Viral Infections
This product is delivered as a Digital Download of Audio (mp3) and Document/text files (pdf). The recorded lectures were delivered in a classroom setting by Paul Bergner, Medical Herbalist, Clinical Nutritionist, and founder of the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism (NAIMH).
* * *
Overview
- Review the pathophysiology of viral infection.
- Offer a general overview of the antiviral herbal materia medica.
- Review myths and misconceptions about the effects of herbal medicines on virus in the body.
- Describe the pathophysiology and herbal therapeutics for topical viral infections, such as herpes and shingles.
- Describe the pathophysiology and herbal therapeutics for mosquito-borne viral infections such as West Nile, Dengue, Chikungunya, or Zika virus infections, including treatment strategies for neurological complications or long-term sequelae.
- Describe general nutritional and herbal support for immunity during respiratory viral infection.
- Describe historical and contemporary therapeutics for influenza, including a review of herbal remedies used during the 1918 Influenza pandemic.
- Describe the stages of COVID-19, from prevention, to early onset, to the onset of inflammatory symptoms, to “long haul” consequences, with herbal strategies for each of the stages.
Description
Viral infections, whether acute or chronic, are among the most common maladies affecting the human species. With infection, the virus competes against the host resistance, and lifestyle, nutritional, and herbal methods to maintain or increase host resistance are the main strategies. With topical infection, herbs or their constituents and volatile oils, may have a direct effect against viral replication. But with internal use, plant constituents are too dilute to directly affect a virus, and supporting host resistance by various methods, and reducing local or systemic inflammation that may result from the antiviral immune response become the only strategies available. This course reviews the scientific literature on the effects of herbs on viral infection, and more-important offers the traditional and contemporary professional treatments used for these conditions.
Materials Included
- 4 audio modules containing a total of 68 audio recordings (7 hours and 21 minutes in all)
- More than 275 slides to accompany the lectures
- Supplementary notes, readings, and full-text reference articles
Lessons
- Viral Infection and the Antiviral Materia Medica
- Herpes and Shingles: Materia Medica and Therapeutics
- Mosquito-borne virus and neurological complications
- Respiratory Infection: Influenza and Covid-19
Important Information
This product is delivered as a Digital Download of audio and print files. After you purchase this course you will see a link to download the zip file and you will receive an emailed link that will last for 30 days. Once you download the zip file you will need to extract or unzip the files to access the audios and reading materials.
The recorded lectures were delivered by NAIMH Director Paul Bergner in classroom settings. These audios are a part of the curriculum for the ACORN School of Herbal Medicine’s Advanced Herbalism in the Vitalist Tradition program. We are making these audios accessible for self-study and independent learning. These independent study audio lectures are for personal use only (copyright laws apply). They do not come with faculty support, grading, or a certificate of completion.
Our online programs offer deeper instruction and guidance to apply the teachings within these audio recorded lectures, where you can earn a certificate of completion. If you would like faculty support within a community learning environment to enrich your educational experience, please see our webpage to learn more about certificate programs https://www.acornherbschool.com/online-programs