Chris Kilham
Chris Kilham (born July 22, 1952) is an author, educator, and researcher of plant-based medicines. He is known for his appearances on Fox News as the "Medicine Hunter". Family Background. Chris Kilham was born and raised in a family of ministers, broadcast and public speaking professionals. He is the son of Elizabeth Scalise Kilham “Bette Day” (1925-2006) and Gene Kilham (1919-1971). Bette Day was one of the first female television broadcasters at Boston's WBZ-TV and also worked as a radio disc jockey. Gene Kilham worked in broadcasting and as a songwriter. His grandfather , Rev. Dr. Victor Scalise graduated Yale Divinity School in 1932. Kilham's uncle and first cousin are both Baptist ministers. Kilham's first live broadcast appearance was at the age of 7 and worked as a commercial actor in his youth. Kilham married Zoe Helene in 2007. Medicine Hunter. Founded by Kilham, Medicine Hunter sources medicinal plants and organizes cultivation and trade with indigenous peoples. Kilham's wife is a partner in the company. Plant Medicine. Kilham has conducted research on the following plants: Kilham's work with aphrodisiacs has been featured on "CNN", "The Dr. Oz Show", "Good Morning  America", "The New York Times", "The Washington Post", "ABC News Nightline", "Outside Magazine", and "Business Insider". Work in Natural Products Industry. From 1985-1990, Kilham was the Vice President of Marketing for Bread and Circus. In 1990, Kilham founded Cowboy Marketing, a consulting firm for the natural foods industry. His book, "Cowboy Marketing: How to Shoot from the Hip and Win on the Wild Frontier of Natural Foods Retailing" is about his experiences in the natural foods industry. Role in Cannabis Reform. Kilham is an activist in the movement to legalize marijuana and has written about the topic, including the  use of cannabis for medicinal purposes and U.S. patent 6.630.507. Kilham appears in Robyn Grigg Lawerence's, The Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook (2015), He was listed as one of the "Top Cannabis Chefs" in Culture Magazine. Voice of Shamanism. Kilham is recognized as a chief in the South Pacific. He researches and promotes psychoactive and psychedelic plants used in traditional shaman rituals, including kava and ayahuasca. He has written a book about the medicinal qualities of psychoactive and psychedelic plants, entitled "Psyche Delicacies: Coffee, Chocolate, Chiles, Kava and Cannabis and Why They're Good for You." Chris' most recent book, "The  Ayahuasca Test Pilots Handbook - The Essential Guide to Ayahuasca Journeying", has been featured in "Newsweek", Boston Magazine, and Reset with Amber Lyon. "The Ayahuasca Test Pilots Handbook - The Essential Guide to Ayahuasca Journeying" is dedicated to Kilham's wife, Zoe Helene, and to the late Ipupiara, Bernardo Dias Peixoto, a shaman. Kilham's Ayahausca Monologues have been described as a “psychedelic TED talk” and “Insightful, funny, wild, and totally real". Chris is the founder of Ayahuasca Test Pilots, a “collaboration of individuals who engage in the ceremonial practice of ayahuasca journeying with skilled shamans”; his wife, Zoe Helene, serves as  “Co-Pilot” for that organisation. Yoga and Meditation. Kilham is a yoga teacher, conference speaker. Nicki Doane, Deepak Chopra, and Dr. Mehmet Oz are quoted on the book jacket. Kilham has been featured on The Dr. Oz Show teaching Dr. Mehmet Oz the exercises. He has also demonstrated The Five Tibetans on Fox News. His book, "The Lotus and The Bud: Cannabis, Consciousness, and Yoga Practice," is a guide to blending cannabis with the practice of yoga. Kilham is sometimes referred to as the "Psychedelic Yogi". He has a Mind Body Disciplines degree from University of Massachusetts-Amherst, a major  that he designed himself. Work with University of Massachusetts. Kilham has taught ethnobotany at University of Massachusetts since 2000 and referred to as “Explorer in Residence.” He leads the Shaman's Pharmacy Amazon Field Immersion Course, an expedition to primary rain forest in Peru for students from UMass Amherst, Amherst College, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College, and Smith College. Students experience the Amazon while learning about field expedition, sustainability, shamanism, and medicinal plants of the region. Books. Kilham is the author of fourteen books and numerous publications on medicinal plants, natural products, and yoga, including "The Five Tibetans: Five Dynamic  Exercises for Health, Energy, and Personal Power and Stalking the Wild Orgasm", which appears in the 1988 movie, Earth Girls Are Easy. Kilham's other books are: Television and Radio Appearances. Kilham is a frequent guest on "The Dr. Oz Show" with Dr. Mehmet Oz, appearing on at least 15 occasions from January 2008 to January 2015, Kilham has appeared as a guest expert on numerous radio and television programs, speaking primarily about medicine hunting, mind/body health and wellness, traditional botanical medicine, sustainability, environmental and cultural preservation and other related topics.