Should You Eat Tree Leaves? 6 That are Safe and 6 Poisonous

One of the most fundamental challenges in a survival situation is getting enough food. Lots of wilderness lore and survival training revolves around identifying, collecting, and preparing wild edibles safely.

And though most of us think of hunting various critters, or picking safe berries and mushrooms, you might not have stopped to wonder if the leaves that grow plentifully on the trees all around you are safe to eat or not.

If they are, that could be a huge boon to your efforts! So, should you eat tree leaves?

You can eat tree leaves in a survival situation, but most offer very little in the way of nutrition. Though leaves can fill your stomach and offer some vitamins and minerals, many species are toxic and must be positively identified.

Leaves occupy a gray area when it comes to survival food. Many of them, especially ones from the most ideal species, are highly edible and even tasty, capable of filling your stomach.

But even among the best ones, they offer precious little in the way of nutrition, and many species of trees, including several look-alikes, are dangerously toxic.

As with all wild edibles you must learn your stuff before you partake of them, and even with expert knowledge you’ll need a backup plan when it comes to meeting your calorie and nutritional requirements.

Keep reading and I’ll tell you what you need to know…

Tree Leaves Have Always Been Eaten as “Famine” Foods

Throughout history, in times of scarcity or serious survival situations many people and cultures have turned to tree leaves as a source of emergency or supplemental sustenance.

Edible leaves provide an accessible and plentiful, if incomplete and marginal, food source when other options are unavailable for whatever reason.

Tree leaves can serve the same purpose today for survivors in need, or be gathered as an option for fulfilling gaps in your diet that you might encounter.

Tree Leaves Can be Useful Dietary Supplements

As mentioned, tree leaves don’t offer anything close to complete nutrition but they can serve admirably as useful dietary supplements.

Rich in essential minerals like magnesium, iron, and zinc, and in many cases having one or two vitamins, they can contribute to a balanced diet and help prevent the onset of horrible diseases like scurvy or rickets.

Pine needle tea is a well-known and traditional fireside offering that has long been used by trappers and explorers to provide vitamin C when fresh fruits were simply unavailable.

Additionally, many leaves can be brewed into tasty and soothing teas or used as garnishes for salads or other foods.

Either use can serve as a remedy or just flavor purposes, in both cases helping you thrive and keep your head in the game.

At Worst, Eating the Right Leaves Might Curb Your Hunger

Just because leaves are not a “high value” wild edible, that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth your time or effort.

Even though they don’t provide meaningful amounts of calories much of the time, consuming safe tree leaves can help curb hunger pangs.

This can be especially beneficial in survival situations where food is sparse and gnawing hunger is a distraction you can ill afford.

And, not for nothing, every calorie helps!

Warning: Many Trees are Highly Toxic, Even Deadly!

But, while some tree leaves can be an asset or even a lifesaver, others can be genuinely lethal.

It’s imperative to know which ones are safe to eat and which ones are not: Incorrect identification will lead to serious health issues, and even minor problems can turn deadly when you are already in a bad way.

When in doubt, err on the side of caution and avoid or look for trees that you can positively ID as safe.

The Following Common Trees are Safe to Eat

The following species are some of the most common trees around, and all have leaves that are safe to eat.

The rule of thumb is that you should always try to find the newest, greenest, tenderest leaves for consumption; older, mature or dead leaves are tougher to digest and have less nutrients to offer.

1. Birch

Birch trees are commonly found across the Northern Hemisphere, including parts of North America, Europe, and Asia.

Easily spotted thanks to their distinctive white bark, birch leaves are slightly sweet or else have a bracing minty flavor, and can be boiled or consumed raw. Great as tea or in a salad!

2. Beech

Beech trees predominantly grow in temperate regions throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. The leaves are typically light green, with new growth being a vivid green color.

All have a slightly bitter taste when eaten raw (usually a bad sign, but okay in this case). However, when cooked slowly over low heat they take on a milder, more palatable flavor.

3. Sugar Maple

The Sugar Maple is native to the hardwood forests of eastern Canada and the northern parts of the United States.

