Plants of The Andes & Amazon - Ethnobotany Trip to Peru

This trip is lead by a friend of mine. It looks like big fun to me. Thought some of you might be interested. She has three slots open.

ETHNOBOTANY TRIP TO PERU

August 21-30 With Dr Jillian Stansbury

THE MEDICINAL AND MYSTICAL PLANTS

 OF THE ANDES AND AMAZON

Join us in August of 2013 to explore the plants and the healing traditions of the Peruvian Andes and Amazon.

We will learn of healing traditions from Incan spiritualists and travel into the Amazon to see a great diversity of plants and visit with members of three indigenous communities.

www.jillstansbury.net

jstansbury@ncnm.edu

BASIC ITINERARY

August 21^nd – Meet in Cusco hotel Pension Alemana Wed morning, Intro talks and Welcome. Lunch, City Walk to plant museum and herb markets, introduction to unique plants. Dinner discussion, followed traditional Andean music.

August 22^rd – Early breakfast buffet, botanizing Andean plants on the way to sacred valley and back.  Lunch in Pisac, visit ruins and markets.  Cusco Dinner with more traditional music and story.

August 23^th – Buffet breakfast at Hotel.  Van down to the Amazon basin, settle into ACA lodge.  Dinner at lodge and evening stroll to focus on identifying tropical plant families.

August 24^th  – Day trip to Queros tribe.  Herb walk with Fredy, traditional meal, afternoon arts with tribe.  Return to Pilcopata hotel by dusk.  Dinner at ACA lodge.

August 25^th – Travel to Atalaya and motor boat to indigenous community of Shintuya.  Lunch and settle in at lodge, meet with Liborio of the Bora tribe for herb study.  Evening song and storytelling of amazon shamanism.

August 26^th – Morning herb hike to waterfall with Liborio.  Lunch back at lodge.  Afternoon plant studies and free time.  Dinner at lodge. Eve. discussion of indigenous healing ways with guests.

August 27^th  – Boat back to Pilcopata  Afternoon herb and tropical food preparation demos. Masato, Agua de Cocona, Aguaje

August 28^th – Day at ACA lodge medicinal garden, jungle trails.  Afternoon guest Dr Mendiat to talk about his practice, tropical disease, indigenous medicine. 

August 29^th – Van back to Cuzco.  View Cock of the Rock Birds on the way.  Lunch at Wayquecha research station in Cloud forest.  Late dinner of Indian take out at hotel.

August 30^th  - Breakfast at hotel.  Day trip with Incan shaman Kush. Coca Ceremony and offering to Pachamama, Late lunch at Trout Farm and closing.  Free evening.

August 31^st  – Breakfast at Hotel Check out.  Preparation day for those preparing to hike the Inca trail or travel on.

SUBJECT TO MINOR CHANGES

Price $2,250 – all inclusive for hotels, lodges, teachers, vans, boats, meals, museums, guides, entertainment.

Does NOT include Air Travel to Cusco.  

Salmon Farms are Introducing Deadly Viruses to the Wild Salmon

An eye opening documentary has been made about deadly diseases killing the salmon world-wide.  This video is fantastic. It follows the salmon farms introducing the deadly ISA virus and other viruses into the wild salmon population. It also documents the Canadian governmental cover up to protect the international salmon trading industry. It is well worth the time to watch this video. If you eat farmed salmon you are likely eating diseased fish according to this video. You will be shocked at what they find in the super markets. Additionally, they are concerned that when you wash these farmed salmon in your kitchen sink you are washing these viruses down the drain and it may end up in our watershed. Send this link to anyone you know that eats farmed salmon.

Watch this amazing video here.

Ginkgo Biloba Toxicology Report Flawed

In a recent toxicology report prepared by the U.S. National Toxicology Program on the herbal extract of Ginkgo biloba, based on rat and mice studies they said that supplementing the animals diets with Ginkgo extract could cause liver and thyroid tumors. What they fail to mention is that the extract was in a base of corn oil. Yes, corn oil that was not noted to be organic or GE (genetically engineered), but since almost all of it on the market that is not organic is GE  we can expect that this is what was used. If you read my review of the research article "Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize" you will remember that GE corn causes multiple tumors in multiple organs of rats. So, it is no surprise that this product caused tumors. However, I would ask was it the Ginkgo or the corn oil that is was suspended in? There are other problems with the research but this is the most striking to me.