The American Herbalists Guild - Herbal Study Hall

Skills from the Female Medic with Suchil Coffman-Guerra

This presentation covers essential skills that female medic teams need to consider when working in disaster or emergency health situations. We'll discuss personal safety, the security of medical gear and equipment,  provisions for a mobile clinic, and share tips for working collaboratively with both herbal medicine and allopathic providers in any environment.

We'll explore how change can be affected by communities from the inside out. You learn how to work one-on-one with community members to empower them with education, skills, and the ability to create their own medic teams and how to integrate sustainable measures in the community you serve that will endure after you leave. 

Skills for the Female Medic is open to anyone passionate about grassroots health-care regardless of gender or ethnicity.

Lemon Balm, Lemongrass, and Lemon Verbena: A Trilogy in Latin American Folk Herbalism with Mimi Hernandez, RH (AHG)

Mimi will share narratives of healing experiences in Mexico, Central America and South America as we explore the trilogy of Lemongrass (Limoncillo), Lemon Verbena (Cedron) and Lemon Balm (Torinjil) and their importance in Latin American Folk Herbalism. We will discuss the meaningful sacred synergy of these aromatic plants and explore the history of a healing tradition as a system emergence of 3 cultures. The class also unravels the cultural trauma experience by exploring the concepts of "Susto" and Soul loss as well as "Envidia" and their relation to the trauma induced by colonialism and an imposition of a male dominant religion. The class will discuss the use of sacred oils, baths, altars, teas, incense and sweeps and will also elaborate on a materia medica of each herb. 

Heroic and Menacing Alkaloids with Heather Irvine

Alkaloid compounds found in many herbs make for strong medicine. To use alkaloid-rich herbs safely and effectlively you need to understand, and respect them. In short, these heroic medicines not for the faint of heart! We'll look at plants with an abundance of alkaloids, along with a few other one-off constituents of note. You'll learn about their many properties, some life saving or granting temporary euphoria, or any number of other tricks. Our exploration covers those you should know about and use, and a few just for the thrill of it.

cGMP Workshop with Asa Waldstein, with Steven Yeager

Herbal supplement manufacturers and marketers need to have an solid understanding of current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). In this interactive presentation you'll learn about the intricacies of cGMP, including all CFR 111 subparts. We'll give you examples about how to comply with each section, practical steps for implementing them in your facility, and common mistakes to avoid. We also provide real world examples of how to prepare for (and act) should you have to undergo an FDA inspection.

Aging Gracefully , Ellen Kamhi, PhD, RN, AHG-RH, AHN-BC

Aging gracefully and healthily means slowing down the signs and symptoms that occur as people get older. This webinar explores ways to address these changes and increase overall health and wellness into the golden years. In addition to herbs, we’ll discuss well-being strategies, such as stress reduction, conscious eating, exercise, and clean water.

We’ll review herbal protocols that have been shared through ancient traditional beliefs and practices along with evidence-based scientific support and look at ways to incorporate healthy aging strategies into lifestyle choices. Specific suggestions for using herbs to support hormone levels including reducing cortisol and stress hormones for restful sleep, healthy cells regeneration and increased energy.

Good Herbal Compounding and Dispensing Practices with Benjamin Zappin, L.Ac. RH (AHG), with Wilson Lau, with Michael McGuffin

Good Herbal Compounding and Dispensing Practices White Paper is a free resource created by the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA). It provides best practice guidelines for any practitioner, clinic, or herbal dispensary compounding herbal formulations for clients following one-to-one consultations, based on standard good manufacturing practice concepts such as sanitation of facilities and equipment, quality control practices, documentation of procedures, and record-keeping.

In this session, Michael McGuffin, President of AHPA, introduces the guidelines as a resource for practitioners to protect the health and safety of their clients or patients when compounding formulas in a clinical setting. Benjamin Zappin, L.Ac., founder of Five Flavor Herbs, describes how he applies the guidelines in a busy clinical or herbal dispensary setting based on his own experience. Wilson Lau of NuHerbs will advise on best practices for assessing botanical raw materials' identity and considerations for effective ways to engage with suppliers. All three presenters will be present for Q & A at the end of the webinar.

 Participants will gain practical information and receive template documents one can use in their clinic or apothecary to protect their clients' health and safety regardless of the size of their practice.