It always starts for me at this time of year: the desire for wild greenery. It's a combination of inner anticipation of the imminent green explosion that will pour out of the ground in a few weeks' time and the tingling in my fingers to finally pick and eat the greenery in nature again.
In addition to the healing, detoxifying and purifying effects of our spring herbs, such as nettle, dandelion, ribwort plantain, wild garlic, goutweed and ground ivy, another important aspect has recently become the focus of my interest, as I have been studying the gut microbiome for some time now. This topic has only become the focus of scientific attention in the last 10-15 years and is currently experiencing a boom. Not without good reason, as it is becoming increasingly clear what effects these small bacteria in our gut (gut microbiome) have. One of the main findings of research is that a large variety of gut bacteria is associated with a strong immune system and better health in general.
At this point, I would like to remind you of the much-quoted sentence from Ayurveda: "You are what you digest." The importance of digestion has long been known to the ancient Indian masters of healing. Even if they didn't know anything about bacteria back then, they treated the intestines first for practically every illness - preferably with spices to aid digestion.
In our culture today, it is unfortunately the case that our diversity of intestinal bacteria has suffered as a result of our lifestyle and has declined significantly. The main reasons for this are our no longer very natural diet, toxins, but also the use of antibiotics and other medicines. Increasing intestinal diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis are a consequence of this.
But now there is good news: we can increase our gut bacteria strains again - by incorporating more natural things into our lives and eating wild plants, for example. Our wild plants are full of phytochemicals, vitamins, chlorophyll, fiber and minerals. Our edible heralds of spring are packed with more nutrients than any available vegetables. That's why we don't need a lot of wild herbs, but we do need them regularly. Then more strains of bacteria that love wild greens will move into our intestines permanently.
Raw, in salads or cooked in vegetables, incorporated into a risotto or made into a pesto, wild plants also taste surprisingly good and finally different. And to be honest, you don't have to be a herb expert to pick dandelion and nettle leaves from the garden or meadow.
Article by Dr. Andrea Küthe Albrecht
