The Art of Wildcrafting Sustainably
By Jackie Christensen, BS, HHP, NC, MH
Faculty Member of GCNM
Wildcrafting is the practice of harvesting plants from their natural habitat for food or medicinal purposes. It applies to any uncultivated plant wherever it may be found. When wildcrafting is done sustainably only the branches or flowers from plants are taken and the living plant is left, or if it is necessary to take the whole plant, seeds of the plant are placed in the empty hole to ensure the plant's continued existence at that location. For wildcrafting to continue to be enjoyed by future generations care must be taken that so plenty of the plant species remain.
Ideally the plants that are grown wild in nature are without human contact. They come from unpolluted areas and with regard to the plant community and ecological balance. However, there is no guarantee the plants haven’t been exposed to chemicals and pesticides. Herbs can be exposed to exhaust fumes from passing traffic, a chemical drift from a crop-dusted farm nearby, or it may have roots in the bank of a polluted stream. For these reasons never use plants growing within 10 feet roadsides, along train track, near power-lines and fences, or close to cultivated fields.
In the United States of America, the Organic Food Production Act of 1990 regulates wildcrafted plants. Harvesters must designate the area they are harvesting and provide a three-year history of the area that shows no prohibited substances have been applied there and no prohibited substances can be added by processors. In addition a plan for harvesting must show that the harvest will sustain the wild crop.
When choosing the plants you would like to wildcraft make sure that they are not on the "At-Risk" list or "To Watch" list. In such cases try to find a cultivated variety, grow your own, or substitute something else. Plants that are not damaged easily should be the first choice of a wildcrafter. Blackberry (Rubus sp.) and Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) are two that are nearly impossible to eliminate. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) can be cut back and still flourish regularly. Plants that fit into this category are generally perennials, which allow you to harvest them without threatening their survival.
The US the Fish and Wildlife Department determines which plants receive federal protection. Unfortunately, their review process is slow and many plants become extinct while waiting to be listed. There is also a non-profit American organization called United Plant Savers whose main objective is saving endangered and threatened medicinal species. An updated list of endangered plants can be found on the website: http://www.unitedplantsavers.org/
Many books and government permit guidelines suggest harvesting 1 in 3 (33%) or 1 in 4 (25%). This has been an acceptable amount for many years. However, with the increased interest in herbal medicine and the amount of people practicing wildcrafting, other experts believe one in ten (10%) or less is a better ratio to go by. This leaves most of the stand for reproduction, and will have a minimal impact on the ecosystem. No matter what percentage of the stand you can pick, you should never harvest more than you can use.
Some plants may be difficult for a beginning wildcrafter to identify. There may be large amounts of them in one spot, so that they appear to be plentiful. Everyone who picks plants from the wild should try to familiarize themselves with the local protected plants. When in doubt, let it be. Simple plant identification with a field guide can be just as rewarding as wildcrafting and ensures that the plant life will remain for future generations to enjoy. Wildcrafting can be a fun way to connect with nature, but guidelines have to be followed in order for it to remain a sustainable practice.
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Book Review
Forget the Cures, Find the Cause: Book One
By Rayna M. Gangi
Rayna M. Gangi has given us an intelligent and concise book with a strong and ethical reminder to us not to fall back on the diagnosis, treat and cure model of health care. Rayna is long time Holistic Health practitioner with over thirty years of experience and the recipient of the excellence in teaching award in New York and throughout the south. A medical intuitive trained in Earth Medicine, a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of SUNY Buffalo and a Vietnam-era veteran of the Marine Corps, her outstanding credentials also include being listed in Who’s Who in American Women, The 2000 Most Notable Women in America, and The International Book of Honor.
This refreshing, delightful and insightful reminder of why we have chosen to follow the holistic health path gives us a powerful message and guidance on how to stay focused on the holistic way of life and health. I think this book could be considered as the handbook used to guide every one of us as Holistic Health practitioners. We can employ supplements, herbs and treatments endlessly, but if the mind/body connection is not healthy and balanced these will not result in elimination of the root causes of dis-ease, the problems will subside then reoccur. Rayna brings us back to the root cause of dis-ease, the way we eat, think, feel, behave and live our lives. With clear explanations of how these aspects are the causes of dis-ease in the human body she provides a strong holistic model for us to follow.
Throughout the book we are reminded of our connection to Heaven and Earth, and our Creator. I will share some of my favorite quotes from the book here to give you insight into the wonderful perspective Rayna has on life.
"The mind and the body are a team, and what we think or believe is reflected in our body language, our walk, our stance and our vision."