Most famous (and loved) for their sap which produces delectable maple syrup, their leaves are edible also.

They’re best when young and tender, with a flavor that’s mildly sweet and nutty. One of the best edible leaves around.

4. Sassafras

Sassafras trees are mainly found in the eastern parts of North America. The leaves have a unique, aromatic flavor that’s often described as a mix between woody, citrusy and root beer-like.

Traditionally, sassafras leaves have been used in all sorts of drinks and other recipes. Good for making tea, and a good option for eating if you can stomach the taste.

5. Mulberry

Mulberry trees are widely distributed across warmer regions of the globe. The leaves are quite bland in taste or mildly tart, but can be eaten safely raw or cooked.

They’re commonly used in teas or as supplement ingredients due to their high nutrient content.

6. Chinese Elm

The Chinese Elm, also known as the Lacebark Elm, is native to East Asia and many parts of the Pacific Rim. The small, dark green leaves a mild leafy flavor not unlike lettuce.

They can be eaten raw or cooked, and are commonly used in various cuisines in salads or as garnishes.

These Trees are Poisonous and Must be Avoided

Unlike the trees above, eating the leaves, or any other parts, of these trees can kill you. Some of them are lethally toxic. Learn them, and avoid them!

1. Yew

Yews are evergreen trees native to various regions of the Northern Hemisphere, and found in many subspecies around the globe.

They contain a toxic compound called taxine, which can cause dizziness, dry mouth, nausea, or worse if ingested. All parts of the tree are poisonous. Yews can be deadly for both humans and animals.

2. Cherry

Cherry trees are known for their beautiful blossoms, enticing fragrance, and delicious fruit. Many species are found worldwide.

However, unlike those wonderful fruits their leaves, stems, bark, and seeds all contain cyanogenic glycosides that turn into deadly hydrogen cyanide when ingested.

Bad news! Eating large amounts of the leaves, especially if they’re wilted or crushed, can lead to symptoms like difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, and fatal seizures.

3. Horse Chestnut

The Horse Chestnut tree, native to parts of Southeast Europe but found throughout much of Europe and the Northern US, contains a toxin called aesculin.

This toxic compound is found in all parts of the tree, but is particularly concentrated in the seeds and is highly toxic.

Ingesting even a small amount can cause nausea, abdominal pain, and severe vomiting, while larger doses can be lethal.

4. Manchineel

The stuff of literal nightmares. Considered one of the most dangerous trees in all the world, the borderline demonic Manchineel is found across Florida, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. All parts of this tree contain strong toxins.

Its sap causes skin blisters, and even coming into contact with rainwater that has touched it will cause blistering and hives.

Eating its small, enticing, apple-like fruit will cause burning pain, major digestive problems, and potentially fatal complications.

Any contact with the eyes can lead to temporary or permanent blindness. ID and avoid at all costs!

5. Black Locust

Black Locust trees, most common in southeastern United States, contain the toxin robitin, a type of lectin.

The bark, leaves, and especially the seeds can cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps if ingested. Death is rare, but possible in cases of severe poisoning.

6. Rhododendrons

Rhododendrons are widely distributed across Asia, North America, and Europe. All contain grayanotoxins, present in their leaves, nectar, and pollen.

Consumption will result in symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, and heart arrhythmia. In extreme cases, it can potentially prove fatal.

You Must Take the Time to Learn What Trees are Safe in Your Region

To further complicate your search for edible leaves, some edible trees have dangerous lookalikes you’ll need to rule out.

For instance, consider the sugar maple tree above. Known for its sweet sap and leaves, it has a potentially harmful lookalike called the Norway maple.

While not outright deadly, the sap of the Norway maple contains toxins that will cause mild skin irritation or seriously upset your stomach.

Misidentifying these two could mean the difference between a welcome edible and bad reaction.

Similarly, lurch trees can sometimes be confused with cherry trees. There are many other examples besides for all kinds of other species.

Accordingly, a thorough, intimate knowledge of what trees are safe and edible and what trees are to be avoided in your area is paramount if you want to depend on them in a survival situation.

