What are evergreens? What can you do with evergreens?

Have you heard the term "Evergreen"? It is widely used around this Northern areas since the vegetation in some zones is full of the evergreen kind of plants. What does it mean in practice?

Acording to Wikipedia: "In botany, an evergreen is a plant that has leaves in all four seasons, always green." 

The Latin Latin term is sempervirens , meaning literally, "always green".

The most common Northern evergreen is the family of Pinaceae. This Family has an immense versatility. The whole pinaceae plants are fully  rich in vitamin C. Natural vitamin C can be found easily in common plants. Synthetic vitamin C that you can get in the pharmacy is harsh with the body, since it is not natural and the body has to make a huge effort to process it. 

Cool recipe with evergreens: 

Via HerbGeek: http://www.herbgeek.com/2012/11/27/winter-medicine-evergreen-syrup/ by Michelle Czolba.

Energetically, evergreens are super appropriate to use as medicine throughout the winter. Although most of the trees have lost their leaves by now, evergreens remain green, showing us that nature lives all year long. Evergreens are also helpful with the particular ailments that abound during the cold and dark season. For the following recipe, I harvested from Norway spruce (Picea abies) and White pine (Pinus alba). Not the time of year for the tips so I used needles, twigs, cones. It turned out quite delightful with a predominantly sweet taste and evergreen-almost citrus undertones.

Evergreen Syrup Recipe:

Ingredients:

White pine needles, some twig ~2 oz weight (other pine species can be used)

Spruce needles, 2 cones ~2 oz weight (other spruce species can be used)

Filtered water to cover

Honey- half of the amount of decoction that remains (a 1:2 ratio honey:decoction)

Water added to evergreens

 

Put the plant material in a pot and cover with water. Bring this to a boil and then lower to simmer until the liquid is halved. Use a spoon as a measuring stick. You can also have a measuring cup handy to pour the liquid back and forth until it measures half of water added.

Evergreen syrup after decoction

 

Reducing the decoction to half of the original liquid takes almost ten hours. The liquid is then strained out, put back in the pot without the needles, and then the honey is added. The amount of honey to add is equal to half the amount of concentrate, so 8 ounces of concentrate would require 4 ounces of honey, or a 2:1 ratio. Warm and stir the mixture, and the syrup is done!

Evergreen syrup measured

 

Medicinal Uses for the Syrup

Tree medicine is very powerful when grounding is needed.  It fosters opening up to old wisdom, and letting oneself be cared for by the Earth. The evergreen forest is quiet, and feels limitless and mysterious. Evergreen syrup is good medicine for reflecting, meditating, and otherwise conjuring up introspective energy.

Decomposition of evergreen needles lowers the surrounding soil pH to provide a particularly acidic environment, a fact that I find interesting and relevant to its use as an antiseptic.

In Europe, pine products have been used as medicine since the Middle Ages, and their medicinal properties are pretty uniform across the Pinus genus. It acts as a stimulating antiseptic for respiratory infections and stuck mucus, and is useful for bronchitis, and at onset of colds and flus to stop infection. Pine is also used for coughs and asthma.

Spruce is useful to cut phlegm in the throat and lungs, and for opening air passages. It is high in vitamin C content, and can also be helpful for bladder conditions and in cases of leucorrhea.

Overall, Spruce and Pine syrup is great medicine to have on hand during the winter and early spring season. It can be used for acute illness, and as a winter tonic to provide a bit of sunshine in the form of a local source of vitamin C. Evergreen syrup is also really tasty, making it an easy medicine to work with as it can be added to hot water, porridge, pancakes, or taken straight.

References

The medicinal uses were compiled from the following sources:
The Earthwise Herbal, Part 2, Matthew Wood
Back to Eden, Jethro Kloss

Edible parts of Pine: 

• Cones: Gather the cones, remove seeds and shell before eating . You can eat them raw or roast them.
• Pine needles: In tea. Huge source of vitamin C
• Polen of Male pine cones can be used as flour substitute
• Inner bark: Boiled and Fried. To see how to get inner bark visit this awesome guide: http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-eat-a-pine-tree.htm

CAUTION: Eating large amounts of pine can cause toxic reactions. All pine needles, regardless of the specific tree species they come from, contain lignols, resins and mycotoxins, which can produce toxic reactions in animals, such as livestock. But certain species of pine tree are known for having particularly toxic needles. More info: http://www.ehow.com/list_5976996_pine-trees-poisonous_.html

Frank Cook talking about evergreens as a source of food:




Make sure to identify your evergreen before eating. Stick to the common ones such as pine and spruce, consult a herbalist or a botanist if you want to experiment with other pineaceae family members, never try any plant you cannot identify. Harvest and treat plants with love and respect.

