The Old Growth Table: Our Food is our Medicine

THE OLD GROWTH TABLE is a heartfelt exploration of the rich cultural heritage and culinary traditions of the Coast Salish people. Here, we delve deep into ancient food wisdom, traditional cooking methods, and the profound spiritual connection we have with our environment. In the first episode of this podcast series, Valerie Segrest, Native nutritionist and food advocate, invites us in with teachings about springtime, a season of awakening, when the first wild foods emerge after months of winter stillness. She introduces us to two early spring greens—nettles and dandelions—and shows us how they offer more than nutrition. These are ancestral foods that carry teachings, stories, and ceremony. With humor, honesty, and deep care, we talk about what it means to rekindle relationships with these foods, especially when those relationships have been disrupted or shrouded in shame. Valerie reminds us that food is not just about nutrients— they offer us wisdom, remembering, and healing. Valerie also welcomes two powerful voices in Indigenous food sovereignty—Mariah Gladstone of Indigikitchen and Sean Sherman, author of The Sioux Chef—who join the conversation to reflect on what it means to say: Our food is our medicine.