Sunday, August 11, 2013

DETOX ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS

14 Ways to Cleanse the body from Chemtrails, GMO’s, Flouridated Water and other Environmental Toxins

From the chemtrails being sprayed over our neighborhoods to the poisons killing our bees and making our food toxic ‘medicine’ we need a way to purge the deadly elixirs of a greedy government, owned and run by corporate interests. For the sake of keeping your attention, I won’t go on ad nauseum about fluoridated water, oil spills, and contaminated air and water due to fracking and mining.
As research since the early 1900s suggests, our bodies simply cannot handle the level of toxicity in our environment without some help, though it was originally designed to cure itself from every conceivable toxin – from heavy metals to the common cold. We have simply burdened the mechanism so profoundly, that the intelligence of the human form is being strained to its acme. We either learn to adapt to the toxic environment that our governments so blatantly support, or we die. We can’t wait for congress or the senate to do the right thing. It’s time to get radical. It’s time to tell your friends about this, even if it is absolutely rabble-rousing.

For some time we have been able to simply ignore, or turn an apathetic ear toward warnings about our food, air and soil being polluted, but when the EPA and FDA, arguably puppet institutions meant to placate farmers and citizens into thinking that their concerns over our war-time and consumer-based lifestyles are benign, states that yes, pesticides ‘are harmful to human health,’ then its time to pay attention. That kind of confession is like telling us the sky is blue. If they didn’t at least state the painfully obvious, it would be very difficult to maintain even a modicum of respect in social and political circles.  Most people are already laughing them out of the room.
 Our Blood and Bones Contain Over 85,000 Different Toxins
We are a toxic world. Our blood and bones now contain over 85,000 different chemical pollutants. Depleted uranium from bombs, and nuclear energy sites like Fukushima, as well as chemicals as sinister as Agent Orange and toxic mold are now part of our genetic make up. There are too many other toxins to name here. Their names and devastating health effects could fill books. These toxins have seeped into our cells, causing cancer, depression and even insanity.
These pollutants are making our children less intelligent and slowly breaking down our immune systems until they can’t even fight a simple virus. Our hormonal systems are so out of whack from these toxins that both boys and girls are starting puberty way too soon, and fetuses are not developing properly. ADHD, ADD, and Autism are on the rise like never before. Our bodies are fat and tired too, because a toxic body can’t metabolize fats and proteins properly.
Channels of Toxic Elimination
Under better conditions our bodies can get rid of toxins through numerous natural channels:
·    Hair
·    Finger and Toe Nails
·    Skin
·    Bowels
·    Sweat
·    Blood
·    Bile
·    Urine
In lab tests, extremely high levels of toxins can be found in a single strand of hair, even in people who think they live a ‘healthy’ lifestyle – they workout, don’t smoke, try to eat their vegetables, etc. Hair is actually one of the most telling when testing toxicity levels. It even contains remnants of LSD and cocaine in people who used drugs more than six months prior to testing. It also shows traces of aluminum, mercury, bismuth, lead, arsenic, tin, titanium, silver, asbestos, chlorine, tar, uranium and antimony, just to name a few toxins.
If any of the channels of toxin elimination are compromised, it can make the body very ill and eventually cause it to die. Our liver works diligently to eliminate toxins through bile production. Our skin, one of the largest detoxifying channels, is constantly shedding skin cells to rid itself of poison. Our bowels and digestive organs including the bladder and kidneys, large and small intestines also work very hard at keeping us toxin free. The lymph system keeps T-lymphocyte cells circulating to help kill foreign invaders like viruses that come from mold exposure.
Recycling of Toxins Leads to Disease
The problem is that once the body tries to get rid of a toxin, repeatedly trying to make it water soluble, for example, (though this is just one way of eradicating a toxic poison from our systems) so that it can be excreted, then it starts to recycle that toxin in an effort to find some channel, any channel that can expel it properly. This is how disease starts to happen. A Russian scientists and naturopath named Eli Metchnik did extensive research on this phenomenon in 1904.
In Ayurvedic medicine this is called the ‘multiply and localize’ stages of disease development. A toxin starts to move through blood plasma, and into the reproductive cycle of cells and tissues, so wherever you are weakest in your body, you are likely to develop disease. A disease is ‘born’ in the physical body when genetic predisopositions for disease give way to environmental stress – i.e. toxicity.
What Can I do to Detoxify My Body?
Fortunately, there are inexpensive ways to start to cleanse the bowels, hair, skin, lungs, liver, kidneys, and even the cells, but it starts with realizing we are toxic. Then we must take action.
·    Install a HEPA filter or a High Quality Air Purifier. You can also spend time in nature, since trees and flowers act as natural air purifiers.
