I am so happy that my little sage plant, in my front yard, seems to be getting in bloom this year! Not because I will just enjoy the aroma and view of the purplish flowers. Because it has hidden stories to tell me, my family, my neighbors – but also my readers.

“Mommy, what does this bee on the sage have on the back of her back legs?” – it is pollen, collected from flowers, and she is carrying it carefully to her hive. Pollen is a bee’s source of protein. She cannot raise their little children, the larvae, without it.”

Unfortunately, these kinds of connections are usually lacking in environmental education. Formal teaching at schools usually do not include live bees or plants. Maybe this is the hidden reason why we still ruining everything on this extraordinary rock we are living in.

Long story short, this made me wonder, how consumption, nutrition, and local customs can be changed through a more meaningful educational system. I had to reach complete a Bachelor’s degree in agriculture to be taught the substitutional properties of pollen – that it replaces meat. Pollen has a lot of protein, zero toxins (which is not the case with meat), iron, and vitamins. It is an enormous force for better health. Not bad for a bit of “dust in the wind” from flowers.

Fasting from meat during the pre-Easter period can be exhausting for the body. Searching for foods high in protein is mandatory for you and your family to proceed with your daily routine – and pollen is a booster. But be careful! Only fresh, refrigerated pollen keeps all the nutrients ‘alive’. Tablets, capsules, and other stuff with pollen ‘doesn’t cut it’. And do not ‘overdo it’! Just a spoonful daily is enough. Pollen helps with constipation, but too much can cause diarrhea or aches in the digestive system. You can enjoy it plain, springled on salads like dressing or mixed with a spoon of honey on a loaf of bread with butter, making for a healthy dessert! Do not cook it, because many of its nutrients are sensitive to heat.

It is true that fresh pollen is expensive, especially in countries with monocultures lacking in natural habitats. But after all, it’s a matter of perspective. What is better for building a healthy system in long run – spending  your money wisely on special foods? Or paying even more for visits to doctors? Like a friend used to tell me: “the money you have is not always your choice – and you will always need more, but spending wisely is your choice”.

Every day is a new lesson learned. Your footprint on our planet, whether it is environmental, social, or other, is your choice. Your life, likewise!

Evropi-Sofia Dalampira holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics and an MSc in Botany-Biology.

* The above is not medical advice but mere suggestions for improving your diet. Before reach herbal use you should consult your doctor, especially those who have health issues, are pregnant or are under the age of 6.