The Weed On My Plate

This is my favorite time of year. When all the medicinal fresh herbs, also called weed, pop up all around us. Some are looked at as beautiful flowers, while others are doomed to be weeded away at best or threatened by poisons. Anything we can do to get rid of them.

This might not be the smartest approach to nature. The animals, including the bees needs their food, and we the people need to remember the wild food and medicine.

Personally, I have been foraging for years. Using the wild herbs in my daily smoothie. Drying them for the winter and using them fresh in teas and salads. Beauty on a plate. No GMO, and no pesticides. All natural and willing to serve. The highest nutritional packed food available to us. And it`s free.

Hard to beat!

I will share with you a small collection of some of the most common wild herbs out there. A selection of what I am teaching my followers how to use and for what.

Free from bullshit, fillers, chemicals and quick-fixes.

All from natures garden.

The plants that will boost your immune system, and I cannot think of anything right now, more important than empowering ourselves, and our health. By strengthening our health, we can thrive through any situation. Not only by knowing, but by executing, the knowledge, and the will to actually DO.

To act, and to learn to take care of your own health and life.

This is the time of year when nature shows its abundance. New leaves, tender, young, flowers, buds, all ready to be foraged and appreciated.

What you see on my plate goes into my daily spring smoothie. For strength, inflammation, nutrition, everything I would ever need.

And believe me, I can feel the connection to Mother Earth. I recommend it.

This is what you see on my plate:

• Stinging Nettle : Great for inflammation, blood sugar, and blood pressure.
• Dandelion :  The universal healer, great for liver and gallbladder.
• Dandelion flowers: Wonderful liver and kidney tonic. So nutritional.
• Ground Elder : nature`s parsley. Great for the kidneys.
• Daisy : Calming, great for sleep and anxiety.
• Cow Parsley: A great anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-spasmodic.

I hope the below information will inspire you to pick your own wonders, and experiment as you learn to trust nature. Let us dig a bit deeper.

STINGING NETTLE:

For over 2,000 years, doctors have recognized Stinging Nettle`s ability to stop all kinds of internal and external bleeding and considered it a good blood purifier. Taken as a tea, it has been found to help cure mucus congestion, skin irritations, water retention, and diarrhea. The beverage is also said to help nursing mothers produce milk and it also stimulates the digestive glands of the stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas, and gall bladder. Applied externally, nettle tea — it is claimed — relieves rheumatism in both people and animals, makes a first-class gargle for mouth and throat infections, helps to clear up acne and eczema, and promotes the healing of burns.

Stinging nettles are great as both medicine and food. It is highly nutritious and is believed to stop any internal or external bleeding. It will clear mucus from the body and is great for diarrhea and water retention. It also stimulates the organ glands. For thousands of years, people around the world have used stinging nettles to treat a wide variety of health conditions. The leaves and stems in some of the subspecies have long stinging hairs that inject an array of chemicals when touched, including histamine, formic acid, serotonin, and acetylcholine. This produces an irritating, uncomfortable sensation in the skin, which is why some of the other common names for stinging nettles are burn weed and burn nettle.

It’s a natural cleanser that removes metabolic wastes and is both gentle and stimulating on the lymph system, promoting easy excretion through the kidneys. As a diuretic substance, stinging nettles can also ensure that those toxins being neutralized in the body are then eliminated quickly. Stinging nettles are also known to be alternative, meaning that it can improve the nutrient uptake efficiency of the gut and ensure that the digestive processes run smoothly. This is as you can see quite an amazing free plant! It also stimulates the lymphatic system and helps to rid the body of excess toxins in the kidneys.

You can use all parts of the nettle plant. It is widely used in herbal tea, tinctures, and ointments. During the season, when you can find it fresh, use it in your smoothie. No, it will not sting your mouth or throat. The first time I used it fresh, I was a bit hesitant, but the stinging property stops once it gets moist. Therefore, you cannot use it in your salad, but dry it for powder or tea. The powerful array of nutrients makes it a great addition to any green powder. The herbal detoxifier that combined with the plantain and dandelion will rock your house!

