Dr. JJ Pursell

12 September 2022 | Dr. JJ Pursell | Psilocybin & Psychedelics

Microdosing is beginning to get more and more attention. From the Harper Bazaar’s article to the NY Times reporting, microdosing is on the verge of mainstream. So, what’s all the hype?

First, let me share what microdosing is, and what it isn’t. Microdosing is the ingestion of psilocybin in a very small dose. The dose is so small there shouldn’t be any psychedelic symptoms. Psilocybin is commonly known as magic mushrooms, but in this small dosage, you are evoking a much different type of response than the deep spiritual work from a macro dose.

I compare microdosing to homeopathy in the broadest sense possible. While homeopathic remedies (think arnica for bruising or apis for bee stings) work on a molecular level with the sub-particles of the substance being given, they both are initiating change in the body with a very small dosage.

More is not better when we are considering microdosing and many people will report the dosage of microsing to be 1/10 of macro dose. But if you’ve never taken a macro dose, which is a full dose to experience a psychedelic journey, how would you know where to start? In my experience dosing is very individual and it can be anywhere from .1 - .5 grams of psilocybin. For myself I have found if I take more than .25 g, I begin to more towards a consciously noticeable shift in my consciousness which isn’t the goal of microdosing. Staying at .25g or less I reach the mental plateau I desire; focus, creativity, energy and a positive outlook.

And that is the sweet spot. Using a small amount of psilocybin to uplift mood, activate creativity and cognitive function, and increase motivation and connection. These results are repeatedly being found, despite the lack of hard science through clinical trials. James Fadiman, the grandfather of microdosing has been collecting citizen science on microdosing for decades. Thousands of people from around the world have reported into Fadiman’s website regarding their experiences and protocols (how and when they take their microdose) and he has an extensive knowledge and experience on the topic.

The Harpar Bazaar’s article, linked here, Mommies Who Mushroom, talks about using microdosing as one tool to help survive modern day parenting. Let’s be honest, modern day parenting is stressful. With 1001 responsibilities the energy tank of a parent is often consistently running on low. With fatigue and low energy it can be very challenging to find the motivation or desire to want to play with our young children or to find the bandwidth to hold space for our preteens emotional upheavals. Personally I have found a greater level of understanding and less frustration in my day to day with microdosing which has helped me remain connected to myself and my kids.

15 November 2022 | Dr. JJ Pursell | Body Care

This scrub has a lovely, warm scent that is reminiscent of the holiday season. It smells so good you’ll want to eat it!

Recipe for Holiday Spice Sugar Scrub

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground all spice

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3 cup oil (olive, sweet almond, or walnut oil)

Optional extra: ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom

Method

Place sugar and spices in a clean bowl.

Add oil and stir to combine.

If you would prefer a runnier consistency, add extra oil, one teaspoon at a time, until the scrub is to your liking. Just remember that the scrub needs to hold together and not slide right off your hand.

Spoon scrub into a clean jar and label.

Scrub will store for six months.

To Use:

Apply scrub to damp skin using circular motions. Wash off with warm water and follow with moisturizer.

Cautions:

08 August 2024 | Dr JJ Pursell | Herbs for Common Ailments, Body Care

What we thought would be a trip of a lifetime turned out to be an incredibly disappointing experience. Maybe it was the wrong time of year, the house we ended up renting, or the incessant ants and mosquitos, but Bali wasn’t what we thought it would be. And on top of it? My son got the dreaded Bali belly within the first few days of our arrival.

What we thought would be a trip of a lifetime turned out to be an incredibly disappointing experience. Maybe it was the wrong time of year, the house we ended up renting or the incessant ants and mosquitos, but Bali wasn’t what we thought it would be. And on top of it? My son got the dreaded Bali belly within the first few days of our arrival. 

We cooked most of our own meals, and the couple of times we ate out we went to fresh, organic cafes for smoothies and healthy options. Despite this, the poor little guy began suffering stomach aches, diarrhea, and almost a complete loss of appetite. After running through the diagnostic check list to ensure I wasn’t missing a bigger issue, it was a clear case. 

