One of the wonderful things I grew up with was foraging, and spending time in nature. Not only was this dear to my grandparents as we were growing up, but learning about nature and it's properties was indeed part of elementary school science curriculumn.
A few times a year all schools would host "hiking days". Those were arranged by classroom by each head teacher. We would bee instructed to wear appropriate hiking apparel, pack lunch and snacks, and off into the forest we would go.
Of course, we were extremely lucky to grow up where we did in rural Bavaria, as our school district had not one, but two distinct nature and wildlife sanctuaries, right were we were. Therefore, access to hiking trails and nature was extremely easy.
A life skill we were taught early on, both at home and in school, was how to identify the local flora and fauna. We learned how to distinguish by bark, leaves, leaf pattern, coloring, and much more. We were tested on this knowledge as well, as it was indeed part of our official curriculumn and great knowledge to have.
When we first moved onto our land in the deep woods of the Florida panhandle, I started walking our property and the surrounding trails and was very happy to find many useful wild plants, both natives and plants which are considered invasive, due to not being native and competing with the native flora.
At home, I like to use a holistic approach with herbs and other medicinals to treat ailments within our little family. Of course western and modern medicine has it's place, however, I do love herbs and medicinals and the more holistic approach to treating the root cause rather then the symptoms.
Turkey tail is a medicinal mushroom with an impressive range of benefits. It's easily found in most areas in forested areas and grows abundantly on dead logs and decaying trees.
Turkey tail is a great all-round fixer and support for your immune system and balances over- as well as under-performances when it comes to immune responses. It contains a variety of powerful antioxidants and other compounds that may help boost your immune system and even help fight certain cancers. Plus, turkey tail may improve gut bacteria balance, which can positively impact your immunity and is great support for weight loss.
A few of the traditional uses for turkey tail include: removing toxins, increasing energy, removing excessive fluid, strengthening the organs responsible for the immune system, and supporting liver, lung and spleen function. Some conditions that benefit from turkey tail use include coughs, breathing difficulties, hemorrhoids and joint pain.
In conventional medicine, turkey tail has been used to support the immune systems of people.
There has been a lot of research done and turkey tail has been used as medicinal herbal support for a very long time. Long before you and I walked this planet. After all, modern medicine and therapies are derived from age-old treatments plans and early herbal practices!