Gabriele Resch is a mother of 5 now adult children, and a health trainer with a big passion for herbs and natural living. She learned from her mother, from courses and from books, and loves to pass on her knowledge to younger generations.
She taught me a thing or two in this conversation.
About how she uses herbs in vegan cooking, juices and smoothies, and the combinations she makes.
About the way she sees the role of plants and herbs in holistic and natural health care.
About the popularity of Reverend Kneipp, and historical women like Hildegarde von Bingen and Maria Treben.
About the use of herbs for poultices and baths, with easy tips to try this at home.
About the state of basic botanical knowledge in Austria and Germany and the growing interest with the younger generation.
About herbal education and practicing medical herbalism as a 'heilpraktiker' in Germany.
About where she finds or buys good quality herbs, and the one herb that everyone should have in their garden. (spoiler alert: there's a whole list)
About the different flora and biodiversity in the mountains.
About how she sees herbal medicine evolving in Europe.
And lots more.
🍏
You can find all information about the Fruit Festival / Festival Frischer Früchte on the website: https://festivalfrischerfruechte.at/
There will be two more events this year:
Bad Gastein, Austria, 08.-14.09.2025 - in both languages English and German
Turkey, Dalaman, Dalyan, 22.-29.10.2025 - in both languages English and German
🌿 I'm looking for more interesting guests to talk about European herbalism and foraging in Europe. If you know anyone that would be perfect for this podcast, please let me know.
If you want to reach out, you can find me on Instagram @wildplantforager, and on Facebook.
You can also find more about me or contact me through my website www.wildplantforager.com
But please don't hang around online for too long. Go outside, and follow your wild heart 💚
🎼 music by Eva LaRuna
Disclaimer:
The information in the WYLDE podcast has been compiled with the utmost care. We try to keep it as current, complete and accurate as possible, yet no rights can be derived from this podcast episode.
We accept no liability for: direct or indirect damages resulting from possible errors and omissions, the content of linked websites, or the opinions of interviewed guests.
Please take into account that transcripts were automatically created by A.I. and may contain mistakes.
The content of this podcast in no way replaces personal medical advice or treatment by doctors and other medical professionals.
[00:00:33]
Unknown:
Welcome to Wild, the podcast for wildlings just like you. Wildlings who want to transform transform the prevalent plant blindness to collective plant wisdom. My name is Liebe Gollle. I've been working as a herbalist and wild plant forager in Belgium since 02/2002. In those years, I've seen a lot of changes. Working with plants has become more popular, but I've also seen time is running out for our planet. As foragers and herbalists in Europe, sometimes we're dealing with different plant species and different cultural approaches towards plants. In some countries, working with plants is licensed, and in others, it's almost illegal.
I believe that together, we can learn from one another and be stronger. There is nothing more empowering than connecting wild souls. Together, we can have a greater impact on restoring the ancient link between people and plants. And that's why for this podcast series, I'm talking to fellow herbalists and foragers in Europe. So if you're ready to find out what you've never been told, but what your soul already knows, welcome to Wild.
[00:02:12] Unknown:
Hello, Wildlings. Welcome to a new episode of Wild. Today, I have Gabriela Resch. She's, an amazing person. She's a mother of five adult children. She's a health trainer with a big passion for herbs and natural living. She has learned a lot from her own mother, from courses, from books. So welcome, Gabriela. Thank you so much for being here.
[00:02:41] Unknown:
Thank you so much, Lise, that I can be with you here. And I look forward to our talk.
[00:02:47] Unknown:
Yes. So how did your love for plants and for the herbs, how did it get started?
[00:02:56] Unknown:
Yeah. As I said, I had a mother who was quite interested in herbs and treating with plants and making their her own teas for this and this ailment, you know, for little things. And she collected plant books and, studied what she had learned. Every Sunday, I saw her, taking out pieces from magazines, you know, pages from magazines, which she studied then and also made herself, files of it. And she we we also got things to eat from the garden or wild things. You know? She collected wild herbs and so on, made a meal out of it. Yeah.
[00:03:46] Unknown:
Okay. Wow. Wow. And this was this was a common thing back then in Austria? Or
[00:03:54] Unknown:
Not necessarily. I don't actually know where she got it from because her mother was already sick, when she grew up, yeah, from childhood. And, so from her mother, she can't have it. Maybe there was another person. I never asked her. Mhmm. And,
[00:04:19] Unknown:
how are you using the herbs today?
[00:04:23] Unknown:
Yeah. I I also use so much in food, and I love gardening. And, have my own little piece here in front of my balcony. And, yeah, and but I also like to collect them outside when I go on my walks and so. And I'm interested. What's that? What's that? And look up. And, I have a friend nearby who already wrote books about wild herbs, and she but she more or less used them in in common cooking. Yeah? And I'm not doing any common cooking. I'm, vegan for a long time. And, also, I eat more and more raw. Mhmm. And so I put the plants into my smoothies or salads. Yeah. Also the wild herbs.
[00:05:32] Unknown:
Yes. Yes. And while we are having this conversation, I'm having a thistle juice. So I just make it with thistles and then some lemon and some apple, and it just really tastes wonderful. And it's like you can feel it coming down your throat, and it's just so energizing. I really I really love that.
[00:05:52] Unknown:
Oh, wow. Yeah. Yeah. Is it,
[00:05:56] Unknown:
milk thistle or Yes. It's milk thistle, actually. Yes. It is. There was a huge plant Yeah. In our vegetable garden, and my husband said, hey. I I need to plant some new things. This one has to go. And I took it out, and I it was, like, two and a half liters of juice that came out of it. It was so big.
[00:06:18] Unknown:
Did you choose the whole plant?
[00:06:21] Unknown:
Yes. I juiced the whole plant. It was already flowering, but I just put it in my slow juicer and it yeah. It was perfect. They're usually the leaves are a little bit less bitter before they flower, but with the lemon juice and the apple and the juice, it was really fine. So, I'm wondering how you see the role of plants and of herbs specifically. I know you're a holistic person. You you, you do a lot with natural health. So what role do the herbs and the wild herbs play in that whole picture?
[00:07:01] Unknown:
I think quite a big one is, this natural approach or back to nature in a sense, concludes somehow to use what's there. Yeah? And and I also know and got to know this more and more in time that, every plant has special properties, yeah, and has, really can heal. And, as reverend Knipe said, there is a herb for every sickness or ailment. Yeah. And, yeah. And so I really love that. What grows in the wild also berries and collect, yeah, what I can get and enrich my food because I think it's much more full in in vitamins and minerals and, yeah, whatever whatever is in there. Is it's richer than the normal gardening food or from the supermarket anyway.
[00:08:17] Unknown:
Mhmm. So and you you just mentioned Knipe. He worked a lot with herbal buds. Do you also work with herbs and and buds?
[00:08:30] Unknown:
Yeah. Not so much. Whereas I do poultices and so with with the herbs. Okay. Yeah. Nice. I've made a lot of, suggestions, with poultices, with wrappings, and, yeah, or just steam baths and things like that. Steam bath and and cold, yeah, cold wrappings, cold shower, or, knee dashes and stuff like that. So I there, I rather worked with only water, and I did that with my children. You know? When they were sick, then they had to undergo a treatment. And after a while, they came and said, mama, we need a treatment again. Yeah.
These things help. Yeah. These things just, relieve the body of toxins, of whatever pain and and some burden.
[00:09:43] Unknown:
And what are what are some of the herbs that you're using in the poultices?
[00:09:49] Unknown:
For example, I have to look it up in English. It's milfoil. Milfoil or yarrow?
[00:09:58] Unknown:
Yes.
[00:09:59] Unknown:
This is for the liver, to cleanse the liver. And, so just put it on and be there for an hour or so. And, yeah, and every now and then, do it again, and it will help the liver to get rid of the toxins.
[00:10:19] Unknown:
Yes. Wow. That's so interesting. Because I remember when I was studying herbalism, I was reading this book of, Maurice Mersegay. I don't know if you know him. He's from France. Yeah. He, he was helping people with herbal baths, but not like, yes, whole baths, but also like foot baths and arm baths. And I thought that was really fascinating because I think it's a kind of herbal healing that is not used so much anymore because it takes time. And people want to do everything quick, and they want to have a quick fix. And, you know, poultices and bots, these things need need time. And I think it's it's interesting to see how you can still use them because the time is also medicine, I think, because people are invited to slow down and to become close to themselves.
[00:11:15] Unknown:
Yeah. And I think, as you said already or mentioned it now, to come down, calm down, come down and calm down, and rest gives the body some time to recover. Mhmm. And also with the children, it was a time of being with them. Yes. Telling them stories or reading stories or, yeah, talking to them, and they really liked it. And I have even now, you know, I have a son in America, and I was there this year already for two months. And all of a sudden, they all got the code. They they have eight children now. Wow. And and I got the code, and, you know, then it just goes mixed around.