Bali belly is GI upset that people talk about in a vague sort of way as the result of eating or drinking in Bali. The typical symptoms are nausea, sometimes vomiting, bloating, stomach cramping, diarrhea and an overall ick feeling. It is most likely a bacterial infection which our foreigner immune system isn’t equipped to handle. 

So how do you treat it? (Or avoid it completely? See below) Well in the US I’d often recommend stool testing and based on the results, the appropriate treatment plan. Sometimes this does require antibiotics if warranted, but that is rarely the case. Being in Bali, and testing not being an option, I needed to move onto treatment. 

With the onset of Bali belly, my 6 year old son awoke tired and not hungry for breakfast at all. (a red flag for sure) The stomach aches started immediately upon eating anything and we would need to go very slow to ensure some nourishment was going in. Eat a bite or two, mild stomach cramp wave, wave would settle and then another bite. 

Then the “surprise!” bowel release with farting started. Boy did that ever startle him! It only happened a few times, but it was enough for me to kick into high doctor treatment mode to nip this thing in the bud. 

The basics of the problem were simple. He had a gut dysregulation caused by a foreign bug. As I saw it, I needed to do the following:

Increase positive gut bacteria to wipe out the invader

Calm the inflammation

Soothe the lining of the gut

The nice thing with kids is that they are relatively easy to treat when it comes to day to day troubles. Now, had he had persistent all day diarrhea, headaches, fever or a rash, I would have proceeded with urgent care and diagnostic testing, but in Tommy’s case it was regular Bali belly. 

One of the hardest things I have found as a parent, even with medical training, is relying on my knowledge and instinct when my kids aren’t well. I grew up in the antibiotic/doctor knows best generation and that messaging is tough conditioning to break through. But I believe in caring for my children at home when I can, and that natural medicine often creates solutions to the problems while also strengthening the overall body. 

My treatment was as follows:

Liquid Berry fermented drink with probiotics and herbs 

I found something called Vita Biosa at our local co-op

Pre and probiotic capsules

One a day opened and dissolved in the liquid above

Licorice and Cinnamon tea

Two cups a day, hot or cold

The licorice is an excellent GI healer and the cinnamon can really kick some bad bacteria’s butt

Castor oil abdomen rubs nightly with 2 drops of DigestZen 

Castor oil is an incredible gut healer

Lowers gi inflammation

Increases gut immunity

Binds excess toxins to move them out gently

I’m new to Doterra oils, and am not representing in any way but I have to say, I love this oil. It is extremely helpful for stomach aches, nausea and bloating. I’ve even taken a couple of drops in water for my own occasional belly issues. 

And as with any GI treatment, be aware of diet during the healing phase. We didn’t limit fruit, but we definitely reduced the common inflammatory foods: dairy, refined sugars, etc. 

I continued this routine for three weeks. Is it a bit laborious at times, no doubt about it. Did I forget a dosage from time to time, yup. But after just 5 days, Tommy felt much better. He’s energy was up, his appetite completely returned and no more stomach cramping. The diarrhea was also gone, and regular stools returned. 

You don’t have to go to Bali to experience this type of GI distress. It happens from time to time throughout our regular day to day lives. In general, most of these types of GI infections are minor enough that they will resolve on its own over time. But as I always say, we need to take more time in caring for ourselves versus ignoring problems until they go away. With our children, we need to demonstrate how to care for our bodies so that they grow confident in self-care. 

So, whether you’ve been to Bali, or you or your little one needs a bit of gut regulation, give this protocol a try. 

Tips for reducing your chances of Bali belly, or any kind of belly ick

When traveling, take a travel tonic. I use Rainforest remedies Traveler’s Tonic (again, just a fan, I don’t represent them at all). Take 1 dropperful before each and every meal.