·    Start by throwing out all the toxic cleaners we use to spruce up our homes. Turn to vinegar, baking soda and citrus, particularly lemon juice, and sunlight. These four items can clean our houses (and sometimes us) from top to bottom without causing depression, hormone disruption, cancer, and a host of other diseases caused by the carcinogenic and toxic substances in household cleaners, like diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA) just to start.
·    Sweat. Indian sweat lodges aren’t just for inducing a vision quest. While many people attain spiritual insights from participating in a sweat lodge, they also help to clear the mind and body of toxins, so we naturally become more lucid. You can also use a dry-heat sauna for the same effect.
·    Fast. Most of us don’t want to skip even a single meal, but just taking one day off form eating to allow the body to purge toxins stored in fatty tissue can make a world of difference. Fasting has been practiced by different cultures and religions around the world for centuries as an effective way to detoxify. Nutritional cleansing programs like the Isogenics cleanse include periods of intermittent fasting (alternating periods of fasting and non-fasting).
·     Purge. There are ancient yogic teachings, which cleanse the mouth, tongue, trachea, stomach and intestines by drinking sea-salted water and then eliminating it. Much like a natural enema, Shankhaprakshalana helps to clean out the entire intestinal tract. The term is actually a Sanskrit word meaning Conch, as in the shell, and it refers to the circular and winding shape of our internal cavity – from mouth to anus.
·    Use the six Shat kriyas or Shat Karmas practiced in Hatha Yoga. These Sanskrit words refer to six ancient cleansing techniques. Shankhaprakshalana is just one of them. Some like, Nauli, or stomach churning are difficult for beginning students, but Jala Neti, nasal irrigation is easy for almost anyone to practice.
·    Drink more water, but only if its purified. Many toxins are water soluble, so if you drink clean, purified water, you can help to remove them. Just make sure you aren’t drinking unpurified municipal water, it is often full of hundreds of toxins.
·    Bathe in hot then cold water. Bathing in the ocean was practiced by the Kumu Hula (master teachers) as a means of purification, but not everyone has ocean front property, so bathing is a great purification ritual. It is also practiced all over Japan, Turkey, India, Africa, and Australia, just to name a few countries with bathing purification traditions or rituals. Bathing in first hot water, expands the blood vessels, and helps the ‘brown’ fat cells work more efficiently to reduce fat and toxins from the body. The cold water allows multiple dips, and also allows us to remain in the hot water longer. If you live near a hot springs or untainted, natural underground water source, many of these pools have excellent nutrients in them, which help to draw toxins out of the body. Also, just warming the body improves the lymph system and immune function. Epson salt baths can help if you don’t have a natural hot springs or the Dead Sea near you (but even the Dead Sea is becoming toxic!)
·    Try one of the myriad natural cleansing products available on the market today. There are lots of products that are affordable and help to cleanse everything from the bowels to the liver.
·    Eat Detoxifying Foods. You can detoxify with green tea, coffee enemas, and cilantro even. Turmeric is great for detoxifying the body, as is sour sop fruit. Apple Cider Vinegar is wonderful and so is lemon juice and ginger.
·    Use Shaolin Clay to Draw Impurities From the Skin. Shaolin Monks used a special clay to help draw impurities from their bodies and to heal more rapidly from injuries received practicing martial arts. It was made into a paste with several herbs and placed on the skin, or ground into powders and taken with herbs (like Dan Gui, Nan Xing, Bai Zhu, etc.) as an oral herbal treatment. Clay baths are especially effective at removing heavy metals and mercury or lead.
·    Take Milk Thistle, or Dandelion Root to Detox the Liver. This important organ removes toxins from our blood stream. These two herbs can greatly help the liver process toxins before they ever reach the bloodstream, so that they can be purged from the body via the feces or urine.
·    Increase Your Vitamin C. Several studies pointed to a simple Vitamin C supplement in higher doses (which are safe since Vitamin C is water soluble) as a very effective means of detoxiing from Nuclear Fallout.
·    Consider Aboriginal Kanwa Minerals are  extracted from bubbling pools deep in the desert areas of Australia that are full of hundreds of trace minerals that can help detox the body. Also known as Calcium Montmorillonite Clay, this special ‘mud’ can do everything from absorb bad bacteria to reverse bone decay. Only because this soil had been untouched for millions of years, is it filled with important minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, silica and manganese, as well as other trace elements that help restore a toxic body.

Even though companies like Monsanto, Bayer, Pfizer, Roche, GlaxoSmithKline and the military industrial complex want to keep pouring toxins into our world and us, we can detox with some simple remedies to make living a healthy possible in a contaminated world. We may not be living in a pure environment, but we can still treat our bodies as temples, and purify them of the spoils of war and a fast food, pharmaceutical empire.

