3 week Herbal Supplement course lesson plan

1. RunningHead:3 WEEK CAMCOURSE 1
3 Week CAM Course
Justine Curati
Kaplan University

2. 3 WEEK CAMCOURSE 2
Disclaimer
The information gained from this course is intended for personal knowledge only and is
not intended to medically diagnose or treat. If you wish to use this information for medical
purposes, please consult your physician before doing so.

3. 3 WEEK CAMCOURSE 3
Syllabus
Course Information
Instructor: Justine Curati
Email: justinecurati@sutdent.kaplan.edu
Course Title: Intro to Herbal Medicine
Course Meetings: Tuesdays from 6-7:30 PM
Prerequisites: None
Course Materials:
Course Description:
This course is designed to be an introduction to herbal medicine. The idea of this course
is to teach about the basic uses for various herbal supplements, as well as potential side effects
and risks.
Course Outcomes:
1. To understand the basic concepts of herbal medicine.
2. To understand the basic uses for commonly used herbal supplements.
3. To understand potential risks and side effects involved with herbal medicine.
Grading Criteria:
Grading will be based on attendance, class participation and completion of all
assignments given throughout the course.

4. 3 WEEK CAMCOURSE 4
Lesson 1: Lecture Notes
LessonOverview: What are and who uses herbal supplements? The whole objective to this
lesson is to help you all understand what herbal medicine is, who can benefit from it and the
basic concepts of herbal supplement use, as well as how you may find them in the store.
LessonContent:
Class Discussion: Can anyone tell me what herbal supplements are?
10 minute discussion
What is Herbal Medicine?
Herbs are a form of botanical medicine, simply meaning that one is using the seeds, roots, bark
berries, flowers or leaves of a plant for medicinal purposes.
Who uses herbs?
Anyone can! Herbalism has been used since long before any recorded medical history and
continues to be a popular form of preventative, maintenance and treatment care. The World
Health Organization has researched and discovered that about 80% of the population rely on
some form of herbs for part of their primary health care. Unfortunately, most do not share this
with their primary care physician. More and more people are seeking care or treatment outside of
the conventional medicine realm.
A quick 4 minute video over the history of Herbal Medicine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8SHvgM1bMc

5. 3 WEEK CAMCOURSE 5
10 minute break
Class Discussion: If you walk into a grocery store or your local Walmart, in what forms will you
find herbs?
10 minute discussion
In what forms will you find herbs?
Herbs can be found in a variety of forms and are can be found in just about any store, such as
grocery, pharmacy, Walmart, Target, etc. Herbs can be found in fresh or dried forms, as solid or
liquid extracts, as tablets, tea bags, capsules and more.
Any Questions???
10 minute class discussion/questions

6. 3 WEEK CAMCOURSE 6
Lesson 2: Lecture Notes
LessonOverview: This lesson is designed to teach about various commonly used herbal
supplements and their intended purposes. Included, will be a quick guide to finding more
information regarding herbal supplements.
LessonContent:
Class Discussion: What are some herbs that you all use at home? What do you use them for?
10 minute discussion
Now let’s discuss some of these in a little more detail. Some of the most commonly used
herbal supplements include herbs such as Ginkgo, Kava Kava, St. John’s Wort, Saw Palmetto,
Echinacea and Valerian. Below are some common uses for these 6 herbs.
Ginkgo- used to treat circulatory disorders and enhance memory such as Alzheimer’s and poor
circulation in the legs. Older adults also use this to memory enhancement. Blood circulation is
increased because ginkgo causes dilation of blood vessels and a reduction in the stickiness of
platlets. Due to this, sort of, blood thinning effect, use with blood thinners can be dangerous.
Kava Kava- Used to enhance mood and well-being. This herb has a relaxing effect and can be
used to treat nervous disorders, anxiety and insomnia. There is concern for potential cause of
liver damage so the FDA issued a “Consumer Warning” in 2002.
St. John’s Wort- Commonly used to treat mild-moderate depression because of its
antidepressant effects. This particular herb can react negatively with a variety of other
medications, to include birth control, and should be used under the guidance of your physician.

7. 3 WEEK CAMCOURSE 7
Saw Palmetto- Used to treat enlargement of the prostate gland, or BPH (benign prostatic
hyperplasia). Saw Palmetto can be effective when used to treat symptoms, such as, frequent
urination and troubles with beginning or maintaining urination.
Echinacea- Echinacea is one of the most commonly used herbal supplements and is used to
enhance the body’s natural immunity. It is often used to help prevent and shorten the length of
colds. This herb can have negative reactions when used with some other medications and should
be used under the guidance of a physician.
Valerian- Commonly used to treat sleep problems, as there are less side effects than with most
prescription sleep aides. Can react poorly with other medications, especially psychiatric
medications, so, as with all other herbs, it should be used under the care or guidance of a
physician.
10 minute break
Where can you find additional information about herbal supplements?
More information can be found in medical libraries, through PubMed, the FDA or through a
qualified herbalist or medical expert in herbal medicine. An expert can be a chiropractor, primary
care physician, pharmacist, medical doctor, naturopathic physician, or an herbalist.
Class Discussion: Does anyone have anything else to add or share?
10 minute class discussion

8. 3 WEEK CAMCOURSE 8
Lesson 3: Lecture Notes
LessonOverview: This lesson is intended to provide information about the safety and regulation
of herbal supplements. Included, will be information regarding safety concerns and what to
watch out for when purchasing herbal supplements.
LessonContent:
Are herbal supplements safe?
NOT ALWAYS! As discussed in out last session, many herbal supplements can produce
negative side effect if used in conjunction with other medications. Some can also be dangerous if
too high of a dosage is used. The chemical make-up of the herb and how the herb is prepared
also plays a role in the safety. For example, a peppermint tea has a much different potency level
than that of a peppermint extract, so, while a peppermint tea is generally safe to consume and be
self-administered, an improperly used extract or oil can be dangerous. It is always important to
discuss any interest in herbal supplements with your health care provider before beginning to
actually use the supplement.
Class Discussion: In what ways are herbs regulated?
10 minute class discussion
Are herbs evaluated before they are sold?
Unfortunately, the potency of an herb is not guaranteed because herbs, like other dietary
supplements, are not required to be tested for effectiveness and safety. Because of this,
determining the effectiveness of an herb from the label can be quite difficult. However, an herb
can be labeled as standardized, which may help a bit.

9. 3 WEEK CAMCOURSE 9
10 minute break
Class Discussion: Does anyone know what it means for an herb to be standardized?
5 minute class discussion
Let’s talk about Standardization.
A standardized herb will have a clear stamp on the bottle labeling it “Standardized”. This means
that the herb has been tested and there is a guarantee that there is at least a certain amount of the
active ingredient within the supplement. This can be beneficial for knowing about how much you
are actually consuming. However, it doesn’t guarantee quality or that there are not additional
ingredients. With that being said, the FDA has issued Good Manufacturing Practices, or GMPs,
that all dietary supplements must follow.
What are GMPs?
Good Manufacturing Practices are a set of rule and expectations put in place to ensure that
supplements are manufactured, prepared and stored in such a way to ensure quality. The goal of
GMPs is to prevent ingredients from being included that should not be, improper packaging, the
possibility of contamination, and the addition of too much of the active ingredient as well as too
little.
Class Discussion: Is there anything anyone would like to add? Are there any additional
questions about anything we have covered in the past 3 lessons?
15 minute class discussion