Oregon grape is another great tincture to have on hand should diarrhea or GI distress arise to kick out infection.

Pre and pro biotics before, during and after your trip.

Limit alcohol consumption during travels, it really wreaks havoc on the gut and often lead to poor food choices.

*licorice can be stimulating, so best to drink in the a.m.

13 August 2024 | Dr JJ Pursell | Psilocybin & Psychedelics, Emotional Care

I had been stuck. Or maybe it had been more of a suspended paralysis. The onset was slow and insidious in such a way that there was only a hint on the far horizon of my brain that something was off. Little nudges from my intuition that I completely ignored because I was either too busy or too tired to deal with whatever was happening.

I’d been friends with Emily for years. She was my ride or die. The friend that even when my life got messy I felt I could count on. We’d gone to grad school together, watched each other get married and even had our first children just months apart. Sure, there’d been a few bumps over the years but I prided myself in the fact that we could be honest with one another which always seemed to pull us through. 

Until it didn’t. I’ve always been able to “sense” when something was off but I had conditioned myself to think logically instead of trusting, and investigating that intuitive nudge. At first my brain didn’t even acknowledge the slight change in behavior. It was inconceivable that something might change between us and therefore I blindly continued on. We continued meeting for occasional drinks and watching each other's kids despite a strange new feeling that was growing between us. My logical brain said things like, she’s tired or work is stressful and that is why she’s acting this way. I never wavered in my belief that if there was a real problem, she’d bring it up when she was ready. But she didn’t. And for years we went on this way, labeled as best friends yet beneath us an ever increasing river of something that I couldn’t understand, grasp, or get her to open up about. 

This type of experience whether with a friend, an intimate partner or a family member can create a world of indecision and self doubt. Insecurity arises where solace and connection were once found. Bouncing between the two statements of “all is well” and “what have I done to cause this,” can eat away at us leading to loss of vitality, joy and healthy decision making. 

For me, anxiety took center stage. I grew more and more anxious around her, scared to do anything wrong or upsetting. I tried to do my best to compartmentalize but the disharmony of our relationship began to ooze into all areas of my life. All I wanted was for things to go back to the way they were, but that so rarely happens when we are being forced into an experience that is asking us to change. Change is scary, it’s uncomfortable, and humans aren’t super great at it. But what I’ve grown to realize is that if we don’t open ourselves up to necessary change, insurmountable amounts of suffering are the result.

I needed a brain break. I was so tired of overthinking this situation that my thoughts were spiraling, making loops of the same conclusions over and over. I had tried to use exercise, free journaling and talk therapy to no avail. By this point my brain had cemented these thought patterns and trying to think a new way didn’t seem possible. Until I remembered my dear old friend James Fadiman. (ok I don’t know him personally but as the Grandfather of microdosing he’s always felt like a friend) Microdosing psilocybin to release the repetitive neural pathways was just what I needed. 

I began a 30 days course of microdosing 1.5mg, three days on, three days off. The scientist in me created a basic checklist to be filled out each night which included things like mood, anxiety, energy, creativity etc. to gauge how I was doing. From day one I felt a positive shift and by two weeks in I was noticing coping mechanisms in places that hadn’t been before. There were natural pauses in the moments of stress that created breath and contemplation versus patterned instantaneous reactions. Suddenly I was able to see what was me, and what was not. For example, I was able to comfortably sit with someone else's moodiness and at the same time identify that it had absolutely nothing to do with me. Therefore I didn’t need to feel bad about myself, question my actions or try to fix anything. I could go about my day without having to switch on my fight or flight mode. 

I also slept better. I wasn’t lying awake in bed ruminating my interactions with Emily, nitpicking every comment or pause in conversation. I felt more at peace with my own words and actions, allowing myself to trust in who I was and my role in this situation. It was as though my thought patterns were moving away from the self blame self doubt neural tracts to new ones that supported a positive self reflection and the healthy ability to discern self from others. 