And so I I distributed my wrappings. Yeah. Everyone got one who was really sick. And the next time they came again and said, we want one again. You know? It it is really somehow refreshing, rejuvenating.
[00:12:25] Unknown:
Mhmm. Yeah. How how what tips would you give to people who want to try herbal poultices? What is a good poultice to start with?
[00:12:36] Unknown:
Yeah. It depends what where they would want to have it applied or what problem they have. There are several things. You know? You could even put cayenne pepper on on the sole of the feet.
[00:12:53] Unknown:
Okay.
[00:12:54] Unknown:
Yeah. To help them also to bring the body back into movement and also to recover the cold feet or to make them more, filled with blood and it depends, really. Or you put on, like, cucumber on the skin or avocado on the skin, things like that, which makes it nice. What else did we do with herbs? For example, the man, the dandelion, I'd rather eat, yeah, as I have them in my smoothies. And the, plantain or with that as well, or the the ladies' bath straw, or cleaver. Yes. Or cleaver or cleaver.
[00:13:57] Unknown:
Cleaver. Yeah.
[00:13:59] Unknown:
Exactly. This one, I put into my smoothies too or or into the salad. It's very soft.
[00:14:07] Unknown:
Mhmm. The soft tops The tops are great in the salad because they're so soft, and they're not sticky. Yes.
[00:14:15] Unknown:
Yes. Not the sticky one, but the soft one. Get that plain one. The soft one. Okay. Okay. I didn't use the the other one, the sticky one.
[00:14:26] Unknown:
Okay. I do use the sticky one in like, in smoothies or sometimes the the tops are not so sticky, and this you can just put in a salad. But, really, like, when they're young, I'm just need the upper tops. That that works really well for me. Okay. That's fine to know. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:14:44] Unknown:
Yeah. You know, there is there are so many properties of these plants. You can't know all of them and keep them in their head. It it it's just so much of where you can use them.
[00:14:59] Unknown:
Yes. Yeah. And it's interesting to hear you talk about the cayenne pepper on the feet because I remember an old remedy here in Belgium, and it's it's hardly ever been used nowadays. But an old remedy is to have, your food bath with mustard powder. So just the the powder of the mustard seeds. Okay. Yes. And this was like a traditional remedy that my grandparents, I I've heard them talking about that as a child. But for them, it was already like an old remedy. So and nowadays, I don't think anybody still does it.
[00:15:38] Unknown:
I think it was when you were starting to have a cold. And, also, I think
[00:15:43] Unknown:
probably, like, in wintertime when they were outdoors for a long time and they were really feeling cold and, you know, like, the way we would use ginger more today, I think, they took a mustard food bath just to warm the body up again.
[00:15:59] Unknown:
Yeah. This they had available, maybe more than Mhmm. The other things. K? Yes. Exactly. And and I guess it has to enhance the blood flow in the feet. Yeah? Yeah. And make them warm and make the whole body warm. So I use a cayenne pepper in my salads too, and it makes a little warm and, yeah, it's nicer.
[00:16:23] Unknown:
So you live in Austria, and I'm wondering how is, like, the basic botanical knowledge of the people. Is is there, like, a difference in the countryside and and the cities, or is it with the young people or with the old people different? How how exactly is that?
[00:16:42] Unknown:
I'm Austrian. I do not actually live in Austria as I'm just across the border in Germany, but it's about the same setting. Yeah. People are nearly the same. Maybe in the countryside, it's more common than in the cities and also with the older people and not the younger so much. I think the youngest younger people didn't have so much access to to this knowledge from their parents or I don't know. Yeah. The next general my generation knew some. And even the older ones and two, three generations back, they knew much more. But nowadays, you can go to the doctor, get the pill, and that's it.
And as you said, it's easy and quick.
[00:17:40] Unknown:
Yes. So you think it's it's really, because of of modern medicine becoming because of the growing, imperium, let's call it, of modern medicine, or is it like disinterest of the of the young people that just show no interest anymore? Or is it that, the older people were not interested in in passing the knowledge along? Or what exactly happened?
[00:18:11] Unknown:
I think it's a bit of nearly everything. I think that modern medicine has spread so much more. Yeah? My grandma, they didn't go to the doctor as often as we did or we do in our times. Yeah. And, also, things got cheaper for us, I guess Yeah. When we go just with modern medicine. But with the interest, I see maybe a little growing interest in the very younger ones as a who want to be more natural and, having a family in in maybe outside in the woods or so and wanting to be more a part of nature again. This is there. But the normal society, very busy in cities and, yeah, in their profession.
They don't have the time and also no need to get to know this.
[00:19:21] Unknown:
Yes. I think it's pretty similar here in Belgium. I think the older generations knew a lot more than than we know today, even even as professionals. But, yes, I I see also this growing interest amongst young people. They really want to know. And I think they're, I think once they get into it, they know what they have been missing all this time because knowing about the plants also gives you a sense of belonging in the landscape where you live because you it's it's really a very weird situation to live in a space and to go outdoors and not be able to recognize all the plants and know what they're used for.
And once you reinstate that in people, people are, I don't know, it it makes them more happy. I see this happening with my students. It makes them more happy because they So yeah. Yeah. Mhmm. So it's yeah. I'm I'm glad that there is a growing interest. Absolutely. Yeah. So and and, like, in Germany or in Austria, what what is it like if you, like, want to have some herbal education? Are there any herbal schools that you can attend? Or
[00:20:43] Unknown:
There are several. And, in in Austria, you cannot really practice it as, as a professional. Mhmm. You have to be if you go into that healing profession, then you have to be a doctor in Austria. In Germany, you can be a Heil Practicare. Yeah. So this is a person who learns the natural way of treating sicknesses, ailments. And in in Germany, this is possible.
[00:21:24] Unknown:
Okay. But in Austria, you can do herbal schooling, but you cannot practice as a herbalist?
[00:21:34] Unknown:
Not not if you're not a doctor. Okay. You can give some you can you, yeah, you can do courses, just for people who are interested. You know? You can use it for yourself or it's not but not that you can
[00:21:54] Unknown:
go into the healing profession with it. Mhmm. Mhmm. But it's pretty much the same in Belgium, actually. But I'm I'm very curious about the German part of Heil Pratigge. How does it how does it work? So you can treat patients, or how how is that exactly?
[00:22:14] Unknown:
Yes. And there are health practical schools. So that means, you would have to go to one of these accepted schools and then have, in several areas, have some knowledge. Okay. People sometimes are disappointed in from the normal medicine. Yeah. And then they try to get some more counsel also from health practicums.
[00:22:46] Unknown:
Yes. Yes. I can see, like, especially in chronic conditions, it can be interesting to find other other approach approaches and just a quick fix kind of modern medicine, approach. Or sometimes people have really bad side effects of of medicines that they are taking, and they're just fed up with them. So Yeah. Yes.
[00:23:09] Unknown:
Well, it didn't help them somehow. Yeah. And so more long term long term effect is much better with nature. And even with, what I said, approach. It is helping the body to get rid of the toxins to can to heal itself. And this is not what the approach of the medicine is. This is just for relieving pain, relieving the state you're in, which has its place, I guess. Yeah? Absolutely. Yes. When there is there is some need, yeah, an operation or an accident or something.
[00:23:59] Unknown:
Yes. And what I'm also wondering because you mentioned KNIFE, and I know a lot of as you live in Germany, a lot of people in Germany, I've noticed still have, like, a a book of Hildegard von Bingen, in their bookshelf. So so how how well known is is Hildegard in Germany? Is it really, like, most people know who she is? Or
[00:24:27] Unknown:
I guess many do. I'm not so much into her things because, she's a bit weird. Yeah. I know.
[00:24:38] Unknown:
With strawberries are diabolical.
[00:24:43] Unknown:
Well, yeah. No. I don't see that this is yeah. Me too. And they have very good properties. You know? You should have them every day with certain conditions. But, yeah, it's not that just looking at the thing, at the herb or plant and seeing what it is good for, what what does it have more than others maybe or so, and where would it help, and then take it. Yeah. Certainly, there are, plants which are toxic. We know that, and we shouldn't take them. Or we have really a very special case where we just have to use a little bit of it or so.
[00:25:41] Unknown:
Yes. Yes. But,
[00:25:43] Unknown:
I I would not like to go into that.
[00:25:47] Unknown:
Yes. I think what fascinates me personally most about Hildegard, how as a woman she has you know, in that in the time where she lived as a woman, I think the fact that she she wrote music and that she, she did all this herbal studies and she had her own opinion on things is is very surprising and is, well, guess, that that somehow she was allowed to do that and that we still have have writings that that document this. And I think as a historical figure, she's really interesting. But I know some of her books, like, people people just really very strictly want to follow what she has been writing, and it's not always, you know, spot on, so to say. So yeah.
