(Listen to the full episode here.)
The Problem with Relying Solely on Modern Research to Understand Herbal Medicine
Herbal medicine has a vast history that may be as old as mankind itself. With the advent of pharmaceuticals and the Flexner Report of 1910, it fell out of favor in the West. Recently, it has re-surged in popularity due to improvements in clinical research, herbal analysis, standardization, and quality control.
Still, scientific methods that evaluate herbs and plants don’t always provide the full picture of what therapeutic properties they embody. Across the globe, shamans and traditional healers possess an underutilized wisdom obtained through their connection to nature and their belief in a divine essence that ignites our innate healing capacity.
Although the mechanisms of how their practices could merge with our medicine has yet to be discovered, the journey to understanding them has begun. This is thanks to the recent popularity of psychedelics and the quest to understand the therapeutic actions of those derived from natural substances. As a result, we now have some evidence that shamanic methods induce psychoneuroimmunological changes.
Merging Science with Ancient Wisdom
Deep within the Jamaican Cockpit country on the parish of Trelawny, lies such ancient and exquisite knowledge of botanical medicines. It has been kept alive and is still used today by its people, the Jamaican Maroons. What a shame it would be if their understandings were never tapped. Would we really know what true power plants possess if we continue to narrowly focus on the clinical, sterile, isolated, and mechanistic perspective of chemical compounds found within them?
On this episode of the Essential Oil Revolution, we merge ancient healing with modern medicine. We glance into the world of Shamanic and traditional healing with a world-renowned licensed naturopathic medical physician, registered professional medical herbalist, ethnobotanical researcher, botanical formulations inventor, educator, international lecturer, author, spokesman, and beloved radio personality.
During the show, Dr. Eugene Zampieron takes us on a journey into the world of the healing plants and herbs of the Caribbean. He shares what he has learned from both his clinical experience and his interactions with the Jamaican Maroons.
What is perhaps the most endearing and impressive thing about Dr. Z, as he is affectionately known by his patients and audience, is that his genius matches his big heart. He has a passionate desire to spread his encyclopedic knowledge for the betterment of mankind and the planet.
As a result, in this interview he continues with his mission of providing evidence of the power of natural healing on an individual and international level.
I would highly recommend that you give yourself the gift of listening to the captivating stories told by Dr. Z himself by accessing the full episode.
Below is a glimpse of what you will learn:
- Why it’s important to understand the traditional use of plants and herbs.
- What shamanic medicine is and why it should be respected.
- The importance of the study of ethnobotany in keeping alive traditional people’s botanical and cultural knowledge, spiritual heritage, and reverence for the earth.
- Dr. Z’s journey into ethnobotany and how that led him to also pursue his expertise in naturopathic and botanical medicine and herbalism.
- How Dr. Z combines his apprenticeship with Shamans in Jamaica with his research and clinical experience to keep alive their customs and document their insights.
- The intelligence of plants.
- How modern herbalists, like Dr. Z, are validating the teachings of ancient herbalists and physicians through their research analysis of plants’ biochemical properties, compounds, and their standardization.
- What the doctrine of signatures is and what it reveals about plants.
- Some of Dr. Z’s favorite plants and essential oils from Jamaica and their actions. These include allspice oil, clove oil, bitter melon, Jamaican dogwood, ginger herb and oil, rosemary herb and oil, Guinea Hen Weed, and Lignum vitatae.
- How essential oils are extracted in Jamaica using modern distillation and rudimentary methods.
- Combining essential oils and other herbs for synergistic effects, such as cinnamon oil with bitter melon for balancing blood sugar.
- How natural remedies do not just suppress symptoms, rather, they aim to correct the underlying imbalance as they offer “side benefits.”
- The importance of using herbs that are not endangered and aligning with companies that practice environmental sustainability.
- Why “weed” is a bad word and how all plants possess medicinal properties.
- Dr. Z’s favorite DIY with essential oils.
- The closing questions: (1) What Dr. Z does daily for self-care and why everyone should consider it, (2) What we should do to better our own health and reconnect with the planet.
You can find Dr. Z at http://www.drznaturally.com/.
Click here to hear the interview and access the show notes.
Click here to get an overview of the show and additional resources.
Please support the show by subscribing and providing a rating and feedback on your favorite podcast player. This is a no-cost way to spread the word and to keep attracting amazing guests like Dr. Z!
Naturopathic Medicine and Holistic Resources for Hormone, Digestive, and Mood Support
- Stay Connected! Sign-up for my free weekly newsletter.
- Free resources and more education on essential oils and mind-body wellness are available to you here.
- Tools for coping with isolation and separation.
- Learn about my community membership program that provides full access to my essential oils database, essential oils course, Q&As, and exclusive content.
- The Essential Oil Revolution podcast
Disclaimer: This material is for information purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prescribe for any illness. You should check with your doctor regarding implementing any new strategies into your wellness regime. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.
This information is applicable ONLY for therapeutic quality essential oils. This information DOES NOT apply to essential oils that have not been tested for purity and standardized constituents. There is no quality control in the United States, and oils labeled as “100% pure” need only to contain 5% of the actual oil. The rest of the bottle can be filled with fillers and sometimes toxic ingredients that can irritate the skin. The studies are not based solely on a specific brand of an essential oil, unless stated. Please read the full study for more information.
