time it can cause bone loss. You can reduce stress by engaging in specific activities that are aimed at reducing the stress response. These include massage, yoga and meditation. Don't forget the most advanced way to cope with stress is social engagement!  Spend quality time with good people.  Exercise is a great way to reduce the chance of bone loss. Engaging in weight bearing exercises like lifting weights, hiking, walking or running can increase bone density. Even as little as 15 minutes a day can be helpful. Eliminate your toxic kitchen, beauty and body care products.  You can explore safe, alternative cleaning products that don’t have harmful chemicals that can absorb into your skin.  Our favorite is vinegar.    MINERALS PROMOTE BONE HEALTH: FACTS: Around 70 percent of your bones, by weight, are made from minerals. Calcium and magnesium make up most of the mineral composition, but many trace minerals also factor in. Poor dietary practices and soil depletion contribute to Mineral Deficiency, having some people turn to supplementation.  Those who choose to supplement are wise to do their research and seek out reputable brands who use quality, effective ingredients.   Calcium- Calcium is a mineral that is necessary for life.  It builds bones and keeps them healthy. About 99 percent of the calcium in our bodies is in our bones and teeth. Magnesium- A mineral that's essential for the absorption and metabolism of calcium. Strengthens bones and makes teeth harder.  Stimulates the thyroid’s production of calcitonin, a hormone that preserves our bones. Regulates parathyroid hormone, the hormone that facilitates the breakdown of bone tissues when necessary. 60% of the body's Magnesium are in the bones. Silica- Supports bone health by enhancing the use of calcium and vitamin D in your body. Helps maintain the balance between bone resorption and formation Strontium-  supports normal bone formation. strengthens the bone and supports mineralization decreases the risk of bone fractures Vanadium- support normal bone formation strengthens the bone and supports mineralization decreases the risk of bone fractures Phosphorus- Supports skeletal development, and bone integrity - too much is bad too little is bad. Antacids can impair phosphorus absorption which can lead to parathyroid dysfunction. Zinc - Plays a key role in promoting bone density and boosting immune function found in the hydroxyapatite mineral crystals, which makes up roughly half of our bones’ weight. Crucial for Vitamin D to get into cells where it can facilitate the building of bones. Copper- A trace mineral that is imperative for youthful, fracture-resistant bones. Copper is the third moiety in a trio of minerals (manganese, zinc, and copper) that make up an extremely important antioxidant called Superoxide Dismutase. This antioxidant is a key player in saving your bones from oxidative damage and restoring their youthful integrity, and without copper, Superoxide Dismutase simply can’t form. Copper is critical for the coenzyme-dependent process of the cross-linking of collagen and elastin. Boron- a mineral that promotes bone growth. contributes to calcium absorption reduces the risk of fractures by hardening the bone  protects vitamin D levels     PROTEIN IS A MAJOR BUILDING BLOCK FOR BONE TISSUE: Point:Protein is necessary to build and maintain strong, healthy bones. Counterpoint:Remember not to over-do the animal proteins, because it is imperative to maintain alkalinity to promote healthy bones.   III. VITAMINS THAT PROMOTE HEALTHY BONES   FACT: Minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, as well as protein serve as the primary building blocks for bone growth. Vitamins are the catalysts for biochemical reactions that are needed to regulate this bone building process.  Vitamin D- A fat soluble Vitamin that aids the absorption of calcium from the intestines.  A deficiency in vitamin D causes calcium-depleted bone (osteomalacia), which weakens bones and increases the risk of bone fractures.  Vitamin K-  A fat soluble vitamin that is essential for activating enzymes that transport calcium from your arterial walls to your bones.  By facilitating the transport of calcium out of your arteries and in bones, Vitamin K2 also protects the heart. Vitamin C- A water soluble vitamin that stimulates the production of osteoblasts or bone-building cells  also subdues osteoclasts (bone-destroying cells). bone building properties of Vitamin C help improve bone mass and lower fracture rates.   