Man eats only wild food for a year, faces health issues

For 365 days, environmental activist Robin Greenfield eschewed grocery stores, restaurants, and even his own garden, subsisting entirely on food he could find and gather in the wild. This extreme experiment, undertaken in Ashland, Wisconsin, USA, aimed to foster a profound connection with nature.

Greenfield's diet was remarkably diverse, including less common wild plants like jack-in-the-pulpit and lotus nuts, alongside more familiar items such as acorns, black walnuts, wild mushrooms, wild onions, fish, and wild rice. He even incorporated plants often considered weeds, like burdock, nettles, and thistles. Nature also served as his pharmacy, with Greenfield turning to herbal teas made from elderflower, goldenrod, and mint, along with rest, when he felt unwell.

However, the year-long challenge was not without its drawbacks. Midway through, Greenfield experienced a significant drop in iron levels, which he attributed to a diet heavy in fish, potentially leading to mercury buildup. In response, he adjusted his intake to include foods and herbs believed to help the body eliminate mercury and improve iron absorption. He reported that this dietary shift resolved his anemia within approximately two months.

This experiment follows Greenfield's previous endeavors, including a year in Portugal in 2019 where he grew all his own food and medicinal plants. His latest challenge, however, focused on a more direct and immersive relationship with the natural world, requiring him to actively forage and connect with plants for sustenance.