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14 episodes with schizandra
3 episodes with schizandra
3 episodes with schizandra
Nous parlons aujourd'hui des produits naturels et adaptogènes qu'on peut prendre si jamais on se rend compte qu'on accumule de la fatigue et/ou qu'on est dans une période de grand stress qui risque de glisser vers le burnout, et que ça commence à affecter notre sommeil, notre humeur, nos relations avec les autres et, même, nos marqueurs métaboliques et nos hormones. Nous nous entretenons avec le célèbre pharmacien Jean-Yves Dionne et on va tenter de répondre à la question suivante : si vous êtes stressé et que cela affecte votre qualité de vie et votre santé, quelles sont vos options dans le rayon des plantes et produits naturels? Inscrivez-vous à notre infolettre en allant sur www.solutions-sante.ca, tout en bas de la page et restons en contact! Jean-Yves Dionne est pharmacien, formateur, consultant clinique et conseiller scientifique en produits de santé naturels (PSN). Il jouit d'une notoriété et d'une crédibilité exceptionnelle au Québec. Depuis plus de 25 ans, il est reconnu comme expert en PSN par les médias et par de nombreuses organisations professionnelles dans le domaine de la santé. Il propose également des conférences pour tous, les Concentrés de Santé. Toutes ses formations sont disponibles en ligne sur Humain360. (www.jydionne.com). Jean-Yves est auteur ou co-auteur de plusieurs livres dont le bestseller Bon Stress, Bad Stress. Son blogue Franchement santé (www.jydionne.com) attire chaque année des centaines de milliers de lecteurs du monde entier. Qu'est-ce que le stress, qu'est-ce que la fatigue et quelles sont les causes les plus fréquentesQue sont les adaptogèneso Ginsengs : selon le type 200-600 mg die, si ginseng sibérien : 450 mg d'extrait bid ou tid, pas trop tard dans la journéeo Rhodiola : extrait standardisé ou extrait traditionnel 300 mg die, parfois il faut doubler la doseo Ashwagandha : 600 mg die ou bido Plus soft : ortie, astragaleo Un complexe B (50 mg ou 100 mg) ou de l'urine qui vaut son pesant d'or o Schizandra ou la plante au 5 saveursLes champignons, comme le Lion's mane, reishi, shiitake, cordycepsAstuce du jour : donnée par JYD (il faut écouter l'épisode pour la connaître!)Les messages clés de l'épisode sont : N'attendez pas le burnout, prenez un pas de recul et prévenez la chuteDans une période où il y a une finalité : un adaptogène est une bonne idée Faites attention à ce que vous mangezPour trouver Jean-Yves Dionne : www.jydionne.com ethttps://www.facebook.com/jeanyvesdionnefranchementsante/Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
Welcome to OpTEAmized, the show helping 1 million people opTEAmize their minds, bodies, and spirits through tea.Today we are diving into all things Adaptogens!1) What is stress and why it is both good and bad.2) What are adaptogens and how they relate to stress.3) What are specific adaptogens you can work with today.Dive in on this episode to learn about a high level overview of why adaptogens are so popular and how you can kick your stress out with them!Here is the full list of adaptogens discussed today:Ashwagandha, Gotu Kola, Holy Basil (Tulsi), Ginseng, Eleuthero, Rhodiola, Codonopsis, Jiaogulan, Cordyceps, Schizandra, Licorice Root, Maca, Reishi, Amla, Shatavari, Gogi Berry, Elderberry, Astragalus, Bacopa, & BillberryTry Fresh Steeps tea products to support your health with the freshest adaptogenic herbs and tea! Click here to try yours today!Looking to meet like minded tea lovers? Want to learn from others on how tea is changing & optimizing their games? Join our FREE Facebook group using the link below!Opteamize Your Mind, Body, and Spirit Through TeaWant to show your support for the show & give us a 5 star rating?! Do so using the link below or if you are on Apple Podcasts or Spotify you can there too! We appreciate your support!Leave A 5 Star Review Here!For more tea info follow the other social media accounts of Fresh Steeps!InstagramTikTokTwitterDisclaimer* Any health related topics have not been researched, identified, or passed through the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). All statements are for informational use only and any introduction of a new herb or tea should be discussed with your primary physician, doctor, or holistic practitioner first to see if it is right for you.
Por Elena Kalinnikova. Suscríbete a CesarVidal.TV y escucha este audio antes que nadie y sin publicidad: https://www.cesarvidal.tv Hoy he escogido como el tema de éste programa un adaptógeno estrella, el más ESTIMULANTE PARA EL Sistema Nervioso Central.Y además si os parece vamos a jugar al juego de adivinanza. Voy a contaros las características más destacables y al final os diré el nombre de éste adaptógeno tan peculiar. Es importante saber que su función estimulante es tan poderosa que su acción se iguala al efecto de algunas sustancias del dopaje del lado oscuro del deporte. Pero no es adictiva, ni tampoco dañina, sino medicinal. Además éste adaptógeno natural se utiliza mucho por los deportistas y las personas que se dedican al trabajo físico, ya que aumenta la acidez del jugo gástrico y, por lo tanto, mejora la digestión de las comidas y, en consecuencia, es perfecto para utilizarlo durante los procesos intensivos de aumento de la masa muscular, ya que mejora la digestión y absorbabilidad de los nutrientes.
Por Elena Kalinnikova. Suscríbete a CesarVidal.TV y escucha este audio antes que nadie y sin publicidad: https://www.cesarvidal.tv La Schisandra es una planta originaria de las regiones tropicales y templadas del este de Asia. En particular, está muy extendido en Corea, en Norte de china y en Rusia. Es un trepador con un tallo leñoso que crece hasta los 9 m de altura.
Por Elena Kalinnikova. Suscríbete a CesarVidal.TV y escucha este audio antes que nadie y sin publicidad: https://www.cesarvidal.tv Hoy vamos a hablar de Schizandra, como os había prometido, que tiene un nombre tan mágico y es como una joya escondida.
Benny Fergusson, aka The Movement Monk, joins Mason on the podcast for an insightful discussion around how we can be more adaptive in our physical practices, embody flexibility with integrity, and bring a broader range of diversity into the way we approach movement. Bringing 20 years of experience and wisdom to the table, Benny comes versed in many forms of physical practice; Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Shaolin Kung Fu, Martial Arts, Yoga, Bodyweight training, to name a few. But what really lights him up and continues to evolve his work is providing people with unhomogenised frameworks of physical movement; Connecting them back to their unique bodies, their nature, and supporting them to thrive and achieve what they never knew was possible. Through his business (The Movement Monk), Benny and his team offer personal support, coaching, and an epic range of transformational online courses that hone in on movement exploration, better physical performance, and personal growth. In this episode, Benny explores many notions of movement and flexibility. He encourages the listener to look beyond mainstream prescribed ideas of physical workouts towards a limitless realm of movement exploration; One that isn't bound by body image, a singular goal, or a season. Mason and Benny also move around the concept of approaching both life and physical practice with more flexibility and connection to the body/self; With less dogma and more diversity, allowing us to change and adapt with ease as we go through the different seasons of life. Benny is a pioneer revolutionising the way we approach movement. Tune in now. "With regards to movement, the body is always changing. My body now, in my thirties, is different from what it was in my twenties. There's a different context, and it's going to continue to change and evolve. And because of this, I need greater diversity to choose from. So I can adapt to an ever-changing environment, to the different seasons and how I'm feeling. In times where I'm feeling more lethargic. How do I work with that? There might be times when I'm feeling less grounded; How do I work with these things? There might be times when I'm feeling tired or when I'm feeling looser. To be able to continue to look at things and then go, oh, okay, cool. I have a series of choices that I know that I can make continually to keep the process of life going". - Benny Fergusson Mason and Benny discuss: Hypermobility. Hypomobility. Embodied flexibility. The quality of flexibility. Flexibility, stability and injury. Benny's process of movement. The explorative mobility method. Sustainability in physical practice. Chronic tension and pain in the body. Not letting our bodies do not define us. Who is Benny Fergusson? After living with chronic scoliosis & pain for years, getting no lasting relief from mainstream fitness and therapies.. Benny embarked on a journey to heal his body and get to know himself better. Through years of research and the practice of movement & meditation arts, Benny found a way to restore his physical freedom, leading to profound personal growth. Benny now shares his findings with his students at MovementMonk.xyz CLICK HERE TO LISTEN ON APPLE PODCAST Resources: The Freedom Academy Embodied Flexibility Course The Movement Monk Website The Movement Monk YouTubeThe Movement Monk Facebook The Movement Monk Instagram Use The Code MASON10 For 10% Off Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We'd also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or check us out on Stitcher :)! Plus we're on Spotify! Check Out The Transcript Here: Mason: (00:00) Hey, Benny. Welcome back. Benny Fergusson: (00:01) Thanks for having me again, Mase. It's good to be back Mason: (00:03) [crosstalk 00:00:03] Yeah. You've been on long enough. I think you'd say friend of the podcast. Regular. Benny Fergusson: (00:10) Friend of the podcast. Mason: (00:11) Yeah. You're a regular. I think it's been a decent amount of time since we've been chatting on here. Benny Fergusson: (00:19) Yeah. Mason: (00:19) Even as much for the people that haven't met you before, but for those who haven't heard you for a year and a half or two years since you've been on. Do you just want to give them a little bit of an intro to what you do? But for you, where you're at with your movement practise that could just help frame out what you're doing in the world a little bit? Benny Fergusson: (00:44) Yeah, well, a little bit like you, a lot can happen... I'm always evolving. I'm always growing. I'm someone that I never rest on my laurels. I love this work. I love the process of having a body and exploring it and how that then intersects with who we are as people and what life is and what it can be. So, I'm always growing. Flexibility practise is something that just continues to be a cornerstone of my life. I think because my body is always reflecting back to me. Flexibility is very symbolic of how I meet my edges in life, how I adapt and stay supple. I continue to run a business, Movement Monk, and we provide online education and I'm always looking at how can we serve our members better? Benny Fergusson: (01:50) How can we get the message out? There's just so much homogenised physical exercise out there that doesn't open up people to themselves. So, I'm always pushing my edge within myself to see how I can educate better and also see what I'm made of. So, I've been continuing to grow in my personal practise. One thing that has continued to evolve is looking at the same situation, say like a stretch. What are the multiple ways that we can look at that so that we can be adaptive? Like when we're talking about embodied flexibility and that whole notion of what it means to embody something. In this case, the quality of flexibility. It's something that is not just... you're not a one trick pony. Benny Fergusson: (02:52) It's not just like I stretch in this way and then that just works infinitely. I've tried that and it doesn't actually work like that. You start to stagnate. We see this in so many different schools of thought, Philosophy, movements where you become a product of your own dogma, and then you're no longer living. You're just a series of regurgitated thoughts and actions repeated and nature doesn't work in that way. It's always adapting. It's going through so many different cycles. Having gone through this, maybe the hard way, I don't know, doing it for 20 years, you start to come to these realisations and realise that you need greater biodiversity in the way that you approach things. I'm really interested in that from a physical practise perspective. Benny Fergusson: (03:53) With regards to movement, the body's always changing. My body now, in my thirties, is different to what it was in my twenties. There's different context and it's going to continue to change and evolve, and I need a greater diversity to be able to choose from, to adapt to an ever changing environment, to the different seasons and how I'm feeling, whether there might be times where I'm feeling more lethargic. How do I work with that? There might be times when I'm feeling less grounded, how do I work with these things? There might be times when I'm feeling tired or when I'm feeling looser. To be able to continue to look at things and then go, oh, okay, cool. Maybe not have all of the right answers, but I have a series of choices that I know that I can make continually to keep the process of life going. Benny Fergusson: (04:51) So, these are the things that have been evolving. Like when I started this process with Movement Monk, and even this course in body flexibility, it happened around the same time, about nine years ago, in the online space. I was inspired by Shaolin practises, particularly Shaolin Qi Gong and stretching practises and that came through a lot in that process. That's where it was a lot about not just stretching for an end result, but also who you become in that process. Then, you put it out in the world. I was stoked about sharing that and I'm like, "oh, I've got to get this out to people, It's really helped me". Then, you get almost 3000 people come through and you get all this feedback, and it's just wonderful and it's humbling and you get all these different perspectives and then you come back and [inaudible 00:05:50] and you saw it and you go "okay, what can I do with this feedback?" Benny Fergusson: (05:53) How can I continue to grow and be better and provide something that is able to go to that next level, rather than be overly prescriptive of "do this, do that, do what I do and get what I got". It's now more about, these experiences have helped me, but use this process as a way to get to know yourself, and at the end of that, then you've got these tools to start to go "okay, how would I like to apply it? I can actually keep using these skills for a long time." Benny Fergusson: (06:27) The idea is that you could use these principles and practises for the next 10, 15, 20 years. A lot of the time we don't think about that in this transformational world of befores and afters in the realm of movement and fitness. I went from this amount of flexibility to that amount of flexibility. Benny Fergusson: (06:50) And that's cool. I think that's useful. It's an important part of the process, but then where do you go from there? Where do you go to keep your heart alive in your practise? Rather than just "Yeah, I've got the splits now what ?", "has that changed me?" "Does that touch the very fibre of who I am?" Benny Fergusson: (07:08) Is that just something that gave me some social currency and validation amongst my peers to go "whoa, you're really cool because you can do this thing", but I think this starts to then go deeper and go "okay, cool, Our bodies do not define us". Benny Fergusson: (07:28) We enter this bit of a paradox, yet here we are in this physical existence, living in this proverbial meat sack. It gives us a wonderful learning opportunity and it grounds us and thrusts us into these kinds of challenges and opportunities for growth, and brings us back to deeper questions about perhaps there's more to me than just my body. So, to come to that point through a physical practise is something that, to me, after 20 years of being interested in this, or more, 20 years of structured cultivation and exploration, it still keeps me yearning. There's a thirst to continue, to learn and grow, and also through that process to realise what I've accumulated and to be inspired to unlearn as well and come back to our essential nature, whatever that is for whoever we are. Mason: (08:37) Yeah. Uniquely. [crosstalk 00:08:42]I'm looking forward to checking out the new, improved, current reflection of everybody's flexibility, really reflecting on where it's all at and what's developed. What I like about the idea of embodied flexibility, it's an initiation process. Some people might come with the intention solely around what you're talking about. It might not be flexibility in particular that they have any specific goals revolving around, but they might feel the more metaphysical or emotional like, "Hey, if I bring this flexibility to my body, I'm going to be able to use that to bring adaptability and flexibility to the way that I think", or "I'm with my kids or when I'm in my job or running my business" or whatever it is. Likewise, I think if I went in there, I'd probably, at this point in my life, I'd probably be like "You know, I'd have a few mobility goals that I'd really be"... Mason: (09:45) I think the reason I got pleasantly surprised going through it probably eight years ago that I had those mobility intentions around maybe getting my forehead closer towards my shin, moving closer towards the wide split. I won't even talk about the front split yet. That's... maybe I can bet. That's a horrendous stretching for me. I love it, but you go in and you move towards those goals, but then you also get that pleasant surprise of, hang on... I said it in the live we did earlier, you make yourself and the system just that little bit too slippery that you can't just hook into an ideological outcome or an ideal outcome of what you're going for or attach what you want to you or any of the other instructors. Mason: (10:38) It just keeps on falling back into the self. And if you keep on going with the practise, so I'm [inaudible 00:10:43] understanding this. I imagine the new courses, especially particularly designed to just show up and keep on having faith in this process and keep on showing up in your practise in the way that we've loosely built it. You can still explore for yourself and through the other side; one, you probably do have some serious improvement in your mobility than when you're in your actual flexibility, but then there's that pleasant happy accident for many people that "wow" and all those things you're talking about, I'm feeling way more adaptive in my everyday life because I've altered the way that I relate with being uncomfortable, seeing that there's ways that I can explore being uncomfortable, move beyond that and see that things do move, even though it was very hard when I first arrived there. Does that sum it up a little bit ? Benny Fergusson: (11:33) Yeah, totally. It's an ongoing... To put this in an online course format that's digestible... It's a process of art and to give what our intention has been and is with this is to provide structures and frameworks and clarity that then open up someone to exploration. So, first and foremost, we put the focus on really two key things, the methodology rather than it. So, for example, to highlight an evolution, we started off with a simple process of in the first version of embodied flexibility, it was a series of dynamic stretching movements. So, you'd move in and out of the range to acclimatise with what you're doing, and then you'd focus on generating good quality contraction in your end range to stabilise and give your nervous system an opportunity to go "Okay, I'm safe here." Benny Fergusson: (12:37) And then a natural result is your body is more confident and able to move into deeper ranges. Which was good, really useful. That, at the time of my research was a very widely applicable process. It had to evolve, then, to different questions of "okay, well, what if I have a natural propensity toward hyper mobility?" So my joints are a little bit more lax and they can hyper extend and all that sort of stuff. What do I do? I've done a lot of strength training and my body is hyper mobile. My muscles can contract well, but they have trouble letting go. I've got a lot of armour, so to speak, real stoic warrior vibe, but how do I learn to put down my shield and surrender into deeper layers of the body. Benny Fergusson: (13:33) So, you can't do that with just one type of stretching, and you see what happens then in my observations and experiences in lots of different realms of movement is... you see... and none of this is a negative on any of them, but you see the necessity of how they've popped up, for example, Yin Yoga is a lot about surrendering into deeper postures and it's a psychological, physiological unravelling process through surrendering to what is. It's kind of a meditative process and unfurling, which is wonderful. Yet, what often happens is people who have that natural propensity toward that quality gravitate toward it. So they just get more of what they're already good at and then other people, it can be really beneficial, but then it can reach a point of your physiology needs more diversity. Benny Fergusson: (14:30) So, this is where one of my intents is to provide options so we can see the benefits of all of these different approaches, but then we can change and adapt. For example, my body started off and I was into strength training. I was into strong man. I was into CrossFit-like activities before CrossFit existed. So, that came naturally to me and I could put on muscle and all that stuff. But, when it came to flexibility, that was not a natural realm for me. So, I need to find ways to work with my body, but then there's the other side of the coin as well. People who maybe are a little bit lighter in their frame, that their joints don't have as much structural and integrity and all that sort of stuff. Benny Fergusson: (15:24) So, with all these questions and as working with thousands of people now, over the years, you start to get a greater diversity of the different types of bodies, and that brings up the question, how do we make a method that is adaptive to the individual? Benny Fergusson: (15:40) So, this is where the method turned from a rhythmic strength stretching as we started, to now the explorative mobility method, which is what it sounds like. We combined four different types of stretching as options. So, you can go into the same stretch, but then realise, "Oh my God, I've got four key different ways which each have different physiological impacts and also different mental approaches to elicit an effect in the same stretch", which is really, really cool. So, it means that in a practise you can either, let's say you like that variability, that's a part of your constitution. Benny Fergusson: (16:24) I don't want to just be locked in a box with one thing, and that's a part of the individual's makeup that is not just physiological. Then you give that space for that part of the beam to flourish, and then there might be another type of beam that's, "No, I want to focus on one clear thing to get this outcome". We can do that, too. And then once we satisfy these parts of the beam, then it's like, "okay, cool, what else is there? How can I start to actually grow into new space, that is beyond what my natural inclination is?" Benny Fergusson: (17:03) So, that's a big part that I was actually surprised that it came out. I started coming back and taking all this feedback and then looking at what do we need to do to do better. Benny Fergusson: (17:18) Then this came along the way and I was actually also really surprised. I continued to bring it into my practise and then just seeing how it gives structure, but then also gives someone a sense of personal agency that they have choice of that overwhelm in a flexibility practise. Benny Fergusson: (17:35) So, that's one of the cornerstones that's in this new process and it's something that if I had have seen it around in the world, I wouldn't have had to do it. So, this is a driving force of going, "Okay, we deserve more options when we're working with our body. We deserve more ability to personalise and find something that not only suits us where we're at now, but gives us space to grow." So, these sorts of things that are exciting me at the moment. Mason: (18:13) I had a really new, sapling thought when you were talking about the bulking muscle men and women. Again, don't have this to take anywhere. I just wanted to share it with you quickly. Especially in relation to when I was in the live, I was talking about the spleen. For most people with deficient muscle, you're going to see deficient capacity to create strong bonds and have strong boundaries within your relationships and with yourself, because that's the virtuous nature of the spleen. I was just thinking about that, that being jacked up and high, having that hypermobility, you can see that it's a hyper bond. It's like "bro! You're my bro!"... Same with the women. You just see that the bonds between them is so intense and the boundaries between their tribe and other tribes seem really intense and really defined as well. Mason: (19:11) You know what, I can really just see those bonds and boundaries becoming excessive. Maybe using a little bit of that medicine of... I guess a little bit of flexibility could be coming in, especially from the liver, for those of you that have the Taoist incline to help bring some balance into that. Especially, some balance to the frustration and anger that can come up in that from that world, which the liver has to deal with. I just wanted to talk about quality of flexibility when we talk about stretching, quality of stretching, quality of flexibility, because I know my colonised mind, my reductionist mind still hears you go "you know, flexibility" and I'm like, "oh yeah, yeah, cool. Yeah. I need more flexibility and doing some stretching in your practise." Mason: (19:59) Yeah, yeah. I got it. I should stretch and it's all the courses and I read every... Anyone who's focused on doing... It was an athlete and now I got in. Then, of course, I stretch. I stretch at the end of the day. And I'm like, "what do you mean, You know?" I know you've just said that you've got four different types. So, it's not just one myopic concept. I remember you've talked a lot in the past about someone who... and you brought up hyper mobility and how some people might think, "Oh, that person's going to breeze through embodied flexibility." Mason: (20:37) But, can you talk to a little bit about what that process would be like for someone with hypermobility? And then I'm sure that can take us into whether we're hypo or hyper... Benny Fergusson: (20:47) Yeah. Mason: (20:47) What's that quality of flexibility that you're looking for? And does it necessarily just mean going to your furthest range that you have right now? Benny Fergusson: (20:57) Yeah, yeah. Well, qualities... Probably one of the... So, I don't like to be too hierarchal in the way that I think, but if I have a look at my evolution as I've journeyed into the body further, I started off with techniques, which is what a lot of people do. It's like I do a stretch. Now, what I realised with a technique is you bring yourself to that technique under the illusion that you think that that technique is going to somehow magically change your wiring. So, what often happens is that we then highlight... The practise reflects back to us, ourselves, like a classic case is... like the technique of stretching is just so open and ambiguous. It's like going to what someone has described as a stretch. What does that mean? It's going to mean 10 different things to 10 different people. Benny Fergusson: (22:08) So, it's not enough for you to then have some sort of personal agency in the experience. So, then you go a little bit deeper into principles. So, what are the things underneath, the cogs that turn to make that technique work? Why that technique came about? So, principles are really useful because that then starts to take a little bit deeper into the conversation you start to look at. Ah, okay. Rather than just doing, focusing on the tip of the iceberg, I then start to look at all of the supporting structures that allow it to float, because it's such an illusion. This tip is everything that you need to create that reality. It doesn't work like that. We need foundations and those foundations are principles which I'll go into some of the ones that I find really useful, in a moment. Benny Fergusson: (23:10) Then you go a little bit further and you start to talk about qualities. Like when we start to look into different qualities of being, qualities of mind. So, if I go into something and my intention is very strong, very attachment based, very future focused, then that quality will be reflected through the activity that I do. In this case, a stretch. An example... I'll give more examples in terms of how we apply this to someone who's hyper mobile. For me, at the start of my journey, I wanted to get flexible. We're talking about, I wanted the splits, I wanted the backbend. To be honest, I'm still interested in those things as much as I was when I started. Benny Fergusson: (23:58) However, the level of attachment has significantly loosened off. It's something that is less future-based and now more I'm appreciating where I'm at in the process of where I'm going. So, the quality of patience has emerged. The quality of, for want of a better term, flexibility, to be able to adapt with what is, because I'll wake up and some days I might be tighter, and if I push my body on that day, my body's going to give me some sort of feedback to say whether that's okay, whether that's not okay. Benny Fergusson: (24:38) It's like anything in nature, you just can't force it to grow. It grows through a product of being supported to grow. So, rather than trying to force... and you can see these other types of qualities, if this is underlying factor driving the being, so that quality of pushing, of striving, of achieving, then you will get a result, but it will reach a ceiling pretty quick, because it's out of the accordance of natural law which has cycles and interrelationships and all of that sort of stuff. Benny Fergusson: (25:15) So, when you look into qualities, that's when things start to get rich into How does our level of being influence what we do and then interrelate to what we have. It's that very classic notion of be, do, have. Benny Fergusson: (25:30) So, who I am will then inform what I have, what I experience. So, if we track it back and look at someone who's hyper mobile, someone who has maybe less joint integrity, less structural integrity, more gravitation toward flexibility. This is what a lot of people... you see it in the yoga world... a lot of women demonstrate wonderful flexibility and you get the guys going, "I could never do that", or some women who don't have that quality naturally going "Oh, well, yoga is not for me because I can't do those [inaudible 00:26:11], those postures from day dot". Maybe that person who's demonstrating it has cultivated it over years. Benny Fergusson: (26:20) Maybe, also, they've just always been that way. So, either way we need to find ways for... because there's also people who are hyper mobile, who don't feel stable, who get injured easily, who are also not very flexible. So, there's all of these wonderful, different variants in someone's body. Mason: (26:43) Yeah. There was that woman, I don't know her name, not that I want to share it, but I remember Tahnee, Tahnee keeps me up to date with all the scandals in the yoga world. Benny Fergusson: (26:52) Yeah Mason: (26:52) She was a pretty famous Ashtanga teacher ? [crosstalk 00:26:56] Benny Fergusson: (26:56) Yes, yes, yes. Mason: (26:57) The classic lunge. The really sexy knee over the ankle, one calf right up on the thigh and her back acetabulum popped out ? Benny Fergusson: (27:08) Yes. [inaudible 00:27:10] Mason: (27:09) Just popped out. Hip just popped out. Popped right out of the hip, I should say. And I think that's a perfect example that what you're talking about. Benny Fergusson: (27:20) Yeah. Mason: (27:20) Right. Benny Fergusson: (27:21) Totally, totally. So, here we are with unique circumstances of the body. If we focus on an external posture being the primary goal, we push outside of what our internal needs are. So, if we go back to that layer of principles and we just start first, this is a really useful place of starting at something easy. Benny Fergusson: (27:50) I think a lot of the time we, in my experiences, focus on flexibility and that end goal is really clear. I know where I want to get to. So. you put yourself in a stretch that maybe you've seen on YouTube or someone's shown you, or you learn in high school or something like that. Then you go directly at that path, but it doesn't tend to work like that if you don't yet have the underlying foundations to support that. Benny Fergusson: (28:21) So, if someone is hyper mobile or even hypo mobile, this will work for both sides of the coin, which is great, you find a space that is reflective of where you'd like to go, but it's easy, and what starts to happen in the mind is you go, "oh, okay, cool, I can do this". What also can happen in the mind is, "is this enough for me to improve?", and that's another little hook that can come up. "Do I need to push myself harder in order to get the gains?" This is where you see it can challenge people's ongoing sustainability in their practise. Benny Fergusson: (29:04) So, first I feel when we're coming to the conversation of flexibility, we need to understand those two spaces, the space of ease. So, "What can I already do?", "What is the ease or quality that I already possess that's already there?" Benny Fergusson: (29:22) Then, that space of challenge. "What do I do when I get to that space?", "Is that a positive incentivizing experience for me to go harder?", because it's the whole, no pain, no gain adage, or "Is that something that I've become hypersensitive to, and I tense up in the experience of, and go into fight or flight?", and then I don't give my body an opportunity to open up into its innate potential because we are actually all naturally flexible, and that's the thing, it's an innate state, we've just lost touch with it. Benny Fergusson: (30:05) So, starting with that space of ease, whatever you need to do, maybe you take that... I remember we were talking about the pancake and that being a more challenging position for you. We let go of the attachment of what it needs to look like and we find that basic pattern and then we go, "Okay, what's my space of ease within that basic shape?" Benny Fergusson: (30:27) Then we get accustomed with that first. Then the hyper mobile, or even hypo mobile, you'll notice that a lot of these things, what it does is it brings together to then just focus on our experience as we're going into spaces of ease and spaces of challenge. So, then everyone will have different noticing. As that hyper mobile person goes into it, they might notice, "Ah, as I go and I bend forward, my knees start to hyper extend, or my hips start to push into the socket and that sort of thing. So, you can feel when it starts to come on and then adapt and go, "Okay, that doesn't happen when I'm in this space of ease." Benny Fergusson: (31:20) Then, as I go into that challenge, it starts to come on. So, rather than just put yourself into it, system's all kind of hyper stimulated, and then it's just too much sensory information to be able to make a clear decision. That's a really, really useful principle, so basic, but how many people apply it and value it as a thing? So, that's one thing that I want to bring out is sometimes it's the obvious things, but to really let people know from someone who has not just done this with themself for 20 years, but observed thousands of different bodies and different people for probably the last 15 years of working with people one-to-one and 10 years of doing it in an online space to realise, keep going with this, it's worthwhile. Pull that thread. Mason: (32:21) I just wanted to speak to you a little bit to your process. You mentioned about some people just want to go real hard and they would just want to give it their all. It's almost like you've got that dominating kind of approach to your practise in life. I think that's a great quality you brought up that you're still just as interested in those and getting into those extreme poses, say, but there's just other elements there. I think I'll just reiterate for everyone, you can still go hard. This is a challenging approach where you can go hard, but there's just other qualities there like that back off patients breathe, explore. It does enable you to go way further and way deeper into this. So, you don't have to relinquish that part of you that's, "Oh, I like to just get after it." Mason: (33:10) You will be able to get after it in here, [crosstalk 00:33:13] and one of those areas I just wanted to reiterate you've gone into that big view of around, especially like if you're hyper mobile, what happens, but can you just talk a little bit as you go down the road a little bit, that relationship between just having extreme flexibility where there's a floppiness versus where that intersection of strength, flexibility, having stability comes into effect, and how does that... just tack onto the back of that... I think about this often in terms of injury. I think about football players and athletes getting knees and hip injuries constantly and crutch injuries constantly that are debilitating and I often think about your work. Could you just give us a little insight there and to how that all works? Benny Fergusson: (34:11) Yeah. The way I look at it is I love woodworking, so I relate to it with the quality of wood. So, if you have a certain quality, so let's say strength, you focus on that. If you look at a lot of athletes, they strengthen themselves, or they do specific movements to improve that thing that they're doing. That's one thing that athletes can benefit from to reduce their rates of industry injury, massively, which is actually more diversity in movement, and you've seen it in MMA fighters, like Conor McGregor is a great example of this, how he's challenged the typical ways of MMA people training. He has brought in a broader approach of movements and you can see that in his fighting style. Benny Fergusson: (35:09) Also, it reflects on him as well as a person and his general outlook. Of course, I don't know him, but I can just observe, but we've got one quality, like strength. That's like a groove. The more you do it, the deeper that groove gets in the wood. Eventually you can dig yourself a trench. The same as flexibility. If you continue to focus on the end posture, you dig yourself a trench into that posture. Benny Fergusson: (35:40) We often don't have a spectrum between those two qualities. We want to equally focus on both. Not separately, but at the same time. So, then we're starting to get a wider spectrum. If you had the choice... You got a highway and you wanted to spread the load across multiple lanes, that road is going to get worn out a lot less quickly than if you just had one or two lanes where all the traffic goes down. Benny Fergusson: (36:15) These things are the breeding ground for injury. So, when it comes to bringing that into the context of training flexibility, we need to start to not just look at the end space we get into, but bringing... What's the thing that merges it all ? Movement. Can I move in and out of these postures ? Benny Fergusson: (36:37) So, then you realise that flexibility's not a static thing. It's not an end goal. It's a continuum of me being where I am and being able to move in and out of where I'd like to go with the quality of ease. So, the end goal I find... It's like a car... if you're always redlining the car, you're always pushing it to its maximum capacity. Shit gets worn out faster. Benny Fergusson: (37:05) It's like that with injury. If you're a sportsperson, you're always doing that turn or doing that adjustment to the edge of your current ability. Then the circumstances that breed injury are going to be higher. You see it in... If you watch enough 100m races, the tear in the hamstring doesn't just happen gradually. It's a buildup, and then, boom! It's done. It's a lot of pressure built up in the system over time to one glorious culminating moment and, boom, you're injured. Benny Fergusson: (37:41) So, if you create, this is the beautiful thing of creating more than what you need. This is a very abundant mindset. This is the thing that keeps me struggling. Yeah, it's cool to get these outcomes and it looks cool and people will celebrate it, but for me, I look at... I just started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu again. So, if I go into that class, I know my ability and I know where I can go more and I can play in my 80-90 percent zone. Benny Fergusson: (38:16) If I want to really dial it up; if I get into a challenging situation, I can, but it doesn't have to be a constant where I'm always struggling, I'm always redlining and then I'm setting myself up for the injury. Benny Fergusson: (38:31) When I work with another person, I can start to feel "Okay, where am I at in my spectrum ? Can I play?" and then also bring context with going "Okay, I'm challenging this situation. This is where I need to focus to give myself a bit more space." Benny Fergusson: (38:48) Then, I'm not always pushing, pushing, pushing right on that edge and setting myself up for potential injury. Sometimes things happen. I don't actually believe you see a lot. We talk about bulletproofing the body. It's bullshit, to be honest, because shit happens. Benny Fergusson: (39:08) Through the process of training flexibility, I've torn my adductor twice. I've torn my hamstring twice. It's been big setbacks. They were big ego moments of where my mind, my sense of striving, achievement was pushing further than what my body was ready for. I wasn't listening to the subtle signals. Benny Fergusson: (39:28) So, my body had to go "Hey, dude, I'm going to give you a really clear message that you can hear, that's going to reflect back to you your way of living, and this is not sustainable. So, get your shit sorted and come back to the foundations, so we can be more robust." Benny Fergusson: (39:46) In short, look at the picture of movement, how it interrelates rather than just these fixed states and linear ideas of what flexibility is. Strength, flexibility and them merging together into one as you practise is really, really useful, and highly applicable. We do become more resistant to injury. Will it completely stop injury ? Well, that's a personal choice. Mason: (40:20) This might be a bit of a weird question. You've got quite a large community now and the community is growing. We know, not for everyone and not in definitely every movement, so [inaudible 00:40:38]. Largely, when we begin to talk about movement, the people who are motivating us, or we're learning from, have a real high aspiration for a shiny thing. They may say it's not about achieving this thing, but yet their life revolves around, quite often, achieving a big thing. Mason: (41:03) Do you find a lot of people... Again, not a bad thing... I've got large goals that I'm uniquely going for as well. I'm also someone who can get quite quickly... If I fall into step with someone motivational, I can quite quickly, maybe in the past, get hijacked and think I've got to go and achieve something amazing, physically, through running or something like that. All of a sudden, it's marathons and ultras are on the mind. Mason: (41:34) Do you find a lot of people gravitate towards your community with those... Maybe they're athletes and maybe they're really focused, maybe not on the process of being an athlete, but on that shiny thing. Do you find when they come into your community... Do you help them ? I know you don't have an agenda, there... Do they continue to be obsessed with the shiny thing ? Do they stop looking for it, sometimes ? Do they continue to go for it, yet find substance in the middle ? Mason: (42:07) Or, do you find the people that come to you are those who are no longer thinking that that's the pinnacle, to find the shiny thing and they say they wanting something else ? I'm curious about that world. Benny Fergusson: (42:24) What comes to mind... What I will say first is that people that tend to come into our space, they've done and tried a lot of things. That might be, "I've done this type of yoga", "I've done this", "I've done Crossfit", "I've done these different modalities and I've seen benefits in them. I'm interested. I feel there's something more. I don't know what it is, but I feel like there's more potential within me to explore. Just putting that label on it, I now know there's a limitation." Benny Fergusson: (43:07) So, that's one type of person. That can also go on the other side where "I've had pain, discomfort. All that... I've done the Chiro, I've done the Physio, I've done the Osteo, and all of these are beautiful. I've done the Chinese Medicine or like you were talking about, the colonialized versions of it. I've done all these things, but I need to come back to a place of taking personal responsibility, rather than building reliance on any one person or one thing." Benny Fergusson: (43:41) We do have people who have those goals. We have Martial Artists. We have rock climbers. We have adventurers. People who would like to experience more out of their body. A great example that comes up is one of our senior teachers, Marcus, based in Austria. When we started, he had been a personal trainer for a long time. He didn't come in green. He came in with a good level of physical ability and strong level of aspirations. He wanted to do the splits. He wanted to handstand. He wanted to do all these sorts of things. Benny Fergusson: (44:20) So, the wonderful thing is, because I've been walking this path for a long time, I can empathise with that because that was me at a certain point, too. I used to, and we've talked about on the podcast, run a facility in Melbourne called Cohesion. We had classes just on handstands. How to get the handstand. Is that sustainable? That's questionable, because a lot of people come into it and they go, "ah, my wrists are hurting" and all that sort of stuff. Benny Fergusson: (44:49) So, it highlights when we overly focus on one thing and then neglect the foundations that support that thing where it naturally happens. Wonderful thing that I've noticed. I used to train handstands daily for, sometimes, an hour plus, which is not actually extreme compared to the handstand world. You've got people, by their choice, and I'm not taking away from that choice, but they might be spending one, two, three plus hours a day focused on that specific skill. Now, I look at that, and I'm like "Oh God, I may be able to make the time, but why would I choose that particular thing just to get a handstand, if I'm not working for Cirque du Soleil ?" Benny Fergusson: (45:33) I have a friend who performs in Cirque du Soleil and the training he goes through for that is immense, but it's contextual to his life. That's the one thing that tends to happen in our community. Rather than make something a negative, like "Ah, cool, just because you want to do a handstand or do the splits, you're less of a person". I celebrate that and those goals and those achievements. What tends to happen is the self reflective nature of[inaudible 00:46:09] movement practises that we share, get you to question your deeper "why". "Why would I put in this amount of effort for that outcome?" "Does that really align with me?" Benny Fergusson: (46:21) What tends to naturally happen is people start where they start, wherever that is. Then, they get reflected back their deeper drive. Then they make choices. So, Marcus started off and when we were working together seven years ago, might be a bit more, I nurtured that. I was like "Cool, you want to do a handstand ? Let's do a handstand. Let's do that. Let's do the things you want to do and we'll do some other things that maybe you haven't considered, that are nurturing for not just your muscles, but also your organs and your general quality of how you experience your body. We'll start to do some reflective practises where you get to know the nature of your mind and listen to the way you're breathing affects your physiology, and all that sort of stuff". Benny Fergusson: (47:11) So, through that process, you start to ask bigger questions. You start to go, "Ah, okay, I'd like to still do this, but there's something bigger that's calling me." Benny Fergusson: (47:23) So, if I then fast forward into what that has looked like for Marcus, myself, in this example, we still like to do a handstand and still can do a handstand. Maybe not quite as well as when we were practising x amount of hours a day, but I remember there was a little kid who was like "Can you do a handstand?". I was like "I can't remember, it's been a little while", and up into the handstand and all that body memory was there. Plus all of this deep awareness through the whole system rather than just this specific skill. Benny Fergusson: (47:56) There I am in a handstand, surprised, going "Oh, this is the easiest handstand I've ever done and I haven't systematically practised it for many years." So, I look at that and the freedom that comes with. It's just incredible to know that I can honestly say I've enjoyed the process, the challenges along the way so much more because it's provided so much more diversity than just at the end. Pouring my heart and soul into one thing and just having a handstand that doesn't really enrich my life at a deeper level. That's one of my observations. I don't always know how our community is going to adapt because I'm always on the edge of my game as well. Mason: (48:44) Yeah Benny Fergusson: (48:45) It's a common thing where I do my best to not control, but to give people an opportunity to reflect and make choices. That's a consistent thing that I notice is they do tend to look a little deeper into their underlying intention for why they are practising . Mason: (49:05) Yeah. It was a very broad question. What just came up at the end there when we were talking about the handstand. If we're not objective, if we don't have an objective, focused, outlook, or community. But, more of a community, a process that focuses on creating possibilities, or potential. Creating that ecosystem. It makes me think of... You heard of [Rostiano's 00:49:34] Tonic herbs ? Like Ashwagandha. One of the ways they describe what they can do is create an environment where you have a great capacity to have spontaneous joy. "So, we're not focusing on a shiny thing, being joy. I'm not doing this so I can have joy all the time. There's just the potential for joy to emerge". Mason: (49:55) And if there's an ecosystem, an environment created, where "Ah, there's joy", and "Ah, actually I'm feeling patient", "Ah, I can actually climb under a fence, pretty easily", "Ah, I can get up that tree pretty easy", "Ah, I'm [inaudible 00:50:08] and I've got mobility", "You can't just push me over, and I don't have to worry as much about breaking my hip by falling over, because I know I have stability". These things just emerge. Versus, "Hey, here's this course to create stability for seven year olds", and that might be really good as a starting point. Like in here. It's a structured entry point. Like the Embodied Flexibility course and the challenge you've got going on. Like, "Hey, let's get flexible", "Hey, let's get stable and let's do that" and then "Oh, my gosh, look what's on the other side of this". Mason: (50:45) These secret treasures hidden within that makes it... It's not just about stability. It's not just about flexibility. And that flexibility or stability, let's just pretend there is a geriatrics course that you have, so elders don't fear falling over and breaking their hips. On the other side, there's all these other diverse outcomes that are applied to everyday life, rather than just sticking straightly [inaudible 00:51:11]. Mason: (51:11) I think it's good, man. I think you've created something special, as always, because as you said, you're always on the edge of your own creativity and your own process, yet in this trail, this business you've created, this organisational structure that you've got behind you, are these places where people can safely go in and it's super clear and obvious what they need to do to start stepping into that place where they do have greater mobility and they can adventure around their body and their practise and their physical practise however they want. That's the fun thing. Mason: (51:53) You go in and you go "Benny's doing it his way" and, again, it's hard to attach. That's the way. It's just not there. The same with Marcus. It's not what's generated. You can't just go "Ah, I have to be like them and aspire to them". It's just within your own practise. Mason: (52:13) A practise that has integrity will take you and connect you to your own nature and the qualities within yourself. That self informs your path, through your practise, which I think is really cool how you've... It's one thing to talk about it right now. It's a hell of a thing to create a landscape of community and courses and also the academy, I love. It helps breed it. Benny Fergusson: (52:38) Totally. Yeah. I think that's one of the things that I'm really inspired by is how do we continue to integrate the notion of human design, technology and community, altogether with physical practise, or [inaudible 00:53:03] and physical practises. That's where we're going. To continue to push the boundaries of what can we do with technology, how can we utilise that as a tool to not separate people, but bring them together, open up conversation. For us to just discover what the heck lights us up. At the end, take that last breath and go "Ah, you know what, that was a wonderful story. That was a wonderful movie that I participated in. I'm at peace." Benny Fergusson: (53:43) It's wonderful. I look at... continually, just asking the question, "What can I do to contribute ?", "How can I share my experiences ?", "How can I create space for someone to make it their own, rather than just to always be held under me ?" Mason: (54:09) Putting it that way, the glass ceiling being "held under" either an ancient particular philosophy or movement patterns or teacher ? Benny Fergusson: (54:24) Totally Mason: (54:25) That's an interesting skill. That's something I know we've talked about the nature of developing that skill to teach and be a leader without actually placing yourself up there, which is a natural... Naturally, you gravitate there, or people try and put you there. All of the time, be the source of my inspiration and where I need to go next. To do that a little bit, infusing what you're talking about as well. Benny Fergusson: (54:54) Yeah. Mason: (54:55) That's a skill you learn in your practise, right ? Benny Fergusson: (54:57) Yeah, I think the thing that I've continued to learn through... Physical practise is something that I talk about. It helps me so much. It's a part of the relationship that I've established with myself. Getting to know myself and being okay with who I am and being okay that that's... I'm still discovering who that is, even though this is part of me that just knows. Moving beyond my conditioned self. What I get to is, "Okay, the best that I can be, the best leader I can be, is being me." Benny Fergusson: (55:43) If I can then support other people, give space for them to just be themselves, what ends up happening is whatever level of achievement someone gets to, someone might be more flexible or stronger or have different mental capacities or different energetic qualities in another person. It might appear on the outside, "Ah, that person's achieved more than what the other person...", but if we then start to meet in a space of, "You're you, I'm me, here we are having an experience of life". Living to the highest level that we can, then we don't meet in a space of competition. We meet in a space of collaboration. Benny Fergusson: (56:32) That's the thing that's helped at least myself as I'm a sharer of information, an educator, as my intention. It's taken out the "me holding back" out of fear that someone will take all of my knowledge and be better than me and then, I'll be irrelevant. Benny Fergusson: (56:54) I know that no one will ever be me. I know that I will never be anyone else. I've tried and it just doesn't work. There's something in me that's like, "This is not you, this is not your nature". Let other people be themselves. That's what inspires me to educate. That's what inspires me around community where we all do come to a point of self agency and we exercise. Some people are more inherent in leadership. That is a quality that I notice that I have that's just a part of me. It's partly cultivated, partly just innate, in me. I've been averse to that for a long time of being "The Guy" who has all the answers, and "Come this way. Off we go. Do what I do. Say what I say. It's the way of virtue". Benny Fergusson: (57:50) To a point now, where I go, "Okay, I can lead people and inspire them to maybe something greater than what they thought they could get to within their own belief structure, within their own environment". I can inject that new vibrancy into their physical goals, into these sorts of things. I also love to just, once they're running, step away and see what they make, and we meet at this space. That's what I notice is happening and, God, I don't know how it's happened, because I couldn't have done it with just a product of strategy and all of that sort of stuff. These things light me up at the moment. Mason: (58:35) I can tell. I love it, man. I just encourage everyone to... If you're new to the community, Benny is... been a part of the Super Beast family for a long time. He's come out back in the day, when I used to run retreats, fasting retreats. Just basic lifestyle upgrade retreats. I think you came out to every single one of those and held a workshop. We're going to get you in doing more workshops with the Super Beasts as well when we can. I think we've been friends for, it must be coming up, nearly 10 years. Benny Fergusson: (59:19) Yeah. [crosstalk 00:59:20] Close to that Mason: (59:22) About that point, and I couldn't recommend the offerings through movement month, enough. We'll pop links down in the Bio for you to go and find the Embodied Flexibility Course. The website. The Freedom Academy. The Freedom Academy is where you can move around and have endless access to all these various movement patterns and styles of cultivating flexibility and strength and peace within. It's really wonderful. You can also use the code MASON10 through the website movementmonk.xyz Mason: (01:00:06) Cool, man, thanks so much for coming on. Benny Fergusson: (01:00:08) Thanks for having me, Mase. It's wonderful to keep the conversation going. I think one last little thing I'd just love to share is off the back of the new course. We're bringing out teacher training soon. Any people in your community. Yoga teachers, personal trainers, movement coaches, and all that sort of stuff, I'm looking forward to sharing the conversation with them and providing ways on which we can facilitate journeys for people to transform. Not just in the short term, but in the longer term in their physical practise. With their flexibility. Mason: (01:00:46) So, that module of teacher training is revolving around the Embodied Flexibility [crosstalk 01:00:52] ? Benny Fergusson: (01:00:52) Yeah, we've built it around all the frameworks and with that, we basically have more personal support. It's a 12 week journey and, at the end, basically what happens is someone produces case studies on how they've applied [inaudible 01:01:08] We take them through everything from what happens in situations if someone's results stagnate or if they are hyper immobile, or hypo immobile. How do we adapt these things ? One of my thing is I love to get into any situation, working with different types of people that I've never worked with before. Different challenges. There's some confidence that's being built within me of like, "Okay, cool, I do have value here, and that's something that I'd like to impart" Benny Fergusson: (01:01:39) It's a really wonderful thing. Just when you're confident working with people, in the realm of flexibility. It's just like, "Okay, cool, I don't have to have all the answers, but I've got some really good frameworks to then support this person to thrive", rather than, "Ooh, God, what am I going to do in this session", scrounging around, reading books, and then you piece it together and underneath the surface, you're like a duck paddling on water and at the end of it, I just would like to support people to just be relaxed and confident in what they're sharing. We're doing that in the realm of flexibility. Mason: (01:02:13) Magical! Benny Fergusson: (01:02:14) Yeah! Mason: (01:02:16) movementmonk.xyz again. For people to get details for that. Benny Fergusson: (01:02:21) Yeah. We'll be talking more about how we... I think one thing I'd like to continue to focus on is how we bring herbalism and all of that sort of stuff. The physical practise. The things of what we do is the part of it. What's the engine underneath in our physiology that's supporting the robustness of the physical regeneration? That's why I just love what you guys are doing. Mason: (01:02:51) When you go into the core... Let's go to the core of the foundation. When the Taoists have... They've gotten to that point. They've dedicated to their practise and they're disciplined. Not just the Taoists. Those who are... They've gone next level and they're cultivating something special. It's herbalism and physical practise. [inaudible 01:03:14]become the foundations of what's going to then lead to that greater capacity to have potential. As we said before, not looking for a shiny thing. Just creating this landscape within us, where the potential and the possibilities can blossom. Mason: (01:03:30) So, as you said, the physical regeneration, bringing physical herbs in there to do that regenerative work and then getting to that point where... when you're self sustainable and you're flowing and you just looking to bring this opening up through your fascial system, through your capacity to stand erect and strong, become flexible. Mason: (01:03:51) We start looking at mushrooms coming in and the Chi herbs nourishing the fascial system. The Yin liver herbs. The ones in beauty blend. Goji. Schizandra. Bringing that capacity to yield and become flexible. Those Yang liver herbs, like Eucommia Bark bringing that upright bamboo erectness. They fall all into the same tribe. Once you've got lifestyle dialled, then your potentiation, when you're going towards potentiation, that practise, that physical practise breath, movement meditation and herbal practise, they come in and they just light it up. I'm with you, man. I'm glad that we hopefully dial in and work together more and more in that space, and I think a lot of people have already got it in this community. Mason: (01:04:40) I'd love to see them dip into the movement, Monk World, and take it to another level. Especially because a lot of people are like, "Should I do QiGong or Tai Chi, or Kung Fu ?" or these kinds of things. Mason: (01:04:52) Yeah, you can, and they're amazing. What's at the heart of them ? You should go and explore those worlds, but when you go into Movement Monk World, Benny's been through lots of Tai Chi, and Qi Gong, Shaolin practise, Kung Fu practise, lots of Martial Arts, both the Yin and Yang nature. Mason: (01:05:15) A lot of those principles that are there and those attentions you will find there, as long as you can stay consistent, as long as you can show up to your practise. I'll put it out there. Even though this is a place, you can see Benny's a very gentle, grounded, person. Once you get in there, you can get gritty with yourself. In terms of, "Come on, I know you don't feel like it. Show up. Show up". Mason: (01:05:44) There will be a reflection practise and I think you'll be generally gentle and soft, "Okay, let's approach why that is." But, at the same time, I'll come in and, because this is generally what I need... Come on, I can't find anything super legitimate right now around why you don't want to get in there and have a sustainable, exploratory, stretch. Mason: (01:06:04) I think you're just avoiding what is going to become opened up and therefore the potential and the peace that you're going to be able to find in yourself, because you're going to have to dredge through a little bit of shit. Then you forget, "I can go slow and I can go sustainable and gentle", but nonetheless, that shit's going to get dragged up and I am going to find out that I can really start accessing some beautiful things within my body. Openness, flexibility, adaptability. Mason: (01:06:33) You don't get that reward without the discipline. Through that structure. It's something I'm feeling more than ever. I'm feeling it in the business, and I know a lot of you love structure and you go, "Yeah, whatever Mase". That's fine. Then I challenge you to go into the Magic and exploring the vision of what's possible to keep on going into the nether lands of your body. Mason: (01:06:55) Once you start opening that up. But, a lot of you are such free flowing. You're already Peter Pans and Wendys. Never wanting to grow up. Flying off in Neverland. Grow up for a little bit. Come and get structured. Allow that structure and discipline into your life. Allow those qualities to be cultivated and the freedom and the capacity to dream and step back into the Magic. Mason: (01:07:23) When you've created that next platform, it's beautiful and it's your life, breathing through different processes. You're coming in. Maybe you need that structure right now. Don't fight it, because if you're fighting it, it will always come again, but you can miss that opportunity of your life for a little bit. That stage of your life. Mason: (01:07:45) Don't fight it. Grit your teeth. Get in there. Then release the tension from your jaw, because you're doing Benny's work. [inaudible 01:07:54] Grit your teeth and get in there and accept that things are evolving and changing and trust that process. That's one thing I've really experienced in your work. I just wanted to share. I think a lot of people listening to this would need to hear that. Create a new relationship with that showing up and experience the freedom that's going to come from that discipline. For others, experience the Magic. The further discipline that will come for you and the further structure that will come for you. If you step into exploring the unknown. Benny Fergusson: (01:08:31) Hmm, powerful, man. Mason: (01:08:34) Yeah Benny Fergusson: (01:08:34) Yeah, truth. Mason: (01:08:37) As a friend, more than anything, but as a teacher, you've helped me get to that place a lot. So, I just wanted to make sure that that was sharing my little piece and testimonial on the backend here and as I said, everyone, I really encourage you to either do The Embodied Flexibility Course. Maybe you've got a shitload of tension in your body and you start there with the tension release. Is that right ? Benny Fergusson: (01:09:02) Yeah, literally. Mason: (01:09:02) Maybe some people are here with chronic pain ? Do you want to just quickly share that with the entry point for people with chronic pain ? Benny Fergusson: (01:09:08) Yeah. The best way is in the physical freedom academy. At the moment. Inside that, we've got all sorts of different processes. We run a call every week for people with chronic tension and pain. First, just know, from someone who has been through chronic pain. You're okay. It's okay. You're not broken. And there are other ways that we can move forward. It doesn't have to be something that just lives at a dull level in the background. That's where me sharing this process called Break Through Your Pain is based around key questions we can ask ourselves to then start to really have moments of truth and go, "Oh, okay, I see that I have power in this. I see that I'm not a victim to my circumstances. I can stand up and go, you know what, yeah I'm in pain and I can work with it, rather than through it. To just be something that I manage and wrap myself in cotton wool and then just become limited in what I feel like I can do in my life." Benny Fergusson: (01:10:17) I know how that feels. I've been there and it's time to stand up to it. You can, irrespective of what you're told. That's one of the reasons why I think I love working with all different types of people in different situations is to realise that there is a space where we can connect that is maybe a different conversation than what's in your family or your friendship circle. That's why we exist. To create high level conversations to start to really call people to truth. We do it through physical practice. Mason: (01:10:59) That's powerful, man! Alright, thank you so much. Big love to you. Hope I can see you soon. All the way up there in Queensland. Benny Fergusson: (01:11:08) Yeah, we're so close, but yet so far, at the moment. Mason: (01:11:10) Forbidden Land. Benny Fergusson: (01:11:12) Yeah. Mason: (01:11:14) Alright, man. Have a great weekend. Thanks for coming on. Benny Fergusson: (01:11:17) Thanks Mase. Thanks for having me. Dive deep into the mystical realms of Tonic Herbalism in the SuperFeast Podcast!
Coffee, black and green Tea, Mate, Guarana, Kola Nut and Cacao all have something in common: Methylxanthines aka Caffeine. Coffee and Tea are the most taken herbs in the world and most of us consume them daily. What are the benefits? And are there any downsides? What are the alternatives? Herbalist Tamara digs deep into the weeds once again, in this info-packed episode! Learn about the subtle differences of tea, coffee and cacao and some amazing herbal alternatives which do not contain any stimulants but still beat fatigue and increase your energy! Tonic herbs from Traditional Chinese Medicine like Ginseng, Schizandra, Codonopsis and He Shou Wu. Ashwagandha from Ayurveda and Siberian Ginseng, from, well, from Siberia, aka Eleuthero root. Check out Tamara's website www.herbalhelp.net for info about individual health consultations. Write a message through the contact form on her website or contact her through Instagram @herbal.help Youtube Channel: Herbal Help by Tamara --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/downtoearthherbalism/message
Interview with Rehmannia Dean Thomas, about his history as a tonic herbalist, and his new line of formulas, RDT Connoisseurs. Rehmannia is one of only a handful of Westeners to hold the title of Superior Herbalist, and this is reflected in the quality of his formulas, and the extent of his communication with the plants. He shares with us the properties of Ormus and Shilajit, as well as on the top five tonic herbs, including Astragalus, Schizandra and Rehmannia.
Interview with Rehmannia Dean Thomas, about his history as a tonic herbalist, and his new line of formulas, RDT Connoisseurs. Rehmannia is one of only a handful of Westeners to hold the title of Superior Herbalist, and this is reflected in the quality of his formulas, and the extent of his communication with the plants. He shares with us the properties of Ormus and Shilajit, as well as on the top five tonic herbs, including Astragalus, Schizandra and Rehmannia.
