Interview with Herbalist and Forager Lee Leatham

Hello and welcome back to the Sharing Plant Wisdom podcast. In today's episode we touch on how we can make herbal medicine a sustainable practice by getting to know our local plants. 

Lee tells us how he fell into foraging and plant identification, why you have to be 200% sure of what you’re picking before using it as food or medicine. 

The phone app we mention is called “Picture This” and can be found here : 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cn.danatech.xingseus&gl=GB

Lee also talks about “spore print” to help identify mushrooms. 

We learn about the rules and regulations pertaining to wild foraging. 

Herbs that are ready to be foraged now (July-August) in the UK: Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria), Pineapple Weed () , Wild marjoram (Oregano), Yarrow (Achillea), Self-Heal (Prunella), Centaury (Erythrea), Rosebay willow herb (), Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris). Here are their most common uses: 

Wild marjoram aids digestion, helps with upper respiratory tract infections, also useful for tension headaches. 

Meadowsweet is also great for digestion, especially to calm down acid reflux, it is also anti-inflammatory.

Mugwort helps regulate the menstrual cycle (emmenagogue = bring on the menses, so do not use in pregnancy), is a good anti-parasitic, a digestive aid, a mild anti-depressant.

Yarrow is a renown wound herb that helps stop haemorrhages (works for heavy periods as well), also used to lower high blood pressure, also used to bring down fevers and is a good urinary antiseptic.

We also mention Lee’s special hay fever tincture (containing Ribwort plantain, elderflower, nettle)

You can book bespoke foraging walks with Lee in Kent via his website: 

https://www.theherbman.co.uk/

Give him a follow on Instagram. If you want to see videos of Lee in action you can find them on our Instagram @sharingplantwisdom.  

In health,
S&M xx