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Can Chickens Eat Grass Clippings? Is it Safe?

Any chicken owner that has ever let their chickens touch grass before has doubtlessly already noticed that their birds don’t just pick through the grass looking for choice morsels of food, but they actually eat a little bit of the grass too.

It’s almost a little strange when you think about it; chickens eating grass? It’s true, chickens do eat grass.

But that begs another question: can chickens eat grass clippings, and are they safe for them?

Grass clippings are safe for chickens as long as they are dry, and haven’t been contaminated with fertilizers, pesticides, fuel or other chemicals which could pose a health hazard.

Grass is a natural source of nutrients for chickens, but far from nutritionally complete.

There’s a fair bit of contention on the internet regarding whether or not you can give grass clippings to chickens. Reasons vary, but a few people have blown the topic way out of proportion.

Grass is a safe and natural food for chickens, and you can give your grass clippings to them so long as you apply a little bit of common sense.

I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the topic down below.

What Benefits Do Grass Clippings Have for Chickens?

Grass is only of marginal benefit to them, but it does have a part to play in chickens’ diet. It can provide them with a few calories and a little bit of various vitamins and minerals that they need.

Grass is also beneficial for helping to clear out a chicken’s intestinal tract, and it can potentially firm up their poop if they are experiencing loose, watery stools.

Chickens generally don’t eat grass all the time if they have any other choice, but when they do eat it, by necessity or otherwise, they will invariably seek out more grit to help them break down the tough cellulose present in it.

Grass Clipping Nutritional Info

Grass is only a marginal food for chickens, and though it contains nutrients that they need, it does not contain very much of them at all.

Although the nutritional profile of grass does vary somewhat depending on the specific type, typically grass will offer chickens some carbs and fiber, a little bit of vitamins A and E, and a smattering of B-complex vitamins.

Are Grass Clippings Safe for Chickens?

Yes, grass clippings are safe for chickens. There is nothing in grass that is inherently harmful to your chickens unless it is fed them excessively.

This also assumes that your grass clippings are dry, and also free from chemicals such as fertilizer and pesticides, which could be toxic. More on that in just a bit.

Are Grass Clippings Cut by Power Mowers and Tools Safe for Chickens?

Yes, as long as they are dry and have not been contaminated by any chemicals. As we just discussed, grass clippings are perfectly safe for chickens, and the same holds true for grass cut with a power mower or similar tools.

But, this is a contentious point for some keepers: Many chicken owners are wary of feeding their chickens grass clippings cut by a power mower or other lawn tools.

The reason is, power mower can theoretically release harmful chemicals into the grass it cuts, things like oil, fuel, grease and so forth, or even pesticides and herbicides picked up from previous mowing.

These chemicals would then be consumed by chickens when they eat the clippings, leading to potential illness or even death.

Although certainly possible, the actual threat is way overblown if the mower in question is in good repair and working order, and if the grass is cut from any property that you have had full control over, i.e. a property where you know exactly what and what has not been sprayed on the grass.

Then again, grass cut down by a manual push-reel mower or scythe won’t entail this worry at all, so do keep that in mind if it is a concern for you!

Are Grass Clippings Safe for Baby Chicks?

Grass clippings are of dubious safety for chicks. Chicks’ digestive systems are not yet mature, and their crops are much more prone to blockage, especially from tougher vegetation like grass.

You could give grass to your chicks, but you should wait until they are around 6 weeks old – or even older – before you do, and only then in small amounts of finely chopped grass bits.

Something else to keep in mind is that grass has nowhere close to enough nutrients or calories for chicks, so it really is just taking up space in their tummies that could be filled with something more nutritionally useful.

How Frequently Can Grass Clippings be Fed to Chickens?

Grass clippings are a novel snack for chickens, or if you are being very charitable a dietary supplement.

You should give them grass clippings (deliberately), no more than once a week, and only in small quantities.

Additionally, chickens that are allowed to wander around and free-range can and will get lots of grass all on their own when they want it.

They don’t need you to give them extra grass at all because they are already eating plenty themselves.

