COVID & Beyond Speaker Schedule

Many herbs support the respiratory system that can be useful a wide variety of situations, each with its affinities based your personal needs and patterns. Maria will share some of her herbs and categories of herbs including soothing demulcents, movers and shakers, antimicrobials, lung-openers, and more that can be helpful in supporting resilience, promoting a healthy response to everyday infections, asthma, bronchitis, and more – sometimes solo but also alongside conventional medicine. Learn how to think critically when formulating for yourself or picking out products to address your needs and also swap in substitutes as needed.

The novel coronovirus, COVID-19, presents a unique opportunity to rediscover The Lost Art of Convalescence. Convalescence gives the body the opportunity to recover, heal, and rejuvenate. Changes to lifestyle – diet, herbs, movement, supplements – are almost indubitably necessary to achieve convalescence, that and Time. Sheltering at home during the pandemic while still being able to shop and order needed supplies is a unique time period in our modern health history. For the first time, in modern life, employers are being encouraged to keep employees home until they are healthy. This convalescence period means that we are giving our bodies the support and time to heal in the Present. Join Phyllis for a discussion of herbs, nutrients, foods, and other natural approaches to help speed the recovery from COVID-19.

As we navigate the unknowns revealed by a new virus, it can be helpful to root ourselves in the more familiar landscape of our bodies and our traditional practices. Traditional assessment methods, such as reading the tongue, face or pulse, provide doorways to our inner terrain, giving us clues about qualities such as moisture and heat, as well as a sense of tension, circulation, tissue integrity, and overall vitality. With this information, you can better understand the general conditions of your loved ones and clients, as well as the specific patterns of illness they’re experiencing. Tongue assessment can help you select herbs effectively, craft individualized formulas, track their impact, and adapt your approach over time–all with more confidence and success!

The choices we make daily have a strong impact on our immune system and its ability to fight off infections. In this class, we will review the immunoregulatory nutrients, their food sources, and supplementation strategies to optimize immunity. Nutrition isn’t the only necessity for a healthy body and happy immune system – sleep, movement, stress management and time in nature are all essential components of a holistic salutogenic approach to health. Join us as we explore a practical food and lifestyle-based approach to building health.

Interested in exploring how essential oils might support you immune system? In this discussion Erika will explore the pros and cons of relying on essential oils to support your immunity. Issues surrounding safety and appropriate use will be covered. She will also explore when and why using whole herbs, rather than just their essential oils, might be a safer, more effective option.

One thing Coronavirus has taught all of us is there’s no one right way to do just about anything. Certainly, healthcare is an area where many perspectives are far more powerful than singular dogma. Our panelists will share their perspectives and discuss a variety of approaches to working with viral infections, including but not limited to COVID-19. We’ll focus more heavily on avoiding getting ill in the first place and preparing for the possibility that illness may strike, including how to sort the good information from the less helpful as we navigate life during a pandemic and after the virus has cleared.