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 is still present. By choosing a path, any path, we 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 in 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 natures 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. 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 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, as 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 pick them, rinse them, and eat them fresh, yes, even the stinging nettle. I also use birch leaves, clover, fire weed, chickweed and thistle.
I have a way of making sure that I get that magic into my body all year, so I pick more than I need all summer, then I dry the herbs, powder them, and use them during winter. I gift the powder to others, and I am empowered by this free, easily available, powerful food and medicine being there for us all. I am in awe that I grow into more freedom through nature.
The process is very easy. Simply pick the wild greens, and dry them.
If you do not have a dehydrator, put it on your wish list, and in the mean time you can hang the herbs in a dry room, or spread them on a table on top of some newspapers. I use a nutria bullet to powder the greens, but you can use a regular high-speed blender. Store in dark grass containers, in a dry cool place, and use all winter long.
NB! Before you forage and ingest any wild edible, make sure you are picking the right one. Talk to someone who has experience, and have them show you. Google for pictures, and look for my next book about nature, healing and wild food, and always make sure you are safe.
The most general wild herbs that I use and love:
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 used 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!”
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. The flower, yellow and bright is also very potent and edible. Use it in your salad, dry it for your tea, or ground into powder together with the leaves. Anything goes.
Plantain:
Plantain leaf has a natural anti-inflammatory and antibacterial benefit. This makes it great for wound healing. Medicinally, Native Americans used plantain leaves to relieve the pain of bee stings and insect bites, to stop the itching of poison ivy and other allergic rashes. It was also known to promote healing in sores and bruises. It is diuretic and great for kidney and health. Many of its active constituents show antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, as well as being anti-inflammatory and antitoxic. The young leaves are the mildest and tastiest, but you can dry them all season and make tea or powder. Plantain is very high in vitamins A, C and in calcium. Plantain tea can be used as a mouthwash to help heal and prevent sores in the mouth, and as an expectorant. I have seen plantain being marketed as a stop-smoking aid, adding one more use to the list of ways that this versatile herb can be used. It grows in your lawn, on any forest trail, and on the side of the road. If you have a driveway that is not paved, you might find it there.
You can make tea from plantain and spray it on insect bites. The leaves are edible, and you can use them raw in salads, or cooked as greens. They are great for blending in your healing and detoxifying smoothie. Older leaves have a stronger, sometimes objectionable flavor, and can be tough and stringy. This goes for most of the wild herbs. The leaves, shredded or chewed, are a traditional treatment for insect and animal bites. The antibacterial action helps prevent infection and the anti-inflammatory helps to relieve pain, burning, and itching.
Stinging Nettle:
Stinging nettles are great as both medicine and food. They’re 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 alterative, 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 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!
Ground Elder:
Ground elder is the modern name for goutweed or Herb Gerard, and as its name suggests it was a specific remedy for gout and sciatica. Our grandparents will remember it being used to treat any form of rheumatism. It gets the name ground elder from the resemblance of the flowers to those of the elder tree. 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. 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. 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. 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. A poultice of the leaves can also be employed to help heal burns, bites, and wounds.
Red Clover:
Red clover is often used for respiratory and hormonal health. It is considered one of the richest sources of isoflavones, which are water-soluble chemicals that act like estrogens. Red clover is therefore used for hot flashes, PMS, breast health as well as lowering cholesterol. It is also said to improve urine production, improve circulation of the blood, and to help prevent osteoporosis. Red clover leaf is a staple of herbal blood cleansing formulas. One of its common uses is to help with overall cardiovascular health. Red clover is an excellent blood purifier, and over time, it gradually cleanses the bloodstream. It is also said to correct deficiencies in the circulatory system. It has been shown to thin the blood and reduce the possibility of blood clots and arterial plaques. These are mighty statements, and gives the red clover a very special place in our tool box.
The flowers possess antispasmodic, estrogenic, and expectorant properties. Chinese medicine uses red clover in their teas as an expectorant. During the Middle Ages, the red clover was considered a charm of protection against witches. We are used to thinking about the regular four-leaf clover as lucky, but the same is true of the red four-leaf clover. Red clover is also a source of many valuable nutrients including calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, and vitamin C.
Topically, it is used to accelerate wound healing and to treat psoriasis. The flowers are so beautiful and very potent, which makes them such a beautiful part of any salad. The leaves, together with the flowers, can be dried and used as a tea. Also, blend them up in your smoothie during season, and dry and powder them for the winter.
Chickweed:
Chickweed is mild, delicious, and has a fresh taste which is great in any salad. It is one of the most common weeds out there. It has been used to calm inflammation and reduce stress. It is useful for people with stomach and duodenal ulcers to use regularly. Because chickweed is cooling and moistening, ingesting it reduces hot and dry conditions, such as fevers and dry, red, itchy, eczema and psoriasis. Its moistening properties help relieve constipation, and aid any digestive issues. The cooling and anti-inflammatory properties ease arthritis, joint and muscle pain. Chickweed helps the body absorb nutrients better, and is a safe and nourishing herb for a person of any age to take over several months. It will strengthen the body when weak, chronically tired from overwork and stress, traumatized, anemic or recovering from a long-term illness or surgery. Chickweed not only effects physical health, but is a psychic healer also. It opens us up to cosmic energies and gives us the inner strength we need to handle those energies. Chickweed has a delicious, fresh taste and is high in minerals and vitamins.
Pick them and put them straight into your salad all summer long. You can also use it in your smoothie and in your juices. A fresh chickweed poultice reduces swelling and inflammation from bruises, mosquito bites and bee stings. It helps heal skin ulcers and other inflamed or itchy skin conditions. A fresh poultice also draws out infections from abscesses, boils, cuts and pus-filled wounds very effectively. A chickweed salve can ease itching of eczema or psoriasis and assist in healing hemorrhoids, minor cuts, skin eruptions and inflamed skin rashes.
NOTE: Make sure that you are not picking anything that has been sprayed with weed killers, or has been growing on the side of a busy road.
My healing wild smoothie:
- 2 large mangoes
- 1 cup dandelion leaves
- ½ cup stinging nettle leaves
- 5 leaves of plantain
- 5 red clover flower heads.
- 1/2 cup of ground elder leaves
- 1 cup of fresh or frozen berries.
- 1 cup of distilled water
My healing wild juice:
- 1 cucumber
- 1 lemon
- 1 green apple
- 1 hand-full of chickweed
- 1 hand-full of dandelion leaves
- 2 hand-full of ground elder leaves.
Note: The above information is for educational purposes only, and while you research the wild edibles further, you will find that the benefits that have been studied and experienced are far more extensive than what I have touched upon. These are true healers, and by using them as we heal, we are getting closer to nature, and to our natural environment.
The more I consume of the wild edibles, the more connected and aware I feel. I am a firm believer that what will feed us and nurture us with the highest potential, nutrition and energy is the wild edibles. The berries, the herbs, the greens, the flowers and the leaves. The roots and the sap, all magical and healing. The purity and the vibration is nurturing for every cell in your body. The herbs are intelligent and tissue specific, they are true healers. What started out as a quest for healing, physical healing, has ended up as a passion and a calling.
By letting go of what is no longer serving us, we are making room for what is. By re-connecting with nature, we are calling upon the highest form of healing.
To learn more on this topic and how to get healthy and stay that way, read Know the Truth and Get Healthy. The step-by-step guide to true health and vitality.
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Happy foraging!
Hilde
xoxo