Be Careful: Too Much Grass in the Diet Can Harm Chickens

In all cases, be wary when feeding grass clippings to chickens, no matter where it came from.

Grass has a bad reputation for causing crop impaction issues in chickens, and though some keepers just seem to be avowed haters of the idea of serving grass to chickens, there is merit in the concern.

Specifically, wet grass is far more likely to cause blockages in the chicken’s crop. If you give your chickens grass clippings, make sure they are dry before serving, and never be too hasty to serve chickens grass that is wet from dew or rain.

Do keep in mind that chickens do best when their food is dry, or damp at most. Truly moist and wet foods of all kinds, not just grass, are disproportionately likely to cause crop and other digestive problems in chickens.

What’s the Best Way to Serve Grass Clippings to Your Flock?

Assuming the grass clippings are fresh, dry and free of contaminants like pesticides, herbicides, and oil or fuel residue, the best way to serve them is loose in small amounts. Your chickens will eat their fill and leave the rest, most times.

It is rarely worth it to try and bulk up other foods by mixing them with grass clippings, so don’t waste your time.

Be Careful of Chemical Contamination that Might Be on Cut Grass

I’ve harped on this topic throughout the article, but just in case you skipped ahead to this part, allow me to be perfectly clear: you should never, ever feed grass clippings to chickens if they have been treated with any kind of pesticide, herbicide, or other common lawn chemicals.

Those chemicals can remain in the grass basically forever, and persist long after rain and cutting. Any of them could make your flock sick if you feed them, or maybe even kill them.

Remember that all birds, and that includes chickens, are highly sensitive to toxins and poisons. 

If you’re unsure whether a batch of grass was sprayed or chemically treated in any way, just do not give it to your chickens. It is just not worth the risk!

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Can You Drink Boiled Salt Water In An Emergency?

Everyone understands instinctively how precious water is to survival. Going even a single day without a drink of water can leave you crippled or dead when the chips are down.

Precious few people can survive outside in the elements for more than a few days, at most, without it.

And that’s the paradox of the sea when it comes to survival: surrounded by limitless water, and none of it safe to drink!

But there’s got to be something we can do to make use of it: Is it possible that you can drink boiled salt water in an emergency situation?

No, boiled salt water is not safe to drink. Boiling doesn’t eliminate the salt content of salt water, though it can reduce harmful microorganisms as usual.

In fact, boiling your collected salt water is only going to make it even worse for you because it concentrates the salt present in the water.

That means if you boil and drink it in a desperate attempt to quench your thirst, it’s only going to dehydrate you even faster and trash your internal organs.

This is a survival problem that’s as old as time, so keep reading and I’ll tell you more about the issue…

What Happens if You Drink Salt Water?

If you drink salt water, whether it is from the ocean or it is fresh water simply contaminated with salt, the only thing you will do is speed up your own demise.

That is because your body simply cannot deal with the immense concentration of salt present in the water.

If you’re already dehydrated, this is a double whammy: you’ll dehydrate even faster because your body will end up releasing moisture that it has stored to flush even more urine from your body in an effort to eliminate the salt.

In no time at all, you’ll be facing hypernatremia, which is a higher-than-normal concentration of salt in the bloodstream.

This is a life-threatening condition, particularly in a survival situation…

A person that is suffering from hypernatremia will have an elevated heartbeat or irregular heart rhythm, intense nausea and vomiting, loss of equilibrium, and eventually, seizures as their organs start to shut down.

Death usually results from either cardiac arrest or swelling of the brain.

It’s easy to see how a person that is stuck with only salt water to drink could eventually go mad from desperation, drinking the salt water in an effort to quench their thirst and only accelerating their bad end.

Indeed, this has happened many, many times throughout history…

How Long Can You Survive Drinking Sea Water?

Not long, not very long at all, and in fact, drinking salt water is only going to accelerate your end versus going without water at all.

Dehydration is only ever made even worse by consuming salt water, and there is no injury, no ailment, no sickness that cannot be made even worse by consuming salt water.

When a person starts to drink salt water, the end is not far off…

Can We Use Salt Water After Boiling It?

