Walking on Medicine

Greetings,

Kim Lusk, a really good friend of mine, and an Oconee county native, is beginning a book about natural remedies using wild edibles.  Her knowledge of local natural remedies is really interesting to me, especially in a society that is quick to grab the medicine bottle.  In fact, many of her relatives were sought out during the writing of the Foxfire books for their "mountain know-how."  Needless to say, she knows her stuff.  I have really enjoyed learning from the "Green Witch".  :)

Below is a rough draft of her introduction to her book.  Hopefully, I can convince her to do a post or two on our blog regarding natural herbal and wild remedies.  In an effort to become more self-reliant, knowing how to take care of our own bodies with what is around us is very valuable information! Below is an exert from her book.

  Walking on our Medicine

     "Where others see weeds; I see nutrition. I see healing.  I see blessings from Father God and Mother Earth.  I see (and can already feel), my hands and feet in the earth---gathering and delighting in what has been given to us, if we would just take it.  In this endeavor I feel such thankfulness and joy, and pure unadulterated contentment.

     I am puzzled though, for how did we get so far away from our ancient and inherited memories?  Why did we start “taking pills” just because a doctor ordered it without even questioning the safety of such a thing?  Why did we just toss the “granny women/witches aside after they had treated and administered to us so patiently, successfully and steadfastly for ages?  Because some man who studied medicine ages ago said they knew best? Even though they had studied only cadavers? Even though they had never even attempted to treat an illness?  Medicine has definitely improved radically over time.  Yet, there are times, and they are many, when our healing can be achieved through the plants that have been given to us. Most importantly, our health can be achieved and thrive through these simple herbs/weeds that we walk upon, rip from the earth and poison.

     Back in the day, people relished the wild edibles to be found through their foraging efforts.

     But this took a drastic and detrimental turn during the 19th century industrialization.  Eating habits shifted towards white bread, beef, and processed foods. Good-bye health.

     People attitudes changed about dandelions, chickweed and other edible wild foods/weeds. These wild potherbs that were at one time relished by even the wealthy, fell to the low ranks of poverty food.

      What a shame---these wild edibles are packed full of nutrition, good “green” flavor and health!  They are free!  They are abundant! 

     As we look around us, we see how our health has diminished over the years.  Obesity is the norm.  We curse and pull up the very herbs from our yards that would add to and enrich our health. 

      I was fortunate, in that my papa was an “herbal medicine man”.  He treated many of our ailments from kidney stones, to upset stomachs, arthritis , etc. with his herbal medicinal.  Thank you papa (Clarence Leroy Lusk) for this heritage.

     As has been said many times…Food is our medicine, and we are what we eat."

Take Care,
Chris