Wild Edibles & Medicinal Plants

Some of these medicinal powers are as simple as eating a leaf, while others take some prep work. In every case, all the steps needed to access these abilities can be done in the wild. Note I won't be covering how to identify them. That step will be left to the reader as good practice.

You may remember from school that vitamin C is a critical nutrient, but our body cannot synthesize or store it. We need approximately 175g of this multipurpose molecule to avoid scurvy and other health issues. Vitamin C, aka ascorbic acid, is the glue that attaches cells to each other, the signal flare the innate immune system uses to call for help, protects against cancer-causing free radicals, and much more. In plants, it helps redirect excess sunlight energy into non-destructive pathways. Pretty amazing! Granted, you could carry vitamin C tablets along on your adventure, but considering the ascorbic acid in these tablets is always synthetic, there are better choices for bushcrafters.