Yes. And, of course, in Austria, you also have, Maria Treben. Right? This is I think the book of Maria Treben, I think this is one book that a lot of herbal people in Belgium also have on their bookshelf. This is, like, one of the most wild, yeah, widely spread, books on herbal medicine, I think. Yes. Yes.
[00:27:07] Unknown:
And there are also a few, pastors, priests who took on, yeah, quite a far riding, and so on. Yeah. Took on this task or this wanted to follow-up what can I begin maybe or I don't know?
[00:27:27] Unknown:
Can you explain a little bit what you mean?
[00:27:31] Unknown:
What he did, you mean? Yes. Yeah. So just giving counsel how this and this herb is to be used and what you can do when you have high blood pressure or low blood pressure or this and that. Yeah. He make and he had even little excerpts, or answer and question in magazines, newspapers.
[00:28:03] Unknown:
So and things like that are not happening anymore today, like in magazines?
[00:28:10] Unknown:
Actually, I don't look at magazines for myself. So I much. There might be some. There might be some. Okay. But that doesn't mean that people are more interested in it. Mhmm. Yeah. There are certain magazines which maybe retired women want to look at or so or more. The women in the country, you know, who have a bit more time or so, they want to look at that, and they are doing gardening as well. But these are not magazines everyone would read necessarily.
[00:28:48] Unknown:
So it's not like in the mainstream newspapers or on the radio or television or yeah. Okay. No. Okay.
[00:28:58] Unknown:
On the radio, you might have a program every now and then about Herbst too, you know, where people can then phone in and call in and, talk about it or ask questions.
[00:29:13] Unknown:
So if people want to work with herbs, where do they get good good quality herbs? Like, do most people garden, harvest them in the wild, or do people buy them dried? How do you do it? If you want to use the herbs, do you gather everything yourself, or do you sometimes buy dried or herbs? And and is it easy to find good quality?
[00:29:46] Unknown:
Yeah. I do both. I collect them in the wild, and I buy some. For example, I remembered what I used a lot was, hayflowers. You know what that is? Yes. When the hay is collect, and then it and and it will be put into the barn somewhere up. And then it in the rest of it, there are little flowers and, yeah, dried up now. And this, they sell clay cleaned then. Yeah. They sell also in the pharmacies, or at least they did. But I think you still get them. And and then you inhale. When you have a cold, you can inhale with the water as made a tea more or less of these of these, hayflowers.
And it is better than just water, knipsis.
[00:30:52] Unknown:
Okay. So you just pour hot water over it, and then with a with a towel, you just inhale the the the, yeah, the steam. Okay. Yeah.
[00:31:02] Unknown:
Okay. You cover with a blanket so that
[00:31:05] Unknown:
Okay. With a blanket. And is this, like, a remedy that is still very common to do?
[00:31:12] Unknown:
I don't think so. That it's too common. My mom did it all the time, and so I have it, and I did it with the children. And the hayflowers, they take a lot of they they are cleaning. Yeah? They pull out, toxins again. And even when you have problems in your feet, like, these restless legs or, yeah, you are has heavy feet or so, then make footpath with that tea of the hayflowers. Okay. This is very good. Okay. Yeah. So you can even sneak them through first. They don't need to be in there. Yeah. But they can. Yeah. Okay. But it didn't quite answer your question.
You can get herbal teas, very good quality. In Austria, I guess, more than here in Germany, and I found that, last time I was at the pharmacy asking for some tea as of some, dried herbs, He said, yeah. They're not so available anymore because of the new laws, which are in the EU, that when you sell them as medicinal teas or so, medical teas, then they have to undergo so many regulations. And so many don't sell them anymore because this is too much and too costly as well. No?
[00:33:00] Unknown:
Yes. And what about organic shops? Do they do they sell good quality herbs? Because usually Nice. Yeah. In Belgium, that's where we get our our herbs.
[00:33:12] Unknown:
Yeah. And it's usually better available in Austria than in Germany. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Why is that This is my impression. I think Germany is is so big, you know, from the country, and people are interested in so many other things and have more access to the world in a sense than Austria maybe. And so we are more in Austria, we are more well, it's us and what we got from at home, and this is what I see. Yeah. Maybe there would be other people say something different. Yeah. It was how how they, could live it or experience it. But I have to say, I find Austria is still a bit more sleeping than a bit more in the past than than Germany is.
[00:34:15] Unknown:
That's interesting what you say because I have been speaking with, an older man here in Belgium, for my Dutch speaking podcast. And he was, telling me, his name is Maurice Godfriedi, and he was telling me off record. He said, what is really interesting is that, nowadays, we look at herbal medicine as alternative medicine. But he says in the seventies, in the 1970s, when I was studying it, he said I had to go to The Netherlands to study it, it was actually quite old fashioned to work with herbs. And he said these these people really didn't want to share it with us because we were, you know, living more of an anarchist alternative lifestyle, and they were more traditional.
But they didn't want the knowledge to go lost, so we we kind of got connected. And so they they passed it down to the new generation. But he says it's very interesting to see nowadays that the herbal medicine is, like, called an alternative lifestyle. Whereas, he says, when I learned it, it was, very old fashioned to work with herbs.
[00:35:34] Unknown:
There was this intermediate time where it was not in at all. But I think, as you said also, it's coming back Mhmm. Bit more. And we have seen this the last years that, you know, you can take the medicine which is offered or you take some herbal medicine, and it does the same job, really, or sometimes even better.
[00:36:07] Unknown:
So you mentioned that you love gardening. What is what is one herb that everyone should have in their garden, and why?
[00:36:18] Unknown:
If they should have it when they don't like it, I don't know. But but I I have I have many, you know, like, the oregano, the the wild marjoram, and I have the thyme. Mhmm. Thyme is a very good one against coughing and blocking, holes and nose and so. Then what do I have? I have, yeah, I miss the English words. Yeah.
[00:37:02] Unknown:
Is chives. Chives. Yeah? Yes.
[00:37:05] Unknown:
And then I have.
[00:37:10] Unknown:
Mhmm. Saturia. I know I know the botanical name. And,
[00:37:18] Unknown:
Leechtucker? I knew but I know the English word, actually. Yes. Actually, I'm not
[00:37:25] Unknown:
sure I know the English words. It's called lavas in in in Dutch. No.
[00:37:30] Unknown:
Very strong.
[00:37:32] Unknown:
Salty and very like this celery, but, like, celery on steroids. Like like, really concentrated. Yes. I love that. Yes. You only need a little bit, and it gives so much flavor.
[00:37:46] Unknown:
Exactly. And I also have mint, and I have the lemon balm there. Mhmm. And basil. You know, I love basil. And I also have parsley, but parsley too is hard to grow.
[00:38:04] Unknown:
And do you have sage?
[00:38:07] Unknown:
Sage, I have too. Yes. I take that too for in smoothies and and into salads. Yeah. And that's the bitterness.
[00:38:17] Unknown:
Smoothies? Really? Because I have my plant has become like a very huge bush of sage. And I I drink the tea sometimes, but I I don't always know how to use it. So you use it in salads and smoothies? That's interesting. Yeah.
[00:38:34] Unknown:
Like, a banana smoothie with sage in it, it really tastes well. But you do not need, amounts. Yeah? Just a little bit, a handful or yeah. About. And and I also have rosemary. Rosemary is huge too, and I love that too. More in salads or salad sauces, then you have it ground up fine.
[00:39:04] Unknown:
Yes. I love to chop it really, really fine and then just sprinkle it over my my food. Yes. Yeah. Wow. That's so interesting. I'm I'm going to try that banana smoothie with sage. I've never thought of that. That's really interesting. I also like to just wrap the leaves around my finger to brush my teeth with.
[00:39:27] Unknown:
Yes.
[00:39:28] Unknown:
Yeah. Yeah. Of course, I still brush my teeth, but it's it's very nice for the for the gums, and, really, it makes your mouth feel so clean.
[00:39:40] Unknown:
It is disinfecting. This is also why we make, to gurgle it. Yeah. Water with sage or tea with sage and gurgle so that it disinfects our throat. But the bitter herbs are very good for the digestion, for liver, and, yeah, stomach, the digestion organs. And so it's good to have them. Also, the dandelion, which goes with the bitter herbs. And, usually, in the morning, I have my banana smoothie with a few dandelion leaves, a few plantain or rip root leaves, and stinging nettles. And, you know, stinging nettles is my, yeah, I love them. I love them.
Because when only put stinging nettles into your banana smoothie, it tastes sweet. Sweeter even and fine fine sweet note. You can put the stinging nettles also in cold water just to hang them in and then drink the water, and it has a fine sweet note taste. Wow. That'd be nice. Yeah. Wow. I have to try that. So much calcium.
[00:41:03] Unknown:
And with other plants, but never with stinging nettle, so I have to try that. Yeah.
