Meet the Founder – The Vision Behind RAW Forest Foods

A Journey of Healing, Discovery, and Innovation

RAW Forest Foods was never supposed to be a business.

RAW Forest Foods began not as a business, but as a documentation of a path to healing—a record of reclaiming vitality, strength, and a restored sense of self. But as is often the case, the most personal journeys become something greater.

For Ryan Wade, the founder of RAW Forest Foods, herbalism was never a trend—it was a necessity. His introduction to herbalism started in high school, when, by pure happenstance, he was introduced to Feverfew for his debilitating migraine headaches. And it worked. This small—but profound—moment ignited a lifelong passion.

By the time he was in university, Ryan was already immersed in herbalism, using his free time to study Chinese herbalism and acupuncture. After graduation, he began an internship on a permaculture farm, where he learned tropical herbalism firsthand. But it wasn’t until Lyme disease left him physically wrecked in 2010 that his research became something more—something urgent.

The Birth of RAW Forest Foods

In 2010, Ryan finished Western treatment for Lyme disease. While pronounced free of the disease, he was left wrecked—a struggling endocrine system, weak immunity, a diagnosis of chronic fatigue, chronic pain, and fibromyalgia, and just feeling decades—many decades—older than he was.

Searching for answers, he read everything and every book he could find—until he came across an out-of-print book by the late Stephen Harrod Buhner. The book described Pine Pollen as a potent, restorative botanical—and something about it clicked.

The science fascinated him. The tradition spoke to him. Pine Pollen resonated with him. He reached out to the late Stephen Harrod Buhner directly, and together they discussed the potential of Pine Pollen in Ryan’s recovery. At this time, there was no commercial source of Pine Pollen.

It was spring, and the forests were brimming with it. So Ryan went into the wild and foraged it himself, learning how to process it into tinctures and sift the fine, delicate powders. And it worked. The forest healed him. This was the genesis of Forest Wisdom.

He began writing about his experience on a blog—RAW Forest Foods—sharing what he had learned, and, more importantly, what he had experienced. People reached out. They were searching, too. Their questions, their journeys, their needs inspired Ryan to evolve RAW Forest Foods from a blog into, well, not a business, but a way to provide the same phytotherapeutics that had helped him so profoundly.

Starting RAW Forest Foods was never the plan. The plan was to feel better. To regain my health—to become myself again.

That same spirit of connection, of healing, and of mutual aid still guides everything RAW Forest Foods does today. Learn more about our ethos and mission on our About RAW Forest Foods page

A Life Dedicated to Herbalism, Education, and Exploration

At RAW Forest Foods, formulation isn’t outsourced—it’s crafted by Ryan himself (with a team of experts), drawing on years of experience, study, and practice. His expertise is a unique synthesis of traditional herbal knowledge, direct hands-on work in the field, and rigorous academic study.

Ryan has extensive training in Classical Chinese Medicine under Jeffrey C. Yuen, an 88th-generation Daoist priest from the Jade Purity School. He holds a certificate in Chinese Dietary Therapy from Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medicinal Arts, as well as formal post-baccalaureate education in Western science. He also holds a Master’s in Library and Information Sciences, emphasizing his background in research and education.

Beyond academic study, Ryan has dedicated himself to a Qi Gong practice, training Yi Jin Jing with Robert Peng and exploring the direct connection between movement, breath, and vitality. He is a member of the American Herbalists Guild and Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society.

His background in ethnobotany, formulation, and fieldwork is what makes RAW Forest Foods unique. He has traveled to China to meet with wild-harvesters, producers, and growers, forging direct relationships to ensure sourcing authenticity and advancing extraction techniques.

We’ve always been able to learn in ways that are only possible through in-person relationships.

Sourcing and Formulation as a Philosophy of Integrity

At RAW Forest Foods, every ingredient is chosen with purpose—not just for potency, but for its ecological impact, ethical origins, and historical authenticity. Ryan follows strict sourcing philosophies, ensuring:

• Dàodì Sourcing – Selecting herbs from their authentic ecological regions for maximum potency and effectiveness.
• Jūn-Chén-Zuǒ-Shǐ Formulation – Applying the Classical Chinese Medicine system to create balanced, highly effective formulas.
• Sustainability & Social Responsibility – Working directly with wild-harvesters, small producers, and ethical growers to ensure fair trade, environmental respect, and integrity.
• Pushing Processing Techniques Forward – Combining traditional wisdom with contemporary techniques, evolving extraction processes to deliver superior bioavailability.

A combination of experience, tradition, and contemporary insights gives us an unparalleled vantage point in herbal formulation.

The Role of Herbalism in Contemporary Wellness

Ryan believes that herbalism should reconnect people with their own health—not make them feel like something is wrong with them. Unfortunately, the modern wellness industry has become overrun with fear-mongering and misinformation. This, in itself, is a source of sickness.