1. OMEGA 3'S PROMOTE HEALTHY BONES Omega 3's help constitute bone marrow and enhance bone mineral content DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), an omega-3 fatty acid, may support bone mineral content and produce healthier, stronger bones. NASA study suggests that EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), an omega-3 fatty acid, may protect against bone loss during space flight. Omega 3's positively support the body's inflammation response. The most functional or useful types of useful Omega 3's are: Fish Oil Contains the long-chain Omega 3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) that the body uses most efficiently. Algae Omega The best vegan Omega 3 option, because it contains the long-chain Omega 3 fatty acids the body uses most efficiently. Flax Seed, a popular vegan Omega 3 option, is a source of a short-chained fatty acid called ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) that is not efficiently utilized by the body. 2. HORMONES BALANCE AND ALKALINITY PROMOTE HEALTHY BONES Hormone balance, especially estrogen balance, is a key factor in bone loss, bone growth, and bone remodeling.   VI . ALKALINITY IS CRUCIAL TO BONE HEALTH The alkalinity of your body factors into both bone growth and bone remodeling.  PH test strip are available that can show you if you are alkaline or acidic.    GUT HEALTH AND NUTRIENT ASSIMILATION ARE NECESSARY FOR STRONG, HEALTHY BONES: Digestive Bitters increase bile activity bile contains bile salts that help emulsify fats and break down and digest our food. Digestive Enzymes facilitate the breakdown and digestion of our food Betaine HCL (Hydrochloride) may aid in the breakdown fats and proteins. may aids those with deficient stomach acid in digestion. Aloe Vera - increases nutrient uptake allowing us to get more out of the food we eat. Do you have Leaky Gut? It leads to poor nutrient assimilation. It is linked hormonal imbalances.   VII. HERBS THAT SUPPORT BONE HEALTH Stinging Nettle- source of calcium, magnesium, silica, boron, and trace minerals source of vitamins C and D even contains protein! Alfalfa- contains calcium, magnesium, boron, silica, zinc  Vitamins D and K source of phytoestrogens that can help offset hormonal fluctuations that can lead to bone problems Oatstraw (Avena Sativa)- source of calcium and magnesium used in formulas that promote bone health Red Clover- source of calcium  source of phytoestrogens contains protein Dandelion- source of calcium  contains protein Horsetail- richest plant source of Silica on the planet Italian Study shows it may improve bone density in women with Osteoporosis  Rehmannia- Yin herb in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) According to TCM, rehmannia is considered an herb of restoration. Classically, it was even used to repair broken bones. supports hormonal balance Dendrobium Nobile- Yin herb in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Used in TCM to nourish Yin fluid and lubricate joints, Dendrobium Nobile is believed to strengthen tendons and bones, relieve joint pain, and reduce rheumatism.   VII. HERBS THAT SUPPORT HORMONAL BALANCE OR HEALTHY ESTROGEN LEVELS Black cohosh- a plant native to Eastern North America that has been used by women for generation to support hormonal balance. Study suggest Black Cohosh may help strengthen bones in postmenopausal women. Maca - a plant native to Peru thatpromotes hormonal balance.  Studies suggest it also supports bone health by promoting healthy estrogen levels. Red clover- a herb that is rich in phytoestrogens including lignans, coumestans, and isoflavones.   Isoflavones can weakly bind to estrogen receptors in the body and may help to mitigate hormonal changes in estrogen. may help prevent bone loss and the loss of bone mineral density in menopausal women. Chaste Tree (Vitex Agnus-Castus) -Recent studies suggest that the properties of Chaste Tree may mimic the soothing effects of progesterone. May help to manage hormonal fluctuations in menopausal women by normalizing the function of the pituitary gland, which regulate estrogen and progesterone balance in the body. Vitex may help balance mood by influencing dopamine levels. Ashwagandha- is a herb classically used in Ayurveda for its aphrodisiac and mood-stabilizing properties.  Studies suggest that Ashwagandha can activate the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis to increase the production of androgens. May help to manage hormonal fluctuations in menopausal women. Wild yam- a plant native to North America that is used to support menopausal and menstrual-related symptoms. Studies suggest that it mimics the effects of progesterone. May help to manage hormonal fluctuation in menopausal women.