[00:41:09] Unknown:
I have I have looked this up. It has so much calcium, seven hundred and thirteen milligrams per hundred grams. Man, you don't necessarily eat a 100 grams, but never nevertheless, if you break it down. And it has iron quite a lot. It has vitamin c. It has keratin, and even quite a lot of protein, the stinging nettles. And so it's nearly it's it's a a a food by itself. And I know my mother used to take it as as a or make a spinach out of it. Yeah? A spinach with some potatoes and so with the stinging nettles, and it tasted much better than the normal spinach. Much more enriched.
You can eat it raw. If you just chop it down very small or put it in the smoothie, then it's fine. Doesn't stick anymore.
[00:42:11] Unknown:
Yes. What I sometimes do is just pick the the tiny tops and then roll them in my hand palms into balls, and then you can eat them because the if you make sure that the under part of the leaf is on the outside, then then and you roll it and you, take away the the stinging, hairs, and then it it's great. And the flavor raw is completely different than when you cook it. It's, like, very, very fine taste, actually. When you eat it raw, My students are usually very surprised when I let them taste this. Yes. So you mentioned before that you live near the mountains.
How how is the flora Mhmm. In the mountains? Because I can imagine when you have different heights, you have different plants. So there's probably a lot of biodiversity there more than near the fields of the farmers.
[00:43:07] Unknown:
A lot more diverse there. And you find little flowers or plants which you can't find further down. And it's very nice to to see them and yeah. And several are protected, so you shouldn't take them, like the.
[00:43:25] Unknown:
Mhmm. Or,
[00:43:29] Unknown:
I don't know. Alpine rose. Do you say that too?
[00:43:35] Unknown:
I have no idea what what You know, there this. Actually, maybe. Is it, like, a, a bit of a lower bush, like, with, white flowers?
[00:43:51] Unknown:
That's Red. Yep. With red flowers. Okay. Oh, no. I've
[00:43:55] Unknown:
thinking about wild white flowers. So I'm not sure what you mean with alpine rose, but yes. It's interesting to see that there can be so much difference and and yes. When you have because in Belgium, it's very flat, especially the part of Belgium where I live. It's so flat. So we don't have mountains. We have a few, like, hills, but that's it. So to me, it's really fascinating to see, like like, in the Alps that, you know, just a different the difference in height can mean so much difference Yeah. In flora.
[00:44:34] Unknown:
That's true. And also because it's not commercially used. Yeah. The the grass and, it's not used, so it can just grow as it grows. Mhmm. And, it it's just left there, yeah, growing. And with the animals there, they they don't take everything off, or so they they just it it it is a good combination, yeah, with the animals. And if the people who go there are also somehow nice to them, to the plants, then they can grow longer.
[00:45:13] Unknown:
Yes. And this is the thing that I found I found that this is actually a factor that is overlooked. The fact that you have, like, mountains in a country and people living in the mountains. Usually, the more mountains, a region has, the more people still rely on herbal medicine because, they don't have hospitals there, like 50. Every so many kilometers. It's it's it's often the most accessible medicine for them, the herbal medicine, and, it's a bit more remote. It's the roads sometimes are not so good in such a good condition. So these are all factors that really help people to maintain knowledge of of herbal medicine, and it's interesting to see that. Yeah.
[00:46:09] Unknown:
And the herbs are available.
[00:46:12] Unknown:
Yeah? Yes.
[00:46:13] Unknown:
In the valley or in flat areas, they are not there.
[00:46:18] Unknown:
Yeah. And I think also the more people you have in a certain area and the more industrial agriculture you have, like monocultures in fields, spraying, and everything, the the, yes, the less plants are available. Can can you name, like, a specific tradition with herbs either in Germany or in Austria? It can be like a a a folk tradition or a typical thing that is done with herbs.
[00:46:51] Unknown:
What I know is a dish, for example, of what is it called? Holakoch. It's called yeah. It's this is our name. I didn't look this one up in English. Yeah. Elderberry. It's elderberry. The berries, they used to cook with apples and a little bit of sugar and cinnamon and maybe some starch to thicken it. And this was, and it was very common. And, everyone had to eat it because it prevents sicknesses, colds, and stuff. And, yeah, I would use now dates, but I do not really eat them too much. Maybe a few berries, but because I prefer them raw and you raw, you shouldn't eat too many. Mhmm. Mhmm. It can give you a very quick digestion.
[00:47:57] Unknown:
Yes. Yes. So and this this was this was made by people as a medicine or rather as dessert? Or
[00:48:09] Unknown:
Yeah. As as dessert with a with a very good purpose too. Yes. You know? And we had quite a lot. You know? The berries grew wild, and you could just collect them, got them home, and made these. They even put it into jars for winter to keep them. And they used the flour in a pancake batter and fried them in the pan. Yes. So they had these elderberry patties. We we got them to eat when we were small Yeah. From my grandmother and mom. Okay.
[00:48:54] Unknown:
Nice. Yeah. So what do you think is what is the future going to bring for herbal medicine in Europe or in Germany or Austria? How do you see that evolving?
[00:49:08] Unknown:
It might become strong again, maybe. It depends a bit how the the other medicine will go on. When our systems will maybe break down, then it might take on, some importance again or even together that they find ways where they can work together. So, yeah, I guess as soon as people have need, then they come back to the old things or to that what which is available, which is there. And it's much cheaper than anything else. But as long as we have big companies and factories to produce stuff, then this is easier to access for everyone now still as we as long as we have money to buy it.
[00:50:13] Unknown:
Yes. What I can see here in Belgium is even though we have a lot of pharmacy industry here in Belgium, sometimes there is a lack of certain medications. So you go to the pharmacy and the medication is not available, and people worry about this. Oh, really? It becomes a vicious cycle because the people say, oh, but when it's available again, I'll buy, like, double of the dose so I have I have a reserve at home. And so, yeah, it's it's not it's really like a hamstring thing for some medications. And, I think it's it's making people worried that they don't have that they cannot rely that the medication will be there. And this is also, yes, a reason to find out about herbal medicine more, I think, at least for some conditions. Yes.
[00:51:11] Unknown:
And you can be much more calm about it, Isn't it? That when you know, oh, there is this and that I can do, and it will be there again next year and the year after. So it's it's easier to to treat several, yeah, little things anyway and even bigger things when you, yeah, depend on certain, maybe, nutrients or so you need, especially. Then you can have them from the plant?
[00:51:47] Unknown:
I think this is one of the things that the plants did the most for me. That, you know, not living in fear, but having this basic trust in the world around me because the plants are there, and I know them, and I know how I can use them, and what they are doing to my body. And it's like a basic grip on life, if you can call it like that. It's and it really saddens me. It really saddens me that a lot of people do not get to experience this because I think it's a basic right for every human to to know this and to feel this because it's not just knowledge in the head. It's knowledge of the heart. You can really feel something changing inside of you when you get to know the plants around you, and it's it's just so important. And I I wish everybody would be able to experience that.
[00:52:45] Unknown:
But I think we are you are, and everyone who knows some will be talking about it, and we'll pass it on. And yeah. So it will spread too.
[00:52:59] Unknown:
Yes. Yes. Absolutely. Is there one last message that you would like to share?
[00:53:06] Unknown:
There is one thing. I don't know if you know that that we are doing fruit fests with, my my son and me. And, we have one in September in Padgett, and we have another one in October October in the in Turkey. In the mountains in Bat Gastein, we will use a lot of the plants in our food, And we also I guess, we will have again my friend there in the kitchen who is very knowledgeable about so many herbs. And, and she brings them in, and and we use them then. She's very good in that and helps me with that. The pity is she is not speaking English, but other than that, maybe she could tell us even more.
So this is a very good thing to experience the mountainous, herbs and yeah. And, usually, they're a bit more intense As they grow not so big, they are in lower, growth. Yeah. A little bit less because it is less warm there. They have a shorter time getting to bloom and to have their berries or whatever they have here. And their fruits.
[00:54:44] Unknown:
Yes. Herbs make the life so much more valuable, I think. Just that little bit of, you know, extra taste in life. Yes. Yes. And I've seen pictures of the location that you have for the festival, and it's just stunning. It looks stunning with the mountains. Yes. Yeah. So Right. It's it's really
[00:55:05] Unknown:
a big holiday natural holiday in the mountains. Yes. Yeah.
[00:55:11] Unknown:
So if you're interested in health, this is really, something that, yeah, will be so worth visiting.
[00:55:18] Unknown:
Yeah. And I want to thank mom that she taught me so many things, and practiced it so that I could experience it, how good it is with with, herbs, and how much you can do and relieve yourself. I also want to thank all the pioneers back in one hundred and sixty years ago or so. Reverend Knipe or, Messergh, as you said, and several others, Ellen White, who did more the lifestyle, yeah, reform. And, yeah, I I'm I'm really glad that people again and again during history have come back to what is in nature and took advantage of that. Yeah. And I also want to to thank the creator that they are there and that we can make use of them and and get well. Yeah? So it's very interesting. And I find when we use the plants and we are out more in nature, that we are much more a part of it, and we feel blessed by it. We feel calm. We feel happy.