Some of the most well-known benefits and uses of Stinging Nettle is:

• Promote lactation
• Stimulate hair growth
• Help control blood sugar in patients with diabetes
• Reduce bleeding connected to gingivitis
• Treat disorders of the kidneys and urinary tract
• Provide relief from water retention
• Prevent or treat diarrhea
• Decrease menstrual flow
• Provide asthma relief
• Heal wounds
• Treat hemorrhoids
• Stimulate contractions in pregnant women
• Treat insect bites
• Treat tendonitis
• Treat anemia

A fun fact is that nettle juice will ease the stinging of the rash brought about by contact with the plant’s own bristled leaves! Additionally, if you simmer a handful of young nettles for two hours in a quart of water — then strain and bottle the liquid — you’ll have a potion that, when used regularly as a scalp conditioner, will make hair soft and glossy.

I use it in teas, but again, you can dry it, or use it fresh in your smoothies. If you cook your food you can make Nettle soup. A very old tradition in Northern Countries.

Nutritious and delicious.

Not these are only a few words, and each pant has a long list of properties, many uses, and can be stored and cultivated.

DAISIES:

Known as common daisy, English daisy, or lawn daisy.

It is also known as occasionally woundwort and bruisewort. Native to Central, Western, and Northern Europe and is naturalized in most temperate regions including Australasia and the Americas. Daisy is an annual or herbaceous perennial plant measuring 10 to 25 cm high with sparsely strigose scape and creeping rhizomes.

Daisies contain essential oil, tannins, mucous substances, flavonoids, bitter substances, organic acids, resins, and inulin. The active ingredients are found in all parts of the plant.

Health Benefits of Daisy:

• Respiratory health: Daisy flower has antitussive, anti-inflammatory, and expectorant and is used in the form of tea for curing bronchitis, cold and other respiratory tracts.
• Sore mouth: It is used as a mouthwash or gargle to aid sore throat and mouth inflammation.
• Digestive health: Daisy flower possesses diuretic, digestive, purgative, and laxative properties. As it stimulates the digestive system, it is effective for treating digestive tracts such as diarrhea, mild constipation
• Liver health: Liver, gastritis, and gallbladder complaints were helped by ingesting daisy extract. .The extract also contains antispasmodic properties which are effective as an aid for digestive cramps.
• Bright skin: It contains a natural substance known as L-arbutin which brightens skin. The excessive exposure to the sun’s UV rays causes overproduction of melanin that results in discoloration or hyperpigmentation that becomes obvious age as dark spots.
• Prevents saggy skin: The daisy flower symbolizes purity and innocence. Its name shows its ability to maintain a pure and innocent look with its anti-aging properties. Daisy helps build new collagen and is used in many skin-care products.
• Treats wounds: The Daisy flower is helpful in healing sores, fresh wounds, and scratches. Apply daisy on the top of wounds directly. It contains antibacterial agents, and its liquid poultice was used on battlefields and operating tables for treating wounded soldiers.
• Heavy menstruation: Daisy is useful for heavy menstruation and pregnancy. It is beneficial for treating uterus problems led by bleeding and debility. It lowers uterine pain after childbirth and during pregnancy.
• Fever: Daisy flower extract has a diuretic effect which promotes sweating and contributes to lowering fever. It was used as a compress on the forehead and as an infusion in a cup of tea.
• Rheumatic pain: The ointment of daisy is an aid for inflamed joints as well as wounds. The tincture provides relief from rheumatism and muscle fatigue.
• Detoxification: The extract of daisy when drunk as in juice is used for eliminating harmful toxins and harmful substances from the body. It acts as a blood purifier.

In ancient Rome, slaves of surgeons who followed Roman legions into battlefield pick sacks full of daisies to extract the juice. Bandages were soaked in it and applied to bind sword and spear cuts. Daisies were used during middle ages for treating sprains, bruises, and swellings of joints.

Now, looking back in history, they knew more, as they had been told to forget less. I bet you have a grandma, or a great-grandma if you are lucky, that has a few tips on how to use the wild food, the so-called weed, for health benefits.

What she will know:

• Traditionally Daisy was used for wounds and to help delicate and listless children.
• In folk medicine, it was used for rheumatism.
• Dried flowering heads, like the ones I dried this week ( picture), are used in decoctions, infusions, poultice, and ointments. Treating rheumatism, catarrh, liver, arthritis, and kidney disorders.
• The leaves are applied externally to bruises, wounds, and cuts.
• They used the plant internally for treating inflammatory disorders of the liver.
• In Trabzon and Turkey, it is used to provide relief from stomach ache.
• You can chew the leaves to cure oral ulcers.
• The root decoction is used for treating eczema and scorbutic complaints.
• Flowers are used for treating disorders of the respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract.
• The daisy is also used as a cure for fresh wounds.
• In Rome, juice extracted from daisies is used to heal wounds.
• In folk medicine, daisy is used to provide relief from cough, slow bleeding, and improve digestion.