In paranoid times like these, I'm relieved that I've been invested in my immunity defense for the past 25 years. I'm sharing everything I did to cure myself of the big C that's (still) got everyone up in arms (and we all thought this would only last two weeks!). I'm continuing my health protocol, which I lay out in the episode. Pretty much everything I mention is linked (and there are a couple of exclusive discounts in there for you too). I invite you to listen, do your research, and equip your body as YOU choose. The last time I checked, that was still a human right. Viruses aside, I also dig into other ponderings from the community, giving my insights into biohacking, mercury lightbulbs, circumcision, and so much more. 02:59 —Vincent asks: I'm looking to build a biohacking lab and researching various PEMF, mats, and scalar wave devices. Would love recommendations from this community on what biofeedback devices I should consider adding to my lab. Higher Dose infrared mat (large and small) The RASHA - listen to ep 309: The RASHA: Quantum Space Travel: The Key to Consciousness Expansion W/ Dr. Jere Rivera Dugenio The Biocharger - listen to ep.195: BioCharger: Harnessing the Healing Power of The Cosmos AmpCoil - listen to ep 98: Ampcoil: The Power of Biofeedback + PEMF for Lyme Autoimmune W/ Aaron Geneva Bigalow EMF protection with Blu Shield, Somavedic and FLFE Magnetico Mattress Pads for under beds (use code luke10 Nuerocoustic sound therapy with the VIBE Bed and Nucalm- listen to ep.322: Good Vibrations: Bioharmonics and Sound Healing W/Dr Vibe Feat. Dr. Steven Schwartz And ep. 265: Maximum Meditation W/ NuCalm: The Ultimate Stress Relief System w/ Jim Poole Brain Tap Nanovi - Think of it like an inhalable antioxidant I use the Lucia Light (use code lukestorey10) for a completely natural psychedelic-Esque journey An absolute non-negotiable for me is ice baths. I have Morozko Forge Ice Bath (use code luke150 or luke500). Listen to ep.351: Chill Out: The Ice Bath Revolution W/ Morozko Forge's Jason Stauffer and Adrienne Jezick Sauna Space single person sauna (use code luke5) and Clearlight multi-person sauna (mention luke) Red-light therapy. I use Joovv Red Light Therapy. Listen to ep.169 The Biohacking Superpowers of Red Light Therapy W/ JOOVV OxyHealth Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber (use code luke) 07:40 — Barbara and Natalie ask: Can you advise on natural ways to heal spider bites and repel mosquitos? The anti-infection and anti-inflammatory properties in Ozonated oil from global healing (use code LUKESTOREY) Hista-Aid from Quicksilver Scientific, for the histamine reaction to the bite Since moving to Texas, I've been using Allicin, a garlic extract. I take one cap in the morning, one in the evening. Bug Block from American Botanical Pharmacy is the strongest natural product on the market I've found. 10:00 — Rex asks: If circumcision is a “satanic ritual” are colonoscopies also? Ep. 308: Ending Infant Trauma: Dangers of Hospital Birth, Ultrasound Circumcision W/ Jeanice Barcelo Ep192: The War Against Boys: Ending Torture of Circumcision in America Watch: American Circumcision Gravity colonics to eliminate toxins Colon cleansing using calcium bentonite clay and activated charcoal. 15:25 — Lincoln asks: When you use a Defender Shield product, what is the external battery I should plug my phone into so I avoid EMF? Defender Shield for phone Any large capacity phone battery will work, but this is the one I use Avoid using your phone and computer device when plugged in as they produce more EMF 18:46 —Christine asks: Is there still mercury in incandescent bulbs? Be careful with CFL bulbs and fluorescent tubes because of the blue and flickering light Why fluorescent and LED bulbs are bad for the environment and your health 21:55 —Bailey asks: Do you feel that doing good things with the intent of getting back goodwill, in fact, brings bad karma? How selfless acts for others helped me during my recovery Savoring acts of generosity for yourself 28:15 — The community asks: How do I deal with viral infections, building immunity, and protect myself from spike proteins? I get asked these questions a lot and have covered the topic in-depth with various experts. Listen to ep. 304: Don't Fear The Virus: Your Body's Immunity and Humanity's Awakening W/ Dr. Zach Bush Ep. 276: Plandemic Power Play: Challenging The Media Big Pharma Virus Narrative w/ Dr. Rashid Buttar Ep. 299: Shot In the Dark: Blowing the Whistle On the Vacc!ne Industry + Cov!d W/ Robert F Kennedy Jr Ep. 273: Solving the Wuhan 5G Covid-19 Mystery W/ Dr. Thomas Cowan Check out what I have to say on my current views on the plandemic, lockdowns, quack scenes, and spike protein shedding on my telegram channel at lukestorey.com/telegram Free tools require willpower and nothing else. Prayer, faith, meditation, human touch and connection, mindfulness, breathwork, sunlight, hot and cold exposure, sleep hygiene, light gazing, movement Steps I took to cure my virus last year Rectal and ear canal ozone therapy with Longevity Resources. Ozone injections are also a good idea. Glutathione and high dose vitamin C. I used Mitozen glutathione, high-dose melatonin, and NAD suppositories. Listen to ep. 367: Not Just For Sleep: Melatonin | The Master Molecule + Next Level Biohacks w/ Dr. John Lieurance Quantum energy devices such as FLFE, Leela Infinity Bloc and Somavedic Hyperbaric oxygen chamber treatments for immunity, blood flow, and oxygen saturation of the blood plasma. I have the Oxyhealth Vitearis 300 which was a big investment but you can rent them now. Colon cleansing with oxy powder from Global Healing for detox Oregano oil by North American Herb and Spice for anti-viral and anti-bacterial. Resistor ozonated oil capsules for gut health, mitochondrial function, and immunity Ultimate igg from Just Thrive Quercetin from global healing for immune and respiratory response Pure Encapsulations Calcium D-glucarate for detox Raw dandelion leaf to protect from spike proteins C-60 from Purple Power for systemic inflammation reduction “The One” by Quicksilver Scientific QQ and CO-Q-10 from which is a product they call ' the one'. Both are incredible for mitochondria, which is where we get ATP energy to fight illness and recover quickly. Infrared saunas. Sauna Space for infrared light therapy benefits and Clearlight for its relaxed, group-friendly setting. HigherDOSE infrared mat for immunity Naked sun time for immunity and vitamin D production Biocharger and AmpCoil immunity and anti-infection programs. Zinc and Boron from Upgraded Formulas. They do mail order testing to check what you're deficient in. Quicksilver Scientific liposomal d3/k2 High dose reishi mushroom extract from Longevity Power for immunity and nervous system balance. High dose systemic enzymes from Bioptimizers to prevent blood clotting. Serrapeptase enzyme is also great for clotting and breaking down spike proteins. Schizandra berry extract from Surthrival for its high shikimate content, which breaks down spike proteins. As does fennel, star anise tea, pine oil (Aka Hinoka Blood Purifier.) (stock up at Shen Blossom) Methylene blue from Troscriptions for antiviral properties Patrick Flannagins MegaHydrate, a super-powerful anti-oxidant NAC ( N-Acetylcysteine ) helps you produce glutathione. It just got banned from the FDA so stock up! Activated charcoal from Quicksilver Scientific's “Ultra Binder” (activated charcoal). Shilajit for minerals. PristineHydro makes a great powder. Molecular hydrogen tablets from Water and Wellness and Vital Reaction 7% inhaler for antioxidant/inflammation reduction 1:02:16 — Caleb asks: My family is getting together all the items for nebulizing peroxide for lung infections (Dr. David Brownstein). Do you know of any high-quality Lugol's iodine?” I use the Unoseks portable nebulizer] American Biotech Labs Silver Biotics Immune System Support Iodine from Upgraded Formulas Glutestat by MitoZen I'm intrigued by Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin, although I have not taken them personally myself. Please be aware, that these are only available by prescription. More about this episode. Watch it on YouTube. Connect with Luke on social media to learn how to take your lifestyle to the next level, plus catch exclusive live interviews & events: INSTAGRAM - @lukestorey // instagram.com/lukestorey/ FACEBOOK - facebook.com/MrLukeStorey/ TWITTER - @MrLukeStorey // twitter.com/MRLUKESTOREY YOUTUBE - youtube.com/c/LukeStorey THIS SHOW IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: MAGNESIUM BREAKTHROUGH. According to the American Psychological Association, chronic stress is linked to the six leading causes of death. When most people think of stress, they think of their job, traffic, tense relationships, current events, things like that. But the root of so much of the stress we experience comes down to a deficiency in one overlooked nutrient — magnesium. So, if you're ready to help your body deal with stress, instead of putting a band-aid on it after the fact, you're going to want some Magnesium Breakthrough. You can use the code “luke10” for 10% off at www.bioptimizers.com/luke AND... Eaton Hemp - The CBD industry is all about trust, and with so many brands out there just slapping labels on products it is important to know where your products come from. I love Eaton Hemp because they're transparent about where everything comes from–an organic farm in upstate NY where you get the goodness of clean soil. Head to eatonhemp.com and use the code: “LUKE” for 20% off all products. AND… BodyBio PC Lays a foundation for health by addressing the health of your cells and your cell membrane. With a unique full-spectrum phospholipid complex with all the phospholipids that make up the cell membrane (PC, PS, PE, PI). It heals and repairs our cell membrane from the damage that toxins have caused, enabling better brain function, cognition, memory, liver support, microbiome support, and skin health. Go to BodyBio.com and use the code “luke20 “for 20% off all products HELP SUPPORT THIS SHOW! Love the Show? You'll really love Luke's Master Market Online Store! It's a win-win! 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The words Di Dao (Di Tao) is a concept that most of our SuperFeast community would be familiar with, as it's the way we source our herbs. Di Dao herbs are of the highest quality and grown with integrity to ensure optimal, powerful healing properties. For a herb to be classified Di Dao, it must have been grown in its natural habitat; Which means the right region, soil, and microclimate for that specific species. The beauty of Di Dao herbs is they perform optimally, much like the human body when it is holistically cared for and nourished the way it needs to be. In this episode, Mason chats with Jansen Andre on The Awoken Athlete podcast about SuperFeast's commitment to Di Dao sourcing, herbs for optimal performance, and a holistic perspective of the nuances that affect performance within the body at all levels. Mason details the integrity behind Di Dao sourcing and how it ensures the livelihood of micro-farming stays alive; Continuing the wisdom and teachings of Di Dao within communities. Whether you're an athlete or not, we're all being physically, emotionally, and mentally pushed with our hectic, under-nourished lifestyles. This episode addresses the best herbs for lifestyle support and performance on all levels. " Di Dao. Going to the spiritual homeland of the herbs and buying and growing them there. Far away from industry. You're getting the spore or the seed from that area and making sure it's a particular microclimate in which it grows. This is based on texts over 2,000 years old that tell you how to do this." - MasonTaylor Mason and Jansen discuss: Qi and performance. Cordyceps and performance. Adaptogens and performance. Jing, Qi, Shen; How they work. Comparing Di Dao and organic. Preventing injury and exhaustion. Jing; nourishing a solid foundation. How to take SuperFeast tonic herbs. Di Dao; growing, sourcing, and integrity. Disease, healing, and building the body back up. The colonisation and institutionalisation around healing ourselves. Performance in business and the freedoms of staying investor-free. Who is Mason Taylor? Mason Taylor is the founder of SuperFeast. Mason was first exposed to the ideas of potentiating the human experience through his mum Janesse (who was a big inspiration for founding SuperFeast and is still an inspiration to Mason and his team due to her ongoing resilience in the face of disability). After traveling South America for a year, Mason found himself struggling with his health - he was worn out, carried fungal infections, and was only 22. He realised that he had the power to take control of his health. Mason redirected his attention from his business degree and night work in a bar to begin what was to become more than a decade of health research, courses, education, and mentorship from some of the leaders in personal development, wellness, and tonic herbalism. Inspired by the own changes to his health and wellbeing through his journey (which also included Yoga teacher training and raw foodism!), he started SuperFeast in 2010. Initially offering a selection of superfoods, herbs, and supplements to support detox, immune function, and general wellbeing. Mason offered education programs around Australia, and it was on one of these trips that he met Tahnee, who is now his wife and CEO of SuperFeast. Mason also offered detox and health transformation retreats in the Byron hinterland (some of which Tahnee also worked on, teaching Yoga and workshops on Taoist healing practices, as well as offering Chi Nei Tsang treatments to participants). After falling in love with the Byron Shire, Mason moved SuperFeast from Sydney's Northern Beaches to Byron Bay in 2015. He lived on a majestic permaculture farm in the Byron hinterland, and after not too long, Tahnee joined him (and their daughter, Aiya was conceived). The rest is history - from a friend's rented garage to a warehouse in the Byron Industrial Estate to SuperFeast's current home in Mullumbimby's beautiful Food Hub, SuperFeast (and Mason) has thrived in the conscious community of the Northern Rivers. Mason continues to evolve his role at SuperFeast, in education, sourcing, training, and creating the formulas based on Taoist principles of tonic herbalism. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN ON APPLE PODCAST Resources: Mason Instagram SuperFeast Instagram SuperFeast Apple Podcast The Awoken Athlete Podcast Mind and Body Peak Performance with James Newbury (EP#106) Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We'd also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or check us out on Stitcher, CastBox, iHeart RADIO:)! Plus we're on Spotify! Check Out The Transcript Here: Jansen Andre: (00:00:00): All right, Mason from SuperFeast, thank you so much for coming on The Awoken Athlete podcast today. For those of you who don't know, Mason runs a beautiful company called, SuperFeast, which is based around tonic herbs. Do you want to give us a little introduction, Mason, about what you do and how did you even start? Mason Taylor: (00:00:23): Yeah, thanks for having me on. As you said, SuperFeast is about to turn 10 years old. So I've been doing it for a while now. The majority of the time when I started out, what I wanted to end up doing was Taoist tonic herbalism. So it's that style of herbalism that springs from the classical texts of Chinese Medicine and gears more towards prevention, the cultivation of life, the cultivation of potential, having the ability to not fall into early degeneration and wasting away, which is what we see as the norm in the western world. Mason Taylor: (00:01:01): And even though I was really interested in performance, I had that drive in my early twenties when I was exploring this to see what was possible for my body. I was really curious in that, from a business sense getting into herbs, I was really interested in the trajectory that I was on towards the 70 year old self and 80 year old self. And the only place, at the time, especially around herbalism, I could see conversation or I could see terminology around how to get into a lifestyle flow utilising things like herbs that in a western sense and even in a modern Chinese Medicine sense is used just for symptoms. If there's a problem, respond with medicines, with herbs. Mason Taylor: (00:01:48): The Daoist approach, had a conversation of how to cultivate life so that you can put the odds in your favour more and more and more not to end up in practitioners' offices. Not that I'm averse to it. I like working with practitioners as well, but not end up institutionally dependent. I will go into terminology a bit later in describing what these, so the three foundational treasures are, in the body. So the elements that make up what either keep you functioning and stop you from degenerating, keep you large over your life and then ensure that your best self is coming through, is Jing, Qi and Shen. Mason Taylor: (00:02:28): And I just had conversations and practises in herbal usage around how to ensure that we really guard these treasures. That just really translates to hopefully, if it's maybe a little bit more or a lot more when we enter into our elder stages. Which of course then is going to mean that throughout our entire life we're a bit more robust and healthy. When we get to those later stages, you've got a relatively strong body. Your bones aren't wasting away. That's the Jing. Mason Taylor: (00:02:56): You're hormones in a foundational level, are able to stay adaptive and if you don't have Jing, it's what people waste away with hectic lifestyles, no sleep and all that kind of stuff. You've got lots of Jing when you're a kid and that's why you burn it at both ends, but then people keep that up and they don't adjust and they don't get wiser as they get older, therefore their bones start wasting, their hips, their body has no strength. They lose that foundational energy. That's Jing energy. Mason Taylor: (00:03:24): And so we want to make sure that that's safeguarded as well as our Qi. That's what enables us to stay mobile and regulate our heat, regulate our fluids, move us. Basically put the spark in the machine. Living Jing is just like, just say your body is just this machine of potential and flesh and if it's not animated, it's just sitting there, you need that thing to be rock solid. You need it to be really strong and have a lot of genetic potential. That's your Jing. And then you put a spark in and it comes to life and you can move through the world and animate through the world and regulate all the functions of the body. That's the Qi. Mason Taylor: (00:03:59): That's the other thing we want to be nice and strong in our body throughout our entire lives and then the point of that is the Shen. Which is essentially if the heart's really healthy, the heart fire, which is not just the physical heart. If all the organs are really working well and showing that the emperor that is the heart, is really flowing, then throughout our lifetime, our consciousness, our virtuous nature, are part of us that's determined to be less of an asshole and more of an awesome person that isn't projecting all over everyone and actually has the capacity to learn from experiences, go through psychological developments, let go of ideologies, step more into our own truth, so on and so forth. Mason Taylor: (00:04:43): That comes forth and what you see then is if the Shen's really allowed to express as you get to 70 and 80 and 90, what you see in people who are just, you know, they are these people that have evolved themselves, they're not vomiting their opinion all over everybody, they're not resigned, they're not resentful, they're not fearful, they're not unable to forgive, stuck in their ways. They can be fun, they can take the piss out of themselves and they're someone who's not a burden on the family. Not that I'm not judging these things, but it's like, that's the whole conversation. Mason Taylor: (00:05:20): That's a very diluted one around this concept of Taoism and then get rid of the word, Taoism, ancient Chinese philosophy kind of stuff. It's just humans that were just like, how can we can just make this... Just keep us healthy for as long as possible and it's not deity based. You don't have to buy into a religion or anything like that. It's just around your own potential and your own discovery path. And that's what I started to discover before I started SuperFeast and I was like, that's... I wanted to get into herbs and then I discovered there were these herbs that were in that longterm focus and intention, so I just jumped in then and I didn't focus on the herbs back then, because I didn't think there was a market for it. Mason Taylor: (00:06:00): And then I did actual markets for years and then people were coming to me with bigger and bigger intentions around their health and I was like, well, the only thing that's really going to help from what I can offer, at least, medicinal mushrooms like Reishi, tonic herbs like Astragalus and the Lion's Manes and Ho Shou Wus and all these really, the precious herbs, the Taoists call them. The superior herbs. They call them the messengers from heaven. Mason Taylor: (00:06:25): And so over the years I just kept on adding them in and I've started doing a few formulas and educating people about this style of herbs that is more folky and it's not about, a lot of the time, practitioners and especially modern Chinese practitioners are like, "No. Herbal practise is for us. We dish out the herbs." Like this and you can't meddle with that. And you go back to the classics and there are these herbs that are like, these are really safe. And really beautiful. And can be used with a little bit of education, as long as you're determined to keep on listening to whether you can use these in everyday life. Mason Taylor: (00:06:59): And that's the point of it. Take out the colonisation and the institutionalisation around healing ourselves and keeping ourselves healthy. And so I educated more and more about that. And then at some point my wife, now wife, joined me in the business about five years ago. We started taking it a bit seriously, because I have a bit of Peter Pan syndrome and I run off doing whatever I bloody want all the time. And then we took it seriously and it started really taking off and now we're a decent enough company, still family owned in Mullumbimby here now. I started off in Sydney. Mason Taylor: (00:07:28): And yeah, we have a bunch of formulas and really, a bunch of crew here, working and helping us manifest the mission to help people just take that little bit extra control of their body. Feel that sovereignty and their capacity to not just cross their fingers about not getting sick. And then also as well, having longterm intentions and just having relationships with these herbs. They're really beautiful. I mentioned a few there. It's like the Schizandras. I don't have Ginseng, but the Ginsengs, these herbs that everyone would have like... We started the Cordyceps. These herbs are, yes, they're adaptogens and people are using them in a really cool way to help their body become more adaptive and to get greater output. Mason Taylor: (00:08:18): That's when you look at them as an adaptogen herb, a Westerner. This is an adaptogen that's going to help you adapt and get better output. And that's sick. But that's an agenda based kind of in, output, what benefit to me. And that's cool as well. I don't mind that, but an adaptogen herb, like Schizandra or Ginseng is a herb that's going to help you. It has a non-specific effect in the body. So you don't know where the markers in the body are going to go or where the energy is going to go. You just know that it's going to harmonise more. And so it's not just going to take the immune system up and stimulate it, for example. Mason Taylor: (00:08:54): It might lower it in some situations, like autoimmune conditions. And then it has an accumulative effect on the body. So the longer you take it, the greater effect you see. And this is how the Russians describe adaptogens. And then also, it has a non-toxic, non-harmful effect on the body, which is basically what 2,000 years ago, the first medic, Shennong, was like, hey, these are the herbs you take that are non-toxic. But then, yeah, so adaptogens good, people are using them. Mason Taylor: (00:09:22): But then tonic herbalism and Taoist philosophy and then you take away the Taoism, it's just the philosophy of having a relationship longterm with this herb to help a dream of your own or a vision of your own health stay present throughout your life. And you're an athlete and you can see a lot of athletes all of a sudden go, I really want that potential now, and it's a strong intent, but I also, I'm starting to realise that I don't want to come out the backend of my professional athletic career and be flogged. Mason Taylor: (00:09:49): And they start thinking about their 50 and 60 year old self and so, the terminology around tonic herbalism starts helping to align your outer actions and your lifestyle to that longterm intention as well as taking a shit load of Cordyceps or whatever now, to in order to get a really good workout and recovery in this instance. So yeah, that's kind of a long way of answering your question. Jansen Andre: (00:10:15): So, yeah. Overwhelming, but you mentioned and I know on your website that these herbs and plants you source are ancestral to China. But I read you kept it that way except for Cordyceps. Is there a reason for this? Mason Taylor: (00:10:33): Cordyceps is in China. It's just the wild Cordyceps is really rare and expensive and unsustainable to meet the demand. And so there's a technology there to ferment it in a broth and so, still then, it's the only one, so it's our only mushroom that's not grown on wood, grown outdoors, that kind of thing. We've got a very specific sourcing philosophy that we take very serious and Cordyceps is the only one that isn't strictly Di Dao. For that reason, but we just do our best. We've got a really unique broth recipe. Mason Taylor: (00:11:05): It's why our Cordyceps is unique and isn't just like all the other CS spores in the market. And we've got a team of herbalists who tend to it and we don't grow on grain which is a big for me. A big no no. And I definitely don't have hardcore judgement of everyone that grows mushrooms on grain, but I don't personally agree with it, because it's not the native food of a mushroom. The native food of a medicinal mushroom is wood. And there's an alchemical process that occurs when that mushroom is growing through the wood. It has an enzymatic reaction with the wood. Is eating the carbohydrates within that wild wood, right. Mason Taylor: (00:11:45): Quite often, people are like, it doesn't really matter. You can grow on grains and oats and coffee and some people even grow on paper. And it's cheap. What we do is expensive. And having integrity a lot of the time and upholding in the sense of wanting to uphold a tradition is really expensive and a lot of people are like, look, it doesn't matter. There's similar biomarkers in the one grown on whatever, even like a [inaudible 00:12:10]. And that's what the scientific community goes, you can just pick out, that's what scientism does. You go, I'm going to pick out one variable to justify that ours is just as good as the others. Mason Taylor: (00:12:22): But then if you go back into true science, which is thousands of years of usage and subtle understandings through thousands and thousands of practitioners and people that have laid down the foundations for science to then jump in and create variables on this kind of herbal system, there are certain things that aren't measured yet, that they are aware of. Like you need to do a complete, full extraction of that herb so that it's not just that one beta glucan or chemical that you're justifying the awesomeness of your product with. There's undiscovered chemicals which are symbiotic to the entire reason that this herb is being revered for 5,000 years knowingly. And probably further back than that. Mason Taylor: (00:13:16): And that's why we just kind of let them speak for themselves. People often find a really science data, we're data driven, but a real, pick a variable and market it kind of product and then people are like, that's good. And then they'll kind of want more, because they don't want to just trust that it's good and good stuff's happening. A lot of people will find our stuff and then they'll take it and there's a little "je nais se quois," a little special something that's present in the herb that they'll go, oh, it just feels a bit different. And yeah, when you get longterm, you feel more safe and comfortable taking something that is complete and it's been grown in the way as close to possible that our ancestors and our immune system have evolved taking it. Mason Taylor: (00:13:58): And so there's a special little softness and trust that you can ease in and as well, then placebos start getting activated which just means you're not anxious and tense and just you're not trusting the mind's data and believing in marketing. You can feel that there's something with substance and essence going into your body. And that's why, and I'm definitely not the only one doing it, this is a very ancient tradition, growing herbs Di Dao. Going to the spiritual homeland of the herbs and buying and growing them there. Far away from industry. You're getting the spore or the seed from that area and making sure it's a particular micro climate in which you're growing in. This is based on texts over 2,000 years old that tell you how to do this. Mason Taylor: (00:14:47): And people are like, oh, but it's not organic. And it's like, yeah, you can buy organic certifications very easy and I like organic certification, but the way I... I could go organic really quickly. Or I could drop, I'd have to pay through the nose. It's exorbitant what these people expect me to send out there. It's a big business which is I'm like, well, I don't need to get you out, just pay you thousands and thousands to go to every single little micro farm. And these are micro farmers. These are villagers who we're growing from and that's why organic farms are these huge growing operations, which are really good and can do high output. Mason Taylor: (00:15:30): And they're doing it really well, a lot of the time, but they're doing it in a way that's not, you can't go right up into the mountains and grow in that capacity. And you can't do it with wild wood in that capacity in order to cheaply be able to just get that person out to certify organic, that big farm, indoor lab that you're doing. As good as it is. And I really, like a lot of my friends who are competitors who do that, because they're then able to do actually do mass market stuff. But for me to go organic, I'd have to dramatically take a back step in effectiveness. Because I'm a little, first of all, I'm a small company and we also support people in the village, say where we're growing Reishi. Mason Taylor: (00:16:13): Like one of our farmers, Mr. Li, is training other people in the village so that there's actually jobs locally. That's localising the industry. It's keeping it traditional. It's keeping it family owned. It's not this huge herb, these overarching companies that own all the farmers and tell them, like me having investors telling me you can't do it that way. You need to work this way. And I'm like, no, no, no, but we're going to lose the integrity and they're like, look, it doesn't really matter. If people don't know about that standard that you set and then majority of people won't really give a shit. And we're like, no, but I give a shit and that's the same with the farmers. They give a shit upholding this tradition and they know if they produce the best Di Dao herbs and we have people who know how to test that, try it. Mason Taylor: (00:17:00): I know how to test it, try it and go, hey, the quality is, this never happened, but I've done it before when I was doing my testing of right in the beginning of knowing that they say that's Di Dao, but that's not true. And you grill them. They go, oh yeah, that's actually a commercial spore that we're growing with. It's not a wild spore, Reishi, from the area in which we're growing, because that's hard to do. And so, yeah, it's a very difficult thing to do, growing in this way. But it connects you to something. It connects you, you're going back to the source of these, why these herbs were revered and so those farmers that are growing this way know that there is an impact, a viability of their product, if they make it the absolute best possible and don't compromise. Mason Taylor: (00:17:53): They know that there are companies like mine that will buy that top notch Di Dao product. And so we get a little, we get Mr. Li teaching a young woman locally, how to grow Reishi and the first few years she might not be doing the absolute best, but there might be a little bit of crème de la crème that we will be able to buy off her in the beginning. And we've got people going out there and making sure the area is clean. We test in TGA labs for pesticides, metals, aflatoxins, all and beyond, and then all these things that actually aren't needed to be tested for, but we do, in China and in Australia. Mason Taylor: (00:18:32): And so what I would need to do for organic is send out this guy who charges thousands of dollars in order for me to maintain this little thing that they think is a marketing hole in one, is having an organic symbol. And pay him a thousand dollars to go this woman's farm, check it out, pay them, whatever, three thousand dollars a night for them to stay over the night and then go back and do some other little testing in order for them to go, yeah, I'm going to tell you what you knew already. It's good. There's no pesticides in the area. And is that worth it in order to support the localization? It's good, I want to support this woman, but I'm not getting enough Reishi, but I want to support her. Mason Taylor: (00:19:17): And so these are the nuances of behind the scenes of how our company works. And I know you started talking about Cordyceps and we just went into discussing why it's a good question, why isn't Cordyceps at that same level as the other herbs. And it's just because we can't leave the crop in abundance. It's like Reishi. We don't do Reishi wild anymore. We did when we started. And now it just got too popular. Before it became an issue, we opted out and went to the best possible farming practise. And we've done that with Schizandra as well. In the beginning it was just like, there's just no way we're going to be able to ever get through this much wild Schizandra that's in Changbai Mountain and sure enough, yeah, actually when this probably doesn't seem too healthy. Mason Taylor: (00:20:03): And we work with good local governments. We move provinces in China if they're irresponsible with the land management which I know people who like China, that's not true, actually no, it is true. There are local governments, some that are like ours, that are really harshly regulating the population of pine trees or the amount of pine nuts that are up in the Changbai forest and soon to be the only amount of Chaga that's been harvested in order to maintain and preserve. So we work with that, but then go beyond that just to make sure we don't strip the environment. You've got to leave it better than you found it. Mason Taylor: (00:20:44): So yeah, we've gone now to, I think, the majority farming of... You know, it's still incredible Schizandra. It's still in the wild. It's still the most amazing Schizandra being pumped out, but it just makes it a little bit better for everyone. But yeah, I can't do that with Cordyceps. So do that in a broth. Jansen Andre: (00:21:03): So you're adjusting, from what I gather from that, determining, depending on how popular or how much of a certain thing you're selling, you have to go back and look, is it possible to keep getting it from the same source? Mason Taylor: (00:21:21): It's a never ending analysis. So the biggest at the moment is Chaga. So the last time I was in China, we were going up to Chagang to harvest Chaga up in, near the North Korean border, it's a mountain called, Changbai Mountain, a national park there. And they were just moving in the direction of, it sounded like there were some, the way it worked is the guys that would go in, they'd go on week expeditions to go and harvest Chaga, because it's quite deep where you go and they've been doing it for 20 years, at least. Mason Taylor: (00:21:56): So they know how to ensure that they're not stripping so much that they're not going to have a crop for the next year or in five years and 10 years. A lot of them are getting their kids ready to do this as well. But now it was getting popular, so we're like, okay, it was getting a few two minute noodle harvesters, as I call them. As always. Going like, I can do this. But the barrier to entry seems to be holding. It's a skillset that can't just be, people just can't all of a sudden know how to go and find the Chaga. There's snakes and shit and people are scared of going there and doing these expeditions. So the barrier to entry seems like enough, but I've already talked to my team over there and been like, let's just watch it. Mason Taylor: (00:22:47): Because North American Chaga is not being managed really well. Now it's starting to, but it's not a sustainable harvesting of Chaga that's going on in North America and people think it's the same happening in China. And it's not at that point yet and the government's also about to start regulating and licencing the people that can go in to this particular area to harvest Chaga. They've already done it with pine nuts and it's really, they're not just a little slap on the wrist. You get really scorned if you go and break those rules. Mason Taylor: (00:23:17): And so yeah, we haven't had to do that yet for Chaga, but I've got a back up source that's my second favourite place to get Chaga from, if need be. But yeah, that's an example of keeping our finger on the pulse. And with Poria, for example. Poria, really not well known in this kind of, in my community. Maybe my community a little bit more, but a really popular Chinese herb. Not so much in the adaptogen community, Poria mushroom isn't really well known. And it requires pine to grow and so wild pine is what you want. And the primary place to grow Di Dao in the centre of China, the government wasn't regulating the harvesting of pine. Mason Taylor: (00:24:05): And so, even though the people we would work with, we're pretty sure, especially because they ended up moving with the operation, but they were adhering to harvesting methods that weren't going to be stripping the whole ecosystem. The government wasn't regulating it and so there were people around taking advantage and it leaves a bad vibe on it and so you don't want that vibe. And you can't do Di Dao if you're involved in something that isn't going to sustainably leave the environment as it is. So we went to our second ideal place to grow Di Dao down in Jinlun province. Mason Taylor: (00:24:41): And there, the government harshly regulates for each person how much pine you're going to be able to go and harvest. Where you can harvest. Ensuring that you're planting and contributing back to the replanting to the extent where it's like we'll go and trek up and ask you to show where you've harvested yours and then if they find anything else in the vicinity, they'll investigate it and have it be marked as being a particular farmer's quota. And so those are the things that go in behind the scenes that people don't realise to actually grow a Di Dao herb and that's why it's hard. Mason Taylor: (00:25:15): You can imagine, it's like oh, screw this. Well, let's just get pine from a domestic pine farm. But that's, of course, it's so easy and that needs to be happening to an extent, because you can't give the world how much Poria it needs of all wild pine. But there is a way and maybe it stops at some point. I don't know. Maybe at some point I need to just have, all right, here's the Di Dao range and then here's the other range. Here's the one that's maybe a little more for widespread consumption. But yeah, at the moment we don't have to do that. But yeah, that's everything that kind of, the other stuff that goes in behind the scenes. Jansen Andre: (00:25:56): Very interesting. It seems like a very intense and long process as well as people putting their lives on the line in terms of wild animals and nature and stuff to go and forage and harvest these herbs. I just want to strip it back, right back for people that are unaware of adaptogens and herbs. What would be a reason that somebody would consider taking medicinal mushrooms or tonic herbs and what are the main few that you focus on at SuperFeast that you would include in say, your average person's daily consumption that you would consider the most important. Considering we live in such a Yang, fast lifestyle. Mason Taylor: (00:26:51): Good question, man, good question. There's many directions I could take why people take tonic herbs. I'll start seeing if I can rattle them off and not distract myself. So clinically, the tonic herbs in general, a lot of them are used in formulas in order to overcome particular disease states. But I leave that to a practitioner. The intention of tonic herbalism isn't, and my formulas, for instance, isn't to treat disease states. Mason Taylor: (00:27:27): But when you're in that instance where you're working with a practitioner, say how they would use it is perhaps they would get you onto medicinal mushrooms alongside a treatment... A really good example is chemo. There's a lot of people who have identified that you can take medicinal mushrooms alongside the chemo. So a lot of people are out there going to medicinal mushrooms, specifically for the treatment of cancer. And there are institutions researching that and there are countries that utilise that in their actual conventional medical system. But that's something that we're not at that place yet. Mason Taylor: (00:28:11): But there are a lot of practitioners that have realised that having medicinal mushrooms going into conjunction to cancer treatments like chemo and radiotherapy, the intent there being to ensure that the body isn't destroyed by the treatment itself. So keeping the immune system adept, strong, activated. So that's one area where people might use tonic herbs or a practitioner might use tonic herbs. Mason Taylor: (00:28:38): In the convalescence stage of a disease, so the healing and the building back. So after you've undergone... Someone with, I'm just trying to think of an example, if someone's gone through two years of hyperthyroidism and they've been undergoing lots of little micro herbal treatments and hormone therapies and they get to a point where they're feeling, okay, I don't feel like I'm sick anymore, but those years absolutely wasted me. And took it out of me mentally, spiritually, emotionally, physically. And so at that point tonic herbs are going to have a lot to do with the rebuilding of the body, right? That's when they're really beautiful and tonifying. They can tonify functions of the body. Mason Taylor: (00:29:28): There's also, we could say the same for preparing for big surgeries. Preparing the body for huge medical treatments and that doesn't just have to be things like chemo. There are a lot of herbal treatments or even someone who's sick and flies over to Mexico and is getting that hypothermia treatment and they're doing the oxygenation of the blood and they're doing lots of colonics and whatever it is. Those take a lot out of the body. You need a lot of strength and so people would use tonic herbs to strengthen the body and prepare it in those instances. Mason Taylor: (00:30:06): Then there are people who are looking to, they're looking to prevent injury, prevent acute illness, thinking about just preventing illness in the future, preventing exhaustion creeping in the future. They watch their parents' minds kind of waste away, their brains kind of waste away or the bones waste away. And so there's an intent around prevention. And a lot of people are starting to realise that there is this class of herbs that are basically herbal foods that can assist you and might not be perfect and there's no guarantees, but it's like, why are we going and upgrading the quality of our water from tap to filtered to maybe the best spring water we can find and adding in some hydrogen. Mason Taylor: (00:30:58): Why are we going from yeah, cool, I'm getting organic veggies from the health food store to try and include some wild foods in your diet. It's because you're upgrading and potentiating and trying to get these habits to norms that will mineralize the body and potentiate the body. Tone the water of your body into this beautiful crystaline substance that can help you maintain a high quality of life for longterm. And that's the same with tonic herb intention. And so there's that instance. Mason Taylor: (00:31:31): There are people who will take it further from the Taoist intention who want to cultivate longevity. And that can be the longevity of your ability to undergo big psychological evolutions and initiations. So a lot of people have the strength to really get past maybe that leap from 50 years old. It's going to take, all of a sudden everything that you'd identified as important and what makes you up, becomes less important internally to you. But you don't have the ability to let go of that identity, shed the skin and go into that next phase of your life. Because it's scary and I don't have judgement of that. Mason Taylor: (00:32:17): I've had to learn. It's been tough for me, even just going, feeling from 30 and becoming a new dad and identifying with being one particular way and then all of a sudden having a business and needing to land, basically. And not just be flying off with the fairies and so on and so forth. All these different little changes and shifts that happen throughout our lives. To be able to move through them with a skip and a step. That takes a lot. And just in order to ensure that our bones stay healthy. People want longevity for the sake of making sure the kidneys are healthy. The kidneys regulate the bone marrow, the brain, the dewy substances. Mason Taylor: (00:32:54): The brain in Taoism is considered marrow. So ensuring that that aspect of the body is supported by its core organ so that we have greater capacity to think in really complex ways and feel in really complex ways when we're older. Basically, all that comes down to in Daoism as an intention, is cultivation of life. Cultivation of the treasures. Our Jing, our Qi, our Chen. And cultivation can literally be as we burn through it. Because you only have a certain amount of Jing, say, like the wax of the candle. As you burn through it, you add a little bit more on. Mason Taylor: (00:33:30): Well, that's actually adding a little bit more, it's more so keep living off Qi. Keeping living off breath, diet, the herbs and that's the energy you use to get through the day and you don't have to take the wax off the candle and put like a coal burning oven. And get your energy in a non-sustainable way. If you burn through your Jing too early, you're going to not have the foundations the thrive. And you might live a long time, but people are really dying a long time. Mason Taylor: (00:34:02): So that whole intention around longevity in that sense, which our culture does not value as much as, really supporting people to become elders, in a sense that they're healthy and that they're in this capacity to share their wisdom lovingly and willingly with younger generations. That doesn't exist that much. You need to take that into your own sovereign intention. And so in that sense, that all comes down to there are transformation of energy going on through your organs at all times as it continues to circulate. And that transformation is Yin Yang, Yin Yang, Yin Yang, Yin Yang. Mason Taylor: (00:34:47): And that's just your capacity for your Qi to transform smoothly and constantly, which means you're going to constantly have emotions and they can constantly transform and lead you in places where you can get a little bit of a virtue going. And then the fear comes back and boom, boom. So that's all that. And then when you go in on that, that's the five organ system, the Wuxing, five elements. Even though the elements is a rough translation. So the whole point is to ensure that the energy is moving through the heart and the spleen and the lung and the kidneys and the liver and it's able to just transform. Mason Taylor: (00:35:28): Yin Yang, Yin Yang. And that's like that fire Qi. It's just a Yin Yang transformation of Qi going from substance, from something of Yin and consolidation to the Yang through expression and movement in unique ways. And in the heart, it kind of like, ah, that reminds me of fire. It feels like fire and in the spleen, it goes to the spleen. That's really earthy and soil kind of phase transforming through the kidneys. It's like, ah, it's got that water quality. It's just a feeling of what's out there is also in here. But it's really simple. Just, your lifestyle just keeps it going. Just keeps it transforming. Mason Taylor: (00:36:10): And if you're transforming smoothly, you're not wasting your Jing, Qi and Shen. And at some point you can cultivate your Jing, Qi and Shen. The idea, so you're less of an asshole and more of an awesome person when you get older and you're quite healthy. So that's another intention there. And that's probably the reasons why people would get attracted to it and then now it's as well. People are just, I need my brain to be on this morning, so I'm drinking Neural Nectar. This incredible herbs supporting that marrow of the brain and other areas that I know translate to me feeling sharp and there's blood flow through the marrow. I can feel wit and cloudy and supplementing of the kidney energy that's supporting that what we see as mental capacity. Mason Taylor: (00:36:54): So in a Western sense, the Nootropics. They're just helping me nourish the brain, getting some L-dopa in from the Mucuna. Helping me to regulate my moods, so on and so forth. So I also have very micro, not a lot of the time, probably an 80/20 macro intention to micro intention. But there's a micro intention today, because I've got this podcast and I'm having someone on mind, I want to make sure that I can talk and think in really lateral ways without using what's actually not there to be used. You know what I mean? Mason Taylor: (00:37:31): And so there's that as well. And that's kind of where it falls, you know, take Cordyceps before you work out so that your lung is nourished in full Qi flow, so it can function in its Western pulmonary capacity, blood oxygenating capacity, in a better way. While it nourishes the kidney energy and balances out the Yin Yang in the kidneys which is where strength and endurance and power emerges from, if that Qi is flowing. And so do a little short term. Yeah, have that Cordy before an event so that I'm feeling really incredible and that little bit of extra capacity. But then eventually, that becomes, huh, I can embody that at all times and not have reliance on the herb to do it in an immediate manner. Yeah. Jansen Andre: (00:38:19): So back on what you were originally just talking about with Cordyceps and different types of adaptogens, what about an athlete? What would be the most useful kind of tonic herb or adaptogen to use to increase performance, prevent injury and be mentally sharp and clear for everyone listening. Say, for instance, someone was about to go and compete, about to go and do an endurance event, in the lead up to the event, would you say use it for four weeks to gain, I know you were saying before it's accumulative as well on the body. What's kind of your thoughts on that and timeframe with consuming something like that to get the best benefit of it so that when it comes to race day, you're ready? Mason Taylor: (00:39:18): It's sooner the better. Day before is awesome as well. The intention is, maybe people can relate with say, their breath work. Maybe they're like, oh cool, I'm going to start doing some breath work for this event and wow, that really helped me get prepared and I feel like I had greater output and recovery during the event. I'm going to do that again for the next event and then the one afterwards, they just never stop the breath work, because it's like, ah, this helps me feel good all the time. And all of a sudden it becomes like drinking water or having a smoothie or whatever. Mason Taylor: (00:39:56): That's generally where tonic herbalism is going to land you and you'll realise it's got three intentions, they say. A really direct one in order that you might pick up the usage of particular herbs, which I'll get into soon, before an event in order to ensure that specifically your lungs are really potentiated and your kidneys as well are really potentiated during the event. So you have a high athletic performance while you're actually in there. Mason Taylor: (00:40:23): So that's the first and then you might pick up some of those herbs at the beginning, in the weeks leading up. Then you're going to have herbs for your recovery to ensure that you haven't, you want to ensure that you in flogging yourself, you're not "flugging" the substance of your body. And I'll get into those as well. And then there's going to be just your everyday regular intention, like taking your medicinal mushrooms, like a Mason Taylor:'s Mushrooms blend that we've got. Mason Taylor: (00:40:50): It's got a lot of herbs that will help potentiate you for the event, but you might not have that association. In the lead up, you might want to go focus on things like Cordyceps and Astragalus and the Qi herbs and the Yang herbs to help you get ready for that. So that might just lock into a... And then when I'm just between events and I'm just wanting to keep myself healthy and going, then I'll take my Mason Taylor:'s Mushrooms or there might be something else that you're interested in, like Schizandra. Mason Taylor: (00:41:16): Ironically, all the tonic herbs are going to help. But some of them just have the brand and the proclivity to help an athlete perform much more. So let's have a look at where you're going to be at in the build up and I've mentioned them already. There's going to be a combination of, a lot of the time it's the Jing herbs and the Qi herbs which people are going to be more attracted to when wanting output. And that is also going to depend on how sustainable your recovery is in training and your lifestyle is in training. Mason Taylor: (00:41:54): If you are really good at sleeping and really good at taking days off and really good at getting into your parasympathetic nervous system regularly, and not feeling fearful. You're not an athlete, you're not looking for performance out of fear constantly, because you're not an enough, you know. There's an actual, really soulful intent that isn't, your identity isn't dependent on the outcome. That shift's going to mean that your athletic intentions aren't going to leak your Jing as much as someone that is doing those things. Mason Taylor: (00:42:30): So not to put, that's all of us. We're all learning through this process of getting into the dojo and a lot of the time, while we're younger we're not going to be very good at it, so a lot of athletes really like the Jing herbs. So the Jing formula, Cordyceps is another amazing one. I'll even throw Schizandra and the Beauty Blend that we've got over at SuperFeast into that one. It's going to really ensure that you actually have the substance in your kidneys to feed the power and the strength and the adrenaline. Mason Taylor: (00:43:04): When you're leading up into that, Cordyceps kind of takes the reins. I know, I don't like, I'm pretty a lot of people fall into the tonic herb space who do like Yang herbs, like Deer Antler Velvet, there's a tonic by ant that people will get into or it might be Tongkat Ali and other beautiful tonic herbs. Siberian Ginseng, Rhodiola, these are those going over towards these Yang tonic herbs that will take the substance of your body. Mason Taylor: (00:43:34): So it will take, say, the water of your body that holds all your power and strength in the Yin of the kidneys and the Yang will start heating it up and turning it into vapour in your body. And so that you become really lubricated and that power and that potential in the water is spread through the entirety of your body and germinating the Jing so that you can really express. That's what the Yang is about and why you're going to be attracted to those Yang herbs. Mason Taylor: (00:43:59): A lot of the time, a primary example is the Cordyceps. And that's why Jing herbs are really popular going in, but if you are feeling really good with your lifestyle and your recovery and everything, at some point you'll see a switch go over the main herbs that you're going to use to prepare for are the Qi herbs, like Astragalus, Ginseng, White Atractylodes, Codonopsis, even Poise. And they are like, so I've got a Qi formula which people will, all of the athletes will go, yeah, Jing. Oh my God, the Jing and the Cordyceps, that's like, I need these and I can feel them feeding me. Mason Taylor: (00:44:39): But at some point they click over into, they feel like they've got a good flow that they're always ready to perform and then they go, uh huh, now I just need to bring a refinement by the way that I animate myself and I move myself and they start tonifying. And this is an interesting one, because the Cordyceps is a Jing and Qi tonic. And this is why it's the perfect intro for people. But then they start adding in Astragalus and the Qi formula and all of a sudden their lungs' ability to bring in vitality and energy to the body, so it can animate itself and not get fatigued, that's what becomes more important and you've always got the foundation of your Jing through your lifestyle and maybe taking of Jing herbs in your recovery stage. Does that make sense? Jansen Andre: (00:45:28): Yeah. Yeah, wow. I was literally just about to ask you about the Qi blend. As you describe on your website, the Energy Blend, but it is a slower building effect on the body in terms of stimulant and hit as per se. Mason Taylor: (00:45:43): Yeah, it's a slower build, because most people don't have the foundations within the kidneys in order to really get the most out of their diet and their spleen to produce Qi and the Qi that you're extracting from the air. But that is the true, they combine the Gong Qi that you get from your food, from cooking your food and the Gong Qi that you get from breathing. Your body harvests that and combines that and then there's Yin Yang expressions of that. Mason Taylor: (00:46:20): One goes to the surface of the body and it's known as your Wei Qi and the other goes through the organs and the meridians and charges the organs so that you've got daily function. That's constantly happening. And so it's a more direct Qi, but in the beginning, people need to experience their own Jing, because everyone's trying to just have heaps of Qi energy immediately without having the foundation. So they need to take the Jing herbs, they need to learn how to sleep and recover and being Yin, because otherwise see what happens. People are constant heating up all their waters and creating vapour. What happens if you don't replenish the water? Mason Taylor: (00:46:56): Boom, you become deficient. And so once you do have that good flow, so I like talking like James Newbury, the crossfit guy in my podcast, because our first podcast, he was just like, it was all recovery. And I was like, yeah, good message. And so for a lot of people listening, Jing's going to give them those, holy shit, I feel so good on the Jing. And they think it's giving them this energy. But no, it's all of a sudden you're plugging holes and you're not used to the holes being plugged and you're not used to holding onto the water. You're used to constantly needing to replenish the water. Mason Taylor: (00:47:31): I don't know what that is in the athletic community, but it's like energy drinks, coffee. Doing all hardcore Yang breath practises so that you've got some oxygen coursing through your veins and so you start becoming less dependent on these extreme ways to get energy into yourself. But once you've done that, to an extent, not that I don't like these things. They can just be done sustainably. Once you've done those, then you start doing the Qi tonics and then it starts, you really start feeling the quick vitality come back. Mason Taylor: (00:48:04): But it's just a really good way for people to know if you're not feeling like there's a... If you can't feel with the Qi herbs that you've got a really good, slow build of energy occurring, it's like, okay, maybe I don't have the foundation. You can do your Qi herbs, your Qi blend, alongside Jing herbs, Jing formula. There's no rules. You make your own way. I need to make rules so people feel like they have a framework to enter, but really, you can just go slow and steady. Mason Taylor: (00:48:32): There are no rules in tonic herbalism. It's your herbal practise, but then that's why we're here to help you as you go. Change the framework to make it more unique, but I also have to give a general one when you're entering. And yeah, so then at that point the Qi herbs is what you find eventually, it's the bridge. The Shen is what connects you to the heaven. Your virtuous nature, your kindness, your generosity. Which is also really at some point in your athletic career, you realise it's really important to cultivate as well, right? Mason Taylor: (00:49:10): Your ability to accept. Your natural ability, so on and so forth. Staying humble if you're like an absolute maniac and naturally the best ever. That Shen, heavenly, virtuous nature is really a beautiful thing that you're going to need to cultivate as well, so maybe your Shen herbs is something as well that you take in the aftermath in order to process. How did I feel when that person that I used to be better than has started beating me? How am I feeling about that? And processing that. That can be the Shen blend in herbs like Albizzia Flower, Asparagus Root, Reishi, Pearl or Oyster Shell. Again, not plant based, but these are those herbs and they've got a Chen formula there. Mason Taylor: (00:50:00): And it can be part of the Shen formula, because it's not vegan, then just Reishi on its own and even again, like Schizandra is also a really beautiful shen tonic in itself, but you can sit and contemplate, how did I feel about that win? What does that win mean to me? And how can I, what is now my, did it feel vacant? Did it feel amazing? Chen is really that processing stage as well, so that can be really useful and that, but that's the heavenly. The earth based, just being a physical body is the Jing. And so a lot of the time you will see Taoists and people who get really just clicking to auto mode with the herbs, will just constantly be on the Qi tonics. Mason Taylor: (00:50:43): And that's the mushrooms as well, mostly. Munda mushrooms, like the Chaga, Lion's Mane, Poria, Reishi to an extent, Maitake, Shiitake, Turkey Tail, Tremella, they all have a proclivity for regulating water in the body through a spleen function and heavily a lung function, heavily a regulation of Qi through the liver function, so they're seen as those middle to good Shen, Qi, Jing. Qi is really helping you translate and be that bridge between heaven and earth, which is what the Taoists see that we are, bringing virtuous nature. Generosity, kindness, love, infinite love, to the absolute physical realm. And where we've got the capacity through Qi to bridge those two dimensions. Mason Taylor: (00:51:34): And so you'll find people in automatic mode. You'll click into just taking medicinal mushrooms and Qi herbs. And that will just be keeping you, because that just keeps the spark in the machine. Your lifestyle's keeping the machine healthy and not flogging it and recovering. You know you've got a Gong to put in practise and maybe spending time in nature so you're naturally cultivating that Shen a lot of the time, because you have a desire to be as good a person as you possibly could be. Not that good, bad has anything to do with it. Mason Taylor: (00:52:03): And so you just take the Qi to kind of, so that you're getting the most out of your breath, the most out of your food. You have a good diet. You're not too stressed out all the time, so you can actually breathe. You don't have to do crazy where I'm half breathing all the time in order to get that breath. Although they're really cool as well, all of a sudden your whole lifestyle's geared towards keeping the spark in the machine moving and keep everything regulating so you're evolving and just living as harmoniously as possible. Mason Taylor: (00:52:32): And then at times you might spill over and go, cool, I'm in winter now. I'm getting off coffee for 30 days and taking Jing. We've got a 30 days of Jing challenge. And you go, cool, I'm going sit and really consider my kidneys and my fear and look into the deep waters of my body and cultivate that Jing. That kidney water energy where the Jing is kept. You have to look at your mortality at that point, what that means and see what arises from that fear. Feel like, oh, what was useful fear? Just actually keeping you alive. And then where's it irrelevant or irrational fear? So there might be times when you go really deep into the kidney Jing herbs for that emotional intention as well. Mason Taylor: (00:53:17): And then you're kind of like, cool, now I just need to not think about my tonic herbal practise and just click in a order with the mushrooms and the Qi herbs. Or whatever. For a long time, people are going to just be clicking into just, oh cool, I'm just taking Jing herbs. And that's fine as well. Again, there's no rule, but you just got to listen and check in every now and then to adjust. Jansen Andre: (00:53:39): So let's talk about a framework. It's obviously an intuitive kind of practise of taking these herbs, but say for instance someone is constantly jacked and hyped all the time. They're not focusing on their breathing. They're not doing meditation and they're constantly tired. But they want to find that inner Qi and they want to get back to ground zero and get grounded. What would you say, how would they all start to include these to channel that? Mason Taylor: (00:54:11): I mean, okay, so let's look at your really, if you're really looking at longterm, that that's your identity and you don't really know your body and you don't really know the path back to harmony, because you've gone too far off into power lifting or the triathlons or whatever it is. And a lot of the time, and I've been there heavily with my identification of being this perfect, healthy specimen. I've had a long time as a raw foodist, pretty much a vegan vegan, it was kind of where I was coming from. And it was really great for me, but at some point I went way too far off centre into my own ideological dogma. Mason Taylor: (00:54:53): And then I just in tracking back took a long time. And I enjoyed that process. So it's like, if you're willing and wanting to do it on your own, then very good. But it's going to be a slow process and it's going to be a matter of you slowly getting the terminology that can help explain where you're at. Maybe that's a Western terminology, maybe that's a classical Chinese Medicine terminology of whether it's a Yang deficiency, primarily, or a Yin deficiency or maybe it's just like in a hyper way, your inner sympathetic nervous system creates excess cortisol, maybe. Mason Taylor: (00:55:31): It doesn't matter what. You need a terminology and a framework to take you back to centre. And if you're too far off it's just, cut the time and go find a classical acupuncturist or maybe a really good naturopath who can do your markers. And so that way, just to start with, I'll say that, because if you're feeling a bit lost and anxious about it, that's a way, in a grounded way, to do it with tonic herbalism is really good, but it's a big stab in the dark that might not actually hit the specifics for your treatment. Mason Taylor: (00:56:06): Because that's potentially, you're on a trajectory towards early degeneration or not. And so although it might be like a lot of lifestyle factors, like adding in some tonic herbs, starting to getting some Jing yoga in or some Qi Gong into your practise, like all these kinds of things, they're going to be lifestyle things that you're going to want to work on. At the same time, your proclivity and need to go that extreme, is something that you'll need to address. And you need to get really in touch with your body. So although it's not seen as a real symptomatic illness or anything at that point, you want a practitioner. Because you don't get too many opportunities in your life where you clock onto that intent to come back into harmony and live in harmony for longterm, and you want to take advantage of that opportunity really quick and really work with someone to get an understanding of exactly who you are and what your body is and how it relates. Mason Taylor: (00:57:01): And a classical acupuncturist can really help you go like, look, you're... You know, for me, me and a friend, we both are entrepreneurs. One of us is more geared towards a Yang deficiency, the other more towards a Yin deficiency. For me it's a Yin deficiency, for him it's a Yang deficiency. And so, just little things for him are really specific. For Yang it's sitting on the surface of the body and you go and do extreme saunas. You're wasting, you're releasing all of your Yang. And so it's not really a useful thing to do and so maybe getting in the sauna without having that excess sweating. Mason Taylor: (00:57:35): So those are little things that where it's going... And for me it's otherwise. For me it's the end action of the substance and the Yin of the body, is what I'm constantly needing to adjust my lifestyle to cultivating. I'm not someone as well who does run on Yang. I'm a very Yang type person, but then I'm able to see over the last four years, at some point I hit this, I had an identity about being this outspoken, I'm this huge personality and I'm Yang and I'm achieving, but at some point what clicked in, which is something that's on all of my charts, if you look at my human design and my astrology and all those kind of things, at some point I need to come back and do a cave and reflect over the last few years. It's far out. Mason Taylor: (00:58:24): I've been constantly drawn back to just being in darkness and in a hovel and I've kind of judged myself for doing that. And going like, why am I doing this? Why my like is, why am I not out achieving? So on and so forth. But when I start actually working with, I can actually, whether it's through a bit of therapy, a practitioner or majority is just getting my own reflection back into forgiveness of myself and love of myself constantly. I know when it's like, now I need a little click on the ear to stop whinging and get up and do something which you know is right for yourself. Or when it's like, hey, you've got to listen to yourself right now. Mason Taylor: (00:59:04): And in that instance it's because I've gone really towards Yin depletion and so for me then I just kind of, then I need to find my way and to live sustainably so that I don't chronically do that to myself and then have to have these episodes where I just can't see anyone. That's not a healthy way to be. And so you've got to listen. But, and then coming back to the fact that someone's being extreme in the athletic world. Just generally, you're going to want to start getting onto some Jing herbs, because generally, you would have depleted yourself. Mason Taylor: (00:59:40): The Jing formula I've just got there is a neutral balanced Yin Yang. It doesn't throw you through fire in any direction. Generally really good for the population to start, giving you the experience of your kidney water Qi flowing so that you can feel that you're not wasting anymore. You're not leaking it. And then with that you maybe notice a distinction around ah, maybe I should drop some coffee and maybe you can just do some good sleep and then so that's a good entry. Mason Taylor: (01:00:06): And then the mushrooms. Because they're just so all over the place regulating of the body and protecting of the body. It's like a formula, like the Mason Taylor:'s Mushrooms formula, if you want capsules, like the Mushroom M8. And other brands as well. If anyone ever has any questions about other brands, I'm not precious. I just do SuperFeast, because I learned, I had a problem for years and years about talking about my own company. I don't know why, this is my thing. Mason Taylor: (01:00:34): I didn't like having products and felt uncomfortable with it, but I can see people listening to me, listening to this podcast, SuperFeast is there as a place for them to access these really precious herbs so I do just talk about it in the SuperFeast context, but feel free to send me others if you just want me to give you a heads up on different things. Mason Taylor: (01:00:54): The mushrooms are just, they're in every organ. Like a formula like that, they're in every organ. They're immunologically getting yourself potentiated and modulated and so a lot can just start going right when you get onto the mushrooms. And you just start there. And you do two months and you start with a quarter teaspoon of the extract powder and then you maybe get up to a teaspoon. Some people are more sensitive, they like just a half a teaspoon. Some people, whether it's the Mason Taylor:'s or the Jing formula, some people are like, my body wants two heaped teaspoons a day. Is that okay? Mason Taylor: (01:01:28): So, yes. Listen to your body. And that might happen for a week. Sometimes people do that for two months. I took mushrooms, two tablespoons of mushrooms of Chaga and Reishi for two years, basically, straight. Every day. Pretty much. But that was because I'm very extreme. Always very excess too. I found a pendulum, my pendulum doesn't swing so far anymore, but that's my personality and what I needed to do in order to initiate myself into the world that I'm in right now and really understand the mushrooms. But what's important, is as much to listen to that part of you that wants to up the dose, is to listen to that part of you that knows when it's time to down the dose. Mason Taylor: (01:02:10): And not, because the tonic herbs are beautiful and you don't form
In today's podcast the boys come together to discuss candida overgrowth, its frequency within the population, the varied symptomatology associated with this common yeast-like infection and the strategies you can use to bring the body back into balance. Mason, Dan and Sage draw on their superior knowledge of this condition from personal experience, sharing their wisdom from a traditional Taoist tonic herbal perspective and a functional naturopathic approach. The gents discuss: The fact that Candida albicans is a naturally occurring organism within the body and only becomes problematic when imbalance occurs. How chronic use of antibiotics can contribute to the condition. How diet and lifestyle practices can help to bring things back into harmony. The common symptoms that candida overgrowth is present, e.g. chronic fatigue, brain fog, digestive disturbances, weakened immunity, oral thrush, fungal infections within the the skin and nails etc. The particular clinical tests you can use to investigate and diagnose candida within your body. How you can use your symptoms and health history to identify whether candida is a problem for you. Foods that aggravate the immune system and exacerbate candida overgrowth. The importance of food combining in regards to candida. Candida from a naturopathic perspective and the clinical markers used to identify the condition. The importance of normalising the body's circadian rhythms and adrenal response is in regards to healing. Candida from a Taoist perspective and what's happening within the organ systems, particularly the spleen. How candida leads to Jing depletion and exhaustion within the system as a whole. The correlation between candida and leaky gut. The Jing herbs you can use to rebuild your foundational energy stores, these include he shou wu, cordyceps, rehmannia, morinda etc. The importance of lifestyle factors such as sleep, rest, breathing practices, nature time and reduced caffeine and sugar intake to bring combat candida overgrowth. The lifestyle tweaks you can use to bring the body back into its parasympathetic mode so you can heal. Reishi and Ashwagandha are game changers here. How cutting carbs and sugar can help manage candida symptoms Using fats (ketones) as fuel. How herbs such as pau d'arco, chaga and reishi can assist healing. The benefits of probiotics and fermented foods such as sauerkraut and coconut kefir. The Body Ecology Diet. The importance of sunshine and vitamin D, sweat and movement. The herbs and nutraceuticals you can use to break up stubborn biofilms. The importance of supporting the liver with herbs such as schizandra / schisandra, burdock and dandelion root and st mary's thistle. The importance of full body detoxification in healing from candida overgrowth The three phases of liver detoxification and the nutrients your body needs to successfully complete them. The immune boosting powers of medicinal mushrooms when healing from candida, particularly chaga, reishi, turkey tail, maitake, Mason's Mushrooms The difference between ground dwelling mushrooms and those that grow on trees e.g medicinal mushrooms. Bringing awareness around the glycemic load of gluten free products when working to heal candida overgrowth. The tests you can use to distinguish candida from other bacterial loads within the body, particularly the OAT (organic acids test). Resources: Blog and Transcript Link: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/tagged/podcast For more: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/candida-and-medicinal-mushrooms-with-dan-sipple SuperFeast Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/superfeast-podcast/id1437097644?ls=1&mt=2
