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#36 Plant And Human Energetics, Synergy, and Treating People with David Winston

What if the best medicine for your body has nothing to do with treating your disease and everything to do with treating you?

That's the question at the heart of this conversation, and I am so honored to bring you one of the most respected voices in herbal medicine today, David Winston.

In this episode of the Wild Herbs Podcast, I talk with herbalist and ethnobotanist David Winston about how plant energetics and human energetics help match herbs to a person’s constitution so we treat people rather than diseases. David reflects on herbal medicine’s resurgence since the late 1960s, shares how his early connection with plants began in childhood, and explains why herbalism and orthodox medicine are complementary.

We discuss the difference between treating a disease and treating a person, nootropic herbs, compliance and dosing forms, the concept of synergy in herbal formulas, nature’s role in mental health, foundations of health, and mimosa (Albizia) bark as a powerful mood elevator. David also describes his two-year clinical training program and formula-building approach.

 

Timestamp:

  • 00:00 Teaser
  • 01:05 Meet our guest, David Winston
  • 02:29 Herbalism then and now
  • 07:01 How plants chose him
  • 09:32 Plants communicate wisdom
  • 18:12 Science and tradition together
  • 20:28 Herbs versus medicine
  • 24:56 Herbs for recovery
  • 28:26 Forms and compliance
  • 32:47 Defining herbal energetics
  • 34:59 Becoming a great herbalist
  • 39:14 Treat people not diseases
  • 41:16 Herbal synergy basics
  • 41:39 Antagonism in formulas
  • 43:55 Synergy for depression
  • 47:07 Youth depression after COVID
  • 54:01 Foundations before herbs
  • 56:31 David's personal herbal routine
  • 57:45 Anti-inflammatory diet herbs
  • 01:03:12 Albizia as mood elevator
  • 01:05:37: Broken hearts syndrome
  • 01:08:03 David's two-year clinical training program

 

Herbs and plants mentioned in this episode: Plantain, bacopa, gotu kola, lion's mane, St. John's wort, lemon balm, white peony, lavender, rosemary, Albizia julibrissin (mimosa bark and flowers), hawthorn, rose, andrographis, turmeric, ginger, blueberries, marshmallow, oak bark

 

Buy David’s book:

 

Links & resources:

 

About the guest, David Winston:

David Winston, RH (AHG), is an Herbalist and Ethnobotanist with nearly six decades of training and 50 years of clinical practice across Chinese, Western/Eclectic, and Southeastern herbal traditions, and serves as dean of David Winston's Center for Herbal Studies and president of Herbalist & Alchemist, Inc. A prolific author and internationally recognized lecturer, David has taught at medical schools and professional symposia worldwide, and is the primary author of landmark texts including Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina and Stress Relief and Herbal Therapeutics, now in its 14th edition. Driven by a deep passion for clinical herbal medicine and adaptogens, David has dedicated his life to serving others and sharing the wonders of herbs, a mission recognized by honors including an honorary DSc from the National University of Natural Medicine and the American Botanical Council's Mark Blumenthal Herbal Community Builder Award.

 

Connect with David Winston:

 

About the host, April Punsalan:

Hi, I'm April Punsalan — a botanist, ethnobotanist, herbalist, and the founder of Wild Herb Academy, dedicated to teaching the healing world of plants. My new book "Foraging Wild Herbs: 30 Healing Plants of the Coastal Carolinas", is a hands-on guide to identifying, ethically harvesting, and turning wild herbs into potent remedies for everyday wellness. Grab your copy here: https://uscpress.com/Foraging-Wild-Herbs

 

Connect with April Punsalan:

 

Rate, review, and subscribe:

Bring the wisdom of wild plants with you. Listen to Wild Herbs with April on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you loved this episode, please leave us a review and most importantly, share it with someone who is battling chronic illness, navigating depression, or curious about what it really means to treat the person, not just the disease.

🌲 Stay WILD. Stay human. And remember—you are nature.

 

With love,
April Punsalan

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Disclaimer: The information shared in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition, and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health routine, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or managing a medical condition.