14 August 2024 | Dr JJ Pursell | Psilocybin & Psychedelics

I recently joked about the following truth, having had a strange epiphany while spending time with my mom and my kids. When we are born, we have this (hopefully) blissful period of time which is childhood. We are the freest we will ever be with endless playtime, free meals and zip, zilch, zero financial responsibilities. After this glorious time of childhood, we begin the process of raising ourselves. This is when we realize such things like clothes and food aren’t free and there is something called rent. Simultaneously, we are learning more and more about ourselves, our world and how the two collide, sometimes quite literally.

After this, some of us choose to make babies and therefore the next phase of our life is raising completely dependent beings who need us for everything. Despite that this can be a complete lifesucking experience at certain points, we forge ahead, have mental breakdowns in private and experience some of the highest highs of our life. 

Once the kids are relatively stable we still find ourselves buried with years and years of work in order to once again, try to catch the feeling of freedom we had when we were a kid. But right as we nearly complete this cycle of life, we look up, and our beloved parents are old. Which means we begin the next phase of responsibility, caring for our aging parents.

While I jested that we have the greatest freedom of our lives as a child to only be followed up a lifelong journey of raising ourselves and others, it gave me pause once I reflected on my words. Is that really all there is to life? What do I want my life trajectory to be? Why am I letting old hurts still bother me? How can I be emotionally free and at peace through the process of life? 

When we begin to ask the big questions, it can be difficult to ascertain authentic truths for ourselves without the push and pull of thoughts about responsibility and the needs of others. What if what we really want doesn’t even remotely reflect anything like what society deems as normal? How do we rectify all of this with the true desires of ourselves? 

This is where macro doses of psilocybin therapy can be extremely helpful. 

In my article How Psychedelics Helped me Travel the World I shared my journey with how microdosing psilocybin allowed me to put into motion a dream I once thought unobtainable. Microdosing is a game changer when it comes to daily life and how we are living it, but macrodosing is also a vital tool for tapping into those deeper parts of oneself. 

In my last macro psilocybin session, after I had drank the tea and laid down with my eyeshades and headphones, I found that I couldn’t relax. No matter what I tried, my mind was moving 1000 miles a second. The first couple of hours were like watching a Hollywood movie in my mind on fast-forward. The thoughts, endless and relentless, showed me how much background noise was occurring in my day to day. It was incessant and right as I’d begin to hear and make sense of one thought it would switch to a chorus of others. I did end up moving though this phase, but I’d never had such an experience and it was this part of the journey that I ended up thinking about the most. It highlighted how hard my default mode network was working, sending constant, persistent and probably mostly irrelevant thoughts through my brain on a daily basis. How did I even have time to think with this occurring at the same time. 

It truly is an amazement to think that while we are accomplishing all that we do in a single day, cook, drive, converse, work, care for others - and all the while we are also flooding our brain with background thoughts and feelings. We’ve all heard about background noise, but this was high def and I wouldn’t have had the knowledge of its intensity without experiencing that macrodose. 

My next question was, how was this deafening noise blocking my ability to truly hear what I wanted and needed to hear? When we are incessantly swallowed by thoughts, how can we cut through that to hear the truth, particularly when an important question is being asked. A question such as, where do you want to live or are you happy with your work? If all of the rapid responses fire off first, you might not be getting accurate information. 

This is where I have found macrodosing to be supportive. When the big questions in life need to be examined and you need a pause from automation. A short list might include:

What do I need to let go of?

Support around the death and dying process

How can I forgive myself or another? 

What is blocking me from being happy? 

When used responsibly, macrodosing with a facilitator can yield life-changing results. It can provide the opportunity to wade through the thick trenches of our minds to a place of empathy, understanding and connection.

18 August 2024 | Dr JJ Pursell | Psilocybin & Psychedelics, Emotional Care

Julie relived the accident every day. Some days the replay was in slow-motion, like her brain was doing everything possible in an attempt to find the one thing she could have done differently. Other days, when she was occupied with trying to live her life, the accident played over and over in the background of her mind. Julie appeared to be a functioning young woman on the outside. Yet her internal life was riddled with anxiety and depression.

