Not two herbs, but a fermented food with a herb! Its summer in sunny South Africa so purslane is back on the menu. I remember a post I did last year I think in which I found some interesting research suggesting food sources with high oxalic acid content or oxalates should be consumed with fermented (sour) food. For example, yogurt and purslane or wood sorrel. Sorry, this is not 100% within the parameters of the post, but it was the first thing that came to mind!
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I actually really appreciate knowing this!! and colouring outside the lines is always allowed. 😘
My Dutch mother used to cook it for us as kids - very lightly boiled and then a squeeze of lemon over the top. I don't think she knew WHY she did that, but it was standard for her.
A super interesting and useful bit of herbal knowledge to tuck away in the mental archive.
Nice one!
Glad I could add something beneficial!
It is always interesting to read about these stories of people doing something, like your mother, without realizing why and how beneficial it was/is. It just once again shows how important generational knowledge is and how sad and scary it is that we are slowly losing it all.
It's always fascinating to me when I discover that "something we always do" - a habit or generational knowledge, choose your slant - turns out to be grounded in serious science.
That is so right! I love it. But not to sound anti-science (because I am not haha) but sometimes people have too much faith in it and sometimes when we look at things in a very reductionist sense it can be harmful. For example, certain compounds in isolation is dangerous to eat but food never ever arrive in isolation!
I love that @artemislives agrees about colouring outside of the lines! Nice comment here, dear @fermentedphil - and yes yes yes to pairing right foods and herbs so that they all become medicine. I feel that a lot of my foods are medicinal, healing and nourishing, rather than one or the other. It's important that we recognise our food should be healing and balancing us, as well as giving us basic nutrimental aspects: this is yet another of the areas in which the agenda keeps us thinking separately from feeling: counting 'calories' or'vitamins' or 'food groups' and surveilling ourselves - when we should be fully immersed in the harvesting, the food and in the vitality of both Nature and our Life!
And to not forget the element of psychological or mental health. Knowing (i) what is in your food (as you yourself grew it) and (ii) that you actually grew it yourself, has been for my own psychological health so beneficial. Again, as you said, by compartmentalizing everything we forget all these other elements not incorporated. Walking to the store to buy food does not give that same psychological zing of being proud of your own work and to feel connected to the earth/nature. Thank you for your lovely comment!
I love this comment and yes, there is something so special about growing and harvesting what we eat. I DO also find walking to the tiny local fresh market and BUYING home grown from others also provides me with nourishment of a different kind - of being able to support someone else and being connected in community.
Yes, I forgot to add that element! Humans are not islands. Supporting others that have a similar mindset is crucial. And to learn from them as well! One person can do only so much. It is just when capitalist-greed kicks in that we get detached from what actually matters. And to add to your comment, I think that is why it feels so strange to buy fresh produce from big supermarket groups because you know it was produced mechanistically in soil that is either dead or drenched with artificial fertilisers and pesticides.
Aaah, beautiful, @fermentedphil - it is so lovely to comune with likeminded folks who really appreciate the magic of the sacred everyday!
Thank you! That is true. So many people have lost the ability or the will to see the everydayas magical.
Oh no this is perfect and I love this bit of wisdom! I think I'd red it in your post previously and forgotten so am thrilled to be reminded.
I am so glad! There is so much knowledge out there we cannot remember it all. Reminders are always in order.