Read More

Castoreum: Natural Strawberry Flavor?

Image by by Property#1 on Flickr

Via http://www.exposingthetruth.co/beaver-secretion-food-additive/#axzz2doTEc2tI

"Want a little beaver secretion with your candy or beverage? You will be disturbed to know that Castoreum is a popular food  additive which is used in perfumes, and added to food as a flavor ingredient. This ‘food additive’ is a brown, oily, bitter,  orange-brown secretion. It is found in the sacs between the anus, and the external genitals of both male and female beavers.

The discharge is combined with the beaver’s urine, which it commonly uses to mark its territory with its scent. After beavers
are skinned for their fur, the glands are taken out, usually smoked or sun dried, and then sold".

Castoreum is found in: 

• Alcoholic beverages
• Baked goods
• Gelatins
• Puddings
• Soft candy & chewing gum
• Frozen dairy
• Meat products
• Non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages
• Cigarettes
• Incense

"But, don’t we have a legal right to know? One would hope that they could be informed of what ingredients are included in the products they are purchasing and consuming. But castoreum has been included, by the FDA, in the umbrella category “Natural Flavor”, and there is unfortunately “no need” to list any such ingredients more specifically".

"Castoreum extract is a natural product which is prepared by direct hot-alcohol extraction of castoreum. The additive is often referred to as ‘natural flavoring’, in the products’ list of ingredients. It is mainly used as artificial vanilla, strawberry, and raspberry flavoring in the foods and beverages that we consume. Not surprisingly, most companies do not list their food ingredients on their website. In order to find out if a product you prefer has castoreum included in its contents, it is best to contact the company directly and ask them".

Image by Stewart Ho on Flickr

Read More

Natural or unnatural? How our food is handled. The Colombian case

Since I moved from my home country, many things have changed. Politicians have favored free trade agreements to destroy the food independence of a multibiodiverse  place such as Colombia is, imposing by force the use of foreign seeds created by foreign multinationals and gave green light to the Free trade agreement with United States of America.

Consecuences? Many.

Colombia is an agriculture based country. For generations people have worked in the fields to provide cities with fresh food. People is used to go to the market place and buy from from locals. All this is going to change.

Big market stores are going to import the new cheap foreign products. and the new reform will leave thousands of people without any income leading many to consume foreign products that are low in quality but that they can afford.



This is not far from what is happening all over the world but my question is: Why and Who can decide about our food policies?  How much people can take of the abuses of corporations and their power in policies? How do they want people to react?

The independence of our food choices should be consider a natural right. I SUPPORT THE COLOMBIAN STRIKE. Please help us to spread this message. The media is not displaying the right information.

This is the response of Colombia:

I will be updating with new information soon. Please come back!

Read More

Blackberry

More info about this plant will come shortly. Stay tuned!

Read More

Lingonberry: Vaccinium vitis-idaea the berry queen

Closer look to the leaves and fruits

Lingonberry:

Scientific name: Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Habitat: From woodland and pine forest, to bogs, moors, heaths, tundra and even barren rocky areas, including cliffs and mountain summits.

Taste: Sour (add sugar if needed)

When to pick it?: Make sure all the fruits are red. Check for white spots, is the plant has them, leave it, it needs some more days.

Main properties: Antioxidant, kills bacteria, digestive and rich in copper.

Around august, the sunny spots in the Finnish forest get cover by a carpet of red berries that adorn beautifully the end of the summer. The lingonberries are fruits very easy to recognize and harvest, and are perfect to  use with some salty food  and to make pies and marmalades.

Habitat: "Vaccinium vitis-idaea (lingonberry or cowberry) is a short evergreen shrub in the heath family that bears edible fruit, native to boreal forest and Arctic tundra throughout the Northern Hemisphere from Eurasia to North America". 

Nutrition Benefits of Eating Lingonberry via http://fruitfacts-sastha.blogspot.fi

1. Lingonberry, affectionately referred as the ‘Queen of Berries’ has a nice refreshing taste. This wild berry comes packed with a bevy of health and nutritive benefits and is known to profit human health in more ways than one.

2. Lingonberry is highly esteemed in the medicinal world for its diverse spectrum of therapeutic actions. Lingonberry serves both as a diuretic and choleretic and is known to strengthen capillary tube too. The berries are treated as carditonic and hypotensive too.