You might be surprised to learn the number of people in your community suffering with similar experiences as Julie. It is estimated that 1 out of every 11 people will experience a traumatic event leading to PTSD and that over 21 million Americans have suffered from varying degrees of depression. In my practice alone I have seen anxiety rates almost double in teens over the last 20 years. The most crippling stories being from those that have no idea why they feel the way they do. Depression and anxiety can be caused by many factors, but when emotional trauma blocks the ability to process thoughts, feelings and emotions, people spiral. 

Unbeknownst to me, my work began to specialize in mental health early on as a Naturopathic physician. As a primary care doctor, I worked diligently to solve the complex problems my patients presented. But time and time again I noticed that most of my patients' visits focused on their mental wellbeing. I believe it started with Ashley, aged 15, who’s mom brought her to see me to talk about acne and nutrition. A bright young girl who’s entire future was ahead of her. Unfortunately, due to crippling anxiety, she was having a terrible time at school. Every morning, Ashley would wake up and be terrified to go. Terrified of someone coming to that school, with a gun. When lock down drills happened she would panic and squeeze every part of her body and hold her breath to stop herself from crying. As her friends laughed and joked about calling in “threats” to the school so they could all go home, Ashley would feel sick to her stomach.

And then there was David. A 67 year old man diagnosed with cancer. His focus in seeing me was to couple his allopathic treatment with supportive therapy to reduce nausea and neuralgia and increase energy. As we visited, inevitably, the conversation would return to his fear of dying. How much of his mental space was occupied with this thought versus helping, healing thoughts on getting better? 

With patients like these I would spend hours thinking how best to treat them. Yes, we have wonderful medications, and varying talk therapies. But what happens when none of those work? Is the life sentence to live with eternal suffering? 

In one of my mental health continuing education seminars, psilocybin therapy was mentioned. A clinical trial at John Hopkins for those with terminal illness. The trial was to study the impact that one psilocybin treatment could have on alleviating anxiety and depression. The clinical findings were resoundingly positive and as a result, I dove in deep to better understand this psychedelic therapy. 

In the western medical model, a relatively simple explanation for psilocybin therapy is that it turns off your default mode network (DMN). Your DMN is the part of your brain that is constantly ON and is involved in recalling personal experiences from one’s life. Every experience, particularly the traumatic ones, is encoded in the brain. This includes thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, all of it. But while in a psilocybin session, that part of your brain is turned off. As a result, all of the thoughts and feelings surrounding certain events and memories in one’s life are also turned off. The brain is then free to examine these thoughts, questions and events in a new way. This allows participants to connect to deep areas of the psyche. Most often, this leads to new perceptions in understanding oneself and the events that occurred. Veterans have unpacked emotional burdens, participants have resurfaced after years of depression and terminal patients have found peace with the dying process. 

In a comfortable and calm treatment space clients meet their facilitator to begin the session. Previously the two have met two to three times to establish a foundational relationship, answer questions and review the steps of the session. After last minute questions the psilocybin is ingested in the form of a capsule or raw dried mushroom. The participant then lies back on a bed or couch to relax. There are eye shades and headphones which play with soft music, or there can be silence. I can’t say what will happen next as that is an individual experience, unique to the person. But in general, you will see images, colors and patterns with your mind's eye and have thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations. There is no right or wrong way to have a psilocybin session and whatever comes up is considered part of the therapy. A facilitator is there to support your needs and to keep you safe. 

Is it a one shoe fits all? Most certainly not. I don’t know of anything that is. But in a world full of people suffering, having another viable treatment strategy is invaluable. In my book, Psilocybin Therapy: Understanding How to Use Nature's Psychedelic for Mental Health, I cover topics such as the history of psilocybin use, who might benefit from psilocybin therapy, the role of a psilocybin facilitator and contraindications to therapy. In the meantime I’ll leave you with the following takeaways.