No. Or rather, you cannot drink salt water after boiling it. Boiling salt water will help to kill other biological contaminants in it, however, and that does make salt water more suitable for various chores and other tasks, such as the washing of clothing or dishes and other equipment.

Even so, it is still just as dangerous to you after it has been boiled, or even more so!

Does Boiling Water Remove Salt?

No. Boiling salt water doesn’t do anything to remove salt from it. In fact, it just does the opposite.

When you boil salt water, the water turns to steam and leaves the rest of the water and the salt it contains behind. The salt does not evaporate!

So, considering you have the same amount of salt but less water, what you are left with is a smaller quantity of water that is even saltier than it was before you started boiling it!

Because of this, drinking boiled salt water is going to be even worse for you!

What Does Boiling Remove from Salt Water?

Boiling salt water will still kill microorganisms like viruses, bacteria, parasites, and more that might be hiding in it.

This is definitely a useful step toward purifying the water for whatever purpose, but it’s nowhere near enough to make it safe for you to consume.

And, as detailed above, the other thing that boiling salt water will remove from it is the water itself! It will turn to steam, float away on the air and then condense elsewhere, leaving you with less water.

Does Boiling Water Purify It at All?

Yes, strictly speaking, as I said above, boiling salt water does purify it but only in terms of eliminating germs, not rendering it safe for human consumption.

Even germ-free salt water is still way too dangerous for you to drink, and doing so will result in hypernatremia and your eventual end.

Do Chemical Additives Make Seawater Safe to Drink?

No. Sterilization tabs, iodide, and other chemicals that preppers typically use to purify water in the same way do nothing to eliminate the salt content which can bee lethal.

Although, once more, they might prove to be a useful step in rendering salt water completely safe via a multi-step process, they do nothing to overcome its inherent unsuitability as potable water.

Something else to keep in mind is that the presence of salt might interfere with the normal function of the chemicals.

If at all possible, you should remove the salt from the water through desalinization or some other procedure before moving on to chemical sterilization if it is still required.

Is it Possible to Make Salt Water Drinkable?

Yes. You can make salt water drinkable, but this is usually very difficult and time-consuming without specialized technology.

That said, where there is a will there is a way, and if you have the will and a little bit of know how you can try distillation, using field expedient methods or a specialized appliance, or desalination, which relies upon an appliance.

How Can You Remove the Salt From Seawater?

As mentioned above, by using distillation or desalination.

Distillation you might already be familiar with: it is a process by which water is evaporated into steam, but the steam is captured and allowed to recondense in a separate container.

Through this process it leaves all other contaminants, including salt, behind.

In the field, this can be done with something as simple as a transparent piece of plastic, a shallow hole in the ground and some kind of a container that will catch the condensate from the plastic.

Desalination is much more involved, and is a process that is most commonly used above ocean-going ships and boats and sometimes at a much larger scale to supply fresh, drinkable water to coastal and other nearby settlements.

Although there are models available that are basically the size of a countertop appliance, this isn’t something that you’ll be able to carry with you as part of your survival kit, to say nothing of providing power to it.

If you’re concerned about making use of salt water in a survival scenario, you are strongly advised to learn as much as you can about different methods for distilling it.

This takes a long time, but it can provide you with a steady supply of safe, drinkable fresh water from salt water.

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Badgers: Are They Dangerous?

Badgers are virtually synonymous with tenacity, but are they dangerous? Most folks don’t know too much about badgers.

These are interesting animals that are noteworthy for their intricate social and family units that form in the wild, and they’re also important game and fur animals that are harvested for their hair and for their meat.

Chances are you won’t encounter a badger in the wild unless you head out into deep country, because they tend to keep to themselves.

But should you be worried if you run into one? Are badgers dangerous?

No, not really. Badgers as a rule would rather avoid contact with people than fight, but if they are cornered, grabbed or if you are threatening their young they are capable of putting up quite a fight, and badgers do have a powerful bite.

Most North American badgers are not particularly big, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that they won’t fight if they have to.

Badgers will do everything they can to get away from you if you come too close, but if you corner them or threaten their family unit, they may attack with ferocity out of all proportion with their size.