3. The pearly red lingonberries are supposedly one of the richest sources of polyphenols. Lingonberries contain berry biocomplex that is believed to have an anti-sclerotic effect. They are also believed to be a rich source of copper, an essential mineral that helps in treating pancreatic diabetes.

4. Lingonberry is a popular cure for liver ailments, gastritis, hypertony and gastric ulcer. Its capacity to regulate salt metabolism makes it an effective remedy for treating diseases like renal lithiasis, uratic arthritis and rheumatism. Lingonberry also has antiseptic properties and can be used as an astringent too.

5. Lingonberry contains tannins that help to boost the blood vessel walls, resolve mineral metabolism and neutralize toxins, thereby improving digestion and toning up the body.

6. Lingonberries are touted as excellent cure for urinary tract infections. These pearly red, ripe berries are found to contain short chained proanthocyans that is believed to keep away the infection causing bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall. Lingonberry juice or powder when taken regularly is likely to reduce the risk of urinary tract infection in women by forty percent.

7. These small berries are believed to be excellent source of vitamin A, B and C and are power-packed with other essential nutrients like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium and potassium. Because of their rich nutritional value, lingonberries are believed to favor both blood and bone health.

8. Apart from being rich in essential nutrients, these humble berries are a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Lingonberries are also found to be a potent source of essential fatty acids and are highly esteemed because of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Regular consumption of lingonberries keeps the free radicals from spreading in the body.

9. Lingonberries are a storehouse of flavonoids, especially quercetin. Apart from having anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, quercetin has antihistamine properties that help to alleviate allergy symptoms.

10. Like most other berries, lingonberries are known to boost the levels of good cholesterol, improve blood pressure. They are thereby held as a productive source of heart health.

Upper view of the bush

Other interesting board from pinterest: http://pinterest.com/luvsey/lingonberries/

Do you have something to add? Leave your comment below! after review I will quote it in the post and remain as your contribution.

Read More

Wild strawberries (fragaria vesca): Natural candy!

Detail of wild strawberry fruit

Strawberry:

Scientific Name: Fragaria Vesca

Habitat: Grow from low valleys to timberline in moist soils within meadows, woods and streambeds.

Main properties: Plenty! read here: http://www.botanical-online.com/english/strawberryproperties.htm

Additionally, strawberries can white the teeth when mixed with bicarbonate. Simply make a paste with 50-50 of both ingredients and rub your teeth with it. Leave it for 3 minutes and wash your mouth. Use it twice per week.

When to pick them?: When the fruit is totally red, they are more sweet and aromatic when totally red.

Wild strawberries or fragaria vesca are one of those short pleasures we cannot miss when summer arrives. Planted strawberries have a delicious taste as well but it is not as aromatic, intense and rich of the little wild strawberry. It is important to add that planted strawberries are sometimes treated with many pesticides that can decrease our endocrine functions: 

"Campaign partners Générations Futures and Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN-E) conducted an investigation into strawberries sold in France, originating from the country or from Spain. Out of 49 samples analysed, 91.83% contained one or more pesticide residues and in total, 71.42% of the samples contained pesticides that are EDCs."

To read the full article follow this link: http://www.edc-free-europe.org/whats-in-your-strawberries/ 

You can find wild strawberries easy along the path walks in sunny areas, and even thou their habitat needs some moisture, I have seen them along roads where the soil has some sand and not much moist.

The season is very short and the battle to get good looking fresh ones is between you, the mooses, the deer and the snails! But do not worry, there are plenty of strawberries for everybody.

You can pick a big bunch of them and put them on a straw like this picture from pinterest:

Image taken from: http://pinterest.com/pin/99149629265805911/

Some important things to know about wild strawberries extracted from the web:

Source: http://www.fcps.edu

"Wild Strawberry is a common creeping plant that grows in forests,fields, lawns, forest edges, roadsides, and streamsides (just about anywhere). It can grow up to six inches tall, and its leaves are split into three leaflets. Each leaflet is 1 to 1 1/2 inches long and has teeth on its edges. Petiolesare hairy. Creeping plants, like strawberries, have runners. Runners are stems which grow sideways on the surface of the soil. As the runners grow, they send up new strawberry plants".   Flower detail image by Distant Hill Gardens

                                       
The wild strawberry flowers from April to June. Pick the ones that have an intense red color. Avoid the damaged ones (dark red, bad smell).

Parts used: Root, leaves, fruit


Uses for healing: Traditionally, Wild Strawberry was used to treat the liver, intestinal and stomach disorders. The leaves and roots were used in treatments of gum disease.

