I am reflecting today on the deep wisdom of having our food also be our medicine. We live in a world of compartmentalization, where "medicine" is something you keep in a pillbox and take twice daily. I am not a fan of taking vitamin supplements for this reason- if you consume a diet made up of nutrient dense foods prepared in ways that unlock their mineral and vitamin potential, there is no need to invest in supplements. The herbal infusions I drink every day I consider to be my vitamin supplement! Of course, circumstances exist where certain supplements may be necessary, and in fact it would be foolish to just rely on food source alone, just as if you broke your leg you would probably want to get to an ER as quickly as possible instead of just taking herbs.
The Wise Woman Tradition is not dogmatic, it recognizes the wisdom of responding to every situation with an appropriate action. With this, food as the foundation of health and healing is one of the basic beliefs within this ancient tradition. Eating wild greens such as nettle, dandelion, plantain, purslane, and chickweed is a great example of the marriage of food and medicine. I love making wild green pesto with tamari, miso, and tahini to put up for winter enjoyment. Another great example of recieving food as medicine is through my new favorite thing: Adaptogen Balls. By combining adaptogenic herbs such as maca, ashwaganda, licorice, and eluthero with raw honey and nut butters (peanut, almond, sunflower, cashew, etc), you end up with a delicious snack that can replace a bag of chips, a cup of coffee, or a candy bar. I hope these ideas inspire you to come up with your own creative ways of deeply nourishing yourselves!
