Herbalists & Nutritionists: In the Clinic with Camille

Camille Freeman, RH, DCN | Clinical Herbalist

This show is for clinical herbalists and nutritionists in private practice. We discuss tips and strategies for building a private integrative practice, working with herbs and supplements, issues affecting the fields of herbalism and nutrition, and more. My goal is to help herbalists and nutritionists run sustainable clinical practices.  Most episodes are bite-sized. Topics include common questions and dilemmas faced by clinicians: practice management, clinical decision-making, how to make a sustainable living, ethical marketing and promotion, providing excellent clinical care without burning out, approaching clinical situations thoughtfully, safety concerns and fads in clinical practice, supplement safety, professional development, the practice of herbal medicine, how to run an evidence-informed practice, and more.  New episodes weekly. Show notes at intheclinic.com.

  1. Sep 8

    123 | Why Ovulation Matters with Liane Moccia

    I'm joined in this episode by my colleague and co-teacher, registered herbalist and fertility specialist Liane Moccia, to talk more about the responses to the question, "Are you ovulating?"  We cover what signs to look for, how to interpret tracking data (cervical fluid, LH strips, temperature), and why ovulation is a vital marker of hormonal and overall health even when someone isn’t trying to conceive. We also discuss practical intake phrasing, common misunderstandings, and introduce our Menstrual Health Intensive: a physiology-focused course with live teaching and case observation groups for clinicians who want to support clients experiencing menstrual health concerns. Key Takeaways Many clients have never been taught to recognize ovulatory signs/symptoms Cervical fluid is a reliable, free marker of rising estradiol, though some clients may mistake it for infection Having a baseline understanding of ovulation before perimenopause makes later changes easier to interpret and may reduce the need for expensive testing Clear, specific wording on intake forms prevents misinterpretation The luteal phase length and confirmed ovulation timing help us place premenstrual symptoms accurately on the timeline Links referenced in this episode: Liane's website: https://lianemoccia.com/  Liane's book, The Herbal Fertility Handbook: https://lianemoccia.com/book/  Menstrual Health Intensive: https://www.camillefreeman.com/menstrualhealth/

    123 | Why Ovulation Matters with Liane Moccia
  2. Aug 25

    121 | Is your business "hungry" for that course?

    A Mindful Eating Metaphor It might help to think about this in terms of mindful eating. When you feel the urge to sign up for something, stop and ask: is my practice actually hungry for this? If you've decided newsletters are your main marketing focus and you're specifically hunting for newsletter training - amazing. Dive in. If you're just responding to a sale email, a fear of missing out, or a vague sense that you "should" know more? Take a step back. You might find the urge is actually about avoiding visibility work, not about needing to know this information right now. The "Someday" List When I'm tempted by a program but my business isn't actually hungry for it right now, I keep a running document with the link, price, and details. About 80% of the time, I realize that I don't need or want to do the program right now. It's a "nice to have eventually" versus a "I need to implement this right away and I think this course will help." Programs and classes are almost always offered again later. A Suggestion Before you sign up for anything this fall, ask yourself: Is this a hunger in my business right now? Am I going to implement what I learn, or just collect more information? Am I using learning as a way to avoid the harder work of being seen? We want synergy between what we're taking in and what we're putting out. Make sure there's a balance between the two. Links and Resources Submit a question for a future episode at intheclinic.com Sign up for my weekly Practitioner Notes newsletter at intheclinic.com or camillefreeman.com Find all episodes and show notes at intheclinic.com About Me I'm Camille Freeman, DCN, RH, and I host In the Clinic with Camille, a podcast for herbalists and nutritionists building and growing their private practices. I've been in clinical practice since 2003 with a focus on fertility, pregnancy, and menstrual health.

    121 | Is your business "hungry" for that course?
  3. Jul 28

    117 | Does wild yam cream increase progesterone?

    I got a question in a recent Q&A call about wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) cream and progesterone. A client felt the cream was helping raise their progesterone, but the practitioner had questions about whether that was realistically happening. So what's the deal? I share a few thoughts on why a client might be noticing a difference and things to be on the lookout for as an herbalist or nutritionist if your client is using wild yam cream.  Key Takeaways Wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) contains diosgenin, which can be converted to progesterone in a laboratory setting, but the human body does not have the enzymes to make that conversion. If a wild yam cream seems to be helping with progesterone-related symptoms, the cream may actually contain progesterone (check the active ingredient label - some do). Lower-quality or less transparent products can sometimes contain undisclosed ingredients or contaminants, including hormones, so it's worth investigating the brand and looking for third-party testing. The placebo effect is a thing and may be at play here. Wild yam does contain phytoestrogens, and while topical absorption levels are unclear, this is a more physiologically plausible mechanism than progesterone conversion. Progesterone blood levels are pulsatile (they fluctuate roughly every 45-60 minutes), so a single lab draw in the luteal phase should not be interpreted as evidence of "low progesterone" without proper clinical context. Links and Resources Mentioned Sign up for Camille's weekly Practitioner Notes newsletter at camillefreeman.com Submit a question for the podcast at intheclinic.com Find all episodes and show notes at intheclinic.com About Camille Camille Freeman, DCN, RH, is the founder of Bloom and Grow, offering continuing education and community resources for herbalists and nutritionists in clinical practice. She has been in practice since 2003 with a focus on fertility, pregnancy, and menstrual health.

    117 | Does wild yam cream increase progesterone?
5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

This show is for clinical herbalists and nutritionists in private practice. We discuss tips and strategies for building a private integrative practice, working with herbs and supplements, issues affecting the fields of herbalism and nutrition, and more. My goal is to help herbalists and nutritionists run sustainable clinical practices.  Most episodes are bite-sized. Topics include common questions and dilemmas faced by clinicians: practice management, clinical decision-making, how to make a sustainable living, ethical marketing and promotion, providing excellent clinical care without burning out, approaching clinical situations thoughtfully, safety concerns and fads in clinical practice, supplement safety, professional development, the practice of herbal medicine, how to run an evidence-informed practice, and more.  New episodes weekly. Show notes at intheclinic.com.

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