Nowadays, leaves are used as an astringent, in cases of sore throats, cuts, burns and bruises. Make a tea with the leaves if you have diarrhea.

The fruit has diuretic and cooling properties. It is usually used to treat arthritis, tuberculosis, gout and rheumatism. The tincture made from the leaves is useful in case of gingivitis.


NOTE TO SELF and TO YOU: 
"The red pigment found on strawberries seem to protect against UVA radiation (Anthocyanins) = Natural Sunblock

Homemade natural sunblock via http://frugallysustainable.com:
http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/03/a-recipe-for-natural-homemade-sunscreen/

Let me know if you try this out!!

Upper view of strawberry bush

More info:

How to grow organic via about.com strawberries? http://organicgardening.about.com/od/fruits/a/orgstrawberries.htm

Interesting video made by YuraGim: Facts about strawberries

Do you have something to add? Leave your comment below! after review I will quote it in the post and remain as your contribution.

Read More

European Blueberry or Bilberry a superfood you should not discard

Blueberry:

Scientific Name: Vaccinium myrtillus

Habitat: Nutrient-poor soils throughout the temperate and subarctic regions of the world. (Meaning pine. spruce, birch forests.)

When to pick it?: Make sure the fruits have a good size and dark violet color. Discard any black or green fruits.

Taste: If ready, blueberries have a very special taste. Between sweet and sour.

Main properties:

Antioxidant, high in vitamin C and a good source of fiber, blueberries have a compound, pterostilbene, which acts to protect the heart in the same way as cholesterol-lowering drugs. They also contain anthocyanins, which give them their blue colour. Other flavonoids reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. It is believed that blueberries have an anti-cancer effect.

If you have tried blueberries before you will get hook on them. In Finland they start growing in the beginning of July and last until the beginning of September.  They need rain in order to grow. When summer season is very dry it is harder to find them.

Blueberries are very easy to identify but not so easy to pick, since their size is rather small it is easier to use a berry picker.   

NOTE: 

In Austria, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Switzerland, it is an everyman's right to collect bilberries, irrespective of land ownership, with the exception of private gardens and nature reserves. (Click the link to know more about everymans right law via wikipedia).

If you thought that blueberries are originally from Northern countries... "Highbush blueberries were first introduced to Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands in the 1930s, and have since been spread to Romania, Poland, Italy, Hungary and other countries of Europe".

Image by: knitting iris

Blueberries are perennial flowering plants with indigo-colored berries (Meaning violet)  in the section Cyanococcus within the genus Vaccinium. Species in the section Cyanococcus are the most common fruits sold as "blueberries" and are native to North America. Wikipedia

Overlook of how blueberries look when picked from the plant. 

Blueberries are perennial flowering plants with indigo-colored berries (Meaning violet)  in the section Cyanococcus within the genus Vaccinium. Species in the section Cyanococcus are the most common fruits sold as "blueberries" and are native to North America. Wikipedia

Important information extracted from The Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/dietandfitness/3336649/Super-foods-blueberries.html

"Do blueberries boost brainpower?Yes. A US university study showed that blueberries slow down mental ageing.
When older rats were fed the fruit for two months, they navigated mazes faster and had improved balance and co-ordination. In humans, about 100g a day can stimulate the growth of new brain cells.
Will they make you gorgeous?
Quite possibly. They contain polyphenols, which combat the effects of free radicals, a key cause of wrinkles, and so keep skin looking younger for longer. They also help the body to make collagen, which keeps skin supple.
Important!
Use gloves or dark clothes while handling blueberries, it stains the hands and clothes easily, since it is not a hard fruit.

NOTE TO SELF AND TO YOU: Try dyeing some clothes with blueberries!
http://www.alinasadventuresinhomemaking.com/2012/09/how-to-dye-fabric-with-blueberries.html


Other inspiring resources about blueberries:

Salon Bizarre WTF funny video Can one dye hair with blueberries?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knmn78Fkov0

Pinterest board: Grow, eat, use: Blueberries 
http://pinterest.com/cacophonyart/grow-eat-use-blueberries/

Pinterest board: Blueberry recipes: 
http://pinterest.com/SeasonsSuppers/blueberry-recipes/

Read More

Plantain (Plantago major)

Plantain is one of this very common wild herbs that lay in our backyard and we pass for granted, without knowing the amazing properties it has for our health:

Plantain:
Scientific Name: Plantago Major
Habitat: Common garden weed, usually found in lawns
When to pick it?: Choose the tender young leaves, discard any bad looking, leaves with discoloration and insect bites.