References:

http://www.sott.net/article/226021-Detoxify-or-Die-Natural-Radiation-Protection-Therapies-for-Coping-With-the-Fallout-of-the-Fukushima-Nuclear-Meltdown
http://www.oprah.com/health/Toxins-in-Our-Environment
http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/marapr2007p37.shtml

About the Author
Christina Sarich is a musician, yogi, humanitarian and freelance writer who channels many hours of studying Lao Tzu, Paramahansa Yogananda, Rob Brezny, Miles Davis, and Tom Robbins into interesting tidbits to help you Wake up Your Sleepy Little Head, and See the Big Picture. Her blog is Yoga for the New World.

THIS ARTICLE IS OFFERED UNDER CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE. IT’S OKAY TO REPUBLISH IT ANYWHERE AS LONG AS ATTRIBUTION BIO IS INCLUDED AND ALL LINKS REMAIN INTACT.



Sunday, August 4, 2013

CHIA SEED

Chia (Salvia rhyacophila) is a hardy annual herb 1-1.5m high, that belongs to the Salvia family, with its name coming from the Latin ‘salare’ which means to save, referring to its curative properties. Blue flowers spike to 10cm long, set on terminal stems, and fill out to a seed head (that is similar in appearance to a wheat seed head) with pin-head sized, brown, shiny seeds. Plants adapt to a wide range of soils, climates and minimal rainfall.
 
In the plant’s native habitat of South-west America, it has been highly valued as a staple food for hundreds of years. In Mexico, it was used as money and to pay taxes. A small handful of seeds and plenty of water supplied energy and sustenance, for a man traveling for 24 hours, and it is said that an Indian can exist on it for many days if necessary. Several USA universities have researched the endurance properties of chia and found that a tablespoon of seed could sustain a person for 24 hours, with hard labour. Richard Lucas, in his book, ‘Common and uncommon uses of herbs for healthy living’, encourages anyone to try it, and discover its unique ability to provide the go power to get through a busy day with a hop, skip and a jump. The seeds have valuable medicinal properties and nutritional content, with essential vitamins, minerals, fibre and 30% protein. In USA it is grown as a commercial crop and seed is available in Health Food Shops. 

The calcium content of chia seed is 5 times that of milk. Enzymes in chia act as catalysts to aid the digestion of food. Chia seeds contain the trace mineral strontium, which acts as a catalyst in the assimilation of protein and production of energy. A greyhound breeder read of the energy boosting power of chia, and phoned to see if he could buy the seed in large quantities, to give his dogs a winning edge! Researchers say that strontium has strengthening benefits to cartilage, teeth and bones. 

The seeds contain one of the highest known sources of Essential Fatty Acids (EFA), as linolenic acid (LNA) 30-60%, and linoleic acid (LA) 30%. EFA’s carry a slightly negative charge and spread out as a thin layer over surfaces and do not form aggregations; this makes cell membranes soft, fluid and flexible, allowing nutrients to flow in and wastes out. Researcher, Linus Pauling, found that energy charged by EFA’s produced measurable, bioelectrical currents. These currents make possible the vast number of chemical reactions in the body, which are important in nerve, muscle and membrane function. EFA’s absorb sunlight and attract oxygen. A bounteous supply of oxygen, carried with the blood to the cells, is vital for vitality, pain relief and healing. The oxygen is able to be held by the action of EFA, at the cell membranes, making a barrier against viruses and bacteria. EFA’s are important in immune function and metabolic reactions in the body resulting in fat burn, food absorption, mental health and the process of oxidation and growth. They can substantially shorten the time required for recovery of fatigued muscles after exercise or physical work.
EFA’s are the highest source of energy in nutrition and govern many life processes in the body. When EFA’s are deficient, a diversity of health problems may follow. Due to high refining and processing of many natural foods, EFA’s may be low or non-existent, therefore, we need to look at what we can grow to give us these essentials, daily. Chia seeds provide a rich source of EFA’s, and many other seeds that we can use for sprouting are also a good source.

The mucilaginous properties of the seeds have a swelling action, similar to guar or psyllium as a bulking agent and fibre source, and are valuable for cleansing and soothing the colon. Chia acts like a sponge, absorbing toxins, lubricating the colon and strengthening the peristaltic action. Considering the high incidence of bowel cancer, diverticulitis, colitis, chronic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome in our country, we need to share the knowledge of this healing plant with our fellow Australians. 

Chia seeds come to the rescue when the tummy is upset and will not tolerate other foods; or to fortify the body against the exhaustive effects of extreme summer temperatures. The seed helps to quench the thirst, if added to a glass of water, a very practical benefit in our hot summers. It is an appetite satisfier and, therefore, useful to dieters. Chia is valued for calming the nerves and said to strengthen the memory: use 1 teasp. chia seed to 1 cup of boiling water, steep 5-10 minutes, take 2-3 cups a day. 