Part 2 to the epic first pregnancy preparation episode. If you haven't listened yet to Part 1, check it out here. This mammoth episode sees Mason and Tahnee diving deep into the practices, philosophy, diet and herbalism that went into creating the year in which Tahnee was childbearing little Aiya. This podcast was recorded during the first week of bubba's life, so the sharing experience of the birth is fresh; something Tahnee was wishing to be able to infuse into this intimate sharing of how she chose to approach nourishing her body during pregnancy. We have received such amazing feedback from these two episodes and with such amazing sharings, we had to revisit them! Here's what Mason and Tahnee dive into (with much more extensive notes shared below): Pregnancy and home birth plans How did Tahnee know? We found out at four weeks, basically I was very aware that something was different in my body!! We'd both felt the baby come in November, and exactly three months later we were pregnant, and I've heard that's common Pregnancy diet we don't follow a dietary plan, more intuitive generally vegetarian, though we do include meat in our diet, probably once or twice a week: fish, buffalo, occasionally organic chicken and beef, other wild meats (rabbit, goat, boar), broths/stocks more mindful of eating a variety of foods and definitely eat more quantity, smaller meals, regularly organic and local as much as possible - farmers market and Santos/Source keep us fed fridge/freezer is stocked wild foods, high mineral content fermented foods Best supplements during pregnancy I didn't take a lot of vitamins or anything like that, apart from lipsomal vitamin C lots of herbs, mostly tonics, plus raspberry leaf and nettle, slippery elm occasionally, yellow dock, dandelion, milk thistle, ginger lots of probiotics iodine until I saturated silica personally most concerned about losing minerals as bubbas drain mamas (for every baby a tooth, is an old saying!) so been keeping up the minerals megahydrate estroblock when we had it, just one cap per day of the pro clays and charcoal (you might've heard of pica - desire to eat clays - common in pregnant women) DHA, EFA: fish oil, also raw seafood, fish and oysters sea minerals The best tonic herbs and medicinal mushrooms during pregnancy best suggestion is reishi, but I took everything in the SuperFeast range at various stages, kidney jing herbs lately (postpartum) to heal and boost recovery Best herbs during pregnancy avoid steroidal herbs, emmenagogues check out Susun Weed's book and Aviva Romm Symptoms of pregnancy been lucky, apart from tiredness and needing to eat a lot more, I've had very little to complain about. Have felt body change, but that's been fine, I've enjoyed being pregnant. Heartburn when my uterus got really big (apparently babies with lots of hair give their mamas heartburn…), but that stopped when baby dropped, ‘growing pains' around my ribs (like when I was a kid), car sickness if I had an empty belly Pregnancy cravings / changes started eating meat again, pretty mindfully needed lots of simple carbs in the first trimester, regularly. Like, every two hours. Bilbo Baggins style - breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, lunch, afternoons I wasn't a hungry, but at least one snack and then dinner. And often needed to eat in the middle of the night. So I did
This episode is for parents, health enthusiasts, practitioners, health coaches, herbalists and for those just wanting to dive deeper into answering the call as a tonic herbalist. Today, Sage Dammers (tonic herbalist and master chocolatier) and Mason cover all bases on how to develop yourself and your offering; Sage has dedicated himself to the herbs. What exactly does it take to become a tonic herbalist? Tune in to find out. The guys cover the ground knowledge and a good run down on what you are going to experience as you navigate this herbalist world. Oh and there's also a bit of speak about chocolate ;P so tune in today and lay down those foundations to becoming a tonic herbalist. In today's episode, you will hear about: - How chocolate is a beautiful vehicle for herbs - Tonic herbs and adaptogens are not symptom-based, but support the body to balance it's own systems - Identifying with your symptom can be terribly damaging - find a new mantra - Creating space (sitting down, taking time and setting an intention) to drink your herbal tonic can be transformational - Sage likes to begin his relationship with a new herb with 1/2ts in hot water in its pure and isolated form - get to know the herb - SuperFeast tonic herbs, in powder-form, forces you to connect with and forge a relationship with the adaptogen (versus a capsule / tablet) - Supplements can provide challenges in the later years - what exactly are the long term effects which have not been researched? - SuperFeast JING really provides that foundational energy - Sitting infront of a computer daily, means your eyes are focused on a static distance, this can be detrimental long term - Neural Nectar and Lion's Mane are specially effective for upgrading brain faculty - Eye issues (strain, poor sight) is connected with liver, so get onto Schizandra / Schisandra to support your liver - Tonic herbs are here with us, not for us - The Three Treasures, in particular Shen - Consistently having coffee does leak your Jing - Medicinal mushrooms are for long-term immunity, prevention people! - Write to us - what would you like Mason and Sage to talk about next! Email us team@superfeast.com.au Resources: Blog and Transcript Link: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/tagged/podcast For more: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/sage SuperFeast Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/superfeast-podcast/id1437097644?ls=1&mt=2
Enter the mindful world of Ayurvedic Medicine as Mason and practitioner/teacher Wayne Celeban go deep into the holistic layers of Ayurvedic cleansing; A revered ancient system with a unique and gentle approach. With a focus on the importance of springtime cleansing, the undeniable health benefits of being in flow with the seasons, and the sophisticated system of Ayurvedic cleansing, Wayne takes us on a complete journey into bringing the body back to a state of balance and optimal health. ''In Ayurveda, everything can be used as medicine. Everything is potential medicine, but everything is also a potential poison. It means the right application is key". - Wayne Celeban Mason and Wayne discuss: The importance of adaptability in business, personal life, health, and how the season's interplay with these aspects. Getting into the flow of the intent and energy of different seasons. The value of gearing rituals, ceremonies, and celebrations to seasonal changes; How this aspect alone can bring us closer to nature, connect us with the foods that grow seasonally, and build our understanding of the kinds of foods to prepare. The importance of cleansing in spring as a necessary means of supporting that natural elimination process and bolstering our health. The concept of Panchakarma; the five actions of elimination used in Ayurvedic cleansing (Nasal administration, Vamana, Virechana, Basti, and Rakta Moksha). Addressing cellular health and cleansing tissues at a deeper level to ensure that channels of elimination are working optimally when cleansing. The importance of membrane health, gut biodiversity & microbiome health. Enema therapy within Ayurvedic medicine; looking at the large bowel as a route for administering medicine, the relationship it has with the nervous system, mind & endocrine system. The Ayurvedic diet, what it provides, and the role of specific food preparations for vitality and maximum nourishment. Medicated ghee and its vital role in Ayurvedic cleansing. Herbal Steam Therapy to support cleansing; the positive effects it has on dopamine/serotonin levels and how it regulates the nervous system. The importance of cleansing to keep the sense organs healthy and functioning, as ultimately all the things that we love in this life, we experience and perceive through our sense organs. Who is Wayne Celeban? Wayne Celeban is a Naturopath and Ayurvedic practitioner with over 18 years experience in clinical practice. Wayne has studied in numerous Ayurvedic clinics and hospitals in India including JSS Ayurvedic University, Mysore. In 2012 Wayne was accepted into the SDM Ayurvedic Hospital and College post-graduate internship program in Hassan, India where he continues his clinical training. To achieve successful outcomes for his clients, Wayne combines the 5000-year-old traditions of Ayurveda and Yoga philosophy with western medical science and nutritional medicine. Wayne's experience and knowledge is evident in his professional practice and dedication in developing practical and effective health care programs to support his patients in becoming the best version of themselves emotionally, mentally and physically. Resources: Yukti Facebook Yukti Website Wayne's personal Instagram Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or check us out on Stitcher, CastBox, iHeart RADIO:)! Plus we're on Spotify! Check Out The Transcript Here: Mason: (00:04) Hey, Wayne. Thanks again for coming on, man. Wayne: (00:06) You're very welcome. Nice to see you again. Mason: (00:09) Yeah, nice to see you again as well. At least we get to have the... at least we've got the podcast there to keep us catching up and we've always got to... Wayne: (00:17) Yes. Mason: (00:17) ...leave a bit of space for us to catch up before we jump on the phone. Wayne: (00:23) Yeah, definitely. Mason: (00:25) And hearing about how you guys have made some beautiful adjustments to your business and life during the whole lockdown period. And sounds like you've really, just from everything you were saying, it's all about adaptability and seems like it's a real, you're seeing a lot of reward coming from the internal work that's been done for years and years. When something so huge happens to the world, to your business, you had a retail shop, you got... You guys are practitioners and yet you're able to adjust and come through in a place. You've seem way more expressed and at ease, probably compared to when I met you like two years ago, when we went and sat on the beach up the South of Noosa and that's after a huge pandemic, I always just find that it's always proof's in the pudding there, so good on you and your fam man... Wayne: (01:21) Yeah, thank you. Mason: (01:22) ... for knocking that out of the park. Wayne: (01:22) Yeah. Well, it's largely about adaptability, isn't it, it's adjusting to situations and trying to find the best out of whatever presents, I guess. Mason: (01:32) Well, and I guess a lot of the practise comes to the slight adjustments and being adaptable in the seasonality. Quite often in the West, we let seasons happen to us, but can we get into the flow of the intent and energy of a different season. I find that is a micro exercise that when the huge changes happen, you've got, you've been strengthening yourself so much because you've been constantly lifting weights of adaptation through the season. But I'm really interested to hear about how your unique perspective through the lens of all your years as an Ayurvedic practitioner and student and teacher, how, what it is we do in spring. I like that Ayurveda has a big focus on cleansing. I came from the raw food world. We were all cleansing. I was all big salt water flushes back in the day. So yeah, I'd love to hear your... What does spring represent for you? What is it that you start getting up to around this time? Wayne: (02:42) Yeah. In Ayurveda spring is considered as the King of seasons especially for cleansing. So we've just come through winter. So during early and late winter, our digestive systems become stronger, our metabolic activity becomes heightened. So we're needing to increase our energy to regulate our temperature. So as it gets colder, we need to generate more energy to stay warm and maintain that homeostatic balance. And what that reflects is that our digestive system becomes stronger because we need to be consuming more energy in order to maintain those extra layers of fat that create that nice insulation for our bodies. Wayne: (03:35) Early and late winter are my favourite seasons, because basically this is when we get to eat more food and we can get away with eating more food as well. So if you have a look at your shopping bill, you usually spend more money during winter and you're having more heartier foods and more bulky foods and tastier foods and your appetite's just good. So you just naturally enjoying eating food. It's a wonderful, wonderful time of the year. I think we should have Christmas in the middle of winter because it's a good time to just sit around and eat- Mason: (04:09) That's my theory as well, 100%. Wayne: (04:12) ...yeah, it's conducive to good health. Mason: (04:15) Well, it was in the middle of winter [crosstalk 00:04:17]. Wasn't it in the North ? Wayne: (04:19) Yes, exactly. I think we should change it. I think it needs... I think if we started to gear our rituals and ceremonies and celebrations to seasonal changes, I think it would just work better. And I think it would bring more attention to what's actually happening outside. We'd be getting in touch with when food's growing, what food's growing, what sort of foods to prepare. We go for those traditional foods that we have during Christmas, the baked potatoes and the roasts and all of that, the fermented foods, but they're actually more suited for the middle of winter. They're the things that we should be eating at that time. So the winter seasons in Ayurveda are considered as strengthening times of the year. So if we look at the whole four or six seasons, however you look at it, we've got more of a six seasonal thing up on the sunshine coast. We have that kind of rain season that comes in as well. So yeah- Mason: (05:25) That's the same thing we are as well, Mob had six seasons. Wayne: (05:28) Yeah. Mason: (05:28) Yeah. Mm-hmm (affirmative) Wayne: (05:29) Yeah. So that's... And that's real, we might cover that a little bit later in the talk, the importance of managing the detrimental effects of rain season and high humidity periods, because this is generally when our immune systems and our bodies are at their weakest. So what we're doing during winter is we're getting the body as robust and as strong as possible. So when the sun starts to make its way back to the Southern hemisphere, we start basically going into stages of depletion. So during the summer, this is where the body's at the weakest. So generally you are more inclined to eating salads, light foods, fruits, you don't really feel like eating too much and you generally don't need to eat that much, but just in that transitional phase, you've got the spring season where all of that accumulation. Wayne: (06:21) So when you're eating more food, you producing more metabolic byproducts. So basically your output increases, your waste load increases because you are just churning up more energy. And so in the spring season, all of that, as the body starts to dilate, as the temperature starts to warm, you get a lot of accumulation moving from the deeper tissues of the body back to the superficial tissues. So we're accumulating muscle fat, bone, marrow. All of these tissues are getting really well-nourished and then, and also a little bit more contracted. So as, when the body's cold, it'll actually constrict. So the circulation's probably not as efficient during the winter, as it is coming into the hotter months where your body's trying to move, push more heat towards the peripheries. So it's kind of like the river Ganges when the ice starts to melt and you get these larger river systems that start increasing the amount of water that's moving downstream. Wayne: (07:34) But as that ice starts to melt, you get all the debris that's been building up on the banks of the river. So what we're doing during the spring is, we want to collect as much of that debris as possible and bring it out to the areas where we can expel it from the system. So this is where a lot of people notice that they're more susceptible to seasonal rhinitis and hay fever and sinusitis and chest infections, because we're getting a lot of that excess gunk moving back to these channels of elimination. So the upper respiratory tract, also the digestive system and the large bowel. Wayne: (08:17) So if we're cleansing that we're supporting that natural elimination process, we actually bolster our health. So this is why spring is such an important, spring and autumn are the transitional pivotal times of the year where we're either prepping for the time where we're most depleted or we're prepping for the time where we really have to nourish our systems. So when I'm seeing patients during winter, unless it's absolutely necessary, unless there's a disease condition that needs to be treated and can't wait until spring. I want to get those patients as strong and robust as possible because whatever they develop and whatever they accumulate in terms of their body strength, that's what's going to tie them through during summer and then into that rainy season. So if you're cleansing during winter, chances are, come January, February, you're going to experience greater states of depletion and compromised immunity Mason: (09:21) So straight up when you get into that spring system, where are you at with your patients and for yourself, I'm sure it's varied. But in terms of, are you at a point where you are still liking, have you got a thorough cleansing routine, intense cleanses every now and then, or you were saying before we jumped on, you were saying how you've been getting up and gone bush for the night and doing lots of meditation and breath practise. Is it just for you at this point, you know sticking to your bread and butter practises as the weather warms up and allowing that to naturally open up your detox channels, or are you then enjoying going deeper and doing some nice deep removal of debris? Wayne: (10:06) Yeah. Look, I think for Ayurvedic practitioners that practised traditional cleansing methods, this is the season where our clinical practise comes alive because Ayurveda has this beautiful system of cleansing. It's very sophisticated, very well established. It's been practised, these traditions go back 3000 years, at least the classical texts that I use as references they're, they describe in these texts, ancient systems of Ayurvedic medicine. But these books were written two and a half thousand years ago. So the system goes way back, maybe 5,000 years, who knows, but there's a concept in Ayurveda known as Panchakarma. So "Pancha", means five and "Karma", means to action. So there's five actions of eliminations. So when we've got all of this gunk that's starting to move out of the system. Wayne: (11:13) We want to expel it from the body as efficiently as possible. So there's five main methods that we actually move what's called excess doshas or excess dry, cold, light, rough qualities, or excess acidity or sharp qualities that might lead to inflammation, burning and overproduction, like overstimulated metabolic systems, or just sluggish, dull, sticky, slothy stuff that is just building up that can't build the tissue or can't build waste product. So the way that we expel that from the body is we use the nasal cavity. So this is a really efficient way to move those excess Doshas from areas that are above the clavicle. And we use what's called Vamana, which is Emesis. So we... If there's, the patient's got more Dosha or gunk accumulation in the upper regions of the body, we want to expel it through the mouth because it's just the most efficient way to get rid of that excess. Wayne: (12:22) And there is Virechana, which is a purgative treatment. So basically we're flushing out the lower portions of the stomach all the way through the small intestines, that whole abdominal cavity and we're moving it down and outwards. So that's just really strong bowel motions for a period. And then when we have what's called Basti, so this is the area where we use Enema therapies. So I might go into that a little bit later too, because there's a strong trend with using coffee enemas, water enemas. Whereas with Ayurvedic Enema therapy, we use a combination of medicated oils to prep, lubricate, support, protect the bowel. And then we will then follow that up with decoction enemas, which are specifically developed for the patient, their body type, time of year, age, season, all that kind of stuff. Wayne: (13:23) We use salt. We use honey. We use other medicated oil that is emulsified into that. So what we're doing is there's a really strong emphasis with over cleansing that we don't stress the tissues. We don't put the tissues in a state of discomfort or discord or aggravation. So every time, every cleansing method is propping, supporting and lubricating the tissues. So we get this really nice process of eliminating gunk, but we don't cause stress. So it's possible that when we are just using water for Enema therapies, that we're not taking into consideration of microbiome, we're not looking at electrolyte balancing in the large bowel. We're not looking at specifically what qualities need to be rebalanced and supported. And we're not looking at the actual organ itself and making sure that it's actually, it's well-supported so we can start doing these cleansing eliminations. Wayne: (14:26) So generally what you do is you do an oil enema and then you'll do the decoction the following day and oil decoction. So we always start with oil. We always end with oil. So that's the fourth one. And the fifth one is known as Rakta Moksha. So Rakta Moksha translates as bloodletting. So traditionally in Ayurveda we were using leeches and incisions to remove excess gunk and morbid qualities that impair the proper functioning of the tissues through just allowing the blood to move and those toxins to move straight out. So leeches are commonly used in Ayurvedic hospitals in India. So the last time I was there, I got to learn how to apply leeches and to treat during that way using those methods, I don't use them in the clinic here. I'm not even sure whether it's legal to use leeches. Mason: (15:23) I think it is. I've got a friend who gets calls every now and then from the emergency room asking for him to bring in leeches. He said into mainstream hospitals, but they just don't advertise it obviously. Wayne: (15:37) Yeah, they're fantastic cleansers. Just spending time in the hospital where I do my internship training, the results, even just with pain relief, like osteoarthritis and really severe sort of inflammatory conditions in the joints. And these, if we were, we'd be using really strong anti-inflammatories that are having severe, well not severe, but they're having some sort of detrimental effects on liver function and other organ systems. Whereas using these leeches locally, they're reducing all the inflammation. Some patients I was watching, coming in wheelchairs and heading out just walking, complete pain relief. It's fantastic. Wayne: (16:28) So yeah, that's the fifth one, the ones that I use mainly in this clinic here are the Enema therapies, the nasal administration and the Virechana. I will use the vomiting mode of elimination, but I'm very careful with the patients that I select for that. So I want to make sure that they're quite strong, robust, so yeah. Augation is probably the safest and most effective because we can move excess doshas and excess gunk from the upper regions of the body and the lower regions through that purging process. Mason: (17:08) And everyone's a bit used to it. Wayne: (17:12) Yeah. And it's just easier, having somebody killed over a bucket, vomiting milk and salt, licorice decoction is, can be pretty intense, but having somebody sitting on the toilet for four to six-seven hours on a Saturday morning is much more palatable. Mason: (17:31) But he kind of gets it over and done with it. Doesn't it, if you're drinking the milk, the licorice. I mean that's what I- Wayne: (17:42) Yeah. Mason: (17:43) Yeah, I do appreciate just the gentle approach that Ayurveda always has. In the scenes that I was running in when we were so hardcore into our catabolic lifestyle, you know always itching about a feeling of another parasite in us and needing to get of this impurity and this impurity... It was very healthy, very healthy psychologically, always. Wayne: (18:09) It's that Northern Rivers environment. It's that subtropical environment, you know there's some nasty bugs and up here and down where you are, [inaudible 00:18:18] but these are things that they get in it, and they're nasty. They're very stubborn things to get rid of. Mason: (18:27) Yeah but as you said, though, when that, there's a season for it, and when that cleansing mentality kind of takes over your mindset and gets a little far in the Ayurvedic approach was, always a... It always started to buffer everyone in that, like I could see people getting attracted into that system and all of a sudden gaining some kind of responsibility and even using oils rather than friends that did like a 100 days straight of doing coffee enemas. Well, that was a 100 days straight of mushrooms and coffee. So it was a different journey that they were on... Wayne: (19:02) Interesting journey. Mason: (19:04) ...yeah that's an interesting journey but nonetheless, it's, I just think about coffee. I just think about what happens when I just pour coffee onto my skin, I don't particularly enjoy it. And we're just, the constant pouring of coffee onto the membrane within the colon. Ayurveda coming through with this medicinal oil intent and the decoction intent always took it to, it always took it to another level. I kind of lost my trust a little bit in Enema therapy and even colonics to an extent. Wayne: (19:37) Yeah. So just using coffee for an example, in Ayurveda everything can be used as medicine. Everything is potential medicine, but everything is also potential poison. It means the right application is key. So if we were looking, if I was to consider using coffee in enema therapy, I'd be looking at the qualities that are presenting in the patient that need to be rebalanced and I'd be looking at, or what qualities are inherent within that coffee bean that I can actually use effectively. So if I look at qualitative effects of coffee, it is sharp. It is penetrating, it is also having stringent and bitter qualities. So I know that it's going to have a drying effect, and I know that it's going to have a stimulating effect. So if I was looking at a patient that would fit that, that would do well on a medicine like that, I would probably be looking at a bowel that is quite congested, quite sluggish. Wayne: (20:42) I know that there's anti-microbial, anti-bacterial activities in there as well. So you know if there was some sort of dysbiosis playing out and there was congestion, if their stool was sluggish slimy, and they weren't having sort of good timely bowel eliminations or their transit time was a little bit slow, then I would implement that substance. But I would use it in conjunction with other medicines and substances that are also going to support the inherent qualities of the large bowel. So I could get a good cleansing effect from that. And that would be really effective. And then I could sort of back it up with supporting and nourishing and then introducing different medicines that are actually going to start fixing that transit time, working on the nervous system, introducing the right nutritional practises, the right lifestyle practises and things like that. Wayne: (21:39) It's looking at what's presenting what needs to be done. Whereas what I do notice these days is you've got some people that are doing coffee enemas and their system is already dry, they're already in flames, they're already you know sort of prone to losing weight or being in a state of deficiency. And then they're introducing a substance that is actually going to compound on that deficiency and then further dry the bowel out. And then you've got more complications of constipation that might follow that up. And then if you get banked up and then you think maybe I need to go and have some more enema treatments and you further compound. You're actually moving in the other direction. You need to apply the opposite qualities to bring them about that harmony within the organ, and then introduce the substances that are actually going to start building and strengthening. Mason: (22:30) Do you just offer your enemas specific to a patient in clinic, or do you have places where you educate, for people who are maybe not in New South Wales, and are looking to learn how to get a little bit more intention, the way that they're providing their own home enemas? Wayne: (22:47) Yeah. We can offer that through ZOOM consultations. So what I would do if somebody was interested in doing an enema treatment, we would go through, we'd do a full case study. So we'd be looking at their body type, looking at their age, looking at their presenting symptoms, all of these sorts of things are going to play into providing information of the nature of that digestive system. So in Ayurveda we're looking at the mind, we're looking at the central nervous system, we're looking at that whole vagus nerve access and the qualities of the digestive system. So understanding somebody's mental tendencies is going to tell me a lot about what their digestive tendencies are. So if it's irregular, if it's prone to, you know if the endocrine system, the homeostatic balances is out there and there's sleep issues, or there's hormonal imbalances or reproductive menstrual issues, that's still going to give me a lot of information as to what the large intestines and the qualities of the large intestine are presenting. Wayne: (24:03) So I will incorporate those... that information into establishing or what's the best means to bring this body back into balance. So in [crosstalk 00:24:16] one of the classical Ayurvedic texts, he says that the majority of diseases can be treated through enema therapy. The large bowel is a fantastic route for administering medicine, just with the absorption, with the relationship that the large bowel has with the nervous system, the mind, the endocrine system. Mason: (24:35) Well I think what you're...Sorry. Wayne: (24:37) It's just that the ... You need to implement the right qualities to bring about that balance. Mason: (24:41) Yeah. Well, I mean just the awareness around the membrane health. I see that this style of cleansing, so much cleansing, if you'll see say if we're talking to someone who's in, whether they're in Western medicine or more likely in a naturopathic field, and they're getting into a place where they say doing a test, a microbiome tests or they're testing the biodiversity that's within the large intestine, they're the ones that are going to start sounding the alarm for people just constantly going in and doing enemas and doing coffee enemas. So then we have a dichotomy there. And so quite often that's going to create this inner conflict in people that they want to cleanse. But oh hang on, the data is actually showing that I'm lowering the diversity of my bacteria by doing this. Mason: (25:35) So this conversations I was so keen to keep on going down this is because that butting of heads between those two kinds of principles like testing, and Microbiome health, and Biodiversity, and not doing anything to jeopardise that colony, yet the desire to get in there and support the systems in our body in a way that's integrated. And then this Ayurvedic and this enema model, it creates such a beautiful bridging I think in an appeasing of... People are wanting to take something which can be seemingly conflicting inside of themselves yet come to a place where you can have your cake and eat it too. Mason: (26:18) Awareness of the membrane, awareness of protecting the home, the tissue walls and what you said there, which I think is something that a lot of people... I could have probably used hearing eight years ago when I was into this, Is that the impact of the tissue, I can't remember the words, but you were saying, you can sit up the impact or, how much you're going to, like how much you're going to hit or stress. The tissue of the body Wayne: (26:46) Health is a fine line between keeping the channels clear, and maximising communication pathways. So, the body is made up of channels. It's how the body communicates with itself. So we want to make sure that we're using these cleansing procedures to support maximum communication and clear pathways of moving things from one place to another. And then we need to back it up with nourishment and stability, stabilising tissues. So cleansing without strengthening is never going to give you maximum results. You know you have to... the objective is to have a strong body, it is to have good mental stability and sturdiness, and these strong tissues are going to reflect a good immune system. And if the Immune system is strong well, then it's going to support a good quality Microbiome, because the bugs are essentially only going to inhabit an environment that is healthy. Wayne: (27:59) It's like, less people are going to go live in a desert then, on a coastline because the environment's just, more appealing, you've got good weather, you've got good rainfall, you've got, good quality air. Whereas if those bugs aren't living in an environment that is conducive of what their needs are, they're gonna leave. So we can keep continuing to look at what the diversity is, or we can start looking at well, what is going to encourage a good, healthy, diverse range of good quality bugs that are going to have this beautiful symbiotic relationship with supporting our tissues, supporting our cognitive function. So, they're going to be more inclined to living in a strong environment. So, I think that's like the emphasis that we need to bring into cleansing is the importance of the off season. Wayne: (28:56) The off season is key and you need to have good regular off season. Winter gets strong, clean out the excess, and then your tissues are just robust. Whereas if we're kind of like every time we feel imbalanced, we just consider, or we just have to go towards cleansing. If that's the key word that keeps coming up, because that's pretty much what happens if you Google search something that you're suffering from, you're going to find "I gotta do a cleanse". You do a cleanse once, and then three weeks later, you do another cleanse, and then two weeks later you do another cleanse, and then six weeks later, you do another cleanse. You're actually creating destabilising environments. And I just don't think that it works that well. Wayne: (29:42) I think if you've got a regular routine... Like Everything in Ayurveda comes back to regular routine, everything that is... everything that reflects balance and harmony in nature is governed by a regular team. If the rout... If natural routines go out of balance, this is when we get floods, we get intense bushfires, we get some tsunamis. It's all about that balance, strong, seasons where everything grows and is nourished, and then you have a dry season, which is a good time to clear stuff out. Mason: (30:15) Yeah. What are you doing dietarily at the moment? Wayne: (30:21) At the moment, This is a good time to be staying off heavier foods because just coming back to that, talking about the rivers starting to swell, and the ice starting to melt, we wanted to clear those pathways as much as possible. At the moment, like I've got a bunch of people that are going through panchakarma at the moment, and their diets primarily, strong liquid diet, lots of vegetables, lots of steamed vegetables. So even when we're looking at food, it's not enough just to consider that a broccoli is going to be sufficient based on its nutrient content. We need to actually prepare and manipulate the quality of that broccoli, so it's easily digestible, so it still maintains like maximum nourishment, nutrient composition, but it is supporting the vitality itself. Wayne: (31:19) The way that we were doing that in the cleansers that you just lightly steam the broccoli, so it just starts to perspire and it kind of becomes a little less brittle. So you're still getting that rich chlorophyll kind of colour that comes out. So when the broccoli's steamed correctly, it actually becomes brighter. And actually it's almost like it's starting to come alive. So, you would take that, you'd have it with a little bit of olive oil, a little salt, a little bit of pepper just to stimulate digestive function. So you get better absorption of that food. So we kind of... we have different broths. We use Kicherie in Ayurveda traditionally for cleansing which is a Mung Dahl and it's combined with Basmati rice. So when you combine those two food groups, you'd get the complete amino acid profile. Wayne: (32:14) So you're still getting everything that your body needs. You know If we look at an Ayurveic diet during these cleanses, we're getting carbohydrates, we're getting a really good range of fats, we're getting proteins, we're getting a lot of... Plenty of fibre through the vegetables and, we're getting a lot of minerals as well. So, everything's there, it's just presented in a way where the body can still let go and it's not having to... we're just creating, especially these days, A lot of my patients will probably, I'd say 95% of them, they're still working, they still have children. We've got to sort of manage that practicality where we just don't have a setting where they can just be in a retreat type environment and just relax and have everything done for them. So I need to make sure that my patients are still strong and they're still able to go about their responsibilities. So it's finding that kind of sweet spot where we're getting the job done, but we're not putting the body into a state of depletion. Mason: (33:19) Do you keep them vegetarian during that time as well? [crosstalk 00:33:23] Wayne: (33:22) Yeah generally. Some patients, I might consider say chicken broth because it's still very easily digestible. Especially if there's a bit more depletion, if the patient is prone to weakness or what we would call a Vata dominance, or if there's a Vata aggravation, we might, you use that as a... Just to, prop up and to provide extra nourishment, but it still enables the body to let go and cleanse all the excess gunk. There's actually... Well, are you happy for me to talk about how just the whole procedure of Panchakarma, because what we've discussed is, the five... Mason: (34:04) Absolutely, and we've got 11:11 right now, down here in New South Wales. So we're numerological giving you the thumbs up. Wayne: (34:11) Well, I've got 10:11. And what does that mean? Mason: (34:15) Well, that's why I added in the New South Wales. So maybe the Queenslander don't wanna Want to hear about it, but the New South Walsh men and women do. Wayne: (34:21) All right, well, I'm happy to share. Mason: (34:24) Yeah, super happy to hear about that process. Wayne: (34:28) Right? Because this is a really unique... these concepts are really unique to Ayurveda and it's... I think it's really important for people just to at least entertain what's potentially involved in proper cleansing and the extent of cleansing because we do a lot of juice fasts. We do a lot of enema things in the West and I see from my Ayurvedic background, I see gaps, I see areas where we could actually be making much... Providing much more effective cleansing programmes. So we only have to do it once or twice a year. So the way that.... Mason: (35:07) Do you want to throw in the other ones? I'm going to throw in liver cleansing is another one, the incredible liver gallbladder cleanse that's another one that happens big time. The... what I used to do the yogic, well, I can't remember the name, but that saltwater cleanse and get up at five in the morning. Wayne: (35:34) Yeah. What was that called? Shankha prakshalana Mason: (35:35) Yeah something like that, I've got it there from when I did my teacher training. Five litres of basically brine warm salty water. So I'm throwing that down, I'm throwing that up, I'm doing my five movements. I'm doing my Crow, my cobra, I'm doing my spins, doing that. Then it's all coming out of my bum and then doing the Neti pot, that's another kind of like hardcore approach I think. Wayne: (35:58) These are the Yogic Kriyas, the Yogic cleansing procedures. But what we have to consider also is if we're looking at the context in which those procedures were used. Generally these yogis, they had very simplified living situations. There's a lot of Asana practise, a lot of meditation, karma yoga, a little bit of karma yoga in there. Probably not a great deal, but you know, a lot of inward introspective activity. And the Kriya's aren't... From an Ayurvedic perspective, I would say that the Kriya's are more geared around cleansing the elementary tract. So these types of cleanses are going to like remove a lot of debris and gunk that has accumulated in the digestive system, but it's not going to be efficient enough to get into the actual tissue systems. And these are the areas that we're not so much getting into. Wayne: (37:06) If you're doing liver cleansing and bile flushes, I think these are fantastic things to adopt, Because what we do in Ayurveda is we'll divide the body into two different parts. SO we've got, what's called Koshta and what's called Shaka. So Koshta is the abdominal cavity and all the organs that inhabit that space, and also the pleural cavity and the pelvic cavity. So when we're doing liver cleansing, we're kind of cleansing those regions more. So, that we'll get into the blood, we'll probably get a good sort of effective plasma and blood cleansing activity, but really, I think you'd have to do those liver cleansing herbs for at least four to six weeks. You want to be exposing the liver and the blood to those substances for long enough for the liver to completely renew and reproduce itself. So if you've got that, four to six weeks exposure, you're probably going to have a really healthy liver after that period of time. Mason: (38:18) Normally just looking at like these, what we do in the West, we're looking for a wham, bam, thank you. Ma'am, we're doing something potentially beneficial in excess, maybe not, but what we are talking or going into now is that balancing out when we are actually going deeper into the tissue. Wayne: (38:34) We've got to have an effective cleansing. We need to get into the cells, we need to get into the muscle, the fat, the marrow, the bile. These cleansing... I'm not putting these cleansing techniques down. There's definitely an important space for them. And I think everything needs to become... Needs to be practical. Taking a liver cleanse for six weeks and then maybe doing Bile flush with magnesium salts, and citric acid, grapefruit juice. That's going to be really effective, but if we're looking at maintaining and supporting the communication of deeper tissue systems, we need to start looking at kind of more sophisticated processes that really get into those areas. So what we do with the Ayurvedic cleansing is, there's preliminary treatment. And then there is the main treatment, which is the expulsion of the gunk either through the bottom end, top end through the nasal cavity or through the bloodstream. Wayne: (39:40) Then there's the post-treatment. So we want to carefully prep the body for that kind of intense elimination process. And then we want to follow that up with supporting and re-establishing good digestive function afterwards. So the way that that looks is that initially for say three to five days, depending on the patient, and their present health, and what they're presenting with is we will introduce specific medicines, and diet, and lifestyle activities that are going to start eliminating the... I guess you could say the superficial Gunk that is accumulated in the pipes. So every time you digest food, you're potentially going to... you break down substances into absorbable nutrients and you separate the waste product that then gets moved down into the large bowel. But sometimes if you're eatings a little bit of irregular, or if your digestion is weak or you're a little bit stressed when you're eating, you might produce a by-product, which is not suitable for building tissue, but it's not suitable for creating a good quality bowel motion or good quality stool. Wayne: (40:53) So we call this Ama in Ayurveda and it's largely interpreted as toxin, but it's not really a toxin, it's just gunk. That's just like a by-product of separating through chemical activity. So this gunk will accumulate and it's going to start lining the digestive wall. And this is where we start getting probably potentially dysbiotic sort of environments, where we get more aerobic bacteria starting to generate the digestive system. So these are the kind of like early signs of a digestive system starting to kind of turn sour and away. You'll notice that if you have a look at your tongue first thing in the morning, so you might notice that it can be like a white coating, a yellowish coating, excess saliva. Basically what you're looking at is kind of gunk under or Ama that's accumulated, but we can't build tissue with that substance and it's not making a good quality waste product and it's breeding bacteria essentially. Wayne: (42:03) So we wanna... The word is Ama Pachana which means to digest and cook or ripen this gunk. So we want to loosen that from the, you know, the whole, whole intestinal wall from the, from the mouth all the way down to the anus and get that digestive system functioning really well. So we want to stimulate that digestive fire and all those enzymes and acids so they're really strong and working efficiently. So we, we introduce a lot of the time I'll use, what's called a [inaudible 00:42:36] which is a herbal paste. It's a... it's herbs that have been cooked for long periods of time, decocted mixed with jaggery and honey, and a little bit of ghee. And then we'll take that, and I'll administer that three times a day before food and just start getting that digestive system really strong, because if we need to get herb's in to start really addressing cellular health and cleansing tissues at a deeper level, we need to sure that the channel of elimination is working very efficient, but we also want to maximise the absorption of these drugs. Wayne: (43:16) So they're getting to where they need to act. So, if you've got a gunky digestive system and you want to do a tissue cleanse, or you're potentially limiting to like the amount of the potential for that substance to get to where it needs to go. So we want to clear that area out to begin with. Wayne: (43:36) So once we get that done, the second part of the preliminary treatment is called [inaudible 00:19:44], which is the internal oleation. So this is where we start introducing a medicated ghee. So there's loads of different formulations where drugs are infused into a clarified butter, and you know Ayurveda is very big on the clarified butter. Nutritionally, It's very good for you, but one of the key reasons why we're so big on ghee is because it has this really amazing capacity to imbibe the constituents of whatever substance it's mixed with. Wayne: (44:24) So if, if I combine a group of herbs that I want to use to address the nervous system, or address the skin, or address the fat tissue, I can insert those drugs through these preparations, infuse them into that fat and a likelihood of those Herb's getting to where I want them to act is going to be much more efficient. So what I do is with the cleansing is we introduce about 30 mls of this medicated fat on the first day, and we have a very light diet. So your body is almost going into a ketogenic state. Where you start increasing the fatty acid load over a period of time. So we introduced 30 mls on the first day, and we just observe to see how well that digests and if all goes well, it's not sort of sitting there, there aren't ghee burps three or four hours later, and this will be determined by the previous treatment. Wayne: (45:24) If I get the digestive system functioning really well, the gee's going to digest very well. So the next day I'll introduce 60 ml the next day, 90 ml, possibly up to one 120 ml. Basically we keep going until the body becomes completely saturated in this medicated fat. Mason: (45:42) Just straight down the gob. Wayne: (45:44) Yeah, it's the hardest part of the cleanse, especially when you're getting into the higher, you know the one 120 ml but you have it as hot as you can take it and then you can just follow it with a little bit of ginger tea and that sort of clears the palate and helps it digest. Mason: (46:02) Yeah that's okay. I'll have to chat to you later. I've got two things, smells that nearly make me vomit on, cue. Canned tuna from a kid, and ghee and I've just recently been able to say to myself now I'm going to overcome that one because ghee is not something I wish to have that aversion to. Maybe I can chat to you about it later because I'd like to partake and I think that maybe that would be my initiation back into being able to palette ghee, especially having it warm with a bit of ginger tea afterwards that might be it but I just thought, I'd throw that out there. It's amazing how much that makes me gag when I smell it. Wayne: (46:48) Well the medicated ghee's can taste very different to just plain Ghee. So, there's one medicine that I use a lot called [inaudible 00:46:58] , which has made with a [inaudible 00:47:01] which is a resin that's found in the Mocho tree, which is very good as an anti-inflammatory. I use it a lot in rheumatoid arthritis cases, very good for regulating cholesterol levels, but the ticktum is bitter. Wayne: (47:17) So there's a whole range of different bitter herbs that are infused, and it changes the whole composition of the fat. So, say it's August, it's still pretty cold and I've got 10 different medicated fats in jars sitting on my shelf. One fat will be completely solid. Whereas I might have another fat that's going to be almost liquid or semi-liquid. And the reason is because the ghee has imbibed the qualities of those herbs. Wayne: (47:48) So those herbs are influencing the actual texture and the composition of the fats. So if I look at how those fats are going to interact, like if I've got a really bitter fat, I know that it's going to be predominantly cooling, and I know that it's going to be, it's going to have. Wayne: (48:03) sort of those qualities that are going to be soothing. So it's more compacted. Whereas, if I have a Ghee that is very sharp in its attributes, because of the way that it's been infused with these herbs, it's going to have more of a liquid composition by nature. Wayne: (48:22) So if I was wanting to get those drugs into the deeper parts, like if there were say, growths you know lymphatic congestion. I would be looking at these types of vehicles for drugs to get that drug in to start breaking down. And those deposits, those fatty or congested deposits that might be accumulating the body. Wayne: (48:47) So every step of the way of Ayurvedic cleansing, everything is carefully considered. Because what we're essentially doing, is we're looking at what the presenting qualities are of the tissues in the body and what needs to be done and we're looking at which drugs matched and support bringing that body back to balance most efficiently. Mason: (49:09) Mm-hmm. Wayne: (49:09) So when we start getting into those higher doses of Ghee, I'll notice that the skin will become oily. The lacrimal secretions of the eyes can become sticky and eventually the Ghee will be passed as stool. So what that tells me is that the body is saturated and can't take any more fat. Wayne: (49:35) That means we've reached [inaudible 00:01:37]. According to classical texts, that means that the fat has penetrated the deepest tissue level. It supposedly goes into the marrow and it takes those constituents into the cells. And then the cells are forced to excrete excess metabolites, because the cells are saturated. So it pushes the gunk out of the membrane of the cell back into those channels of circulation, the extracellular compartments, and it starts making its way back to the digestive system or the cavity. Wayne: (50:18) So what we're doing is we're taking drugs in, and we're actually using them as a vehicle to bring the gunk back out into the areas where we can expel them from the body. Excuse me. Wayne: (50:32) One of the beautiful things about using these fats is, it's going to support the elimination of fat soluble toxins as well. When we're looking at lead, mercury and cadmium, we're looking at potential binding agents for these toxic elements that are not able to be excreted from the body naturally. We have a very efficient detoxifying system, but water-soluble substances are more efficiently excreted through those pathways. If we're using the fat soluble constituents, then we're able to be more effective with what we're actually bringing out of the body. Excuse me. Mason: (51:22) That's what's really striking me as the most significant thing here. Having the wham-bam cleansers in the repertoire, if you do have a strong body and maybe not, as you were saying, like a Vata dominance at the time when you're doing a cleanse. Beautiful, it's like me going and having a sauna or doing my thing here and there. I'm probably after so many years of deep cleansing, I'm happy having my little break, but then when you... I was just dropping into the significance, especially getting deep enough into the tissue and the marrow into those cells where they can offload those fat-soluble toxins or gunk for that better way to look at it. Just if you can drop in and feel the amount of degeneration that could potentially be avoided and the amount of vibrant health that would be procured and grown in the population. Mason: (52:23) That's why I do like Ayurveda. After really having that time in Taoism and I've had my little obsessive time and now I'm out. I'm just looking everywhere. I'm looking at that strength of Ayurveda and what it's like. It's nice to see... In some places it's always been strong, like in places in India and in the community. Mason: (52:46) I'm seeing in my world, this resurgence. Especially in this sensible cleansing scape, it's the contribution that it's going to be able to potentially offer into the, hopefully integrated medical system in the future, but people can just start taking it on now and saving themselves a lot of hassle in the future when they have all this gunk stuck in their body. Wayne: (53:10) Yeah. Well as you say it's preventing that degeneration. Fat's considered as the preserving agent of life in Ayurveda. So when we're cleansing, we're also introducing a preserving action. So we're actually supporting that cellular activity at the same time with the use of fatty substances. You can use them for nourishment. You can use them for palliative care and you can use them for cleansing. It's such a versatile medium that supports human health. It's fantastic. We need fats. They support nourish... And especially with cleansing, because what we're doing is, we're actually... It's quite an aggressive kind of impact on the body. And we need to make sure that we're kind of like buffering those harmful impacts. So once we actually get the body to that level of saturation, that's when all of the hard work finishes. Wayne: (54:24) After that, usually I'll book my patients in for three to five day therapies. So this is where Ayurveda just has this beautiful neurological calming, mental calming, cleansing procedure, where you come in and you have medicated oil massage. Wayne: (54:44) What we're doing is, we want to manipulate all of the Ghee and the herbs that we've introduced into the body. So we're going to start actually physically squeezing, pushing and supporting the lymphatic system and basically encouraging physically the gunk or the armour to come back to the abdominal cavity. So we do that through hour to hour and a half massages. Then you go into a herbalist steam bath. So you can probably see that steam bath behind me. It looks kind of like a coffin. What we do is we use a combination- Mason: (55:20) It's a nice coffin. Wayne: (55:20) Yeah it's pleasurable coffin. Mason: (55:27) For those of you on audio, there isn't just some generic, modern... Wayne: (55:33) It's a nice handcrafted, hand-carved coffin. Wayne: (55:37) Yeah so we put the 10 root herbs generally in the decoction and you have this herbalised steam pumped into the steam chamber. This is another little thing that Ayurveda takes into consideration too. You're lying in the steam chamber and you're having your body pumped with herbalised steam. It usually sits at about 42 degrees, or around there. But your head sits out the end. So we're not exposing the eyes to excess heat, and we're still allowing the body to have that nice fresh air coming in. What I do is I get organic Rose water and douse it in tissue and you just sit it over the eyes so it keeps the eyes really cool. Your body's cooking, but your head stays cool. What we're looking for is signs that heat is starting to move above the clavicle. Wayne: (56:25) You'll see that where the ears start to get red, you'll start to get droplets of sweat. So I leave the patient in there until they start breaking a sweat, but there's a point where they do feel hot and they're ready to get out. Wayne: (56:44) From the studies that I've looked at, there's these heat shock proteins that are released and you get all of these really nice anti-inflammatory actions that come with that herbal steam therapy that is supporting cleansing as well. It affects the dopamine levels and serotonin levels, so it's very good for regulating the nervous system as well, really calms the mind. Wayne: (57:06) So what we do is, we manipulate the body and then when we cook the body, so it dilates. It expands. So you get these channels where you've got these extracellular spaces that are starting to move gunk back to the channels of elimination. Through the heat, you're actually supporting a wider berth to allow these substances to move. Because you've got that saturation of the Ghee, you've got this nice lubrication within those channels of circulation, so it prevents anything from getting stuck or just ending up lodged somewhere down the pathway. So It really encourages everything to come back to the gastrointestinal tract as well. Wayne: (57:49) So you're getting these three to five days of super relaxing therapies. Then, depending on the success of that, if it's done properly, everything runs smooth. So on the fifth day, the evening before we actually eliminate all the gunk from the system, you have quite a tasty meal. What we're doing is, we're encouraging a lot of acids and enzymes and a lot of activity to come back to the gastrointestinal tract. The tastier your food and the more varied it tastes... If you have something that is a combination of sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent, you're going to draw out all the potential enzymatic and gastric activity that is going to digest that spectrum of taste, which is pretty much all the tastes that we have. Wayne: (58:44) So for every taste there'll be an equivalent digestive substance to break that down. So what we want to do is, we want to encourage that to come in, back into the elementary tract. Then the following morning, on the rise of the red sun, you take a particular... This is with the purgation. It's different with the Amacethes, but you'll take a substance, it might be a paste. Generally what I use in my clinic is, I use castor oil at a fairly high dose. And I mix that with either almond milk, depending on the patient's preference or milk. Castor oil on its own is disgusting. It's really gluggy, it's a horrible oil. But when you combine it with a little bit of sugar and milk is actually it's quite palatable. Wayne: (59:36) So you have that on the rising of the red sun, according to classic texts. So as soon as that sun comes up, it's when you drink this castor oil. Then usually you'll have triphala powder about 10, 15 minutes after that. Wayne: (59:52) Then you just relax and you just sit back and enjoy the ride. So you're on the toilet generally four to six hours. Mason: (01:00:06) If you don't mind explaining what the movements are like? Is it gluggy? Is it running out? Is it spurting out? What do you expect there? Wayne: (01:00:17) Basically, using Ayurvedic inflammation knowledge, we can predict what the dose is going to be. So the thing is, I don't want to... Each dose will be different for each patient, because we have ways of gauging whether the bowl has a tendency towards dryness or whether it has a tendency towards oiliness, or if it's somewhere in between. So the dose is determined based on all of these different variables, based on the patient's body type. So it can be a little bit delayed. Everybody's transit and peristaltic kind of activity is slightly different. My experience is that I might have a patient that is going to start having bowel motions within 45 minutes, somebody might not have one for two hours, and then somebody might have a strong one after an hour and nothing for a few hours after that. Wayne: (01:01:22) So it does vary. But what I'm looking for is, I want all of the solid matter to be evacuated. Then it usually goes into a semi liquid state, then it goes to a liquid state and then usually there can be a bright orange pigment in the stool or a little bit green. What that's telling me, is that I'm getting into the areas where the bile duct is starting to cleanse. So I'm able to gauge how efficiently I've cleaned out that digestive tract. That's what we want to get to. Once we can get to that point, usually it just becomes a clear water. At that point I want to turn the tap off, because we've eliminated the gunk, it's been a successful procedure. But, if we keep going after that, and this is why dosage is really important, we start going into dehydration. We start getting into the point where we start draining the body and we start affecting the electrolyte and fluid balance. Wayne: (01:02:26) There is a formula, or a drink that you usually take. It's called Takra. It's a buttermilk that has a combination of spices. It might have a combination of a formula called Hingwashtak Churna, which is a combination of eight different spices. It's got hing in there. It's got black cumin seed, cumin seed, coriander, it's got some salts in there and ajowan seed. Mason: (01:02:58) Yum. Wayne: (01:02:59) It's actually quite- Mason: (01:03:00) That was a sincere yum. Not the yum when I was referring to the triphala. That was a sarcastic yum. Wayne: (01:03:07) Yeah, triphala is not very good. Apparently, when your body is balanced triphala should actually taste sweet. Wayne: (01:03:16) I've never- Mason: (01:03:17) Oh, God, I'm a mess. Wayne: (01:03:18) I've never experienced it either. Usually the- Mason: (01:03:21) Back to the drawing board. Wayne: (01:03:24) The feedback from the taste perception will determine the qualities, or the imbalanced state that your body's in. So some people do find it quite sour. Some people will find it stringent. Some people find it really bitter. So it does vary. And that's usually the present health that determines that. Mason: (01:03:44) Schizandra berry does that for us. It gives us an insight for them depending on what they're tasting. Wayne: (01:03:51) Yeah. Taste receptors are really important and they provide a lot of information. Wayne: (01:03:55) So you'll have this Takra, and what that does is it acts as a little bit of a binding agent. So it helps to turn that tap off and then that's pretty much done. But the thing is, if you're doing a strong purge, or if you're eliminating all of this gunk, you're also losing a lot of bile, salts, gastric acids, enzymatic activity as well through that purge. So we need to start building that back up. This is a really critical time. From my experiences, this is one of the most important parts of cleansing, because what people do is they do these really intense elimination processes, but they don't put the time into rebuilding that digestive fire. Without a good strong digestive system, you're just going to go back into creating partially undigested substances when you're eating. Wayne: (01:04:50) You're not going to be able to build healthy tissues and you're not going to build waste products. So it's kind of like a campfire. You've got to start with that kindling, little bit of paper, and then you listen to the fire. The fire will tell you what it needs. You know when to put the sticks on, and then you can start getting back to that point where you've got nice, good, hot coals and good hardwood sitting on them, burning for long periods of time. That usually, depending on how intense the elimination and the purge is, would determine how many days it will take to get the digestive system back on track. So good digestion is key. That is one of the most important things for health. If you're not breaking down food efficiently, you're not producing good quality, healthy tissues and your metabolic system is going to mirror that as well. Wayne: (01:05:47) If your digestion is sluggish, your metabolism will sluggish. If it's erratic, your metabolism will be erratic. If it's too sharp, then you're going to be hungry all the time. You're going to need to eat six meals a day. We spend about four days just building that food back up. There's specific recipes that we'll do. Generally, we just introduce some rice water. We'll cook some rice and basically you're just drinking that water with a bit of cumin, a little bit of salt. All we're doing is we're trying to stimulate the digestion, but we're introducing basic sugars into the system. We just build the energy back up because the body's tired, it needs to be hydrated. The salt supports the electrolytes, and then we start introducing a little bit of food and then we build up, and then we get back to normal. Once we get to that point, this is a really good time to start introducing your tonic herbs. Mason: (01:06:46) The convalescence stage. Wayne: (01:06:49) Yeah. Wayne: (01:06:50) You're going to have really good absorption... Are you there? Mason: (01:06:55) Mmm-Hmm. Wayne: (01:06:56) I think I just lost you. Wayne: (01:06:57) You're going to have really good absorption. So chances are whatever tonic herbs you're having for whatever... We've all got strong and weak tissue systems. Some people have good muscles. Some people have good bones. Some people have good nervous systems. We want to prop up and support the weakest tissues with those tonic herbs. Because we've cleaned that system out and we've improved pathways of communication, we're going to get those active constituents getting to where they need to act. This is the most important thing, because this is where the immune system comes online. It's strong where the tissues... They're robust and healthy. Then we'll introduce... We call it Rasayana in Ayurveda, which means just rejuvenation or strengthening. Wayne: (01:07:50) It's super important to cleanse, but it's super important to build. If you can always just make sure that whatever cleansing that you're doing, you've always got an element where you, prep, you support, you cleanse, you rebuild, you strengthen. That's key. If you can get that right, you're not going to feel like you need to do a cleanse, because you've gotten everything back to normal. It's like taking your car to a mechanic. You get everything cleaned out, the car just runs better. You don't feel like you need to go back to the mechanic and clean the oil out a week or two later, because you've gotten the job done properly. Mason: (01:08:31) Especially if you're doing routine maintenance, that's possible just at home. Maintaining that with diet, with saunas, tonic herbs. Just to be in that diet that keeps you running and strong. Wayne: (01:08:49) Sorry. Mason: (01:08:50) Go on. It's all good. We're just both too excited. No, go for it. Wayne: (01:08:56) The maintenance was super important. This is where the daily practises come in. Like tongue scraping every day. Having freshly grated ginger tea first thing in the morning. The Ayurvedic oil massage and also not just considering health as being healthy skin, healthy tissues, healthy digestive system. When we look at what the definition of life is in Ayurveda, it's a combination of the body, the tissue systems, the mind and the sense organs. Wayne: (01:09:36) Ideally, if we look at what our objective is as Ayurvedic physicians, we want to have really healthy functioning digestion, really healthy functioning tissue systems. We want to have clear cognitive function and we want to have really well functioning sense organs. We want to be able to see clearly, hear clearly, smell clearly, taste and have good tactile perception. The objective is to... Ayurveda considers that the central factor of existences is the [foreign language 01:10:12], or the soul or the witness. Whatever is operating through that medium is the witness. Whatever's in me, whatever's in you that is just there that's watching. That's aware of thought, aware of essential perception and aware of its body. That is the central factor. We want that soul, or that witnessing factor to be able to come into this physiology and just relax, just relax into being. Wayne: (01:10:42) If the body's healthy, if the sense organs are healthy, the feedback is clear, if the cognitive function is working. Well that can be a really beautiful experience. It's when all of that distortion comes into the mind and all of the stories. Then that sets off hormonal and endocrine dysfunction and digestive dysfunction. The body becomes sluggish or irregular. We want that to be really clear. Wayne: (01:11:09) Coming back to the sense organs, this is our communication bridge. Our pathway to the external reality is determined by how clearly we can see. A lot of these practises, these maintenance practises are geared up to support that cen
If you like this podcast and want to support us, please subscribe, like and share. Thank you! Today we are joined by Comet who is a representative of Healthforce Superfoods. She has been a vegan for over 20 years and is passionate about sharing her knowledge on green powders such as Blue-Green Algae, Spirulina, Chlorella, Moringa, as well as so many more deeply nutritious food feed our brains and bodies and help to save the planet. Superfoods to take in cold weather Spirulina- a complete protein Chlorella and why it needs to be “cracked” and why glass bottles are important Vitamineral Green- The megamix all-purpose superfood What's the difference between spirulina and blue-green algae Moringa- less expensive and helps produce mothers milk Are smoothies good for us? What's a better option? How to make the superfoods more absorbable How to get your protein on a vegan diet How to get your kids to take superfood powders Nopal cactus caps to lower your insulin and sugar cravings and helps you get out of the sugar trap. Also a great bone buffer for athletes Why should you taste superfoods on your tongue vs. caps? How to get enough iron on a vegan diet with chlorella tabs How to add superfoods into your meals Lucuma powder Schizandra berry powder the 5 flavors. An adaptogen to regulate your endocrine system Nopal Cactus Caps: 4-8 a day until the sugar cravings go away or blood sugar becomes balanced Comets Vitamin C-beverage recipe: 2 cups hot or cold water ½-1 tsp. Schizandra powder 1 Tbsp.. Vitamin C powder 1-3 tsp. Lucuma powder Lime, cinnamon, ginger (optional) Elaina's additions: 1/16 tsp. Stevia or to taste, 1 tsp. Coconut oil (blend with hot water) Add the powders first if stirring. Blend or stir all ingredients together until frothy. Don't use coconut oil if stirring. Hot water works very well. STAY IN TOUCH WITH ELAINA AND PURE JOY PLANET Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PureJoyAcademy/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/elaina_loves_pure_joy_planet/ Website: http://purejoyplanet.com/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/PureJoyPlanet Twitter - https://twitter.com/ElainaLove Online Superfood & Health Store -https://store.purejoyplanet.com/ Join our anytime KETO Lovecamp -https://online.purejoyplanet.com/p/vegan-keto-diet-program-anytime If you like this episode and want to hear more, please head to iTunes, subscribe, rate, and review this podcast. If you'd like us to explore more on any of the topics above, right to us! We'd love to hear from you. Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/purejoypodcast Do you have questions, thoughts, or feedback for us? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply! Our Website: http://purejoyplanet.com/ If you like this episode and want to hear more, please head to iTunes, subscribe, rate, and review this podcast. If you'd like us to explore more on any of the topics above, right to us! We'd love to hear from you. Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/purejoypodcast