Yeah. And the other things cannot touch us so much maybe.
[00:56:52] Unknown:
Those are some beautiful words to to end this conversation. Thank you so much, Gabriela, for the wonderful conversation that we had.
[00:57:02] Unknown:
I'm glad that I'm could meet you with that, so and talk to you a bit more. Yes. Really glad about that. Hope we will see that again Yes. Sometime.
[00:57:14] Unknown:
Yes. Thank you, listener, for listening to this episode. Hope to see you for the next episode. And in the meantime, keep powdering your nose with dandelion pollen. Bye bye.
[00:57:29] Unknown:
A warm thank you for listening, Wildy. Are you feeling a wild itch after this episode? Well, just head over to wildplantforager.com and feel free to connect with me on social media. I'm looking forward to the next episode. I hope you'll be there. But for now, just go outside and follow your wild heart.
Welcome to Wild, the podcast for wildlings just like you. Wildlings who want to transform transform the prevalent plant blindness to collective plant wisdom. My name is Liebe Gollle. I've been working as a herbalist and wild plant forager in Belgium since 02/2002. In those years, I've seen a lot of changes. Working with plants has become more popular, but I've also seen time is running out for our planet. As foragers and herbalists in Europe, sometimes we're dealing with different plant species and different cultural approaches towards plants. In some countries, working with plants is licensed, and in others, it's almost illegal.
I believe that together, we can learn from one another and be stronger. There is nothing more empowering than connecting wild souls. Together, we can have a greater impact on restoring the ancient link between people and plants. And that's why for this podcast series, I'm talking to fellow herbalists and foragers in Europe. So if you're ready to find out what you've never been told, but what your soul already knows, welcome to Wild.
[00:02:12] Unknown:
Hello, Wildlings. Welcome to a new episode of Wild. Today, I have Gabriela Resch. She's, an amazing person. She's a mother of five adult children. She's a health trainer with a big passion for herbs and natural living. She has learned a lot from her own mother, from courses, from books. So welcome, Gabriela. Thank you so much for being here.
[00:02:41] Unknown:
Thank you so much, Lise, that I can be with you here. And I look forward to our talk.
[00:02:47] Unknown:
Yes. So how did your love for plants and for the herbs, how did it get started?
[00:02:56] Unknown:
Yeah. As I said, I had a mother who was quite interested in herbs and treating with plants and making their her own teas for this and this ailment, you know, for little things. And she collected plant books and, studied what she had learned. Every Sunday, I saw her, taking out pieces from magazines, you know, pages from magazines, which she studied then and also made herself, files of it. And she we we also got things to eat from the garden or wild things. You know? She collected wild herbs and so on, made a meal out of it. Yeah.
[00:03:46] Unknown:
Okay. Wow. Wow. And this was this was a common thing back then in Austria? Or
[00:03:54] Unknown:
Not necessarily. I don't actually know where she got it from because her mother was already sick, when she grew up, yeah, from childhood. And, so from her mother, she can't have it. Maybe there was another person. I never asked her. Mhmm. And,
[00:04:19] Unknown:
how are you using the herbs today?
[00:04:23] Unknown:
Yeah. I I also use so much in food, and I love gardening. And, have my own little piece here in front of my balcony. And, yeah, and but I also like to collect them outside when I go on my walks and so. And I'm interested. What's that? What's that? And look up. And, I have a friend nearby who already wrote books about wild herbs, and she but she more or less used them in in common cooking. Yeah? And I'm not doing any common cooking. I'm, vegan for a long time. And, also, I eat more and more raw. Mhmm. And so I put the plants into my smoothies or salads. Yeah. Also the wild herbs.
[00:05:32] Unknown:
Yes. Yes. And while we are having this conversation, I'm having a thistle juice. So I just make it with thistles and then some lemon and some apple, and it just really tastes wonderful. And it's like you can feel it coming down your throat, and it's just so energizing. I really I really love that.
[00:05:52] Unknown:
Oh, wow. Yeah. Yeah. Is it,
[00:05:56] Unknown:
milk thistle or Yes. It's milk thistle, actually. Yes. It is. There was a huge plant Yeah. In our vegetable garden, and my husband said, hey. I I need to plant some new things. This one has to go. And I took it out, and I it was, like, two and a half liters of juice that came out of it. It was so big.
[00:06:18] Unknown:
Did you choose the whole plant?
[00:06:21] Unknown:
Yes. I juiced the whole plant. It was already flowering, but I just put it in my slow juicer and it yeah. It was perfect. They're usually the leaves are a little bit less bitter before they flower, but with the lemon juice and the apple and the juice, it was really fine. So, I'm wondering how you see the role of plants and of herbs specifically. I know you're a holistic person. You you, you do a lot with natural health. So what role do the herbs and the wild herbs play in that whole picture?
[00:07:01] Unknown:
I think quite a big one is, this natural approach or back to nature in a sense, concludes somehow to use what's there. Yeah? And and I also know and got to know this more and more in time that, every plant has special properties, yeah, and has, really can heal. And, as reverend Knipe said, there is a herb for every sickness or ailment. Yeah. And, yeah. And so I really love that. What grows in the wild also berries and collect, yeah, what I can get and enrich my food because I think it's much more full in in vitamins and minerals and, yeah, whatever whatever is in there. Is it's richer than the normal gardening food or from the supermarket anyway.
[00:08:17] Unknown:
Mhmm. So and you you just mentioned Knipe. He worked a lot with herbal buds. Do you also work with herbs and and buds?
[00:08:30] Unknown:
Yeah. Not so much. Whereas I do poultices and so with with the herbs. Okay. Yeah. Nice. I've made a lot of, suggestions, with poultices, with wrappings, and, yeah, or just steam baths and things like that. Steam bath and and cold, yeah, cold wrappings, cold shower, or, knee dashes and stuff like that. So I there, I rather worked with only water, and I did that with my children. You know? When they were sick, then they had to undergo a treatment. And after a while, they came and said, mama, we need a treatment again. Yeah.
These things help. Yeah. These things just, relieve the body of toxins, of whatever pain and and some burden.
[00:09:43] Unknown:
And what are what are some of the herbs that you're using in the poultices?
[00:09:49] Unknown:
For example, I have to look it up in English. It's milfoil. Milfoil or yarrow?
[00:09:58] Unknown:
Yes.
[00:09:59] Unknown:
This is for the liver, to cleanse the liver. And, so just put it on and be there for an hour or so. And, yeah, and every now and then, do it again, and it will help the liver to get rid of the toxins.
[00:10:19] Unknown:
Yes. Wow. That's so interesting. Because I remember when I was studying herbalism, I was reading this book of, Maurice Mersegay. I don't know if you know him. He's from France. Yeah. He, he was helping people with herbal baths, but not like, yes, whole baths, but also like foot baths and arm baths. And I thought that was really fascinating because I think it's a kind of herbal healing that is not used so much anymore because it takes time. And people want to do everything quick, and they want to have a quick fix. And, you know, poultices and bots, these things need need time. And I think it's it's interesting to see how you can still use them because the time is also medicine, I think, because people are invited to slow down and to become close to themselves.
[00:11:15] Unknown:
Yeah. And I think, as you said already or mentioned it now, to come down, calm down, come down and calm down, and rest gives the body some time to recover. Mhmm. And also with the children, it was a time of being with them. Yes. Telling them stories or reading stories or, yeah, talking to them, and they really liked it. And I have even now, you know, I have a son in America, and I was there this year already for two months. And all of a sudden, they all got the code. They they have eight children now. Wow. And and I got the code, and, you know, then it just goes mixed around.
And so I I distributed my wrappings. Yeah. Everyone got one who was really sick. And the next time they came again and said, we want one again. You know? It it is really somehow refreshing, rejuvenating.
[00:12:25] Unknown:
Mhmm. Yeah. How how what tips would you give to people who want to try herbal poultices? What is a good poultice to start with?
[00:12:36] Unknown:
Yeah. It depends what where they would want to have it applied or what problem they have. There are several things. You know? You could even put cayenne pepper on on the sole of the feet.
[00:12:53] Unknown:
Okay.
[00:12:54] Unknown:
Yeah. To help them also to bring the body back into movement and also to recover the cold feet or to make them more, filled with blood and it depends, really. Or you put on, like, cucumber on the skin or avocado on the skin, things like that, which makes it nice. What else did we do with herbs? For example, the man, the dandelion, I'd rather eat, yeah, as I have them in my smoothies. And the, plantain or with that as well, or the the ladies' bath straw, or cleaver. Yes. Or cleaver or cleaver.
[00:13:57] Unknown:
Cleaver. Yeah.
[00:13:59] Unknown:
Exactly. This one, I put into my smoothies too or or into the salad. It's very soft.
[00:14:07] Unknown:
Mhmm. The soft tops The tops are great in the salad because they're so soft, and they're not sticky. Yes.
