I'm raising £1,000 for a health/medical cause

Sponsorship to test the effects of a Wild Food only diet – April 2025

I am delighted that I will be taking part in this amazing Citizen Science Research Study in 2025, part of the Wildbiome Project 2.

But what is the ‘Wildbiome Project’?

In 2020 two expert foragers, Mo Wilde and Matthew Rooney, set about seeing what would happen if, for a year, they just survived on wild foraged food. That means nothing bought or agriculturally grown, but living on free, foraged, wild food. In short, they were able to ensure that some testing was undertaken and found that the change in their gut microbiome soon meant they were reaping the benefits. Over the year Mo found her BMI returned to healthy levels and in just over two months Matthew found his Type 2 diabetes receded to pre-diabetic levels. But this was just for two, what if they could test on a wider audience.

In 2023 two dozen members of the Association of Foragers participated in further research, eating only wild foods for either 1 or 3 months. Professor Tim Spector OBE, Kings College London - renowned for his work during Covid – helped to sponsor the research, at ZOE, the personalised nutrition company that runs the world’s largest nutrition-science study and the ZOE Health Study (formerly ZOE COVID Study).

For this next project a far larger cohort are taking part over 1 or 3 months which will ensure more extensive research can be taken, especially with regards to effects on the gut microbiome, blood sugars, blood pressure and other physical markers. To test the effects of wild food on the human body and gut there are huge costs involved to ensure the research is undertaken properly by a research team using recognised testing methods. The research team includes Mo Wilde as Lead Researcher, Circadio Ltd and Drs and Professors from the University of Bradford (Archaeological & Forensic Science) and Rzeszów University (Institute of Biology).

To ensure this project happens those of us taking part have already been collecting a wide variety of autumnal berries, nuts, seeds, fungi and wild foods we can salt, dry or freeze over winter. I do not eat meat but will incorporate some locally caught fish and shellfish I can find on our coast in addition to wild plants, fungi and seaweeds. An optional allowance is accepted for a small number of organic free range eggs and organic honey from a bee friendly source; it is illegal to take birds eggs from the wild so this is the alternative to ensure I eat enough protein and it is inappropriate to take honey from a wild bee’s nest. Eating wild food only will not be easy and finding enough sustenance in a sustainable manner is an important aspect too.

It is a worthy and fascinating project looking at human health through diet and I do so very much hope you can help sponsor me for the testing required.

And if we can raise extra funds this will help those who may not have raised enough ensure all the tests are undertaken; the more participants that can be fully tested the more meaningful the research.

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