Taste: If picked young taste like salad, the texture is harder.

Main properties: via http://www.pfaf.org/

"Common plantain is a safe and effective treatment for bleeding, it quickly staunches blood flow and encourages the repair of damaged tissue. The leaves are astringent, demulcent, deobstruent, depurative, diuretic, expectorant, haemostatic and refrigerant.

Internally, they are used in the treatment of a wide range of complaints including diarrhoea, gastritis, peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, haemorrhage, haemorrhoids, cystitis, bronchitis, catarrh, sinusitis, asthma and hay fever. They are used externally in treating skin inflammations, malignant ulcers, cuts, stings etc. The heated leaves are used as a wet dressing for wounds, swellings etc. The root is a remedy for the bite of rattlesnakes, it is used in equal portions with Marrubium vulgare. The seeds are used in the treatment of parasitic worms.

Plantain seeds contain up to 30% mucilage which swells up in the gut, acting as a bulk laxative and soothing irritated membranes. Sometimes the seed husks are used without the seeds. A distilled water made from the plant makes an excellent eye lotion."

Hazardness:  High doses may cause a fall in blood pressure and diarrhea. Possible allergic contact dermatitis. Avoid in patients with intestinal obstruction or abdominal discomfort. Do not self medicate yourself and use with discretion. Discard use if not identified properly.


When small I used to talk with my very old neighbor Alicia about plants. For me she was a Witch with very long white hair and I admired her knowledge about tradicional colombian plant medicine. She had very bad eyes and everyday used "Yanten" or Plantain as cataplasms to increase her sight.

Oral tradition is one of the best methods to learn about plants. One amazing thing about plants is that you can connect people with you knowledge of them, you can make someone immortal in your memory. For me ,Plantain is Alicia, for example.

Via Wikipedia: 

"Plantago major ("broadleaf plantain" or "greater plantain") is a species of Plantago, family Plantaginaceae. The plant is native to most of Europe and northern and central Asia,but has widely naturalised elsewhere in the world.
Plantago major is one of the most abundant and widely distributed medicinal crops in the world. Apoultice of the leaves can be applied to wounds, stings, and sores in order to facilitate healing and prevent infection. The active chemical constituents are aucubin (an anti-microbial agent), allantoin(which stimulates cellular growth and tissue regeneration), and mucilage (which reduces pain and discomfort). Plantain has astringent properties, and a tea made from the leaves can be ingested to treat diarrhea and soothe raw internal membranes.

Undeveloped plantain flower

Broadleaf plantain is also a highly nutritious wild edible, that is high in calcium and vitamins A, C, and K. The young, tender leaves can be eaten raw, and the older, stringier leaves can be boiled in stews and eaten.

Plantago major grows in lawns and fields, along roadsides, and in other areas with that have been disturbed by humans. 

Upper view of plantain

How to use plantain in a practical sense? 

Plantain Insect Sting and Bite Remedy 

http://www.5orangepotatoes.com/blog/2009/09/01/plantain-insect-sting-and-bite-remedy/

Pinterest board about foraging plantain 

http://pinterest.com/cacophonyart/foraging-plantain/

Read More

WARNING: How to test if a plant is edible via wiki how and EatTheWeeds

1. 1
   THIS IS AN IMPORTANT INFORMATION : PLEASE FOLLOW THIS METHOD EVERY TIME YOU TASTE A NEW PLANT. DO NOT FEEL OVERCONFIDENT ABOUT THE USE OF ANY PLANT UNTIL YOU ARE 100% SURE.
2. 
   
3. Avoid ever having to use this method without careful planning. Some 
4. plants can be deadly, and even if you follow these guidelines perfectly, there is always a chance that a plant will make you seriously ill. Prepare yourself for wilderness outings by learning about the local flora and fauna, and carry a guidebook or taxonomic key to help you identify plants. Even if you are unprepared and cannot find food you know to be safe remember that, depending on your activity level, the human body can go for days without food, and you're better off being hungry than being poisoned.
   
   
   
   
5. 2
   Find a plant that is plentiful. You don't want to go through the rigorous process of testing a plant if there's not a lot of it to eat.
   
   
   
   
6. 3
   Abstain from eating or drinking anything but purified water for 8 hours before the test. However, if you have to use this method, this step will probably be unavoidable.
   
