My Story
Founder of GrowToBrew • Protocol Designer • Patient-Engineer
The Short Version
I’m Gary Nevers — an engineer, lifelong builder, and epilepsy patient who refused to accept decline as a permanent diagnosis.
A few years ago, an injury cascaded into seizures, atrial fibrillation, blood-pressure instability, and an ever-growing medication list. I struggled to walk smoothly. My speech faltered. My world shrank. I was told to adjust expectations and prepare for limits.
Instead, I started experimenting — carefully, methodically, and relentlessly.
CBD helped.
Making my own CBD helped more.
Engineering the process changed everything.
What began as self-preservation turned into documentation, then community, and eventually into original infusion protocols and patented system designs. GrowToBrew is the result — a place where lived experience, engineering discipline, and practical wellness meet.
Today, at 61, I walk ~5 miles a day, design hardware again, write clearly, and help others learn to grow and brew their own infusions with confidence and safety.
This is how I pay it forward.
Before GrowToBrew: The Long Slide
I’ve spent most of my life as a hands-on problem-solver — engineering systems, working with ultrasound technology, and even computer-generated holography.
Then came the health spiral:
Epilepsy with left mesial temporal sclerosis
Paroxysmal AFib and rhythm instability
Blood-pressure swings
Cognitive and speech impacts from medications
Sleep disruption and early-morning arrhythmia storms
Function declined. Medications stacked. Independence narrowed.
I was told to slow down and accept a shorter horizon. That never sat right with me.
The Turning Point: A Leaf and a Lab Notebook
I didn’t approach CBD as a miracle — I approached it like an engineer.
I began:
Testing CBD consistently
Logging dose, timing, and effects
Changing one variable at a time
Pairing it with movement, hydration, sleep discipline, and targeted nutrition
Improvements came incrementally but repeatably:
Calmer nights
Fewer irregular heart readings
Clearer speech
More energy
Momentum
Small wins became structure. Structure became recovery.
From Trying to Making
Retail CBD wasn’t sustainable at the doses that worked for me — so I learned to make my own tinctures.
That unlocked everything.
I developed a standardized, batch-based infusion system:
Measured cannabinoid grams per 16-oz batches
Purpose-built blends for day, evening, bedtime, and 2 AM
Practical dosing using mL, droppers, and realistic bioavailability
Carefully selected supporting herbs
A repeatable, low-degradation extraction workflow
This allowed consistent daily intake — typically 400–600 mg of CBD across 24 hours, supported by smaller amounts of CBGa, CBC, CBN, THCa/THC, and botanicals.
Consistency changed outcomes.
Data-Driven Recovery
I tracked everything:
Blood pressure
HRV and resting heart rate
AFib and irregular rhythm events
Steps, sleep, and subjective function
Patterns emerged:
Morning rhythm instability reduced
Cognitive clarity improved
Endurance returned (6–12k steps/day became normal)
Medications reduced, function increased
I don’t claim cures.
I document inputs and outputs — and let the data speak.
Building Community: Kitchen Bench to Knowledge Bench
People started asking how I was doing it. I wrote everything down — then made it public.
I launched a Facebook community focused on CBD & Herbal Infusions for Epilepsy, Health & Wellness, which grew to 900+ members.
Together we built:
A deep Files library
Standardized recipes and charts
Clear safety guidance
Honest discussion of limits and risks
GrowToBrew.com is the next step — a public front door for learning how to do this well, not recklessly.
From Kitchen to Lab: Original Protocols & Patented Systems
I didn’t stop at recipes.
I asked:
How do we make infusions safer, more repeatable, and more controllable?
That led back to engineering.
I developed and documented what is now known as:
The Nevers Protocol™ — a multi-phase ultrasonic infusion system
Controlled ultrasound exposure paired with gentle thermal infusion
Hardware architectures to prevent overheating and compound degradation
Open-vessel and modular probe designs
Passive thermal buffering and closed-loop temperature control
These concepts are now part of filed patent applications, along with related trademarked protocol names and system terminology.
I share my work openly — but clearly as original designs and methods, not repackaged consumer instructions.
I am not affiliated with Altafuse LLC. The independent support community exists to help users get real results and avoid costly mistakes.
Where I Am Now
Age: 61
Daily rhythm: purposeful tinctures, movement, structured sleep
Activity: ~5 miles walking daily
Work: writing, designing, engineering, teaching
Mindset: pragmatic optimism backed by data
I still have epilepsy.
My heart still needs respect.
But I also have tools, structure, and a community — and I keep improving.
What I Believe
Ownership beats outsourcing. Making your own medicine (legally and safely) gives control and consistency.
Safety first. Herbs and cannabinoids are powerful — start low, go slow, and check interactions.
Measure or it didn’t happen. Data reveals truth.
Share what works. Helping others strengthens your own recovery.
A Clear Disclaimer
I am not a doctor. Nothing here is medical advice.
What I share is education and documentation — what I do, why I do it, and how others can safely adapt the ideas, ideally alongside a clinician who respects both data and lived experience.
Join Me
If this resonates with you:
Explore GrowToBrew for guides and protocols
Join the community to learn and share
Reach out if you have a difficult infusion problem — I enjoy hard problems
Thanks for being here.
I’m living proof that better is possible — one measured drop at a time.
— Gary Nevers
Founder, GrowToBrew
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cbd.herbal.infusions