Dr. Andrew Weil — The 4-7-8 Breath Method, Cannabis, The Uses of Coca Leaf, Rehabilitating Demonized Plants, Kava for Anxiety, Lessons from Wade Davis, The Psychedelic Renaissance, How to Emerge from Depression, Tales from 50+ Visits to Japan, Matcha Benefits, and More | Brought to you by Levels real-time feedback on how diet impacts your health, Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement, and LMNT electrolyte supplement. More on all three below.

Andrew Weil, MD (@DrWeil) is a pioneer in the field of integrative medicine. He has been named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.

Dr. Weil received a degree in biology (botany) from Harvard College in 1964 and an MD from Harvard Medical School in 1968. From 1971 to 1975, as a fellow of the Institute of Current World Affairs, Dr. Weil traveled widely in North and South America and Africa collecting information on drug use in other cultures, medicinal plants, and alternative methods of treating disease. From 1971 to 1984 he was on the research staff of the Harvard Botanical Museum and conducted investigations of medicinal and psychoactive plants.

Dr. Weil is the founder and director of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, where he also holds the Lovell-Jones Endowed Chair in Integrative Medicine and is Clinical Professor of Medicine and Professor of Public Health. Through its fellowship and Integrative Medicine in Residency curricula, the Center is now training doctors and nurse practitioners around the world.

A New York Times best-selling author, Dr. Weil has written 15 books on health and well-being, including Mind Over Meds; Fast Food, Good Food; True Food; Spontaneous Happiness; Healthy Aging; and Eight Weeks to Optimum Health. He is also co-founder of the restaurant chain True Food Kitchen and co-founder of Matcha.com, which offers extremely high-quality matcha that is difficult to find outside of Japan.

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[07:56] What is the 4-7-8 breath?

[10:15] As an early advocate, what is Dr. Weil’s current relationship with cannabis?

[11:28] Overcoming the stigma of coca leaves to realize their medical benefits.

[14:17] What is The Beneficial Plants Research Association?

[16:30] Thoughts on kava and its effect on sleep quality.

[19:49] Where to learn more about kratom and mitragynine.

[20:51] Andrew’s experience with Bufo alvarius.

[22:05] Why Andrew and Wade Davis are reviving The Beneficial Plants Research Association.

[25:27] Andrew recounts a Richard Evans Schultes story.

[27:13] Andrew’s brief career as a letter-writing prankster.

[29:06] Covering the first wave of psychedelic research at Harvard.

[34:15] The positives and negatives of psychedelics going mainstream.

[36:11] Taxonomy and the origin of Psilocybe weilii.

[37:58] How did Andrew emerge from dysthymia in his early fifties?

[39:54] Lessons learned on visits to Japan and Okinawa.

[45:19] Health benefits of fermented turmeric and matcha tea.

[49:50] How L-theanine modifies the effects of caffeine.

[52:19] How Andrew’s parents encouraged him to always be curious (but careful).

[55:36] Getting older and future plans.

[58:11] Why you should check out The Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine.

[58:54] What Andrew believes gets missed most by current psychedelic exploration.

[1:02:00] Parting thoughts.

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447: Getting Comfortable With The Company You Keep