I have an academic interest in foraging and survival. I think we all should be doing a lot more of it. I haven't turned my academic interest into reality because I'm aware that you should always start out with someone who knows what they're doing. I thought this would be a half step in the right direction. The majority of the book reads very well and the author is clearly incredibly knowledgeable about wild food, herbs and natural remedies, the detail of which I really enjoyed. It lost its focus occasionally and drifted into repetition at times, but this is a very minor complaint. It's all very interesting musing - picturing our ancestor's hunting grounds as a daisy really helped me grasp it - and I'm fascinated that she did manage to forage enough to keep alive and healthy. It's not as instructional as I had hoped, but that's probably on me for misunderstanding the blurb. Wilde speaks of the different seasons, and the various foraging foods that are available during that time. She speaks of the wildlife that is present on her searches, and how going without a certain amount of vitamins or minerals can have a large impact on our bodies. She regularly talks of mushrooms, and eats many of them on her challenge. I personally love mushrooms, and I found it interesting to learn of the various types. I think the only item she ate that I wouldn't be able to is pigeon. I just couldn't go there.

The Wilderness Cure | Mo Wilde | 9781398508637 | NetGalley The Wilderness Cure | Mo Wilde | 9781398508637 | NetGalley

Angsty: At times, you might feel lost, and begin to wonder what life is all about. A dose of awe might remind you just how wondrous the world is. Nature provides trees that were hundreds of years old before you were even born, towering mountains that touch the clouds and a sky full of uncountable stars. When it comes to awe-inspiring awesomeness, nature leaves our jaws dropping and spines tingling, and rekindles the realization that we’re a tiny part of an incredible universe. What’s more powerful than that? Bratman GN, Hamilton JP, Hahn KS, et al. Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2015(112);28:8567-8572. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1510459112. Mo Wilde made a quiet but radical pledge: to live only off free, foraged food for an entire year. In a world disconnected from its roots, eating wild food is both culinary and healing, social and political. Ultimately, it is an act of love and community. Over the course of the year, using her expert knowledge of botany and mycology, Mo follows the seasons to find nutritious food from hundreds of species of plants, fungi and seaweeds. In the process she discovers an even deeper connection with the earth, and learns not only how to survive, but how to thrive, nourishing her body and mind. You certainly learn a lot reading this book and it really highlights how as a society we have lost touch with nature, there is much reflection and reverence for our ancestors, our rich history of food and culture and a deep respect for gaiawhich I really appreciated.

But she is a clinical herbalist by trade, so she is quite aware of eg. how certain minor problems like dry skin might be affected by a shortage of magnesium, and what potential steps she might take to alleviate the issue. Mayer F, Frantz C, Bruehlman-Senecal E, Dolliver K. Why Is Nature Beneficial? The Role of Connectedness to Nature. 2009;41:607-643. Doi: 10.1177/0013916508319745 Morita E, Fukuda S, Nagano J, et al. Psychological effects of forest environments on healthy adults: Shinrin-yoku (forest-air bathing, walking) as a possible method of stress reduction. Public Health. 2007;121:54–63. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2006.05.024.

The Wilderness Cure – Green Christian The Wilderness Cure – Green Christian

The modern way we live has changed radically from life in the savanna, but our brains have mostly stayed the same. We still have a deep connection with nature, and research shows that if we don’t nourish that bond despite our technological advancements, we may suffer in many ways. 1 This book has encouraged me to consider varying my diet, foraging a little, trying to grow my own food or source locally grown and organic products in a manner that will benefit my health and the local environment. I doubt I could committ wholly like Mo Wilde, but I could definitely make small beneficial changes. Apart from the ‘brief history of food’ introduction, the book is written as diary log entries, filled with really fascinating details of the foraged food resources around all of us. I made lots of notes on what to look out for in my wood or hedgerow as well as considering alternative options to my present diet.Coloured by the author’s wit, fascination and enthusiasm for foraging and actual attempt at accomplishing her year long goal, the book held my attention straight away. And I felt an instant connection with the author and her ‘jump in at the deep end’ kind of style to confronting her goal. https://monicawilde.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/in_pursuit_of_foraged_flavours__the_first_islay_foragers_summit-360p.mp4 Wilde did not make me any more interested in food. However she did make me a lot more interested in humans connection to earth and it’s resources, often right underneath our noses. I absolutely loved her writing and when she ventured off on tangents on folklore, history, place names and also the science behind plants and what they can offer us I was enthralled! I found it especially interesting to learn how her year of wild food impacted her medically and her daily life. Scotland has been my home since 1995. Now my childrenhave left home, I find myself unsupervised and getting wilder day by day! Reverting to my ‘weed state’.