In this wonderfully conceptual discussion, Mason and Tahnee cover the emotions that may arise during Spring, the Spring archetypes and how to essentially, live more aligned to nature and her exquisite rhythms. The dynamic duo discuss their fave Liver Yin herbs to support your Spring experience. Tune in, to be invited to explore seasonal living and what that may look like for you - you are going to enjoy this one. Mase and Tahns explore: The Mason term: Spring trap, just what is it? Just how important grounding is We are a part of nature (can I get a hell yes to that)! Frustration, feeling stuck, menstrual challenges, hay fever... why are these things common in Spring? Exactly what is Wood energy and how does it translate in our day to day lives The Spring archetypes... the general, the artist The natural tendency for us to seek out bitter, cleansing foods during Spring Herbs / mineral to consider: Beauty Blend, Schizandra, MSM Resources: How To Get Grounded When The Seasons Change (article) Why Chinese Medecine is Failing Us Rhonda episodeYinYang Wuxing Rhonda episode 100 Days of Schizandra challenge, join us! Dan Sipple Gut Bacteria podcast episode Spring Shopping List (below) Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or check us out on Stitcher, CastBox, iHeart RADIO:)! Plus we're on Spotify! Check Out The Transcript Here: Mason: (00:00) Hey everybody, how are you going? Tahnee: (00:01) Hi, everybody. Mason: (00:03) Time to talk about some springtime magic. Wonderful season. Tahnee: (00:07) Favourite season. Mason: (00:08) Favourite? It is a season, though. This is something that happens in the West is Spring, is just this transition. It's like the half caste of the season, same as Autumn, where it's just that bridge between from when it was cold to when it's going to be really warm. Tahnee: (00:25) Yeah, we sometimes act like we're in transit, I guess. And we forget to actually stop and enjoy the scenery in springtime, and it's beautiful. Springtime has been springing for a few months here, and we've had all the baby buds and the new shoots on the trees, and all the deciduous trees have their leaves back. The sun's different. It's in a different position in the sky. I'm getting up earlier and staying up later. It's just a different energy in the air at this time of year. Mason: (01:03) It's definitely an interesting season, and if we're going to talk about seasons. We're going to talk about transitional periods, and remember that there is going to be that time when you're coming from Winter, even though it's not an absolute moment when it's Winter, and now Winter's stopping, and now you're in Spring. Mason: (01:23) But you'll definitely feel you're entering into a transitional stage between the dominance of those two types of Qi, going from the watery Qi of Winter to the woody Qi, that uprising Yang Qi of Spring. And it's important to remember that between all of these elemental seasons, there is that little bit of earth. Mason: (01:45) This is the biggest. It's the 'spring trap', I call it, when people will be quiet, especially if you're respecting Winter and you've been really quite dormant, and you've been patient, and you're gathering wisdom, and you dip it into that sage, meditative, more nourishing kind of vibes in the coldness of Yin. Mason: (02:05) And then you go, "Oh my God. Yes." The days are starting to go and they'll get a bit longer and, "Oh my gosh, it's a little warmer." And all of a sudden everyone goes complete barefoot, and straight away, they snap into that Spring time, bouncy, Yang energy, which you can maybe do when you're younger. But as you get a little bit older, get a little bit wiser, you just want to remember, you want to just stop, step onto the earth for as long as you need. Mason: (02:33) If you've been out of whack and you haven't been living seasonally, you're going to need to go and step on the earth between the seasons a bit longer. As you go living in with the seasons longer and longer and longer, you can just jump on for a couple of days and then Spring into that woody type energy. Mason: (02:48) I know, if you haven't been in this conversation for a while, this might be a little bit conceptual, but stick with us. We're going to explain what we mean by the Wood Qi, where that comes from, what its characteristics are, how to navigate the Spring, what the opportunities are, what the emotions are that will be processed. How you dip into the aspiring energy, so you can use this time to really ensure that you're on track with life and you're in flow and in a sustainable flow with the seasons, as well as the herbs to take, so on and so forth. Mason: (03:21) But just remember, ground yourself between the seasons. If you can just be patient, ground, lots of nourishing foods between the season. Obviously, as Tahns said, we're a bit later in Spring now, so that opportunity would have come and gone. But connect to your body. Don't leap into that generic conversation around Spring. That it's like, "Oh, it's this time to get creative. And it's time to come out and stretch and crack and go hard, and plan lots, and have a big vision for life. Mason: (03:57) Just make sure you go and ground as you're coming out of those, in any season, especially Winter, for a long time. Connect to your body, and then you can gently feel into what the Wood Qi feels like for you in this season, and the kinds of opportunities it's going to present. Sorry for going off on a bit of a conceptual vibe there. Tahnee: (04:16) No, I think what you are talking to is well explained by people like Rhonda Chang who we've had on the podcast recently. It's this idea of Qi is energy changing form in different phases, depending on different orientations. Just like if you're facing the sun, you get hot and sweaty on one side and you might get less sweaty on the other side. Tahnee: (04:46) As the planet shifts around, we're coming into a getting hot and sweaty on our side time. And so there's going to be certain energies that shift in nature and that shift in us. We are part of nature and we're responding to that. So, I think the old traditions really beautifully capture this observation of nature and what's happening. And then they paint a picture around that instead of maybe what we try and do in the West, which is to overlay our agenda on nature a bit. Tahnee: (05:17) And I think that's what's so beautiful about connecting to this Five Phase theory, which is what we're really talking about when we're talking to this Wood energy, and what makes us about going back to this earth energy. If you imagine a compass and you've got the North, South, East, and West directions, and then always in the middle, you've got you, Earth, the orientating point, the pivoting point on which everything spins. Tahnee: (05:42) So, what Mase is talking to is you need to stay close to centre in order to navigate these kinds of shifts in energy, and these shifts in the phases of our lives and our days. They're really circadian rhythms. They're really seasonal rhythms. They're really annual rhythms that we're talking to. And every culture, really, except ours, was aware of how much nature and the solar system and the spin of the earth, and everything, was affecting the life of the human. Tahnee: (06:15) And so I think one of the gifts of the Daoist lineage is to revive that connection to the stories that nature's telling us. And Spring time's a beautiful story. It is about renewal and rebirth. I've been watching trees that I was like, "Maybe they died." You know? And suddenly they're covered in leaves. Tahnee: (06:37) I was thinking I might have had a brown thumb all of a sudden, but like plants that I'm not used to growing suddenly bursting forth with life out of nowhere. Our grapes, this different, strange thing that I've found when we bought the house. And it's the same with watching the whales come through with their babies, and we're watching this playful, joyful energy of, "Oh, the sun's here and the cold's starting to go. I can reach for the sun. I can reach for the stars. I can express myself in that way." Tahnee: (07:05) So that energy is really there. And if you tune into yourself, it obviously depends on how far South you live. Like those of us a bit further North have had this vibe for a while, but you can feel that you're starting to maybe become a bit more active and feel a bit more drawn to the outdoors. It's a transition. Tahnee: (07:28) And I think what our culture does is get stuck. We get stuck in, "One way is the way, and this is the way we do it all the time." And the invitation of seasonal living and seasonal thinking is, "Well, no. We're cyclical beings and we're constantly churning and turning." And the phases embody that. The Wood is about that upright growth. Trees grow up toward the sun, and they go out. Tahnee: (07:54) And the energy of Spring is a little bit wild and it's vigorous and it's energetic. It's the winds of change and it's a big energy. It's not always a fun energy. It's in us all the time. Just because it's Spring time, doesn't mean we don't have Wood energy in us all the time. But it's worse in Spring time because nature is in that Wood energy phase, and so we're attuning to nature, like a little harmonising kind of pitch fork. Tahnee: (08:23) Suddenly, we're going, "Okay, well nature's doing that. I'm going to do that." Even on a very subconscious energetic level. And so if you're already a bit out of balance in that area, which would show up as things like hay fever, menstrual difficulties, irritability, and frustration, and anger, feeling stuck, feeling stagnant, poor Blood circulation, those kinds of issues. Mason: (08:43) Eye issues, losing vision in life. Tahnee: (08:46) Yeah. Those are all things that are going to indicate that, in general, your Wood energy's out of whack, and now, because the season is so strong and wooden, and it just can easily overdo it in you, and then you're going to end up expressing some of these difficulties. Tahnee: (09:02) So, it's this really interesting. I always am curious when a season shifts to see how I respond, and how my body responds. We talk about it's like a report card on how well you honoured the previous season's energy. We were talking before we came on that maybe we could have been a bit more Yin this Winter. Tahnee: (09:24) It's hard, sometimes, to remember to honour the energy of the seasons. And none of us are perfect, and we're not trying to be, but it's just a nice point of reflection of like, "Well, we had a beautiful year, but what would I do differently?" I would maybe socialise less or give myself less commitments over that period of time because my energy, naturally, wants to withdraw. Tahnee: (09:48) So, those are things that each person has to work out for themselves. Some people thrive in certain seasons more than other people. But for me, springtime has always felt like a new year for me. It's a bit early in terms of the actual new year, but yeah, there's a sense of new opportunities and new vision and new growth. And there's juicy young leaves that you see on the trees, that are just so ripe to be of service to the rest of the plant. They're just soft and young and vibrant, that verdant green colour. Yeah. They really embody that. Tahnee: (10:28) And that's what the Daoists were pointing to. They were pointing to the colour of Wood energy is green. Their embodiment of it is bamboo, which is long and strong and flexible and - Mason: (10:40) Erect. Tahnee: (10:40) Yeah, and really powerful, but also yielding. And these are things, like we often think of Wood and think of a big Oak or a big dry, crusty piece of wood that we put in a fireplace or something. But the Daoists, being around the China area, the kind of references were really those beautiful old trees that lived forever and held the wisdom of forever, but also kept bringing forth new life and new growth. And then the bamboo, which is this incredibly interesting plant that embodies so much of the Daoist kind of philosophy. Mason: (11:17) What she's talking about is nature is unfolding at this time of year, but it is unfolding in relation to the position of the Earth in relation to the sun. And so, what happens is the Qi of our world, of where we are, and the Qi of our atmosphere and the Qi of Earth takes on a particular quality. And then nature, the trees, us, our organs, animals follow the new formation of that Qi. And when they look at the characteristics of the Qi, they said, "Wow, that really reminds us of the characteristics of wood." Tahnee: (11:51) It's a metaphor. It's a story. It's a story to help you understand what you're seeing. I'm watching, every single year around the time when the sun hits this point in the sky and the days get longer, that these sorts of things start to happen. Well, what's a great metaphor for that? It's the young sapling, it's the piece of bamboo, it's the ancient, wise tree. So, they teach us these beautiful stories that help us to remember. And if you don't have writing, if you've got a verbal lineage, you need stories because otherwise you forget stuff. And so, it's a gift to have this stuff written down, for sure. But it's also beautiful to tell the stories, I think, so that we can start to understand. Mason: (12:42) I mean, even beyond those stories, you can see the qualities if you're living in a non-colonised manner. It's why it's important to ground between the seasons, so you can really connect with yourself. Coming out of Winter, especially, where, ideally, we have had less aspiration during that time. Mason: (13:03) Ideally, we have had less aspiration during that time. We've had less agenda. We're not looking for kicking goals and getting these big gains, which isn't always possible. And we need to see how that works in with the lives that we've crafted for ourselves, but then to go from that energy to the aspiring energy and audacious energy of Spring, it's why it's important to get out of our head, because if you just transition in your head too quickly and you get into the 'spring trap', you haven't gone into your body and felt what quality of the quality of Wood is there for me this year. And so I'm going to elaborate on this now because there's archetypes I like to use, especially going, kind of taking the... running with Charles Moss's archetypes, the Walley? Matt Walley? Not Matt Walley, that's the- Tahnee: (13:54) Walsley. Mason: (13:55) Walsley. And it really helps me tune into... if I look at the archetype of that Liver Wood season as we go in, we know there's that shade of the Liver that's that artist, that creative artist. And if I don't ground between the seasons, I just jump into mentally knowing that Spring time's all about creativity and coming up with these big visions and coming up with these big ideas of where I'm going to take myself this year and into the future, but there's a big balancing act to that Wood Qi energy, which is described as the general of the army. And I really like it. Some people don't really like relating to a general, but there's nothing else really that encapsulates. Tahnee: (14:46) Well, the other one that I like is the architect. So I can't remember who taught me that one, somebody did, but yeah, the general is a great one. I mean, so you look at where this comes out of a feudal kind of society. So there's a lot of metaphor in Daoism, especially as it became codified into a kind of medical system, there's a lot of reference to feudal characters. Emperors, and generals, and ministers of the grain and all these kinds of things. And yeah, if you think about what a general does in an army, it's a strategic role, it's a role where you're making plans and controlling resources and allocating resources. And you have your assistants who are incredibly important in making sure that the orders are followed through. Tahnee: (15:35) And that's really the Liver and the gallbladder in the body. The Liver with the Blood, taking the Blood and filtering out what is necessary for continuing health and longevity, what needs to be eliminated, what needs to be kind of transformed, what needs to be stored. It's a huge role. And then the gallbladder with the bile, taking that bile the Liver produces and concentrating it and transforming it further and then eliminating it into the digestive tract so it can be excreted or recycled. There's this kind of supporting role, I guess, that that organ plays kind of on a physical level, but also on a metaphorical level. Mason: (16:19) Well right hand to the emperor, the Heart. Tahnee: (16:21) Yeah. Mason: (16:22) Right? And so the general in the system of the Liver is the one kind of actually doing all the work. Most important, like head of the organs is the Heart. Heart goes, everyone goes. Tahnee: (16:34) Well and the Heart sings to the right... it sings to the Liver really, because the Liver is the dreaming, it's the visioning of the Heart. So again, we can segment these things out, but really what we're looking at is kind of different functions of really the same kind of energy. It's all Qi, but the Qi that wants to dream and look to the future and envisage where we're going, that we manifest as Wood Qi, as Liver Qi. And then the Heart overseeing the whole operation, but kept separate because you don't let the emperor see everybody, you don't let the emperor talk to every person that comes through. You give the emperor space and protect them so that they can do the job of ruling the kingdom. And so the Heart is kind of a little bit removed really. Tahnee: (17:26) So the Liver is the one doing that work, and it's sitting over in the east of where the sun rises, sitting where we kind of open ourselves to possibility and the dawning of a new day. And if you think about Spring in terms of a daily circadian rhythm, it's that, the sun rising and that zenith toward that peak Yang of full expression, oops, which is the fire time is summertime. So you can think of Spring time as a dawning. If you think of Winter as the depth of night, as midnight, as the kind of time of rest, but also of kind of subconscious stirrings and dreamings and an integration and reflection, then okay, we've done that work. We've taken the time to really, to integrate and to draw the lessons and the teachings out of what happened in the cycle before. Tahnee: (18:21) And now we're into a new cycle, we're into a cycle that brings new opportunity to take what's integrated and to create something new. And so this is always happening in a spiral, really. And if you look at the mathematics of nature, the spiral is where... the double helix, all of these things, it's like we're in the same place, but we've grown. So we're now in the same place, but looking from a different place. And we just keep doing that year to year to year. And the idea being that over time... And this is why the Daoists wanted to be a model. It's not because they wanted to live forever, it's because they knew that every year they lived, they gained more knowledge and more insight and better understanding of nature and themselves and humans and heaven and Earth. And to cultivate the amount of healthy, clean, Qi it's required to be a really healthy human and to sort of transcend this form, almost that takes a lifetime. It takes more than a lifetime. So- Mason: (19:16) And what you were saying about learning year to year, it's a massive one because as I kind of... I really, really like these two sides of the coin being the general and the artist. That for me, it really embodies... Although it's segmented and I'm going to talk to you about how these two archetypes are emerging into one formula, it really talks to this erect practical uprightness of the Yang, of the Liver that is like a general. And that general will be very pragmatic and going, "I need to ensure the survival of everyone here. What happened last year's campaigns? What happened in the campaigns of the last 10 years? That lofty dream that I've been having and trying to manifest that has once again led to no yields. I don't have enough troops. I don't have enough Jing, I don't have enough energy to go and do it. I'm actually going to have to readjust. I actually don't have the skills to go and do this." Mason: (20:17) It's kind of like it clips you on the side of the head, and that's why I like to really bring this up. Because especially in the wellness community, in the woke community, you can go a long way. You go right into the artistry and right into the big vision, you create this massive vision for yourself, which is very supple and yielding and bendy. And sometimes you just don't have quite enough of that Yang to make you erect and practical and plan and strategic, and really create a solid run of events and a very practical onboarding of skills. And then a longterm vision going, we've only got so long this year of if you're campaigning as a general. We've only got so long. We need to really make sure, be realistic about how many Ks we're going to be able to travel and so on and so forth, how many resources we're going to have. Mason: (21:10) And if you drop into your body and feel that, eventually you might need to have... like for me, I've had to have a couple of bit more really extreme balancing, sitting in that Yang energy where I've gotten really practical about where I'm trying to take my life, realising some things are a bit pie in the sky, or if I want to do some of these things, I'm going to have to take two steps back and actually deal with with some emotions. I need to just actually get a little bit more clear, which is a huge aspect that comes up in Liver. You need to clear a lot of baggage. You need to cleanse the Blood. You need to get rid of a lot of waste so you can replenish and bring suppleness to the entire orchestra of your tissue. Mason: (21:51) And as I've been going along, you can see in the way that you relate as a general being very Yang, all of a sudden blending in is this... All of a sudden the dreaming and the vision comes in to that practical Yang driving energy. And likewise, if you're sitting in that supple Yin Wood energy, all of a sudden in your dreaming, the practicality and the patience case starts coming into your visioning. And so it's a very important time of year. I find a lot of people I've been talking to, especially in this context, have needed to take a couple of practical steps back. And then those people who are living their life 100% practically with no dreaming are learning how to be a little bit more like bamboo and invite some of that suppleness so that they can bring a bit more of their vision and their deep inner dreaming to the way that they live. Tahnee: (22:47) Well, and I think that's the core of what Liver kind of offers us, I suppose, or the Wood energy offers us, is the ability to make plans, but then the ability to be adaptable when things don't go to plan. And again, if you imagine a general, they're thinking on their feet, they're dealing with things that they had no idea were going to come up, there's consequences with every decision they make that they have to be really ready to handle. And I think that's why it's such a good analogy really for what that energy does. Because the Liver doesn't know what you're going to go and eat. It doesn't know what kind of chemicals you're going to be exposed to. All it knows is that it's got a bunch of jobs to do and it's going to do them and it's going to do them to the best of its ability. Tahnee: (23:34) And that's why you see over time things accumulate with people. And that's why I've become so conscious over my lifetime of learning to adapt a bit more to these kind of natural seasonal trends, because it just gives your body a chance to catch up on the cleaning house. And springtime is such a natural detox time people talk about. And I just know for me, all Winter long I did not have an interest in a green vegetable. Like a couple of things here and there. Whereas suddenly I'm just like, I want juice, I want fresh things, I want to have parsley. I'm looking at the weeds in the garden, I'm seeking those bitter flavours, I'm seeking the sour flavours. Tahnee: (24:16) And there's just this natural pull toward those things that cleanse. And that's where we look at things like herbs, you've got your Schizandras and those kinds of things which have that astringent kind of cleansing effect. And you can just feel that that's what's needed at this time, that the body's had that big boost to nutrition and nourishment over Winter time, but now it's time to clean out a little bit, make sure we're light and ready for these big shifts towards summertime. And yeah. Mason: (24:46) Yeah. I mean the replenishment of bringing suppleness and freshness to the tissue by bringing cleaning to the Blood, if you don't take advantage of it at the beginning of each Spring, then that's when you find that there's a necessity as you get down the track of needing to do these huge big cleanses, because all of a sudden all these symptoms have started to kind of creep up on you. For me, getting onto, as Tahns was saying, some of those more bitter greens, I still haven't been really drawn to too many salads. I don't think we've really been going down the route of eating too many raw foods still. Mason: (25:30) I think where that comes in as well, is that if you've been off track for a while in terms of not really honouring the season, which we're going to be, we run a company, the company doesn't just kind of shut down in Winter and all of a sudden having five hour days and three day weekends. Although we're trying to move ourselves in that direction where we actually can do that. But I mean, opening an American company at the moment probably isn't on our side. Mason: (26:03) American company at the moment, probably is on our side since we're always going to be in the opposite season as well, but you need to respect the fact that you've been off-track on the season. You can't just all of a sudden go, "Great, it's springtime. It's heaps of raw food, it's heaps of salads, and it's heaps of juices. I feel heaps of cold foods." It doesn't really work that way. I'll just say it won't work that way for us anyway, but we've definitely started being attracted to bringing a little bit more freshness into all of our dishes, bringing a little bit of dandy. We've been going pretty hard on that Australian bush food, Davidson plum, finger lime, kakadu plum, a touch of native pepper, Lilly Pilly. Mason: (26:48) We've been doing a freeze dried one of those every single day. We've been hitting MSM, the sulphur really hard to get the Liver flowing in that way. But then Beauty Blend, at SuperFeast is the one. I went for two weeks. At the change of season, once I've gone and stood on the earth and then I'm ready to ease back into that springtime energy, I always feel Beauty Blend with Schizandra, come up at that time. And a lot of people get drawn to doing the 100 Days of Schizandra at the start of Spring. And whether you're doing that or whether you're doing what I do, just getting onto those Liver herbs, the Schizandra, the Gojis, Pearl, and Longan, what you're doing is... And at the same time you could be layering in beetroot juices and these kinds of things as well, a bit of MSM. Mason: (27:31) You're ensuring that you Liver has got the capacity to get in and cleanse the crap out of that Blood so it can be light and it can make sure that all the tissue that's getting delivered, all that Blood, is going to be juicy and supple. And that's really a Yin... These are Yin herbs as well, which is something I find a lot of people in the West are really craving. If you think about if everyone's excessively Yang, we're getting excessively brittle and firm and the aspiration is looking in a straight ahead direction. And we look at what the Yang does in the body. It makes the capillaries and the Blood vessels really nice and strong so the Blood can rush through, but if we don't have the Yin, the Yin brings that yielding and that bending into those Blood vessels. Mason: (28:19) And if we don't have that, then the Blood's running hot. And a lot of people are running hot. A lot of people in the West are running Yang, and that's why we have neck issues, tightness of breath. And these are all things that we're looking at when we've got an excess of that Liver Yang. And so that's why I especially find it really useful for people to get on those Beauty Blend Yin herbs, Yin Liver herbs, just to make sure that you're getting supple. As you start bringing a bendiness along with that erectness of the Yang, once you bring that suppleness especially of those vessels, all of a sudden you see the Blood starts running through like a nice babbling brook. And so all of a sudden you can feel it. The Blood cools down a little bit, it's got a little bit more of an inviting feeling. And so that's something I really recommend everyone to be doing at the start of Spring. Tahnee: (29:10) And that's that balance of Yin and Yang energies. That's why the bamboo is that perfect analogy of if the wind blows, the bamboo just bends. It doesn't need to resist the wind. And that's always the kind of teaching story of the Liver energies. You don't become brittle like dry wood. You stay soft and supple like a young sapling or like bamboo so that if you're trying to get to the sun or you're trying to navigate a change in your environment, you're able to yield to the change and not be knocked over by it and not be killed effectively by these big changes. And that's what I think if you think of a good leader or a good architect, a good architect drafts his vision or her vision, but then he or she will talk to the builder and talk to the engineer and then things will change. Tahnee: (30:02) And then it's just constantly evolving and adapting as the build progresses. And once you're on site and you notice where the sun sets and how the wind blows and things will adapt and change. And so it's this constant ability to be in reference to nature, but then hold your own kind of vision. And that's what this vision of the Liver is, it's revelation, it's keeping the Heart satisfied that the Heart's on its path. It's keeping the Heart open to what's possible so the Heart doesn't become depressed. And we're talking about Shen, we're talking about these ideas lately and that's a lot to do with this function of the Liver and its capacity to move Blood through the body and its capacity to clean the Blood and the Blood being the kind of conduit that Blood and Qi are intimately related and the Heart circulating the Blood. Tahnee: (30:55) So there's this real strong relationship between what we see the Liver function expressing as and also the other harmonious aspects of the human being. And so the energy or the emotional aspects when we are out of balance with our Liver is we're going to be frustrated. PMS is just such a classic example. It's intimately related to the Liver. It's this increase in histamine in the body for a lot of women, which creates heat and irritation and frustration. And histamine being, if you think about, well, that's a Liver, what's the word, hormone, and it's sort of irritating and it's flowing through and it's creating this excess heat. And so then we get frustration, irritability, crankiness, these kind of classic PMS symptoms. And then you're going to get also the inflammation and swelling that comes with that, which again, is all part of this overactivity and over Yang activity of the Liver of theW ood energy in the body. And so one of the things we try and do is we try and preserve our Yin throughout our cycle so that when we hit that week or two before our period, we're not depleted and so we're not running hot. We've got enough water in the tank, water in the Blood to keep the Blood cool. And like Mase was saying before, enough suppleness and flexibility to yield to the changes of our cycle as well. And you see that a lot with menopause too, with the hot flushes and women's getting overheated and that's just the body's lost the ability to regulate and that's because we've spent our lifetime depleting that Yin Essence of the body. Tahnee: (32:36) And if you're listening to this and you're menopausing, well, frigging great. It's too late now, for sure. But it's just I think sometimes interesting to reflect on what we learn, because I've cooked myself a thousand times and it's been a really good teacher for me to learn okay, well, that's what happens if I push it too hard. My next period is bad, I end up having symptoms in inverted commas of PMS that I don't normally get. So then I know that those were decisions or lifestyle choices I made this month that have affected that. Mason: (33:07) Talking about getting yourself cooked, as you said, the Liver sometimes needs to make hard decisions. So first of all, we enter into this Liver season. I've really recognised that because I normally burst in, I fall for the spring trap and I burst out and I really like that this is... I'm a creative, so it's my time. It's like a balm for me coming in with patience. If I can come in with a little bit of patience to the Liver season, what I've realised is we want the spirit to be happy and we want the emperor to be happy. And the Liver does, but if you want to be good leader, you don't just say yes all the time to everything. And this is where it starts. Maybe if you haven't rested properly in Winter, you're not going to have the best opportunity. But if you can come in with patience... Well, say you don't have patience and you come in and you just go I just got all this vision, I'm not bagging out the idea of having your cake and eat it too, but you're going to need patience if you want to do that. And you also want to know how richly you want to go into different sectors of life. Do you want it all, all these four things and four career paths, or do you want to just do two in a way that you can go really down, dig down deep down the well and get that richness? And so when you get to the Liver time, if you have a bit of patience, this is where you can prevent yourself going down, I find for me anyway, the time when you can really start looking down the barrel of your life as you plan and you're practical, how many times am I going to cook myself? Mason: (34:54) Right? If I keep on going down the route of in my vision I'm this, and I've got this, and I've got that, then you can start making really big decisions about saying, "Look, I know my spirit would really love doing this right now, but I'm just going to have to possibly shelve that." We've been having these conversations. It's a really hard one for me because I want everything yesterday. And what I'm realising is that it's a big process for me. Mason: (35:28) If I'm all of a sudden something that was always in the plan, whether it came up subconsciously, whether I'd consciously decided that was my spirit, my career path, or the kind of expectation I had on myself, or whatever it is, I get to this point in Spring at the moment that I realised if I continue to have this expectation on myself and if I continue to tick off all these aspects of who I am as a professional, or as a person, I'm thinking about the pressure that I had on myself as being a health educator and someone also studying Chinese medicine and then also running the company and just all the things, it's at this season where I start going, "I'm going to start letting go of that now consciously. I can't give that to the Heart right now, but this is going to mean I'm going to be able to double down and really start manifesting some solid shit in my life if I just pick two, a couple of really core parts." Mason: (36:29) I feel for me the opportunity to really mourn the letting go. It's going to come up, it's the tag team between Spring and Autumn, that if you can make those practical decisions of your life path right now. In a business sense, it's like for me, I choose for something to happen in four years rather than one year, or vice versa, whatever it is, I can just make that decision consciously and then know when I get around to the Autumn time, I'm going to have the opportunity to really mourn that part of my identity or that part of that aspiration that I'd had and was possibly a little bit juvenile. And I've decided to chop that off. You chop it off in Spring and drop it, and then as it gets down to it, it starts really breaking down over Summer and then creating nourishment for yourself in the soils as you get through late Summer and then Autumn. It's been a real huge realisation for me. Tahnee: (37:40) I think it's tricky because these energies are in us all the time, so you might grieve in the middle of springtime and that's fine. There's a stronger pull toward this type of energy. And I think as we create a vision for ourselves, by nature, we have to let go of some things. You don't go to the desert and there's a rainforest in the middle of it. It's just the desert is the desert and the rainforest is the rainforest and nature is smart like that. It knows what to leave out and it knows what to bring in. And I think as we become more natural in our living and our thinking, we then start to see well, it's actually not my Dharma or my Heart's vision really to see this through. That's a pressure I've put on myself from outside. I think when you look at the Liver in its worst expression, it's type A, it's controlling, it wants everything done yesterday. It's full on- Mason: (38:48) It's angry. Tahnee: (38:49) Angry. It's irritable, it's frustrated. It's can't understand why things haven't happened. It's up and out, up and out, up and out. And that's not ideal and that's why the yielding in aspect of it is so important in that we can soft- Tahnee: (39:03) That's why the yielding in aspect of it is so important in that we can softly adapt while holding the vision, but I think also like if you think about the body, it's the tendons and the ligaments of the body, that it's kind of governed by the Liver energy and the eyes, and you think about what the eyes do or how we see, right? They're our vision and you think about the third eye and yes, we've got our day to day eyes, but we've also got this eye that can access to our spirit and that's what the Liver does as well as it's the home of our spiritual vision, really the Hun kind of the aspect of us that's from heaven and while we sleep, but that little guy dances off into the kind of heavens and dreams for us and has those adventures in the astral realms and then comes home to land ready for that expression in the light of day. Tahnee: (39:54) And I think that's something that's really kind of important to remember is that Liver energy and that reaching for the stars is an aspect of what this season is really all about. It's about dreaming really big, but then yeah, there's an element of reality to what we can really pull forth and what we've, with the resources we have. And again, that's why the general is an excellent analogy because he can't go to war against an army of 10 million. If he's got 10,000, he has to be sneaky. So he has to plan a Ninja attack or something. Anyways there's so many great stories through history of people, who've been incredibly creative and visionary and how they've tackled problems and projects. And they've done the impossible with their dreaming. And that would be an example of strong Liver energy. Tahnee: (40:41) And you can see it in people's bodies. You can see those people that are wound up tight that looked like they were about to snap and that would be someone whose Liver Qi's really unbalanced and really Yang and kind of could do with a bit of softening. Mason: (40:54) And at the same time, as you get the Qi flowing through the Liver, if you can honour and respect the energy within yourself, if you start getting onto those Liver herbs and Liver foods that you've got, if there's a little post, we can on SuperFeast a little shopping list, you get onto the dark leafy greens and the beetroots and black sesames and fatty fish and oatmeal and chives, daikon, it's time for garlic and lots of berries, liquid chlorophyll, artichokes, radishes, cucumbers, cruciferous veggies, eating Liver if you're that way inclined. If you you move into that more cleansing energy, you're cleansing the Blood, therefore you're cleansing the skin. You're not having these big, these rashy breakouts. If you do all these things, then all of a sudden the spirit of the Liver, the Hun can come out and express itself. Mason: (41:59) It's not frustrated, the Liver Qi is not flowing and not respected. Then you're going to get dysfunctions. You're going to get on one side angry and frustrated, that can become a timidness, right? And so you're just timid and you've lost what the expression of the will of the spirit, as it runs through the Liver is which is an aspiring energy. You're aspiring for something more, you're aspiring to create. And you've got audaciousness in the way that you do it. Is this something like the way that Rhonda was explaining it that really had the penny drop for me and because I know I've kind of talked about it in a little bit of like a getting back on track, kind of like a redirecting your energy into a more of a holistic Liver Qi energy, which can seem like it's kind of taking a step back and being quite practical. Mason: (42:50) But once you have amalgamated that upright, confident, very pragmatic and plan-having general with this big creative vision-having beautiful artistry, artist self inside of you, all of a sudden, they kind of can mix into one. As we know, Yin and Yang do emerge into one and you can't separate them. They're just in a constant flow between them. All of a sudden this audaciousness of your spirit can begin to emerge and you can continue to aspire in a way that's practical and linked in with all the other organs. Your Liver is not running off and going, "Right. I'm going to take this show from now." And forgets that it's going to have to work with all its friends. Tahnee: (43:40) Yeah. And so that's where herbs can play a role, I think, in integrating that energy and harmonising it in the body and creating that space. And we've talked about Schizandra which not only works on the Liver, but works on all of the organ systems. So I love Schizandra in seasonal transition times. And not just in springtime, but it's especially relevant in springtime the yin Liver herbs that Mase spoke about, the Beauty Blend, especially being the kind of personification of that. But also just like a lot of Western herbs, milk thistle, dandelion, burdock, you can look through most health food stores and naturopaths these days have little Liver supporting tinctures and things you can explore. I'm personally I'm a big fan of dandelion and milk thistle occasionally, but really like Schizandra, I think it works so well for my constitution, but yeah. It's a fun, little kind of exploration of what really supports me in this time. Tahnee: (44:45) And some of those foods Mase was talking about, if you think about liquid chlorophyll is such a cleansing and cooling food, but also really providing that kind of nutrition for the Blood and when we end up with things like Blood deficiencies and stuff, we just put extra stress on the Liver. We put too much strain on, and that's why really high fat diets, especially lots of saturated fats can be deleterious to the Liver. Again, I know lots of people are into those kind of keto diets these days, but from a kind of a Daoist perspective, not contraindicated necessarily, but just again, if it's a time when the Liver is already strained, fat is what bile needs. Bile needs, I'm sorry, fat needs bile to process it. So that can put a lot of strain on the body to produce extra bile and to make sure that that's being digested. Tahnee: (45:39) So there's kind of always little nuances to each person's requirements and needs and constitutional needs, but dietary fibre is super important because the bile is one of the ways the body gets rid of a lot of toxicity. And if your body is recycling the bile at the duodenum, which can be really good if you don't have a lot of toxicity in your body, but if you're doing something like a heavy metal detox or any kind of big cleanse, you really want to make sure you have a lot of fibre at that stage, because that's where if you have enough fibre, it will sweep past the duodenum and kind of get that bile down into the colon and excrete it out of the body. Otherwise it's going to sort of be recycled into the body and it's going to take a lot of those fat-soluble kind of toxins back into the bloodstream. So, just remembering that it's probably a good time of year to stay high in the fibres and not just be too much, I guess. In a high, fat low fibre diet. So yeah, any other insights? Mason: (46:44) I think so. I think you've also just covered on there that there might be a time perhaps Winter might be a time where you're really enjoying a little bit of a high fat period. With any diet, remember a dogmatic stance is going to be something, an ideological stance is something that will eventually, most likely take you out of a seasonal rhythm. So just remember the seasons are a really good way because it's constantly changing every year and it's a constant opportunity for you to tune in to your body and your value system and the reality of what's available. And remember that a part of... It's tempting as a part of this huge global colony is to constantly just forget that we're in the place of we've just got this ultimate choice and then therefore people are looking for what's right. Mason: (47:37) Therefore the choice that we make, we want to be right all the time. And it's just generally not going to happen. If you get out of a colonial civilised stagnant way of living, that tries to cut nature out of everything and you step right back into the seasons, it's going to consistently challenge, especially the ratio of calories that you're taking. So it's definitely a good opportunity, I think, to challenge any of that high-fat ketogenic kind of tone that you have there and even if it's just, I'm not saying it's right to get off keto, but just have a look. Have a look at what the potential benefits are of looking elsewhere. Mason: (48:17) And likewise, if someone's absolutely shit scared of fat, it's your opportunity at different times of seasons to start challenging that, where that information has come from and the keto one, you can start looking at the data there is on what the types of, I think you can go back to the episode that I did with that bacterial balance with Dan Sipple and you can start getting a few reasons of what the impact of excess fat is doing and the growth of particular bacterial species in excess that then go and create incredible amounts of inflammation. Mason: (48:51) Then loosening up at the of the gut wall junctures and leads to leaky gut, so on and so forth. So yeah, I'm kind of like, it's a nice, Mediterranean diet kind of time as well I find in Spring, lots of fibre, lots of colours. There's lots of variety and, yeah. Meats, some meats on the side, bean and legumes on the side and just do a lot of, yeah, and can get that cleanse on. Tahnee: (49:18) Great. Well, yeah. Thanks everyone. And go spring into Spring. Mason: (49:23) See you next time-
How do you dose? Mason discusses where to start, right to the extremes of dosing your herbs and everywhere in between. Resources: SuperFeast Tonic Herbs Adaptogens, Mushrooms & Blends Support your adaptability 100% herbs only No nasty fillers/additives Immune tonics Increase your resilience Tell all your friends and family and share online! Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn - @superfeast
Ian Ferguson from Jaiya Inc. joins Mason today for a juicy chat about relationships, intimacy and sexuality. Ian works with his partner Jaiya to empower people to own their desires and express their true sexual nature. Ian believes an individual's relationship to their sexuality reveals how they live every aspect of their life. Tune in for a truly fascinating and grounded chat about the things many of us don't often address let alone talk about! "having sex is natural, but making love is an art." - Ian Ferguson Mason and Ian explore: The challenges couple's face postpartum, how having a child can interfere with intimacy and sex drive and what to do about it. The erotic language of arousal, discovering what turns you and your partner on and learning how to communicate it. The limerence period. The lack of communication and awareness around sexuality in general. The five sexual blueprint types - the energetic, the sensual, the sexual, the kinky, and the shapeshifter. The Erotic Breakthrough Course; how to embody, heal and expand your sexual blueprint type. Sexuality as a common thread amongst us all - "Where did we all come from... We all came from sex." Ian Ferguson Who is Ian Ferguso ? The consummate Renaissance Man and a lifelong student of Human Potential, Ian Ferguson has been featured on Good Morning America, Anderson Live, VH1, and in Details magazine. From his youth as tap dance king of Ohio to directing and performing in Off-Broadway theatre in New York; from building a seven-figure design business serving celebrity clients like Drew Barrymore, Ashton Kutcher and Michelle Pfieffer to co-creating Jaiya Inc., an international company with the mission of uplifting sexuality as something to be openly and honestly discussed, celebrated and enjoyed, Ian has been driven by his desire to create a world with freedom of expression for all, a world where people are more connected to the truth of their bodies and each other through authentic, honest communication, and love. In 2007, Ian partnered with Jaiya, an internationally recognized, award-winning sexologist and best-selling author to co-found Jaiya, Inc., spreading the word about Jaiya’s revolutionary framework, the Erotic Blueprint Breakthrough™, designed to radically transform how we talk about and experience sex. Resources: Ian's Website Erotic Breakthrough Quiz Ian's Facebook Youtube Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or check us out on Stitcher :)! Plus we're on Spotify! Check Out The Transcript Here: Mason: (00:00) Ian, thanks so much for being on with me, man. Ian Ferguson: (00:02) I'm excited. This is good. Good thing we have a bit of an Australian crew down there from some other podcasters, we've got some coaches down in Australia. Mason: (00:12) Cool. Ian Ferguson: (00:12) So the people who know the work that we're up to, it's the U.S., Canada and Australia is third on the list of the most people who have taken our quiz and dropped into what we're up to. Mason: (00:24) Yeah, I can imagine. It's interesting because Jaiya, your partner... And it's been interesting because I didn't realise when I heard about her back when that you were working side by side, or just how intimately your working and partnering side by side, which is cool because I want to ask a couple of questions in terms of working together that intimately because Tahnee and I, I feel like we do a really good job. Tahnee's the GM of SuperFeast and we're working like every day. You've got a kid as well. How old is your... Ian Ferguson: (00:57) 10. Mason: (01:00) Wow, you've got a proper child, not just a three-year-old wobbly child. Ian Ferguson: (01:06) You're in a three year old zone? Mason: (01:09) I'm in it. I'm bloody in it, man. Ian Ferguson: (01:12) Well you're, you're starting to hit that place where it's... Well, in my experience it started to get a little bit easier. The first two years? Whew. Mason: (01:21) Yeah, it's going like in both directions. It's a tonne of fun. It's really getting interesting and it's wild having all these conversations, but no, I don't doubt that there's a lot of people following both of your guys' work and like a lot of Jaiya's work, which is, we're realising now, is a lot of your work as well, which is fun. Ian Ferguson: (01:44) Right. I didn't really start taking on more of the front face role until about five years ago. I partnered with Jaiya just romantically and was supporting the work in some ways financially, producing some of the film work, and also being a test subject because everything that we talk about is stuff that has either played a really fundamental role in our life, in terms of improving our sex life and our connection. After our child was born, we had a major crash in our relationship. We had about a year and a half of the blissful limerence stage, we're in love just can't keep our hands off of each other, all the passion is alive. We had a child, the economy crashed and I moved from a place that I had become really entrenched into, into this cohabiting domestic lifestyle. Ian Ferguson: (02:41) From stress and just total hormone imbalance I crashed, my libido tanked, my confidence in the relationship started tanking. Jaiya is a sex educator, our sex life falls off the map from going from like 100% down to 10%. So she's a sex ed educator, has all the sex techniques in the world at our disposal and we can't figure it out, like many couples who are in that situation of either just that period after you've been really deeply connected and all of a sudden it's not working the same or these big life circumstances come up and it's all different. Ian Ferguson: (03:17) So we had a three year period where we were deeply, deeply struggling and in that period and our commitment to each other, we just started to really reconfigure how we were relating to each other because it wasn't working. So we went through an intense experimentation stage and that's where I really started to get much more deeply invested in the work because I saw the turnaround in our relationship and I'd always wanted to dive more deeply into the work of helping people live their fully expressed lives, feeling fully alive, and it just seemed like a complete perfect dovetail and a new transition for me. So three, four years into the relationship, I really took a deep dive into it. Then the last five years I've been basically just on the front lines with her in terms of everything from teaching, enhancing the models and frameworks that we're working with, and then building our coach community and just getting the word out there. Mason: (04:20) And going through those three years to get there and sticking it out obviously then... Because that's all with like you know, when you're going through something, when you're really going through it and you're like you're kinda like... It's like, "All right, cool." A lot of people just don't hold on or a lot of people just won't go deeper in order to find their way out of that maze. Obviously for you guys that period would have created a knowing and loving of each other that's allowed you to work together I assume, but was it so... So was it... Because you're not running off endorphins anymore, you've got a child in the house. I was talking to Tahnee about how she heard Jaiya's, like a bit of her postpartum, what was going on, like having a tear and needing the internal massage, which Tahnee asked me to ask you if there are any details on that, because we've got a lot of mumma's that tune into the podcast who might be interested on that level. Mason: (05:15) So maybe we should stop there and just talk about that, but what I was just wanting to know is was it that experimentation and looking in for different shades that you could bring into the relationship? Was it trying to get to know yourself and then you couldn't just take for granted that, "Oh yeah, I know myself on more of a surface level and that's enough," but "Holy shit, if I'm going to have this deep a relationship and this new life that's seemingly domestic... As you say, which seems like there's shackles, which it's just an external thing to rebel against. It's nothing... You don't really know yourself and know what you want it's not going to be that satisfying. Mason: (05:56) So I just want know more of the details of postpartum and for you as well, what you went through during that time to really keep you bolstered and then coming out of it, was it that that experimentation and really getting to know yourself that led the way? Ian Ferguson: (06:12) So there was the perfect confluence of events, working both angles here. One was the perfect confluence of events that was leading us down the dark tunnel, which was at the edge of us separating our relationship and figuring out how to co-parent as separately and then riding and in tandem with that was our dedication also to, "That's not how we want things to go. We know we love each other. It's just the passion is not there, the connection has dropped off," and being committed to figuring out how to reinvigorate that and along that line, Jaiya in her work as a sexological body worker and at that point, being fully in this work for over 12 years working with thousands of clients, she started to recognise the patterns in people's sexuality where she would be working with one client and she would get turn-on with a certain kind of technique or a certain kind of approach to their arousal or the way that they could drop in with someone. Ian Ferguson: (07:19) Then she would use that same technique on another person and it'd just be a flat line, there'd be nothing. This is where the Erotic Blueprints really started to crystallize for her and start to download. So he started to see these patterns and then she started to experiment in her client sessions with these ways of approaching people in the arousal patterns and the sexuality and their ways of bonding with someone else, and it started to crystallize and form into the framework that has now become the Erotic Blueprints. Part of the experimentation that I talk about, it was us experimenting in our own sex life with each other, and what we discovered, and I'm sure we can drop into the blueprints and really dial that in for your audience of what the hell I'm talking about, but it's basically your erotic language of arousal. Ian Ferguson: (08:11) Once you understand what you're turned on by, how you're turned on and what you're not turned on by and what turns you off, then you start to be able to have this language of articulation, of being able to share with your partner and know. What we discovered was, at the time, Jaiya was primarily sexual, partially because that was very front and center in her biochemical makeup, in her desire pattern was her sexual blueprint and secondary was energetic. So sexual, she was craving sex, was starving for sex. My libido had tanked on a biochemical front, testosterone was down, we were doing co-sleeping with our child, which was also boosting oxytocin and bonding chemical, which is just like bonding but not sex drive and sexual, as we discovered later, was basically zero on my blueprint map. So she's a sexual energetic, I'm a sensual kinky. Ian Ferguson: (09:13) So she was coming to bed at night and she was grabbing my crotch and she was trying to seduce me by going and taking strip classes and coming home and getting in a g-string and doing sexual moves in front of me and trying to get me turned on that way. At one point that's exactly what she did, and my comment to her was, "You don't need to do that. That's so obvious," and that was not the right thing to say, and it spoke to a truth for me, which at the time that was not something that was going to get to my arousal. I was coming to bed at night and I would slide up next to her and I would start to cuddle and want to relax and have this transition moment and then discover what unfolded in our eroticism through that connection and bonding. Ian Ferguson: (10:03) When I came in and cuddled with her, she was like, "Oh great, another night we're going to roll over, we're going to go to sleep. I'm not going to get laid tonight." So she's just like moving into depression, rolling over, crying herself to sleep. I want to connect. I want to have that kind of intimacy with her. I had already been married once and our sex life was one of the fail points in that relationship. So I started to spin and go into like, "Okay, here we go again. I don't know what to do. I don't have the confidence to step up and be present with my partner in a way that's going to satisfy her." So it was like Jaiya was speaking American English and I'm over here trying to speak French, and we think because we speak this different language that, "Oh, we must not be in love with each other." Ian Ferguson: (10:54) Once we started to discover the blueprints, then we can start to actually communicate to each other in the way that the other was going to be turned on. That's when the deeper experimentation in our own relationship started to move into our own expansion of, "Okay, how can I expand and meet my partner in her sexual and her energetic approach to sexuality and how can she start to discover more about the sensual and the kinky approach to sex?" That's where that started to come together. The whole piece around the vaginal tear and the biochemistry end, we can talk about that in a minute, but that's where the blueprints started to take formation. Mason: (11:33) What's it's really interesting in that there's this obviousness, in say, in certain instances where someone just wants on, and the other is feeling like they need a little bit more, like they need some cuddling and then going in many different directions. However, it's so blatantly obvious to you a lot of the time, which is one of the... When it's happened to me I know that Tahnee would want something else and I'd theoretically know how to approach it, but just have this block of languaging and just couldn't do it, which it feels sadistic in the sense of like, "Who am I? I know that I need to just approach it in a little bit of a different way. Why aren't I doing it? Why can't I do it?" There's that huge block. Mason: (12:27) The blueprints I actually heard about probably about five years ago when Tahns and I were first starting out and we'd just have these conversations. Obviously, just early on in the relationship it's just like, "Oh that's interesting, and that's interesting." It's not like.. There wasn't too much on the line then because it was just flowing up, moving into when there is a child in the mix, all of a sudden, I think what becomes really highlighted, as you said, is like jewel blueprints that come up, which is something that happens in relationships, just like, "Hang on, you are super sexual and now you need something else, like energetic. What is that?" and there's no... All of a sudden it's like, "Why aren't you the same," and, "What's wrong with me? What's happened here?" Mason: (13:16) So that's one thing I really, really, like it's always stuck with me about the blueprints and I've got to get in again and take the... Is it a quiz because we got a [inaudible 00:13:29] book. Ian Ferguson: (13:29) There's an assessment. There's a full assessment. So you take the quiz and then the quiz kicks out what type you are. It also gives you a rating of percentages. So it's not just your primary because you use secondary, tertiary, your quaternary, I don't know what that is, and your fifth because there's five of them all together. Mason: (13:46) I've had a bunch of friends really sing its praises and I dialed in. Without doing the quiz I just dialed into knowing myself because I always have a hard time doing quizzes and things. Even though there's no problem like, "Don't label me," I'm always worried that I'll change my mind and that it won't get reflected in the quiz results. Mason: (14:06) Anyway, it's kind of... I've known a bunch of people who are grounded and know their shit who have really just... it's made for a really good talking point and understanding of themselves. Therefore a way to communicate with their lovers. Ian Ferguson: (14:20) For sure. There's several threads coming up from me as we talk about just this, the context here. One is the piece of new to relationship, most people revert to the sexual way of relating. You're in that limerence phase, there's all this turn on, your hormones are pumping and we revert to sexual. So then we abandoned or just forget about those aspects of our sexuality, which may actually be more our primary drivers. Ian Ferguson: (14:50) So as the limerence period, which is that first flush of romance zone, which lasts six months to two years fades, it's just like what most of us do in so many other aspects of entering into a romantic relationship. Let's say you're the type who was going to yoga five times a week and you have your dance thing on Thursday nights and you hang out with your buddies on Saturdays. You're now in your relationship and a lot of time and dedication and focus goes into this new romance, you drop away, maybe you get to yoga once a week and you hang out with your buddies every four weeks and all these elements that were really nurturing to you start to drop away. Then six months, two years in, you start to go, "Well wait, where am I in this relationship?" Ian Ferguson: (15:38) So we've set up this expectation with each other that this is how it is. We're sexual, we get together all the time, we're spending all of our time together, and then the satisfaction of that, the intimacy gets too close and then it becomes the sort of like sense of a trap. That's where starting to utilize the language of the blueprints gives you the empowerment and the language to bridge the gap. Ian Ferguson: (16:02) So the other aspect of this, which the thread that popped to me when you're talking about your progression in your relationship is this problem with sexuality in general, which is people don't talk about it. Like we do to some degree in our intimate relationships. I know people, because of our clients, who have been in relationship for 20 years and they never talked about sex. It's supposed to be automatic, it's supposed to be natural. Yes, it's natural. So having sex is natural, but making love is an art. Ian Ferguson: (16:35) So being able to articulate how you make love gets into all the fine detail of what pencil you're using or brush you're using or the type of paint or the way you're mixing the colors together, and you don't have the facility in any Western culture that I'm aware of where you're given a deep language of how to express and articulate needs, desires, hopes, wishes, turn-ons, turn-offs in a way that is rich and actually truly descriptive and or not triggering. Ian Ferguson: (17:13) So if I'm a sexual and I'm used to speaking overtly sexually about how I like my partner's breasts and her ass and my language, that's the limit of my language, and then my partner turns out to be an energetic sensual or kinky and that's my language, it's very likely just to shut that person's system down and just cut, cut off the communication. Mason: (17:42) Well, I relate exactly to that scenario and at times obviously it changes, and that's where I think it's going to be, I'd like to jump in a little bit more in and do some of the blueprints because it's like, "All right, great, we know that at times your energetic and what that means. However, I'm over here sexual," because I feel like that's like the quagmire. Mason: (18:06) That's why I love how thoroughly you and Jaiya are going through this. It's not just like, "Here's your sexual blueprint. Now have fun everyone." It's like, "Well now what? I've got my needs over here, saying I'm feeling really sexual and you've got your needs. I just want to pull some hair and go for it and you need to energetically feel me." It's like how do we bridge that? So is it as simple, in your approach, is it just like, "Let's communicate. Let's talk about our needs?" Ian Ferguson: (18:49) So the blueprints are the introduction to a pretty broad framework. It that has the blueprints, it has your stages of sexuality and it also has the four pathways or blocks to sexual health and vitality. So there's an ecosystem that's working here and just like anything that is really rewarding, it's a 360 degree panoramic, full spectrum look at who we are and to add another complexity, our sexuality is shifting. You're without a kid, without your domestic needs and all those things weighing on you, your sexuality may be in a very different place than when you've got a newborn and you're dealing with all of the things that come up there or aging or an accident or a breakup in a relationship. There's so many things that can affect our stage of sexuality. Ian Ferguson: (19:54) One of the routes to this, to you, anybody listening, is a willingness, right? So if there's a willingness to start to get into the other person's world, then there's a deep hope that you can really start to expand into that person's blueprint and feel it and understand it. So it's the ability, more than communication, to get to this empathetic convergence where you can really start to, even if it's not your turn-on, you can start to feel the person's turn-on through that approach and give spaciousness to it. I feel like it'd probably be better for everybody listening for us to dive into just articulating what the blueprints are at this point a little bit. Mason: (20:42) Yeah, it sounds good. Ian Ferguson: (20:43) Great. So there's five blueprint types. There's the energetic, the sensual, the sexual, the kinky, and the shapeshifter. Ian Ferguson: (20:52) The energetic really thrives and tends to get turned on by anticipation and tease and distance. They tend to also look at sexuality in more of a spiritual or transcendent way of connecting with another person. So those are some of the positives and the superpowers of the energetic. They could orgasm by not being even touched, by me standing across the room from Jaiya 20 feet away, I can play with her energetically and she can start moving into orgasmic experience. Really a mind bender for somebody who's not energetic, "What's going on? I don't even know how to relate to that." So those are the superpowers of the energetic and the shadow of the energetic can be too much closeness, too fast, can completely shut the energetic down. So you move into the collapsing of the space ends their arousal. The anticipation of the kiss of like I'm inches away and we're holding that space is where the juice is, and then when I move in for the kiss, perhaps an energetic might be like, "Oh, fuck. It all just went away." Ian Ferguson: (22:12) This is a generality, not always true, but often an energetic can have a history with sexual trauma and that is where that collapse of space and where that breaking of the boundary is the thing that shuts down their sexuality. An energetic may also give over their boundaries too quickly. They may have very little sense of their own container and what they need. So they'll acquiesce to their lover and that will just reinforce their shutdown and their lack of boundary and they'll do this because they're so energetically connected to their lover that if they disappoint them, they'll feel that disappointment deeply. So that can be some of the things that can be challenging for the energetic type. Ian Ferguson: (23:00) Essential type. Mason: (23:01) Makes sense. Ian Ferguson: (23:03) Yeah, and if you have any questions about it, just interrupt me. Mason: (23:06) No, like it's so on. Honestly I know it's just on point. Anyway... Ian Ferguson: (23:14) Perfect, and the thing about when people hear about the energetic, we get a lot of commentary is like, "Oh my god, I didn't even know this existed. I've been feeling broken, wrong, like I don't even know who I am," their entire life and then they hear this spoken and they're like, "Oh my god, that's me. I had no idea." Mason: (23:33) That's so full on. We haven't really brought it up, but a huge context of just us having this conversation is seeing within the flow of your life, seeing your libido in a level where you can be like almost, I don't know, yourself, proud of yourself. The libido is who you are and your sexuality as a part of who you are. We go into that conversation with the herbs consistently. That's why, when you want to have conversations like these, to see like how do we actually... Yes, you've got like good herbs in like the Jing herbs in there, but that's just starting or just helping something along, but this, it's quite often a... And that was what it was like for me, the biggest penny dropping. I haven't really gone and done my blueprint yet. Mason: (24:26) I feel like I've been, I don't know, a little bit apprehensive, it's probably... And to know myself but I don't feel that at all anymore in that area. I'm really, really happy to go there, but just in that nature of that energetic, that existing and that possibly that could come forth rather than another blueprint could come forward, this is very game changing stuff. This is what I like. As you said, and then that leads to you being able to have a smooth lifestyle where libido can actually flourish rather than trying to like, "If I take his herb, I'll have a libido. If I get rid of my estrogen dominance, then I'll have libido." It's like that's going to get so far, but you need a dialogue going forth, right? Ian Ferguson: (25:07) For sure. Yeah. Yeah. My mind starts to go off into all the places I could go on that, on a tangent. Mason: (25:14) I know and then I'm taking you off course. Let's stop with a distracted, we'll go back to the blueprint. Ian Ferguson: (25:19) Cool, and out of that I think we'll be able to touch on some of the things that you're addressing there. So the sensual blueprint, they bring the artistry to sexuality. Their sensual is all about the senses being ignited. So sensual could have a strawberry and eat that strawberry and go into orgasmic states. Sensual is the kind of person when they're eating, you just hear them like, "Hmm, Oh." They like the textures of the clothes, they need the environment to be really dialed in for their system to relax and for them to open. So a sensual type needs the... We talked about an energetic already. So the sensual type typically needs to relax to open to their sexuality. So they can get down regulated and then they can connect. Superpowers of the sensual is they can have full body orgasms, like when they're in their body, they're connected fully. Ian Ferguson: (26:19) The challenges or the shadows for the sensual are when the environment or the atmosphere is off, music is too loud, the lights aren't right, they've got the interior brain chatter of, "Oh my god, I didn't return that call. There's a sock on the floor. Oh, that means I got to do the laundry. I got to do this thing." So the disconnect goes into the brain and completely disassociating from their environment. Smells, in terms of receiving from a lover and they can be like, "Oh, they're down there so long, their neck must be getting uncomfortable. Do I smell down there? I don't know if bathed." So they just get lost in all of that minutia and then they can't connect and they can't drop in. Mason: (27:01) It's one obvious shadow for sensual, for me anyway, in thinking about it. That's super interesting. Ian Ferguson: (27:10) It's not an obvious shadow. Mason: (27:11) No, not for me, not in my perspective on that. I'm like, "Oh wow." I just like, "Yeah," but it makes sense that it's like that, "Brrr," chatter is in stark contrast from the sensuality. I guess it's like the balancing act of that blueprint. Ian Ferguson: (27:26) For sure. Mason: (27:27) So it makes sense on that level. Ian Ferguson: (27:29) Yeah, and then a comparative between energetic and sensual would be the type of touch that they enjoy. I know some people may be watching this and some people may be listening, so the energetic, again in that spaciousness, they can feel those energies off the body. So the hairs on the skin, the very edge of the fascia, just like that outer layer of the epidermis, that can be a total turn on with very light and very slow touch. They can feel that energy six inches, 20 feet away. For the sensual, the touch tends to be contouring, more like massage into the tissue. Also still slow and really feeling, feeling everything deeply, but much more physically connected. So the sensual really likes to collapse that space, get into the cuddling and the nuzzling and the deep connection. Mason: (28:24) All right, yeah. Ian Ferguson: (28:27) All making sense is it? Mason: (28:28) Yeah, it's definitely crystal when can... Hey, I just started thinking because I'm an overthinker, so it's just got me thinking as well. Ian Ferguson: (28:39) Cool. Then the sexual is what the Western stereotype is about sex and sexuality. They love genitals, they love nudity, they love getting right to business. Sexual superpowers, they can go from zero to 60 in one second flat. It's just like, "Oh we're on, this is sex, we're going to have an orgasm." They want everybody who's involved in the situation typically to have an orgasm, that means success, "We've had a sexual encounter I've had an orgasm, we're good." In opposition to like the sensual, the sexual needs to have sex to relax. Sex is like life itself. If I'm not having sex, I'm not living, I'm don't feel fulfilled. Ian Ferguson: (29:26) The sexual who's really sexually fulfilled tends to feel really empowered in work, really feels bold and emboldened and seen. They really need to be seen for their eroticism and accepted for their high libido, for their high desire to just have sex to feel accepted, to feel wanted. So those are superpowers for the sexual and they bring the fun to sex. Like there's not all the story, there's not all the busy work, there's not all the confusion. It doesn't matter if the lights are too bright or the music is, "We're going to fuck, this is good." So they're just like all in. Mason: (29:59) And that's super like it's perpetuated... Is it like in the West, teenage boys, that's like you click into the association of that because we've all got an element of these blueprints inside of us and so that either brings like you're a dominant alpha because that is where you thrive and that's just commonly like, "Well that's what sex is in the West." Then there's the other part of it, just like you're a male especially, , just from my perspective and you're energetic and those sensual aspects of yourself are not quite up there, that's very confusing, right? That's like, "Well, I'm just no good at sex." Ian Ferguson: (30:46) Right. Mason: (30:47) But then that's also what's present at the beginning of relationships, as you were saying, right, that sensual nature, it's a little bit easier for everyone to connect on that level because it's a common commentary on sex and then boom, all of a sudden things change. That must be one of the most common things I'm assuming, but that must be one of the most common things that occur, is a relationship six months in or a year in, and then all of a sudden you almost need to enter into a completely new relationship and it creates these hectic speed-bumps trying to just move past just that whole expectation and just be like, "Oh great. Yeah, cool. Let's do it as we always did, let's just fuck. What happened? Why don't we do that anymore?" Ian Ferguson: (31:27) "What happened. Why is it not working?" It's like driving blind, right? Again, back to that language piece, it's not something that people talk openly about, it's not something people... Usually our mentors are anything from our peers, parents, porn, religion, the mentorship that is available to anyone around this realm of sexuality is not only often full of shame and suppression, but sometimes it's downright full of misinformation. Mason: (32:02) Yeah. Ian Ferguson: (32:02) You're given some tools and you're given a hammer to do something that you need to accomplish with a screwdriver, and it's just because there hasn't been this open dialogue and even with people who have an open dialogue, they don't have the distinctions to really dive in to the full range of human sexuality. It even happens within the communities that congregate around sex and sexuality. Ian Ferguson: (32:28) So one of the things that I'm most proud of about what we offer in our community, in our courses, is this full range of sexual expression and acceptance. Nobody listening is broken, wrong in your sexuality. We walk around, many of us, feeling broken, wrong, unseen, ashamed of who we are and this creates more of this hiding, more of this separating and silo-ing and, "I'm just going to suffer here alone in my silence." And back to the community thing, it's like there are great tantra communities, there are great BDSM, kink communities, they're great swinger communities and they also tend to silo. They also tend to be like, "We're this type of person and we're going to hang and we don't understand the kink person over there." Ian Ferguson: (33:27) So what happens is the people who've got a kinky person and an energetic person, the energetics typically going to be more guided towards like a tantra community, the kink person's going to be walking into the tantra community and go like, "What is this weird stuff? I'm not into this. No turn on here from me." More disharmony within the relationship and the connection, the kinky is going to take the energetic to the kink environment and they're going to be horrified, likely full of judgment of like, "Wait, sex is supposed to be spiritual and connecting and slow and full of this energetic connection to God," and they're going to look at the kink community and think, "What are these people doing?" Ian Ferguson: (34:10) This is what happened with Jaiya and I. I haven't talked about kinky yet, but because of her tantra and energetic background, had really big misconceptions and judgments about the kink community. She had 15 years of being immersed in the tantra community. and sex was about enlightenment and spiritual connection, and this is another shadow of the energetic, where they can be judgmental or have a sense of superiority about their sexuality versus all the other types of sexuality. So that that can then cut them off from this wider expression and wider acceptance of all that's out there to play with. Ian Ferguson: (34:52) So the silo-ing of communities goes to reinforce this disconnection between people because they're not seeing, they're not having other people representing in their relationship, these other blueprint types. So that's one of the things I'm most proud about with our community is that we're speaking to everybody's sexuality under one roof, right? We all be all get to play. Mason: (35:17) And in a way that isn't... Because I think another common thread if you're just watching Western culture, like media and that kind of thing, the next flow is when it stagnates, "Let's go try something. Let's go out and try some kink. I want to.. I brought home a tantra book," or maybe it's like, "Okay, oh, we're going to go to a swingers party." It's a little bit shooting in the dark, which sometimes gets you there, but when you don't know about the thing that might tickle you in the right place, I really like that, "Well let's just... Those things are all well and good then let's go and do them. They're at our disposal," but you start a little bit closer to home and get a little bit of light on the situation so then you can make... You don't need to seek as much. Mason: (36:05) You can like know a little bit more. I really appreciate that because- Ian Ferguson: (36:09) Yeah, that's good. I like that too. Not throwing spaghetti at the wall, but yeah- Mason: (36:14) Because that's stressful. If you have a kid and you have a job and all these things and maybe a hobby or whatever it is, and your own health stuff going on, you don't have that much time. Maybe in early 20s it's just like, "Hey, cool, I'm going to go try this style of tantra. Then I'm going to do a bit of Taoist sexuality. I'm going to try this. I'll be poly.. Polyamorous for a little bit now." It's