So there we have it, valuable information.

This is how you can use the plant:        

• Flowers and leaves are consumed as vegetables. Any way you like
• In a salad, a smoothie.
• You can also cook the young leaves, and use the whole plant in soups.
• It has been used as a vitamin supplement, and also as a tea. Prepare as any tea. You can use fresh plants but also dried. I use the flowers only.

A tincture made from the herb can be used for acne, and as a mouthwash or a gargle, it may be used as a remedy for mouth inflammation and sore throat. Also, chewing on the fresh leaves might be helpful as a relief for mouth ulcers

DANDELION:

Dandelion is great for the liver. While the antioxidants like vitamin-c and Luteolin keep the liver functioning in optimal gear and protect it from aging, other compounds in dandelions help treat hemorrhaging in the liver.

Furthermore, dandelions aid in maintaining the proper flow of bile, while also stimulating the liver and promoting digestion. Proper digestion can reduce the chances of constipation and is a very big deal for maintaining a healthy functioning body. It is seen as a liver detoxifier, and a kidney cleanser. It is also believed to cleanse the blood and help build new blood cells. Its nutritional benefits are a powerhouse compared to other greens. It is a survivor and will never quit.

It can grow almost anywhere, even straight through asphalt. Dandelion, which literally translates into “lion’s tooth” in French, is rich in vitamin-A, C, iron and calcium, which explains its common inclusion in medicines. It grows in your back yard, on any open field, in the forest and on the sidewalks.

It is not leaving us alone, saying: “Hey, I am your free food and medicine, use me!”

Growing through the asphalt, not backing down for anything. I see them all winter in Norway, hanging on, never giving up.

Like it is showing us to let go and realize our inner power.

Showing us to never give up,

to allow to release anything not supporting our growth and passion,

leaving behind any obstacle.

Shining our light.

Like the sun.

The yellow solar plexus color.

Dandelion leaf is great for stimulating a sluggish gallbladder (the organ that stores and excretes bile as the body needs it). Gallstones can even be flushed out by using a combination of dandelion and milk thistle.

Dandelion contains mucilage and inulin, which soothe the digestive tract and make food processing easier. It is also a great source of dietary fiber, which is crucial for proper intestinal health and improving gut flora. If you suffer from constipation or diarrhea, eat some dandelion greens!

The mental and emotional connection with gallstones is connected to:

• Bitterness
• Hard thoughts
• Condemning
• Pride

There is also a link between gallbladder and gallstones and our unresolved emotional issues. Every symptom has an emotional factor.

The gallbladder is known as “dan” in the Chinese language and it means courage. In the West, when we may say “the gall of you!”, similarly to saying, “how dare you!”.

If a person has a small or weak gallbladder, it implies a lack of courage, timidity, fear, and indecisiveness. On the other hand, a person who is impulse, short fuse and constantly react out of anger could be also having an imbalanced or large gallbladder. The anger is mostly related to the liver.

A strong and balanced gallbladder and liver help a person to be more assertive, stable and decisive.

When a person has a small gallbladder, digesting fats will be a challenge.

Now we are talking bloating, and heavy after a fatty meal, or pain when gallstones are forming.

Taking care of our organs will take care of our health.

And this is my hero.

the little big Dandelion.

It inspires me.

Dandelion Health Benefits:

• Highly Nutritious: The nutritional content of dandelion extends to all parts of the plant. It’s a rich source of many vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
• Contain Potent Antioxidants: Dandelions are a rich source of beta-carotene and polyphenolic compounds, both of which are known to have strong antioxidant capabilities that can prevent aging and certain diseases/acidosis.
• May Help Fight Inflammation:  Studies suggest that dandelion have a significant anti-inflammatory capacity.
• Healthy Liver:  Dandelion protects liver tissue from toxic substances and oxidative stress.
• Weight Loss: Bioactive components in dandelion may support weight loss, but no human studies have evaluated this effect.
• Cancer: Dandelion is effective in reducing the growth of cancer cells in various organ tissues.
• Healthy Digestion and Treat Constipation: Research indicates that dandelion may increase contractions and movement of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract, acting as a treatment for constipation and indigestion. This effect is likely due to the prebiotic fiber inulin.
• Blood Sugar Control:  The dandelion plant contains bioactive compounds that have been shown to reduce blood sugar in animal and test-tube studies.
• May Reduce Cholesterol: Studies have shown reduced cholesterol levels after consuming dandelion.
• Lower Blood Pressure:  Dandelion may lower blood pressure due to its diuretic effect and potassium content.
• Immune System:  Dandelion has antiviral and antimicrobial properties.
• Skincare Treatment: Dandelion may protect against harmful sun rays, aging, and skin irritations, such as acne.
• Healthy Bones: Dandelion to bone health is lacking, though some nutritional components of the plant are known to support the maintenance of strong bones.