[00:14:15] Unknown:
Yes. Not the sticky one, but the soft one. Get that plain one. The soft one. Okay. Okay. I didn't use the the other one, the sticky one.
[00:14:26] Unknown:
Okay. I do use the sticky one in like, in smoothies or sometimes the the tops are not so sticky, and this you can just put in a salad. But, really, like, when they're young, I'm just need the upper tops. That that works really well for me. Okay. That's fine to know. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:14:44] Unknown:
Yeah. You know, there is there are so many properties of these plants. You can't know all of them and keep them in their head. It it it's just so much of where you can use them.
[00:14:59] Unknown:
Yes. Yeah. And it's interesting to hear you talk about the cayenne pepper on the feet because I remember an old remedy here in Belgium, and it's it's hardly ever been used nowadays. But an old remedy is to have, your food bath with mustard powder. So just the the powder of the mustard seeds. Okay. Yes. And this was like a traditional remedy that my grandparents, I I've heard them talking about that as a child. But for them, it was already like an old remedy. So and nowadays, I don't think anybody still does it.
[00:15:38] Unknown:
I think it was when you were starting to have a cold. And, also, I think
[00:15:43] Unknown:
probably, like, in wintertime when they were outdoors for a long time and they were really feeling cold and, you know, like, the way we would use ginger more today, I think, they took a mustard food bath just to warm the body up again.
[00:15:59] Unknown:
Yeah. This they had available, maybe more than Mhmm. The other things. K? Yes. Exactly. And and I guess it has to enhance the blood flow in the feet. Yeah? Yeah. And make them warm and make the whole body warm. So I use a cayenne pepper in my salads too, and it makes a little warm and, yeah, it's nicer.
[00:16:23] Unknown:
So you live in Austria, and I'm wondering how is, like, the basic botanical knowledge of the people. Is is there, like, a difference in the countryside and and the cities, or is it with the young people or with the old people different? How how exactly is that?
[00:16:42] Unknown:
I'm Austrian. I do not actually live in Austria as I'm just across the border in Germany, but it's about the same setting. Yeah. People are nearly the same. Maybe in the countryside, it's more common than in the cities and also with the older people and not the younger so much. I think the youngest younger people didn't have so much access to to this knowledge from their parents or I don't know. Yeah. The next general my generation knew some. And even the older ones and two, three generations back, they knew much more. But nowadays, you can go to the doctor, get the pill, and that's it.
And as you said, it's easy and quick.
[00:17:40] Unknown:
Yes. So you think it's it's really, because of of modern medicine becoming because of the growing, imperium, let's call it, of modern medicine, or is it like disinterest of the of the young people that just show no interest anymore? Or is it that, the older people were not interested in in passing the knowledge along? Or what exactly happened?
[00:18:11] Unknown:
I think it's a bit of nearly everything. I think that modern medicine has spread so much more. Yeah? My grandma, they didn't go to the doctor as often as we did or we do in our times. Yeah. And, also, things got cheaper for us, I guess Yeah. When we go just with modern medicine. But with the interest, I see maybe a little growing interest in the very younger ones as a who want to be more natural and, having a family in in maybe outside in the woods or so and wanting to be more a part of nature again. This is there. But the normal society, very busy in cities and, yeah, in their profession.
They don't have the time and also no need to get to know this.
[00:19:21] Unknown:
Yes. I think it's pretty similar here in Belgium. I think the older generations knew a lot more than than we know today, even even as professionals. But, yes, I I see also this growing interest amongst young people. They really want to know. And I think they're, I think once they get into it, they know what they have been missing all this time because knowing about the plants also gives you a sense of belonging in the landscape where you live because you it's it's really a very weird situation to live in a space and to go outdoors and not be able to recognize all the plants and know what they're used for.
And once you reinstate that in people, people are, I don't know, it it makes them more happy. I see this happening with my students. It makes them more happy because they So yeah. Yeah. Mhmm. So it's yeah. I'm I'm glad that there is a growing interest. Absolutely. Yeah. So and and, like, in Germany or in Austria, what what is it like if you, like, want to have some herbal education? Are there any herbal schools that you can attend? Or
[00:20:43] Unknown:
There are several. And, in in Austria, you cannot really practice it as, as a professional. Mhmm. You have to be if you go into that healing profession, then you have to be a doctor in Austria. In Germany, you can be a Heil Practicare. Yeah. So this is a person who learns the natural way of treating sicknesses, ailments. And in in Germany, this is possible.
[00:21:24] Unknown:
Okay. But in Austria, you can do herbal schooling, but you cannot practice as a herbalist?
[00:21:34] Unknown:
Not not if you're not a doctor. Okay. You can give some you can you, yeah, you can do courses, just for people who are interested. You know? You can use it for yourself or it's not but not that you can
[00:21:54] Unknown:
go into the healing profession with it. Mhmm. Mhmm. But it's pretty much the same in Belgium, actually. But I'm I'm very curious about the German part of Heil Pratigge. How does it how does it work? So you can treat patients, or how how is that exactly?
[00:22:14] Unknown:
Yes. And there are health practical schools. So that means, you would have to go to one of these accepted schools and then have, in several areas, have some knowledge. Okay. People sometimes are disappointed in from the normal medicine. Yeah. And then they try to get some more counsel also from health practicums.
[00:22:46] Unknown:
Yes. Yes. I can see, like, especially in chronic conditions, it can be interesting to find other other approach approaches and just a quick fix kind of modern medicine, approach. Or sometimes people have really bad side effects of of medicines that they are taking, and they're just fed up with them. So Yeah. Yes.
[00:23:09] Unknown:
Well, it didn't help them somehow. Yeah. And so more long term long term effect is much better with nature. And even with, what I said, approach. It is helping the body to get rid of the toxins to can to heal itself. And this is not what the approach of the medicine is. This is just for relieving pain, relieving the state you're in, which has its place, I guess. Yeah? Absolutely. Yes. When there is there is some need, yeah, an operation or an accident or something.
[00:23:59] Unknown:
Yes. And what I'm also wondering because you mentioned KNIFE, and I know a lot of as you live in Germany, a lot of people in Germany, I've noticed still have, like, a a book of Hildegard von Bingen, in their bookshelf. So so how how well known is is Hildegard in Germany? Is it really, like, most people know who she is? Or
[00:24:27] Unknown:
I guess many do. I'm not so much into her things because, she's a bit weird. Yeah. I know.
[00:24:38] Unknown:
With strawberries are diabolical.
[00:24:43] Unknown:
Well, yeah. No. I don't see that this is yeah. Me too. And they have very good properties. You know? You should have them every day with certain conditions. But, yeah, it's not that just looking at the thing, at the herb or plant and seeing what it is good for, what what does it have more than others maybe or so, and where would it help, and then take it. Yeah. Certainly, there are, plants which are toxic. We know that, and we shouldn't take them. Or we have really a very special case where we just have to use a little bit of it or so.
[00:25:41] Unknown:
Yes. Yes. But,
[00:25:43] Unknown:
I I would not like to go into that.
[00:25:47] Unknown:
Yes. I think what fascinates me personally most about Hildegard, how as a woman she has you know, in that in the time where she lived as a woman, I think the fact that she she wrote music and that she, she did all this herbal studies and she had her own opinion on things is is very surprising and is, well, guess, that that somehow she was allowed to do that and that we still have have writings that that document this. And I think as a historical figure, she's really interesting. But I know some of her books, like, people people just really very strictly want to follow what she has been writing, and it's not always, you know, spot on, so to say. So yeah.
Yes. And, of course, in Austria, you also have, Maria Treben. Right? This is I think the book of Maria Treben, I think this is one book that a lot of herbal people in Belgium also have on their bookshelf. This is, like, one of the most wild, yeah, widely spread, books on herbal medicine, I think. Yes. Yes.
[00:27:07] Unknown:
And there are also a few, pastors, priests who took on, yeah, quite a far riding, and so on. Yeah. Took on this task or this wanted to follow-up what can I begin maybe or I don't know?
[00:27:27] Unknown:
Can you explain a little bit what you mean?
[00:27:31] Unknown:
What he did, you mean? Yes. Yeah. So just giving counsel how this and this herb is to be used and what you can do when you have high blood pressure or low blood pressure or this and that. Yeah. He make and he had even little excerpts, or answer and question in magazines, newspapers.
[00:28:03] Unknown:
So and things like that are not happening anymore today, like in magazines?
[00:28:10] Unknown:
Actually, I don't look at magazines for myself. So I much. There might be some. There might be some. Okay. But that doesn't mean that people are more interested in it. Mhmm. Yeah. There are certain magazines which maybe retired women want to look at or so or more. The women in the country, you know, who have a bit more time or so, they want to look at that, and they are doing gardening as well. But these are not magazines everyone would read necessarily.
[00:28:48] Unknown:
So it's not like in the mainstream newspapers or on the radio or television or yeah. Okay. No. Okay.