just like there's so much time and that's not realistic on a broad scale and you just said, as having these kinds of conversations, it doesn't really happen too much. Mason: (36:49) We have like the talk, the sexual talk, which I don't know if that happens. I think it's more of an American thing, like having the talk around sexuality, but we definitely are the same here in Australia. It's definitely an uncomfortable conversation, which is interesting to be like, what we're really uncomfortable with is exploring the fact that we have nuance because these blueprints are going to show, not just being relating to sexuality, right? It's just relating to different other aspects of ourselves that lead to our happiness and our ability to connect. What's so taboo about that? It's hard to admit that this is a new area for us. Ian Ferguson: (37:36) For sure. What we've found now that the blueprints have been out there and with a massively expanding community and more people being exposed to the blueprints, is people are finding that this stuff translates into all the aspects of their life, right? How they set their environment, how they relate to their kids, to the people in their workspace and gives them more empowerment, not just in sexuality, but to really own who they are and what they need to thrive any situation. So that's, that's an unintended consequence of this. Mason: (38:15) Happy accident. Ian Ferguson: (38:17) People who've talked about how they now get to understand their children better because they got one kid who's highly energetic and they've been forcing hugs on them for 10 years and they realise this and they go, "Oh my god, what have I done? I've been invading my child's boundaries and their sense of autonomy." Now they're able to create a relationship of respect and say, "Would you like a hug?" and when the kids says, "No," they say, "Great, thank you." And they've got the sensual kid who just really needs to be held and needs their room in a delicious, beautiful designs so that they really feel like they have their space. Ian Ferguson: (39:02) So they do translate all throughout the threads of life. Mason: (39:07) So good. Ian Ferguson: (39:07) Where were we? Mason: (39:08) On set rule? Ian Ferguson: (39:09) Yeah. Mason: (39:09) I think we're finishing the- Ian Ferguson: (39:10) The sexual. Mason: (39:11) Sexual, yeah. Ian Ferguson: (39:13) So the shadow sides of the sexual, one, especially if you're a vulva bodied person, can be the sense of shame because the typical is that the man is the sexual, that's the stereotype and that the penis body people are the sexual and they're overt about it and always driven by it and that the vulva bodied folks are more going to be sensuals or maybe energetics. So a sexual- Mason: (39:41) We need to think about penis bodied and vulva bodied? Ian Ferguson: (39:46) Yeah. Mason: (39:46) What do you mean by that? Ian Ferguson: (39:48) So we're taking genitals away from gender and we're taking genitals away from your sexual identification. Mason: (39:56) Yeah. Ian Ferguson: (39:57) So this is for anybody who's trans, bi, non-binary, there's I think... I get this number wrong frequently, but it's somewhere between 63 and 67 gender identifications currently out there. So one of the things also in our community that we're working to do is obviously make it open and accepting to the multitude of consensual relationship styles, your sexual identity and your gender identity. So that when I speak to the penis bodied, let's say there's a bisexual person who's got a penis, they identify as feminine in their energy, they don't really relate to being called a man, but maybe they're going non-binary, but I can speak to the genitals and I can speak to the stereotype that's usually associated with those genitals, right? Ian Ferguson: (40:55) So a person with a cock is going to be typically identified as male. They may not present as male or they may present as male, but identify as female or identify as a trans or whatever. Wherever you find yourself we are here to honor you in that place of self identification. So I choose to say penis bodied or vulva bodied simply to speak to the genitals and the stereotypes associated to them. Mason: (41:28) I didn't realise it was a literal penis bodied. I didn't realise that or if it was just like a body shape kind of thing. Anyway, I got it. I love it. So the shadow side of the sexual self... Ian Ferguson: (41:49) So for the vulva bodied, typically a highly sexual vulva bodied person will come up against being slut shamed. It's just not acceptable, right? So shame can be an aspect of it. Another version, which I didn't realise until about two and a half years ago when we were doing some of our own work around erotic personas, was the layers of sexual shame that I was dealing with. So for the vulva bodied and this thing of being overtly sexual can end up in a place of shame, slut-shaming, being shamed for their overt sexuality. On the opposite, I just realised about two and a half years ago, this was running for me, as a penis bodied person, I identified basically a cisgendered male, my is with my genitals, I had the good boy complex, right? Ian Ferguson: (42:49) So in relationship to women, if I presented my desire for them, that was me being a jerk. This is how I associated to it. I associated the guys who are the alpha male as dangerous, threatening. So there was a different layer of shame for me being a cock bodied person that then had me shut down those energies in myself and not be able to put them out in the world. So that's a really interesting growth edge for me, in how I relate to my sexuality and being able to, once I got a handle on this and I played with an erotic persona that was overtly sexual, I started to be able to re-own aspects of my sexuality and my sexual started to go up in my blueprint percentages. Mason: (43:40) Right. So you can see you're tuning in like on a yearly level and just seeing these alterations. It makes sense. You've got this garden of sexuality and you've got to start somewhere in watering some of the pioneer sexual plants for you and then that's going to help everything else grow. Ian Ferguson: (44:00) For sure. That's the zone we call expansion, and that's where you start to be able to get the turn-ons of your lovers or other blueprint types and actually integrate them. So you're not just doing something in service to somebody, but you actually can like tune in to that aspect of your sexuality. Mason: (44:20) Cool. Yeah, and that's a nice little caveat that I want to talk about, because that's what quite often what stops me, just I think more as an excuse rather than anything, is that I don't want to be pigeonholed. I don't want to completely go, "This is who I am and this is what I want to try," and then now realise, "Actually no, it's something else." I don't like being pegged down, but which is just a silly little bypass of... Ian Ferguson: (44:43) I think it's the common thing for people. An example and we'll talk about it next is the kinky blueprint. So I think a lot of people who will take the assessment, it's your mind answering the questions and the circumstance of the quiz. So you're reading these questions, there may be a lack of relatedness to say like the kinky frame or there may be some kind of subconscious shame running around, "Oh well, that's wrong," or, "I shouldn't be turned on by that," or, "That's strange and I'm not going to answer that question with my true response to it," or "I don't even know what that feels like in my body. Mason: (45:22) Yeah, right. Ian Ferguson: (45:24) "I've never tried it. So, nope, I don't know." So he first layer is doing the quiz, which is this mental exercise, but where the rubber really hits the road is in the body because these tools came out of somatic practices and it's of the body practices, so when we start to test them in the body, sometimes you get very different results than what comes forward in the quiz. Ian Ferguson: (45:53) So somebody who says they don't like spanking either never experienced it, they're ashamed to say it or write it on quiz, and then they get on the table or they start playing around with it with a lover and you do that slap to the inner thigh and they're like, "Ooh!" they just light up like, "Aww-grr!" That's exciting and sometimes unnerving for people because they're just like, "Wait, I don't want to be that kinky person," and yet their body says they're turned on by it. Mason: (46:24) Yeah. Ian Ferguson: (46:26) Then just one other piece on the shadow side of the sexual, which the sexual may never really be aware of, is that they are missing out. There's a lack of relatedness to all of the other turn-ons that are present. They'll get impatient with the sensual, they have no understanding of the energetic, the kinky is weird and, "Why do we need to do all of this strange thing with scenes and gear and psychological game play?" So they can be very myopically focused and this is a complaint for sexual lovers that we'll often hear from the lover of a sexual, is that they feel like they're a piece of meat. They're just being used for their partner's sexual gratification. Ian Ferguson: (47:21) The shadow aspect there is just in the ability to really relate with their partner and and see their partner. The other aspect there too is also the sexual wants to be seen for their libido, their eroticism, their turn on and accepted for that, and when they're not, they can sometimes collapse into a lack of confidence or indignance like, "Wait, we need to be having more sex and we're not and you don't love me," and that kind of spin can- Mason: (47:50) Spinning a good story. Ian Ferguson: (47:54) Spinning in the story. So kinky. This actually really is my personal fastest access to turn on, is the kinky realm. A lot of people have associated kinky with that has dungeons and leather and chains and the kink realm just sort of busts that myth. It includes that, but the kinky realm is a vast ocean of possibility of expression. Mason: (48:26) Did you support Jaiya to write a book about kink? Ian Ferguson: (48:30) Oh yeah. So we went deep, deep, deep into the kink realm. Mason: (48:33) Is this when 40 days, 40 days of submission? Ian Ferguson: (48:36) Yeah. Mason: (48:37) Yeah, I remember hearing that story from Jaiya. Okay. Yeah, maybe you could like... I think it's a good story if you want to share your perspective. Ian Ferguson: (48:47) For sure. So Jaiya has several books out on the market. The publisher did 40 Shades [inaudible 00:48:57] and kink was starting to come up in the cultural conversation. Mason: (49:01) Yeah, right. Ian Ferguson: (49:02) Funny enough, Jaiya, when she first formulated the blueprints, there was energetic, sensual, sexual and shapeshifter. Kinky didn't exist. This is how much she didn't have it on her radar as like, "Oh, that's a whole category for people's arousal." So the publishers came and said, "Hey, we really want to get you in on this wave and you're a perfect person to go in and write the book," but she didn't know anything about kink. So we made a deal with each other, which we were going to do 40 days where Jaiya was dominating me and I was submissive to her. Then we were going to do the reverse where I was 40 days dominating Jaiya and she was submissive to me and Jaiya goes whole hog whenever she does anything. Ian Ferguson: (49:50) So I got to be the guinea pig in this experiment and realise the depth of my kink. Like it was there in surface expression, little bit of cuffs and some light bondage gear and that sort of thing that I had in my repertoire, but we hired experts, we hired trainers, we went deep into multiple modalities of the kink experiment, learned incredible amounts about our own range of what turns us on and what doesn't. Kink is still a way low and Jaiya's chart, but now she has a much deeper understanding and has some access to kink where she didn't have it really at all before. Then in the kink experimentation... I had a thought that passed. I'm going to let it pass because I'm not going to catch it at the moment. It'll come back. Mason: (50:49) [inaudible 00:50:49] maybe. That'd be fine. Ian Ferguson: (50:50) What's that? Mason: (50:51) I was just talking to the idea. You know the ideas and the thoughts come in, you just like it's all kind of it's own little adventure and maybe in another podcast for right now until we've got a little bit of extra room for it. Ian Ferguson: (51:02) That's right. It didn't need its space quite yet. It was an amazing opportunity for me to be seen fully for who I was and honored in our relationship. Mason: (51:14) I can imagine. Ian Ferguson: (51:15) It was also pretty wild because when I was in the submissive role, for a cisgendered male, penis bodied person, I definitely had like shame challenges coming up. Like, "Wait, why am I turned on by this?" Or we would experiment with shaming language and I was like, "Oh, I'm not going to be turned on by being called a slut or derogatory terminology being used on me during a scene," but we came up with a list of vocabulary words and things to play with, really pushing the edge and we're doing this scene, she's using his words and I'm like, "Whew, my arousal is through the roof. I'm completely turned on by being put in this position where I'm having degrading language used about me," and I kept asking why. Ian Ferguson: (52:05) Like I'm 30 days into this experiment of being in a submission. I just keep going like, "I don't have any history... These are misconceptions that are common around BDSM where I'm like, "I don't have any history of sexual abuse or trauma," like, "Why am I into all of this stuff?" and finally one of the BDSM practitioners we were studying with was just like, "Why don't you just stop asking why and enjoy yourself?" And it's like, "Ooh." Mason: (52:39) That's right. It's an interesting one because I relate to the good boy and so in terms of... I mean I could probably relate of having it come towards me a little bit more, but I feel like I've just noticed recently and just growing up, parents divorced, mainly with my mum, really associating with being like, "I'm a good man," and a little bit of PC elements come in there. So in terms of dominating in that language, coming from myself, even now I can see that that's like, "Well that opens a river of sexual expression," opens something up and that's interesting point. Just, "Why don't you just enjoy that? That's an opening and leads..." You don't have to analyze that, but just watching that subconscious or that, "This is bad. You can't say those things. You can't say that to a woman," and everything that comes with it, very insidious for me. Ian Ferguson: (53:44) For sure. Very much cuts one off from access to pleasure, access to honoring oneself, being able to see and seen first by oneself, let alone being able to present that to the outside world and have it be seen by someone else. Mason: (54:00) That's so full on because that just opens up so much in the day to day just joy of being with a person, right? It can just create a whole dam and a relationship if there's these blockages, and just what you just said, that's often enough. It doesn't need to be analyzed. Ian Ferguson: (54:18) Yeah. I've had some kinky partners since then and played very much in the dominant role. Jaiya, she can play psychological kink. There's two different types of kink as we frame it, there's the psychological kink in the physiological or sensation based kinky. I'll distinguish those in a second, but with Jaiya, she can play psychological kink, she can be submissive psychological kink. She's not so much going to be in the sensation based kink in terms of spankings or deep scratching or any kind of hitting or bondage, that kind of stuff. Ian Ferguson: (55:00) So I've had some other partners who are very, very, very much in the kink and very much into the physiological and psychological and that place of ownership of being able to step into the dominant role. So kink can be an amazing place to practice for anyone who's looking to step into authority, but if you're looking to play a part and put on the role of authority, like, "You're going to get down on your knees and suck my cock," and play this role, the authenticity drops out and the actual connection and the turn on drops out because the receiver, let's say in that circumstance, if I'm going to put on this role, and that's what I did practically like 25-30 days into my dominance role with Jaiya, I was trying to put on this character who was dominant and it was a joke, like Jaiya was literally laughing at me at certain points. Like, "Phht, I'm so unconvinced by whatever you're doing." Mason: (56:06) Yeah, I can see you putting on your officer's hat, but yeah, talk about that nuance because I'm sure that's like a block. I can definitely relate to that and especially even something that would help me in the future just hearing about it now. Like what was the nuance there? Ian Ferguson: (56:26) Yeah, so there's a lot of nuances. One, just the discomfort of like I had the good boy thing. So being able to drop into what... So here's, here's the big shift that occurred. One of our instructors in this realm basically boiled it down to me that this is not about putting on that role. This is about an honest, authentic conversation about what turns you on and being really present with your partner because as a dominant there's so many different roles you can play in that. So you can play the role that you're submissive is a piece of furniture or a piece of meat, they're there to be used by you, but it's all within a container of a very, very clearly defined container that's consensual, has boundaries, has edges that you cannot go past and has rules that you must abide by. Ian Ferguson: (57:29) So once you set your container, once you have full-on consent from every participant in the scene, you know what the game is that you're playing. Then within that game, the dominant is actually responsible for the wellbeing of the submissive. So some people will look at the BDSM world and they'll think, "That's just abuse. The person is hurting that person and they shouldn't be hurting that person," so all these judgements role. Inside of the context of a conscious kink scene, the submissive is the responsibility of the dom. So awareness needs to be heightened. If I'm in a dominant role, what's occurring for my submissive? How are they feeling? Are they getting turned on because we have an agreement of this is a scene that even if the stated thing is like, "This scene is from my pleasure and my pleasure, only as the dominant," they're in an agreement thing, so they're in their arousal, they're in their turn on within the context that we've set. Ian Ferguson: (58:40) So there's this awareness, there's this presence that needs to take place to be dropped in to, "Oh, there's the subtlety of that thing that then turned into my turn on, on my pleasure because my submissive is turned on, or because the scene is going just as it's planned and I'm seeking for what really turns me on." I'm not playing at some role of like, "We're going to pull out the cop uniform and have you chained to the bed," and whatever the stereotype thing is that we think it's supposed to be- Mason: (59:16) Which is often as far as people go. Ian Ferguson: (59:18) Yes, right, but rather looking for like, "Oh, it really turns me on." Mason: (59:25) What actually turns me on? Ian Ferguson: (59:27) Yeah, what actually turns me on and where do I feel that connection to my own power? Then this where lifestyle kink, where people can start to go into lifestyle kink or really using the tools of kink domination and submission to create empowerment in their own life. Ian Ferguson: (59:47) So let's say I'm in my workplace and I have a difficulty with being assertive and being authoritative. Well, start to look where the authentic core of what result you're trying to achieve in that situation, step into authentically claiming it and calling it out with the people who are either your subordinates or even with your boss, but really being in an authentic emotional connection with the outcome you're looking to create, whether it's in a BDSM scene or it's just in the conversation you're having with your boss. Mason: (01:00:26) Yeah. I feel like you can't separate this from any other part of life, can you? To think that we can compartmentalize sex into this little like piece of the pie of who we are now. Well even just what we bring to sex and our own sexuality, it permeates everything. Shadow side? Ian Ferguson: (01:00:51) Okay. Well the positive and superpower of the kink is wildly creative, just immense. I could be studying and doing really intense kink work for 10 years and really there'd be another 10 or 20 years to play in this realm. The superpowers are wildly, wildly creative. Often superpowers have to do with the authenticity of the conversations because you are talking about boundaries, consent, really diving deep into knowing your own turn-ons and the other person's turn-on, so you can create very conscious container for sexual play and sexual expression and superpowers for a kink is they also can have non-touch or let's say non-genital focused or non-touch orgasms because they move into subspace because they're being bound and spanked and the endorphins are rushing. So they can achieve orgasm without genital touch or without what typically is associated to what leads to orgasm. Ian Ferguson: (01:01:55) Shadow sides. Biggest shadow side for the kink is shame, which we already have touched on here, "Why am I this way? Why am I turned on by this? I'm one of the weird people. I'm a kinky super freak. I don't want to be that," so that can be a downside. Then also a potential for... this is kind of a shadow potential for any blueprint type, but for kinky it can be very distinguishable, which is you can have a particular turn on, which becomes a rut, which becomes a sexual grave. Ian Ferguson: (01:02:35) So let's say an example is like I'm only turned on by having sex in the yellow raincoat. "That's my kink, and that's the only way I'm turned on, and here I'm with my partner and that's really not doing it for my partner but that's it, that's all that turns me on and I can't get past it. So you can get into this rut that then becomes the grave of turn-on where there's no turn-on to be found elsewhere where you're going to lack sexual connection with your lover. Ian Ferguson: (01:03:12) I want to state really clearly, if that works for you, whatever that turn on is and you're happy with it and your partner's happy with it, there's nothing wrong with it. It's all good, but often the sexual dissatisfaction, the sexual disconnection takes place to oneself or to others and you're in the grave. Mason: (01:03:38) In the grave. And then shapeshifters, just shapeshifting in dominance throughout the different blueprints? Ian Ferguson: (01:03:45) Yeah. Shapeshifter is everything. So the shapeshifter is like the high performance sports car of sexuality. They have the full range of expression. They're turned on by all of it. Superpowers for a shapeshifter are that they're turned on by all of it. They can be the ultimate lover for any lover because they have the full range, they're turned on by it, they know how to feed their lover in whatever blueprint they are. Ian Ferguson: (01:04:14) On the flip side of it, the shapeshifter also can have a sense of shame because they're usually really big sexually. They're really expressed and they've been shut down as "You're too much, you're too loud, you're too big, you want too much. Why is this always so complicated?" So their sexuality can be shut down on that front. Ian Ferguson: (01:04:35) Another shadow for them is that they can often live a life of sexual starvation because they'll fall into a relationship with somebody who's got a primary blueprint and they'll move into the people pleaser mode, turning on their lover in their blueprint, never being fed in their full sexuality, and they'll shut down and then that chain piece of, "I'm too much, I want too much, I'm too complicated," and they won't claim their needs or their desires because it'll rock the boat. Mason: (01:05:08) Yeah, being a pleaser, that rears its head after a while, doesn't it or something like, "Well, I'm giving you everything you want," and just pretty much just become you can be, "[inaudible 01:05:17] under the skin. Ian Ferguson: (01:05:17) Yeah. Mason: (01:05:20) So good and thanks for going into that comprehensively. It's one of those things, especially like for a path of arousal because arousal's just like... You're aroused sexually, you can be aroused by life, you can be aroused by your job, you can be aroused my, everything. It's just it has so much to do with health and longevity. It's an interesting thing. Do you guys get into the Taoist herbs? I think I've heard Jaiya talk about his He Shou Wu and Eucommia. Ian Ferguson: (01:05:46) Oh, for sure. Mason: (01:05:47) You're on board. Yeah. it's an interesting thing. You can say these Jing Herbs, you got to watch out, you get pretty potent when you get onto the Jing Herbs, but when someone's like, "I'd like to have a little bit more libido." It's like, "Yeah, cool. That's all well and good, and yes, Jing Herb's and Schizandra are great, but what does your libido look like?" That's an interesting thing. That's why I wanted to do this podcast and have these chats as well, is just because we got to make sure we have other things in our awareness of yeah, like if you're going to have that potency being built with your lifestyle and with the herds, make sure that you actually can take it in different directions, it doesn't bottleneck in terms of you just mean you want to just be able to feel like you can just fuck like you did it in the first six months of the relationship.Maybe it's moved on now. Mason: (01:06:39) It's so nice to be able to like... You must have it all day. I'm just feeling that empathy for those moments where it clicks and the awareness happens within it for someone with their own sexuality in their relationship and the pressure eases because they can like, "Oh, I can start relating to myself as who I really am," rather than the projection of just the cultural, like what I started identifying with, it's just really nice. So I'm glad everyone is going to get to listen and tune into your work. We've gone really down the rabbit hole with the blueprints, which is awesome because it impacts everything, but I really want to hear what's going on with the new work and your new course that's coming out. Ian Ferguson: (01:07:23) Okay, perfect. Yeah. So you're going to post the quiz in your show notes. Mason: (01:07:27) Yeah. Ian Ferguson: (01:07:27) So that's sort of like the first step. Mason: (01:07:29) So everyone, go and take that quiz. Ian Ferguson: (01:07:33) For sure. So that's the first introduction. Just a recommendation, when you take the quiz, there's going to be a webpage that pops up. Scroll down the webpage because you'll see your primary blueprint type at the top of the page after you finish the quiz, but when you scroll down the page, you'll see your percentages so you'll see your primary and you'll see all the other blueprints and see where you stack in there. So fun to take with your lover so that you can compare notes like, "Oh Whoa, what's going on there?" This is either why we're rocking it or this is why we've got some disconnection. Mason: (01:08:09) I did have that question actually. Obviously you're going to see compatibility emerging and non compatibility patterns, I guess, to an extent. Is it one of those things at times when you see like a, I don't know if there's two that are starkly in contrast to each other, where you go... Is it always possible to make it work as... Oh the will. That's what you were talking about, the willingness. Ian Ferguson: (01:08:29) Willingness. Mason: (01:08:29) Willingness before, and really I liked that you brought that up because in Taoism we talk about the Three Treasures, Jing, Qi, and Shen, but no one really talks about that fourth treasure Zhi which is will and it's not willpower, it's as you tonify and have your essence of your Jing, your geneti
Mason Taylor and Tahnee McCrossin, our lord and lady of SuperFeast, are back at it on the pod today, waxing lyrical on the juicy wonders of Schizandra berry. Our dynamic duo explore Schizandra's adaptogenic qualities, the herbal lore surrounding its historical use, its potency as a Liver and sexual tonic and so much more! Tune in for the full download. "If you want to be initiating into tonic herbalism long term we get out of, "I've got a symptom, I take tonic herb to solve it," but rather we're trying to bring a smooth flow of Qi through all of our organs” - Mason Taylor Tahnee and Mason discuss: Schizandra as the five flavour fruit. Schizandra's actions on the Liver, Lung and Kidney channels. How harmonising your Liver Qi can aid sleep. The adaptogenic qualities of Schizandra. Schizandra as a potent sexual tonic for both men and women. Expressing reverence for the tonic herbs you are consuming and appreciating the lineage you get to be apart of by doing so. Schizandra; breast feeding and pregnancy. Schizandra and menopause. Who are Mason Taylor and Tahnee McCrossin? Mason Taylor: Mason’s energy and intent for a long and happy life is infectious. A health educator at heart, he continues to pioneer the way for potent health and a robust personal practice. An avid sharer, connector, inspirer and philosophiser, Mason wakes up with a smile on his face, knowing that tonic herbs are changing lives. Mason is also the SuperFeast founder, daddy to Aiya and partner to Tahnee (General Manager at SuperFeast). Tahnee McCrossin: Tahnee is a self proclaimed nerd, with a love of the human body, it’s language and its stories. A cup of tonic tea and a human interaction with Tahnee is a gift! A beautiful Yin Yoga teacher and Chi Ne Tsang practitioner, Tahnee loves going head first into the realms of tradition, yogic philosophy, the organ systems, herbalism and hard-hitting research. Tahnee is the General Manager at SuperFeast, mumma to reishi-baby Aiya and partner to Mason (founder of SuperFeast). Resources: SuperFeast Schizandra SuperFeast Website SuperFeast Instagram SuperFeast Facebook Qiological Podcast Episode Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or check us out on Stitcher :)! Plus we're on Spotify! Check Out The Transcript Here: Mason: (00:00) Hello everybody. I'm here with the beautiful Tahns. Tahnee: (00:02) Hi. Mason: (00:03) We're just going to have a jam today about herb of the month, Schizandra berry. Tahnee: (00:08) Ah. Schizandra, I love her. Mason: (00:11) We do love Schizandra. We've got the partnering herb of Schizandra sitting next to us as well. Tahnee: (00:18) Goji berry. Mason: (00:18) Our Goji dog is sitting here in the podcast as well. If you hear her having a scratch or having a yawn. Schizandra is absolutely one of my favorite herbs and I know in tonic herbalism and especially with myself talking about these herbs quite often, you can get me talking about 30 different herbs and I'll be just as excited about all of them because they are so incredible. Mason: (00:46) It's been over a decade that I've been into serious tonic herbal usage and there's only a few herbs which have really risen to become... They're real allies for myself. And I've noticed Schizandra berry is like that for a lot of people. Especially for those who can stick longterm to consistent usage and find Schizandra to begin with. Mason: (01:10) It's merely the mushrooms and then all of the herbs have their own little cult following. But the mushrooms and Schizandra are both up that people write to me when I talk about it and go, "That herb absolutely transformed my life." In the sense of just like you're at an integer and you didn't realize something that was a potential for your health and how you could feel needing to deal with a blockage of chi or something. Especially with the Liver with Schizandra. I'm just always really impressed with how many people come forward, men and women and talk about that herb in that way. Tahnee: (01:45) Yeah, I think I was drawn to the idea of Schizandra, it took me a long time to get around the flavor of it. It's a five flavor fruit and it has quite a distinct, and I think complex taste, which, I have quite a sensitive palate. And it was extreme when I first started taking it, but I just noticed so many benefits that I pushed through and now I find the taste fine. I actually enjoy it. But- Mason: (02:08) I'm really glad you bring that up though. Tahnee: (02:10) Yeah. Mason: (02:10) Because Reishi and Schizandra- Tahnee: (02:14) Taste horrible. Mason: (02:14) ... are generally... Well- Tahnee: (02:17) They don't but you have to adjust sometimes. Mason: (02:19) Sometimes you do and Schizandra especially is the one where you really either love it. You either love it, you're neutral or you hate it I guess, so that's not that unusual, but it's predominant... It's the five flavor fruit or five flavour berry wu wei zi is the name, the traditional name. Mason: (02:40) However, it's predominantly sour, which is showing that it's entering into the Liver, and salty, which shows that... And that's why for the benefits that we're going to and the reverence that it has. A lot of it surrounds around the Kidney and Liver dynamic. So there is that predominance in the flavor. However, there is that sweet, bitter and pungency. And for you, was it bitterness or was it a sourness? Tahnee: (03:09) No, I think honestly it was just the combination of flavors. I think I just have... I've word as a cook and worked in restaurants and things. I feel I've got a good pallet, a sensitive pallet, and it's such a complex mix of flavors at once that it's like when you get overstimulated with too much sensation, it's like, "Eh." So I just felt every time I took a sip I was like, "Ugh." And honestly I was quite addicted to the sweet flavor. If I think back over my life, I was vegetarian for a long time and so many things that are vegetarian are sweet like grains and pumpkin and sweet potato. Mason: (03:47) Or roots. Tahnee: (03:47) Yeah. A lot of the things I lived on were of a really sweet flavor and then I would drink lots of honey in my tea and lots of soy milk. I was eating what I thought was a quite a healthy diet. Obviously like now, know things that are different. Shout out to our commenter, he thinks we're carnivorous. But- Mason: (04:05) You're just referring to a- Tahnee: (04:07) A review- Mason: (04:08) A review that came through on the podcast. I assume someone who is vegetarian or vegan who perhaps... Considered us a bit critical or, can't even remember- Tahnee: (04:20) "Judgemental" I said- Mason: (04:21) Judgmental towards the diet and referred to us as carnivores which I think omnivorous is where we'd probably officially sit. Tahnee: (04:29) Yeah. Like humans are. But anyway, I feel for me, learning to appreciate in my diet, more complex flavors... I never had a problem with bitter. I've always liked coffee and Reishi and those things, really dark chocolate. I love all those flavors. I've never had an issue, but I find that, for me that real mix of strong flavors was intense. Tahnee: (04:53) But like I said, the benefits for me of Reishi... Excuse me, Schizandra, were just really incredible. One thing you didn't touch on then, but it's such a strong Lung tonic as well. And I noticed my skin through the Liver and Lung channels, when I take it consistently it really improves. Tahnee: (05:10) It just feels like it's really clear and less inflammation and any redness and all that stuff. And I remember that customer of ours sent us a before and after. Must have been two or three years ago. Mason: (05:22) That first... When we were first putting out the 100 days of Schizandra. Tahnee: (05:25) Yeah. And she was like, "I actually during the process didn't notice a change." I was like, "This isn't working." And she said, "I'm really glad I took a before and after" and she looked completely different at the end. And we were all- Mason: (05:36) That was insane. Tahnee: (05:36) Yeah, amazed. Mason: (05:39) Well and that was the hundred days of Schizandra is what I just said there and I just assume that everyone knows what that is, but of course you know, a hundred days Schizandra is initiation. There is quite often recommended in tonic herbalism a lot of the time. And you might want to touch on this. Can you just talk to how, when we are beginning and we have movement of coarse toxicity and chi and more hormones entering the system, why the Liver is necessary to have it a smooth flow of Chi. Tahnee: (06:05) Yeah. So basically your Liver is purifying the Blood and also responsible for measuring the levels and things in the Blood and telling the body what to produce. If the bile isn't flowing well... And so what the Liver will do is pass a lot of those toxins through to the bile to enter the digestive tract. If the bile isn't flowing well or is being recycled, which is what happens a bit further down in the small intestine, right at the end. The bile really ideally is pushed through with fiber and excreted, especially if there is a lot of toxicity in the body because you want that cleaned out. So what we're looking to do with Schizandra is to sort of increase the production. The Gallbladder and Liver are Yin and Yang to each other, in Chinese medicine, they're partners. Tahnee: (06:50) So, when the Liver starts to function better and the Gallbladder starts to function better, by default, the Blood becomes cleaner and the body becomes cleaner. This idea of very slowly harmonizing and regulating the hormone system through the process of improving the function of the organs. Tahnee: (07:07) And this is one of those things that people that criticize detox always say, they're like, "Ah, you know your body detoxes itself naturally." Well it does, but it needs support sometimes because we're exposed to so much stuff in our culture. We're all banging on about corona virus right now but there's a lot more insidious things going on every day in terms of the chemicals we're exposed to. BOC's from paint, the different types of sprays that they're using on the parklands around our country and many others, pesticides on food- Mason: (07:37) Like metabolic diseases being way more deadly than- Tahnee: (07:42) Yeah- Mason: (07:42) Coronavirus every year. Generally a virus has been historically. Tahnee: (07:48) Yeah and I think if we look at what is in our Bloodstream these days and we look at what the Livers job is and how stressed we are, because the other thing the Liver has to do, it has to produce bile, has to clean the Blood and has to support the making of Blood. Tahnee: (08:04) So in Chinese medicine it's crucial, like between it and the Spleen and the Kidneys, that's where Blood is formed in the body. So if we're stressed the Liver, again provides... This is Chinese medicine theory, but it provides that impetus for us to push through and keep going and that upward Yang energy. It's especially when we're trying to really bring something forth, bring, give birth to something creative or bring something into the world, Tahnee: (08:31) And anyone who's ever done a big project will know that feeling of just really hustling to get something out there. And that's all really Livery. And a lot of our culture is designed to really emphasize and support and promote that kind of behavior because it's good for the economy and whatever. So we're looking at, how do we take the pressure off this organ that does so much for us, so that we can actually feel more in harmony with ourselves as well. Tahnee: (09:01) When the Liver is out of whack all sorts of stuff goes on and we can have really poor sleep. We can have crazy dreams. I know when I've been through periods of Liver detoxification, I've had some insane dreams because in Chinese medicine, again, it holds a spirit that anchors us to our astral body. And so we can go through a lot of purifications as well. And we've seen that a lot with people, that take Reishi and Schizandra and the herbs that work on the Liver, they write to us and are like, "Oh my God, my dreams have gotten crazy." Mason: (09:29) And a lot of people, as you were saying, the Liver is really anchoring in... if we're not anchored in- Tahnee: (09:35) At po- Mason: (09:37) At po, if we're not anchored in through the Liver and have a smooth flow for when we're sleeping. Tahnee: (09:40) At the hun, sorry guys. Mason: (09:40) You're right. I was hanging out, sitting there going, "Hang on. One of the Tellytubbies doesn't live in the Liver." Tahnee: (09:48) No, the po lives in the Spleen, the hun lives in the Liver. Mason: (09:52) So our hun needing to travel while we're asleep- Tahnee: (09:55) Yeah- Mason: (09:56) And necessary to have a smooth flow of... Through the Liver. It's why, having enough glycogen as well. It's why people like having a spoonful of honey before they sleep. But, a lot of people... I'm not backing that, but that's something that, that occurs the same area and different in the sense that a lot of people will take Schizandra or the Beauty Blend in which Schizandra a core ingredient and the others revolve around the Schizandra, the Goji berry and the Longan with the Schizandra, the three beauty sisters. Then the pearl being that cold queen of the beautifying herbs, in the youth preserving herbs. But Schizandra combined with Goji especially brings that smooth flow through the Liver. Mason: (10:43) So a lot of people, even though Reishi has got that stigma for being the herb that's going to help you sleep, in within our range. Sometimes it's the Schizandra and Beauty Blend that help people drop in and have these incredible processes while they're sleeping. And these real astral dreams. Once the smooth flow of chi is occurring within your Liver, you don't necessarily need to keep on. It's not helping you get to sleep a lot of the time. It's just in the beginning, the Schizandra... What I find it's just bringing that smooth flow and then if you can generate that in your lifestyle, continue up with your Schizandra practice over the years. You don't have to have it before sleep every night in order to get that kind of work as well. Tahnee: (11:26) Mm-hmm (affirmative). You're saying have it before sleep? Mason: (11:29) For a little bit. Tahnee: (11:29) Yeah. Mason: (11:31) I never really got into that habit. It's still a morning one for me, especially lately we've had two or three people, write without ever having talked about it. They've just given us a testimonial and then they'll say, "Oh! My mother has been, having the Schizandra with the Beauty Blend before bed and she's been sleeping like a log and having really incredible dreams." Is that something that you've heard of? And over the years- Tahnee: (11:58) Yep- Mason: (11:58) It's been nine years working with Schizandra and giving it to people and it's one of those things that comes up. Tahnee: (12:03) Yep. Yeah well, I mean it makes sense. Again thinking about that Taoist energetics thing. And I think what's really... When you look at what... I was thinking about the Russians just then, with all those stress studies that they were doing. There was a bunch of studies done by the Russians in world war II, I'm pretty sure, where they were giving pilots high doses of adaptogens. So they were using Ginseng, Schizandra and something else. Mason: (12:37) It was more the cold war, when they were doing it, like in the 70s. Tahnee: (12:37) Sorry about that history, But anyway, sometime when there were people dropping bombs on other people... Um- Mason: (12:44) Or they were giving the bombs to other people to drop bombs on people. Tahnee: (12:45) Is that what they were doing? Mason: (12:47) No they were... The whole cold war, the nature of it was cold, that they were fighting through other forces and through, the hostile placing of army bases in places like Cuba and Turkey, I believe it was Turkey for the Americans. But all the while, a complete over decades, full wide kiting out of the military, which is what led them to adaptogens like Schizandra. Because they were just wanting to... And for their astronauts as well and their athletes Tahnee: (13:17) Mm-hmm (affirmative). Those Russians, they're wild guys. So Mason just told you all about the cold war. Thank you very much for the education. Yeah, so these guys were testing... and they're studies you can read online if you go on a little google marathon... Them using Schizandra... was it Ginseng? And What was the third one? Mason: (13:37) Siberian Ginseng? Tahnee: (13:39) Yeah. But anyway, they were using a couple of herbs- Mason: (13:44) And Rhodiola. Tahnee: (13:44) Rhodiola? Yeah. Okay. So they were basically testing the stress response of the soldiers. So you know, these guys under a shit load of pressure. Some of them flying planes, pilots, hours without sleep, hours in high stress situations. They were really impressed with the benefits these herbs were giving these guys because it was increasing their performance and their ability to focus and all of this stuff. Mason: (14:04) And in a nonspecific way as well. You didn't know, one guy might have no cortisol and the other guy might have raised cortisol Tahnee: (14:12) Yeah- Mason: (14:12) And it would- Tahnee: (14:13) Yeah. It balances- Mason: (14:13) Help them out no matter what. Tahnee: (14:15) It knows how to play, yeah. And that's what I think people, a lot of the time it's really easy to fall into that trap of being really linear. Things should be like this and you know, a herb does this. And it's actually one of the crazy things about tonic herbs and adaptogens is they do literally, give the body this capacity to respond in the way that required and appropriate for the individuals. Tahnee: (14:38) So, what does it mean to have a clean, healthy blood stream and a Liver that's able to functionally process that? Well it means that the hormone levels in the Blood are going to be, appropriate. So then the Liver isn't going to be demanding of the Kidneys that it produces more stressful hormones that are getting consumed. This whole flow starts ease and everything finds its homeostasis. Tahnee: (15:03) I think that's where any adaptogen or tonic herb can be really powerful. And they're not exactly interchangeable but in Schizandra's case, they are. Schizandra is adaptogenic and a tonic. In terms of stress, in terms of our immunity, which is such a huge topic right now. In terms of our looks and our aesthetic. I mean it's a super popular female herb. Not just for the physical, outside benefits, but also internally it really supports sexual function and the hydration of the vagina, in terms of sexual fluids and all these things. Mason: (15:39) Well, what you've just hit on there is the lore and reverence story around Schizandra berry. We were talking about, a little bit, before we jumped on. In terms of, when you look at the lore and how this got famous with those that eventually became labeled the Taoists, just people and herbalists, out there in the wild, grandmothers tuning into what's going to be the best for their family, best for the village. So on and so forth. Emperors eventually concubines, this and the elite, Schizandra became revered and it's up there. It's right up there. Tahnee: (16:14) Mm-hmm (affirmative) Well it's the top in some areas - Mason: (16:16) Absolutely- Tahnee: (16:16) This is the thing with all the different regions. They have preferred her, again based on what seasonal, or what's culturally significant to them. So yeah, there's several places where it's the top herb. Mason: (16:28) And what you hit on was amazing. You want to watch out when you're listening to this, because it was just really easy for the lore to be taken as shiny marketing and lead to, "I need that herb." Mason: (16:41) But what Tahns has just hit on... Were over thousands of years it wasn't rice and lettuce that got the reputation for being a youth preserver, a outer beautifier of the insides of the body, a herb that brings mental acuity longterm, and sharpness of the mind. And then what it does for our sexual vigor as Tahns is just talking about for regenerating the sexual fluids. It's also an astringent. So as an astringent... That's the Western term... But it's sealing in the fluids of the body and it's sealing in the Yang to an extent while it actually regenerates the fluids of the Yin. Mason: (17:22) So it's a regenerator of Kidney Yin Jing. Then, when you look at the offshoots of that, you see it's warming to the genitalia. So what we're pointing to here, is over thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of years of usage and almost hundreds of thousands of herbs available, Schizandra is used for this intention probably as widely as any herb, with that reverence for bringing warmth... Especially for females to the genitalia... and sensitivity. For men restoring sexual essence and increasing staying power. So... Whether it's sexual essence... basically boosting the male essence. So boosting the male pollen, not the seed. That's the Kidney stuff you're talking to- Tahnee: (18:18) Yeah- Mason: (18:18) Especially there. Tahnee: (18:19) Well, I mean, you just described, Kidneys is all about sexuality and reproduction of everything from cells to humans. It's that same concept as Jing. It's that same concept in yoga as well, of Shakti and svadhisthana chakra, this area. It's all about, Fluids and reproduction and- Mason: (18:41) Fertility- Tahnee: (18:42) Yeah, juiciness and you know, these are all good healthy things, right? And so we need a certain amount of Yin to produce that. And the Kidney Yin is also the source of Yin and for the whole body. So if you have someone that's chronically stressed out, highly stung, tension everywhere, there's a pretty good chance more Yin is going to nourish you. Tahnee: (19:03) And that isn't obviously just herbs, it's lifestyle as well, but these are little sort of steps along the way that we can take. When we look at... Even what you're saying about the mind and the shen. Schizandra is one of those herbs that hits Jing, Qi, Shen. So that's another special thing about it. Mason: (19:20) Yeah. We haven't mentioned the fact that you talk to a lot of Taoists and you say you can have one herb for the rest of your life. What is it? They'll say its Schizandra because it enters all the five organs. It's Jing, Qi Shen herb. So all Three Treasures nourish, and enters into the 12 meridians. Tahnee: (19:33) Yeah. And so that idea of mental clarity comes out of the Shen, the Shun, depending on how you pronounce it. That ability to perceive with the Heart, instead of with the clouded vision of the mind and that ability to be really tuned in to our own sense of sovereignty and self identity outside of the projections of our culture and time and society and everything. Tahnee: (19:58) So, there's these multidimensional, metaphysical effect of these herbs. And we can talk about on the one hand, take it for a hundred days, great skin. On the other hand, take it for a hundred days, purify the astral body. And those are two very different experiences- Mason: (20:12) Yeah- Tahnee: (20:13) but they're both really valid and different people with different sensitivities will have different experiences. So I feel like so many of us come to herbs in the West with that real Western... I guess scientific, rational mind and that physical expectation of transformation, which you know obviously is what they do and that's great. Tahnee: (20:35) But my experience over time working with... Schizandra especially, I feel like, and Reishi are probably the two for me that have really cultivated something else. They've given me the capacity to perceive things on a different level that I don't think would have as easily developed without using them. Mason: (20:51) Um, well it's interesting- Tahnee: (20:53) I think it's just that sensitivity, that subtle- Mason: (20:54) Would you say... When you talk about that perception, that's an interesting one because when you... There's interpretations of the original... The Shen Nong's write up on Schizandra over 2000 years ago. There a lot of them, a little less convinced that it does get into all Five Organs directly. It's more like Liver, Kidney, Lung. And as you were saying in the Lung, as a tertiary, it's an incredible Lung invigorating tonic, but more about the fact that it's such an incredible Liver Wood, herb and the Liver is regulating as the general, of the organ army. Tahnee: (21:37) Yeah of everything. Mason: (21:37) Then and also doing so much for the regulation of Qi and the distribution of Qi. That's how it is entering into all the organs and all the meridians. But even more so than that because it is such a beautiful and gentle herb. It's not an aggressive Liver detoxifying tonic, although it is a gentle building, and then a tonifier for the various phases one and two of detoxification. Tahnee: (22:07) Mm-hmm (affirmative) Mason: (22:08) Then they love it so much because if you can have a smooth flow of Qi, you're on the money. Right? But then they also talk about the fact that how the fish lives in Water but is unaware of the Water. We live in Wind and we're unaware of Wind. That's what we live within, air and Wind. And then that was the Wind back then was directly the... what... how direct can we be, we don't know what they were talking about, but that was the translation... and the Wind being regulated, but more so the communication of Wind being regulated within the Liver. Just speaking to that, and that was written up in the Schizandra section. So Schizandra being a herb to nourish the Wood to an extent where we can start becoming aware of what we actually live within. We can start perceiving what's incasing us rather than just being housed in our mind. I thought that was really cool. Tahnee: (23:11) Mm-hmm (affirmative). If you think about... Like helping support Wei Qi as well and wind is a pathogen in Chinese medicine. So it's anything that we do, if we're unaware of its impact on us, it can have a negative impact- Mason: (23:24) Well that's- Tahnee: (23:24) Self aware- Mason: (23:24) The fact that it's an astringent- Tahnee: (23:25) Yeah Mason: (23:26) It's a Lung tonic and it's an astringent and so it... By tonifying the Lungs, the skin is able to regulate. However, being astringent in nature, it's sealing, it's protective in nature. And so in that sense if you have excess sweating, which can be something... You're sweating a lot, you get Wind touching you that's going to cool you down and you're going to get that invasion of Cold. Or your skin, your pores are too open, or whether or not they're too open you just have an excess exposure to Wind, that wind is going to get in and invade your body. And Schizandra, it's one of those herbs that's there tightening us up and helping protect us, which I love. Tahnee: (24:08) Yeah. And I had a really amazing podcast about, probably over a year ago now. But it was on the one that Rhonda was on, Mark someone's podcast. Tahnee: (24:20) Anyway, I can find the- Mason: (24:21) Chi-ological- Tahnee: (24:23) Chi-ological, thank you. And it was with a Bellingen based, acupuncturist actually. And he was saying that he uses Schizandra all the time for eye issues specifically detached retinas and corneal stuff. And again, if you look at Chinese Medicine, the Liver opens to the eyes. So it makes a lot of sense that it supports vision and all of these things, which again, I think it was one of the things the Russians were looking at for pilots that helped to keep the vision really sharp. And now we're doing long flights. Mason: (24:54) Yep, Combo-ed with Goji especially. Tahnee: (24:54) Yeah. And Goji is another Liver herb. So again, double Liver really. The Liver also supports the tendons. And so that's what I was saying before is that chronic stress and that feeling of tension in the body, when we work to release Liver Qi and get the smooth flow of Liver chi and we can start to feel like a softening and a release in the body as well. Mason: (25:14) Well additionally the Liver is regulating the peripheral nervous system. And so that's something, because the Spleen is directly nourishing the muscle tissue. When we have muscular tension and muscular neck tension, people think, it's a Spleen issue or they're working on stress in general but not realizing that it has a lot to do with the peripheral nervous system actually, which is regulating the contraction and release of the muscle. So that's where you can see a lot of tension in the Liver is going to head up and become that tension possibly through the neck. Mason: (25:55) Not saying all neck tension is the source of the Liver and you need to treat the Liver. I'm not going into treatment, but in general, in an initiation. If you want to be initiating into tonic herbalism long term we get out of, "I've got a symptom, I take tonic herb to solve it," but rather we're trying to bring a smooth flow of Qi through all of our organs and therefore tension in the body isn't going to serve. Mason: (26:20) So naturally, we want a smooth flow. We want to work on the Liver as well as working in our physical practice and consciously letting go of tension getting into a parasympathetic nervous system, which I find Schizandra, it's so adaptogenic. It's such, a powerful herb. If you need the will, it's not going to force you there... Unless you have a really big dose... But to get you into a parasympathetic state and approaching life in that way. It's super necessary to have strong Organ Qi, Liver chi and to drop tension from your muscles, and from your neck, and from your shoulders. And we don't live that way. Well you guys do, you should... We're at least moving in that direction. Tahnee: (27:06) Yeah. I think it's super interesting, when you think about the main requirements of... I guess what I'm thinking a lot about is this smooth flow of Qi idea. Most people in the West that I hear from and that we hear from at Superfeast, are struggling with hormonal stuff, with stress and fatigue and these kinds of things. And then chronic digestive issues, metabolic stuff like you were saying. Tahnee: (27:31) And when you look at what supports metabolic function, it's Kidneys, Liver, Spleen really. And the Lungs are super important, totally. The Heart is super important. But if we're looking at really what the issues of the west are it's those three systems and I find the emotions of them really interesting. The Spleen is anxiety and worry and mental overwork, which I mean, hands up, who doesn't have that going on sometimes, if not all the time. Tahnee: (27:58) The Liver is all about, frustrated, stuck energy that's unable to express itself fully. Again, I would argue that for most people in our culture have issues fully feeling expressed- Mason: (28:10) Resentment- Tahnee: (28:10) And seen. Yeah. Like irritation and frustration- Mason: (28:12) That's my organ- Tahnee: (28:14) And then the Kidneys, all around fear on a really primal level. Not just fright like a spider, but like "Holy shit! How am I going to survive?" And that's literally the energy of our time right now. Mason: (28:25) Yeah, especially with the news, the way it is currently- Tahnee: (28:29) It's everything, it's the way politics is set up. The way our system is set up. The way that the media chooses to portray things, to sell us things. The only reason the headlines exist is so that you click on that page and see the ads. I've been laughing because every time I click on a coronavirus link there's a hundred companies advertising face masks and buy this and buy this vitamin and do this. And it's like are we just capitalizing on people's fear? You know, and Superfeast hasn't had much to say about it because we don't want to buy into the mass hysteria. We want to be really conscious that we acknowledge that every single day is about immune function, not just when there's a virus outbreak and Schizandra is a part of that, for me, anyway. Tahnee: (29:09) I really noticed the difference if I take a lot of Liver supporting herbs in my immunity because I'm a Livery person as well. And so that supports me. And someone did ask what I meant by being a Livery person, and constitutionally I've been working with an acupuncturist and I've diagnosed with him, he's diagnosed me and I've come to that conclusion on my own before I saw him that I was a Liver constitution type. Tahnee: (29:34) When I first started seeing him, I was expressing Spleen dysfunction and I've moved now to Liver dysfunction. So I'm back where I want to be, which may not sound like it makes sense, but if you think about, we all have to have some weakness constitutionally that we can't be born perfect sadly. Mason: (29:52) And as he likes to put it, you're going to die of something. Tahnee: (29:54) Yeah. And so the idea is you want to live in your domain. You want to live where you've got strength and capacity and you have a tendency to already hang out, but you want to do so in a way that protects you from falling into some other constitution- Mason: (30:13) Negative patterns- Tahnee: (30:13) Yeah, that isn't serving you. So for me, when I live in a Spleeny land, I get fluidly and digestive stuff starts happening and whatever. So that's a sign for me that, Liver time. So I start supporting my Liver and it actually brings me back out. Tahnee: (30:27) And I still take Spleen supporting herbs, like Qi herbs because I think they're great. That's why Schizandra plays such a regular role in my life. I used to get really bad, seasonal allergies and stuff too and through cleaning out my Liver, with Schizandra and also with other detox practices. And I did those before I knew about Schizandra, but over time, none of that stuff happens anymore. And we've heard that from multiple customers of Superfeast over the years as well, that the allergies have gone away and those kinds of things. Mason: (30:55) Yeah. It's... I mean... Schizandra, it's pretty endless. And I don't really say this about many herbs either. I mean, I've tried a lot of Schizandra's. The Schizandra that we've been able to secure from up in Chang Bai- Tahnee: (31:10) Beautiful right?- Mason: (31:12) A lot of it is wild- Tahnee: (31:14) Yeah originally we were completely wild and recently- Mason: (31:19) Got a little less sustainable about a year and a half ago. Tahnee: (31:20) Yeah. Mason: (31:20) And where we're sourcing from these orchards... It's so magic- Tahnee: (31:29) Can you describe the vine because I don't think... I know when we first saw Schizandra together, we were traveling with Aiya- Mason: (31:35) We saw it in the Autumn, up in Oregon and I think it was fine. Tahnee: (31:38) A bit out of it's homeland- Mason: (31:41) Yeah, it looked a little bit sad. I mean it's a big fat leaf coming to a point and big red bundles, big long drip nub. More icicle shaped. They can bunch up a little more but they're bright, bright red, nice black seeds. Just absolutely popping with flavor. They're doing a lot of companion planting of pine in through the orchard there and there's weeds, spiders and bugs all through it. And, mushrooms growing all over the place, just right up through the entire orchard. And so it's got a real potent energy there. I just want to bring it... I just wanted to mention it because you guys have got something really special there. Mason: (32:34) This is a very special herb and it wasn't until a few decades ago, that this was actually this widely available. And so it's.. As always in tonic herbalism, it's important for you to cultivate appreciation and gratitude for the herb and try and tap into the reverence that a lot many have had. Rather than, let's just see what this herb can give to me. Mason: (33:04) Because if you can get into that place of having an appreciation, you will get those benefits. They will come and smack you in the face. You won't be able to... Especially if you are having a dose that's appropriate. So, starting off with quarter teaspoon, half teaspoon, but if you are feeling it, just get up to a teaspoon. If you're really feeling, I get up to a heaped teaspoon. Tahnee: (33:25) Yeah. I never do less than a heaped teaspoon, but I think you can definitely... It's a warming herb, so some people feel that really quickly. There's a warming effects. Mason: (33:35) If you're running hot. Tahnee: (33:36) Yeah. And so for some women toward menopause, if you're really hot, you try Schizandra, it can make you feel warmer. That is something to look at. It can again, regulate that over time for some people. It just depends on your symptoms and severity. Tahnee: (33:50) And it's better to wait with a practitioner to work out what you really need. Because that's a really complex transition for a lot of women. It's hard to know without looking at each individual case what's really going on. But for most people who aren't in a major transitory stage, just building up slowly to a higher dose is really effective. Tahnee: (34:12) And yeah, I've bought other company's Schizands just to try them and often not much flavor and some people are doing more the freeze dried berries, not the extracts. So were actually doing a 10:1 extract. So that means if you buy a kilo of our extract, you're getting 10 kilos of condensed, extracted, Schizandra berry for that one kilo. Mason: (34:35) And if you know, us guys, we don't boast about... we don't do comparisons. Really about all of our herbs, it's not- Tahnee: (34:43) What was that old ad on TV like in the 90s. Panadol versus- Mason: (34:47) Yeah basically we don't- Tahnee: (34:49) The white box? Like "Panadol so much better." Mason: (34:56) Yeah. Tahnee: (34:56) We do not endorsed Panadol. Mason: (34:58) So you know, anyone that's been tuning in, we don't really do this. But with Schizandra and the mushrooms, again to an extent it's like guys, just trust us. You are on to something very special. We've been taking herb... I've had the wild Schizandra. Obviously, that's the best. Wild and fresh Schizandra. I've had a lot of tinctures over the years. They've been effective. This powder that we have here is insane and not and 10:1, not going for a 20:1 or 30:1. Mason: (35:33) The whole point behind the 10 to one extract is when... based on the molecular mass of the Schizandra berry. If you take 10 kilos of Schizandra and you extract it thoroughly and then remove the liquid. If you want to be wasting basically nothing in terms of the constituents and many of the constituents and these active ingredients and these energies and these pigments, many that haven't even been discovered yet. Mason: (36:06) If you don't want to waste anything and throw anything away, there's only so much medicine to turn into powder that you can get. And what we find is with our herbs, you start with 10 kilos without wasting anything getting a full comprehensive... the whole spectrums of the rainbow in terms of the constituents. You can get that 10 kilos of raw dried herb to one kilo of powder without wasting anything. So you've got a real complete herb. We don't like, for us... We like it for clinic, but we don't like the reductionist method of focusing on particular constituents. Just so you know what you're getting because different products for different times. We take other brands 100% but for Superfeast you are looking- Tahnee: (36:57) We don't take other herb brands though- Mason: (37:00) Not tonic herb brands no- Tahnee: (37:01) But actually occasionally we'll buy Dragon Herb's tinctures, we like their tinctures. Sometimes when we're in the States we get them. Because they're good for traveling, sticky and fun. Mason: (37:12) Are there any other tonic herb things we get?- Tahnee: (37:15) Not really. We buy Loco Love chocolate, which sometimes has tonics it. Mason: (37:20) Yeah. I don't mind every now and then getting a Ginseng tincture from Dragon Herb's... like our Ginseng powder is- Tahnee: (37:29) Intensely flavored- Mason: (37:30) It's intense. I can't really do it. But with Schizandra, it is that full spectrum berry. It's like the Taoists would call the style of extraction, the "hou hou". It's just altering the temperature for each extraction to make sure you're getting basically everything out of it without... At each... Respecting each herb's sensibility within the menstruum, the extraction mediums, the water. And so that's what's going on as well. So just know that doesn't lend itself as much to an agenda, that longterm usage, which is the magic of tonic herbalism, which is like link arms with the beautiful Schizandra berry, and see where you can go together over the next couple of weeks. Mason: (38:24) And then the few years and then if you can, you can hit a couple of decades of Schizandra, maybe a couple a hundred days in a row, might have a period of a few weeks there that you do it every single week and perhaps there's times when it's twice a week. Perhaps six months off and then you're back on. That's the way it works with herbs. Mason: (38:49) And I like it just in hot water, big heap teaspoon, maybe a bit of lemon, stir, bang, first thing in the morning. I ingest after I've done all my clay and things like that, that's when I'll have Schizandra, half an hour to 45 minutes after that. Tahnee: (39:05) Yeah, I think I started doing it with lemon and honey to sort of hide the taste a little bit and now I just have it straight with nothing, in hot water. It's a tea I guess. And I drink it. Usually at work I'll have it, mid morning or afternoon. I rarely have it in the morning because, toddler life. Mason: (39:26) It's really nice that 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM. Tahnee: (39:29) Yeah, I'll have it.... I've been having Qi a lot lately at that time- Mason: (39:34) Well that's because it's afternoon Qi- Tahnee: (39:35) Yeah. So I've been having it more in the mid morning. But I don't notice for me a huge difference in time of day effects, I guess. It's not something that I've really- Mason: (39:47) We should have a couple before bed. Some people might be a little bit sensitive. And so the idea we were talking about doing a hundred days of Schizandra, you do it a hundred days consecutive in a row is because a lot of the time there can be a bottleneck, up in the Gallbladder or for your Qi as well. Mason: (40:01) And in the beginning it can be too much mobilization for people. And so that's why we do Schizandra or the Liver herbs. So that, we can process that Qi so it's not too much. So if you're in the beginning and too sensitive, sometimes before bed it might keep you awake a little bit because it's moving a lot. But for a lot of you it won't. I'm going to be... I'm actually... I might start that because it's such a beautiful flavour to go to sleep with but. Tahnee: (40:26) Yeah. And the hundred days is... you can think of that as about three months. So you can imagine that hormones for women take about three months to come into balance. For all of us, we're turning over cells all the time. It's this idea of giving yourself a consistent and decent amount of time, to really work on, just mobilising and cleansing and recycling and reproducing and doing all the things that the body does. Tahnee: (40:54) Like I said earlier, it's a natural process. It's part of what the body does. Schizandra is just supporting that. I think we probably do it once a year at this stage. Maybe we'll do it a couple of times this year. But other than that, once you've tried that you can live with it in your cupboard or whatever in your pantry or your fridge and just be taking it when you're called to. That's the relationship we have now with the tonics. Tahnee: (41:23) Personally I think as we both just work with what we're called to take, which is a luxury, obviously having access to everything. And our team are quite similar now because they've all got the tonic bars at work to just create. But yeah, I think it's really nice to just start to create, like you said, a companion for life through these things. I always think having watched the Schizandra for a while now. She's a she, it's a feminine energy to the plant. I feel very nurtured and supported by it and this is a really different relationship to other herbs that I have. Tahnee: (42:02) And so you can start to feel energetically that they each have their own signature and their own way of playing in our body and our cells. I also thought, it's fun to note that Ron Teeguarden, who was one of the granddaddies of tonic herbalism, he named his daughter, Schizandra. So that's a bit cute, he must love that herb. Mason: (42:19) And also saw that there's a woman who follows us on Instagram. What do we put up for Schizandra? I think I've put up... I can't remember what the post was about- Tahnee: (42:30) A recipe or something- Mason: (42:31) It must had been a recipe, but there's a woman called Cassandra Schizandra, and she was like, "I approve this message." And I think she approves of our Schizandra as well. So that makes me happy. Tahnee: (42:41) Shout out to Cassandra Schizandra! Mason: (42:45) Any closing comments on the schiz? Tahnee: (42:47) No, I mean the schiz is the schiz kniz, and we hope you enjoy it. If you have any questions obviously hit us up online or via email or you can call the Superfeast team on 1300769500, if you're in Australia. Mason: (43:03) Oh yeah, the only other contra indication I didn't mention- Tahnee: (43:06) Oh was pregnancy and breastfeeding. We got to talk about yeah. Mason: (43:10) Okay. Hit that. Tahnee: (43:10) Yeah. I would probably give it a miss in pregnancy. Just to be on the safe side. It can theoretically cause uterine contractions. In my opinion, that won't happen until the body's ready to expel the lochia after birth. But you just have to be mindful of these things. Tahnee: (43:33) So if you're pregnant, pause, wait until you have given birth and then start on Schizandra. It's going to support recovery. It's going to support the expelling of the Blood from the uterus, which goes on for a few months. It's going to support the Kidney and Liver relationship and obviously just keep you feeling great and functioning well, postpartum. It's an adaptogen for stress. So, start full time- Mason: (44:02) Postpartum. I mean we recommend a lot for the I Am Gaia, which has Schizandra as a supporting herb that you even feel free for a time to bring in extra Schizandra. Tahnee: (44:13) Well I didn't have Gaia when I had Aiya.. Because we hadn't obviously created it at that point. So I used Schizandra a lot, postpartum and I remember it really was amazing. I just had such a smooth postpartum that I feel all of the herbs must've been really helpful that I took. But yeah, so that's just one, we got asked a lot. Breastfeeding, it's fine. Again, don't go hard, high doses. We're not trying to mobilise a lot of toxicity- Mason: (44:44) Especially if you haven't done work on your Liver before. Tahnee: (44:46) Yeah, we're more just looking to support and nourish the body on a whole system. Mason: (44:50) And what I would recommend is if you are doing, all of a sudden amping up, and you're really focusing on Schizandra and moving that Liver Qi, get on a clay or a binder to support that phase three detoxification- Tahnee: (45:04) And some fiber- Mason: (45:06) And fiber. For me, it's especially a bentonite clay, first thing in the morning. And ideally I would've left it in water overnight so it can really hydrate. And then first thing in the morning drinking that, or last thing of the day before bed, drinking clay. If you want to go more aggressive charcoal or zeolite fine. But clay for me is just so time tested that that's going to help you remove toxicity. And so if you are, bringing it in during breastfeeding and you haven't done Liver work before and you're concerned about mobilizing toxicity, include a clay. Tahnee: (45:42) Yeah. And- Mason: (45:43) The other one was acute cough. Sorry for chronic cough, it's used clinically and... I've had quite a few people that have had really... And I always forget, it's one of the best ones for that cough. When you can't shake it. Tahnee: (45:59) Yeah. And we don't work with acute things typically. So that's one of the reasons, we don't talk a lot about that stuff. It's good to remember a lot of the herbs are really powerful. The tonics for short term acute things. So it's worth having a look and seeing that, but from a tonic perspective, from that longevity, sovereignty, sustainability perspective, in terms of our own energy and our lifetimes and managing ourselves over long periods of time. That's where I feel like this herb is most powerful and most effective. Definitely where my interest in it lies. So anyway, I hope that was enlightening to some of you. Mason: (46:40) Yeah thanks guys, just get on, try it, get a 50 gram jar if you're unsure, get it with a friend. If you're going to do 100 days of Schizandra, it's really fun to do with a mate as well. You don't have to do the 100 days of Schizandra by any means. Tahnee: (46:54) No, we just like it because it is such a great reset and sort of support. Mason: (47:00) Really good in springtime as well. Just in case you were looking and feeling for the right time to do it. So if you're listening to this in the Northern hemisphere, you might want to be ordering yourself a 250 gram bag, at least of Schizandra. Tahnee: (47:13) Yeah. And I mean I take it all year round. I find it really effective through winter. Mason: (47:19) Well it's because it's every organ. Tahnee: (47:21) Yeah. Well I'm a cold frog so I feel like it does just that little bit of nourishing and warming for me over winter. Mason: (47:28) I love it in ginger tea. Tahnee: (47:29) Yeah. That's the thing. If you find the flavour weird just go with something else that's complimentary but also strong and pleasant. So that's lemon and honey for me is a comfort thing from my childhood because my mum used to make me them when I was sick. So that plus Schizandra got me over the line with it and now I don't have any problem drinking it. I've noticed that with everyone in our team, they all start with it and they're like, "blah". And within a couple of months they're like, "Ah, this is fine'" and they just drink it straight. Mason: (47:59) And they love it. Tahnee: (48:00) Yeah. So sweeten it up at the beginning if you need to and then become a Schizandra head. Mason: (48:05) All right, love you guys. Hit us up if you have questions. Tahnee: (48:07) See you guys.
