Think like an herbalist
Despite the fact the wellness industry is always trying to get you in the 'present'.. which, of course I hearttily agree with in most cases, being an herbalist almost always has you thinking ahead. Harvesting herbs requires watching plants closely.. waiting for the right moment to pluck. Putting up jars of infused oils or extracts means we have to wait for the end result for weeks or months. Creating certain products requires us be able to see out further than today. Patiently standing by for the eventual reward. Combine this with the 'slow and steady wins the race' mentality of herbal medicine in general (herbs take time to work well in the body) and we are masters of looking down the pathway to prepare ourselves for upcoming events. See that root sticking out of the ground? Watch your step! There is a wasp nest in the trees ahead.. tread quietly! That puddle? You may need to walk around it! So, let's think like an herbalist and start planning for one of the busiest, most stressful and overwhelming season.. holiday season will creep up on us and it's time to start planning to maintain your wellness NOW.
I can hear you groan from here. I get it. It's months away and no one wants to think about the acceleration of the holiday season. But let's get real. Once Halloween passes.. the whole marketing blitz/family-visit planning craziness/calendar flip starts to speed up and suddenly taking care of yourself takes a backseat. And as the days pass.. we wear down to a nub. Decorating, gift giving, budget planning, family visits, dealing with weather and school events and.. and.. and. All of these things add up. It usually adds up to you feeling beat up, tired and (by Yuletide) just plain 'over it'. Which is why I recommend starting now.. not planning for those particular events. Instead, planning for how to keep yourself nourished, fit, emotionally even and calm during "the most wonderful time of the year".
So, let's start by rolling back the time machine in your mind. How did it go last year? How did you feel? Did you end up with a cold by mid-holiday season? Did you feel frazzled and spread thin.. resulting in some snappy moments with your loved ones and yourself? Does your digestive system seem to slow down? Speed up? How was your sleep? Does your mood seem to take a dip despite all the lights and loud reminders that this is supposedly "the most wonderful time of the year"? All of these things are little windows into where your body, mind and spirit start to suffer when the season ramps up. Now, of course we cannot avoid everything (unless you want to live in a bubble, but yuck). So, think like an herbalist and here are some things you can put into place NOW, prepare for and have already in your coffers so you aren't scrambling. Here are the things I use to prepare myself for a season filled with lights, family, cookies and the spiritual struggle in trying to recapture the whimsy of childhood..
Nettle, Oat and alfalfa infusions every night - this is a deeply nourishing blend. Mineral rich (especially calming magnesium), adaptogenic (helping you adapt to stress more smoothly) and truly feeds the system. This is something I do all year.. but I really ramp up the usage as fall turns to winter. Foundational to help my system be a grounded and stable as possible.
In a mason jar.. simply fill it about 1/3 full with your herbal blend (and yes, you can add other things here.. lemon balm for digestion, holy basil for spirit/emotional health, etc.). Boil water and fill your jar. Add your sweetner now (maple syrup is my go-to) and gently cover. Let this sit overnight.. strain in the morning, drink at your leisure! Doing this every night just lays the groundwork.
Zicam swabs - and yes, I like the swabs over the lozenges but. you do you. As we start to get stressed out, our bodies energy starts getting stretched in a lot of places. And often our immune systems suffer as a result. So, these handy little swabs are a great little dose of zinc, directly where many viruses get in. Does it prevent a cold? Nope. But it does hinder viral duplication, so if you happen to be in a room full of folks or your kinds are bringing home snotty noses.. I will use these judiciously. Not daily. But, judge the space I'm in. The exposure risk and use 2-3x/day if I'm around a risky space. And up to 5x a day if I notice a cold is on the way. In my experiece.. it truly does cut the longevity and severity of a cold. And no, they don't pay me to suggest them, this is just one of my faves.
Bring on the bitters - let's face it, we all get a little cavalier about our good habits during the season. Parties, grandma's cookies you can't resist, candy, alcohol, big heavy meals. We are all susceptible and frankly, there IS such a thing as a mental health cupcake. Rather than feeling shame around wanting to taste your childhood.. lean in for fuck's sake. Be smart, of course. But I'm not one to refuse myself something that gives me joy. Try to stop me from eating gingersnaps or snowball cookies. Go ahead. Try. And since I know this about myself, I make sure to have herbal bitter herbs around. Bitters are an alcohol tincture of, well, bitter herbs. Think dandelion root, burdock root, gentian root, orange and lemon peel and beyond. These herbs stimulate good digestive absorption and movement. Encouraging your gastric juices to activate and keep thinkngs moving (if you get my drift). Bitters are best deployed before you eat (by approx 15 minutes), thus their traditional use in apertif cocktails. However, you can also simply add to your water bottle and sip during the day. It simply encourages your digestive system to keep functioning optimally.. even when bombarded by a sugar or rich food bomb. Need something more? Be sure to keep some fresh ginger in your fridge or freezer to make a super simple tea if your guts are feeling yucky. Grate into a cup, boil water and steep your fresh, grated ginger for 5 minutes. Sip and things should mellow out. Add some peppermint, lemon balm or chamomile if you like for a very potent upset stomach remedy.
