Frozen custard like a boss! This heavenly rich and malty flavored ice cream doesn't contain cannabis or THC, but it does contain an herb that around these parts we call Glow and is renowned for its anti-aging and gray hair reversing effects, among many other benefits.
Glow (aliases: He Shou Wu, Fo-Ti, Fallopia multiflora and Polygonum multiflorum) is an herb that is often put in first place (out of thousands of other herbs) by tonic herbalists as the most health transforming and nutrient dense tonic bang for your buck in Chinese Medicine. I was first introduced to it one night 12 years ago by a well known nutrition teacher who emptied out several capsules of He Shou Wu into his raw ice cream from Cafe Gratitude. He got very blissed out yet was looking deeply calm, rejuvenated and sharp. His state of consciousness was sustainably enhanced. I was so envious because I didn't get any of that ice cream and I wanted those benefits for myself in the form of an extra blissful and guiltless frozen dessert experience!
That evening planted a seed in me to, after many years, launch my own Certified Organic, extra powerful, consciously sourced, tasty and UNencapsulated He Shou Wu extract, now called GLOW.
Also in the time since, I've created about 500 'alternative' (my body doesn't like cream and sugar) ice cream recipes. Most of these contained heroic doses of tonic herbs: Frozen dessert nutrition therapy at its finest! Stick around here for more of these.
Today I present an ice cream with the hero's dose of Glow He Shou Wu to get the eater high, motivated, euphoric, mentally and physically enhanced, youthenned, self reflective, socially lubricated yet crystal clear. Unlike most of my recipes, this is not a recipe for everyday use (unless you ease back the He Shou Wu dosage). In fact, if you eat this whole recipe (which I recommend you do slowly) don't plan on driving or operating heavy machinery for a couple hours. Why? All good reasons. Don't worry, this recipe makes the mind sharp as a tack and makes one fully physically and mentally functional with a smaller dose, but in a larger dose it can make dopamine levels extra high which can sometimes make driving a car overwhelming for such a happy brain.
He Shou Wu is an MAO-B inhibitor, which naturally inhibits the body's own rate of dopamine breakdown thus allowing dopamine levels to gently rise. An increase in breakdown and lower levels of dopamine and decrease in MAO-B inhibitor levels, typical of people 40 or 50 years of age and older, is associated with mental distress and rising rates of mental imbalance.
There is no habit forming or addiction associated with He Shou Wu. In fact for those dealing with addiction (drugs, porn, social media, gambling, sugar, bread, and other substances and activities that unsustainably reward your brain with dopamine but ultimately cause a tolerance and dopamine crash) it may not be too presumptuous to say that He Shou Wu may be helpful in gently biohacking your brain to feel healthy, sharp, motivated, satisfied, stress resilient, nourished, happy, loving and less prone to impulsively engage in addictions.
In larger doses He Shou Wu is a very mild laxative. If you're constipated that's usually great news. If it causes you loose stools, just ease up and stick to a normal dosage which is about 1 teaspoon (this ice cream recipe contains several teaspoons of He Shou Wu).
This recipe has many ingredient options in hopes that you can both more easily gather a minimal set of ingredients (many of them at natural foods stores, many on Amazon) and select which ingredients you think you'd prefer based on existing taste and dietary preferences and sensitivities.
The one ingredient that isn't optional is the Glow He Shou Wu itself. Glow is a very taste-compliant (it's slightly bitter by itself but when mixed and sweetened it takes on a pleasant malty nutty flavor - other He Shou Wu extracts tend to be terribly astringent which will ruin the ice cream for your tongue) and potent (it takes 16 pounds of prepared dried he shou wu roots to make just 1 pound of this Glow extract powder which contains about an ample dose of stilbene glycosides - resveratrol-like antioxidants that make He Shou Wu so cell-protective and anti-aging.
Recipe: The Healthful Ice Cream That Gets You High and Glowing!
Blend in blender for 30 seconds:
2 organic pasture-raised egg yolks (no whites) or 1-2 tablespoons of non-GMO lecithin
1/3 cup avocado oil or organic refined coconut oil or ghee or butter or cacao butter or mixture of these
1/3 cup any sweetener of choice (sweetLUV, Swerve, maple sugar, honey, etc.), to taste
1/4 cup protein powder (collagen protein powder, colostrum powder, grass fed whey, plant based protein powders, etc.)
1/4 cup a different from above protein powder (collagen protein powder, colostrum powder, grass fed whey, plant based protein powders, etc.)
1-3 tablespoons Longevity Power GLOW He Shou Wu (Beginner's, use 1-3 teaspoons. He Shou Wu experienced, cautiously use more to insure the title of this recipe HIGHly lives up to its name.)
2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract
Just barely 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup warmed spring water
OPTIONAL: 1/4 teaspoon ground vanilla bean
OPTIONAL: 1/4 cup organic cacao/cocoa powder
OPTIONAL: 1 pinch stevia extract, to taste, if using more Glow He Shou Wu
Pour into ice cream maker or pour into bowl and let set in refrigerator for 2 hours, then whisk to aerate and place in freezer for several hours. Eat as much as you'd like, but not all at once if you are new to such heroic doses (I'm serious about this, go easy, be gentle, be kind to your brain and you digestive system). Share with a lover, a friend or family members with whom you'd like to deepen your connection.
To you being the greatest, highest, clearest version of yourself!
-Christian Bates
P.S. Further reading to help you on your way to making all your health goals come true:
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Glow He Shou Wu used in this paleo shake recipe
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Use goji and Glow He Shou Wu in this foundational morning elixir
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5 more reasons to take He Shou Wu.
Disclaimer: Results may vary from individual to individual, based on health conditions, diet, weight, physical exercise and lifestyle habits. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and are for informational and educational use only. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Individuals taking medications and those with known medical conditions, as well as pregnant or breastfeeding women, should consult with their holistic physician before using these or any nutritional products.