Initial studies from the U.S. National Toxicology Program indicate that black cohosh extract -- widely marketed to treat women's health issues -- is genotoxic.

Initial studies from the U.S. National Toxicology Program indicate that black cohosh extract -- widely marketed to treat women's health issues -- is genotoxic.

Oct 29, 2014 Podcast: The Best Remedies For Hot Flashes, Does N-Acetyl Cysteine Increase Glutathione, How To Increase Shoulder Mobility, and Getting Rid of Scar Tissue. Have a podcast question for Ben? Click the tab on the right, use the Contact button on the app, call 1-877-209-9439, Skype “pacificfit” or use the “” form... but be prepared to wait - we prioritize audio questions over text questions. ----------------------------------------------------- News Flashes: You can receive these News Flashes (and more) every single day, if you follow Ben on , and . Would YOU do any of these Which one? Do ? The answer may surprise you. Wow. Good article. ----------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: Need to fix your gut, build new muscle, or enhance the effectiveness of your probiotic? The brand new has arrived. Go to and use code GREEN1 for a 20% discount on your third lung. November 17-21, 2014: Ben interviews 23 of the world's leading experts in performance, recovery, nutrition, fat loss, brain, sleep and hormone optimization, and you get a free all-access pass. . Go ask your burning Obstacle Racing questions at for the brand new Obstacle Dominator podcast. Other places you can meet Ben: Nov 2-9 London (meet-up and drinks at , November 8 at 6pm), Nov 9-16 Israel, Dec 4-7 January 30th - 31st, 2015, Ben will be speaking in Dubai - Talise Fitness and Jumeirah Emirates Towers, proudly invite you to take part in an exclusive two day seminar held by the renowned nutrition and fitness expert, best selling author, coach, speaker, ex-bodybuilder and Ironman triathlete, Ben Greenfield. Grab this package that comes with a tech shirt, a beanie and a water bottle. And of course, this week's top iTunes review - gets some BG Fitness swag straight from Ben - ! ----------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A: As compiled, deciphered, edited and sometimes read by , the Podcast Sidekick and Audio Ninja. The Best Remedies For Hot Flashes Graeme asks: His wife has been experiencing pre-menopause hot flushes. Most of the supplements focus on eostrogen i.e. Are phytoeostrogens which they are NOT a fan of due to increased risk of breast cancer etc. She has been using Magnesium which is helping a LOT, plus some Vitamin E and they have also heard Kelp powder (iodine) helps. Do you happen to have any other suggestions? In my response I recommend: -This article on -This article on -Black Cohosh/dong quai (e.g. ) - - - Does N-Acetyl Cysteine Increase Glutathione? Brian asks: He is interested in learning more about N-Acetyl Cysteine. He has read some articles that say it can help with a wide variety of health issues - helping to make things better for the body. One of the major questions he had was how does it work to reduce pre and post exercise oxidative stress? Also, could you recommend a pure quality product? Are there any side effects from taking NAC? In my response I recommend: - - How To Increase Shoulder Mobility Mark asks: In June this year he did a Tough Mudder and had fun and felt really good. The next day he played two, back to back, soft ball games. He felt a tweak in his shoulder every time he threw the ball but didn't think much of it. From that day on he has had tightness in his shoulder and his range of motion was very limited (reaching for high things is difficult, playing golf is hard and even playing his dreadnought guitar is painful). It is getting better, very slowly, but it is still very tight in the morning and interrupts his sleep at night. Do you know why this is taking so long to heal, why it is tight in the morning and what he can do to speed up the healing? In my response I recommend: - book - (esp. shoulder flossing and lacrosse ball shoulder) Getting Rid of Scar Tissue Yvonne asks: About a year ago she ripped her thigh muscle doing an aerobic workout. She now has some scar tissue at the top of her leg. Now she gets a burning sensation in her thigh muscle and wonders what it could be. Can you tell her? In my response I recommend: - ----------------------------------------------------- -- And don't forget to go to -- Prior to asking your question, do a search in upper right hand corner of this website for the keywords associated with your question. Many of the questions we receive have already been answered here at Ben Greenfield Fitness! Podcast music from 80s Fitness (Reso Remix) by KOAN Sound. !

In South American mythology, the number 58 is usually associated with curses misfortune, allegedly because of the association with the 58 original sins. Luckily, the number 58 in this context means another set of great Creative Commons Licensed Metal Music for your aural pleasures. We have brand new music from show-favorite PhaZer, as well as some new favorites like Leka, No Mans Legion, Sanctuarii, and Pursuance. Also some more great music by Broken Clown, Circle of Moebius, and Black Cohosh finishes up the episode with their blend of folk and hardcore. Folk-core? Whatever you call it, it's definitely not one to miss. So indulge your ears in this episode, and visit the band pages in the show notes. (00:10) Stand Your Ground by No Mans Legion from Stand Your Ground (BY-NC-SA) (03:44) I've Been Shot by PhaZer from Rockslinger (BY-NC-SA) (08:11) Dreamers by Pursuance from Precursors (BY-NC-ND) (12:15) Midnight In The Garden Of Ghandi And Steiner by Broken Clown from Houses Of The Homely (BY-NC-ND) (16:35) Destitution by Leka from Grievance (BY-SA) (21:26) My Soul by Circle Of Moebius from The Inexorable Walk (BY-SA) (26:12) One Thousand Ordeals by Sanctuarii from The Temple (BY-NC-SA) (35:15) The Sow Is Mine by Black Cohosh from Black Cohosh (BY-NC-SA) Please support the bands in this show! Buy a T-Shirt, head to the shows, or take them out for Sweetest Day. Whatever you can do to help these bands keep making music, please do it! Also check out the other great podcasts at Metal Injection, and be sure to listen to all of the great shows (including Open Metalcast) streaming 24/7 at Metalinjection.FM. If you have any suggestions for Creative Commons licensed metal, send me a link at craig@openmetalcast.com. Open Metalcast #058 (MP3) Open Metalcast #058 (OGG)

