Ben Greenfield Life

Wild plants growing right in your own backyard can be used to enhance digestion, increase cognitive performance and improve endurance.

You just have to know how to use them. And in today's podcast with Guido Masé, you're going to learn exactly how. Guido is author of the book "The Wild Medicine Solution: Healing With Aromatic, Bitter And Tonic Plants", a clinical herbalist, herbal educator, and garden steward specializing in holistic Western herbalism.

A described his plant-based medicine approach as "eclectic" and "drawing upon many influences". He spent his childhood in Italy, in the central Alps and in a Renaissance town called Ferrara. Then, after traveling the United States, he settled into Vermont where he has been living since 1996.

He is a founding co-director of the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, an herbal medicine clinic and school. He serves as chief herbalist for the Urban Moonshine Natural Products Company, where he oversees research for an all-organic whole-plant tincture line and participates in product education and quality control.

Guido is also a trail runner and marathoner, and in this episode, you'll discover: -How Guido became a "wild plant" expert... -What is it that has changed in domesticated plants that make them so much more inferior than wild plants... -The important differences between aromatic, bitter and tonic plants... -How many plants you actually need to produce a tincture... -Why alcohol is such a great medium to mix wild plant extracts into... -How you can use "bitters" to enhance your digestive process (and how they're far different than digestive enzymes)... -Why you should include plants like endives, radicchio, frisee, dandelion and mustard greens on your salad or with your meals... -How to use wild plant extracts to support long bike rides, run or feats of endurance performance... -How to use pine, mint, lavender and lemon balm to enhance cognitive performance... -How you can easily make your own tonics and tinctures from common wild plants growing right in your own backyard... -And much more!

Resources from this episode: -Guido's book: The Wild Medicine Solution: Healing With Aromatic, Bitter And Tonic Plants -Guido's blog: ARadicle.blogspot.com -The Urban Moonshine website -TianChi Chinese Adaptogenic Herb

Do you have questions, comments or feedback for Guido or me about plant-based medicine, how to find and use wild plants, "Urban Moonshine" or anything else we discuss in this episode? Leave your thoughts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com!

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