The way I see it, the primary function of herbalism should be empowerment …What was once an industry of old-school visionaries and herbalists has slowly been eroded away. I want to do my part in standing as a steward of the old traditions. I want to be a steward of self-empowerment and of mutual aid.

At RAW Forest Foods, the tagline has always been, “We Invite You to Discover the Infinite Power Within.”

Because the truth is: everything you need is already within you. The role of RAW Forest Foods is to serve as a conduit for that connection, but the power is already there within.

Beyond the Apothecary: The Person Behind RAW Forest Foods

Ryan’s love for herbalism extends far beyond his work. His personal interests reflect the same curiosity, discipline, and connection to nature that drive RAW Forest Foods.

• A Lifelong Student of Yoga – Not just the physical practice, but yogic philosophy.
• Avid Weightlifter – The Qi Gong of strength, breath, movement, and resilience.
• Gardener and Forager – Maintaining a personal relationship with plants, both in the wild and at home.
• Baker – The alchemy of flour, salt, water, and wild fermentation.
• Cyclist and (at times!) Long-Distance Runner – The Qi Gong of endurance and discipline.

Working with plants makes us—or at least it makes me—more human. It teaches me about how to be with myself and how to be with others. Take vegetable gardening as an example: If you want the pea to grow, you don’t yell at it to grow. You definitely don’t insult the carrot seed with the hope that it turns into a pea. No. Instead, you ensure the soil is healthy. That there’s water. You weed around it. You give it the right structure to grow on. You have patience, and you have trust that if you support it, it will grow into itself. There is a craft here—a craft not confined to the edges of the garden beds.

Join the Journey

RAW Forest Foods is built on more than products—it’s built on education, tradition, and community. If you’re looking for a deeper understanding of yourself through herbalism, you’re in the right place.

Thank you for being here, and for allowing me—and all of us at RAW Forest Foods—to be part of your journey.

Sourcing and Formulation as a Philosophy of Integrity

At RAW Forest Foods, every ingredient is chosen with purpose—not just for potency, but for its ecological impact, ethical origins, and historical authenticity. Ryan follows strict sourcing philosophies, ensuring:

• Dàodì Sourcing – Selecting herbs from their authentic ecological regions for maximum potency and effectiveness.
• Jūn-Chén-Zuǒ-Shǐ Formulation – Applying the Classical Chinese Medicine system to create balanced, highly effective formulas.
• Sustainability & Social Responsibility – Working directly with wild-harvesters, small producers, and ethical growers to ensure fair trade, environmental respect, and integrity.
• Pushing Processing Techniques Forward – Combining traditional wisdom with contemporary techniques, evolving extraction processes to deliver superior bioavailability.

A combination of experience, tradition, and contemporary insights gives us an unparalleled vantage point in herbal formulation.

The Role of Herbalism in Contemporary Wellness

Ryan believes that herbalism should reconnect people with their own health—not make them feel like something is wrong with them. Unfortunately, the modern wellness industry has become overrun with fear-mongering and misinformation. This, in itself, is a source of sickness.

The way I see it, the primary function of herbalism should be empowerment …What was once an industry of old-school visionaries and herbalists has slowly been eroded away. I want to do my part in standing as a steward of the old traditions. I want to be a steward of self-empowerment and of mutual aid.

At RAW Forest Foods, the tagline has always been, “We Invite You to Discover the Infinite Power Within.”

Because the truth is: everything you need is already within you. The role of RAW Forest Foods is to serve as a conduit for that connection, but the power is already there within.

Beyond the Apothecary: The Person Behind RAW Forest Foods

Ryan’s love for herbalism extends far beyond his work. His personal interests reflect the same curiosity, discipline, and connection to nature that drive RAW Forest Foods.

• A Lifelong Student of Yoga – Not just the physical practice, but yogic philosophy.
• Avid Weightlifter – The Qi Gong of strength, breath, movement, and resilience.
• Gardener and Forager – Maintaining a personal relationship with plants, both in the wild and at home.
• Baker – The alchemy of flour, salt, water, and wild fermentation.
• Cyclist and (at times!) Long-Distance Runner – The Qi Gong of endurance and discipline.

Working with plants makes us—or at least it makes me—more human. It teaches me about how to be with myself and how to be with others. Take vegetable gardening as an example: If you want the pea to grow, you don’t yell at it to grow. You definitely don’t insult the carrot seed with the hope that it turns into a pea. No. Instead, you ensure the soil is healthy. That there’s water. You weed around it. You give it the right structure to grow on. You have patience, and you have trust that if you support it, it will grow into itself. There is a craft here—a craft not confined to the edges of the garden beds.

Join the Journey

RAW Forest Foods is built on more than products—it’s built on education, tradition, and community. If you’re looking for a deeper understanding of yourself through herbalism, you’re in the right place.

Thank you for being here, and for allowing me—and all of us at RAW Forest Foods—to be part of your journey.