C. Norman Shealy (December 4, 1932 – July 8, 2024)
“To
me, everything is energy.”
That’s
the sort of statement one would expect from a shaman, or perhaps a theoretical
physicist, not from a neurosurgeon.
But
Norman Shealy was not a typical neurosurgeon. Over a clinical and research
career spanning nearly 70 years, Dr. Shealy challenged and expanded the
boundaries of neuroscience in ways that profoundly benefitted patients suffering
from chronic pain.
If you want to understand why so many Americans distrust the Food and Drug Administration and the medical mainstream, look no further than the FDA’s new online medical education program on dietary supplements. Produced in collaboration with the American Medical Association, this three-part continuing medical education (CME) course—and I use that term loosely—is part of […]
Just when you thought the microbiome couldn’t get any weirder, investigators at Stanford University have discovered a whole new dimension in the microbial universe: a category of distinct, self-replicating RNA sequences in and among bacteria of the human gut and oral microbiomes. Named “Obelisks” owing to their circular rod-like structures, these peculiar bits of genetic […]
Holistic
medicine is built on trust. Your patients trust that you are guiding them
toward safe, effective therapies. You,
as a clinician must trust that the modalities that you advocate, and the
nutraceutical and botanical products you recommend are made to the highest
quality and purity standards.
So
how can you rest assured that the products you recommend are authentic, pure,
safe, and effective?
That’s
where lab testing comes in.
The
leading nutraceutical brands—especially those working closely with medical
practitioners—invest vast resources into analytical testing to ensure that the
raw materials they use are clean, and that they are what the suppliers say they
are. But analytical testing itself is an evolving field and there are many
methodological questions still to be resolved.
As part of our Practitioner Channel Forum online series, Holistic Primary Care has assembled three leaders in the field to discuss the state of the science in analytical testing, particularly as it applies to botanical medicines.
This program will give you in-depth insight into the validated methods used by the world’s top independent labs to validate the identity and purity of herbal ingredients. We’ll also learn about the current status of “DNA fingerprinting” for plants—a set of methods that gained a lot of attention several years ago but has since been called into question.
Élan M. Sudberg is CEO of Alkemist Labs, a
passionately committed contract testing laboratory specializing in plant
authentication, botanical ingredient identification and quantitative analytical
services to the Food & Beverage, Nutraceutical and Cosmeceutical
Industries. Now in its 25th year, Alkemist Labs provides state of
the art identity, purity, and potency testing for a vast range of plants and
the phytochemicals derived from them. Élan holds a degree in chemistry from
California State University Long Beach and has authored numerous journal articles
on phytochemistry and analytical techniques for the natural products and
nutraceutical industry.
Mark Blumenthal is the founder and executive director
of the American Botanical Council. Established in 1988, ABC is a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit education organization committed to science-based education about and
promotion of the responsible use of herbal medicine. With more than 45 years of
diverse experience as an herbal advocate, consultant, educator, researcher,
writer, and advisor, Mr. Blumenthal has an extensive comprehensive background
in herbs and medicinal plants. He is the director of the ABC-AHP-NCNPR
Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program, a consortium of organizations focused
on the widespread problem of adulteration of botanical raw materials, extracts,
and essential oils in the global supply network. Mark is Editor and Publisher
of HerbalGram, the ABC’s international peer-reviewed quarterly journal.
Stefan Gafner, PhD, is an analytical chemist who is Chief
Science Officer for the American Botanical Council. Dr. Gafner
received his degree in pharmacy at the University of Bern School of Pharmacy in
Bern, Switzerland. He earned his doctorate in pharmaceutical sciences — with a
focus on phytochemistry (the chemistry of plants) — at the University of Lausanne
in Switzerland, from the internationally respected phytochemist Professor Kurt
Hostettmann. His doctoral thesis focused on novel antibacterial and antifungal
compounds from African medicinal plants. Prior to joining ABC, Dr. Gafner was
director of research and product development for Tom’s of Maine.