When I first developed interest in alternative and traditional herbal medicine, I took a class called "The Shaman's Pharmacy" with medicine hunter Chris Kilham. When Chris is not studying with shaman and conducting medical research around the world, he teaches ethnobotany at Umass Amherst. One of his notable achievements is popularizing kava kava (think herbal xanax...I'll elaborate in a separate post) in the western world. In preparation for a trip to the Amazon I'm taking in March, I'm re-reading Chris' book Tales from the Medicine Trail. Part travelogue, part herbal reference, this book is a great read for anyone with an interest in ethnobotany. Coincidentally, after I initially posted this entry I came across an article in yesterday's New York Times about Chris' business, Medicine Hunter Inc. and his involvement in marketing the stimulant herb maca.