   
   
   
7. 4
   Separate a plant into parts. Some plants have edible parts and poisonous parts. In order to test if a plant is edible, you actually just want to check if one part (leaf, stem, or root) of one kind of plant is edible. After you have separated the plant into parts, inspect each part you are preparing for parasites. If you encounter worms or small insects inside the plant, discontinue the test with that sample and consider seeking a different sample of the same plant. Evidence of worms, parasites or insects indicates that the plant is rotten, especially if the organism has vacated the plant. Many parts of plants are only edible during certain seasons (for example, acorns collected after the fall are usually rotten). If you find grubs inside the plant, the plant is rotting, but the grubs are edible and contain high amounts of protein (although they taste sour and are gritty).
   
   
   
   
8. 5
   Find out if the plant is contact-poisonous. A contact-poisonous plant is one that causes a reaction merely by touching your skin. Rub the selected plant part on the inside of your elbow or wrist. Crush it so that the sap touches your skin, and hold it there for 15 minutes. If the plant causes a reaction in the next 8 hours, do not continue testing that part of that plant.
   
   
   
   
9. 6
   Prepare a small portion of the plant part. Some plants are poisonous only when raw, so it's a good idea to cook the plant part you are testing if possible. If you can't cook the plant or if you don't anticipate that you will be able to cook it in the future, just test it raw.
   
   
   
   
10. 7
    Hold a small portion of the prepared plant part against your lip for 3 minutes. Do not put the plant in your mouth. If you notice any burning, tingling, or other reaction, discontinue testing.
    
    
    
    
11. 8
    Place another small portion of the plant part on your tongue. Hold the plant on your tongue without chewing for 15 minutes. Discontinue testing if you notice any reaction.
    
    
    
    
12. 9
    Chew the plant and hold it in your mouth for 15 minutes. Chew the plant well, and do not swallow. Discontinue testing if you notice any reaction.
    
    
    
    
13. 10
    Swallow the small portion of plant.
    
    
    
    
14. 11
    Wait 8 hours. Do not eat or drink anything during this period except purified water. If you feel sick, immediately induce vomiting and drink plenty of water. If activated charcoal is available, take that with the water. Discontinue testing if you experience any adverse reaction.
    
    
    
    
15. 12
    Eat 1/4 cup of the same kind of plant part prepared the same way. It is critical that you use exactly the same part of exactly the same kind of plant, and that you prepare it in exactly the same way as you did the initial sample.
    
    
    
    
16. 13
    Wait an additional 8 hours. Abstain from any other food except purified water. Induce vomiting immediately as above if you should feel ill. If no reaction has occurred, you may assume only that particular part of the plant is safe to eat, and only as prepared during the test.
    
    
    
    
17. 14
    Begin a new test, if the plant part you have chosen fails any of the tests. If the first plant part you choose appears contact-poisonous, you may immediately test a new plant on your other arm or behind your knee. If the plant causes a reaction before you have swallowed it, wait until the symptoms have disappeared before testing a new plant. If you have an adverse reaction after you've swallowed the plant, wait until symptoms have disappeared and start a new test. Although there may be edible parts of the plant you initially chose, it is preferable to move on to a different plant for subsequent tests.
    
    
    
    

Alternative Method

If you are in a situation where you have access to other sources of safe food, you can incorporate this test into your diet more gradually by splitting it up into 3 stages, and using your 8 hours of normal sleep as the 8 hours of pre-test for each stage. Again, this should only be used if you are in a survival situation (e.g. your existing food rations are running low, and you need to start testing another source before your current one is depleted) or if you cannot find documentation for a particular plant and are willing to undergo the risks (poisoning and death) involved.

1. 1
   Wake up and do the contact-poisonous part of the test. After 8 hours, eat a normal meal (not of the plant under test).
   
   
   
   
2. 2
   Next morning, complete the test up to swallowing a single piece. After 8 hours, assuming you are still alive and well, eat a normal meal again.
   
   
   
   
3. 3
   Eat the full sample of the plant under test on the 3rd morning. After 8 hours, celebrate life and the adding of a new edible plant to your experience by eating a nice meal.
   
   
   
   
4. 4
   Don't disregard any other steps, or tips, or warnings; this alternative method is only to save your body from the stress of 24 hours of fasting, and enables you to continually test new plants in your area without going hungry for more than 16 hours a day, and only 8 hours on the final day, assuming 1/4 cup of the food can sustain you.
   
   
   
   
   In this great video you will learn about the term "ITEMIZING" Meaning a simple method to identify edible plants made by http://www.eattheweeds.com/  
   
   

Read More