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: Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina and Stress Relief – 2nd ed. 👉 https://herbalstudies.net/product/adaptogens-herbs-for-strength-stamina-and-stress-relief-2nd-ed Links & resources: Enroll in David Winston’s two-year Clinical Herbalist Training Program, one of the most respected programs in the field. Apply now at Herbal Studies: https://herbalstudies.net/herbalist-training Want to learn herbs at your own pace? I teach how to make medicine with wild herbs inside the Wild Herb Academy Membership. The doors are open now: https://www.wildherbacademy.com/learnwildherbs 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: Website: https://herbalstudies.net Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwherbstudies Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidwinstonrh YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidWinstonCHS 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: Website: https://www.wildherbacademy.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildherbacademy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WildHerbAcademy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WildherbswithApril 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 ---- 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.