You can use the dandelion fresh in your everyday smoothie, dry it for your tea, or make powder for later. You can use the younger leaves in your salad, as the older ones might be too bitter. It is also fantastic for juicing and has a great place in any healing green juice. The root can be dried and used for tea also, and some even ground the roots to make coffee substitutes.

GROUND ELDER:

Archaeological excavations indicate that this plant has been used already by the Neanderthals, for the treatment of deformed joints and relieve pain. Later, it was used more by herbalists in the Middle Ages, and was cultivated in monastery gardens as a vegetable or spice. Ground elder became a valued source of medicinal plant only at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, when Father Johann Künzle, famous Swiss phyto therapist, began to use the remarkable properties of ground elder in the treatment of diseases of the joints, gout, varicose veins and many other diseases.

The plant is often found growing in shrubberies, hedges, orchards, gardens, woodlands, roadsides, waste ground, banks, and alongside rivers and streams.

Ground elder forms a creeping, pale green carpet across the ground. The oval-shaped leaves are long, hairless and toothed, and arranged in groups of three. The small flowers appear in clusters turning from light-pink to white as they mature. The wind-pollinated seeds are flat vessels that develop from the mature flower heads. When the flowers bloom the leaves turns more bitter. The youngers leaves are a better choice. The good news is the plant will keep producing new leaves all summer long.

It keeps on giving.

Most of those who have a garden and that has run across the ground elder, will know it as a pain in the garden. They seem like they are spreading as you watch, and never letting go of their territory. They are hard to get rid of, but maybe now you can look at them differently. It was used as a green vegetable in earlier times and was used by monks and bishops to counteract the rich food they so often ate. It is also a diuretic and has a mild sedative effect.

Personally, I remember trying to weed them out of my garden. Learning that if you pick them they multiply. You need to take them by the roots. There is a saying: If you can`t beat them, eat them. This fits the ground elder perfectly.

It is often referred to as the wild parsley. 

It has a very similar taste to parsley, and also some of the same properties and benefits. It will strengthen the kidneys and bladder. Overall it is said to activate our metabolism, help to detox our system, and it provides us with an abundance of chlorophyll and Vitamin C.

The chemical composition of ground elder indicate that this plant includes:

• Essential oils, mainly limonene (the same as in lemon, which has antibacterial properties)
• Felandren that has fungicidal properties.
• Large amounts of vitamin C and provitamin A (carotene).
• Minerals: iron, copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium and potassium,
• Flavonoids, which are antioxidants,
• Saponins which have diuretic and expectorant properties
• Resins

Benefits of Ground Elder:

• Rheumatic diseases and gout:
  • Ground elder in traditional medicine is used primarily in the treatment of rheumatic diseases and gout. Nicholas Culpeper, English physician, herbalist and botanist who lived in the seventeenth century, wrote of ground elder in his book “Complete Herbal”: Ground elder (goutweed) got its name with a good reason, as they were experiencing that they could treat arthritis and pain in the sciatic nerve.
  • Modern scientific research shows that ground elder has a strong anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic (antiaggregatory) properties. Rheumatic diseases and gout caused by accumulation of uric acid salts in the tissue, ground elder accelerates removal of uric acid from the body and improves abnormal metabolic mechanisms that cause the disease. A great cleanser.
•  Cleansing and detoxing: Ground elder has a detoxifying and cleansing effect on the body and can therefore be used as an herb supporting the work of the liver. Due to diuretic properties and the fact that accelerates the digestion may also be used during the purification treatment. For the kidneys it is fantastic as it has diuretic properties as well.
• Antimicrobial Properties: Numerous studies have shown that extracts of the herb ground elder (especially alcoholic extracts) inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and sticks pneumonia (Klebsiella pneumoniae), also inhibit the growth of certain pathogenic fungi. Powerful!