With such an abundance of herbal medicine on our community's plate, how do we cultivate the gratitude and appreciation for them that used to be drawn from scarcity and effort? We are SuperFeast, where tonic herbs & adaptogens reign supreme. These magical herbs have captured our imaginations with their history, having emerged from the Taoist system that is thousands of years old. Their ability to work with the deep & innate systems, organs & energetics of the body is truly unique & allows us to powerfully support our body to return to harmony. Join us in using these adaptogenic medicinal mushrooms & tonic herbs, to potentiate the function of your entire being, leading you down a path of extreme health & longevity. Check out our Adaptogens, Mushrooms & Blends Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast Apple Podcast. Or check us out on Stitcher :)! Plus we're on Spotify! We got you covered on all bases ;P
Introducing herbal medicine into your life doesn't have to be intimidating! Simply understanding the basics of “herbalism 101” — including the different “classes” of herbs — will empower you to understand your body in a whole new way. Today, Olivia sits down with fellow herbalist Traci Donat of Simples Tonics, to talk about the most nourishing way to get started in your kitchen: by making herbal infusions. We go over the top plants we like to use and what each of them benefits most (for example Schizandra infusions for ‘leaky energy’ and ‘mental diarrhea’ where the brain can’t fully “form” thoughts, Oatstraw infusions for dry skin and joints, and Burdock infusions for liver and lymphatic health). More than anything, we emphasize how simple it is to steep these herbs in a mason jar overnight and reap the incredible nutritional benefits. As a bonus, at the top of the episode Olivia covers a mini lesson where she explains the three ways that herbalists meet a plant and get to know its actions. What can a bitter taste in a plant tell you? What does it mean if a plant is pungent and spicy? What’s the difference between an adaptogen and a nervine? Fellow plant enthusiasts and lovers of learning, this one is for you! Connect with Olivia HERE Connect with Traci HERE Shop Organic Olivia formulas HERE Read full length show notes HERE
Mason Taylor and Tahnee McCrossin; the King and Queen of SuperFeast, join forces on the pod today to bring us a beautiful conversation around the healing art of Chi Nei Tsang. Chi Nei Tsang is the ancient form of massage practiced in the Taoist healing system. Chi Nei Tsang is used to detoxify and energise the body's organ systems via the release of stagnant Qi. Chi Nei Tsang is performed primarily on the abdominal region however the technique is a full body practice. Tahnee shares her personal healing journey with the practice both as a student and Chi Nei Tsang practitioner, outlining the methods you can use at home to encourage the smooth flow of Qi throughout the body as a whole. Tahnee and Mason discuss: Tahnee's healing journey with Chi Nei Tsang. Chi Nei Tsang as a healing art. The core philosophy of Chi Nei Tsang. Integration and congruency as an integral part of personal evolution. Tonic herbs as vessels for change. Health sovereignty and home based health care. The energetic personality of the body's organs. The value of rest and listening to your body's wisdom. Who are Mason Taylor and Tahnee McCrossin? Mason Taylor: Mason’s energy and intent for a long and happy life is infectious. A health educator at heart, he continues to pioneer the way for potent health and a robust personal practice. An avid sharer, connector, inspirer and philosophiser, Mason wakes up with a smile on his face, knowing that tonic herbs are changing lives. Mason is also the SuperFeast founder, daddy to Aiya and partner to Tahnee (General Manager at SuperFeast). Tahnee McCrossin: Tahnee is a self proclaimed nerd, with a love of the human body, it’s language and its stories. A cup of tonic tea and a human interaction with Tahnee is a gift! A beautiful Yin Yoga teacher and Chi Ne Tsang practitioner, Tahnee loves going head first into the realms of tradition, yogic philosophy, the organ systems, herbalism and hard-hitting research. Tahnee is the General Manager at SuperFeast, mumma to reishi-baby Aiya and partner to Mason (founder of SuperFeast). Resources: Nourishing Her Yin Event Video (The Chi Nei Tsang portion of the chat starts around the 38:45min mark) Mantak Chia Website Mantak Chia Self Massage Book Mantak Chia Chi Nei Tsang Book Dan Keown Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or check us out on Stitcher :)! Plus we're on Spotify! Check Out The Transcript Here: Mason: (00:01) Hey everybody, welcome to the podcast. I'm sitting here with my lovely Tahnee. Tahnee: (00:07) Hi. Mason: (00:08) So Tahnee, as many of you know, is SuperFeast mumma, my baby mumma. And well, one thing we haven't been doing as much as we'd like because Tahnee is running SuperFeast and teaching yoga and getting ready for yoga teacher trainings and doing all kinds of things while we raise our little human, and our dog as well that we have now. Mason: (00:34) One of the things we haven't done as much is sit down and jam on the podcast, but we've really worked hard to be able to carve time for that as we focus more and more and more on the educational piece. Now, as you guys know, when it comes to SuperFeast, we're really rock and hard on these Daoist Tahnee herbs and in talking about them and educating and taking them in that frame of sovereign health and taking responsibility for our own health. Mason: (01:04) And that is why also we educate about many, many other things, not just herbs. And today, we're going to be kind of revolving around organ health and that companion to herbalism, which is massage and self-massage, and we're going to say where it goes. Tahnee studied Chi Nei Tsang Daoist abdominal massage. As we were just saying, it's designed to be a self administered healing art. Right? Mason: (01:35) Again, something we work with herbalism. Everyone knows our herbs. You need to go to a practitioner to get herbs. I can't possibly figure out what herbs to take, especially when you see really institutionalized Chinese medicine, it's very like this paranoia around herbs. You might as well not eat any food because every bit of food that you eat is going to have an energetic impact on your body. That's like extreme institutionalization. Mason: (01:58) But massage can be like that as well, just a subconscious, “Hey, I got to go and see a masseuse in order to get my healing.” But one thing we're going to dive in today with Tahns is how we can bring that into our own lives. So why don't you … I know roughly, but why did you choose to go and do Chi Nei Tsang massage out of everything you could have been doing? Tahnee: (02:23) You remember me having a crisis of faith before I went in to that? Mason: (02:26) Yeah. Tahnee: (02:28) I had an eating disorder growing up was why, and I kind of hated my tummy, not even just physically, but I just always felt like all of my health problems came from there. It was always bloating or gurgling or not digesting something or there was pain or there was just weird sensations. And I just felt like it was this kind of mysterious land in the middle of my body. Tahnee: (02:59) And so much of my practice, up until that point, had been on the anatomy of the muscles and the tendons and the bones. And yoga is very physical, but we don't talk a whole lot about the organs per se. It sort of gets mentioned. You've done yoga training as well. You know it's like, “Yeah, this is good for your organ health,” but doesn't … in terms of really the unique characteristics of the organs, their personalities, their functions. Tahnee: (03:27) I'd studied Chinese medicine a little bit at that point, so I kind of knew that there was some interesting stuff there, but I hadn't really gone deep into it. So I don't even remember how I heard about Chi Nei Tsang. I think it was on the internet somewhere and I just had this weird feeling like, “Oh my God, I have to study that.” And it made absolutely no sense. I'd never received one. I'd never seen it done. Tahnee: (03:51) It was literally like … I believe in writing maybe in a blog post or something. And it kind of coincided with me being about to travel and a few things kind of happened. I think I was traveling like the next year or something. Anyway, I looked up who invented this thing and where it came from and I found Master Mantak Chia, who was kind of teaching it in Thailand and that he'd revived this lineage, which got lost in China after Chairman Mao kicked out all the healers and philosophers and artists and intelligent folks. Tahnee: (04:24) That's a bit of a broad stroke, but a lot of people had to leave China around that time. And so in Thailand, one of the remaining masters of this art survived and my teacher met him. This man saved his uncle's life and so he was curious about studying it, so he basically apprenticed himself to this guy for a few years. Mason: (04:44) That guy was Mantak's uncle, you said? That was insane. It was like three days with the deepest kidney disease, was that right? Tahnee: (04:51) Yeah. So apparently in Thailand, if you get unwell, they don't want your death on their records because it reflects poorly on their funding and stuff. It's like the more people that die in the hospital, the worst funding they get, sort of thing, or they get investigated or something. So basically, the doctors apparently told this guy he had to go home and die because they couldn't do anything for him. Tahnee: (05:12) He had kidney disease and it was so far along that it was just done. And Master Chia's family had heard of this guy and they contacted him. He was in Bangkok. So they traveled to Bangkok and took the uncle there. And apparently, he had three days of excruciating treatment, which from what I understand, and hopefully if anyone knows better than me, they can let me know, but I'm pretty sure it was like 12 hour days of massage and this man was screaming in pain. Tahnee: (05:40) It was apparently incredibly painful, but the healer was able to free whatever was causing the problem probably on a multidimensional level. And yeah, he walked out of there three days later, fine and lived a long, happy life as far as I'm aware. So Master Chia was so impressed. And this is a guy that traveled back to Hong Kong as a teenager to start studying Daoist healing. Tahnee: (06:06) He had a master who … he used to work to preserve his life and he was very much au fait with the whole canon of healing tradition that came out of the Daoist philosophy and he was just so impressed with this. He was like, “I have to keep this alive.” So yes, he basically studied with this guy. I think he was an apprentice for a couple of years and then kind of his peer. Tahnee: (06:29) He worked alongside him for a while and then he basically systemized what is now Chi Nei Tsang. So there's a few places you can study it around the world. Thailand tends to have a bit of a hotspot of it. And then in The States as well, it's more common. It's not really well known in Australia and certainly when I first google at … I don't even know if I spelled it properly and I couldn't really work out. Tahnee: (06:51) There was nobody I could find to give me Chi Nei Tsang. Anyway, I ended up going traveling and in Guatemala, I received one from a woman at a little town off San Marcos, La Laguna. That's where I was. Lago de Atitlan was the lake and she gave me one and I remember going home and I felt like shit and I cried. I think I was very resistant to it. I was like, “Yuk.” Mason: (07:19) It's like when you discovered … whenever you find something that ultimately becomes a love … I don't think it with me, but you hide it. That was the same with doing, yin yoga, right? You absolutely hated it. Tahnee: (07:31) I think I have a really strong resistance to what's good for me probably. I think I'm really confronted sometimes by the depth of my own suffering like how shitty I can feel through my own self and Chi Nei Tsang really highlighted for me how much stuff was stored in my body that I was just ignoring. So I think there's this part of me, this maybe more intelligent part of me that knows it's good for me and then there's this other part of me that has a toddler tantrum about the situation. Tahnee: (08:02) So I had my toddler tantrum, decided I was never going to do that again. Then I ended up somewhere else in Thailand at the sanctuary, which is this like a resort. And there was a guy there doing Chi Nei Tsang as well, and it was a completely different experience with him. And I wouldn't really say I enjoyed that either, but it was more just … I didn't enjoy the therapeutic relationship. Tahnee: (08:24) I felt it just wasn't something that I enjoyed. It didn't really do anything for me compared to the first one, which obviously moved a lot of stuff. I found it to be quite kind of superficial and I was like, “Oh, okaymaybe I'm wrong about this whole thing.” So that, I was in traveling through Thailand on my way to this training. So I was kind of having a lot of doubts. Tahnee: (08:54) And then I obviously spoke to you, I think you were back in Australia and I was in Chiang Mai and I was going, “Oh my God, what am I doing? I'm about to spend $4,000 on this training with this guy I've never met, with this thing I'm not even sure I like.” And like I guess my gut, funnily enough, drew me to it and … yeah, I decided to go and I was very, very ill when I arrived. I'd very stupidly eaten some fruit off of the ground in Thailand. Tahnee: (09:24) And would you believe I got sick? And it was probably the worst gastro I've ever had ever or could even imagine, lying in a toilet … Oh sorry, lying in the shower with the shower, running just pooing because I couldn't get to the toilet. It was so bad. And that went on for three or four days. I was supposed to get there early and enjoy the grounds and do some practice and spend the whole time pooping. Tahnee: (09:47) And the cute little staff were bringing me soup and trying to look after me and I just couldn't handle life. And I met Mantak Chia the night before we were supposed to star and he said to me, “Tahnee, you need to go to the hospital.” I said, “No, Master Chia, I want to do your training.” And he was like, “Well, my advice would be you need to go to hospital. You're very sick.” And I said, “Yeah, I know, but I want to stay.” Tahnee: (10:05) And he said, “Okay, well. Then we'll take care of you.” And yeah, within three days, I felt amazing having like … I was being practiced on every day. It was a really great group. They all looked after me for the first week while I was healing and the second week, I just felt amazing. So yeah, it just was really proof in the pudding, I guess, of how effective it was. And just … yeah, it's such a beautiful thing. Tahnee: (10:29) I think so many of us are so vulnerable with our tummies and we don't like being touched there. And even within our love making, a lot of us are sensitive to having our tummies touched and played with and I think it's something now as we evolve as a culture, it's really useful to start to think about, “Well, what's going on there?” And that's what's so interesting about the Daoist perception. It's that it's not the brain that thinks and creates thought and emotion. Tahnee: (10:57) It's the organs. The Heart receives everything that comes through and then it filters it out to the different organs of the body. And so anything that's stressful, the Liver is going to deal with. So that can manifest into anger and irritability, but just any kind of a stress. Any fear is going to come through the Kidneys, any thought, analyzing, thinking and that can turn into anxiety and worry that comes through the Spleen. Tahnee: (11:23) The Heart receives joy, but too much joy, excess joy can injure the Heart. I think I've missed one. The Lungs. The Lungs kind of perceive our grief, but also that bittersweet beauty of life. So there's this really … working with those as archetypes, I think it's a really powerful way of starting to live because you're out of your head and you're down in your belly. Tahnee: (11:47) You're not just perceiving with … even like in spiritual traditions, it's like, “just feel with the heart,” and it's like, “well, no. That's not enough.” There's different seats of consciousness in the body and when we look at it through this lens, it really aligns a lot with yogic thought as well. And when we look at where the energy of the organs manifest from, it manifests from the chakra, from the multidimensional body, but that's kind of a more complicated story. Tahnee: (12:13) But we're looking at this really kind of … we're looking at the organism being a powerful receiver and transmitter of thought energy and emotion as well as an alchemizer of physical compounds. You can put something into the digestive system and it can be alchemized into Blood and bone and transport it out to the Liver and the Kidneys and moved around. We can breathe through the Lungs and that becomes this fuel that fires our entire body, our metabolism. Tahnee: (12:44) That's just, to me, some real mystical shit right there. Science can talk about these things, but it can't really explain them. And when you look at what Daoist practice is all about, it's about alchemy. It's about how do I take these kind of gross material things and transform them into something more? How do I be a physical body and at the same time be a spiritual being? Tahnee: (13:06) And how do I have enough strength and enough capacity in my energy that I can hold that spirit in me? And it'll not just be this idea or this concept, but actually an embodied experience. So, yeah. So Chi Nei Tsang opened up that a lot more for me, I think. I think yoga had started that process and I think I just … Obviously, having had an eating disorder and having had digestive stuff through my life, it made me realize you literally digest your entire life. Tahnee: (13:36) It's not just food, it's thoughts and feelings. And so I started to realize, yeah, I wasn't digesting my life fully. There was some work around that for sure. It wasn't an easy process, but worthwhile. Mason: (13:51) So the Chi Nei Tsang is speeding up the emotional or energetic processes around that? Tahnee: (13:57) You've heard it. Like you touch someone's organ and suddenly, they're in tears and it's like, “ well what happened?" You know? And it's like acupuncture, it's like herbalism. It's like therapy or any of these things. Part of it it's the practitioner's Qi, so the ability of the practitioner to facilitate and transmit energy so that the person's body can respond. And it's partly the person, it's the individual. And I think what I love about Chi Nei Tsang and Master Chia is it's all about self healing. Tahnee: (14:32) It's not about someone else doing that healing for you. So I don't heal anybody when they come on my table, but I can facilitate what maybe needs to move for them to release the blockage to healing. So yeah, I might touch someone and they might cry, and to me, that's a positive thing because their energy that was blocked is now moving and all that energy wants to do is move. Tahnee: (14:54) That's... Health is movement, is flow. Anytime we have a blockage to movement of Qi, of energy, we're in trouble. That's what all bad things in the body are, tumors, injuries, any kind of inflammation, anything like that, it creates a blockage to flow. So when we start to move that, then we get a chance to get fresh blood into that space, fresh energy into that space, nutrients that are required for healing. Tahnee: (15:23) So the touch part of it is therapeutic in that there's a transmission of Qi and a mechanical movement of tissue which creates space for healing. But then I think a lot of people just to be touched in a non-sexual way with intention is really powerful too. So I think there's that side of it. And then a lot of the techniques are based on Qi Gong, so we have to visualize color and sound and use different positions and hand positions. Mason: (15:51) Do you find yourself doing that? Tahnee: (15:53) Yeah. So the idea is that as a practitioner, you're the bridge between the heaven and earth. So you're releasing toxic Qi down to the earth because the earth … Like how a tree loves our carbon dioxide and we love its oxygen, the earth is really happy to receive what's negative for humans. It's like compost for it. It turns it back into positive good stuff. And the heavenly Qi is what we can use for healing. Tahnee: (16:20) It's like universal violet light Qi which comes down and again, you learn to feel and transmit these things. And I'm certainly not a master at this like Master Chia is a master at this, but as you get more sensitive to it, it becomes more perceptible definitely. And yeah, these things are all really powerful. Tahnee: (16:38) So as a practitioner, your job is to be open to that flow and to be able to channel it, and as the receiver, you're obviously starting to build your perception of these things. So one of the reasons a therapeutic relationship is useful at the beginning is many of us can't feel our energy. We don't know what Qi feels like. We don't know what our organs feel like. It's just tense and tight and painful. Mason: (16:58) Well, it's almost like we're scared to actually go in there and touch it. Like, “Am I allowed to do this? Can I just touch my liver like this? Is that bad? Is it going to explode?” Tahnee: (17:08) Yeah. Well, you've seen people at workshops that I do. They're like, “Aah.” And I'm like, “Just press into your tummy.” And they're like, “What?” And people freak out of it and I get that. Again, I was like that when I first started exploring this stuff. Tahnee: (17:22) And I think I still like … Massage may tell me sometimes, because my mom used to tell me to do it when I needed to poo and stuff, but I never really liked … I had an idea of where the organs were from studying anatomy, but I didn't … I would never have gone and, like you said, and tried to poke my own liver because like you say, it's like, “Well what happens if you do that? Is it a balloon that'll just pop or?” Mason: (17:45) Yeah, I think the extent of what everyone has, I think it comes up sometimes in yoga teacher trainings and anatomy trainings of just following the line of the colon. That's what it would be like. And even in geriatrics and that kind of thing, it says, “That's what I'll do. I'll just follow that line,” and that's probably the extent of it. Tahnee: (17:59) Yeah. I think for a lot of people, even to touch their colon is to not appreciate that this is an organ that is working against gravity for a solid portion of the transit of your feces. So it's going up the right side of your body underneath the liver. The liver is meant to deposit toxins down through its tissue into the large intestine to be transported out. Tahnee: (18:18) Often, a lot of people have congestion there, so the liver remains toxic and that goes back into the blood then that has to go across the body again. Not exactly the most mechanically simple process given that we all sit all day in a half rounded shape, and then it goes down the descending colon and to exit the body. So there's a lot of potential just in the colon for things to go wrong. Tahnee: (18:47) But then you've got the Liver, you've got the Stomach, Spleen kind of system. You've got the gallbladder's there, which can often get blocked in a lot of people. The bile gets very thick and sticky especially if people are in a really low fat diets and stuff. The fat actually triggers a release of bile. Anyone who's done a liver flush will know all about that. Tahnee: (19:06) And the kidneys, which are harder to massage, like I usually have to work with someone for at least … best case scenario, probably three or four sessions to get there because just for most people, they're too tense and they can't relax enough to let me go into there. Mason: (19:20) Yeah, I think you've got that one- Tahnee: (19:21) Abdominal cavity. Yeah. Mason: (19:22) … maybe once with me. Tahnee: (19:23) Yeah. I think once. But, yeah. And then obviously they can, especially if someone has a diet or has the sense of proclivity toward calcium build up and stuff, they can get quite painful if people have that. So I suspect that it was what happened to Mantak Chia's uncle. It was that they had to work on the kidneys to break up all the calcification in order that the kidneys could start to filter again. Mason: (19:50) Well, it's the same … It's same plaque build up. It's just one of those things that make us susceptible to gravity. And it's always that. When you were talking about that story again, that's actually what I was thinking. I was like … It makes sense that this guy's … Like what gets the turtles, the great turtles. They're hundreds of years old and it's just this bad calcium arthritic buildup that eventually just makes it, “Nope, can't swim anymore. I'm tightening up.” Tahnee: (20:13) Freeze. Mason: (20:13) It's what happens to organs naturally. It's like plaquey build up in the heart, plaquey build up in through the brain for stroke and so on and so forth. Arthritis has a lot to do with age, has a lot to do with the fact that we've got inflammation, blockages of Qi, low immunity, all these kinds of things. But then, it's always … It seems like this big leap in perception of self healing. Mason: (20:41) It's like to be like we've got our exercise and that moves our lymph … Yet we've got such a hectic world that it would … Superficial massage and superficial movement isn't a lot of the time. Mason: (20:55) It'll do a lot, but as soon as he started getting into really spending an hour or spending two hours, or even spending 20 minutes of yourself really getting on verse, just doing a rub in a clockwise direction on your belly, all of a sudden, it just opened up this whole layer of deeper intention, which I was just like, “Oh man, if we had this in hospitals, you would just completely and utterly avoid so much shit.” I mean, I think it's like one of the- Tahnee: (21:28) We're very scared of pain though and it hurts. This is a thing. I was actually talking to our acupuncturist about this the other day because he does the traditional Chinese massage, which is painful, right? Mason: (21:39) It can be. Tahnee: (21:42) And Master Chia teaches us to massage. We get in between each rib and we rub really hard and it's like to break up all that gristle and that fascia in there. It's painful. And I remember like cry laughing when I first had it done. I was like, “This is outrageous.” Mason: (21:57) Especially in the ribs because … I think a lot of guys relate. You said the cry laughing like that. You see all this … What you're seeing when you've really overly ticklish and skittish, you can see it's like a compensation that you have with your [crosstalk 00:22:12]. Tahnee: (22:11) Yeah. Well, and Master Chia said they're people that avoid pain through laughter. So there'll be people that make a joke when they're feeling uncomfortable or so he said, “You can tell a lot about a person's personality when you're massaging that part of their body because there'll be people that avoid discomfort with humor.” Mason: (22:31) Yeah. That's me. Tahnee: (22:32) Yeah, me too, to some degree. And he said, “As they get more comfortable with …” And I think all of us … I certainly know over my … I think I've been practicing yoga now since I was 15. I'm 34 and that's a long time. And meditating not anywhere near that long, probably like 10 years at the most, maybe eight. I feel like my personality has changed a lot. Tahnee: (22:58) Not that I don't find humor in things, but just that I don't need to avoid discomfort as much as I used to, so I don't have as many compensation patterns. And if you think about avoiding an emotion, that energy has to go somewhere. This is one of those … I think it's Einstein's laws or... “Energy doesn't leave. It just gets transformed.” So if we don't express our emotions, then the energy has to be stored. Tahnee: (23:24) And so it will be stored as tension, usually in the body. And so what you'll find is people will have chronic patterns of tension, which are related to emotional patterns. A really common one is neck tension. A lot of people have that and they find if they get stressed, they get neck tension, which is the Yang channel of the Liver, the Gallbladder channels. Tahnee: (23:42) It's all around the neck and the trapezius muscles there and the back of their heads. If you ever get those kind of back of the neck headaches, they're often related to Gallbladder, which means your Liver is stressed and which means you're stressed. That's kind of the pattern. And this is an emotional thing. You're not capacitated to deal with the level of input you're experiencing and it's manifesting as stress. Tahnee: (24:07) So that's an emotional response to an external stimulus that manifests as a physical symptom. So people would go take a painkiller, but that's done nothing to deal with what's actually going on. So a better thing to do would be to learn to manage stress or reduce the input so that there's less external stress. Mason: (24:26) Look, another thing there is when you're getting rubbed and you're hitting a point, it's possibly like a trigger point. What's it called? The ouchy points. Tahnee: (24:40) Well, all trigger points, acupuncture points. Mason: (24:42) Acupuncture points. That's what I am thinking… I forget the name, but it just means it was like an ouchy point. It's like a barefoot name for the, those running around barefoot acupuncturists, but you can't stop the perception that you're going to be able to get it out of your body. You're in Meridian at that point. Mason: (25:00) That's always one of the things I was like … I really think about the fact that feeling emotions, feeling your Qi and then feeling your physicality, that's all intertwined in that. That's all related, right? So it's constantly getting these headaches in the back of the head and you're getting this tension in the back of your neck. One of the things we're trying to do is go like, “All right. Well, let's feel you know and what's the path of least resistance? Mason: (25:26) Is it feeling where physically, that tension pattern is coming from?” You're feeling the emotion that's associated to it and I think I can relate to the fact that we're also not embodied that. You can quite often try and intellectualize that idea and it's hard to slow down to get that perception of whether it's the emotion or the physicality. Mason: (25:48) I was feeling it this morning when I was running with Goji. I was like, “Oh, for the first time I can feel why sometimes when I run, that tension emerges into my neck,” and all I did is it took me having less agenda with my running and slowing down. Tahnee: (26:05) Yeah. It's adrenaline which creates stress as well because running is a stimulus to the body that you're in danger. You have to work … In my opinion, you have to work very hard to maintain equanimity while running that you don't have a negative effect on your adrenals. That's another story. Mason: (26:19) Absolutely. Absolutely. That's why I like barefoot running as a philosophy. Tahnee: (26:23) Yeah. And I think if you are stressing the Kidneys, it'll affect the Liver. That's where your manifest that tension from, because the sinews will tighten because the Liver gets stressed. But again, if you can manage it, I think it can be very healthy as well. But, yeah- Mason: (26:37) It's healthy because then the dog's worn out. Tahnee: (26:42) We have a Kelpie. She needs running. Yeah, I think it's healthy that there's … I think from … This is where herbs certainly are useful because I look at … Let's say there's someone with a chronic liver pattern. Herbs that support the liver are going to really support their capacity. So I would look at yoga practice. I would look at … This is why with Tai Chi Yin especially, but you can do this in a Yang practice too. Tahnee: (27:09) It's just a bit easier to communicate these ideas to students because it's slower, but you can work on the Liver channels when you're about to bleed for example, because your blood is moving and your body's kind of creating new blood and there's all this good stuff happening on account of your menstrual cycle about to occur. So if you work on the Liver channel in that time, you take your liver herbs, you nourish and support yourself with enough rest and minimal stress. Mason: (27:36) Which Liver herbs are you talking about? Tahnee: (27:38) Well, I'd look at things like He Shou Wu, I'd look at … It depends on the person and the constitution, but typically, you're going to look at … From our end, we're working with tonics. If you wanted to be more kind of medicinal about it, you could certainly work with other ones. But I'd be looking at things like Dong Quai, things like He Shou Wu, things like maybe Schizandra if you're constitutionally appropriate for you, Reishi. Tahnee: (28:01) There's all going to manage the symptoms. Again, it would depend on the woman and what is going to work best, but they're the ones I'd be looking at. And for me, I'm a Livery constitutiony person, so liver herbs in general just work well for me and they keep me balanced. Whereas someone who's more of a Speeny constitution person would be better with Qi herbs and so on it goes. Tahnee: (28:25) So I think the thing with herbs as we work with them, with the tonic kind of side of things, it's like I'd stick to stuff that works really well for your body and generally, we're going to find that most of the herbs we sell work on the Liver, Kidney, Spleen areas, which are the most important in terms of general metabolic health. For sure, if you're asthmatic, work on your Lung channel. That's super important. Tahnee: (28:53) If you're going through a lot of emotional stress with grief, work on the Lung channel. This is where these ideas of emotions become really powerful because it's like, “If I know I'm going to …” say someone dies, it's like that would be a time to really ramp up my Lung herb regime because it's really common. And some of you may even know people that someone dies and then that person grieving gets a really bad respiratory infection or pneumonia. Tahnee: (29:20) Actually, I've read some studies that correlate a lot of the secondary deaths after married couples, like say the husband dies and the woman will die of pneumonia or some kind of respiratory failure. And that makes a lot of sense. If you look at what Chinese medicine says, that level of grief is going to injure the Lung literally on a physical level and then it's going to be susceptible to pathogens which are bacterial infections or whatever. Mason: (29:42) And then you're looking at physical manipulation as well. Tahnee: (29:47) In terms of massage? Mason: (29:48) Yeah. Tahnee: (29:49) Yeah. Well, so that's why Chi Nei Tsang is just another tool in your tool kit. So it's like, “Okay. Well, I know I'm going through something really potent and powerful. I'm going to massage my ribs. I'm going to take my herbs. I'm going to talk about my feelings. I'm going to meditate or do some kind of a practice that connects me to my body and myself.” Tahnee: (30:05) That isn't a mental thing, like you were saying. This idea of being able to think through your emotions is kind of futile because they're not a thinking process. The brain in Chinese medicine is from the Kidney's and has little to do with feeling, if anything really. It's more of like the feelings tell the brain what to do. The feelings dictate the response. Tahnee: (30:26) So if I have to go on stage and I'm afraid of speaking in public, then my Kidney's are going to tell my brain to initiate my panic response and I'm going to go into, like, my bowels might empty. I might start hyperventilating. I might … Whatever people- Mason: (30:43) That's an extreme. Tahnee: (30:45) Well, that used to happen to me when I had to public speak. I used to get the poos. This is what I mean. My belly was so sensitive to things. As a kid, I used to say to my mum, “I feel sick.” And she'd be like, “You have to poo.” And I'd be like, “Oh.” I was so disconnected from that part of my body and I would respond to everything through it. Tahnee: (31:05) If I was heartbroken, it would show up in my belly and I was like … I feel everything through my tummy and I was terrified of having it touched because I guess subconsciously knew that that's where it was all going to be. And I actually managed to get through the training without any massive emotional dramas. Tahnee: (31:27) A few people I worked on that fully broke down and had some pretty big crises on the training. And I think probably because I'd been meditating and doing a lot of other stuff in the lead up to being there, I was probably in a better position than if I'd gone- Mason: (31:42) It can just crack you wide open. Tahnee: (31:43) Yeah. I think, if anything, meditation did that more for me than Chi Nei Tsang. But Chi Nei Tsang really for me, gave me a practical tool and a piece of biofeedback where I could … I know that if I'm touching my tummy, it's really sensitive and inflamed that I need to probably, first of all, check in with my diet, maybe drink a bit more water and then look at what's going on emotionally in my life and what I might need to balance out. Tahnee: (32:08) And similarly with clients and anyone I work on, it's just like there's so much information there. You look at the navel area, it's where we were connected to our mothers for 10 months of our lives. So there's all of this idea of nurturance and what we did or didn't receive in the womb that remains with us after we are born. Again, this is energy that doesn't disappear or just get consumed. It just changes form. Tahnee: (32:36) So it still exists. Our ancestral line, the navel is associated with the ancestry of our entire lineage. So I've had people that are very open, energetically have big visions of their past lives and various things through that center because they've been able to connect to it through that. And again, there's a transmission that occurs when two people who are energetically open work together. Tahnee: (33:02) So that's something that can happen if I'm working with someone who's on that level, I suppose. I've had people obviously with trauma stored around their uterus and different parts of their body where we've worked through that kind of stuff. It's always really interesting what the body holds that the person isn't willing to share. Tahnee: (33:25) And I mean I would never … It's something as a practitioner obviously you're really mindful of, but I never try and force anything out of anybody. Often, I'll see or hear something that I try not to … And I mean that more on an energetic level. I don't literally hear anything but I can sometimes have visions of things or whatever and I'll just wait and see if the person wants to share that with me or not. Tahnee: (33:50) Sometimes I might offer it if they ask, but that's probably the trickiest part to navigate, I guess because often, like I said, it's stuff that we've blocked away for a reason. Mason: (34:03) Well, it's interesting. I think what you're talking about there when you didn't get blown out of the water and have a huge peak experience that was hard to integrate, which I think is an interesting. It's like anything. It's like whether you go to meditation, silent retreats, plant medicine or you do like huge doses of the mushrooms when you begin to like in a lot of the time and sometimes it's because we're desensitized and sometimes, it's because when we need it. Mason: (34:27) We have this huge peak experience that's super transformational a lot of the time. And then it's, “Okay. And now it's a time to integrate.” And what is integration? Well, integration is you know, you've got a lifestyle that consistently is supporting you to stay healthy. So your physical tissue and your Qi can work through anything that you're bringing up as well that you've got the foundation so that psychologically, you can handle these changes that are occurring. And it's quite simple, but- Tahnee: (34:59) Jing, Qi, Shen, right? Mason: (35:00) It's very simple, Jing, Qi, Shen. But what I like … Again, what comes up constantly with Chi Nei Tsang, it's like, “Oh great.” Well, we like a peak experience and they're fun. However, generally … Especially if you're going to be doing the chop wood, carry water and integrating a little bit into your own lifestyle, you are consistently working psychologically and emotionally on something. Mason: (35:25) And hopefully, you can keep that in a point where you don't consider yourself that you're someone that … You've got something wrong with you or you're bad or broken because you always have to be working on something. That's the development of our Shen. It's the whole point of taking life experiences and taking it through the peculator and hopefully, bringing out some wisdom so that our virtuous nature can come forth. Mason: (35:48) So I mean, important to not expect all these knock-it-out-of-the-park experiences. I like to, I think, when it comes to Chi Nei Tsang. I know that's definitely- Tahnee: (35:58) I mean, I don't think that's common. I mean, I think for whatever reason … My yoga teacher talks about this a lot. He's like, “The karma has to be right for these things to happen. You can meditate for 40 years and never have a peak experience. It doesn't mean you shouldn't meditate.” I think he says that he's meditated for 40 years and never had a peak experience. Tahnee: (36:19) And I've meditated for less than 10 years and had a bajillion peak experiences. And why, I don't know. For whatever reason, I'm predisposed to them and he isn't. It doesn't mean that he shouldn't teach me or that he shouldn't teach or … He is, as far as I'm aware, a very advanced meditator, far more advanced than me and able to maintain his focus for much longer. And I think it's just like anything. Tahnee: (36:48) It's like for some reason, sometimes certain stars align and stuff happens and other times it doesn't. And I think that's my experience with Chi Nei Tsang. I've had clients where we just have a beautiful healing, connection. I just massage their bellies and we spend time together and that's all it is. And then there's people that are puddles on the floor and I have to spend three hours talking to them to get them calm down again. So I think it's just- Mason: (37:15) And all in all, if we're trying to sustainably create this ongoing system in our lifestyle to help us consistently transform right, I think that's kind of fair to say whether it's on a micro or macro level as we're moving along, we'd love relationships to become richer, to work more towards passions or get more onto the path of our destiny. I think this has been a really, really nice practice for me. Mason: (37:42) It's not something I'd sit there and do in 20 minutes of every afternoon, but every now and then, I can really … I feel it and I get in there. And it's a nice one having a tool and the arsenal because you're moving along and you get to these crescendos when you're possibly going to really get some distinction on an emotional set that you have or something that's going to allow you to create distance between your noticing and your reaction, something most of us are working on and especially working on at the moment. Mason: (38:10) And then just having … And then you've got your herbs to support that. You've got your personal practice, your time in nature, your relationships and having … You've got your physical practice and you've got your fascia stretching, whether it's Yin or whether it's the work I'm doing with Benny, Movement Monk Benny. We got all those things. Mason: (38:25) But then having this … I think this in the arsenal, quite often for me, it's enough to just bolster all my efforts to make sure that I bring it up to cresendo that point and then I don't just … it doesn't just slide back down and actually I can't get the boulder over the mountain. It's just one of those things I can use to just really bring it along that physical touch, that physical manipulation. Mason: (38:47) And it's the same with any deep healing, as you were saying, when you've got menstrual issues that are hardcore congestion in through the female sex organs or a tumor sitting within an organ. Why would we not touch these things? It's so difficult for the body to overcome these huge blockages. Tahnee: (39:08) Well, it's painful, is reason one … Usually when there's stagnation, which is what you're talking about in those two examples, then there's pain because things congest around there, the toxins build up and it's usually a got an emotional component. And pain science is one of the most fascinating areas of science because it's purely subjective. I could have cut my arm off and you could cut your arm off and we can both describe completely different levels of pain. Tahnee: (39:32) It's not like there's one pain scale that everyone, like they go, “Oh, happy pain or sad pain at the hospital,” but they're completely subjective experiences. You tell the doctor how you're feeling and that's where to digress a little bit. Like lower back fusion, it's proven to be completely pointless. It doesn't stop lower back pain whether it's fuse the discs of the lumbar spine, usually, it's all completely, the surgery is a waste of time. Tahnee: (40:01) And I feel very confident in saying that, what was actually proven to be best is psychotherapy and movement. And the combination of those two are going to relieve stress. They're going to manage emotions. They're going to support the Kidney and Liver channels, which low back pain typically is correlated to. So we're looking at this system, I suppose, with the body as opposed to individual symptoms. Tahnee: (40:26) So if I was looking at menstrual symptoms or a tumor in my sessions, it's like tumors are typically cold stagnation, so you want to warm that up. And again, cancer's a tough one for us to talk about. As everybody knows, it's the big thing you can't talk about. And if I have someone come with cancer, I obviously don't work directly on their tumor usually because it's not appropriate, but I'll do energy work on it. Tahnee: (40:52) So I've only worked with one person with bowel cancer and that felt to me like a black sticky tar-like energy, so I just spent time countering that with healthy Qi. And she was going through different courses of treatment anyway, so it wasn't really appropriate for me to do anything beyond that. I was just there to support. Tahnee: (41:18) But from my experience working with a lot of types of infections and things as well, anytime I felt anything really chronic and bad, its felt like black tar. I can, in really heightened states, which is not frequent for me, unfortunately. I can feel like I can pull that out. But that's only been like twice that I've felt that. And I've spoken to some acupuncturists and healers about it that I know and they have said, “Yeah, that's when you're a really strong Qi Gong practitioner. Tahnee: (41:48) You're able to actually pull that out on an energetic level,” which I'm sure there are healers out there that can do that. I'm not at that point. But yeah, I think normally, it's like, well, if you're warming it up, you're increasing blood flow and circulation. In general, these are going to be really helpful things to get going. Like menstrual disorders work really well with Chi Nei Tsang. If anyone out there has any kind of menstrual stuff going on, start massaging your uterus every day. Tahnee: (42:13) You don't have to do anything fancy, just scoop around your pubic bone and your inner pelvis and just get in there. And if it feels painful, spend some time rubbing it until it stops feeling painful. It's that simple. It doesn't have to be complicated. In Chi Nei Tsang we have lots of complicated techniques and I've certainly used a lot of them, but I also have found when teaching people, it's best to just … simple, simple, simple. Tahnee: (42:38) So just if it hurts, spend some time on it, breathe into it, send some love to it, give it a good massage and generally, you'll find that these things dissolve. That's what I've found really interesting in my body. It was like you feel something that feels like a huge knot or a lump that it's really painful and it's like, “I can't possibly deal with this.” And 10 minutes later, it's gone. And it's like, “Wow.” Mason: (43:02) And sometimes, it's not. Tahnee: (43:02) Yeah. Well, sometimes it's 20 or 30 or 40 minutes later. And like I said, I've had clients that come back three or four times and I finally get to a point where I'm able to soften them up enough. So there's lots of things that can happen... Tahnee: (43:15) But yeah, I think in general, anytime we're looking at pain when there's touch and those kinds of things, it's generally coming from some kind of Qi stagnation and it's usually helpful to massage it. Again, within reason. Don't go hard on yourself. Mason: (43:34) Well, that's kind of the real … we mentioned barefoot running. It's like that's something that's very obvious for people to say, “You start running barefoot, not in shoes. If you put that little bit of new stress on your ankles and your arch and your knee, the whole rule is if you feel little tweaks or if you feel anything becoming, feeling really vulnerable, you open yourself up to something. Mason: (43:54) That's it. Your session's done for the day. And I feel like it can be the same like this. And in terms of techniques, I mean, I really started like going deep when I let go of the techniques. When I was rubbing my organs and I let go a little bit more of going like, “All right, now here I'm in the duodenum. Okay. Now, in the pyloric valves and …” again, I was intellectualising a lot rather than just getting to know myself through feeling and through touch. Mason: (44:28) Because my mind quite often works like if I can't explain what I'm doing externally, how do I justify doing this in the first place? And through that, my techniques got more advanced in relationship to my unique little organ system rather than trying to use a particular technique. That was really nice, getting that little insight. Mason: (44:48) But I think that's just something … This is … Everyone's on practice here. Even though it's called Chi Nei Tsang, it's literally just you sticking fingers and- Tahnee: (44:58) Yeah. Well, look, I've only received Chi Nei Tsang from probably let's say 20 or 30 people in total in my life and let's say 30 of them were on training. Oh, sorry. 20 of them were on a training. And then I've had Master Chia, Utah, the lady in Guatemala, the guy in Thailand, probably … I'm trying to think of any other professionals who've massage me … oh, Sola. Tahnee: (45:26) I've had a few professionals messaged me and they've all been very different in how they approach Chi Nei Tsang. And even friends of mine who having received them from me were like, “Oh my God, I have to go study this.” They called me up and were like, “It's so different to what you do and I wanted to learn what you do.” Tahnee: (45:42) And I was like, “Well, I think like anything … Anyone who's learned to teach yoga or done anything, it's like you put your own spin on things.” So I certainly think while I respect Master Chia's work and his techniques … And he's very much a stickler for the techniques. I'll often start much further along than he recommends in the flows that he teaches and stuff. Tahnee: (46:07) I think I've just found intuitively there's different techniques I'm really comfortable with and ones I'm not comfortable with. There's ones that I've found effective in general for people that I wouldn't … I had … Utah did one on me one time where she just pulled my spleen for like an hour and went, “Oooh,” and that was it. Tahnee: (46:27) And I was like, “Well,” and it was amazing, but on paper, that sounded like there was no flow to that. It wasn't a massage per se. It was kind of a shamanic style of healing. So I think there's probably a lot more of my influences from her and on that side of things where it's just- Mason: (46:47) She's Mantak's student- Tahnee: (46:49) Yeah, yeah. She's in her 60s and has been living with him in Thailand with her husband for, I would guess, 20 or 30 years. I remember speaking to her about it, but I can't remember exactly. And she's European, so she travels all through Europe teaching this and she's a master in her own right. And just like … we've spoken a few times about that she has a different style to Master Chia and teachers differently to him. Tahnee: (47:11) And I know there's people in The States that have developed their own versions of Chi Nei Tsang now and this woman in Thailand who has her own version. So I don't think there's a right or a wrong way. I think it's anything that just each practitioner will have their truth and the best way of expressing it. But I think if you're just curious about touching your own belly, you've got permission. Tahnee: (47:32) Go do it. And it's interesting. The history of it, I find really interesting because it correlates a lot to what happens in our culture now. I think is, it became unfashionable to touch. The healers weren't allowed to touch the higher cast of person they want … Especially not allowed to touch women. It went from being like a village-based medicinal practice to like a more systemised medicinal practice. Tahnee: (48:02) And Chinese medicine has evolved a lot over the centuries and the millennia. So Chi Nei Tsang came about from a much older time when hands-on healing was considered appropriate and then that lost favor especially as Western styles of healing penetrated into China. And I'm studying acupuncture at the moment. So I just learned that that was around the late 1800s, early 1900s. Tahnee: (48:29) But yeah, I think when we look at that, we see that we lost a lot of the touch based healing arts from China. And massage, in the West, is very different to Tui Na, the Chinese style of massage, which is more similar to what I have learned. And you've had massages with John, our acupuncturist. He gets into all the gristle and runs up and down the bones and gets right into all the fascia. Tahnee: (48:55) Most Swedish style massages, they're nice for moving Chi at a superficial level like you're talking about, but in terms of getting Chi into the joints, which is where it really matters and that's why Yin Yoga, Qi Gong, that type of massage is so important because the joints are where the Qi … This is when you talk about calcification and stuff before. It's where the Chi will stagnate the most easier because the joints are dense. Tahnee: (49:17) There's no blood. Blood andi are really close, but when you're looking at an elbow or a knee, there's very little blood in there. And so these are really prone to deterioration really quickly, especially if our Liver is struggling, which again, like we said, everyone is stressed. So that's really common in our culture. So it makes a lot of sense to do these painful joint based massages like we do in Chi Nei Tsang. Tahnee: (49:41) Chi Nei Tsang isn't just the belly, just to be clear. It covers the entire body, so we'll do anything that needs doing, really. I've done Chi Nei Tsang on a friend of ours who's in his 70s … Nearly in the 70s and it was all around his knees and his pelvis because that was what was required. And it's really about where are the blockages of Qi, how do we break it up so that these blockages are removed. Tahnee: (50:06) Again, it was a very painful session for him, but he felt incredible and could walk differently afterwards. So it's these kinds of ideas of maybe the session won't be that fun, but the benefits are going to be huge because you're breaking up adhesions and … Yeah. Anyone who's had a frozen shoulder and had manual therapy done on that, I've heard it's very, very, very painful. And it's the same idea. It's like to get that fascia to dissolve- Mason: (50:31) Adhesions on the fascia, yeah. Tahnee: (50:32) … Yeah, you need to heat it up and it needs to be broken up in a lot of cases. And there's some really interesting work around how sensitive fascia is and that breaking it up isn't always that helpful if there's a really strong emotional component because it just creates more trauma. And I think there's something to that, so I think you want to work with a good practitioner who understands the nuance of when it's appropriate and when it isn't. Mason: (50:54) Or have your own ability to actually process emotions and just look historically how you've done it that it's very accessible. Tahnee: (51:00) Yeah, I've worked with this really inspiring woman when I taught yoga in Newcastle. I think she came to my classes for … I'd want to say like 18 months to two years of Yin Yoga and she had a frozen shoulder and she'd just sit there. She'd sit next to the wall and she'd do half versions of everything because she couldn't really do a lot. And I remember speaking to her and she's like,” I can like lift my arm up over my head now.” Tahnee: (51:24) She was just … And it took a really long time, but she just kept showing up. And that was a really inspiring to me and that's really indicative of how long it takes to change fascia. We're literally talking about reshaping ourselves and the shape we are is because of our thoughts and how we respond to the world and how we respond to life and what we were conditioned to postulate ourselves toward or against. Tahnee: (51:45) You'll see people in families have same posture and those kinds of things and it's because we learned so much of this and we're conditioned as children to pick up on our parents physiology and their responses to things and how they … We've both done therapy, all about that. So our bodies hold that just as much as our minds and our personalities and our thoughts and emotions do. Tahnee: (52:07) So it's a lot quicker to change a thought than it is to change the body. I think that patterns are very slow to change, but again, I would say the pattern is more closely correlated to the body. The yogic tradition talks about samskara's and vasana's, so these character traits and conditioned ways of behaving. So a samskara is like a conditioned pattern of behavior and vasana is like when that becomes who I am. Tahnee: (52:37) So I might say I'm Tahnee and I am a yoga teacher and I've been doing the thing, teaching yoga so long that I identify with that as me. And if you take that away from me, I'm going to suffer because it's who I am. And that's just a silly example, but it's a good one to demonstrate it. Tahnee: (52:55) So when we look at the body, the body will often mirror these same ideas because your yoga teacher will walk a certain way and they will hold themselves a certain way and they will think certain things and they will speak a certain way, and so as a result, you start to embody this idea of something instead of actually just maybe being more authentically like you. Tahnee: (53:14) And so yoga is all around how do we remove these hats that we wear, all these masks that we wear to the world and find out what's really underneath. And I think Chi Nei Tsang is one of the tools that we can use to start to dissolve some of those attachments and conditioned patterns I suppose. So I think it all fits into me to the same framework. Tahnee: (53:35) I separate yoga and Taoism when I teach because it's easier that way, but I see them as being very similar, if not the same, at the risk of offending some people. I think that the ideas fundamentally are very, very similar. Mason: (53:48) When you get bare bones about it, everything is, unless there's a very, very unique spiritual intention that someone would have. Tahnee: (53:59) Yeah. Well you could look at maybe Tantra as deviating because it starts with the assumption that there's oneness, whereas … I mean, I think … Oneness to me is a whole another podcast, so I don't think we'll go there. But if anyone's interested, let us know and we can go there because I love talking about this philosophy stuff. Tahnee: (54:18) But coming back to Chi NeI Tsang, I think when we can embody ourselves fully and unify with ourselves, that's the first step. It's the absolute foundation. It's the fundamental step to any personal growth and transformation and evolution, which is what this path is about. You can't take tonic herbs without changing and evolving and this is why we do this. It's certainly what motivates me to get out of bed every day. Tahnee: (54:45) And it's not this idea of becoming someone better or … It's just like I can feel that there's so much that I look through when I look at the world that isn't me. And it's like … And I've felt me, and these two things aren't completely congruent yet and that's okay. I'm still really young and I think that there's time, but I think that the more I practice and the more I explore these really ancient healing traditions, that I can feel this congruency coming. Tahnee: (55:17) And that's what yoga talks about. It's like we start to abide in our true selves. It's not this split where we think we're one thing and we do something else. And we're all hypocrites, every single one of us, and yoga doesn't say hypocrisy is bad. So much as it says, well, it's a sign that your inner and outer worlds aren't aligned. You say one thing, you do something else. You think one thing, you do something else. Tahnee: (55:36) There's no congruency there. It's because you haven't fully integrated. And that's what I think all of these healing tools point us toward. It's this idea of being able to be congruent and cohesive and consistent and all of the good things. Mason: (55:55) So we'll put the video from the Nourish Her Yin event where you're on stage taking everyone through a little massage sequence. Tahnee: (56:05) Can we do a better video than that? Mason: (56:05) Yeah. That's what I was going to say. It would also... Goji's (dog) getting in there. It'd be really good to just have a couple of different series like YouTube videos. Tahnee: (56:16) Well, what I've got in mind is doing a self massage one and then showing a simple partner massage or something, just a little flow. Mason: (56:27) Well, especially it's a good for mums and dads in the household to just have a little bit under your belt in terms of a little digestive flow. Tahnee: (56:35) Yeah, well, if you have a bubba, I wouldn't do Chi Nei Tsang so much as just rub their tummies really gently in a circular … So you want to go, I'm never good at this way, but clockwise, I think. Is that the right way? Yeah. So you want to go- Mason: (56:48) Looking at the belly clockwise. Tahnee: (56:49) So if you're looking at your baby's tummy, you want to go clockwise around. So basically, from their right to their left, an arc like a rainbow, that's going to help, especially if they get colic or any kind of constipation or anything. It's going to help to move what is stuck. And babies, like us, they process a lot through the digestion. Tahnee: (57:12) They're very open energetically, so it's always interesting to have a look at what else is going on in the family life if that sort of stuff is happening, what they might need to be buffered from or what they might be experiencing. I mean, these amazing little perceptive beings they are, so pretty cool. But yeah, Aiya doesn't love being massaged, unfortunately. Tahnee: (57:35) I always had dreams of, “I'll massage my baby.” And Aiya is, “Oi, get off.” So maybe when she's a bit older, she'll appreciate having a massage therapist mum. Mason: (57:44) That's all I was thinking. It's like when you get a little bit older, it's like having your little herbal remedies around and you have your Gua Sha stone around- Tahnee: (57:49) She does like Gua Sha. Mason: (57:54) … she does like Gua sha. You have your little Chi Nei Tsang technique. I mean, all we're talking about is a very practical focus even like putting too much on it and it's just very simple skill sets that hopefully, are going to keep you out of a doctor's office. Tahnee: (58:08) Yeah. I kind of always think- Mason: (58:10) Or a naturopath's office. Tahnee: (58:11) Well, I've said this to you before, like about being a cool old grandma, and I think it's such a shame in our culture. We've lost … I know … even when I was in Japan, when I was 16, the grandma and grandpa and the aunty and uncle all lived in the same compound and they were old, the grandma and grandpa and they did all the prayers. Tahnee: (58:30) They'd light all the incense, set up the alters every morning, facilitate that. If I saw the kid had a cold or something, grandma was boiling up stuff. I was too young to really comprehend exactly what it was, but now I'm thinking she was probably doing some herbal treatments or something. It's like they were holding that wisdom and that role in the family of just providing the health care. And you'd use a doctor only in a really extreme situation. Tahnee: (58:55) And I think there's really something … I know you saw me, I started reading nursing books and how to look after sick people because I was thinking, “Well, if I Aiya's unwell, how do I manage that?” And I think there's this lack of skill in our culture that us younger people have especially, that we don't know basic home remedies for things that aren't silly. Tahnee: (59:20) Like, “Oh, garlic if you have a cough or whatever,” I'm thinking more like, “How do I actually know when a fever is okay and not okay?” Because fevers, in my opinion, are an incredibly powerful healing tool and it should be left alone in general, but I know there's a point when they can get dangerous too. So it's like we've got to … h