Chia leaves (fresh or dried) steeped in boiling water, make a therapeutic tea. Use the tea as a blood cleanser and tonic, also for fevers, pain relief, arthritis, respiratory problems, mouth ulcers, diabetes, diarrhoea, gargle for inflamed throats, to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels and to strengthen the nervous system. Try the tea sweetened with honey and a few drops of lemon juice added. Women who suffer with hot flushes may find relief by drinking chia leaf tea regularly. A recent TV program highlighted the benefit of chia tea, made with a few, freshly chopped leaves, for anyone feeling lethargic or lacking energy. 

Chia contains several very strong antioxidants that help to remove toxins from the body, which then give a feeling of improved health.
As the seeds are able to absorb more than 7 times their weight, in water, and form a thick gel, this causes a slow release of carbohydrate; facilitating an equally slow conversion of carbohydrates, into glucose (blood sugar), for energy. The outer layer of the seeds are rich in mucilloid soluble fibre and, when mixed with water or stomach juices, a gel forms that creates a physical barrier between the carbohydrate foods eaten and the digestive enzymes that break them down. This means that the carbohydrates are digested slower and at a more uniform rate. There is no insulin surge needed to lower the blood sugar level after eating chia. The chia gel is able to hold moisture, which also retains electrolyte balance.

Chia sprouts can come to the rescue for digestive problems, particularly when ‘windy’. Passing gas may be relieved by slowly chewing 1-2 tablesp. of chia sprouts, making sure that plenty of saliva is mixed with them. Together with the nutrients, chlorophyll, and enzymes from the saliva, the combination can act to relieve and prevent flatulence.


Chia seeds have a nutty flavour and can be sprinkled over meals, or seeds can be soaked in a little water (for several hours or overnight, to start the seed germination process) giving better assimilation when eaten. Soaking is also beneficial, since vitamin C will start to be manufactured. When seeds are sprouted, the vitamin content multiplies considerably and they can add a spicy, warm flavour to meals. Sprinkle soaked or sprouted seeds over breakfast cereal or tossed salads.

Try chia as a refreshing breakfast drink. Mix 1 teasp. seeds (rich in soluble fibre), in a glass of orange juice and let the seed soak for 10 minutes, before drinking. The drink will give a feeling of satisfaction and fullness for a number of hours. It has been found that chia can help to regulate sugar metabolism. Research has found that enzymes in chia act as a catalyst to aid the digestion of food. As chia has a low glycemic content, it is an ideal food to add to our daily diet. For a refreshing chia beverage, soak 1 teasp. chia seed in 1 cup of hot water and 1/2 teasp. apple-cider vinegar, 1 teasp. honey and a pinch of cinnamon powder.

Add seed to cooked or baked goods. A small amount of seeds added, when making bread, will make bread lighter, with less leavening needed, as well as improving the keeping qualities. Many foods are said to be more flavoursome with chia added – bitter foods become more palatable. Sharp cheese, at maturity, will taste more like cottage cheese. Chia is useful for enriching baby foods, infant formulas, health foods, energy bars, snacks, breakfast cereals, etc. As oxidation of chia seed is minimal to non-existent, it holds excellent potential within the food industry compared to other alpha-linolenic fatty acid sources, such as linseed, which exhibits rapid decomposition due to lack of antioxidants. Chia does not need artificial antioxidant stabilisers and stores well, without deterioration.

And when the garden yields a super crop, feed the seed heads to the hens. Research in South America, with commercial egg production, found that laying hens eagerly devoured chia when up to 30% of seed was added to their food. This also resulted in the production of eggs with a ratio of saturated to polyunsaturated fats, half that found in normal eggs, a real benefit to consumers, eggs with a heart-friendly profile.

 Source: http://permaculturenews.org/2009/04/06/chia-crop-potential-and-uses/

Organic Raw Chia Seed



Wednesday, June 26, 2013

BEETS PREVENT WRINKLES


The depths and appearance of wrinkles can be reduced with beet juice by as much as 60%. 

Beet juice anti-aging benefits preserve brain function with nitrates that improve blood flow. 

High in vitamin A & carotenoids which prevent age-related macular degeneration. 

High in folate to fight wrinkles & skin conditions. - Dave Sommers


Friday, June 14, 2013

FORAGING FOR FOOD

 Foraging: 52 Wild Plants You Can Eat

Here are a few common North American goodies that are safe to eat if you find yourself stuck in the wild:

Blackberries:
 blackberry-leaf-bsp
Many wild berries are not safe to eat, it’s best to stay away from them. But wild blackberries are 100% safe to eat and easy to recognize. They have red branches that have long thorns similar to a rose, the green leaves are wide and jagged. They are best to find in the spring when their white flowers bloom, they are clustered all around the bush and their flowers have 5 points. The berries ripen around August to September.