• The digestive systems: Ground elder can be used in intestinal function disorders, running with alternating constipation and diarrhea. It also speeds up digestion, so it can be used to aid constipation.

• Urinary tract: Ground elder is used in kidney stones and bladder diseases cases. Deeply cleansing and nourishing. With properties similar to parsley. Kidney lover.

All the green plants are loaded with chlorophyll, our blood-fuel and sunshine energy. Not bad for something known as an annoying weed, and quite interesting that these amazing plants are so wildly available to us.

The ground elder is absolutely most beneficial during spring, in its growing phase. Before it blooms with its white flowers it is mild and palatable. After that, it becomes bitter and harder to digest. 

Again, the wonderful thing about this plant though, is that it will grow new buds, young plants, all season long. This is why it is so hard to get rid of – it keeps shooting new leaves.  

• You can make ground elder pesto. 
• You can also put some in your smoothie and in your salad. 
• It is food and medicine, and great for drying and powdering. 
• Great in salads.
• For those not raw in your family, it is great in soups and you can cook it as a vegetable. 

If you use the fresh leaves, you can use a cup a day when needed. For longer terms use, I would say half a cup, together with other wild herbs like dandelion and stinging nettle. A great healing combination. 

When dries, use a teaspoon a day. 

A poultice of the ground elder leaves can also be employed to help heal burns, bites, and wounds.

COW PARSLEY:

I remember this one very well from childhood. In Norwegian the name is Dogs Biscuit. We were told it was poisonous, and I understand why we the reason for this. Not all plants that look like this one is edible. they are easy to identify, so not to worry, but as always use caution when foraging an herb that is new to you. I am sure many of you know this one already.

This is the earliest flowering member of the carrot family. Its tripinnate leaves are fern-like with pointed leaflets and seeds are oblong, beaked, and smooth. Its stems are hollow and without spots – a good way to distinguish this plant from the similar, but very poisonous Hemlock.

The name Anthriscus comes from a Greek and Latin name for a plant that hasn’t been definitively identified, but which might be cow parsley, as it is native to Europe and western Asia. It was introduced into North America and is now classed as an invasive species in some US states. It is a member of the carrot family.

It pretty much grows everywhere. Especially on roadsides and on open fields.

(Google Hemlock, and see the difference. I do not want to post it here, just to make sure you are not confused by this and relates the picture to the Cow Parsley) 

The Cow Parsley is distinguished from Hemlock (Conium maculatum) because it doesn’t have purple blotches on its stems.

“Mother die’ or ‘Mummy die’, was used to frighten children into thinking that if they picked cow parsley, their mother would die. This was intended to deter children from potentially picking deadly hemlock.”

The alternative name for cow parsley is Queen Anne’s lace. This is an old folk tale that the flowers would bloom for Queen Anne and her ladies in waiting and reflect the delicate lace they wore.

You can also use the stems and the leaves. Cow parsley is said to get rid of stones and gravel in the gall bladder and kidneys.

Cow Parsley Health benefits:

• The leaves and stem of Cow Parsley are Antibacterial, anti-epileptic, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and antiseptic.
• The expectorant property makes is great for coughs, colds, and asthma.
• The plant is looked at as a cancer preventer.
• It is very anti-inflammatory.
• Beneficial for insomnia and sleep trouble.
• Used for anxiety and depression.
• Used to fight infertility.
• Used for indigestion and colic.
• Cow Parsley water has been used for cleaning wounds.
• Herbalists have long used this plant to fight Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s symptoms.

Use the leaves fresh, in a smoothie, or a salad. You can also use them fresh in your tea. I like to blend them with stinging nettle and dandelion for tea. 

Good to know:

• Like the closely-related wild carrot, it is also called “Queen Anne’s lace”. Other names are lady’s lace, fairy lace, Spanish lace, kex, kecksie, queque, Mother die, step-mother, Grandpa’s pepper, hedge parsley, badman’s oatmeal and rabbit meat.
• The most common use for the stalks is for pea-shooters as the stems are hollow, so children love them. The foliage used to be sold by florists in Victorian times and used in flower arrangements.
• It is related to the carrot as well as parsley family.
• It has a reputation for being a decorative flower and is used in church arrangements on account of its sprays working well in a vase and the shape and blossom lasting over a week.
• It can be confused with hemlock (which is poisonous) and hogweed (sap burns in sunlight), so if handling, caution is advised.
• Cow Parsley simply means an inferior version of real parsley.
• Young Cow Parsley leaves can be a fresh and mildly aromatic addition to salads and any other dish. However, the name Mother die, which implies that your mother will

Cow parsley is important for a variety of insects, including bees and hoverflies, as it is an early source of pollen. It is also food for the moth Agonopterix heracliana and a nectar source for orange-tip butterflies.