[00:28:58] Unknown:
On the radio, you might have a program every now and then about Herbst too, you know, where people can then phone in and call in and, talk about it or ask questions.
[00:29:13] Unknown:
So if people want to work with herbs, where do they get good good quality herbs? Like, do most people garden, harvest them in the wild, or do people buy them dried? How do you do it? If you want to use the herbs, do you gather everything yourself, or do you sometimes buy dried or herbs? And and is it easy to find good quality?
[00:29:46] Unknown:
Yeah. I do both. I collect them in the wild, and I buy some. For example, I remembered what I used a lot was, hayflowers. You know what that is? Yes. When the hay is collect, and then it and and it will be put into the barn somewhere up. And then it in the rest of it, there are little flowers and, yeah, dried up now. And this, they sell clay cleaned then. Yeah. They sell also in the pharmacies, or at least they did. But I think you still get them. And and then you inhale. When you have a cold, you can inhale with the water as made a tea more or less of these of these, hayflowers.
And it is better than just water, knipsis.
[00:30:52] Unknown:
Okay. So you just pour hot water over it, and then with a with a towel, you just inhale the the the, yeah, the steam. Okay. Yeah.
[00:31:02] Unknown:
Okay. You cover with a blanket so that
[00:31:05] Unknown:
Okay. With a blanket. And is this, like, a remedy that is still very common to do?
[00:31:12] Unknown:
I don't think so. That it's too common. My mom did it all the time, and so I have it, and I did it with the children. And the hayflowers, they take a lot of they they are cleaning. Yeah? They pull out, toxins again. And even when you have problems in your feet, like, these restless legs or, yeah, you are has heavy feet or so, then make footpath with that tea of the hayflowers. Okay. This is very good. Okay. Yeah. So you can even sneak them through first. They don't need to be in there. Yeah. But they can. Yeah. Okay. But it didn't quite answer your question.
You can get herbal teas, very good quality. In Austria, I guess, more than here in Germany, and I found that, last time I was at the pharmacy asking for some tea as of some, dried herbs, He said, yeah. They're not so available anymore because of the new laws, which are in the EU, that when you sell them as medicinal teas or so, medical teas, then they have to undergo so many regulations. And so many don't sell them anymore because this is too much and too costly as well. No?
[00:33:00] Unknown:
Yes. And what about organic shops? Do they do they sell good quality herbs? Because usually Nice. Yeah. In Belgium, that's where we get our our herbs.
[00:33:12] Unknown:
Yeah. And it's usually better available in Austria than in Germany. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Why is that This is my impression. I think Germany is is so big, you know, from the country, and people are interested in so many other things and have more access to the world in a sense than Austria maybe. And so we are more in Austria, we are more well, it's us and what we got from at home, and this is what I see. Yeah. Maybe there would be other people say something different. Yeah. It was how how they, could live it or experience it. But I have to say, I find Austria is still a bit more sleeping than a bit more in the past than than Germany is.
[00:34:15] Unknown:
That's interesting what you say because I have been speaking with, an older man here in Belgium, for my Dutch speaking podcast. And he was, telling me, his name is Maurice Godfriedi, and he was telling me off record. He said, what is really interesting is that, nowadays, we look at herbal medicine as alternative medicine. But he says in the seventies, in the 1970s, when I was studying it, he said I had to go to The Netherlands to study it, it was actually quite old fashioned to work with herbs. And he said these these people really didn't want to share it with us because we were, you know, living more of an anarchist alternative lifestyle, and they were more traditional.
But they didn't want the knowledge to go lost, so we we kind of got connected. And so they they passed it down to the new generation. But he says it's very interesting to see nowadays that the herbal medicine is, like, called an alternative lifestyle. Whereas, he says, when I learned it, it was, very old fashioned to work with herbs.
[00:35:34] Unknown:
There was this intermediate time where it was not in at all. But I think, as you said also, it's coming back Mhmm. Bit more. And we have seen this the last years that, you know, you can take the medicine which is offered or you take some herbal medicine, and it does the same job, really, or sometimes even better.
[00:36:07] Unknown:
So you mentioned that you love gardening. What is what is one herb that everyone should have in their garden, and why?
[00:36:18] Unknown:
If they should have it when they don't like it, I don't know. But but I I have I have many, you know, like, the oregano, the the wild marjoram, and I have the thyme. Mhmm. Thyme is a very good one against coughing and blocking, holes and nose and so. Then what do I have? I have, yeah, I miss the English words. Yeah.
[00:37:02] Unknown:
Is chives. Chives. Yeah? Yes.
[00:37:05] Unknown:
And then I have.
[00:37:10] Unknown:
Mhmm. Saturia. I know I know the botanical name. And,
[00:37:18] Unknown:
Leechtucker? I knew but I know the English word, actually. Yes. Actually, I'm not
[00:37:25] Unknown:
sure I know the English words. It's called lavas in in in Dutch. No.
[00:37:30] Unknown:
Very strong.
[00:37:32] Unknown:
Salty and very like this celery, but, like, celery on steroids. Like like, really concentrated. Yes. I love that. Yes. You only need a little bit, and it gives so much flavor.
[00:37:46] Unknown:
Exactly. And I also have mint, and I have the lemon balm there. Mhmm. And basil. You know, I love basil. And I also have parsley, but parsley too is hard to grow.
[00:38:04] Unknown:
And do you have sage?
[00:38:07] Unknown:
Sage, I have too. Yes. I take that too for in smoothies and and into salads. Yeah. And that's the bitterness.
[00:38:17] Unknown:
Smoothies? Really? Because I have my plant has become like a very huge bush of sage. And I I drink the tea sometimes, but I I don't always know how to use it. So you use it in salads and smoothies? That's interesting. Yeah.
[00:38:34] Unknown:
Like, a banana smoothie with sage in it, it really tastes well. But you do not need, amounts. Yeah? Just a little bit, a handful or yeah. About. And and I also have rosemary. Rosemary is huge too, and I love that too. More in salads or salad sauces, then you have it ground up fine.
[00:39:04] Unknown:
Yes. I love to chop it really, really fine and then just sprinkle it over my my food. Yes. Yeah. Wow. That's so interesting. I'm I'm going to try that banana smoothie with sage. I've never thought of that. That's really interesting. I also like to just wrap the leaves around my finger to brush my teeth with.
[00:39:27] Unknown:
Yes.
[00:39:28] Unknown:
Yeah. Yeah. Of course, I still brush my teeth, but it's it's very nice for the for the gums, and, really, it makes your mouth feel so clean.
[00:39:40] Unknown:
It is disinfecting. This is also why we make, to gurgle it. Yeah. Water with sage or tea with sage and gurgle so that it disinfects our throat. But the bitter herbs are very good for the digestion, for liver, and, yeah, stomach, the digestion organs. And so it's good to have them. Also, the dandelion, which goes with the bitter herbs. And, usually, in the morning, I have my banana smoothie with a few dandelion leaves, a few plantain or rip root leaves, and stinging nettles. And, you know, stinging nettles is my, yeah, I love them. I love them.
Because when only put stinging nettles into your banana smoothie, it tastes sweet. Sweeter even and fine fine sweet note. You can put the stinging nettles also in cold water just to hang them in and then drink the water, and it has a fine sweet note taste. Wow. That'd be nice. Yeah. Wow. I have to try that. So much calcium.
[00:41:03] Unknown:
And with other plants, but never with stinging nettle, so I have to try that. Yeah.
[00:41:09] Unknown:
I have I have looked this up. It has so much calcium, seven hundred and thirteen milligrams per hundred grams. Man, you don't necessarily eat a 100 grams, but never nevertheless, if you break it down. And it has iron quite a lot. It has vitamin c. It has keratin, and even quite a lot of protein, the stinging nettles. And so it's nearly it's it's a a a food by itself. And I know my mother used to take it as as a or make a spinach out of it. Yeah? A spinach with some potatoes and so with the stinging nettles, and it tasted much better than the normal spinach. Much more enriched.
You can eat it raw. If you just chop it down very small or put it in the smoothie, then it's fine. Doesn't stick anymore.
[00:42:11] Unknown:
Yes. What I sometimes do is just pick the the tiny tops and then roll them in my hand palms into balls, and then you can eat them because the if you make sure that the under part of the leaf is on the outside, then then and you roll it and you, take away the the stinging, hairs, and then it it's great. And the flavor raw is completely different than when you cook it. It's, like, very, very fine taste, actually. When you eat it raw, My students are usually very surprised when I let them taste this. Yes. So you mentioned before that you live near the mountains.
How how is the flora Mhmm. In the mountains? Because I can imagine when you have different heights, you have different plants. So there's probably a lot of biodiversity there more than near the fields of the farmers.
[00:43:07] Unknown:
A lot more diverse there. And you find little flowers or plants which you can't find further down. And it's very nice to to see them and yeah. And several are protected, so you shouldn't take them, like the.
[00:43:25] Unknown:
Mhmm. Or,
[00:43:29] Unknown:
I don't know. Alpine rose. Do you say that too?