Dandelions:
dandelion
The easiest to recognize is the dandelion, in the spring they show their bright yellow buds. You can eat the entire thing raw or cook them to take away the bitterness, usually in the spring they are less bitter. They are packed with Vitamin A and Vitamin C, and beta carotene.

Asparagus:
wild-asparagus-fort-collins
The vegetable that makes your pee smell funny grows in the wild in most of Europe and parts of North Africa, West Asia, and North America. Wild asparagus has a much thinner stalk than the grocery-store variety. It’s a great source of source of vitamin C, thiamine, potassium and vitamin B6. Eat it raw or boil it like you would your asparagus at home.

Elderberries:
elderberry
An elderberry shrub can grow easily grow about 10 feet and yield tons of food, their leaf structure is usually 7 main leaves on a long stretched out stem, the leaves are long and round and the leaves themselves have jagged edges. These are easiest to identify in the spring as they blossom white clustered flowers that resembles an umbrella. Mark the spot and harvest the berries when they’re ripe around September.
Elderberries are known for their flu and cold healing properties, you can make jelly from them and are very sweet and delicious.

Gooseberries:
red gooseberry
These are also common in the woods in northern Missouri, the branches are grey and have long red thorns, and the leaves are bright green and have 5 points, they have rounded edges and look similar to the shape of a maple leaf. The flowers in the spring are very odd looking, they are bright red and hang down, the berries ripen around late May early June.

Mulberries:
Stumped-Mulberry-tree-006
Mulberry leaves have two types, one spade shape and a 5 fingered leaf. Both have pointed edges.

Pine:
pine-needles1
There are over a hundred different species of pine. Not only can the food be used as a supply of nourishment but, also can be used for medicinal purposes. Simmer a bowl of water and add some pine needles to make tea. Native americans used to ground up pine to cure skurvy, its rich in vitamin C.

Kudzu:
kudzu_01
Pretty much the entire plant is edible and is also known for medicinal values. The leaves can be eaten raw, steam or boiled. The root can be eaten as well. (like all herbs, pregnant women and breast-feeding woman should consult a physician first before use)

Daylily:
daylily
You can find this plant in many parts of the country, These are not tigerlilies or easterlilies (which are toxic), a daylily is completely safe to eat. Daylilies have bright orange flowers that come straight out of the ground, their main stock/stem has no leaves so that’s your confirmation that it’s a day lily, if you see an orange six-petal flower like this one that has a bear stem (no leaves) it’s a daylily. You can eat them whole or cook them or put them in salads.

Pecans:
Pecanss
The trees mature around 20-30 ft, some can grow up to 100 ft tall. The leaves are bright green and long, smooth edges and the pecans themselves are grown in green pods and when ripe the pods open and the seeds fall to the ground.

Hazelnuts:
Hazelnut
Hazelnut trees are short and tend to be around 12-20 ft tall, the leaves are bright green and have pointed edges, the hazelnuts themselves grown in long strands of pods and generally ripen by September and October.

Walnuts:
walnuts
Walnut trees are the most recognizable and the tallest nut tree in North America, they can range from 30-130 feet tall. The leaf structure is very similar to the pecan, the leaves are spear like and grow on a long stem 6-8 leaves on both sides. The leaves edges are smooth and green. The walnuts tend to grow in clusters and ripen in the fall.

Acorns:
acorns
Acorns can tend to be bitter, they are highly recognizable as well, they should be eaten cooked and a limited amount.

Hickory Nuts:
hickory
Hickory nut trees can grow about 50-60 ft tall, their green leaves are spear like and can grow very large, they have pointed edges. The hickory nut is round and ten to ripen in September or October.

Cattail:
CommonCattailXL
Known as cattails or punks in North America and bulrush and reedmace in England, the typha genus of plants is usually found near the edges of freshwater wetlands. Cattails were a staple in the diet of many Native American tribes. Most of a cattail is edible. You can boil or eat raw the rootstock, or rhizomes, of the plant. The rootstock is usually found underground. Make sure to wash off all the mud. The best part of the stem is near the bottom where the plant is mainly white. Either boil or eat the stem raw. Boil the leaves like you would spinach.

Garlic Mustard:
garlic-mustard-jack-by-the-hedge
Edible parts: Flowers, leaves, roots and seeds. Leaves can be eaten in any season, when the weather gets hot, the leaves will have a taste bitter. Flowers can be chopped and tossed into salads. The roots can be collected in early spring and again in late fall, when no flower stalks are present. Garlic mustard roots taste very spicy somewhat like horseradish…. yummy! In the fall the seed can be collected and eaten.