"There are only two emotions that truly exist in our lives, fear and love. Emotions are energy in motion. All feelings, thoughts and actions can be reduced to one question. Are we coming from fear or love? If we are coming from fear, we have a responsibility to face it, overcome it, or change ourselves so we come only from love."
Rayna shares that when she discusses a client’s health she asks many questions that we may not delve into, birthplace, parent’s birthplace, residences as a child, and all their moves of residence. She stresses the importance of learning the geology, water tables, plant life, homegrown vegetables, air and environment as it differs quite a lot throughout the country and the world we live in, so we must gain a full understanding of what has brought the client to where they are now and look deeper into the root cause of the dis-ease before it leads to disease of any magnitude.
Rayna beautifully describes the body as "a harbor for the soul". Listening to and feeling the flow of energy through our body provides us with information about the changes and alerts us to imbalances. She reminds us that anatomy is not hard to understand, and that physiology makes sense when you begin to think in terms of circles rather than lines. Chapter two is a brilliant exploration of anatomy and physiology, with the important point that all diseases begin in the colon and that if our colon is sick the whole body is sick. She seems not to favor the treatments from outside of the body such as colon hydrotherapy, not that she speaks against them, but she always comes back to ensuring health from within, the natural way the body employs biological processes of self-healing and maintaining equilibrium.
In Chapter Three she discusses alternative healing methods she believes to be helpful in allowing the body to heal itself. Reflexology is the first mentioned, and according to the author one of the oldest practices recognized in the USA. Reflexology is the art and science of applying pressure, with an on and off motion called "thumb-walking" by practitioners, in a way that affects every organ and body system and by some is referenced to the Chinese medicine meridian systems. As we are mostly upright our energy travels through us, and in our gravitational atmosphere it all goes to our feet. The biological debris forms blockages such as uric acid crystals in our feet and the energy from the earth cannot be received into our bodies, nor can we release the debris so our organs and systems suffer the toxic load. The book includes small foot charts and references the Eunice Ingram method of reflexology, which began in the USA around 1938.
Another alternative healing method discussed is Massage therapy, which increases circulation, oxygenates the blood system, lowers blood pressure, helps to lubricate joints and benefits the tendons, ligaments and muscles reducing inflammation. Massage also increases the flow of the lymphatic system fluids. The lymphatic system, unlike the heart, has no pump so it depends on muscular contraction and movement to ensure the flow is healthy and balanced which then allows the body to remove harmful substances. Massage also has an aspect that is emotional, providing for the human’s need for touch. Rayna gives specifics on what to look for when you seek a massage therapist and instructs how to ensure you receive a beneficial whole system massage.
Also included in the alternative healing methods is another of my favorites, music for sound healing, to bring us into resonance with a higher vibration, that higher state of being that helps to balance the chakras. This works through our nervous system which controls and co-ordinates all the organs and systems in the human body.
Chiropractic treatments are noted as important for aligning the spine and nervous system. The author provides very interesting information on the relationships between the cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae and the many ways the misalignments manifest as physical imbalances in the body organs and systems. An example is that C1 affects the brain supply to the head, the pituitary gland, the brain, the inner and middle ear. Or consider the possibility of a misalignment of C7 causing a thyroid test to produce results that show the gland as malfunctioning and drugs for life are prescribed! L1 to L5, the largest bones in the spine, affect the large intestine, appendix, abdomen, upper legs, prostate gland, uterus, bladder, knees, lower back and feet! Unresolved emotional issues all show up in the spine as we use our bodies to express our emotions.
The author also discusses self-hypnosis and hypnotherapy to free the unconscious mind from memory and the subliminal messages we accumulate throughout our lives that manifest as knee problems, memory inconsistencies, weight gain, and migraines for example. She also mentions iridology as being helpful to "read" the eyes to determine weaknesses in the organs and body systems to map the course of injury and disease. It is stressed that this modality is does not diagnose disease.
The remainder of the book is devoted to covering the seven keys to health: adequate water, food/nutrition, breathing properly to stay in balance, the earth walk defined in terms of our natural inclination to physical movement and activity, digestion and elimination, a healthy mind... because what we believe we will be, and last but not least is realizing the Spirit connection to our health, our relationship and our oneness with the universe and all its powers that are in us and all around us.
Reviewed By Moira Khouri NC, MH, HHP, CCP
Faculty Member of GCNM
Exercise of the Month
Exercise Description: Seated Fly
Instructions:
Begin the exercise by sitting down on a chair or bench. Make sure you are sitting up tall and straight. Bend your elbows to a 90-degree angle and bring them to shoulder level. The path of movement of the arms should range from directly to the side of one’s body to in front of one’s body.
Note: Make sure to not let the elbows drop below shoulder level and not to let the arms touch when coming towards one another.
Search online for values in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