[00:43:35] Unknown:
I have no idea what what You know, there this. Actually, maybe. Is it, like, a, a bit of a lower bush, like, with, white flowers?
[00:43:51] Unknown:
That's Red. Yep. With red flowers. Okay. Oh, no. I've
[00:43:55] Unknown:
thinking about wild white flowers. So I'm not sure what you mean with alpine rose, but yes. It's interesting to see that there can be so much difference and and yes. When you have because in Belgium, it's very flat, especially the part of Belgium where I live. It's so flat. So we don't have mountains. We have a few, like, hills, but that's it. So to me, it's really fascinating to see, like like, in the Alps that, you know, just a different the difference in height can mean so much difference Yeah. In flora.
[00:44:34] Unknown:
That's true. And also because it's not commercially used. Yeah. The the grass and, it's not used, so it can just grow as it grows. Mhmm. And, it it's just left there, yeah, growing. And with the animals there, they they don't take everything off, or so they they just it it it is a good combination, yeah, with the animals. And if the people who go there are also somehow nice to them, to the plants, then they can grow longer.
[00:45:13] Unknown:
Yes. And this is the thing that I found I found that this is actually a factor that is overlooked. The fact that you have, like, mountains in a country and people living in the mountains. Usually, the more mountains, a region has, the more people still rely on herbal medicine because, they don't have hospitals there, like 50. Every so many kilometers. It's it's it's often the most accessible medicine for them, the herbal medicine, and, it's a bit more remote. It's the roads sometimes are not so good in such a good condition. So these are all factors that really help people to maintain knowledge of of herbal medicine, and it's interesting to see that. Yeah.
[00:46:09] Unknown:
And the herbs are available.
[00:46:12] Unknown:
Yeah? Yes.
[00:46:13] Unknown:
In the valley or in flat areas, they are not there.
[00:46:18] Unknown:
Yeah. And I think also the more people you have in a certain area and the more industrial agriculture you have, like monocultures in fields, spraying, and everything, the the, yes, the less plants are available. Can can you name, like, a specific tradition with herbs either in Germany or in Austria? It can be like a a a folk tradition or a typical thing that is done with herbs.
[00:46:51] Unknown:
What I know is a dish, for example, of what is it called? Holakoch. It's called yeah. It's this is our name. I didn't look this one up in English. Yeah. Elderberry. It's elderberry. The berries, they used to cook with apples and a little bit of sugar and cinnamon and maybe some starch to thicken it. And this was, and it was very common. And, everyone had to eat it because it prevents sicknesses, colds, and stuff. And, yeah, I would use now dates, but I do not really eat them too much. Maybe a few berries, but because I prefer them raw and you raw, you shouldn't eat too many. Mhmm. Mhmm. It can give you a very quick digestion.
[00:47:57] Unknown:
Yes. Yes. So and this this was this was made by people as a medicine or rather as dessert? Or
[00:48:09] Unknown:
Yeah. As as dessert with a with a very good purpose too. Yes. You know? And we had quite a lot. You know? The berries grew wild, and you could just collect them, got them home, and made these. They even put it into jars for winter to keep them. And they used the flour in a pancake batter and fried them in the pan. Yes. So they had these elderberry patties. We we got them to eat when we were small Yeah. From my grandmother and mom. Okay.
[00:48:54] Unknown:
Nice. Yeah. So what do you think is what is the future going to bring for herbal medicine in Europe or in Germany or Austria? How do you see that evolving?
[00:49:08] Unknown:
It might become strong again, maybe. It depends a bit how the the other medicine will go on. When our systems will maybe break down, then it might take on, some importance again or even together that they find ways where they can work together. So, yeah, I guess as soon as people have need, then they come back to the old things or to that what which is available, which is there. And it's much cheaper than anything else. But as long as we have big companies and factories to produce stuff, then this is easier to access for everyone now still as we as long as we have money to buy it.
[00:50:13] Unknown:
Yes. What I can see here in Belgium is even though we have a lot of pharmacy industry here in Belgium, sometimes there is a lack of certain medications. So you go to the pharmacy and the medication is not available, and people worry about this. Oh, really? It becomes a vicious cycle because the people say, oh, but when it's available again, I'll buy, like, double of the dose so I have I have a reserve at home. And so, yeah, it's it's not it's really like a hamstring thing for some medications. And, I think it's it's making people worried that they don't have that they cannot rely that the medication will be there. And this is also, yes, a reason to find out about herbal medicine more, I think, at least for some conditions. Yes.
[00:51:11] Unknown:
And you can be much more calm about it, Isn't it? That when you know, oh, there is this and that I can do, and it will be there again next year and the year after. So it's it's easier to to treat several, yeah, little things anyway and even bigger things when you, yeah, depend on certain, maybe, nutrients or so you need, especially. Then you can have them from the plant?
[00:51:47] Unknown:
I think this is one of the things that the plants did the most for me. That, you know, not living in fear, but having this basic trust in the world around me because the plants are there, and I know them, and I know how I can use them, and what they are doing to my body. And it's like a basic grip on life, if you can call it like that. It's and it really saddens me. It really saddens me that a lot of people do not get to experience this because I think it's a basic right for every human to to know this and to feel this because it's not just knowledge in the head. It's knowledge of the heart. You can really feel something changing inside of you when you get to know the plants around you, and it's it's just so important. And I I wish everybody would be able to experience that.
[00:52:45] Unknown:
But I think we are you are, and everyone who knows some will be talking about it, and we'll pass it on. And yeah. So it will spread too.
[00:52:59] Unknown:
Yes. Yes. Absolutely. Is there one last message that you would like to share?
[00:53:06] Unknown:
There is one thing. I don't know if you know that that we are doing fruit fests with, my my son and me. And, we have one in September in Padgett, and we have another one in October October in the in Turkey. In the mountains in Bat Gastein, we will use a lot of the plants in our food, And we also I guess, we will have again my friend there in the kitchen who is very knowledgeable about so many herbs. And, and she brings them in, and and we use them then. She's very good in that and helps me with that. The pity is she is not speaking English, but other than that, maybe she could tell us even more.
So this is a very good thing to experience the mountainous, herbs and yeah. And, usually, they're a bit more intense As they grow not so big, they are in lower, growth. Yeah. A little bit less because it is less warm there. They have a shorter time getting to bloom and to have their berries or whatever they have here. And their fruits.
[00:54:44] Unknown:
Yes. Herbs make the life so much more valuable, I think. Just that little bit of, you know, extra taste in life. Yes. Yes. And I've seen pictures of the location that you have for the festival, and it's just stunning. It looks stunning with the mountains. Yes. Yeah. So Right. It's it's really
[00:55:05] Unknown:
a big holiday natural holiday in the mountains. Yes. Yeah.
[00:55:11] Unknown:
So if you're interested in health, this is really, something that, yeah, will be so worth visiting.
[00:55:18] Unknown:
Yeah. And I want to thank mom that she taught me so many things, and practiced it so that I could experience it, how good it is with with, herbs, and how much you can do and relieve yourself. I also want to thank all the pioneers back in one hundred and sixty years ago or so. Reverend Knipe or, Messergh, as you said, and several others, Ellen White, who did more the lifestyle, yeah, reform. And, yeah, I I'm I'm really glad that people again and again during history have come back to what is in nature and took advantage of that. Yeah. And I also want to to thank the creator that they are there and that we can make use of them and and get well. Yeah? So it's very interesting. And I find when we use the plants and we are out more in nature, that we are much more a part of it, and we feel blessed by it. We feel calm. We feel happy.
Yeah. And the other things cannot touch us so much maybe.
[00:56:52] Unknown:
Those are some beautiful words to to end this conversation. Thank you so much, Gabriela, for the wonderful conversation that we had.
[00:57:02] Unknown:
I'm glad that I'm could meet you with that, so and talk to you a bit more. Yes. Really glad about that. Hope we will see that again Yes. Sometime.
[00:57:14] Unknown:
Yes. Thank you, listener, for listening to this episode. Hope to see you for the next episode. And in the meantime, keep powdering your nose with dandelion pollen. Bye bye.
[00:57:29] Unknown:
A warm thank you for listening, Wildy. Are you feeling a wild itch after this episode? Well, just head over to wildplantforager.com and feel free to connect with me on social media. I'm looking forward to the next episode. I hope you'll be there. But for now, just go outside and follow your wild heart.
Introduction to Wild Podcast
Meet Gabriela Resch: Herbal Enthusiast
Gabriela's Herbal Journey
The Role of Herbs in Holistic Health
Exploring Herbal Poultices
Botanical Knowledge in Austria and Germany
Herbal Education and Practice in Europe
Gardening and Essential Herbs
Mountain Flora and Biodiversity
Traditional Herbal Dishes
Future of Herbal Medicine in Europe
The Importance of Plant Knowledge
Gabriela's Final Thoughts
