
Hosted by Dr. Greg Sperber · EN

In this episode, we are going to be looking at another single Chinese herb: jú huā, Chrysanthemi Flos, or chrysanthemum flower. This herb is in the Chinese medical subcategory of cool, acrid herbs that release the exterior under the category of release the exterior herbs. It is helpful for certain types of colds and helps the liver and the eyes. This episode is pretty jam packed, so we are going focus on our herb of the day and look at something a little different in our next episode... Each episode of the podcast will go into great depth about a single herb or formula. Besides covering the basics of herbology including category, and functions, we will explore the history, quality, science, pharmacology, evidence, and any potential interactions of each herb or formula. Please join us as we examine jú huā, Chrysanthemi Flos, or chrysanthemum flower!

In this episode, we will explore another interesting herb of the world: Stevia or Stevia rebaudiana, known for its sweetness, but are there other medicinal properties? We are going to find out as we do our usual deep dive into this herb and find out if there is any evidence or concerns. And, as usual, we will be adding something a little different…we are going to do a deep dive into carbohydrates and sugar, both from a biomedical/biochemical perspective and a Chinese medical perspective. Each episode of the podcast will go into great depth about a single herb or formula. Besides covering the basics of herbology including category, and functions, we will explore the history, quality, science, pharmacology, evidence, and any potential interactions of each herb or formula. It is going to be another daunting trek into the unknown…well it is actually known, but we are still gonna trek and it is still daunting…please join us as we examine Stevia or Stevia rebaudiana!

This episode covers a historically, if not currently, important herb with ramifications in alchemy and the basis of chemistry: Zhu Sha (Cinnabar). Each episode covers another traditional herb from somewhere in the world and goes into great depth about it. Besides covering the basics of the herb including its traditional use and functions, we will explore the history, quality, science, pharmacology, evidence, and any potential interactions of each herb. And then there is always something a little quirky about an episode. This episode discusses alchemy in China and explains nei dan (internal alchemy) and wai dan (external alchemy). Please join us for our latest herbal and historical exploration!