Chickweed:
chickweed-common-chickweed
These usually appear May and July, you can eat the leaves raw or boiled, they’re high in vitamins and minerals! (pregnant women and breast-feeding woman should consult a physician first before use)

Herb Robert
herb-robert-bloodwort
Edible parts: The entire plant. Fresh leaves can be used in salads or to make tea. The flower, leaves and root can be dried and stored using it later as a tea or herbs as a nutrient booster. Rubbing fresh leaves on the skin is known to repel mosquitoes, and the entire plant repels rabbits and deer which would compliment and protect your garden. (like all herbs, pregnant women and breast-feeding woman should consult a physician first before use)

Beach Lovage:
LigScV191
Use the leaves raw in salads or salsas, or cooked in soups, with rice, or in mixed cooked greens. Beach lovage can have a strong flavor and is best used as a seasoning, like parsley, rather than eaten on its own.  Beach lovage tastes best before flowers appear, and is also called Scotch lovage, sea lovage, wild celery, and petrushki.

Plantain:
tdg-Plantago_major-lg
Is another one of those plants that seems to thrive right on the edge of gardens and driveways, but it’s also edible. Pick the green, rippled leaves and leave the tall flower stems. Blanch the leaves and sauté with some butter and garlic just as you would with kale or any other tough green.

Garlic Grass:
garlic-grass-0410-lg
Garlic grass (Allium vineale or wild garlic) is an herbal treat often found lurking in fields, pastures, forests and disturbed soil. It resembles cultivated garlic or spring onions, but the shoots are often very thin. Use it in sandwiches, salads, pesto or chopped on main courses like scallions.

Watercress:
watercress
Cresses (Garden cress, water cress, rock cress, pepper cress) are leafy greens long cultivated in much of Northern Europe. They have a spicy tang and are great in salads, sandwiches, and soups.

Lamb’s Quarters:
Lambs-quarters.Mature
Use the leaves raw in salads, or cooked in soups, in mixed cooked greens, or in any dish that calls for cooking greens.  Lamb’s Quarters are susceptible to leaf miners; be careful to harvest plants that are not infested.  Although Lamb’s Quarters are best before the flowers appear, if the fresh young tips are continuously harvested, lamb’s quarters can be eaten all summer.  Lamb’s Quarters is also called Pigweed, Fat Hen, and Goosefoot.

Goose Tongue:
Goose Tongue
Use the young leaves raw in salads, or cooked in soups, in mixed cooked greens, or in any dish that calls for cooking greens.  Goosetongue is best in spring and early summer, before the flowers appear.  Goosetongue can be confused with poisonous Arrowgrass, so careful identification is essential. Goosetongue is also called Seashore Plantain.

Pigweed:
pigweed-amaranth-amaranthus-spp
Edible parts: The whole plant Рleaves, roots, stem, seeds. The Amaranth seed is small and very nutritious and easy to harvest, the seed grain is used to make flour for baking uses. Roasting the seeds can enhance the flavor, also you can sprout the raw seeds using them in salads, and in sandwiches, etc. Young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked like spinach, saut̩ed, etc. Fresh or dried pigweed leaves can be used to make tea.

Monkey Flower:
MIMULUS GUTTATUS
Use the leaves raw in salads, or cooked in soups, mixed cooked greens, or any dish that calls for cooking greens.  Monkey flower is best before the flowers appear, although the flowers are also edible and are good in salads or as a garnish.

“Self-Heal” Prunella vulgaris:
self-heal-heal-all-prunella-vulgaris
Edible parts: the young leaves and stems can be eaten raw in salads; the whole plant can be boiled and eaten as a potherb; and the aerial parts of the plant can be powdered and brewed in a cold infusion to make a tasty beverage. The plant contains vitamins A, C, and K, as well as flavonoids and rutin. Medicinally, the whole plant is poulticed onto wounds to promote healing. A mouthwash made from an infusion of the whole plant can be used to treat sore throats, thrush and gum infections. Internally, a tea can be used to treat diarrhea and internal bleeding. (like all herbs, pregnant women and breast-feeding woman should consult a physician first before use)

Mallow Malva neglecta:
mallow-malva-neglecta
Edible parts:All parts of the mallow plant are edible — the leaves, the stems, the flowers, the seeds, and the roots (it’s from the roots that cousin Althaea gives the sap that was used for marshmallows). Because it’s a weed that grows plentifully in neglected areas, mallows have been used throughout history as a survival food during times of crop failure or war. Mallows are high in mucilage, a sticky substance that gives them a slightly slimy texture, similar to okra, great in soups. Mallow has a nice pleasant nutty flavor. One of the most popular uses of mallows is as a salad green. (like all herbs, pregnant women and breast-feeding woman should consult a physician first before use)

Miner’s Lettuce:
miners-lettuce
Parts: Flowers, Leaves, Root. Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. A fairly bland flavor with a mucilaginous texture, it is quite nice in a salad. The young leaves are best, older leaves can turn bitter especially in the summer and if the plant is growing in a hot dry position. Although individual leaves are fairly small, they are produced in abundance and are easily picked. Stalks and flowers can be eaten raw. A nice addition to the salad bowl. Bulb also can be eaten raw. Although very small and labor-intensive to harvest, the boiled and peeled root has the flavor of chestnuts. Another report says that the plant has a fibrous root system so this report seems to be erroneous.

