The Wild Medicine Solution: Healing with Aromatic, Bitter, and Tonic Plants

293 Pages·2013·2.52 MB·English

by  Guido Masé

THE Wild Medicine SOLUTION
“A twenty-first-century herbal filled with the wisdom of authentic
herbalism. Not only are vital skills of herbalism imparted in a friendly and
grounded way, but the book is brimming with insights and wisdom from an
herbalist who truly walks his talk.”
DAVID HOFFMANN, FNIMH RH, MEDICAL HERBALIST AND AUTHOR OF
MEDICAL HERBILASM
“In The Wild Medicine Solution, Guido Masé presents a beautiful tapestry
of writing that weaves together the colorfully rich tradition of herbal
medicine around tonics and bitters, which are among the most important
classes of botanicals for human health. Great information. A delightful read.
The real solution to the health care crisis!”
ROY UPTON, RH DOCTOR OF AYURVEDIC MEDICINE, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN HERBAL PHARMACOPELIA
“There are those who incorporate everyday plants into their diet, knowing
this is herbal healing at its best. Guido Masé goes one step further. Here’s
the science that makes clear why direct plant medicine rocks. Tonics,
bitters, and aromatics enliven our meals as well as stimulate our life force.
Read this book and dare to be healthy!”
MICHAEL PHILLIPS, AUTHOR OF THE HOLISTIC ORCHARD AND THE APPLE
GROWER
“Whether you are an aging boomer looking for the best ways to stay
healthy; a prepper worried about the end days; a sage femme guiding
women toward wholeness during pregnancy, birth, and menopause; or a
surgeon curious about integrative medicine, you will find ideas here that
may overturn your current conceptions of health. This book is a short
course on a deep matter, with plenty of practical, do-it-now examples to
support your own health and engage in true preventive medicine. It is a gift
of green blessings to us all.”
SUSUN S. WEED, AUTHOR OF HEALING WISE AND A WISE WOMAN HERBAL
“Since ancient times we have been told that bitter and aromatic herbs can
improve our health and well-being, but most Westerners avoid these
beneficial herbs. Guido Masé, on the other hand, gives us convincing
historical and scientific reasons for using them as well as simple recipes to
help us enjoy them.”
DAVID WINSTON, RH, AUTHOR OF ADAPTOGENS: HERBS
FOR STRENGTH, STAMINA, AND STRESS RELIEF
“In The Wild Medicine Solution herbalist Guido Masé elegantly weaves
human history and biology with the history of herbal medicines, offering
readers compelling reasons to reharmonize with nature and reintegrate
herbs as medicines into their lives. A good read and a beautiful
presentation.”
AVIVA JILL ROMM, M.D., HERBALIST, MIDWIFE, AND AUTHOR
OF VACCINATIONS AND NATURAL HEALTH AFTER BIRTH
For Uli
Contents

1. Cover Image
2. Title Page
3. Epigraph
4. Dedication
5. Acknowledgments
6. Introduction
7. Chapter 1: A Cuisine for Medicine
1.T RADITIONAL HERBAL MEDICINE
2.W HAT KINDS OF PLANTS AND WHY—A SYSTEMS-BASED CONTEXT
3.T HREE KEY PHYSIOLOGICAL "HUBS"
8. Chapter 2: Aromatics
1.H EART RATE VARIABILITY, OR THE CASE OF THE HAPPY FETUS ( AND THE
HAPPY HEART )
2.H EART RATE VARIABILITY, STRESS, AND MOOD: HAPPY IS THE SUPP LE HEART
3.A ROMATIC PLANTS, HEART RATE VARIABILITY, AND NEUROMUSCULAR
TENSION
4.T HE TRADITIONAL APPROACH
5.T HE PHARMACOLOGICAL APPROACH
6.W HY AROMATICS
7.P EPPERMINT
8.G ROWING, HARVESTING, AND STORING PEPPERMINT
9.U SING PEPPERMINT
10.L EMON BALM
11.G ROWING LEMON BALM
12.U SING LEMON BALM
13.L INDEN
14.H ARVESTING LINDEN
15.U SING LINDEN
16.G INGER
17.G ROWING, HARVESTING, AND PURCHASING GINGER
18.U SING GINGER
19.G ARLIC
20.G ROWING, HARVESTING, AND STORING GARLIC
21.U SING GARLIC
9. Chapter 3: Bitters
1.T HE XENOBIOME: IS THERE AN OPTIMAL OPERATING ENVIRONMENT?
2.A N INTERLUDE WITH GOLDILOCKS
3.T HE BITTER TASTE RECEPTOR: FEEL THE CHALLENGE
4.T HE “WESTERN” DIET: A GRAND EXPERIMENT IN XENOBIOME ALTERATION
5.T HE TRADITIONAL APPROACH
6.T HE PHARMACOLOGICAL APPROACH
7.W HY BITTERS?
8.W ORMWOOD
9.G ROWING AND HARVESTING WORMWOOD
10.U SING WORMWOOD
11.D ANDELION
12.G ROWING AND HARVESTING DANDELION
13.U SING DANDELION
14.B URDOCK
15.H ARVESTING BURDOCK
16.U SING BURDOCK
17.Y ELLOWDOCK
18.G ROWING AND HARVESTING YELLOWDOCK
19.U SING YELLOWDOCK
10. Chapter 4: Tonics
1.A NOTE IN HARMONY
2.T URNING GENES INTO HEALTHY HUMANS: EPIGENETICS AND IMMUNITY
3.E PIGENETICS
4.IM MUNITY
5.T HE TRADITIONAL APPROACH
6.T HE PHARMACOLOGICAL APPROACH
7.W HY TONICS?
8.C HOCOLATE
9.H ARVESTING CHOCOLATE
10.U SING CHOCOLATE
11.A STRAGALUS
12.G ROWING, HARVESTING, AND STORING ASTRAGALUS
13.U SING ASTRAGALUS
14.R ED REISHI (LINGZHI)
15.H ARVESTING AND STORING RED REISHI
16.U SING RED REISHI
17.H AWTHORN
18.G ROWING AND HARVESTING HAWTHORN
19.U SING HAWTHORN
11. Epilogue
12. Footnotes
13. Endnotes
14. Bibliography
15. About the Author
16. About Inner Traditions • Bear & Company
17. Books of Related Interest
18. Copyright & Permissions