Edible Wild Plants for Survival, (Not) So Fast!

[abo4ster]

I just finished writing an article examining edible wild plants vs. fasting and wild game in a long-term survival situation.  For folks just getting into Plant ID, I have for sometime preached this message in hopes to provide context around the other important uses of plants, not just food.  Now here it is in writing with references.  Thanks, Chris

http://masterwoodsman.com/2014/edible-wild-plants-survival/

[U.W.]

Wow! Great article, with some VERY good and valid points, and info! 


Thanks for putting it together and posting it. 


u.w.

[upthecreek]

Chris, when we camped up in Blowing Rock with Terry, one of the things that has always stuck with me came straight from your mouth. You were heading up a little plants secession and during the course of the lesson you were asked about being able to survive on wild edibles. Your reply was "you're dead". Not necessarily what one wants to hear, but I appreciated the truth. Especially coming from someone who I knew knew their plants. I've been trying to sharpen my skills identifying plants and have gotten better. I'd hate to think I'd have to survive very long on vegetation. Appreciate you posting up the info.

Creek

[wolfy]

I've always been a disciple of John & Geri McPherson.  I really don't know why we don't hear more about them.......possibly, because they don't want to become 'movie stars'     Their stuff has always worked and made perfect sense to me, at least the things that I've tried to do in reading their books has worked out pretty well.   A 12 pound cattail salad kind of brings the idea of surviving on edible plants into perspective, doesn't it!

I kind of get a kick out of these nekkid   TV people nibbling on a few leaves & maybe a nightcrawler or two for 'badly needed protein' and then feeling "oh, so much better" when those nutrients begin coursing through their veins.     We need MEAT!

[abo4ster]

Appreciate it guys.  And appreciate your trust Creek, a hard thing to do when someone says something like that and doesn't expand like I did in the article.  In God we trust, everybody else bring data.

Interestingly, very few know the "truth" so to speak about edible wild plants for survival.  I am not the first to preach it, you hear parts of it from those I cited and I am sure others.  Was overdue for me or someone to put it all together in one message.

[wsdstan]

Very good information.  Thanks for posting this.

[Old Philosopher]

Excellent article. Thanks for referring it here.

My favorite line: "PLANTS ARE WHAT THE REAL FOOD EATS!" 

I liked the way you simplified the physiology of 'fat burning', and the fact that fasting doesn't mean starving. I know several people who engage in a 30 day "detoxification" fast at least once a year.

The symptoms outlined in the article for withdrawal from food are close to any addiction. We're 'food junkies'. Go 48 hours without a granola bar, and our minds start going spooky on us. Gotta have food! Gotta eat -- something! I'm starving!  No...you're not...you're going through withdrawals, especially psychological ones.

But fasting doesn't just mean going without food. There are dos and don'ts.  If a person takes this article seriously, and they should, it would benefit them to learn more it. Proper hydration being one of the factors.

Thanks again for brining this up.

[comis]

Thank you for a wonderful and informative read. 

The 72+ hours survival situation without food probably is widely understood or accepted, but I am happy to find more info and data to support the idea of longer term survival without food but water may be optimal(unless the person is skilled in hunting game for meeting the BMR in calories, as you have concluded), when considering how our body going thru gluconeogenesis, how much calories expanded to find food and how keeping 60% max heart rate could work in line with the 'fasting'.

[SwampHanger]

Very good info and makes great sense.

[Dude McLean]

 I just read this, obviously , very good article and the info is right on the money.. At Dirttime we have preached the same thing for years as has my partner Christopher Nyerges in his many books on the subject. We have had students who say,  well Im a vegan,  our response has always been,  you are going to die..No indigenous people were 100%vegan, anywhere in the world. They might not have meat for a long period of time but the first  New York second they could get their hands on it it was a done deal .

 John and Geri came to our Dirttime event we held in Wyoming.. in person  such cool people.. John has been very busy training military  .. Geri was very sick for a while also..

 one thing that needs to be addressed is the fact that many are on he cusp of being diabetic , say within 10 to 15 points,  and they do not even know it,  that is several million folks  . Not being able to maintain the proper sugar levels can put them in a coma.. The advice of snacks is right on.. Any doctor can tell you if you are close, it doesnt take much to push one over the edge.

 overall very good article .. enjoyed reading something that was spot on.. No BS

 Dude

 

[zammer]

Missed this 1st time around, thanks for digging it up Dude, and of course thanks for sharing the article in the 1st place abo4ster...It looks like a good read, shall check it out after work.

[upthecreek]

I'm glad it popped back up too

http://masterwoodsman.com/2014/edible-wild-plants-survival/

This article should be read by anyone with an interest in the outdoors.

Creek

[abo4ster]

 I just read this, obviously , very good article and the info is right on the money.. At Dirttime we have preached the same thing for years as has my partner Christopher Nyerges in his many books on the subject. We have had students who say,  well Im a vegan,  our response has always been,  you are going to die..No indigenous people were 100%vegan, anywhere in the world. They might not have meat for a long period of time but the first  New York second they could get their hands on it it was a done deal .

 John and Geri came to our Dirttime event we held in Wyoming.. in person  such cool people.. John has been very busy training military  .. Geri was very sick for a while also..

 one thing that needs to be addressed is the fact that many are on he cusp of being diabetic , say within 10 to 15 points,  and they do not even know it,  that is several million folks  . Not being able to maintain the proper sugar levels can put them in a coma.. The advice of snacks is right on.. Any doctor can tell you if you are close, it doesnt take much to push one over the edge.

 overall very good article .. enjoyed reading something that was spot on.. No BS

 Dude

Dude - mucho respect for you and Christopher, your feedback means a lot. Thank you, Chris

[Phaedrus]

I realize this is an old topic but things have been slow, so I'll bump it to say THANKS! Great article, and it's consistent with what I've learned about diet over the last 15 years.