November, or Brovember as we like to call it, is all about our men's health at SuperFeast. Today we're thrilled to have our good friend Dan Sipple back on the podcast. Dan is absolute gem and wealth of information in his field of natural medicine. In today's chat Mason and Dan discuss the importance of men's hormonal health and outline the diet and lifestyle factors men can embody to keep their hormones primed and rocking. Dan and Mason break down: The male hormonal cascades. The importance of brain and cognitive health in regards to male fertility. The influence of diet and lifestyle on healthy hormonal function. The two simple pillars of hormone health; Sleep and Breath. Testosterone; the amazing hormone. Detoxification and reproductive health. Genetic testing. The connection between abnormally high iron (ferritin) and male infertility. The role zinc plays in the conversion of androgens. The damaging effects of chronic inflammation in regards to hormonal health. Naked sunbathing and vitamin D3. The herbs that stimulate and antagonise androgens. Who is Dan Sipple? Dan is a also known as The Functional Naturopath who uses cutting-edge evidence-based medicine. Experienced in modalities such as herbal nutritional medicine, with a strong focus on environmental health and longevity, Dan has a wealth of knowledge in root-dysfunction health. Resources: Dan Instagram Dan Email Benny Fergusion - The Movement Monk The Dutch Test - Carrie Jones Podcast with Tahnee The Wildcrafting Brewer Book by Pascal Baudar SuperFeast Deer Antler SuperFeast Ashwagandha SuperFeast Eucommia Bark SuperFeast Cordyceps Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or check us out on Stitcher :)! Plus we're on Spotify! Check Out The Transcript Here: Mason: Hello everybody, we're welcoming back our good mate Dan, Dan Sipple, functional naturopath, how are you going man? Dan Sipple: Mate, I am fantastic today, how about you? Mason: Yeah, I'm really good. It's a nice sunny day down there, nice sunny day up here, we'll get into why that's significant and important if you're a man, you're going to be very happy at those points when the sun comes out. Thanks for joining me for Brovember here at SuperFeast focusing especially on this pod, going through some very important aspects and elements for men's health, men's physiology, things that, it's just going to be great. As they say, "They should teach this in schools," because it would actually be useful for us to understand about our hormonal cascades and our physiology going forth. Dan Sipple: Absolutely, and it's exciting. It's an exciting time to be alive and loving all the information that is just coming through right now in our amazing little world of natural health and how that can affect hormones and we'll dive obviously deep into all that stuff today I'm sure. Mason: Yeah, I think it's great as well. I really like this time of being alive as well, because we've gone through the extreme deconstruction of what's going on with health, and including lifestyle and dietary kind of fads that have been reduced to their parts. Likewise, of course we've learned a lot about the body through a reductionist western model, which can even sometimes cross over into naturopathic thought, but then it's synthesising and emerging, and just a real blossoming time where it's kind of coming together and being able to come into harmony in a lifestyle long term that doesn't make you feel like you as a person, in working on these things, need to reduce aspects of your lifestyle to work on them necessarily. Mason: Of course there's going to be areas where we put our focus upon, it's a very important thing for men to be able to do and then the aspect of men to able to have laser-like focus on something we're working on. That's when men can quite often in health scene loose themselves and we see that in many areas of dietary faddiness and going, that focus takes us right down the barrel of dogma or down the barrel of something like the more of the extreme bio-hacking kind of scenes, where we remain compartmentalised in our day, or our supplementation, or our diet. Mason: I think now we're seeing that the emergence of us being very aware that we have a foundational personal culture, lifestyle that mingles in with our family and our community and how can we sculpt an integrative lifestyle that's going to lead to these various markers, these various hormonal cascades and processes to be naturally nourished and able to function and regulate themselves, just through us living our lives, right? Dan Sipple: Absolutely, and I think people, men and women are just.. It's A time in the human existence where it's like we're feeling it now. People just know that there's something not quite right, and obviously being a naturopath, I'm a little bit biased because I'm seeing a lot of those people, naturally. But I think I read a study a couple of weeks ago that was saying something like men in even the 60s and 70s had just such a higher grade of production across the board of testosterone compared to men now. And it's a scary thought. I think I read in the same study something like by 2035, the rates of infertility in males is just going to absolutely sky rocket should all the factors, which disrupt that sort of cascade continue to be at work. Mason: Boys, let's learn how to not become just another statistic, take control of your sovereign health and hopefully end up with nice healthy levels of testosterone. Of course we'll have a little bit of, I guess that will be a little bit of a pillar. Where we go is you take us through the entire hormonal cascade from upstream, right through the middle of the stream, to downstream and then I feel like, you will of course go into this physiologically, but lifestyle wise, how that downstream is then ... We talked a little bit about it if we are a microcosm, in the macrocosm here where, and we have the reflection of nature within us, of course it isn't just upstream to downstream and then you get your results. What's going on downstream is very much going to evaporate and emerge and go right up to the top of the stream and affect our ability that, you know those kingpin aspects of our health. Mason: So, with that lets start jumping in. Was it the hormonal cascade in general and just the nature of that and the process of that do you want to take us through primarily? Dan Sipple: Yeah, I think it would be good just to do a little refresher on the actual physiological side of it, just to give focus on a bit of a mental picture. And if there's anything the guys take away from this today, and girls, it's that, just not to focus on male hormone production at the area of the downstream like you said, the testes and the adrenals. And to really factor in how important brain health is, and cognitive health, because that organ itself is the master commander, it's commanding that communication down to those organs to say, hey make testosterone mate, make DHEA et cetera. Dan Sipple: And that all starts from two hormonal chemicals, I guess you call them. Follicle Stimulating Hormone FSH, and Luteinizing Hormone LH. So they're speaking down to the leydic cells in the testicles to say make hormones, make testosterone and they operate like many hormones do on a bit of a feedback mechanism, a negative feedback mechanism. So for example, if testosterone down at the testicular level is adequate, FSH and LH back off in men and in women respectively with testis and ovaries. Dan Sipple: Likewise, if the production is low, those at the higher end in the pituitary LH and FSH will spark up and start screaming down at those organs to say, make more hormones, make more hormones. And there's a lot of things that we'll get into that can disrupt the communication between those two vital organs. So I've got that going on and then in terms of the steroid pathways, that's another kind of area that you weigh into the equation with regards to how cholesterol from the diet then gets transferred down into hormones like Pregnenolone and Progesterone, and across to precursors to testosterone and oestrogen like androstenedion. And again, things can go a little bit haywire during that conversion if there are other factors that play such as things like stress, acute infection, illness, a plethora of things, different herbs as well will affect the destination. Ultimately those signals. Dan Sipple: But essentially, we're starting at cholesterol and we're wanting to get down to progesterone in men and females. What can happen as a bit of something in between those two, an interruption if you like, is we call this the pregnenolone steal, and there's still a little bit of controversy around that in our field on whether it's actually a thing. You'll read a lot about that online and whatnot. The theory is that cholesterol starts and if it doesn't reach progesterone, pregnenolone comes in and diverts that signal down to cortisol, which is the stress pathway, and away from testosterone and away from oestrogen and away from DHEA, which for men and females are all the hormones responsible for making you feel strong, resilient, able to recover, confident, et cetera. Dan Sipple: With today's level of chronic stress and inflammation, a lot of hormonal panels when we look at them in folks with different stuff going on, will show that they've got a lot of production going down that cortisol pathway. It's being stolen if you like, hence the phrase the pregnenolone steal. Mason: And so, let me know whether you want to just go through the full range first to give us an insight, or whether you want to just start diving in there, because that seems like one of those critical physiological points. And when you're talking about stress, we've kind of gone through the stress model before in a podcast, but clinically, was it the pregnenolone steal? Is that what you said? Dan Sipple: Yep. Mason: So at that point, when you say chronic stress, you're talking about a diet that's going to be causing high amounts of inflammation and you're generally going to talk about a lifestyle that's going to keep you within the variations of a sympathetic nervous system, rather than being able to get into that deep parasympathetic. Mason: This is something interesting because clinically we see it a lot of the time and we hear it again and again and again, being banged on about getting out of the stress response and making sure you don't have stress in your lifestyle. But then, of course that's kind of a reductionist view in itself in terms of it's like a light switch and when it's on, you're in sympathetic and you're stressed and you're running away from the tiger. And we are boom, we turn it off and now you just happen to be relaxed. Mason: I feel like there's more and more, the conversation in men's health and women's health as well is coming to the various nuances and the personal relationship that you have with the reality of what a parasympathetic state is and what being able to approach the world in a way where you're nervous system isn't running a rye, your amygdala isn't throwing up past fears and memories that are then affecting your HPA axis and therefore taxing your adrenals. There's so many different nuances and because men are so focused and love to hanging on to things especially in processing mentally things, it's like all right, now I need practices that switch it off, turn it off and get me into this static thing that is a parasympathetic system. Mason: So, I'm just interested in some of, just clinically of course you're bridging people to try and get some protocols going, where they're maybe meditating, maybe doing something like a yin yoga or generally just coming back to their breath daily in order to really approach life in kind of more a balance between that yin and yang. But have you got any kind of tips or insights in terms of how we're going to deal with that stress without it being a reductionist conversation? Dan Sipple: That's a big question, I like it. I'll say first of all, the first two things that I always try and dial in, sleep and breath. Sleep and breath. It's that simple. If you can get a male, take a tradie for example. I see a lot of tradies down here. High pressure, they have to be able to exert authority on the job side, they have to be able to cope in that environment, and the ones that can't, usually leave the trade, from what I hear. Dan Sipple: But getting them to dial down from that, that sort of level of activity once the day is over, and just getting them doing this simple stuff like I say, if you can just do one minute, if you can do 60 seconds, where you can take literally eight to 10 breaths only, to get down to that level. That done daily as soon as you get home. So go outside, strip off your clothes, get you bare feet on the grass, sit down, let the sun hit you, have a chamomile tea or something like that, that's just going to take that edge off, probably the worst thing to do, which a lot do, is just go and smash four or five beers, and that's [crosstalk 00:11:30], because they want that [inaudible 00:11:31]. It's understandable, they want to come down. But we'll get into why that's not a great idea down the line. Dan Sipple: Breath and sleep, just dialling those two in. And sleep is something that so many people, I know I've banged on about this in the past, but I find people get it right and then they drift away from it and they forget that they got it right, and they slip back into old habits and they become really hyper-focused on the supplements and the weights and the diet and all that, but they forget the sleep. And I'm guilty of it 100%, I put my hand up. It's always something that I'm constantly trying to reel back in. I don't know about you, but it's something that I just find, if it's out of whack, there's no point even trying with the other stuff. That has to be first and foremost. Mason: I mean it's an interesting thing because you're right. And men are quite often, and then generally going to be those kinds of people that you give them an inch and they'll take a mile. And so, if you treat sleep and having somewhat of a subtle breath practice or even throughout your day where you can come into noticing your breath and allow that noticing without agenda to be the precursor for your actions, so in that awareness of the breath, you are leaving space for a non-stuck in the mental state, or non-stuck in an over identification with the physical to take place. In that space when you're just observing the breath. You then have an ability to have a noticing of what's going on with the mind and what's going on with the body and therefore there's less division and there's less as you said, that focusing on the thing which the mind tries to do. I'm going to do these weights to heal this problem, I'm going to do this ... Mason: So when it comes down to, there is, although that stuff is fun, you're never going to be able to go past the chop wood, carry water practice. Now if you really think about that, rather than it being just another thing, great, I'll take on that practice of chopping wood, carrying water and just doing that mundane for the rest of my life ... I was talking to my acupuncturist about it the other day and he was just like, and I was like, "Yeah man, that chop wood, carry water, I'm really working on it, but it can be really fleeting at times." And he was just like, "Listen mate ..." And my interpretation is we have such a privileged world, where we don't actually have to do the chopping of wood and carrying of water, but we do have to go to work every day, we need to be working on our homes and our cars and things that keep us going so that we can have the wood in the warmth and the material for us to live in this house and the water. Mason: Normally we're thing like actually chopping wood and actually getting up and carrying water and bringing that so we have something to drink, but now we're doing it in different ways, but it's the same thing. Keep ourselves warm and sheltered with chopping that wood and ensuring that you always have water to sustain life and cook with and prepare everything that we rely on water to do. Mason: That, because those practices are as methodical and slow and Yin in their repetitiveness as they were, they're very dynamic, naturally we need to lean a little bit more into the intentional nature of there are things like chopping wood, carry water, if you think about doing that for the next 40 years, this is what my acupuncturist was talking about, classically trained, worth mentioning, not modern TCM style. Is that, you're doing that for 40 years, of course along the way you are going to have some big pops and big insights and it's going to be moments of enlightenment, which of course the whole nature of chop wood, carry water is to release that enlightenment, otherwise you will be stuck in that place. And then, if you look at the majority of it, it's going to be very mundane, very boring, and very repetitive. Mason: But the nature of that is so beautiful in what it's going to do if you're going to accept that, and realize it's not always going to be bells and whistles. All of a sudden, the simple act of chopping wood and carrying water and coming consistently back to the breath and back to your practice daily, if that's one minute or if it's back to that practice of that discipline of screens down, creating that beautiful sleep environment, absolutely prioritizing bedtime, and if I can't prioritise, be able to get to stay up and stay asleep the next morning. Mason: We all have kids, a lot of us have kids, a lot of us have hectic jobs and social lives. But that chop wood and carry water, I think at the essence of this men's health message, that needs to be respected and honored, even if you're standing solid in your Yang. If you look at the Yin and Yang symbol, there is always going to be that place where you can stand with the Yin, within the Yang to ensure that, that is there and present so you don't have these hormonal stealings, which are going to lead us, this generation being dramatically lower in testosterone, and basically emasculated, right? Dan Sipple: Totally, and that's the thing too. How many males do we know that over train and spend too much time if you like in TCM terms, in the Yang, and just burning that furnace, I've got to lift weights and I've got to smash it and I've got to do this and do that. And I've got to make so much testosterone jacked up, and this and that. And it's like yeah, do all those things and that's cool, but fuck, regenerate man, get that sleep, get that breath dialed in. You have to regenerate, you have to dial in to regenerating, otherwise, let's face it, it's when you sleep that you build your testosterone and your growth hormone. Mason: In your blood, right? Dan Sipple: Yeah, and your blood. Mason: It's in your blood. That's kind of what I think, women are so, women are more sensitive to it because women are way more prone to running low on blood. Women are running on blood. We're running on Qi generally, and so it's a little bit, because we're not bleeding every month, it's a little bit harder for us to become deficient in blood, but it comes up and bites men in the arse, it's a gradual thing, but when you're over-training, over-ejaculation, overworking, in your mind excessively, you can go for so long. But then eventually bit by bit, you're chipping away at that blood and that Jing and ultimately when you look at what's going on hormonally, you're chipping away at the efficacy of these pathways and so you're going to end up in a place where you are deficient and it's not going to be a supplement, and it's not going to be a training session that's going to be able to turn that back on, build that blood back and actually restore the ability of these pathways. Dan Sipple: Mm-hmm (affirmative), 100%. And I want to make it clear too to the men listening. I'm not saying don't do all these things, we're not saying don't go and lift weights, and don't try and optimize testosterone, because I still think there's a lot of shame politically around that today, which I really want to see dispel. I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way, but I feel like, especially in naturopathy especially, there's a lot of focus on female hormonal health and it's totally acceptable and it's not even thought of twice for a female to want to optimize her estrogen and her progesterone and regulate her cycle and yadi, yadi, yada. Dan Sipple: As soon as a male wants to build up his testosterone, I feel like there's a bit of a stigma there still in some circles. Mason: You know who kind of cracks that with Stephen Harrod Buhner. He was totally in those herbal scenes going, "Hang on, we've got this huge apothecary full of phytoestrogenic herbs that are absolutely incredible for women's hormonal health." And we've got really nothing driving androgen, no herbs driving androgen, basically androgenic herbs. And then when he brought pine pollen, and that book on pine pollen that I think he supported or wrote, but he just championed it. Mason: Because he's such a gentle man, I feel like it was accepted, and he begun the process. But you are right, if you are taking pine pollen even to an extent ashwagandha, deer antler is probably the biggest one where people associate it with, of course maybe not in this community as much, but very much generalising. But you're right, the stigma is there, you're a boof head for wanting to, "You want to jack up your testosterone do you? Yeah, Good on you." In order to develop Shen, far out. In order to continue to grow our personality, emotionally, spiritually going deep into the ether of ourselves in order to become better humans, better men, you absolutely require that baseline testosterone optimisation. Mason: I'm with you, and it also comes down to the way that men approach it. There's no other context rather than, all right, you know we're going to like get, I just want to jack up my testosterone, I don't know how that connects to everything else. The only association with it is to become "more manly" and therefore that has a glass ceiling on its usefulness, right? Dan Sipple: Totally, yep. You nailed it, and that's another thing I really want to highlight too in that context is that don't just think of testosterone as my testosterone is up because I'm horny, because I feel like I'm keen and I'm good to go. Na man, bone health, you need to [crosstalk] testosterone, and immune function you need testosterone. Cognitive health, brain health, sleeping well, recovering, all that sort of stuff as well comes into that amazing hormone, which is testosterone. Dan Sipple: And I say to a lot of patients too, our physiology and our genetic demands and our DNA is, it sounds really harsh, but it does not give a shit about what's going on today societally. It doesn't care that we've got food problems and government problems and this problem and that problem. It's demands are exactly the same as they were seventy years ago, and you have to serve that. I'm sorry, you have to recognise that, and the sooner you do and start getting things back to simplicity like it's referring to, chopping your wood and your carrying your water. They're metaphors, but the audience, and I know exactly what you mean by that. Stripping things back to that simplicity just so that as a man you are serving your physiology and you're not putting things into your body and putting practices around your environment which affect that. Mason: So, just to kind of finish up on that, that stress conversation. I feel like it's a good point. If any guys, they feel like they're really rocking their physical practice in terms of, in that aspect of men's health, whether you feel like it's, whether you're lifting weights or you're running or whether it's MMA or whatever. If you've got that kind of side rocking and you're really loving it, you want to make, then you want to have like a more integrative practice in a way of training and practicing, approaching life from that parasympathetic place so that you can widen your cup, so that cup can hold more of these androgenic hormones and testosterone. Mason: My man Benny Ferguson has that really, really great programs, you can get in touch with him to see what might be ideal, but whether it's the tension release programs or in body flexibility or whatever it is, there's some really beautiful practices and you can hopefully find something there for yourself and as well, connect to the breath outside of dogmatic or, not that they're all dogmatic, but sometimes you don't want to enter into another clique. You don't want to go into a different style of yoga, you don't want to go into a different style of soft martial art. You want to just be working on your pure physiology and connecting to your breath and there's many people doing that in a way that's not just based on cues and rules of what it should look like to get good output. Many people are doing that, but Benny happens to be the one that I work with and I think he can be a really great resource for a lot of people, he's a beautiful man. Mason: So that stress, I think we've kind of really hit somewhat of a core of that ability to not maintain a life that's not philosophically stressful in the way that you approach it. Is there any other aspects of the pathways you want to go into before you jump into cholesterol? Otherwise, I want to really hear your two sense on it. Dan Sipple: Just touching back on that cascade we got kind of from cholesterol to progesterone, if all things are going well, then across to Androstenedione and then again if all things are still going well, across the testosterone ultimately. Dan Sipple: An important thing to look at there is, and it gets a little bit tricky, but I'll try and break it down, aromatase, which is an enzyme which influences or encourages the conversion of testosterone down to estradiol or E2 in men and female. And the really neat thing is when you do a DUTCH test by the Precision Analytical Company- Mason: That's not [Carrie] is it? Dan Sipple: That's Carrie. Mason: Dr. Carrie Jones, so that's for men as well, did you say? Dan Sipple: Totally, yep. Mason: That's cool. That was a great podcast that Tahnee had Dr Jones on. All right, great. We will put that in the show notes, so- Dan Sipple: She is a weapon. If anyone hasn't followed her yet on Instagram Dr. Carrie Jones, she's amazing. Dan Sipple: There's certain compounds that are going to influence that conversion, but ultimately if you're a man, obviously you want to keep it dialled in at testosterone, you don't want to lose that to a conversion process down to oestrogen, which inflammation, excess body fat, high insulin. So if you're getting too much carbohydrate and refined sugars, you'll influence that. Alcohol is a classic one that's going to encourage testosterone to convert down to oestrogen. And- Mason: A man's drink. Dan Sipple: That's right, exactly. Mason: Beer made with the most oestrogenic herb on the planet- Dan Sipple: Can't be- Mason: [crosstalk 00:25:47]. Dan Sipple: What do you mean? That's right. Guys, beer, we have alcohol and we've got hops in there, double whammy, not so good for your testosterone. Mason: Yeah, but it's so delicious. Dan Sipple: I know. Mason: I think that's a nice thing, we'll bring it home in the end. We'll talk about, really, I can't stand having a rule based approach, not allowed this, not allowed that, so it's like ... My gosh, I can't wait until natural androgenic beers starts actually hitting the market. It's going to be the most incredible revelation and this is going to pop it for men that, Hops is literally, I think literally the most oestrogen forming herb that we have on the planet, and the man's drink not only you have like a shit load of beer, you're going to have excessive alcohol in the system, which is going to help, it's going to ... Is it an antagonist for aromatase? Dan Sipple: It encourages aromatase. So aromatase, you want to inhibit it ideally. So I think like zinc, grape seed extracts- Mason: Nettle root. Dan Sipple: Nettle, you've got damiana, [inaudible] and those sort of things, will inhibit that conversion, that enzyme. But yeah, androgenic beer, man. Mason: Yeah, pine pollen beer with no Hops, no grain, it's going to be the best thing. Everyone can go and get, and then start making their own with Pascal [Boudet 00:27:12], I think I've got my French- Dan Sipple: Have you done it before? Have you experimented with- Mason: We don't have that kind of crazy time, we try every now and then, [Tahnee] and I try to, we're kind of working our way back into being in the kitchen where we can get really fermenty again. We've gone and done the workshop with Pascal, where we went and foraged everything we made. We made a beer with few different types of sages and reishi's and fermented limes and a shit load of mugwort in order to bring out that bitterness. I've had a lot of natural beers and it's just like, it's watery, it doesn't have that oomph and punch that a beer normally does. But Pascal, I think he's the wild brewer, anyway ... Mason: Pascal is, we'll put the notes for the book down there. He's got a wild crafting brewer, or something like that, and he can teach you how to make these natural beers and you can just go and put pine pollen in there. You can either use SuperFeast like Deer Antler or we'll go to China Town and get deer antler slices and throw that in there to the fermentation process. Then you're kind of working with something, and you're working with an androgenic beer, but the way he makes them, he gets the flavour profile and he gets that meatiness that you need to hit the spot. Mason: So we started with aromatase and we went off to beer, but that's natural. Dan Sipple: That's all good. And then additionally into aromatase, there's another enzyme called 5-alpha reductase, which can also push testosterone down to its more potent form, 5-alpha DHT, which is also known as dihydrotestosterone. I think there's still a little bit of debate on whether you want to limit that conversion or whether no, You actually do want some healthy degree of DHT, which is the more potent androgen form of testosterone. I think there was a bit of a stigma because of the association and literature around BPH, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, and that being associated so they say, with higher DHT, dihydrotestosterone. Dan Sipple: We'll get into further, but that's essentially what I wanted to kind of just bring to light, the cholesterol conversion, and then once you arrive at testosterone, if all is going well down that cascade and that chain, keeping it there, rather than letting it go to those other hormones which we don't really want too much of as males. Mason: In terms of like the estriol or the estradiol. Dan Sipple: Yeah. Mason: Okay. Dan Sipple: And cortisol too. Yeah. Mason: Where does the cortisol come into it? Is that in the pregnenolone steal? Dan Sipple: That's right, so that's backup the chain. So that's before it gone across to testosterone, so it starts at cholesterol. You want it to get down to progesterone and then skate across from progesterone to the androgen pathways, but between cholesterol and progesterone, pregnenolone is kind of in the middle there and that can divert it if you like, down to the stress pathway...cortisol. Mason: Okay, cool. Well, let's go up and let's start breaking it down a little bit. So cholesterol, I think by now most people should know, but if you don't know, is the primary ingredient for the creation of hormones. Backbone of creation of hormones, so that's why you see a lot of people getting very passionate about having the inclusion of cholesterol in saturated fats in the diet, especially back probably a decade ago. It was like a massive kickback on a wider scale from those low fat diets and the 80-10-10 diets. 80% carbohydrates and sugars, 10% fats, 10% protein. Mason: And even in a lot of vegan and raw circles, as that kind of got to it's height, you saw a lot of endocrine disruption occurring and it kind of, a lot of it came down to the fact that no one actually had the backbone for the creation of hormones and then naturally that affected the nervous system as well. So, now it seems more of a normal conversation and there isn't that, even on a cultural level in Australia at least, there's not as much of championing of low fat diet. Dan Sipple: There was. Mason: Yeah, I don't even know whether the Healthy Heart Tick, I don't know whether that institution of dieticians is ever going to budge. But I don't know where you're at with your knowledge, [crosstalk 00:31:26]. Dan Sipple: I don't even look at what they're doing anymore Mason, to be totally honest with you. It sometimes comes up in a conversation with a dietician or around the traps, but I try and shy away to be totally honest. Mason: But this study from Sanatorium told me- Dan Sipple: You've got it. We digress. Mason: All right, so what have you got to say on the cholesterol front? Dan Sipple: Well look, I see a lot of people on plant based diets and a lot of people on the flip side, that are doing close to carnivore diets. So I see them both. I think it's important to highlight that the body is a machine and a weapon and it will do its best to serve you no matter what diet you're doing for a time. In the plant based realms, I can hear people going, "But I get plenty of cholesterol, I have coconut oil for this, and I put coconut oil on that, and this and that." Dan Sipple: There's going to be a time where that supply, that kind of constitution and life force will start to dry up, eventually, that's just inevitable. And that can be argued til the cows come home, but I see it, I see it, I see it. And I've felt it before too, where you lean more towards those plant based diets and then you feel what it's like when you return back to a diet where you're getting lots of different saturated fats and mono unsaturated fats from different types of sources, plant based and animal sources, and you feel that return, you feel that gene come back and that neuroplasticity and whatnot. Dan Sipple: But look, I just encourage people to not over do it either, there's a big ... I feel like there was the plant based movement but then even now with all the carnivore madness going on at the moment, there's a big kickback to people and ketogenic diet, just going crazy on fats and ending up with all these bile issues and digestive issues, which we've gone into in the past as well. So it's a sweet spot. It's like anything, you have to hit the sweet spot. So long as you're doing things like macadamia nuts, avocados, a bit of coconut oil, grass fed beef, if you can get it, venison and deer, especially the men, trust me the next day your body will thank you for it, you know what I'm talking about, when you first wake up in the morning. Dan Sipple: But yeah, did you have anything that you would like to add there mate, with your take on that? Mason: I agree, just get out of the labels, if you can challenge yourself, it's one thing because I did want to talk a little bit about the fact if throughout this conversation, if there is someone that is really feeling like they've broken out of the dogma of like a vegan or raw kind of style of things, but they're still walking that lifestyle, just make sure we're hitting little points to enable them to maintain as best as they can a healthy cascade. In that sense, the best you're going to be able to do is just continue to hit those plant based fats, especially making sure you're getting an array of macadamias, avos, coconuts, any others that come to mind there? Dan Sipple: I probably wouldn't do any more than that. I think in that scenario, you then want to look to your herbs because as long as you're getting the backbone there, which is cholesterol, it's the rest of the process that you have to worry about on a plant based diet, and that's where the herbs can really help influence, maca is fantastic, maca is one of my favourite herbs. Couldn't speak more highly of that for men and female. That's always going to help men and female detoxify those more toxic types of oestrogens. Any oestrogenic kind of reabsorption that you're going to get through the enterohepatic recirculation, which sounds really complicated, but it's just essentially oestrogen getting broken down on its way out for excretion, but then due to certain gut bacteria, getting recirculated and popped back into the system. And ultimately, that can keep you in an oestrogen dominant state. Mason: All right, let's quickly hit that for a second, because we're looking at, I talk a lot about liver support and liver supporting herbs ongoingly, being present for women to ensure that their endocrine system remains healthy. Somewhat the liver, somewhat this is an analogy, but being like a conductor in terms of this gets broken down, this gets recycled, that's out, this is going to be reused, nope we want to keep that in circulation, and also just keeping those phases of detoxification open and present, so that then you don't get that bleed over of toxins and to an extent, I think even to the extent like toxic hormones bleeding over into the sex organs. There's a lot to do, from what I understand with women sexual organ issues, but for men as well, really, really key core to ensure that you're not getting these bleed overs of especially oestrogen [inaudible] into the rest of your system. Dan Sipple: Well that's right, because even if you've got good detoxification, even if your liver and gall bladder and your bile is all doing a fantastic job at getting that stuff broken down and packaged up in a nice little package ready for excretion, but then it gets down the large colon and then it hits disbiosis and you've got certain overgrowth of species known to basically unpackage that oestrogen, break it all back down and then guess what, it gets reabsorbed through the gut wall, then suddenly, it's back into the blood stream and back into the liver. Mason: So we've got a couple of things. We've got like a huge amount of time, but just in terms of what you like seeing included in the diet, we've got a couple of things in helping that through the intestines, we're going to make sure that we don't have disbiosis occurring in that area, so men maintaining a thorough awareness of their gut health. And then on the liver health in just ensuring that those detox pathways through the liver as well as the bile flow is going. Some basic recommendations. Dan Sipple: Totally, so I've got things like Schizandra, we've got globe artichoke, we've got- Mason: We're looking at the liver right now? Dan Sipple: We're looking at the liver right now, from the top-down. Those things are going to be usually as well as helping the liver, helping you stimulate bile. Bile is so, so important there, that's like washing crap through your liver and getting it down into the bowel for excretion. Dan Sipple: To your point though, just to hit that off on the head, binders are the important thing to prevent that recirculation. So we're hitting the charcoal, we're hitting Chlorella, zeolite if you like, I'm not such a fan of zeolite, but those first two are my faves. Mason: Why aren't you so much of a fan of zeolite? Dan Sipple: Zeolite, from certain studies I have looked at, can potentially bind up good minerals as well, and for that reason, and I've seen that happen too. I've seen people do it for too long and end up really depleted across the board, in terms of their micronutrients and trace minerals. Dan Sipple: It does do a good job of getting rid of the crap, but it can take out some of the good too. So something like, I tell people, always do your binders right before you go to bed, away from food, away from supplements. Do it as the last thing. So, a tall glass of water with some charcoal or some Chlorella thrown in there, make sure they are good quality. Mason: What about the clay side of things? As I said I generally sit, not like one back from the intensity of zeolite, even charcoal, I can't really handle every day because it's just too dehydrating for me, and I kind of feel like it has that same approach. Whereas clay's seem a little bit more gentle. Dan Sipple: Clay is something I have had less experience with, so you're probably going to be a little bit more vast in its ability to do that. But it does definitely fall into that same category. I definitely consider that before I hit zeolite. Mason: Yeah, okay. Cool. And then maintaining that liver health is something I feel like those staples. MSM is something that I'm still absolute thorough fan of, is that something you're still comfortable with men having? Dan Sipple: I do like it. It is very sulfuric, so people on a high protein diet that are already getting too much sulfur, all that have certain snips or SNPs or genetic variations on certain enzymes that predispose them to accumulating sulfur, have to be careful with that one. That's why it's always good to test them and check that stuff out before you just go gnarly on detoxing and those sorts of things. Mason: Do a genetic testing? Dan Sipple: Genetic testing is good, yeah. Mm-hmm (affirmative). Good old 23 and me run it through a genetic converter, find out if you've got enzymes like the CBS enzyme, that's to do with the transsulfuration pathway. But look, generally speaking, I see it do good things, it's excellent for joint mobility, I know I'm preaching to the choir here anyway, but, yeah. Back to you. Mason: Keep the inflammation down as well. Dan Sipple: Totally. Mason: And then with these things, the reason I like having these conversations because we get into the nuances of particular herbs, nuances of particular mineral supplements like MSM, and if something doesn't have a nuance, and it's just like a broad statement and it doesn't actually have room to move and breathe with all the different constitutions and genetics and tensions we have. Then it's marketing, you're not looking at it deep enough. Mason: Okay, so great. Keep up the Schisandra, globe artichoke probably milk thistle falls in there as well, it's like a here and there kind of like ... Helping herbal aid. And then getting down into the digestive system, like binders is just something I'm going to ... You know binders and clays, are in the Shen Nong original Materia Medica, as one of the original tonic herbs. And so we have the reishi's and the eucommia's and the schizandra's and the shatavari's there, within these ... Over 2000 years ago and thousands of years of pouring in, humans, men and women, herbalist and shamans like looking into what's going to be the most life enhancing, life procuring tonics from minerals, animals and plants and mushrooms, that you're going to be able to include in our diet longterm, and there's four different clays in there, that fit into that tonic herbal system as a mineral herb. Mason: So, it's something that I don't see as a treatment of myself daily, I see it in that kind of, the way that you see indigenous humans, birds, primates, going and sorting out the clay deposits or finding like here in Australia, the those termite mounds that are high clay, and every now and then, just popping a little bit of that through your tract in order to bind, to not just toxins in the environment, but metabolic waste that occurs just in general. Dan Sipple: Which includes hormones, yeah, totally. Mason: Which includes hormones. All right, beautiful. Now- Dan Sipple: Can I just chime in there Mase. Mason: Yeah. Dan Sipple: You've brought up a good point. While we're talking about detoxing the liver, and inflammation and whatnot, oxidative stress, iron is such a big, big factor that I never look past when I'm treating males. Obviously men don't menstruate, so we don't have a natural means of losing iron. And a lot of men, particularly those with low testosterone will have elevated ferritin or even elevated serum iron. Dan Sipple: Now, there's a genetic condition called hemochromatosis, which some of the listeners might be familiar with. That affects males and females. So, if iron is really high, guys when you've done blood checks in the past and your doctors just gone, "Oh well, we don't really know what to do about that, it's all good. Just check it out in a year." Pay attention because iron, if it's high, it's going to spell a lot of issues when it comes to your hormones. It creates a lot of inflammation, a lot of oxidative stress and just like it does in the environment, it's going to rust out your body and your organs. Dan Sipple: So ferritin scores, this could be reference range, western diagnostic range between 30 and 300. You don't really as a male want to be over say 100, 120. The sweet spot I find tends to be around 90 or 100 for ferritin. That's a deep reservoir sources of stored iron. But look, iron, even iron rich foods funnily enough, in a lot of the androgenic foods, beef, chicken, eggs and that sort of thing, naturally are going to contain large amounts of iron. So if you fall into that category where iron toxicity is a thing for you and you work that out and you link that back to why you haven't been able to reach your androgenic potential, that's something that you'll need to individually curve and look at. And again that's going to come back to how well your liver is detoxifying, because of all that iron creating a lot of oxidative stress, you have to be hammering the antioxidants. That's your blueberries, your green tea's and all those liver herbs which Mason and I just rattled off, so your milk thistle, globe artichoke, schizandra berries, rosemary, so forth. Dan Sipple: I just want to throw that in there because the dance and the balance between those metals and micronutrients like zinc and iron, you have to get that dialed in, you have to make sure that your zinc isn't being lost to iron, because all those metals are going to compete. Copper, iron, zinc. And zinc, we'll do a little section on that soon, but that is, they call it the male mineral for that reason, it's the one that always is associated with proper formation of your androgens and getting that testosterone converted from progesterone. Dan Sipple: So in a nutshell, to cap off from that, check your iron out, it's always good to do a full serum iron panel, iron studies and look at your ferritin scores, if it's a problem for you, make sure you're not taking any iron supplements. Definitely get all iron out of your supplements- Mason: You probably shouldn't be taking iron supplements to begin with. Dan Sipple: That's right. They do tend to work their way into a lot of the multi-mineral formulas, unfortunately. But there are some companies like Thorn for example, that will do iron free multi-mineral formulas. Mason: Okay. You recommend, I know this is like you get down the route of blood letting, which we know maybe it's not happening as much. Or even just going and donating blood in order to alleviate that. I know it's always like a real easy way to, if you're prone to those high iron levels, getting in there and doing something like that, right? Dan Sipple: 100%, and you'll know it too, because there will be the sort of people that you'll do a consult with, and they'll be like, yeah I went and got my blood test and I don't know what it was, I don't know if it was just because I was fasting that morning, but man, I felt light that day and the next day. And you'll be like, okay. It's going to be interesting to see what your iron scores come back with, and sure enough, a lot of the times they're high. Mason: Okay, leading on from that, do you want to talk a little bit more on zinc while we're at it? Dan Sipple: I'd love to. So zinc and copper, zinc, the male mineral, copper the female mineral. Little bit sort of, it's not that straight forward but they do have that sort of reputation. We do see in today's society usually a lot of panels where zinc will come back low and copper will come back high. And copper dominance for females and males is an issue, because it definitely will cause a lot of hormonal disruption, brain fog, immune system problems. Any issue where zinc cannot accumulate and build up to a healthy decent level is going to affect immunity, constitution and hormones. Dan Sipple: So, zinc as a supplement is always a good idea I think for men, as soils these days are just as fact depleted in zinc. It is hard to get zinc. So a good sort of 30 milligram supplement, but it's also good to test as well. Test and check where you're at. But I just rarely see when we run a zinc panel a mans zinc is like prime and in good shape, it's always like, it could be better. Mason: It's always nice, you can, just that connection that it's like, took Tahnee out for dinner last night and of course started with a couple of Sydney rock oysters, like always good to keep the oysters in a high rotation if possible. Don't know where pumpkin seeds sit anymore in terms of actually affecting zinc levels, but- Dan Sipple: Yeah, I'm on the same kind of band wagon there. That really got pumped, so I remember when I was at uni, pepita seed, pumpkin seeds for zinc. Mason: It used to be on the pepita seed butter. Dan Sipple: Yeah, me too. Mason: And it's very delicious. But like I don't think there's any drawback, I don't see as many drawbacks. I definitely don't have as many seeds these days in my diet as I used to, but a little bit of that there. But then in terms of supplementation, I think we were talking yesterday, I got a little bit of citrate sitting up there, zinc citrate in that form, which is quite effective. But you like the- Dan Sipple: I like picolinate. Picolinate is, I won't talk too much to it because I'm not a chemist, but it's a form of zinc, which the body is going to be able to yield more from essentially. There are studies that actually conflict that too, however. So it's something where you do need to do a bit of personal trial. I do well on picolinate, I don't do well on citrate. Others, they do well on citrate. Dan Sipple: Generally avoid the over the counter versions though. I find like zinc gluconate, zinc oxide, some of the cheaper forms of zinc, just you'll probably absorb 10 to 20% of them. You're wasting your money really. But before you supplement, like you touched on Mason, definitely try and stack your diet if you're a man, in zinc rich foods. So we're talking oysters, deer venison, eggs, beef, funnily enough, zinc is found in a lot of the animal foods, it's just a fact. I find that even, and I can hear the plant based community in my head going, but there's zinc in this and there's zinc in that. Yeah, there is zinc in like pepita seeds for example, but there's also phytoestrogens in that same food. And there's also copper in that same food, which is going to make it hard for you to use that zinc. Dan Sipple: Whereas, something like good old grass fed beef, it's just bioavailable. Your body will just know what to do with it, and will suck it up. Mason: Or even better, like a venison, like wild non-vaccinated venison. Dan Sipple: Yes, exactly, yeah. And anything, as I think Sylvester Stallone said it in the 80s, "I'll eat anything that runs, walks, crawls, or flies". Mason: Okay. Deep. Dan Sipple: Yeah. Mason: Can you just, so I can get my head around a little bit of more of the importance of zinc. It's definitely something I haven't really, I'm not doing too may isolated supplements these days, but zinc and iodine was always one that I kind of like had hanging around at least. So can you just talk in terms of the pathway of where zinc is supporting that process of maintenance of health testosterone. Dan Sipple: Definitely. So like we touched on before, preventing testosterone from aromatising down to oestrogen. That's the main association there with zinc. If you have poor zinc levels, you can be pretty sure that that's going to be what's happening. Mason: Okay. Dan Sipple: That's essentially in a nutshell. But I find zinc isn't just testosterone fuel, it's all the other stuff too, like its bone health, its immune function, which is super important for much as male all around health and female too. But specifically the hormones, yeah, it's preventing that aromatisation. Mason: And the association between copper and oestrogen? Dan Sipple: Yeah, so copper is going to act like a shield for zinc to get on its receptor. So zinc and copper are always, excuse me. Trying to compete for the same receptors. It's a constant battle, and the ideal ratio, no matter what the scores are when you look at them on blood, as long as they're one to one, that's what you're aiming for. So I usually look at plasma zinc and serum copper. But most of the time, I'd say 90% of the time in males and females, we're seeing too much copper and not enough zinc. Dan Sipple: The way you remedy that is essentially just by pushing more zinc into the body to help push copper off the receptor sites, but you then have to get it out. So same thing applies what we were talking about before. You have to have good liver health, you have to be sweating, you have to be moving, and you have to be binding. Mason: And you've got to be pooing well with the binder. Dan Sipple: And pooing. Mason: So, that's kind of like a similar conversation, I guess there's always competition and ratios going on in the body. It's a similar thing with taking iodine to get those toxic halogens out of those receptors, right. Dan Sipple: It is, it is man. You have to look at selenium, you have to never just blindly take iodine and never look at selenium. You can see that become problematic and you can see, it can be flip side too. I have experienced that where I was on supplements that, and a diet that's naturally high in selenium and all of a sudden, I was creeping into selenium toxicity and my iodine was falling really short. Dan Sipple: So, it's always about that dance, you have to, don't just look at one mineral, you have to look at the full array. Mason: Okay. What's next down the chain? Dan Sipple: Let's have a look. We talked a little bit about soy-boys as they're sort of referred to. Mason: The precursor to the conversation guys, just in case you were like, hang on, I didn't hear the words soy-boy, I would have remembered that. Dan Sipple: Yeah, that's right. The precursor conversation. I mean, just highlighting that phytoestrogen sources can be anything really in the diet, that does have oestrogen mimicking or oestrogen like qualities, it can be problematic for men. So naturally when men do a plant based diet and they do it for too long, inadvertently, they're going to end up on, not all of them, but some, on foods that do have a high soy intake. Especially if they're not doing it properly and that, we don't need to go down it too detailed, but that's an obvious disrupter to testosterone. It's always going to be an issue there. Dan Sipple: And so that's where it pays to do, if you're an honest vegetarian or vegan and you want to do things properly, check out your hormones. Get the data, see what's going on and be honest with yourself and call it into check if things feel out of whack and if you're not feeling good. Because as I said earlier, your genetics are the same as they were all those thousands of years ago. Things have not changed genetically. Mason: That's the best thing, we can just all take our way of a charge. I think a lot of people are really emotional in the meat eating community, because they've had their own experiences of being vegan, vegetarian, and done something to themselves and then they feel like they've got to wave the banner. Otherwise, you've got people in the vegan community consistently only following vegan advocates and therefore justifying their diet and going further down that rabbit hole. But if you can take the charge away, get your panels done, don't do it in a sense that's defensive, don't do it trying to prove that one diet is right or wrong, no one is rocking it. Mason: There might be a few like indigenous communities that are really kind of making it really work still, but despite, yes we've got that, medical systems they're supporting us at the moment, but we're still everyone is experimenting at the moment in terms of what's going to be ideal in this post industrial world. For health, we're all trying to, we're picking and choosing and scraping things from different traditions and different countries and trying to make that work. So, in that sense, everyone can really get off their high horse- Dan Sipple: Yes, on both sides. Mason: Yeah, well from carnivore, to vegan. Veganism and everything in between. And if you can take away that charge and just get these panels and not be waving a flag for an agenda, or a justification of what you are doing currently. One of the best things I ever did when I was basically vegan, raw food, was reading Weston Price Natural Degeneration. I looked into the reality of why the China study was pretty horrible. Not horrible science, just horrible correlations that were results that they pulled out of that study. Mason: And just because I wanted to take away the charge of trying to justify myself and what I was doing, rather than actually having natural curiosity. Reading those books and reading about all the benefits of animal fats and all those kinds of things when I was vego, that was years before I made the transition. They weren't causative things that made me flip over, they just made me, they just kind of helped balance me out. It's nice to know other points of view, so you don't feel like you have to get defensive with your diet, because that's when you really dig yourself a hole, it's something, I don't exactly, I haven't got my head completely around the physiology of this particular susceptibility, but again, our acupuncturist talks a lot about the fact that when you have excessiveness in your lifestyle and in your diet, excessiveness is generally going to lead towards a deficiency of Jing at some point. Mason: And that is going to lead to a deficiency of your neurology and especially when you get to the point when you are deficient in blood, that is when you become susceptible to dogmatic ideas because it's so much harder for you to find your own center, your own Shen, your own mental consciousness, that you need to lean out and rely upon external systems. And because you can't establish the blood, which carries the Shen through your body, then you can't restore your Jing because you put on the blinders for your dogmatic diet or lifestyle factors or whatever it is, and you can't get out of it. And so, it's going to be a slow build out of that, and if you can work, even if you're in a nice balanced place now, consistently having little challenges for yourself to make sure that you are actually living dietarily supplement wise, belief system wise, based on something that is still relevant and innately coming from your center and your family center, rather than an idea that you feel like you've put your chips on and so you've got to make sure that you have all the data to justify. Mason: I think that's a huge part of it here, and I think that's all I have to say on that conversation because I really have a lot of friends who are vegan, I really respect the fact that they do that. And they're like, I'm going down this route, and there doesn't need to be any justification of it. But then they're doing the panels, right. They're taking the herbs and they're trying to ensure as much as possible that they're not degenerating their genetics. Dan Sipple: Totally, and that's the thing. I work with vegan's, carnivore's, paleo's, keto's, all of them, right. And I have respect for anyone that walks through the door no matter what they're doing, as long as they're being conscious about it, and which feeds into what you're saying. So getting your panels done, being conscious and honest with how you're feeling. If you're honest with your body and it's not working for you, it's okay, you tried it, you gave it a crack and you cleaned out your body, and you're going to revolve it from there. Don't get stuck into the dogma where, that's right, you've just got the blinders on and you can't hear anything. And that's on both sides of the equation too. Dan Sipple: If you've gone down that path and you are feeling signs of degeneration and you're skipping meals and you're eating chips and you're drinking beer, but you're plant based. It's like, come on, that's not cool. Mason: Or even not that, even if it's not like that kind of like faux health, even if there's no beers and chips and it's all that. There's always obvious signs of degeneration and you want to get to them before, not that it's about other people, but you want to get onto them before it becomes evident to everyone else. Dan Sipple: Totally. Mason: Because that's what happens a lot. Thanks for going down that little rabbit hole with me. We haven't got too much longer, so I want to hear a couple of other things. We've looked at cholesterol and how important it is, having a reasonable amount of and varied fats, plant and animal. Ensuring not to go excessive as to put taxation on our gull bladder and as well I think we've talked about too much fat is going to lead to an overgrowth of particular bacteria and off gassing, and that's why you see a lot of people who aren't designed for keto or just tend to stay there too excessively, are going to see this dibiosis in their gut. Runny poos and all those kinds of things. That general queasiness- Dan Sipple: Yeah, nausea, queasiness- Mason: Or it's that little queasiness when you have too much fats [crosstalk 00:59:22]. It's good to be on to that. Mason: Now tell me, we've gone down the nature of stress and ensuring that inflammation and stress isn't present, so that we can have that pregnenolone steal, which happens up above and inevitably goes down to forming more cortisol, right? So it's not even that directly cortisol being caused, it's the fact that we've got potentially these shenanigans going on in that hormonal cascade. Mason: I want to quickly talk about the formation of vitamin D3. It being a hormone in itself, it's one of the other things that always came up in terms of vitamin D3 levels being very low in people who don't have adequate cholesterol, and that's something that came out of that same conversation about 10 years ago for me, that I was talking about. So, can we quickly touch on the role that vitamin D3 is playing on all of this as well as our testosterone? Dan Sipple: Sure. So vitamin D3 isn't actually a vitamin, that's the first thing. It's a hormone. It's a steroid hormone with a cholesterol backbone. So straight away, we get out on the mindset of oh, it's just a vitamin and its good for you. It's like no, it's a hormone and you need it in big quantities. And if you want happy hormones and you want low inflammation, you'd better damn sure be looking at your vitamin D3, and that includes the active and non-active forms when you do blood panels. Dan Sipple: Typically, when you go to a doctor, they're just going to look at the non-active form, which is called 25-hydroxy vitamin D. Looking at the activated form is 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D. And that's the one that the kidneys I believe converts from the sunlight and using sunlight and cholesterol hits your body, boom, goes into the organs, the liver and the kidneys and gets converted. And making sure that you've got a healthy, good level of both ultimately. That's kind of the long and the short of it. Dan Sipple: But, I'll say in addition to that, that hormone D, I don't call it a vitamin, I call it hormone D, is the ultimate antiinflammatory hormone in the body. So if you have high cortisol and low hormone D, guarantee you're in trouble. Guaranteed. Dan Sipple: Inflammation, we hear a lot about inflammation and it's kind of like people, yeah, yeah, yeah, I get inflammation. But it goes so, so deep in terms of what stimulates inflammation and just how catastrophic that can be to your hormonal cascade. So, inflammation can come from yes, diet, it can come because you're not sleeping, but an often overlooked area is infections. If you have stealth infections in your body, and your po
Welcome back to another episode of the Cookbook Love Podcast, today I am excited to talk to you about 2019 Food Trends and Cookbooks. I was recently involved in a research project to take a look at Health and Culinary Trends for a trends report. I have always enjoyed looking at food trends, and in particular how foods and trends in cooking or food make it into the mainstream. This happened with cilantro, from a relatively unknown and unused herb to an herb that millions of people now eat every day at Chipotle in their Lime Cilantro Rice. Food trends also make it into cookbooks more often than not, in particular, if the food trend is one that is embraced in kitchens and cooking. On this episode of the podcast, I select a few trends and take a look at cookbooks that reflect these trends as well as review the food trends below. 2019 Health and Culinary Food Trends Wild weeds and green such as sorrel, dandelions, chickweed, mallow, amaranth as a replacement for kale. Citrus alternatives such as citron, kumquats, yuzu, shaddocks, and pomelos that provide sourness that’s popular as well as unique flavors. Seed butter to augment nut butter such as tahini, sunflower seed butter, roasted watermelon seed butter, pumpkin seed butter offering alternatives for allergies to tree nuts and peanuts. Ugly and misshapen food acceptance and use to reduce food with innovative ways to use all parts of food from nose to tail and stem to root. Digestive health and a newfound appreciation for the microbiome—trillions of bacteria and other microbes that live in our intestinal tract—more products (think fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics) are geared toward improving gut health Fermented drinks and food such as kefir, kimchi, kombucha, tempeh, miso. Adaptogens roots and herbs are a select group of herbs (and some mushrooms) that support the body’s natural ability to deal with stress. They are called adaptogens because of their unique ability to “adapt” their function according to the specific needs of the body. Examples include maca, ginseng, Rhodiola Rosea, reishi, ashwagandha holy basil, Schizandra. #veganuary and McVegan burgers tested at the Chicago McDonalds headquarters. Growth of the vegan, vegetarian, and eco-friendly movements, many are turning away from traditional protein sources like meat. Faux meats and plant-based meat options are available everywhere, from local co-ops to Target and Walmart. Meat-alternatives including plants, insects, lentils, soy, dairy-free protein alternatives going mainstream. Innovations highlighting nuts, extruded seeds, beans, water lentils and algae in snack bars, chips, meat-free burgers or sausages, and dairy-free yogurts and cheeses and cell-based meat and protein extracted from animals’ cells without killing the animal at all. Hemp hearts, seeds, and oils are in everything from waffle mix to dried pasta, and new interest in the potential benefits stemming from other parts of the hemp plant. Foods infused with CBD oil. CBD, also known as cannabidiol, has a multitude of uses including an ingredient in a variety of edibles defined as food or beverage products that have been infused with cannabis extract. Baked foods, candies, chocolates, wine, and tea are examples. African and Middle Eastern flavors like za’atar, harissa, and sumac. They will be joined by the sour and complex flavors of Filipino food and other Pacific Rim flavors with everything from Hawaiian, to Filipino influences, to Japanese and Californian cuisine. Options include fresh seafood and tropical fruits like guava and dragon fruit. Ready-made meals at grocery stores and gas stations who lead the way and offer healthy pre-made meals to-go. Sustainable seafood combined with an interest in international ingredients will likely make unique seafood options like geoduck, cuttlefish, roe, and squid more popular. Mushrooms are a hearty alternative to meat. In addition to popular mushroom varieties like portobello, shiitake, and button mushrooms expect unique options like enoki, wood ear, oyster, and porcini. Eating for beauty and youth benefits - In addition to lean proteins and plenty of vegetables helps improve collagen’s benefits. And the advantages of omega-3-rich fishes are widely popular. Vegetables for dessert. Chefs push culinary boundaries and are experiment with the natural sweetness of corn, carrots, fennel, squash, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables. Listen to Episode 43 below Apple Podcast AppStitcher Google Music PlaySpotify Things We Mention In This Episode: Book of Greens Noma Guide to Fermentation Sweet and Savory Sun-Kissed Citrus If you want to write a cookbook I invite you to join The Confident Cookbook Writer Facebook Group Please join our Cookbook Love Podcast Facebook Group Instagram @cookbooklovepodcast or @greenapron
Today Mason explores the concept of beauty from the Taoist perspective. Diving deep into the wisdom and lore of some of the orient's most revered beautifying tonic herbs. Famed throughout millenia for their ability to revitalise and enliven the organ and meridian systems of the body. Herbs such as Schizandra, Goji, Longan and Pearl take the centre stage here, and Mason explains how you can use these potent tonic herbs to bring both inner and outer radiance to the entire being; body, mind and spirit. In this podcast Mason chats about: What properties a herb needs to embody to instil inner and outer radiance. The importance of creating clear detoxification pathways in the cultivation of fully embodied 'beauty'. Herbal synergy and energetic integration in regards to beauty. The herbs in SuperFeast Beauty Blend, Schizandra, Goji, Longan and Pearl. The primary 'beauty' organs. The three treasures; Jing, Qi and Shen and how they relate to beauty. The western and eastern uses and actions of Schizandra, Goji, Longan and Pearl. Resources 100 Day's Of Schizandra Beauty Blend Schizandra SuperFeast Website (sign up to the epic SuperFeast newsletter for 10% off your first order!) SuperFeast Instagram Mason's Visit To The Schizandra Farm The Beauty Shot Recipe The 7 Sexy Benefits Of Schizandra Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or check us out on Stitcher :)! Plus we're on Spotify! Check Out The Transcript Here:
Enjoy another informative interview with Brandon Amalani! This time we talk about a wide range of topics from traditional Chinese medicine, forest bathing, herbs, tea, diet philosophy, breath, balance, water and advanced health technologies. Brandon has formulated many synergistic and effective herbal products which he provides through Shen Blossom. His products continually blow me away with not only their effects, but their flavor. My current favorite products from him include: the goji tincture, the schizandra tincture, the protect sprays and now, the Prime digestion activator. I think that every person that uses their vocal cords a lot should be on the Protect sprays. It has brought my voice back from the brink many times. In my experience it obliterates sore throats. You can browse his offerings at www.shenblossom.com Use the discount code BLACKBURN to save 10% ---------------------------------------------- Browse all of my recommended products at www.matt-blackburn.com 00:12 Introduction 01:29 Interview Begins 02:27 What is Shen? 04:19 Consciousness of the Product 06:11 The Quality Behind Shen Blossom 07:48 Reishi Syrup Concentrate 09:30 The Three Treasures 13:26 Quantifying Consciousness 15:03 Nature Bathing 17:00 The Adapt Formula 18:16 Astragalus and Schizandra 19:14 Full Spectrum Astragalus 21:14 Varying Botanical Nutrients 22:22 Unique Herbal Formulas 23:26 The Glands 24:23 Balancing Diet & Eating Seasonal 26:48 Recognizing The Bodies Needs 28:34 Wild Sesame Butter 30:57 The Ying and Yang in Everything 32:27 Food Variation 33:36 Prime: The Digestion Activator 36:09 Mindful Eating 38:06 Thinking Depletes Energy 39:13 The Circulation Of Qi 41:09 Balanced Awareness 42:42 Quality vs Quantity 44:40 The Sacredness of Ginseng 51:57 Muscle Root Balm Formula 55:00 Tree Resin Medicine 56:00 Protect Spray Formula 59:18 Bioavailable Mineral Formulas 1:03:57 Organic Pi Water Drops 1:11:31 Inhibiting Oxidation 1:13:10 Pi Water Filter 1:15:52 Tea Products 1:19:30 Tea Preparation 1:23:30 Infratonic Chi Machine 1:29:14 Schizandra Products and The Meridians 1:31:28 Private Reserve Products 1:33:42 Conventional Incense Scents vs. Shen Blossom Premium Reserve Incense 1:35:03 Root, Stem & Branch Adaptogenic Skin Care Q&A 1:41:30 MSM vs. Collagen 1:43:15 Herbs for Hormone Issues 1:45:43 Fasting 1:49:00 Brandon’s Info 1:50:10 Closing Notes
This episode is for parents, health enthusiasts, practitioners, health coaches, herbalists and for those just wanting to dive deeper into answering the call as a tonic herbalist. Today, Sage Dammers (tonic herbalist and master chocolatier) and Mason cover all bases on how to develop yourself and your offering; Sage has dedicated himself to the herbs. What exactly does it take to become a tonic herbalist? Tune in to find out. The guys cover the ground knowledge and a good run down on what you are going to experience as you navigate this herbalist world. Oh and there's also a bit of speak about chocolate ;P so tune in today and lay down those foundations to becoming a tonic herbalist. In today's episode, you will hear about: How chocolate is a beautiful vehicle for herbs Tonic herbs and adaptogens are not symptom-based, but support the body to balance it's own systems Identifying with your symptom can be terribly damaging - find a new mantra Creating space (sitting down, taking time and setting an intention) to drink your herbal tonic can be transformational Sage likes to begin his relationship with a new herb with 1/2ts in hot water in its pure and isolated form - get to know the herb SuperFeast tonic herbs, in powder-form, forces you to connect with and forge a relationship with the adaptogen (versus a capsule / tablet) Supplements can provide challenges in the later years - what exactly are the long term effects which have not been researched? SuperFeast JING really provides that foundational energy Sitting infront of a computer daily, means your eyes are focused on a static distance, this can be detrimental long term Neural Nectar and Lion's Mane are specially effective for upgrading brain faculty Eye issues (strain, poor sight) is connected with liver, so get onto Schizandra to support your liver Tonic herbs are here with us, not for us The Three Treasures, in particular Shen Consistently having coffee does leak your Jing Medicinal mushrooms are for long-term immunity, prevention people! Write to us - what would you like Mason and Sage to talk about next! Email us team@superfeast.com.au Who is Sage Dammers? Fueled by a passionate desire to help people live the ultimate life and create a better world, Sage studied raw and superfood nutrition and traditional herbal systems, especially Taoist tonic herbalism. He has worked with and trained under the world’s leading master herbalists and nutrition and longevity experts in Costa Rica, Australia, Bali, China, and America. Sage has developed products internationally and given lectures on peak performance nutrition in Australia, Bali, America, and France. His years of experience in this unique arena have allowed him to cultivate an unparalleled combination of cutting edge nutritional and culinary expertise. Sage has started tonic elixir bars in 5 star luxury hotels in Paris and Sydney serving longevity elixirs disguised as gourmet treats, introducing the novel concept of healthy indulgences to the market of world travelers. Resources Addictive Wellness Erewhon Organic Grocer SuperFeast JING SuperFeast Neural Nectar SuperFeast Lion's Mane SuperFeast Schizandra addictivewellness Instagram Addictive Wellness Choccies on Amazon Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or check us out on Stitcher :)! Plus we're on Spotify and Soundcloud! Check Out The Transcript Here: A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or check us out on Stitcher :)! Plus we're on Spotify and Soundcloud! Check Out The Transcript Here:
Mason is travelling through China visiting the pristine mountains and valleys where we grow and forage our tonic herbs and medicinal mushrooms. Right in the middle of these experiences, he is dripping with the awareness and perception of the Taoist tonic herb tradition that emerged on this ancient land and the majesty of the herbs, and he shared this passionately in this podcast. You are going to learn all the ins and outs of the wild foraging and conscious farming operations of medicinal mushrooms & tonics and how to ensure you’re sourcing the absolute greatest possible tonic herbs. If you are buying your herbs from SuperFeast, you will learn why our products work so well and are superior in quality. If you’re not sourcing our herbs you will learn the questions to ask the people providing you medicinal mushrooms and herbs to ensure you are not being swindled into buying an inferior product. We will take a journey into the roots of this herbal philosophy and learn when the split occurred away from traditional healing towards a reductionist approach to healing and herbalism (towards modern medicine), and the consequences. Mason covers what is needed to become an integrated practitioner that keeps develops expertise in the prevention and optimisation approach to health that tonic herbalism and shamanic Taoism is rooted within. In this episode we will cover: Why prevention beats treatment every time The origins of Taoist tonic herbalism What Shen Nong had to say about where to source herbs Di Tao as the ultimate way to source herbs How to ensure your herbs stay heavy metal and radiation free Why wild chaga is superior How to grow the best schizandra ever Why modern doctors have got it wrong How Traditional Chinese Medicine lost its way Why mushrooms grown on grain are the worst ever The two types of people that grow mushrooms on grain How to make a herb more adaptogenic through conscious farming And heaps more!
