Introduction To "From Volcanoes to Vitality: The Untold Story of Asao Shimanishi — The Man Who Cracked Earth’s Hidden Code For Life and Health"

How a forgotten Japanese scientist extracted nature’s mineral code, reshaping our understanding of where life began—and where health begins again.

From Volcanoes to Vitality is neatly organized in one place: the official Table of Contents

Substack Intro: Why This Book, Why Now

I believe my readers know and appreciate this Substack for my sharing of clinical experiences, research, and reflections on repurposed therapeutics — and, perhaps, my occasional attempts at humor. But no long-time reader would accuse me of grandiosity or pranks.

What I’m doing today isn’t fueled by impulse or gimmick. Although I’ve sometimes used intrigue or personal storytelling to encourage readers to support my work behind a paywall, this is something else entirely—it is a “soft launch” of a book I am publishing for free as a gift to my cherished, faithful paid subscribers (right back at ya my friends). Know that this post has been sent only to paid subscribers (free subscribers will not be seeing it), as I want to get your feedback before publishing the hardcover and e-book to the public.

In case you haven’t noticed (and I’m sure some have), I haven’t been able to write posts in about six weeks (except for two shortish ones). This book is the reason why. Because of its importance and potential impact, I made (actually, I had AI make) an abridged edition for those who prefer brevity or who do not have the time (or patience) to read a 60,000-word book.

But make no mistake — the abridged version does not, in my mind, come close to telling the real story of my mineral journey and how I now think about health, water, and life itself (nor is it in my authentic voice).

My Origin Story With Minerals

I recently learned that a tiny circle of scientists and practitioners has spent decades researching and using Shimanishi’s unique mineral complex. Few truly understand this domain. Through a sequence of unexpected introductions — which I now doubt were coincidental — I found myself welcomed into that circle. What followed was a two-month immersion that assembled the missing pieces of a vast scientific puzzle.

I thus developed a fixation on one of medicine’s most neglected frontiers: the vital role of dozens of naturally occurring trace and rare-earth minerals — many of whose names most people have never even heard.

That fascination led me into weeks of deep research and relentless writing — every waking (however little) moment not spent with patients or my wife.

These minerals, when in the right ionic and sulfated forms and ratios, appear to have remarkable capacities: to clarify and structure water, to restore soils, to nourish plants, and — most astonishingly — to support the biological systems of animals and humans.

As you’ll soon see, our world’s waters and soils are in crisis — and by extension, so are our bodies. This book offers a scientifically grounded path forward: one born from the depths of the Earth itself.

Why This Matters