Ah, alcohol. Enjoying the night at the expense of tomorrow’s energy and mood. Years ago, I began researching the best drinks and ingredients that replicate the feel-good effects of booze without destroying my body.
I’ve tried hundreds of products, so I had low expectations for a blend of adaptogen-like plants. Like with most plant-based ingredients, I didn’t expect to feel a thing. But boy was I in for a surprise…
Episode highlights
Every ancient culture around the world used something for social inhibition, relaxation, and connecting with others. Alcohol stands out as the only ultra-processed drug Click To TweetKratom might be the next CBD Click To TweetScience has hardly investigated the positive synergies of mixing ancient plants from different cultures Click To TweetPodcast Sponsor Banner
About JW Ross
JW Ross is a lifelong innovator and inventor of the “Feel Free” plant-based tonic. Made of ancient plants from the South Pacific and Southeast Asia, where the ingredients have been used both socially and in wellness for centuries. JW’s also an investor in the international business and financial world. He has been married for over 20 years, and he has two grown children who are also active in business and finance. JW Ross currently lives and works in Santa Monica, California where he is an avid yoga practitioner.
Top things you’ll learn from JW Ross
- Why JW waits until the evening to take a cold plunge
- Looked for a better alternative to alcohol and came up empty handed
- Tried just about everything, and they either did nothing or made him feel bad
- Spent 30+ years experimenting with kava, kratom, and other ancient botanicals
- He created Feel Free to satify personal need, and the unique ratio of ingredients
- Allowed him to work, workout, and boost productivity (low doses)
- Relax, unwind, socialize, enjoy himself (larger doses)
- Prized social lubrication/unwinding substances from around the world
- Kanna in South Africa
- Kava in the Pacific Islands
- Kratom in Southeast Asia
- Coca leaf in Cental & South America
- Alcohol in Europe and USA
- Of those, only alcohol is highly processed
- Ultra-processing comes with consequences
- Coca leaf vs cocaine
- Kratom and kava are synergistic ingredients
- Work on similar receptors but with different chemicals (kavalactones, mitragynine, other alkaloids)
- One is an “upper” and the other is a “downer”
- Useful for both productivity AND relaxation (depending on the dose)
- 1/2 dose commonly used as:
- Pre-workout
- Increase focus and motivation
- The growing environment determines whether Kava and Kratom are healthy or toxic
- Strain & vein color matter less than commonly portrayed (more of a marketing ploy)
- Alkaloid content boosted in plants “stressed” by pests
- Never buy kratom in headshops
- JW extensively tested Feel Free on himself
- Thorough bloodwork before and after showed no concerns even when using extreme doses
- Other synthetic products did elevate liver enzymes
- Noticed a reverse tolerance over time, where he’d cut back his dose and felt stronger effects
- How to maximize the effects of Feel Free
- CBD or full-spectrum cannabinoids (code URBAN saves 15%)
- Ketone Esters (code OUTLIYR gets you free shipping)
- C8 MCT Oil
- 70-80% of Feel Free’ers come back for more
Resources mentioned
- Article: Best Alcohol Alternatives That Make You Feel Drunk
- Supplement: Cannabinoids (code URBAN saves 15%)
- Supplement: C8 MCT Oil
- Supplement: Ketone Esters (code OUTLIYR gets you free shipping)
- Book: Siddhartha
- Gear: Yoga Mat
Connect with JW
This podcast is brought to you by
Nick Urban is a Biohacker, Data Scientist, Athlete, Founder of Outliyr, and the Host of the Mind Body Peak Performance Podcast. He is a Certified CHEK Practitioner, a Personal Trainer, and a Performance Health Coach. Nick is driven by curiosity which has led him to study ancient medical systems (Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hermetic Principles, German New Medicine, etc), and modern science.
Music by Luke Hall
Subscribe to MBPP!
What did you think about this episode? Drop a comment below or leave a review on Apple Music to let me know. I use your feedback to bring you the most helpful guests and content.
Ask Nick a Podcast Question
Hello
have heard that some forms (or all ) forms of Kava have potential Liver side effects what about Feel Free? Thank you
Hey Andrew, great question! The kava that causes liver toxicity is the low-quality products that use the wrong parts of the plant. Feel Free uses quality kava. The United Nations has exonerated kava as safe as have 2,000+ years of use in the South Pacific islands. You can check out my podcast with Cameron George of TRUKAVA where we discussed that in detail.