Foodie Pharmacology Podcast

The Food Explorer and the Life & Adventures of David Fairchild with Daniel Stone

I speak with award-winning author, Daniel Stone, about his book on the life and adventures of David Fairchild: The Food Explorer. If you enjoy delicious foods like avocados and the Meyer lemon, you have Fairchild and his team members to thank for bringing these crops into cultivation in the US! Daniel’s book is an edge-of-your-seat historic account of this work that reads like an adventure novel! Tune in to this episode of Foodie Pharmacology to learn more about this fascinating read!

#Explorer #Crops #Agriculture

The ABCs of Herbal Medicines with Mark Blumenthal

I speak with Mark Blumenthal about his work on the science and safety of botanicals. Mark is the founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council, which is a leading, independent, research and educational nonprofit organization dedicated to disseminating accurate, reliable, and responsible information on herbs and medicinal plants. The topics of sustainability, problems with adulteration and safety of herbs, and how to learn more about the healing power of plants are all covered in this episode of the Foodie Pharmacology podcast.

#Herbalism #DietarySupplements #HerbalMedicine

Stingless Bees, Peccaries & Adventure in the Amazon with Dr. Bruce Hoffman

I speak with ethnobotanist Dr. Bruce Hoffman about his work with the indigenous people of Suriname! Bruce discusses his work with the Amazon Conservation Team and shares what life is like in the Amazon! He explains how the ACT works with local Trio and Saramaccan communities to establish stingless bee hives as a source of local income for this medicinal forest honey. We also discuss what to do if you encounter a group of peccaries in the forest… (here’s a hint) climb a tree… FAST!

#Amazon #StinglessBees #Rainforest

Salmon: The Common Fate of a Fish and the Earth with Mark Kurlansky

I speak with award-winning author Mark Kurlansky about his latest book, Salmon! to take a closer look at one of nature's most remarkable and inspiring animals: salmon! Salmon have long history of being sought out by both commercial and sports fishing all over the Northern Atlantic and Pacific. Incredibly, these fish can undergo major changes in their body to survive both in fresh and salt water during different phases of their life cycle! Not many fish can do that! Amazingly, they travel thousands of miles in the ocean to return to the exact river and location of their birth. Yet, salmon are threatened by everything from deforestation, to climate change, to dams. If the salmon can survive, then just maybe there is hope for the planet.

#Salmon #Water #Fisheries

Everyday Ayurveda with Dr. Bhaswati Bhattacharya

I dive into Ayurvedic medicine with Dr. Bhaswati Bhattacharya (author, Everyday Ayurveda). Dr. Bhattacharya is a Harvard-educated, licensed, board-certified holistic physician trained in family medicine and preventive medicine. She’s also a published scientist trained in pharmacology, neuroscience and Ayurveda, an awarded educator, and a best-selling author. 

Ayurvedic medicine is one of the oldest systems of medicines known to mankind. A focus in the healing process is on cleansing the body and re-establishing harmony and balance in the body.  In addition to being a stand-alone system of medicine, it is also used in integrative health practices. We explore what Ayurveda is all about and also how diet factors into health and healing in this system of medicine.

#Ayurveda #India #HealthyDiet

Discovering The Giving Kitchen with Bryan Schroeder

With the instability of the restaurant and food service sector in the midst of COVID - Never has there been a more important time for an organization like this to support food service workers. In this episode, I speak with Bryan Schroeder of The Giving Kitchen ,a nonprofit organization that offers stability to the food service community in Georgia. They fulfill that promise through a vision of a food service community where crisis is met with compassion and care and where self-care is valued above all else. Giving Kitchen provides emergency assistance to food service workers through financial support and a network of community resources. 

#FoodService #Nonprofit #Atlanta

Regional Food & Farming with Kathleen Finlay

I speak with Kathleen Finlay, President of Glynwood, a leader in the regenerative agriculture movement. Kathleen has also been instrumental in organizing women who work for environmental progress. The Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming is a non-profit organization serving food and farming changemakers from New York’s Hudson Valley and beyond. They advance local food production in the region, as well as educate a national audience about efforts to regionalize food and agriculture. Guided by the highest standards of ecosystem, soil, animal and community well-being, they promote regenerative agriculture in service of our natural environment, local economies and human health.

#Farming #HudsonValley #Agriculture

Jennifer Woltz, Asili: Traditional Medicine for HIV in Tanzania

East Africa houses over half of the global HIV cases, and almost 5% of the population of Tanzania has HIV.  Yet, only about half of the people with HIV consistently take anti-retroviral medication to treat it. Asili Research Alliance was born out of a calling to change these dire statistics. I speak with Jennifer Woltz of Asili about their innovative program working with local healers to supply a plant-based, locally sourced and produced medication that has known anti-HIV activity. Over 2,000 people have benefited from this treatment, either as a supplement to antiretroviral therapy (ART) or by itself when they are unable to obtain ART.  The treatment is used to supplement ART or when ART is not an option (due to cost or scarcity).  Their goal is to enable people living with HIV to regain their health in order to keep working and taking care of their families. 

#HIV #Africa #TraditionalMedicine

Progressive Indigenous Cuisine with Shane Chartrand and Jennifer Cockrall-King

Tawaw: “Come in, you’re welcome. There’s room.” In this episode, I chat with Chef Shane Chartrand and food writer Jennifer Cockrall-King about their newly released book, Tawaw: Progressive Indigenous Cuisine, which is part cookbook, part exploration of ingredients, and part journal. We discuss how Shane transforms traditional indigenous ingredients like wild game and berries into some delicious works of art. 

#Indigenous #Cuisine #Cookbook

Figs! Gods, Wasps and Stranglers with Dr. Mike Shanahan

This week, we dive into the stories behind one of my favorite summertime fruits – figs! As a kid, I was never a fan of fig-based cookies, but my mind was totally changed when I first encountered a lush, ripe fig tree during fieldwork in southern Italy. I plucked a large green skinned fig off of a tree and as I bit into it, the rows of pink flowers inside were revealed. The flavor and texture was just incredible! This delicious treat was the result of an interesting relationship between the plant and local insects. I speak with Dr. Mike Shanahan, whose work weaves together the mythology, history and ecology of one of the world’s most and diverse groups of plants, covering their starring role in religion, to their potential to restore rainforests, halt the loss of threatened and endangered species, and even limit climate change. We chat about his book, Gods, Wasps and Stranglers: The Secret History and Redemptive Future of Fig Trees, and cover just about any questions folks could have about this amazing plant group!

#Figs #Botany #Ecology