Restoring the use of wild plants in daily life for vibrant physical, mental, and spiritual health
• Explains how 3 classes of wild plants--aromatics, bitters, and tonics--are uniquely adapted to work with our physiology because we coevolved with them
• Provides simple recipes to easily integrate these plants into meals as well as formulas for teas, spirits, and tinctures
• Offers practical examples of plants in each of the 3 classes, from aromatic peppermint to bitter dandelion to tonic chocolate
As people moved into cities and suburbs and embraced modern medicine and industrialized food, they lost their connection to nature, in particular to the plants with which humanity coevolved. These plants are essential components of our physiologies--tangible reminders of cross-kingdom signaling--and key not only to vibrant physical health and prevention of illness but also to soothing and awakening the troubled spirit.
Blending traditional herbal medicine with history, mythology, clinical practice, and recent findings in physiology and biochemistry, herbalist Guido Masé explores the three classes of plants necessary for the healthy functioning of our bodies and minds--aromatics, bitters, and tonics. He explains how bitter plants ignite digestion, balance blood sugar, buffer toxicity, and improve metabolism; how tonic plants normalize the functions of our cells and nourish the immune system; and how aromatic plants relax tense organs, nerves, and muscles and stimulate sluggish systems, whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. He reveals how wild plants regulate our heart variability rate and adjust the way DNA is read by our cells, controlling the self-destructive tendencies that lead to chronic inflammation or cancer.
Offering examples of ancient and modern uses of wild plants in each of the 3 classes--from aromatic peppermint to bitter dandelion to tonic chocolate--Masé provides easy recipes to integrate them into meals as seasonings and as central ingredients in soups, stocks, salads, and grain dishes as well as including formulas for teas, spirits, and tinctures. Providing a framework for safe and effective use as well as new insights to enrich the practice of advanced herbalists, he shows how healing “wild plant deficiency syndrome”--that is, adding wild plants back into our diets--is vital not only to our health but also to our spiritual development.
“Guido has written a classic. What is most masterful about Guido’s teachings and writing is the way he weaves folklore, tradition, and science flawlessly together, making a sensible, cohesive argument for the daily use of these common and important plants.”
“An essential title for those interested in alternative medicine, especially for the additional information in the extensive notes and bibliography.”
“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.”
“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!”