Psilocybin research began in the 1950’s and over 10,000 papers have been published on the successful trials of use

The state of Oregon is currently the only state that offers legalized psilocybin therapy. 

At time of writing the following states have active legislation regarding psilocybin: Alaska,  California,Colorado, Illinois ,Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Vermont, Wisconsin

There are over 100 active clinical trials with psilocybin currently in the US

The top reasons people are choosing psilocybin therapy: PTDS, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, finding peace with death, self enlightenment 

26 August 2024 | Dr JJ Pursell | Psilocybin & Psychedelics

Some say we are in a psychedelic renaissance. I say we are in a psychedelic reemergence.

An estimated 100 million people worldwide have treatment-resistant depression that has not responded to at least two antidepressant treatments. The National Center for PTSD estimates that 6% of Americans have PTSD. A clinical trial in 2022 provides hope for those diagnosed and undiagnosed with the above disorders. It may not be the treatment you thought but psilocybin therapy has proven effective.

Psychedelic therapy is not new to the scientific world. In the 1960’s, universities such as Harvard and Yale were performing multiple studies with psychedelics and the number of papers submitted on psychedelic research increased 100 fold. After Gordon Wasson’s article in Life ™ magazine was published the desire to better understand the potential of psychedelics was at an all time high. The studies consistently produced positive findings as an effective treatment for depression, anxiety and addiction. That research is a backbone for the modern understanding of psychedelics. And the research continues. Check out this link to view a current list of active clinical trials for psilocybin in the United States. 

In 2020 the Oregon Psilocybin Society led the proposal of Measure 109 to legalize psilocybin therapy in Oregon. After it passed the statewide vote, each county was  given the opportunity to decide if they wanted services in their area. 11 counties are now legalized to offer psilocybin therapy, and Oregon was the first state to do so. But it wasn’t the only one for long. Colorado recently passed legalization and nine other states have active legislation. 16 additional states have made, but failed, a legislative attempt and will be trying again. 

As of March 2024, LSD has been federally approved as a breakthrough treatment for generalized anxiety disorder. And MDMA has completed phase III clinical trials making headway toward legalization as treatment. Things are shifting and I encourage you to stay up to date as these treatments become more and more available. Here is a great map that tracks legalization and legislative efforts. 

Psychedelics  anxiety, depression, PTSD, addiction, eating disorders, smoking cessation and even overcoming the fear of death have all been a focus in at least one psychedelic study. 

In the documentary Dosed II we watch as a mother of four is allowed to treat her end-of-life anxiety with psychedelic mushrooms, embarking on a journey of transformation and discovery. 

Laurie Brooks was diagnosed with advanced stage colon cancer and was given less than one year to live. As anyone would, she began to think about her family and how they would cope in her absence. But she also acknowledged the presence of fear, a deep fear of the unknown, of death. With the help of a facilitator and psilocybin therapy, Laurie not only released that fear but also tackled the shadows of her struggles in life. Psilocybin therapy gave her insight to pain she had stuffed way down deep inside, giving her the strength to pull it up out of the darkness, examine it and change her relationship to it. This not only radically changed her emotional outlook on life but perhaps played a role in shifting her physical health as well. As of today, almost six years later, Laurie is still here and thriving. 

What we know about how the intricacies of how psychedelics affect the brain, is that we know very little. The further we study, the more we learn and farther down the rabbit hole we go. All jesting aside, what we do know is that psilocybin specifically supports neurogenesis and turns on neuroplasticity. Neurogenesis is great, we love it when our brain can create and develop new brain cells. But neuroplasticity is amazing. What it does is allow us to respond to old triggers, stimuli and/or physical sensations, in a new way. This means we can see through, or past, a trigger with a new sense of awareness we did not have before. This allows room for us to see things differently and potentially react differently. 