Not to be confused with:

Fool’s parsley (Aethusa cynapium), which can be distinguished from cow parsley by the bracteoles (leaf-like structures) that are found underneath the flower head; upright hedge-parsley (Torilis japonica) which flowers later than cow parsley – from around July to September – and is smaller in size.

Wild carrot (Daucus carota) which at a distance may look like cow parsley but has an umbel that is made up of many florets, frequently with a purple one in the middle.

Hemlock (Conium maculatum) which has leaves similar to those of cow parsley but sports a stem spotted with purple markings and is much bigger, growing to around two meters (careful – this species is poisonous).

I suggest that you initially ignore both leaf and flower structure when trying to distinguish cow parsley from poison hemlock.

What to look for to feel sure you have cow parsley are:

• Cow parsley is hairy (very fine, very short, velvet-like hairs, sometimes hard to see but always giving leaf stems and flowering stems a rough feel). Hemlock is entirely free of hairs – they will feel smooth. This is your most useful comparison, but don’t make it the only one!
• Cow parsley has U shaped leaf stems (or more like a D on its side). Hemlock has rounded leaf stems, though these do form sheaths near their base.
• Cow parsley leaf stems and flowering stems tend to be greenish-purple, sometimes entirely purple, but they are NEVER blotchy. Hemlock flowering stems are blotched with purple, though the blotches can be minimal, occasionally absent, especially when young.
• Cow parsley leaves the smell of parsley if you crush them in your fingers. Hemlock leaves smell a bit unpleasant – a little acrid/ammoniac (often described as “of mouse pee”).

Happy foraging and ask and educate yourself.

If unsure, skip this one.

Wild food is the original true food.

At one point all food was wild food, and all food was medicine. In nature, there is no obstruction, constipation, or bad choices. We can state that no matter what we live or do, it is ok and that every journey is the right one. Yet, cause and effect are still present. By choosing a path, any path, we will have to wear the robe, to walk our talk.

Cause and effect.

We are seeing the effect of not following the laws of nature, and we are paying the bill. Through sickness and stress, the lack of feeling loved and safe, we are experiencing the panic of not having or being enough. We are always enough, always. Our basic needs are simple and few in numbers. There is no solution to the complication, and there is no large puzzle to solve.

There is only life, the simple exercise of breathing, loving, and being. We can complicate it if we want, with but`s and reasons for hanging on to stuff, but it will not set us free.

True freedom is seeing the simplicity in everything and knowing that it is perfect the way it is. Nature is effortless in its growth and manifestations. We are not meant to struggle.

The wild herbs are nature’s medicine, and by ingesting them, we are ingesting the healing vibration that comes with it. The nutritional composition is out of comparison with our farm-grown produce. The wild food is very dense in nutrients and will go a long way. Spending time in nature, picking and eating what nature has provided for us, is a calm connecting practice in itself. By embracing true wisdom from nature, we will be nourished on all levels.

The wild greens, the medicinal herbs, the flowers – they are all there for us to explore and to use. I have seen profound effects on all my bodies from taking the herbal blends, and also from using them fresh from the forest.

During the season, I used to pick herbs fresh every single day and blend them up in my smoothie. Some of the most potential all-round healing herbs are willingly growing right in our back yard. Many of them, we categorize as a weed.

Not only have we forgotten how to use them, how to appreciate the gift that they are, we also look at them mostly as a nuisance, like weeds.

The most common ones are dandelions, plantain, ground elder, and stinging nettles. I am sure that most of you know about some of them, if not all of them.

I make sure that I get that magic into my body all year round, so I pick more than I need all summer, then I dry the herbs, powder them, and use them during winter.

Happy foraging, and make sure you shoot me a message with any questions.

Hilde Larsen

Health/Mindset Coach/Author/Speaker/Detox Specialist/Life-Enthusiast

http://inspiredbyhilde.com/start-here/