Even so, badgers are not typically considered to be dangerous to people. Keep reading, and I’ll tell you everything you need to know about these interesting animals.

Badger Overview, Temperament and Habitat

Badgers really are one of the most interesting animals on Earth. Not just because they have been historically important for the products they can provide when trapped or hunted.

It’s because of the surprisingly intricate, nuanced connections that badgers make among their own kind, sometimes even with other species!

Badger species can be found all over the world, predominantly in North America, the United Kingdom, and throughout much of Europe though some can be found all across Asia and much of Africa.

Badgers belong to the Mustelidae family, making them relatives to wolverines, weasels, ferrets and otters, and they look quite similar to these animals though they are notable for having a much larger and stockier body, a shorter neck and large, prominent front claws that are used for digging.

In the wild, badgers exhibit a tendency towards living in family units, with extended families generally getting along peaceably inside a larger shared territory. These larger social units are referred to as clans.

Some badgers, though, individually show a marked tendency towards being loners, though they may or may not temporarily rejoin a family unit for various reasons.

In any case, all badgers, whether solitary or in a family unit, can rapidly excavate large, deep and intricate subterranean burrows called setts where they will live and sometimes store food.

Badgers are remarkably good diggers, among the fastest found in nature, and they use these skills to track down similarly subterranean food in the form of various rodents, reptiles and other underground critters.

Near areas of human habitation, badgers are also marked predators of small livestock, particularly poultry and eggs, and sometimes vulnerable individuals of smaller species like goats and sheep.

But something that is even more remarkable is the fact that badgers, in the wild, can form a sort of pact or you might even say friendship with other species, usually coyotes and wolves.

These interactions have been caught on video multiple times, so if you see a badger following a coyote or wolf, they might be working together!

Whether you find a badger with its family or alone, you can generally depend on them retreating from any contact with a human being unless they feel cornered or feel like their young is threatened.

Do Badgers Protect Their Territory?

Badgers will typically protect their territory from certain animals and from other badgers that aren’t part of the clan unit. Individual badgers might also have beef with individuals of other clans, and this can lead to scuffles.

However, it’s rare for a badger to act territorial towards a human or any other large animal in their territory as long as they aren’t getting too close to their burrow.

That might provoke a defensive response to run off the intruder!

Do Badgers Act Aggressively Toward Each Other?

Yes, sometimes. Territorial pressures as described above can lead to fights between badgers, and mating season pressures can cause horny males to turn downright belligerent towards other males.

But aside from these instances as long as there is peace between neighboring clans and lone individuals badgers tend to get along.

Do Badgers Threaten People?

Badgers generally do not threaten people except when they feel cornered, are restrained directly or if they feel like they must protect their young. In these cases, a badger will usually go on the attack directly.

It is encounters like this that have given rise to the badger’s well-deserved reputation for tenacity and ferocity, however! So stay alert!

Have There Been Recorded Badger Attacks on People?

Yes, indeed there have been. There are quite a few well-known historical instances of badger attacks on humans.

Generally, though, this is a direct result of human impingement on their immediate territory or due to a botched attempt to trap or kill them. Badgers greatly prefer to run and hide from humans and other larger animals rather than fight if they are able.

Even so, compared to other wild animals and wild mammals in particular badger attacks are rare.

What Will Trigger a Badger Attack on a Person?

Coming too close to a badger’s burrow, pursuing it when it is trying to get away, coming too close to a badger with young or trying to trap, restrain or handle a badger will definitely provoke an attack.

Just How Strong is a Badger?

Badgers are actually quite strong, much stronger than you would think for an animal that usually is no bigger than a medium-sized dog.

Like most animals in their category, badgers have very strong jaws with great flexibility, and also impressive stamina that they use to dig quickly and for a long time.

A badger bite is a serious medical event, and can inflict lasting injuries, so don’t underestimate them.

Can Badgers Bite?

Yes, absolutely: badgers can and will bite. The bite of a badger is quite severe, and their immense jaw strength and sharp, stout teeth means they can easily inflict significant puncture wounds or even break bones.