Nick Blackston, a former Marine who suffered from extreme mental anguish from the effects of his experiences in Iraq, participated in a psychedelic trial at MAPS in hopes to alleviate his PTSD suffering. His transformation was profound and his courage to share his story has led a movement. He has since turned into a psychedelic advocate for veterans and spurred legislative efforts across the county to help others in need. 

08 October 2024 | Dr JJ Pursell

I just tried therapeutic ketamine for the first time. And it definitely wasn’t what I thought.

But then again, I’m not sure what I expected. Ketamine has been a buzz word in my professional circle for years and many of my colleagues started ketamine clinics over 10 years ago. For one reason or another, I resisted it. In reflection this surprises me because I’ve always considered myself an open minded physician. As I began to dig into the “whys” of such resistance I noticed a number of implicit and cultural biases against this therapeutic modality. Naturally, I dug in and began to slowly unravel these opposed beliefs so I could objectively consider ketamine as a therapeutic modality. 

I began engaging in lively conversations with ketamine practitioners, hearing accounts of therapeutic outcomes and patient improvement. Most of these conversations centered around patients with depression, suicide ideation and PTSD. Then I met up with a few patients, hearing first hand accounts of how ketamine has reduced their suffering and led to an overall improvement in day to day life. Despite all of this, I still found myself wavering if I wanted to continue down the path of certification to offer it within my own practice. 

Then I met Doug. Doug was a 74 year old male who stood 6’3 and from the outside looked fit and trim. But his insides were riddled with pain. A nerve condition in his spine had decreased his quality of life drastically and the mental toll was becoming apparent. He’d decided to try ketamine. Not because he thought it could cure his condition, but because it gave him a break from his condition. Because of the dissociative effects of ketamine he could spend 30-40 minutes completely separate from his pain, and his brain was free from thinking about the pain. 

This was my hook. The realization that ketamine can stop the transmission of pain and pain signals by blocking the NMDA receptor was key for me. Learning that prolonged blockage through a course of ketamine treatments can actually reboot the brain and change how it interprets those pain signals made an impact on how I viewed ketamine.  

After completing the Polaris and Synaptic ketamine programs all I had left was the experiential. It was my turn for a therapeutic dose of ketamine, to learn through experience. I truly believe this is an important aspect for anyone working with psychedelic medicine. I had heard plenty of other people's accounts on ketamine, but I think it is a bit like many things in life. Until you experience yourself, you don’t really know what’s going to happen. I had a bit of fear in preparation for the process. I reminded myself that this was a choice I was making, no one was forcing this upon me. My intention was to go into the experience with a mind's eye. To explore the process as much as I could.

I was given an IM, intramuscular injection, into my right deltoid. I laid back, pulled down my eyeshades and listened to the music that was being piped into the room. Slowly, and then suddenly, I felt myself pull away from my physical body. It was as if a part of me was being extracted and I quickly noticed my inability to move. Or perhaps it was a lack of the desire to want to move. Despite the dissociation, I never felt untethered. For me that is a real concern, separating from my body too much. I never felt that with ketamine. It was as if an energetic cord existed between me and my body, reassuring that when this was over I would be embodied once more. 

The first thing that came to mind was “primordial ooze,” as I slipped and gilded across a dark galaxy. The thing with ketamine is that time is suspended so I had no idea how long I hung out in space. Next it began to morph and I found myself descending down, down, down into the Amazon rainforest where beautiful birds were flying all around and beating their wings. I kept descending through dark green tunnels of organic matter until I reached the water. For a moment, I noticed fear arise in my heart and mind. I’ve always been afraid of water, of not being able to breathe, of drowning. But as quickly as the thought arose, it was replaced. Replaced with an inner knowledge that wherever I was was not like the place that evoked fear. This place was a place I could breathe like I’d never breathed before. 

25 October 2024 | Dr JJ Pursell | Herbs for Common Ailments, Body Care

If I’m going to prepare meat for a meal, I will almost always marinade it. Infusing it, or vegetables with a delicious marinade makes it quick to cook and full of flavor. You can use this hawthorn ketchup to marinade anything and if you come to my house for dinner, you’ll often see it on the table for extra dipping.

