Communities invited to explore botanical and culinary medicine in Taos

“Simply Spicy” UNM event July 8-9 to feature herbs and spices used in healing

A state-of-the-art, two-day symposium on herbs and spices used in health and medicine is scheduled in Taos, July 8-9, at the Sagebrush Inn & Suites. The public is welcome to learn about herbs and spices used in the management of most common medical conditions, while networking with physicians, nurses, dieticians, pharmacists and other professional health practitioners. Admittance is $150.

The symposium, hosted by the UNM School of Medicine' Section of Integrative Medicine, will feature interactive spice demos, cooking demonstrations and a healthy recipe contest. The symposium opens Saturday morning with sunrise yoga 6:30-7:30 a.m. and finishes with a cooking demonstration from 4-5 p.m. Sunday opens with sunrise yoga and concludes with a question-and-answer session and closing ceremony. Lunch is provided both days.

Plenary presentations include:

• Taking the spice route to health;
• Red hot medicine: chilies for health;
• Not so sweet; spices for diabetes and other metabolic diseases;
• Savoring the effect of spices on brain health and mood;
• Zesty heart health; and
• Turning down the heat: quenching inflammation & pain.

Workshops provide knowledge in areas such as herbs and spices for common infections, Native American ceremonial herbs and spices, spices for women's health, medicinal Chinese spices and optimizing gut health.

For more information on Simply Spicy, visit http://som.unm.edu/education/cme/2017/simply-spicy.html, contact Kathy Breckenridge at kbreckenridge@salud.unm.edu or call (505) 272-3942.