Sweet Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
sweet-rocket-dames-rocket
This plant is often mistaken for Phlox. Phlox has five petals, Dame’s Rocket has just four. The flowers, which resemble phlox, are deep lavender, and sometimes pink to white. The plant is part of the mustard family, which also includes radishes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and, mustard. The plant and flowers are edible, but fairly bitter. The flowers are attractive added to green salads. The young leaves can also be added to your salad greens (for culinary purposes, the leaves should be picked before the plant flowers). The seed can also be sprouted and added to salads. NOTE: It is not the same variety as the herb commonly called Rocket, which is used as a green in salads.

Wild Bee Balm:
wild-bee-balm-wild-bergamot
Edible parts: Leaves boiled for tea, used for seasoning, chewed raw or dried; flowers edible. Wild bee balm tastes like oregano and mint. The taste of bee balm is reminiscent of citrus with soft mingling of lemon and orange. The red flowers have a minty flavor. Any place you use oregano, you can use bee balm blossoms. The leaves and flower petals can also be used in both fruit and regular salads. The leaves taste like the main ingredient in Earl Gray Tea and can be used as a substitute.

Mallow:
mallow_3
Mallow is a soft tasty leaf good in fresh salads. Use it like lettuce and other leafy greens. You may find the smaller younger leaves a tad more tender. Toss in salads, or cook as you would other tender greens like spinach. The larger leave can be used for stuffing, like grape leaves. The seed pods are also edible while green and soft before they harden, later turning woody and brown. I hear they can be cooked like a vegetable. I’ve harvested and eaten them raw, and want to try steaming, pickling, fermenting, and preparing like ocra.

Pineapple Weed:
pineapple_weed
Edible parts: Pineapple weed flowers and leaves are a tasty finger food while hiking or toss in salads. Flowers can also be dried out and crushed so that it can be used as flour. As with chamomile, pineapple weed is very good as a tea. Native Americans used a leaf infusion (medicine prepared by steeping flower or leaves in a liquid without boiling) for stomach gas pains and as a laxative.

Milk Thistle:
milk_thistle
Milk thistle is most commonly sought for its medicial properties of preventing and repairing liver damage. But most parts of the plants are also edible and tasty. Until recently, it was commonly cultivated in Eurpoean vegetable gardens. Leaves can be de-spined for use as salad greens or sautéed like collard greens; water-soaked stems prepared like asparugus; roots boiled or baked; flower pods used like artichoke heads.

Prickly Pear Cactus:
prickly_pear
Found in the deserts of North America, the prickly pear cactus is a very tasty and nutritional plant that can help you survive the next time you’re stranded in the desert. The fruit of the prickly pear cactus looks like a red or purplish pear. Hence the name. Before eating the plant, carefully remove the small spines on the outer skin or else it will feel like you’re swallowing a porcupine. You can also eat the young stem of the prickly pear cactus. It’s best to boil the stems before eating.

Mullein Verbascum thapsus:
mullein-verbascum-thapsus
Edible parts: Leaves and flowers. The flowers are fragrant and taste sweet, the leaves are not fragrant and taste slightly bitter. This plant is best known for a good cup of tea and can be consumed as a regular beverage. Containing vitamins B2, B5, B12, and D, choline, hesperidin, para amino benzoic acid, magnesium, and sulfur, but mullein tea is primarily valued as an effective treatment for coughs and lung disorders.

Wild Grape Vine:
wild-grape-vine-riverbank-grape-vitis-riparia
Edible parts: Grapes and leaves. The ripe grape can be eaten but tastes better after the first frost. Juicing the grapes or making wine is most common. The leaves are also edible. A nutritional Mediterranean dish called “dolmades”, made from grape leaves are stuffed with rice, meat and spices. The leaves can be blanched and frozen for use throughout the winter months.

Yellow Rocket:
yellow-rocket-wintercress-barbarea-vulgaris
It tends to grow in damp places such as hedges, stream banks and waysides and comes into flower from May to August. Yellow Rocket was cultivated in England as an early salad vegetable. It makes a wonderful salad green when young and the greens are also an excellent vegetable if treated kindly. Lightly steam or gently sweat in butter until just wilted. The unopened inflorescences can also be picked and steamed like broccoli.

Purslane:
purslane
While considered an obnoxious weed in the United States, purslane can provide much needed vitamins and minerals in a wilderness survival situation. Ghandi actually numbered purslane among his favorite foods. It’s a small plant with smooth fat leaves that have a refreshingly sour taste. Purslane grows from the beginning of summer to the start of fall. You can eat purslane raw or boiled. If you’d like to remove the sour taste, boil the leaves before eating.

