Recording of Select Drug-Herb & Drug-Nutrient Interactions Now Available

Our December 14, 2010, teleconference with Dr. Mario Roxas--Select Drug-Herb & Drug-Nutrient Interactions--was action packed! Dr. Roxas shared an insightful, personal snapshot of the current state of our society's health followed by a stellar introduction to the complex world of drug-herb and drug-nutrient interactions. We welcome you to download the recording for your personal reference library. You may also want to download a copy of the presentation's accompanying PDF to follow along!

Download Select Drug-Herb & Drug-Nutrient Interactions HERE.

For those who were able to attend, we sincerely hope you enjoyed the teleconference. Our teleconferences have limited space and are, therefore, only open to ACHS students and graduates. However, we know there are many of you who would like to attend and to learn more about integrating holistic health and wellness into your everyday life. So, we are very happy to be able to post a recording of Select Drug-Herb & Drug-Nutrient Interactions for your enjoyment.

If there is a specific teleconference topic you would like to hear in the future, please let us know. You can email it to communications@achs.edu or post it as a comment to ACHS Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/ACHSedu

For a schedule of upcoming ACHS teleconferences, click on Community Wellness classes or use this link: http://www.achs.edu/wellness/community-wellness.aspx?id=6

ACHS Apothecary Shoppe College Store Is Now Oregon Tilth Certified Organic

We're proud to announce our Apothecary Shoppe College Store is now Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO). OTCO is the certifying agent for the National Organic Program (NOP) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). An internationally recognized symbol of organic integrity, OTCO reflects the Apothecary Shoppe’s ongoing commitment to green business and sustainable practices.

As an arm of the ACHS community, our Apothecary Shoppe prioritizes environmental stewardship and offers a distinguished selection of natural health products, including certified organic herbs and essential oils, for ACHS students and the community at large. To promote sustainable harvesting, wildcrafting, and preservation of natural resources, ACHS President Dorene Petersen personally visits all Apothecary Shoppe distillers, wildcrafters, and suppliers to ensure ACHS’s dedication to sustainable practices.

“We’re very excited about our Oregon Tilth certification,” says ACHS President Dorene Petersen. “OTCO protects our customers by ensuring their herbal supplies meet strict production standards for organic products. Being OTCO means we cannot use the term ‘organic’ with our products unless the material is on the list of our approved products. To be approved, the material has to be NOP certified by the vendor. If the material is not NOP certified, it will not be sold as organic.”

The Apothecary Shoppe has been certified for a diverse selection of herbs and essential oils. For specific product information, visit the Apothecary Shoppe website (www.apothecary-shoppe.com) and click on the herb and/or essential oil of interest.

To learn more about the rigorous process of Oregon Tilth certification, visit the Oregon Tilth website (http://tilth.org) and click on Certification to access their FAQs.

READ the full-length press release here: http://www.achs.edu/news/news-detail.aspx?nid=249

World AIDS Day 2010 Universal Access and Human Rights

BY Keoi Magill, ACHS Graduate Certificate in Aromatherapy

World AIDS Day is December 1 and this year’s theme is Universal Access and Human Rights. More than 25 million people have died from AIDS since its first discovery in 1981 and by the end of 2006, women accounted for 48% of all living adults with HIV. There are currently 2.1 million children that are living their lives with HIV.

HIV is not just a disease of the past and should not be forgotten. Each and every day there are approximately 6,000 young people worldwide between the ages of 15-24 being diagnosed with HIV. Sadly, for these people, every day is AIDS Day.

First and foremost, a holistic approach to AIDS education is needed to remove the stigma of shame that surrounds those who have contracted HIV. The body’s immune system becomes compromised from the disease. Then other diseases step in and ravage the body. Stress and worry can escalate the entire process.

Taking a holistic approach may improve quality of life. Providing access to holistic medical care, that includes diet education, relaxation and training in meditation techniques may also help to slow the advances of AIDS and support reduced stress and anxiety.

Universal access to education and support by respecting all human rights is holistic in its inception and principal. For those of us, who are working and interested in the holistic approach to our lives now is the time to educate ourselves, our clients, friends and family to the truths regarding AIDS. There is no known cure for AIDS and the number of new cases continues to rise.

Take the opportunity to educate yourself about AIDS Day and help support the year-round fight to stop the spread of HIV. There are many resources available on the web. To get started, you may want to check out the World AIDS Day website (http://www.worldaidsday.org) and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine website (http://nccam.nih.gov) for more information about current research into using CAM protocols with AIDS.

Reference:
Ironson G, Hayward H. (2008). Do positive psychosocial factors predict disease progression in HIV-1? A review of the evidence. Psychosom Med, 70(5):546-54.