Worse yet, badgers have a tendency to bite and lock on as they thrashed to inflict even more damage, so it isn’t out of the question they could very literally bite a chunk out of you.

What Does a Badger Attack Look Like?

When badgers attack they go all out. They will charge immediately and try to bite, but they will also swipe with their claws. But it is the bite you have to worry about as discussed above.

A badger that is provoked to violence might chase you for some distance, so be prepared for a lengthy retreat if you don’t want to engage the badger.

How Do You Respond to a Badger Attack?

The very best thing you can do to respond to a badger attack is simply to get away. If you’re able, run away as quickly as you can.

Badgers are surprisingly quick and nimble, but they have very short limbs so you should be able to outmaneuver them in most types of terrain.

If you cannot outrun the badger or if that just isn’t an option, defend yourself using whatever you have at hand and prioritize using any tool that can keep the badger from reaching you or put it down at a distance. Do everything that you can to avoid being bitten.

However, use great care if you’re going to try to restrain the badger when you come into contact with it…

They are surprisingly wiry, agile animals, and they have a tendency to twist inside their loose-fitting skin to bite from unexpected angles, so don’t assume you are safe just because you have a hold of its neck.

Can a Badger Eat Someone?!

Not really. Unlike a bear or a mountain lion, a badger is not going to attack you with the intention of making dinner out of you. But, badgers are carnivores, or at least carnivorous, and that means they eat meat.

Badgers have also been known to scavenge meat from fresh and relatively intact corpses, so if for whatever reason something were to happen to you and badger territory it is possible that badgers might nibble on your body.

To be perfectly clear, a badger is not going to try to kill and eat you.

Can People Catch Diseases from Badgers?

Badgers do carry a few diseases of note that you might want to worry about, although badgers are very low on the list of concerns when it comes to animal-to-human transmission.

The most significant disease that badgers are known to carry is bovine tuberculosis, more of a concern for anyone who owns cattle or other livestock.

It is possible for badgers to transmit this disease to cows through the environment, and then cows can transmit the disease to people through milk, although pasteurization typically takes care of it.

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Lucid Dreaming | Maintaining lifetime motivation

I've been reading/watching lately (Andrew Huberman podcast, and the book "Atomic Habits") that for continuous improvement and maintenance of motivation, the emphasis should be on developing and implementing a system instead of focusing only on your specific end-goals. Reach for constant, small improvements daily, and never give up. (A 1% improvement per day yields 37x results in a year, and likewise a 1% loss of ability per day leads to almost zero at the end of a year). The improvements compound seriously over time. There is a "let down/relaxation" effect that kicks in after achieving a goal. If you instead frame your pursuit of lucidity and recall as "I'm a person who calls my dreams in exquisite detail," and "I'm a person who realizes I'm dreaming within the dream", or "I'm a lucid person, waking or dreaming, fully aware of my state and mindful of my experiences," and then you take daily actions that reinforce these choices of identity, (DJing, doing RCs, being aware, mindful, doing meditation, WBTB, trying WILD, doing MILD, etc.), and if you train yourself to love the process, to be happy in the moment of your daily actions that support your identify, then you can sustain continuous improvement throughout your lifetime. And you can be happy right now, and for life, instead of fleeting moments of happiness upon achieving a goal, then having to trudge through life until you reach another goal.

It's about deciding who you want to be, rather than what you want to do, or how you want to do it, then take actions that are consistent with your choices of identity.

Every time you act, you are voting for the kind of person you will become (or remain).

I have to say that with this shift of mindset, I find myself much more motivated, have much more energy, spend less time on procrastinating activities, and more time on productive pursuit of my chosen identities (one of which is: frequent lucid dreamer! Another is: master of dream (and waking) recall!).

Something I've learned from my own journey and from others': consistency wins. Never quit. Never never never quit. And you can love the process and the journey with the right frame of mind, ensuring that you won't quit, when your internal reward system & dopamine kicks in when you're training/practicing every day, instead of just when you occasionally achieve a goal.

via Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views - Attaining Lucidity https://ift.tt/pGStd1N