Wild Black Cherry:
Amerikaanse_vogelkers_bessen_Prunus_serotina
Wild black cherries are edible, but you shouldn’t eat a lot of them raw, only use the cherries that are still on the branches and are deep black in color, not red. If you see cherries on the ground leave them alone, when cherries wilt they contain a lot of cyanide. It’s only best eaten when cooked, it negates or destroys the cyanide.

Sheep Sorrel:
sheep-sorrel
Sheep sorrel is native to Europe and Asia but has been naturalized in North America. It’s a common weed in fields, grasslands, and woodlands. It flourishes in highly acidic soil. Sheep sorrel has a tall, reddish stem and can reach heights of 18 inches. Sheep sorrel contains oxalates and shouldn’t be eaten in large quantities. You can eat the leaves raw. They have a nice tart, almost lemony flavor. (don’t take in large amounts, pregnant and breast-feeding women consult your physician before use)
 
Wild Mustard:
wild-mustard-sinapis-arvensis
Wild mustard is found in the wild in many parts of the world. It blooms between February and March. You can eat all parts of the plant- seeds, flowers, and leaves.
 
Wood Sorrel:
wood-sorrel-oxalis-oxalis
You’ll find wood sorrel in all parts of the world; species diversity is particularly rich in South America. The flowers can range from white to bright yellow and its greenery are clovers. Humans have used wood sorrel for food and medicine for millennia. The Kiowa Indians chewed on wood sorrel to alleviate thirst, and the Cherokee ate the plant to cure mouth sores. The leaves are a great source of vitamin C. The roots of the wood sorrel can be boiled. They’re starchy and taste a bit like a potato.
 
Fiddleheads:
fiddlehead_fern1
The term “fiddleheads” refers to the unfurling young sprouts of ferns. Although many species of ferns are edible as fiddleheads, Ostrich Ferns are the best. They are edible only in their early growth phase first thing in the spring.
 
Blueberries:
blueberries-main-m-m
Blueberries are familiar to most people in Canada and the USA. They do grow wild in many places, and the blue berries are delicious when ripe. The flowers are said to be edible as well.
 
Jerusalem Artichoke:
kikuimo
Jerusalem Artichokes have small tubers on the roots that are delicious. It is a native plant, with a very misleading name. It is not at all related to artichokes, nor does it grow in Jerusalem.
 
Mayapple:
Podophyllum-peltatum_Mayapple_medicinal-plant-garden-in-Chicago
Large deeply cut leaves. Single large white flower under the leaves. Single yellow fruit. One of the first plants to come up in the spring. They are found in the forest, their fruit is covered by their large leaves. The ripe fruits are edible. CAUTION: Do not eat the fruit until it is ripe. Ripe fruits are yellow and soft. Unripe fruits are greenish and not soft. They are slightly poisonous when unripe: green fruits are strongly cathartic. Mayapples are among the first plants to come up in the spring.
 
Trout Lily:
Trout Lily
Also known as dogtooth violet, adder’s tongue, these bright yellow flowers are the first to bloom in the spring, they have small pointy leaves. They are found in the forests, they are edible raw.
 
Wild Leeks:
Wild Leeks
Wild Leeks are onion-like plants that grow in the deep woods. They come up in the spring, usually before much of anything else has come up.
The leaves and bulbs are edible. Please only collect when abundant, and then only collect scattered patches or individual plants. Ill effects may be experienced by some people if large amounts are eaten. If they don’t smell like onions, they aren’t wild leeks.
 
Black Locust Flowers:
Black-Locust
Black Locust is native to the Appalachian Mountain area, and is considered an invasive tree in other places. It grows quickly, and often in clusters, crowding out native vegetation and aggressively invading fields. The roots alter the nitrogen content of the soil. Most parts of the tree are toxic, causing digestive system problems. It is only the flowers that we gather and consume.
 
Violets:
Violets
Along the fringes of my lawn in the shady areas are violets-several varieties. Violets are cultivated in France for perfume. This is an incredible edible. The leaves are high in vitamin C and A. I use both the leaves and flowers in salads. Keep in mind that late season plants without flowers may be confused with inedible greens. Play it safe. Forage this plant only when it is in bloom.
 
Wild Onions:
Garlic-Chives
Wild onions and wild chives grow in fields or disturbed land. Relocate chives to your yard. It will come up faithfully year after year. The whole plant may be chopped into salads, soups, chili and stews. Likewise for wild garlic if you are lucky enough to find this elusive plant. There is some evidence that eating wild onions, wild garlic or wild chives may reduce blood pressure and lower blood sugar.
 
Visit their site for many great tips.