Foraging calms anxiety and soothes the soul.

Being fully present out on a foraging walk calms anxiety and soothes the soul.

Armed only with the intention of experiencing what comes along, you can significantly reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety.

I'll be hosting a mindful foraging workshop on the 16th of November at Mind, Body And Soul Fayre in Hartland. Come along to get a taster of what it's like to gather wild food for yourself with this engaging and relaxing activity.

Here are some shots of recent finds with their names and uses.

1. Oxeye Daisy - The leaves stems and flowers are edible. Best in spring when they are sweeter and tender. Good for sandwiches, soups and stews. The flowers can be used for tea or to decorate salads and cakes.

2. Common Comfrey - Comfrey tea is an excellent herbal remedy for allsorts of issues including upset stomach. The young leaves can be used in salads or cooked. The shoots can be used like asparagus.

3. Evening Primrose Flower - Edible petals with a sweet taste. Add to salads or use as a garnish. Roast the seeds and use as a garnish or in bread.

4. Ivy-Leaved Toadflax - Edible with a similar flavour to watercress although can be bitter. High in vitamin C a great additive for salads and sarnies.

5. Purpletop Vervain - Used in herbal medicine to treat anxiety, insomnia and depression.

6. White Bedstraw - The young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. The flowers are a pretty garnish with a fresh green taste.

7. Purple Toadflax - Not edible, can cause upset if ingested. In herbal medicine it's used as an antifungal and antihistamine.

8. Petty Spurge - Not edible, can be toxic if ingested. The sap however has medicinal uses, traditionally made into a treatment for skin lesions.

9. Perennial Wall-Rocket - The leaves are delicious on pizza or made into pesto. The flowers are edible too.

10. Drooping Sedge - The seeds can be winnowed and toasted to add to salads and breads, or ground into flour.

Please consult with your GP or a trained medical herbalist before consumption of herbal remedies. Make 100% certain of identification before consumption of wild food.

#mindfulforaging