In South American mythology, the number 58 is usually associated with curses misfortune, allegedly because of the association with the 58 original sins. Luckily, the number 58 in this context means another set of great Creative Commons Licensed Metal Music for your aural pleasures. We have brand new music from show-favorite PhaZer, as well as some new favorites like Leka, No Mans Legion, Sanctuarii, and Pursuance. Also some more great music by Broken Clown, Circle of Moebius, and Black Cohosh finishes up the episode with their blend of folk and hardcore. Folk-core? Whatever you call it, it's definitely not one to miss. So indulge your ears in this episode, and visit the band pages in the show notes. * (00:10) Stand Your Ground by No Mans Legion from Stand Your Ground (BY-NC-SA) * (03:44) I've Been Shot by PhaZer from Rockslinger (BY-NC-SA) * (08:11) Dreamers by Pursuance from Precursors (BY-NC-ND) * (12:15) Midnight In The Garden Of Ghandi And Steiner by Broken Clown from Houses Of The Homely (BY-NC-ND) * (16:35) Destitution by Leka from Grievance (BY-SA) * (21:26) My Soul by Circle Of Moebius from The Inexorable Walk (BY-SA) * (26:12) One Thousand Ordeals by Sanctuarii from The Temple (BY-NC-SA) * (35:15) The Sow Is Mine by Black Cohosh from Black Cohosh (BY-NC-SA) Please support the bands in this show! Buy a T-Shirt, head to the shows, or take them out for Sweetest Day. Whatever you can do to help these bands keep making music, please do it! Also check out the other great podcasts at Metal Injection, and be sure to listen to all of the great shows (including Open Metalcast) streaming 24/7 at Metalinjection.FM. If you have any suggestions for Creative Commons licensed metal, send me a link at craig@openmetalcast.com.

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind" -- Rudyard Kipling Listen closely. Read between the lines. You are being convinced, slowly and deliberately that vitamin supplements are dangerous and that pharmaceutical drugs are always your best bet. Perhaps you've become aware of this upside-down logic. If not, I offer you a few examples of how the masses are being systematically brain-washed. Keep these examples in mind, it won't be long before you're noticing some yourself. Recently ABC News ran a rather lengthy piece about how "dangerous" certain common herbal supplements are. The case in point was woman who'd had a kidney transplant. She took an herbal supplement containing the age-old Black Cohosh root and whammo! She became deathly ill. What ABC didn't discuss was that people who've had an organ transplant have compromised systems that even too much water or table salt plays havoc with. Never mind that. The not-so-subtle point the network was making was this: Be afraid, be very afraid of anything the pharmaceutical companies don't make a profit from! This past week The Wall Street Journal screamed out headlines: "Watch Out For Serious Interactions When Taking Drugs, and Herbs". Instead of pointing out that pharmaceuticals cause the deaths each year of over 100,000 people, media attention focuses on the "dangers" of herbs people have been taking to help heal their bodies for centuries. Each week Martin Pytela and Scott Paton discuss Holistic principles for healthy living. Life Enthusiast Co-op is built on over 25 years in study, health consultations and market research in the field of holistic and alternative medicine. We deliver solid time tested expertise. We are in this business not for the money, but for the passion, we have for sharing with others what we had to learn the hard way, through experience. We focus on high quality, innovative holistic solutions. Length: 37:00 Go to iTunes and review our podcast: iTunes Life Enthusiast Reviews and 5 star ratings If You Enjoyed This, Please Go To "FANS OF THIS SHOW" On The RIGHT And Then Click On "BECOME A FAN". In Addition, PLEASE CLICK On The “SEND TO A FRIEND” At The Bottom Of This Podcast…. COPY THE DATA And SEND THIS, and “My Pod Home Page URL”, To EVERYONE In Your ADDRESS BOOK…. FRIENDS Or ENEMIES! WANT TO BE NOTIFIED OF NEW EPISODES? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Go To “Join my mailing list ” On The RIGHT………. When It Comes Up You Will See On This Page “Add me to Life Enthusiast''s mailing list:” ………. And Then type in your name and email address ………. Now Just Click “Save”. Technorati Tags: weight loss, Diet, Obesity, Dieting, Healthy Living,Food, Exercise, Fitness, Nutrition, Supplements, Lose Weight, Martin Pytela, Scott Paton.

News Items: Barry Beyerstein In Memoriam, Black Cohosh and Liver Failure, Echinacea Meta-analysis, Jury Accuracy, Bishops and Floods; Your Questions and Emails: HIV and Condoms, Chiropractic and Colic, Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy, Sickesz Follow Up; Name that Logical Fallacy; Science or Fiction; Skeptical Puzzle

News Items: Barry Beyerstein In Memoriam, Black Cohosh and Liver Failure, Echinacea Meta-analysis, Jury Accuracy, Bishops and Floods; Your Questions and Emails: HIV and Condoms, Chiropractic and Colic, Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy, Sickesz Follow Up; Name that Logical Fallacy; Science or Fiction; Skeptical Puzzle