Olive... A Sensory Tour of the "Mediterranean Miracle"

Presented by Ian Breakspear

Students/Members: $10, Non- Members $15

Tuesday, 25 June, 2024. Doors open at 7:00pm, presentation starts 7:15pm

Join us for a Sensory Tour, "Olive... "The Mediterranean Miracle" presented by the renowned naturopath, educator and researcher, Ian Breakspear.

Olive … A Sensory Tour of the “Mediterranean Miracle”

The amazing olive tree has given us both food and medicine for more than 6,000 years. However myths and misunderstandings persist. What is extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)? What about adulteration? Can you cook with olive oil? How much should we have every day? Are all olive leaf extracts the same, and do they actually work?

Ian will answer these questions and more. You will take a photographic tour of the groves during harvest and oil production, learn about quality issues and adulteration, receive a summary of the research on the health benefits of EVOO and olive leaf extract, and learn how not all olive leaf extracts are equivalent.

Ian will also host a tasting workshop where participants will be able to experience the wonder of single varietal extra-virgin olive oils, and learn about the different flavour profiles and how to judge a quality olive oil.

About our speaker:

Ian Breakspear – Herbalist, Naturopath, Educator, Researcher
MHerbMed (USyd) | Dip Naturopathy | Dip Botanical Medicine | Cert Phytotherapy | Fellow NHAA

Ian Breakspear has been a clinical herbalist and naturopath for 30 years, and an educator for more than 25 years. He has worked clinically in single and joint practices, and in pharmacy and medical centres, and his current focus is on helping patients with cardiovascular and chronic inflammatory conditions.

Ian’s academic experience spans more than 25 years, during which he has taught, designed, and managed herbal and naturopathic programs at four colleges, three private higher education institutions, and three universities. He is currently a Senior Learning Facilitator in Herbal and Naturopathic Medicine at Torrens University Australia.

In addition to his clinical and academic work, Ian has worked extensively in industry as a technical consultant, and has been involved in the development of more than a dozen therapeutic products. Ian spent 8 years on the Board of the NHAA, and is currently the Chair of the NHAA Board Member Advisory Committee, an expert contributor to the Olive Wellness Institute, and an advisor for the Natural Health Science Foundation.

Ian’s research spans the topics of herbal safety, quality and efficacy, and he is currently engaged in a collaborative clinical trial examining the value of olive leaf extract in Type 2 diabetics. In 2006 Ian was awarded Fellowship of the NHAA, and in 2021 he was the recipient of the Bioceuticals Integrative Medicine Award for Contribution to Research & Education.