Today on Hempire Dr. Eileen Karpfinger is joined by Chris Kleronomos who aims to “bring apitherapy out into the light.” Chris became interested in natural medicine while serving in the U.S. Navy. As a Corpsman he provided battlefield first aid and medical treatment to Force Reconnaissance where he learned of the value of plants for both survival and medicine. The USMC Force Recon Units are the Marines version of the Army’s Green Beret or Navy’s SEAL Teams and fall under the Joint Special Operations Command. After the service he followed this interest and studied for a master’s degree in Oriental Medicine, at the Midwest College of Oriental Medicine, and then completed a doctoral program focusing on oncology and chronic disease, at Bastyr University in Seattle. Chris Kleronomos is an activist. In the 2002 he worked in Cambodia for WildAid and Conservation International —which aims to end illegal wildlife trade, largely resulting from the trade in natural products (plant and animal) for medicine. He is an outspoken supporter of the value of natural healing in treating chronic pain and other disorders. And, as a newly elected board member of the AAS, he is working tirelessly to educate the public about apitherapy.