Find your emotional support team - and there are a lot of options out there. You know I love my motherwort for stress relief. But there are so many wonderful things you can use! Chamomile tea is a lovely relaxing herb.. she may make you a little sleepy, so might not be the one to use before you have to go somewhere. Holy basil, lemon balm, lavender and mushroom medicine (reishi, chaga, etc) are all wonderful options. If you have a go-to, be sure you have a stock ready to go. Don't wait until you need it.. be prepared. Mix your herbal tea blend in advance and put int a jar so you can just boil some water in the moment. Make your tincture now so it's ready in 6 weeks. Aromatherapy more your thing? I adore citrus and florals for stress. Lavender, orange, neroli, jasmine, rose or lemon.. these are brightening and calming. Find your combo now make your spray, rollerball or balm. Then you can be ready to spray your space, bedding or your orbit when you need to put a boundary between you and your intrusive aunt at dinner. Again, when you are feeling the stress or just too fucking tired to do anything ... you won't always feel up to making things in the moment. Curious about which herb is which for emotional support? Here's a few favorites and the why:
Holy basil is perfect if you want something daily to get aligned spiritually and need help adapting to rapidly moving targets.
Does your digestion system seem to feel the yuck when stressed? Reach for lemon balm. It's soothing, relaxing and anti-inflammatory.
If your chest/heart space feels the stress.. be sure to find your favorite motherwort tincture for this. Calms the circulatory system and takes the adrenaline rush of stress down a few notches fast! It's not great as a tea.. get the tincture from a good source. Not for use in pregnancy.
Mushroom medicines are lovely for a deep, foundational and grounded base. If you feel you get too lost in the upper chakras/heady/ungrounded spaces, I love bringing in mushrooms daily. Bonus points for immune support too!
Really struggle to get your feet under you when things start ping-ponging around? If the stress seems to knock you off kilter, bring in adaptogenic herbs for the season. Ashwagahnda is my go-to. Boosts mood, helps your wake/sleep cycle and just overall balancing. But herbs like rhodiola, nettle, ginseng.. and many more can be helpful. Work with an herbalist for the best options. They all work a little differently and you have a lot of options.
Work with flower essences - if you feel like you have capacity to do a little extra work, essences can highlight the 'sticky' places where you are feeling frustrated. Or get aggressive. Or defensive. Or avoidant. Frankly, seeing and noticing shifts the pattern of behaviour, even if you don't work actively to do so. It can seriously be as simple as bringing in an essence like honeysuckle to notice the differece between nostalgia and reality. Helping you see where you might be feeling (wrongfully?) disappointed because you remember something with rose colored glasses and yet you cannot recapture that feeling. Or, do you always shrink when in certain situations? Maybe it is time to bring in mullien flower.. helping you stand tall in your personal space and feeling bold enough to share your truth no matter what. Maybe you gain insights on where you heard the message to stay small? Or bring in wild rose essence to help you feel calm and serene .. no matter how many family members are invading your space. Or the overwhelming amount of last minute shit you have to do. Essences are always an interesting addtion to your winter protocol. As the holiday season winds down and we are staring down the quiet of the winter season, some introspection can be very helpful to start your year with fresh eyes.
Book your reiki session now - energy work can be so helpful during stressful times. You can have a session early in the season to get aligned prior to the wildness. Ensuring you are ready to tackle a busy 3 months. Or set up a mid-season sesh to give you a moment of pause and quiet. Let's move some negative energy out.. get good energy flowing smoothly and recalibrate. Find a practitioner near you or book a distance session with me and you can get that energy sent right to you from the meadow!
These suggestions are just a small amount of things you can do to navigate the season with whatever calm and balance you can grab. And, dare I say, some whimsy and fun?? But, the best way to make sure you aren't scrambling for support is to start thinking about this process NOW. Think about your personal stress points and how your body/mind/spirit respond. Use this information to get prepared. Mix or buy your herbal tea blends now for use in November. Check with your favorite local herbal source for their suggestions and get your tincures in your cabinet so you have them right when you need them. Try to start some daily practices now (infusion? daily walk at 2pm? Evening journaling?) so they are part of the fabric of your day PRIOR to the crazy. These practices will just be a part of your day already so you aren't starting something new between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Think like an herbalist. What can you prepare now.. that you can reap 6 weeks from now?
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