A summer cookout that you can forage! This summer, cook recipes for your crew as delicious as they are naturally healing. Start off with a beech leaf chip amuse-bouche with your favorite dip, and some cocktails/mocktails made with elderberry syrup. Then, serve some pasta and protein with Douglas fir pesto, before finishing off the night withoak ice cream topped with chocolate-dipped magnolia blossoms. All recipes are from my new book Medicine From The Trees, available to purchase here.

BEECH LEAF CHIPS Move over kale chips, there’s a new crisp in town. Here is another unique way to use beech leaves that creates a medicinal snack. Items needed: Large mixing bowl Stirring spoon Cookie tray Airtight storage container Ingredients: 3 cups fresh beech leaves 3 tbsp. olive oil 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast Sprinkle of salt and pepper Preheat the oven to 250 to 270° F. Put all ingredients in the mixing bowl and stir well. Lay leaves out in a single layer on the cooking tray and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are crispy but not charred. Allow to cool before eating. If there are any leftovers, store them in an airtight container. DOUGLAS FIR PESTO

I love pesto so much I sometimes just eat a tiny scoop right off the spoon. The green, garlicky flavor lights up my insides and makes me do the happy food dance. My first pesto experiment was with stinging nettle leaves, and it turned out so good I just started to try random other plants that I thought might be tasty. This led me to Douglas fir pesto, a true wild forager’s delight. Items needed: Food processor Ingredients: ½ cup fresh spring Douglas fir tips 5 to 6 cloves of garlic, depending on size ¼ cup + 1 tbsp. pine nuts, gently roasted ¾ cup of olive oil ¼ cup minced Italian parsley ½ tsp. cumin Lemon juice, to taste Salt and pepper, to taste Add all ingredients into the food processor and give it a few pulses to blend everything together. Then, with the food processor on low, slowly begin to add the olive oil. Pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Pulse just until blended. Adjust seasoning as desired.

OAK ICE CREAM This recipe is so unique and too good not to share. Makes 1 quart. Items needed: Ice cream maker Saucepan Strainer Stand or hand mixer Ingredients: 3 cups whole milk, macadamia milk, or hemp milk (use a high-fat milk here)

1¼ cups heavy cream or high-fat non-dairy creamer 1 cup medium-toasted oak bark 12 tbsp. organic cane or turbinado sugar 4 tbsp. honey 1 tsp. salt 8 large egg yolks First, prep the ice cream maker; most of them require that you freeze an inner chamber for some time before use. In your saucepan, bring your milk, creamer, and oak bark to a boil. Reduce the heat to keep it at a low boil, and maintain a simmer for 8 to10 minutes while stirring often. Then turn off the heat, cover, and let it steep for 1 hour. Strain the oak bark from the liquid, then return the liquid to the saucepan. Turn the heat to low. With a stand or hand mixer, whip the sugar, honey, salt, and eggs for approximately 2 to 3 minutes, until the ingredients have doubled in size and look very fluffy. Stir in ⅓ cup of the oak infusion from the saucepan to temper the mixture. Blend well. Take the sugar mixture and add it to the oak infusion in the sauce-pan. Stir gently but thoroughly until well combined. Next, cool the ice cream base down by setting it into an ice bath, but be sure to stir from time to time to promote even cooling. Transfer to the ice cream maker, following manufacturer’s directions. Freeze for 1 hour before eating.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED MAGNOLIA BLOSSOMS Let me count the ways we can turn a beautiful magnolia blossom into a delectable treat. While they’re as much treat as medicine, I promise that these chocolate-covered blossoms will taste like nothing you’ve had before. Items needed: Double boiler Tongs

Free for you - Happy May day! 

Dr. JJ Pursell - specializing in Geriatric care and improving quality of life.

www.drjjpursell.com