Our first guest to the podcast – Dr Ralph is in the house! In today’s show, Mason and Dr Ralph explore all things men’s health and sexual dysfunction (and what you can do about it to get your sex drive rocking) and look at the tonic herbs that can 10x a man’s sexual health. Dr Ralph is a medical consultant and research analyser in New York and shares the most common health complaints he sees from his male patients. The guys cover erectile dysfunction, pornography, tips to resensitise the male body, sperm health and how it’s important to converse with your partner on these topics to regain a healthy sex life. The interaction between chemical neurotransmitters and molecules is explored and how they affect a male’s sexual function. Traditional Chinese Medicine philosophy is weaved throughout the podcast and several herbs and practical lifestyle practices are explored to reinvigorate the male function and energy. “Erectile dysfunction in younger men….is alarming….it should not be an issue in young fertile men” – Dr Ralph’ In today’s episode we will cover: The most common issue in men’s health and what to do about it Adaptogens for daddy issues?! The erectile dysfunction epidemic in young, fertile men The HPA axis and how it relates to the biological chain of events in the body Reishi as an immunomodulator and stress modulator How men completely underestimate how strong the mind is and what role it must play in health and sexual function Deer antler; the super yang herb to increase sexual vigour How stress is the key factor related to psychological issues of erectile dysfunction The connection between sleep, testosterone and sex drive The connection between sexual dysfunction and pornography The healthy nature of masturbation The fact that sharing with your partner your wants, needs and desires is critical to a healthy relationship and sexual function The magic of mucuna for men’s health Meditate and testosterone The immortal question: Is more testosterone ALWAYS better? The number one anti-erection molecule and what you can do to reduce it Testicular health 101 Colourful foods are high in antioxidants and great for testicular health And heaps more. Who is Dr Espo? Dr. Esposito is a naturopathic physician, licensed acupuncturist and functional medicine practitioner specializing in Hormones, Integrative Urology and Men's Health. His precise and personalized style embodies a progressive approach to medicine. He has been published and is a peer reviewer in well-respected medical journals. Furthermore, Dr. Esposito has authored several medical textbook chapters and has designed education modules for health professionals specifically on urological conditions, fertility, male and female hormone dysfunction, Low Testosterone, exercise, fitness, men’s health and sexual dysfunction. He has trained at NYU Integrative and Functional Urology Center. Dr. Esposito also holds a position as adjunct professor at New York University where he lectures on integrative medicine. Resources Dr Espo’s sitehttps://doctorespo.com/ Dr Espo’s instahttps://www.instagram.com/dr.ralphesposito/ Schizandra article https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/the-7-sexy-benefits-of-the-wonder-berry-schizandra HPA axis H-P-A- what? https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/stressssss-we-ve-all-heard-of-it-and-we-ve-all-experienced-it-but-what-is-actually-going-on-in-our-bodies-when-we-feel-stressed) Sleepy Reishi tonic recipe https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/the-greatest-reishi-mushroom-tonic-for-deep-sleep-recipe-and-video Reishi articlehttps://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/long-live-the-reishi-queen DUTCH testhttps://dutchtest.com/ Deer Antlerhttps://www.superfeast.com.au/products/deer-antler-powdered-extract Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes.
Tips, herbs and flower essences for relieving anxiety and why you should touch yourself regularly. 100 days of drawing with schizandra and suggestions for balancing your budget and being more conscious with your money. https://www.aidazea.com/ http://www.saramariemiller.me/ Intro and outro music by Komiku Donate here: https://simplecast.com/donate/6016
Kheyrne Danu is the brainchild of SuperThrive and founder of Woman Thrive. She is also a health journalist, nature worshipper and muse. From a young age Kheyrne had to work through a few big health challenges including adrenal fatigue, digestive issues and reproductive problems. She chose to focus on nature’s medicine chest for her recovery. After much research around hormone healing she finally discovered (back in 2006) the profound effects of adaptogen herbs and superfoods. “I had 14 powders lining my shelves and one day I decided to create a mix for easy use. I was surprised how palatable the taste was. Having one powder made life so much easier. After taking it for 30 days I discovered my energy levels greatly improved, my sleep was deep and restful, my mind was more acute and my emotional state was calm and grounded.” - Kheyrne Today Kheyrne facilitates Hormone Vitality and Womb Way Yoni Egg workshops. SuperThrive Notes Blood Sugar Stability • The endocrine systems prime directive is to safe guard the transport of glucose between the brain, the heart and the muscle tissue. • Once the blood sugar is out of balance the endocrine system goes into emergency mode using valuable hormone resources. When this happens continuously the adrenals, reproductive hormones, thyroid and mental state can become compromised. • Fats, proteins and minerals are essential for stabilizing blood sugar. We all need carbohydrates in the form of vegetables (some body types do well with a few grains), but too many carbs throw the blood sugar out of balance. • Eat something protein based with some fat within 1.5 hours of waking and eat snacks or meals every 3-5 hours. Eating 3 hours before bedtime prevents insulin spike at night allowing good melatonin production. Oestrogen Dominance In women oestrogen and progesterone need to stay in balance (200-300 progesterones to one oestrogen). In men testosterone and oestrogen need to stay in balance. TOO MUCH OESTROGEN • Increases blood clotting (strokes, thrombosis) • Suppresses progesterone and thyroid • Increases sensitivity to stress hormones • Increases fluid retention • Impairs blood sugar balance • Reduces oxygen level in cells • Increases bone loss • Increases anxiety, insomnia and headaches • Increases inflammation • Increases body weight Too much oestrogen in men can suppress testosterone. In women it can suppress progesterone and thyroid hormones. For both sexes this increases risk of obesity, cancer and lifestyle diseases. “Xenoestrogens can disrupt the estrogen/androgen balance and alter the development or the function of reproductive organs, as was observed with pesticides. Xenoestrogens generally act in 100–1000 folds greater concentrations than estradiol. – “Assessment and Molecular Actions of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals That Interfere with Estrogen Receptor Pathways” International Journal of Endocrinology 2013 Chemical Chaos • Since the industrial revolution over 80,000 chemicals have been produced and used within our environment. Most of these are known as Endocrine Disruptors (ED’s) or Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDC’s). Pesticides and fertilizers are a major culprit, but we can find ED’s in many places. • “ED’s are defined by WHO (World Health Organization) as exogenous compounds or mixtures that alter function(s) of the endocrine system and consequently cause adverse effects in an intact organism. ED’s can also be transferred from the pregnant woman to the developing fetus or child through the placenta and breast milk.” Water Not only does water contain the xenoestrogen dioxin from chlorine but the recycled component from sewage water also contains the contraceptive pill and HRT and in some areas other environmental ED’s, none of which can be killed or deactivated. • Endocrine disruptors found in SA water (News24) Professor Edmund Pool told News24, “All the sewage treatment plants I’ve tested in the Western Cape were found to remove 80% of hormones, the untreated 20% has been shown to be able to change the morphology and sex ratios of some animals like fishes, frogs, and crabs. EDCs eventually get lodged in humans’ body tissues, more concerning is that it can sit in the reproductive organs where it is carried over to offspring.” • “Boys who swam the most in chlorinated pools had 20% lower testosterone than boys who swam in the pool disinfected with copper–silver ionization.” – January 2012 Environmental Health Perspectives Body Products and Cleaning Products You absorb more chemicals through your skin than you do by ingestion! For most of us our cupboards are filled with ED’s. If your beauty or cleaning products contain any petrochemicals you are essentially smearing toxic oil from your car on to your skin. Unless an ingredient has a plant name, it is most likely derived from petrochemicals. • Aqueous Cream • Petroleum Jelly • Liquid Paraffin • Mineral Oil Some experts say there is approximately a 50% increase in risk of cancer when using these products. If a body product says ‘natural’ or even ‘organic’ (unless certified) this does not mean it doesn’t contain toxic chemicals. Read the ingredients. There is no limitation on words chosen for the name of a product and this can be very misleading. If your cleaning products say ‘eco’ or ‘green’, this does not mean they are not harmful for your body. The Chemical Impact • Infertility – WHO stats for 2010: 48.5 million couples, ¼ globe • Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) – 20% women worldwide • Endometriosis – 10% women worldwide • Fibroids – 30% women worldwide • Erectile dysfunction – 1:10 men worldwide, up to ¼ of men under 40 • Premature ejaculation – Up to 30% of men globally • Obesity – 30% global population • Depression – WHO: 350 million globally • Sleep disorders – 55% global population, 40% sleep apnea • PMS • Menopause issues • All of these are markers for cardiovascular disease, cancer, etc. • Prostate cancer – Globally 80% men by age 80 • Breast cancer – 19% Asia & Africa, 83% West Europe, 80% USA. A 20% rise from 2008 to 2012 Food Oestrogens Even organic animal fats do naturally promote oestrogen in the body to some degree. Therefore if you eat animal products make sure they don’t take up more than 20% of your diet and sourcing is key! Most organic raw plant oils (except soya oil) promote progesterone production. Testosterone can do well on a balance of both animal and plant fats. • Dairy – Oestrogen is given to all cows that are not grass fed – look for organic • Meat – Oestrogen is in all animals that are not grass fed (the grains used are also GMO) • Eggs – Oestrogen is in all eggs including free range that are not pasture reared (or Angus the Farmers ‘truly free range’) Soya • Non-organic dairy and meat are filled with oestrogen administered to fatten up the animal and increase milk production. • Non-organic, non-fermented soya does not have absorbable protein, contains 3 toxic chemicals and has extremely high oestrogen levels. • Back in 1998 investigators that wrote the article 'Phytoestrogens in soy-based infant foods' reported that an infants daily consumption of isoflavones from soya formula is six to eleven times higher than an adults would take in through food. Reserchers conclude, “Babies on soy formula receive the estrogenic equivalent of at least 5 birth control pills per day.” Progesterone Progesterones is a precursor hormone (makes other steroid hormones) as well as an end hormone. It is vital for proper reproductive, thyroid and adrenal function. If one has had a high stress life or previous hormone issues it is common for progesterone to start dropping from around 35 years old leading to symptoms such as – inhibited ovulation, lowered mood, increased weight gain, sleep issues, worse PMS, reproductive issues, adrenal fatigue, low thyroid and more. • Precorsor for oestrogen, testosterone and cortisol • Promotes bone formation • Balances blood sugar • Upholds sex drive • Upholds cellular oxygen absorption • Maintains and nourishes uterus • Prevents fibrocystic breasts • Natural antidepressive • Uses fat for energy • Helps prevent cancer by inhibiting the gene p53 • Facilitates thyroid hormone action • Balances calming neurotransmitter GABA • Neuroprotective – promotes myelinization • Anti-inflammatory Testosterone (Notes from Dr Bridget Briggs Functional Medicine Lecture) • Testosterone levels are typically highest by a man’s late twenties. After that they slowly declines 1% to 2% per year. • Some level of serum decline in testosterone is natural up to 10.4. Below this men are prone to metabolic syndrome, depression and cardiovascular disease. • Oestrogen and synthetic chemicals inhibit testosterone. • 34% to 50% of all men experience some level of low testosterone. • 30% to 40% of men between the ages of 40 and 55 are actually experiencing true symptoms of andropause. • It only takes 5 days of impaired sleep to see a 15% drop in testosterone. • Testosterone supplementation below the age of 40 can create infertility. • Testosterone can aromatize (convert) into oestrogen under certain circumstances. HORMONE SUPPORT: Adaptogens Adaptogens should not be combi ned with pharmaceutical medication, especially when it comes to issues like thyroid. Reason being adaptogens work at enhancing the bodies abilities where most medications (such as altroxin) work on the principle of halting the body's own function and replacing it with a synthetic version. There are ways of slowly weaning off certain medications and replacing them with natural substances such as adaptogen herbs, but this needs medical supervison from an expert such as a Functional or Integrative Medicine doctor. The Russian scientist, G.M. Barenboirn said it well: "For the first time in the history of human civilization the biological potentialities of the human body have failed to meet the requirements imposed on it by the epoch. One witnesses an unusual 'epidemic' of fatigue aggravated by the powerful action of man-made, external chemical and physical environmental factors. Like the drugs that saved the world from numerous bacterial and viral epidemics that cost millions of lives in the past, the adaptogens are needed to help man withstand the diverse stresses of today." What is an adaptogen? These plants were appropriately named as they adapt to their environment and they help the body adapt to its environment. Explaining the effects of the adaptogens is difficult, since they support each individual differently. Adaptogens literally adapt their function to where it’s needed in the body, making themselves the right shape to fit into the keyhole. Adaptogens are also a powerful antioxidant. They have no side effects and are not addictive. They possess a wide range of therapeutic benefits, which cause no disturbance to the normal functioning of the body. If you are mentally exhausted or physically fatigued the adaptogens will help you feel more energetic and awake. At the same time adaptogens are not stimulants. If you are stressed to the max and highly strung, or just not coping with life, then adaptogens will help bring you to a calm and centered state, yet they are not tranquillizers and do not have a drug-like effect on the body. Adaptogens are most known for supporting stress and fatigue, low libido and reproductive health, calming the nervous system, enhancing mental and physical performance and post sports recovery. Since 1947 medical and scientific research has been conducted and published on adaptogens in various parts of the world. Adaptogens – Ashwaghanda, Medicinal mushrooms, Tulsi, Rhodiola, Schizandra, Astragulus, Maca, Foti, Chaga, Panax Ginseng, Gota Kola, Moringa – SuperThrive. Nutrition • Minerals (zinc,magnesium, etc) - Salt, Seaweed, Quinton’s Marine Plasma, Greens. • Proteins – especially plant based. – Olives, Avocados, Coconut, Hemp, Spirulina, Sprouts, Greens. • Omega 3 – Dark fish or Algae oil • Vit C is essential for a every endocrine gland. - Camu Camu powder/ Acerola Chery Powder/ Acai powder. • Vitamin E – Sunflower Seeds. • Potassium in the evening – Bananas, Potatoes. • Coconut Oil is a wonderful form of cholesterol forthe adrenal glands touse to make pregnenolone and cortisol. • Aloe • Fermented foods such as Sauerkraut and live probiotics such as Health Booster. • Selenium (Brazil Nuts). • Vit D3 (the sun and fish oil). • Vitamin B6 (bananas, spinach, sweet potatoes) & B12 (probiotics) – needed to make hormones. • Grounding is a powerful tool in balancing the thyroid! Thyroid needs ( - ) charge to neutralize toxins. • A bit of cardio-vascular exercise helps the thyroid stay healthy. PEOPLE: Dr Daphne Lyell Nutritionist Chantal Daniel Dr Marion Weston - drweston@iafrica.co.za
As people become more confident in herbs and their versatile health-enhancing functions, the category of brain enhancers is steadily on the rise. In this podcast, Chris Kilham—medicine hunter, author and educator—shares his favorite brain-boosting botanicals, which include ashwagandha, Schizandra, Rhodiola rosea and coffee.
Los batidos para adelgazar, se están convirtiendo ya en una revelación, no solamente por el efecto que estos tienen sino que además por lo delicioso que son. Estos batidos en su gran mayoría se pueden beber en cualquier momento del día. Es importante recalcar que no te ayudan a perder peso porque tengan algunas propiedades mágicas, no. Principalmente te ayudan a adelgazar y a perder peso porque vas a mejorar tu alimentación, la salud de tu sistema digestivo, vas a solventar el déficit de determinados nutrientes que le faltan a tu dieta y que provocan que tu salud no sea todo lo buena que deseas, porque vas a evitar picotear entre horas y, además, conseguirás tomar determinados nutrientes que puede que no estés tomando porque no te guste la gama de alimentos más ricos en ese tipo de nutrientes. Es decir, te ayudarán a regular tu organismo, a cubrir tu déficit y a evitar que tomes alimentos perjudiciales entre horas o en el desayuno. Mucha gente pensará, si los tomo y me va bien, pero dejo de tomarlos, ¿tendrá efecto rebote? Pues la respuesta es sencilla: “todo depende de ti”. Si dejas de tomar batidos para cuidar tu línea y lo sustituyes por donuts, café, bollos, cereales con demasiado azúcar, bolsas de patatas, doritos o similares, por supuesto que sí. Si cuando quieras dejar de tomarlos, te tomas fruta, pavo, lomo y alimentos saludables, no tiene porqué. ¿De qué se componen los actuales batidos naturales que te ayudan a perder peso? Licuado de mora y plátano La mora es una fruta sumamente rica en vitamina C, además de que ayuda a acelerar el metabolismo y es baja en calorías. Licuado para quemar grasa Este es un jugo verde para adelgazar, se debe de agregar 1 hoja de lechuga, 1 tallo de apio con sus hojas y ¼ de pepino con cáscara y semillas. En la licuadora además de todos esos ingredientes le debes de agregar 1 vaso de agua. Licuado de lechuga, espinaca y kiwi Este batido para adelgazar es una de las mejores opciones diuréticas, ya que ayuda a quemar grasa y bajar de peso por la vitamina C y los agentes antioxidantes con los que cuenta esta. Estos batidos para adelgazar deben tomarse preferiblemente en ayunas para que el cuerpo pueda asimilarlos mejor. Aunque también puedes tomarlos como merienda, o diez minutos antes de cada comida, llegando en algunos casos a reemplazarlas.fruta. Este batido se debe de beber por las mañanas y 3 veces a la semana. Todo se debe de mezclar en la batidora con un chorro de miel. Estos son batidos muy comunes que podéis hacer en casa pero gracias al desarrollo y a las investigaciones y, sobre todo a la apertura y al conocimiento de plantas y hongos de otras partes del mundo, en la actualidad ya hay empresas que están buscando las mejores combinaciones de batidos para mejorar nuestra salud. Batidos que podamos tomar cuando queramos y donde queramos, frescos, naturales y sabrosos. Para ello, hay determinadas plantas y hongos que se pueden incorporar. Por eso, ahora os vamos a comentar las propiedades de algunos elementos que pronto veréis que acompañan a los batidos y que mejorarán nuestra salud aportando aquello que más necesitamos. Mencionar que estos batidos tendrán alguno de los ingredientes que comentamos y que se complementarán con otros para mejorar el sabor y complementar y que ya están siendo añadidos en snacks o barritas. Batidos con Schisandra La Schisandra es una baya exótica con propiedades antienvejecimiento. Actualmente Esta baya se utiliza en diversas preparaciones medicinales para aumentar la longevidad y la vitalidad en general. Schisandra crece en China y en algunas partes de Rusia. Numerosos estudios demuestran sus beneficios para la salud. Según la medicina tradicional china es una de las pocas hierbas que contiene los tres tesoros conocidos como el Jing, Qi y el Shen (esencia, energía y espíritu). Entre todas las hierbas chinas, la schizandra tiene una de la más amplia gama de beneficios. Con sus cinco elementos básicos, amamanta a cinco de los órganos más importantes del cuerpo: el corazón, el hígado, el bazo, los pulmones y los riñones. Según el famoso etnobotánico Chris Kilham “LA Schisandra chinensis disfruta de miles de años de uso tradicional para prolongar la vida, retardar el proceso de envejecimiento, aumentar la energía, combatir la fatiga, y como tónico sexual“. Muchos de los beneficios conocidos de la medicina china han sido científicamente probados. Especialmente los científicos rusos tenían especial interés en los beneficios de Schizandra, ya que fue utilizado por las personas Nanai en las regiones del Lejano Oriente para reducir el hambre, la sed y el cansancio, pues “da fuerzas para seguir un sable todo el día sin comer”. Schisandra berry muestra una destacada actividad adaptogénica. Esto significa que es segura y no tóxica. Como adaptógeno, Schisandra es un potente tónico general que disminuye la fatiga, mejora el rendimiento físico y promueve la resistencia. También reduce los niveles de las hormonas del estrés en la sangre. En estudios realizados con humanos, Schisandra berry y sus extractos, mejoraron el desempeño de corredores de larga distancia, esquiadores y gimnastas. Schisandra también ofrece beneficios especiales para la mente. Varios estudios en humanos muestran que el extracto de Schisandra mejora la concentración, la coordinación y la resistencia. También ayuda a prevenir la fatiga mental y aumenta la precisión y la calidad del trabajo. Schisandra también ayuda a proteger la salud del hígado y ayuda en el tratamiento de la hepatitis. Schisandra se ha utilizado en la medicina tradicional china desde hace más de 2.000 años. A pesar de esta larga historia, es aún relativamente desconocida en el mercado de Occidente. Propiedades del Hongo Maitake Algunas de las propiedades medicinales de la seta maitake son conocidas desde muy antiguo. Formaba parte de la alimentación de los monjes guerreros chinos en torno al siglo XV por su capacidad para aumentar la energía vital. En realidad lo que sucede es que el hongo maitake es un adaptógeno, esto es, ayuda al organismo a sobrellevar épocas de mucho desgaste físico y/o mental. Pero las propiedades medicinales del maitake más sorprendentes están relacionadas con enfermedades como el VIH, el cáncer o la fatiga crónica. El consumo habitual de este hongo estimula el sistema inmunológico, al potenciar la acción de los macrófagos, los linfocitos T y las células NK. Por ello, puede resultar de ayuda como coadyuvante en enfermos de VIH, nunca como sustituto a su medicación. Pero además las moléculas del sistema inmune sobre las cuales ejerce su acción el maitake están relacionadas con la inmunidad frente a ciertos tipos de tumores, aquellos que el organismo es capaz de detectar (son los menos). Los beneficios del maitake en personas aquejadas de fatiga crónica parecen deberse más bien a su acción adaptógena que a la inmunoestimulante, aunque al desconocerse el mecanismo de la enfermedad resultaría arriesgado descartar la segunda razón a día de hoy. La seta maitake posee también propiedades antiinflamatorias, que unidas a su acción antivírica explican su uso en recetas de medicina tradicional china contra la gripe. Además el maitake mejora la circulación sanguínea por su ligero efecto anticoagulante y rebaja con suavidad la presión arterial, algo curioso en un adaptógeno. Por si todo esto fuera poco, el hongo maitake ayuda a mantener constantes los niveles de glucosa en sangre y a rebajar los niveles de colesterol, por ello resulta interesante en personas con diabetes de tipo II y con hipercolesterolemia, respectivamente. Estudios publicados sobre el hongo… El hongo es conocido por sus propiedades anticancerígenas, donde se realizó un ensayo en humanos en 2009, en el Centro de Cáncer Memorial Sloan-Kettering, y mostró que el extracto de maitake estimula el sistema inmunológico de los pacientes que padecen cáncer de mama. Otros estudios de laboratorio realizados con Maitake, encontraron la presencia de grifolan, un importante polisacárido beta-glucano, con una actividad anticáncer, que posee la capacidad de bloquear el crecimiento de tumores cancerígenos y mejorar la función inmune de aquellos individuos que padecen cáncer. Según el estudio publicado en la Carta de Townsend, donde participaron más de 160 personas con cáncer avanzado, el Maitake se ha encontrado eficaz contra la leucemia, así como en cánceres de estómago y de hueso. En un estudio clínico de Japón, se investigó la eficacia de la administración de Maitake en 36 pacientes con cáncer de edades comprendidas entre 22 y 57 años, que se encontraban en los estadios II a IV; en ellos se observó una regresión del cáncer, que se traduce en una mejora significativa de los síntomas en casi el 70% de los pacientes de cáncer de mama, en casi el 60% de los pacientes con cáncer de hígado y de más del 60% de los pacientes con cáncer de pulmón. EL BAMBÚ El Bambú es originario de la India. Del bambú se consumen sus brotes tiernos, de los cuales hay que extraer las hojas exteriores o la vaina hasta llegar a la parte interior de color crema. El bambú contiene: ? 89% de humedad ? 5,7% de hidratos de carbono ? 3,9% de proteína ? Calcio ? Fósforo ? Hierro ? Vitamina C y K ? Enzimas amilasa, nucleasa, desamidasa y de silicio ? Los extractos de las hojas contienen metanol ¿Qué aporta el Bambú a nuestro organismo? El bambú, ayuda sobretodo a nuestra piel y huesos por tratarse de una planta con un alto contenido en un mineral llamado sílice. El sílice es un oligoelemento abundante en la naturaleza, pero los hábitos alimentarios modernos hacen que cada vez se consuma menos. También aporta 17 aminoácidos y gran cantidad de minerales, incluyendo calcio, magnesio, fósforo, potasio, sodio, cobre, manganeso y hierro. Beneficios del Sílice del Bambú para los Huesos El sílice del Bambú incrementa la síntesis del colágeno, que se encuentra en altas concentraciones en tejidos óseos y conjuntivos, de manera que ayuda enormemente a la reconstrucción del cartílago destruido en enfermedades de tipo articular como pueda ser la artrosis. A la ayuda que el Bambú presta en la regeneración del cartílago por enfermedad articular hemos de sumar que su efecto remineralizante resulta muy beneficioso en casos como la menopausia, donde se necesita un aporte extra que fortifique nuestros huesos. Otros beneficios del Bambú Son una buena fuente de lignanos y otros antioxidantes que la otorgan al bambú propiedades anticancerígenas, antibacterianas, antihongos y antivirales. Los brotes de bambú también son buenos para los problemas respiratorios, trastornos menstruales y lombrices intestinales. EL REISHI El Reishi es un hongo (Ganoderma Lucidum) que se viene estudiando desde hace más de 20 años ya que posee bondades y propiedades en beneficio de la salud. Desde hace más de 3000 años se es utilizado en la medicina tradicional del Oriente: China, Japón, Malasia, etc. Es conocido como el hongo de la eterna juventud, ya que promueve la longevidad y mantiene la vitalidad del cuerpo. Es catalogado en sus orígenes como el "Alimento que Cura" y "Seta de la Inmortalidad" por sus propiedades terapéuticas. ¿Pero esto es cierto? ¿Se ha demostrado? Lo curioso es que sí. El hongo reishi es un inmuno-estimulante, es útil para personas con SIDA, síndrome intestinal, Epstein-Barr, bronquitis cronica y otras enfermedades infecciosas. Y además, es usado como ayuda para conciliar el sueño, como diurético, laxante y para reducir el colesterol. Investigaciones revelan que el polisacárido beta-1, 3-D-glucan en las setas reishi refuerza el sistema inmune elevando la cantidad de células macrofagas de la sangre T, que tiene implicaciones principales en personas que sufren de SIDA y otros trastornos del sistema inmune. Esta acción reforzadora del sistema inmune también obra maravillas en la prevención y tratamento del cáncer, ya que las células T son entonces capaces de luchar contra las células cancerígenas más eficazmente. Sin embargo, reishi puede ayudar al cuerpo a curarse en no solo una sino cuatro maneras. Además de reforzar el sistema inmune, el glucan en las setas reishi ayuda a que las células inmunes se liguen a células tumorales. Muchos expertos creen que también reduce el número de células cancerígenas haciendo que sea más fácil para las células T y macrofagas eliminar esas células del cuerpo. Otra sustancia en reishi, llamada cantaxantina, ralentiza el crecimiento de los tumores, según la autora de “Prescription for Dietary Wellness”, Phyllis A. Balch y otros expertos. Como resultado de estas sorprendentes capacidades anti-cancerígenas, la investigación en laboratorios y el uso medicinal tradicional del reishi para luchar contra el cáncer es tan positivo que el gobierno japonés lo reconoce oficialmente como tratamiento para el cáncer. Además del cáncer, el reishi puede ayudar y tratar otra de las enfermedades más mortales, la enfermedad cardiovascular. La protección que ofrecen las setas reishi frente a enfermedades del corazón y apoplejía, son realmente sorprendentes porque ayuda a prevenir tantos factores de riesgo, debido a su alto contenido de sustancias protectoras para el corazón como esteroles, ácidos ganodericos, cumarina, manitol y polisacáridos. Los expertos creen que los ácidos ganodéricos particularmente, reducen los niveles de triglicéridos, eliminan el exceso de colesterol de la sangre, reducen la tensión arterial, reducen la pegajosidad de las plaquetas sanguíneas e incluso ayudan a corregir la arritmia. De hecho, para 54 personas con hipertensión que no respondía a medicamentos, tomar extracto de reishi tres veces al día durante cuatro semanas fue suficiente para reducir la tensión arterial de forma significativa, según un estudio comunicado por Burton Goldberg en “Heart Disease”. Gracias de nuevo, hasta el siguiente episodio. Podcast de salud, nutrición y bienestar en Ivoox. Podcast de Tulcop Trade e Internacionalfarma. 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Welcome to the Power Plant Podcast! In this episode we'll talk about gaining energy and focus through powerful herbs and extracts. We will also be taking calls from David in Birmingham, England who's been a vegan for 20 years and needs a boost for those mid-day energy drops. We'll also talk to Jim in Philadelphia who needs more focus on the job as well as Leonora, who is a Midwife in Austin, TX that needs help getting through some rough 24 hr. shifts. SHOW NOTES: Power Plants that promote energy and focus: 1. Tongkat Ali - Decoctions of tongkat ali roots have been utilized for centuries in Malaysia and Southeast Asia to support energy levels and mood. Although commonly taken by men, tongkat ali can also support women’s libido, mood, and energy. 2. Ashwagandha - The flagship herb of Ayurveda supports healthy adrenal function, energy, and mental focus. Ashwagandha (KSM-66) has been clinically researched and is backed by several randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled human clinical trials to support a multitude of body function. 3. Rhodiola Rosea -A favorite among athletes and herbal practitioners, Rhodiola has a reputation as one of the world’s greatest mood and energy tonics. Its unique array of phytochemicals have been researched for their ability to regulate critical neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. 4. Ginseng (Chinese, Korean, and American) - There are 3 popular types of Ginseng used around the world; Chinese, Korean, and American. Chinese Ginseng (Ren Shen) is considered the "king of herbs" in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and is celebrated as its' premier tonic herb. It's active compounds, referred to as ginsenosides, are known to restore qi (pronounced "chi") or energy levels and to support a calm, alert mind. Korean Ginseng has similar properties. American Ginseng, known as the ‘Yin Ginseng’, has similar ginsenosides to its Chinese counterpart, although is traditionally viewed as a gentler tonic better suited to people with excess metabolic heat. It can also help promote a relaxed, calm attitude among those prone to stress and overwork. 5. Dendrobium Nobile(Shi Hu) - Dendrobium is a member of the orchid family. In traditional Chinese medicine it’s considered a yin herb. It’s used to build up energy reserves which are depleted by stress, tension, trauma. It’s been used for centuries to strengthen the adrenal glands, support energy and endurance, and help the body age with grace. 6. Cistanche Tubulosa (Rou Cong Rong)- known as Rou Cong Rong in mandarin, Cistanche has long been considered one of the best Chinese herbs to strengthen kidneys, tonify yang, and benefit essence and blood. It has been researched for its mind enhancing properties, and according to some studies, it may enhance ATP synthesis and nitric oxide production, boosting cellular energy and supporting healthy circulation. 7. Shilajiit (also called Moomiyo) - Rather than a plant extract per se, Moomiyo is a blend of mineral-containing compounds made by soil-based microorganisms and contains an abundance of humic and fulvic acids. This adaptogenic compound is believed to promote vigor and endurance and to enhance athletic performance and sports recovery. 8. Cordyceps- Cordyceps is a powerful adaptogenic mushroom that is used extensively by athletes and herbalists to promote energy and endurance, enhance lung function, and support cognitive function. 9. Maca - A particularly powerful turnip-like root from South America, Maca has been used for centuries to increase libido and enhance energy and endurance. It also supports mental clarity and feeling of well-being. 10. Eleuthero - Once thought to be a member of the Ginseng family and referred to as Siberian Ginseng, Eleuthero, is well known as one of the best adaptogenic agents ever used. It's known by athletes around the world to support energy levels and physical performance. Eleuthero is also used in formulas to support memory and concentration. 11. Licorice Root - Licorice root is a powerful adrenal tonic in its own right. It has been used around the world for centuries to increase energy, ease stress, reduce the symptoms of fatigue, and promote a calm sense of wellbeing. 12. Schizandra - One of the chief herbs of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Schisandra chinensis is believed to enter into every meridian channel in the body and work on the five elements: earth, fire, water, wood, and metal. It is known to increase alertness and support cognitive function and has many other benefits, including an improved stress response, decreased fatigue, and promoting healthy sexual function. Key Word Definitions: Adaptogen - a nontoxic substance and usually a plant extract that is used to increase the body's ability to resist the damaging effects of stress and promote or restore homeostasis. Tonic - A remedy believed to restore exhausted function and promote vigor and a sense of well-being. Tonics are categorized according to the organ or system on with they are presumed to act, as cardiac, kidney, adrenal, vascular etc. Cortisol - Cortisol is a steroid-based hormone and is synthesized from cholesterol and belongs to a group of hormones called glucocorticoids. Cortisol is made in the adrenal cortex of the adrenal gland, which is near the kidney. It is the primary stress hormone. Its functions are to increase sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhance your brain's use of glucose and to increases the availability of substances for tissue repair. Cortisol also curbs functions that would be nonessential or detrimental in a fight-or-flight situation. It alters immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system and growth processes. It alerts regions in your brain that control mood, motivation and fear. Stimulant - a substance that temporarily increases the physiologic activity of an organ, a system of organs, or that increases nervous excitability and alertness. Adrenal Gland - One of two small endocrine glands, located above each kidney. The outer part, or adrenal cortex, secretes steroid hormones (corticosteroids). The inner part, or adrenal medulla, secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) - The current name for an ancient system of health care from China. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is based on a concept of balanced qi (pronounced "chi"), or vital energy, that is believed to flow throughout the body. Qi is proposed to regulate a person's spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical balance and to be influenced by the opposing forces of yin (negative energy) and yang (positive energy). Disease is proposed to result from the flow of qi being disrupted and yin and yang becoming imbalanced. Among the components of TCM are herbal and nutritional therapy, restorative physical exercises, meditation, acupuncture, and remedial massage. Ayurveda - The traditional Hindu system of health and medicine, based on maintaining balance among the five elements earth, air, fire, water, and ether. The word Ayurveda is derived from the Sanskrit words “ayur,” meaning life, and "veda,” meaning knowledge. Homeostasis - the tendency of biological systems to maintain relatively constant conditions in the internal environment while continuously interacting with and adjusting to changes originating within or outside the system. Function Nutrition: B- vitamins (Folate, B-12, etc.) - a group of water-soluble vitamins that have varied metabolic functions and include coenzymes and growth factors. These essential nutrients allow us to convert our food into fuel, keeping us energized throughout the day. B-12 - Vitamin B12 is needed for manufacture of red blood cells (along with folate aka B-9). B12 helps the body's use of iron and is also required for proper digestion, the absorption of foods, the synthesis of protein and the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats. Folate - Folate has literally hundreds of function in the human body. It helps the body use Iron, Amino Acids, and Vitamin B-12, thus impacting energy on many levels. Magnesium - Magnesium is needed for the production of ATP, which is the main energy-producing molecule in the body. When magnesium is deficient our cells produce less energy resulting in fatigue. It has been found that nearly all people with chronic fatigue syndrome are magnesium deficient and magnesium is the most common mineral deficiency in all people. Zinc - Supports the regulation of key energizing neurotransmitter, dopamine, that supports cognitive function and gives you your drive. It is also key in the metabolization of melatonin, which impacts our quality of sleep. It's also essential for male and female reproductive health and fertility. It also impacts strength and athletic performance by regulating the flow testosterone and inulin-like growth growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Selenium - Support thyroid health and supports hormonal balance impacting energy on many levels. Iron - Iron is an essential mineral needed for the manufacture of haemoglobin, the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen and is needed for energy production. When iron levels are low, red blood cells can't carry enough oxygen to the body's tissues, causing fatigue Iodine - a critical nutrient important for energy levels and metabolism. It is necessary for the proper functioning of your thyroid and every cell in your body. Omega 3's (Fish Oils and Algae) - Essential fatty acids that support a healthy inflammation response, combat depression and promote healthy mood and cognitive function. Omega 3's also support adrenal function and provide hormone support. Lifestyle: Sleep, Diet, and Exercise all impact how we feel and how much energy we have. It's important to not overlook the obvious. Sleep hygiene - simple habits that promote quality sleep. Prioritize sleep. Get whatever it is your body requires (7-9 hrs. generally). Try to go to sleep around 10pm, when cortisol levels are at their lowest and melatonin levels are at their highest. Stop eating 2 hours before bedtime, and stop hydrating at least an hour before bedtime. Create at dark environment to sleep in. Avoid light before bedtime, including T.V., computers, and smart devices that emit light. You can even dim the lights ahead of time when you're ready to unwind. Try not to hit that snooze button in the morning. We don't want to interrupt our hormone and neurotransmitter cycles. Avoid the use stimulants, especially in the afternoon and evening.
My guest on today's podcast is Roger Drummer. Roger is kinda like (pictured above) - you know, the guy that wears the conical, straw Chinese harvester and can generate magical orbs of electricity from his hands. Except, in this case, Roger plays with adaptogenic herbs. He's a Chinese herbal adaptogen formulator, a Certified Nutritionist and NCCAOM Diplomate of Chinese Herbology, holds a U.S. patent for developing a process to grow biologically active, anthocyanin-enriched medicinal mushrooms, and is in my opinion, one of the best-kept secrets in natural medicine and health enhancement. Roger even formulates personalized tonic herbs for thousands of clients, including many notable celebrities (which I ask him about in this podcast episode), and has trained in Shiatsu, Jin Shin Do, Reiki and Kriya Yoga, along with being a former triathlete, runner, cycling enthusiast, husband and father of three girls. I've personally known Roger for over five years, and it's been about three years since I've had him on a podcast (see ""), so I figured that it was high time I had him back, especially since he just released a sugar-free version of my favorite adaptogenic herb complex: . So what is an adaptogen? Adaptogens are a unique category of herbs that facilitate your body’s “adaptation” to stress. They help your body maintain, build or fix its own natural healthy processes, even if you’re exposed to a wide range of external and internal stressors. This means, that, for example, adaptogens can help increase cortisol if cortisol is low, or decrease cortisol if cortisol is high. They can also be used for anything from cognitive performance to enhanced endurance at altitude. Roger is actually the inventor of the exact Chinese adaptogenic blend that holds a special place in my refrigerator: the one I mentioned above called . Here's the label: Tian Chi is a tiny packet that contains an herbal tonic blend of the most renowned adaptogens in the Orient. Every herb used in TianChi is far more pure and potent than typical old, ineffective and often dangerous or nasty-ingredient laced herbs on the market. Very few products contain 100% whole herb extracts. On average the herbal extracts are at least 10:1 yields, meaning it takes 10 pounds of raw herb to produce 1 pound of pure extract. Most manufacturers start with pure yield and cut them to concentrations of 4:1 or 5:1 by adding filler. This produces a cheaper, but less effective extract. Imagine buying a 5:1 extract that originally was 45:1! In stark contrast, the herbal extracts used in TianChi yield 12:1 or greater, and there is even one herb in TianChi that is a 45:1 yield. In other words, you would have to take 9x as much herb from any other source to equal the potency in TianChi. And you would be getting mostly filler, harmful ingredients, and very few results. All of the herbs in TianChi are Non-GMO, Kosher Certified and non-irradiated. They are extracted in purified water and test free of heavy metals. And the creator uses only wild crafted herbs – herbs found in their natural state, free from pesticides and exposure to pollution. You will feel this stuff instantly, guaranteed. Below is a complete list of the pure and potent herbs you’ll find inside each pack of TianChi, with a guarantee of extreme freshness. -Schizandra – the “Five flavor berry” is known as a beauty enhancing herb, one of the main herbs pictured with Lady Maku the Goddess of Beauty. It helps restores proper water metabolism to the cells, detoxifies the liver and lungs, and is an important herb for building lung energy. It tonifies the reproductive system, builds sexual fluids and moistens the skin. Schizandra has been successfully used in China to treat hepatitis. It contains over 20 lignans that bind to carcinogenic substances and safely removes them from the body. A mild adaptogen and powerful anti-oxidant, schizandra is the Chinese equivalent to milk thistle. -Reishi Mushroom – Reishi is known as the “Mushroom of Immortality,” and “Herb of Good Fortune”. It is the most highly revered herb in China for its ability to brighten the mind and spirit. Historically used for boosting immunity, liver detoxing, blood purifying and building, and is known as a potent stress reliever. - -Ashwagandha– Ashwagandha is known as Indian ginseng and one of the most famous of all Ayurvedic herbs. It is a premier adaptogen and has a profound effect on regulating the HPA Axis (hypothalamus/pituitary/adrenal axis) which is the basis of stress response. Although many herbs have been crowded into this category I still maintain that the “Gang of Four”, ashwagandha, rhodiola, reishi and eleuthero, are truly substances that can effectively regulate stress response. -Rhodiola – Rhodiola is known as the “Rose of Heaven” and “Plateau Ginseng.” It is one of the premier adaptogens in the entire world and one of my personal favorites. Regarded as life-prolonging and wisdom enhancing, it can reduce stress response, is blood purifying and is said to balance both creative and cognitive functions of the brain. One of the best herbs for blood oxygenation, it is useful for all endurance sports. Used to treat depression and chronic fatigue and protects against radiation. It is a favorite herb for cosmonauts and mountain climbers. Rhodiola is a “Three Treasure” tonic, it builds Jing, Chi and Shen. -Ecklonia Cava – Ecklonia Cava is a seaweed extract that is the most potent plant based antioxidant known. Because it is partially fat-soluble it crosses the blood brain barrier and is particularly useful in controlling inflammation in the brain. Ecklonia Cava lasts for 12 hours in the body, much more than any other antioxidant. -Eleuthero – This is the herb that launched all of the studies on adaptogenic herbs. Commonly used as an adaptogen in regulating stress response and strengthening adrenal function. It’s famous as a physical endurance and mental enhancing herb used by cosmonauts for its blood oxygen enriching properties. Eleuthero is a great herb for anyone who’s involved in sports or work that demands strength and endurance. It’s more Chi building than Jing, even though I use it primarily for its effect on the kidney-adrenal energy. Eleuthero is seldom sold as a bulk herb as it’s not very nutrient dense. It takes over 40 lbs of good root to make one pound of powdered extract. -Epimedium – Fepimediumamous as “goat sex tea”, epimedium is known throughout the world as herbal aphrodisiac. Lost in its reputation is that it’s also a great herb for increasing circulation in the brain and improving general immunity. Epimedium adds a spark of Yang or fire to the adrenals and has been shown to increase fertility. It is a Jing tonic. -Cistanches – Its Chinese neucommia barkame is “Duzhong” having been named after a doctor who took it and achieved great intellectual success. Eucommia is a premier Jing tonic as it contains a perfect balance of Yin and Yang energy. Its main use is in bone strengthening formulas and can be used for increasing fertility and regulating blood pressure. -Gotu Kola – Gotu Kola is one of the most important rejuvenating herbs in Ayurvedic medicine. It’s used to help revitalize the brain and nerve cells. Gotu Kola is historically used to increase intelligence, memory, longevity and decrease senility. It has been known to support normal immune function and adrenal energy. It is also a powerful blood purifier and is commonly used in Ayurveda to treat chronic skin diseases. Gotu Kola is commonly used by monks and yogis in the Himalayas as an aid to meditation; similar to how Reishi is used in China by the Taoist monks. -Albizzia Flower – This flower is known as the herb for “forgetting cares and sorrows” and “collective happiness flower”. It is an ultimate Shen tonic and is often used improving memory, circulation, and has mood elevating properties. -Astragalus – Astragalus is one of the greatest Chi tonics in all of Chinese Herbology. It’s often used as a ginseng replacement in younger people. Recently it has gain great popularity as an immune building herb. It’s used to help strengthen digestion and lung function, for recovery from illness and as an energy building herb. It is said to build Upright Chi, meaning when the lungs are strong and the breath is deep, it promotes good posture and holds the organs in place. Astragalus is an excellent herb for maintaining the Protective Chi circulating on the surface of the skin helping to ward off seasonal illness. If the cold wind seems to bother your neck it’s often a sign you’re Protective Chi is weak. -Green Tea – One green tea of the most powerful plant-based antioxidants, green tea builds immunity, increases circulation and is a best known for it’s anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown it to be valuable for memory enhancement. Most of green tea’s antioxidant polyphenols are from a class called catechins of which EGCG seems to dominate. It has been described as natures most potent anticancer agent. -Polygonum (Ho Shou Wu) – translates as “Ho’s black hair” one of the main kidney restoratives in Chinese herbology. Legend has it that Ho, an aging lonely hermit living on the edge of town saw a vine intertwined on his walk through the forest. The vines resembled a couple embracing and so he harvested the root, cooked it and consumed the tea. His hair turned back to black from snow white (hence the name) and he actually married and had a son. They both lived to over 100 years old and the herb has since been called Ho’s black hair. -Lycium (Goji) – LyciGojium is a restorative for the liver and kidneys, popular these days as Goji, and one of the 5 most famous herbs in China. Reputed to be the main food of Li Chen Yuang for the first 125 years of his life (he added some ginseng root for the next half of his life). Li died at a banquet in his honor after consuming a heavy dinner (he was a Taoist hermit who lived on herbs and vegetables) causing a national uproar and disgrace for the public official who hosted the event. -Other herbs: Anemarrhena, Licorice, Polygala, Clubmoss, Cocoa Bean Extract, Stevia Leaf, Acerola Cherry, and Raspberry. During my discussion with Roger, you'll discover: -The delicate process via which wildcrafted herbs are actually extracted in China, and exactly how they find their way to the USA... -The important difference between wild and cultivated herbs... -Roger's top herb recommendation for regulating cortisol levels and eliminating adrenal fatigue issues... -The truth about whether resveratrol really does have an anti-aging effect... -How D-Ribose rebuilds your energy stores and ATP levels, and exactly how much you need... -Why so many smart drugs and nootropic compounds use the substance "choline" in their formulations, the form of choline that contains the highest concentrations of actual choline... -Why Roger isn't a fan of using regular stevia mixed with adaptogenic herb extracts, and instead uses a specialized form of stevia root... -The main differences between Tian Chi and Inner Peace... Resources from this episode: - - -My previous podcast with Roger "" - Do you have questions, comments or feedback for me or Roger about Chinese adaptogenic herbs, Tian Chi, or anything else we discuss in this podcast. Leave your thoughts at and one of us will reply!
Today’s an iconic day in Wonderland as we welcome our first male guest to WWRadio. Who better to break our longstanding (16 episode) gender gap than the extremely knowledgable and inspiring Brandon Gilbert of Hyperion Herbs? This episode is two firsts for WWRadio: in addition to our first male it is (I think) the longest episode to date since Brandon and I dive deep into critical concepts and inspiring insights. In this eclectic conversation we cover everything from the value of teachers & tools for learning to single task & shutdown technology, how to get started with tonic herbs, and learning to listen to your body’s needs. My favorite lines & nuggets from this interview: TWEETABLES “Having teachers who see us for who we really are is massively valuable.” @brandon1gilbert via #WWRadio w/ @katiedalebout “I’d rather spend time on my inherent strengths than waste time trying to be better at things I’m not good at.” @brandon1gilbert via #WWRadio w/ @katiedalebout “Technology isn’t going away & what we need to do is figure out what it is & how we can best use it.” @brandon1gilbert via #WWRadio w/ @katiedalebout “If something is really important, we’ll know about it.” @brandon1gilbert via #WWRadio w/ @katiedalebout “Develop the habit, because if your body hasn’t had something how can it miss it.” @brandon1gilbert via #WWRadio w/ @katiedalebout TIPS: Create a technology bedtime a few hours before you go to sleep and a set time in the morning to not check email until you absolutely have to rather than first thing when you open your eyes. Setting up a buffer of time to consciously decide to chill and not be so connected is going to set the tone for the rest of the day. Listen on [iTunes] (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wellness-wonderland-radio/id669216566)! or by clicking the golden mp3 link below! or listen on YouTube! Brandon’s Challenge | Simple Tonic developed exclusively for WWonderland! A really simple and delicious Wonderland tonic: -8 oz of the best water you can get -1/2 tsp of organic schizandra powder -Juice of 1/2 a lemon This will make a delicious lemonade. Feel free to add sweetener if needed. You can drink it warm if desired, it works both ways. Schizandra is great for mental clarity, reducing stress, while also support stage 1 and 2 liver detoxification and boosting glutathione levels. Links we mention: Two herbs to get started with Gynostemma & holy Basil Hyperion Academy, it looks way cool! Check it out! Amazing Pumpkin tonic herb cupcake recipe from Brandon! Neem Oil, what Brandon recommends using topically on skin blemishes. Brandon’s Popular YouTube Channel Give Hyperion Herbs a thumbs up Facebook! Brandon’s video on how to deal with technology overload.
David Wolfe and Truth Calkins reveal the mystery of this sacred Jing herb that works on all 5 major organs.
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