Episodes

  • Indigenous healing systems and their similarities and differences to Chinese medicine

    Indigenous healing systems and their similarities and differences to Chinese medicine
    Apr 9 2013
    On this episode of Holistic Healing with Herbs and Chinese Medicine, we will be discussing traditional healing systems. We will present a summary of an interview Andres conducted with Isaias Ramon, a shaman and healer from the Vetoto Amazonian tribe in Colombia. We will explore some of the cosmology of the Vetoto tribe, the underpinning theories of Isaias' medicinal work, the history of the Vetoto tribe and its culture, as well as Isaias' personal story. We will also compare these theories with those of Chinese medicine and other ancient forms of medicine, noting the similarities and key differences.
    Show more Show less
    58 mins
  • Infertility and the Effectiveness of Chinese Medicine

    Infertility and the Effectiveness of Chinese Medicine
    Apr 2 2013
    On this episode we will discuss infertility, an area in which Chinese medicine can make a tremendous contribution for both men and women’s health. Recent studies have shown that Chinese herbal medicine is twice as effective as western medicine in promoting pregnancy for women. We will discuss Chinese medicine’s perspective on the leading causes of infertility for both men and women, as well as why Chinese medicine is shown to be more effective than western medicine. We will talk to a client who was successfully treated with herbs for infertility. In addition we will talk with Boyd Bailey, L.Ac., M.Ac., an acupuncturist who successfully treats infertility in his practice.
    Show more Show less
    59 mins
  • Living in Harmony with the Seasons: Lessons from Chinese Medicine

    Living in Harmony with the Seasons: Lessons from Chinese Medicine
    Mar 26 2013
    Each season the natural world gives us important clues as to what is happening within our bodies and how to best adjust to the changing weather. Traditional healing systems, such as traditional Chinese medicine, provide a structure to help us discern what foods and lifestyle choices will best support us as we cycle through the seasons. When we heed nature’s cues and allow our life practices to mirror the seasonal transformations, we tend to not only feel better, but are also better able to prevent the kinds of illnesses and disharmonies that typically occur during seasonal transitions and extremes. In this show, we are going to describe how you can use the seasons to not only understand the types of ailments you are more susceptible to during season change and extremes, but also how you can use nature to guide food and herb choices throughout the year to maximize your own health and well being.
    Show more Show less
    57 mins
  • Tonic Herbs for Radiant Health

    Tonic Herbs for Radiant Health
    Mar 19 2013
    In Chinese medicine and Taoist traditions, there is a rich and nuanced understanding of how herbs can be used to prevent disease and promote radiant health, similar to how some use vitamins in the west. These herbs are referred to as tonic herbs or adaptogens because they can be taken regularly and consistently for long periods of time and are, as a result, often used as super foods. These herbs promote health and longevity and help the body to adapt to emotional, physical and chemical stressors. They can help people recover strength and vitality after chronic illness or health issues, such as cancer, as well as be used for general wellness and for physical stamina. On this episode of Holistic Healing with Herbs and Chinese Medicine, we will discuss this rich history, as well as a growing body of research that supports this longstanding tradition.
    Show more Show less
    57 mins
  • Lessons Learned from China About Integrating Herbs and Allopathic Medicine

    Lessons Learned from China About Integrating Herbs and Allopathic Medicine
    Mar 12 2013
    This episode of Holistic Healing with Herbs and Chinese Medicine will focus on the lessons we can learn in the West about how Chinese medicine is practiced in China. Michele and Andres, the show’s co-hosts, spent six months studying Chinese herbal medicine in an integrative Chinese hospital, where herbs and allopathic medicine were combined to treat a comprehensive array of health issues, including many common and complex western diseases such as diabetes and cancer. They also studied with private Chinese herbal medicine doctors, including Dr. Yong Jiang, a professor and student of one of the 40 recognized living Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal masters in China and co-author of The Treatment of PTSD with Chinese Medicine: An Integrative Approach. Michele and Andres will share what they learned from their experience in China, as well as how these lessons have not only informed, but improved their effectiveness with herbal medicine.
    Show more Show less
    56 mins
  • Protecting Plants and Their Native Habitats for Future Generations

    Protecting Plants and Their Native Habitats for Future Generations
    Mar 5 2013
    Herbs and plants are an amazing natural resource, the health and abundance of which is crucial to the practice of herbal medicine. In this show we will explore the current state of popular medicinal plants such as American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) and what consumers can do to ensure the sustainable use of these herbal medicines. Our guest is Susan Leopold, the Executive Director of United Plant Savers, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect native medicinal plants of the United States and Canada and their native habitat. For any plant lovers and consumers of herbal medicine alike, it is important that we understand our individual and collective roles in ensuring that these plants are not used to extinction, but are protected for future generations.
    Show more Show less
    53 mins
  • How to Address the Underlying Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual Roots of Dis-Ease

    How to Address the Underlying Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual Roots of Dis-Ease
    Feb 26 2013
    In this episode we will be discussing how to deal with the deeper emotional, mental, and spiritual causes of disease and illness. Our guest, Lesley Tierra, RH (AHG), L.Ac., nationally regarded acupuncturist, herbalist, author, and teacher, is the author of the new book, Metaphor-Phosis. In her book, she writes about how to use tools for inner growth to identify and transform the root causes of health issues. In this ground breaking book, she tells how we can unearth the subconscious stories that can hinder us from being happy and healthy, and write new, positive stories for ourselves. You will learn more about how you can transform the subconscious stories that are draining you and keeping you from creating the life you want.
    Show more Show less
    58 mins
  • Qi Gong: The Spiritual Science Behind Chinese Medicine

    Qi Gong: The Spiritual Science Behind Chinese Medicine
    Feb 19 2013
    Qi gong is the living and breathing application of Chinese medicine. It is a spiritual science that uses sound, slow movements, and meditation to potentiate subtle health processes in our body which ultimately lead to greater and more radiant health. This is why Dr. Oz says if you want to live to be 100, do qi gong. We will interview Michael Winn about how qi gong works and how it can be adapted for westerners. Michael Winn is an internationally regarded teacher of qi gong, who hosts the largest Taoist retreat program in the west, and has done so for the last 18 years. He has 33 years of qi gong experience and has authored many dozens or articles and co-wrote (with Mantak Chia) seven books on the subject.
    Show more Show less
    56 mins