As winter settles in, it’s the perfect time to trade in hot cocoa for herbal remedies that nourish, balance, and elevate your well-being.
If you’ve wandered through the world of herbalism, you know how complex it is and how confusing it can be knowing where to begin. That’s why we lean on our modern-day medicine women, aka herbalists, to keep us informed and guide us along the way.
Enter: Rachel Levine, herbalist, intuitive mentor, and founder of Intuitively Wild.
According to Rachel, winter is a time for restoration and respite. And she explains how specific herbs can help us honor it as such.
“As the seasons shift and we move fully into winter, our body, mind, and spirit ask for different and deeper nourishment,” Rachel explains. “It’s our job to tune in and listen. Our bodies soften and ask for deeper rest, clearer boundaries, and stronger support, and herbs can help us provide these needs for ourselves.
Rachel goes on to recommend her favorite herbs for winter:
“Nettle promotes fierce boundaries and strengthens our internal systems. It will give you the push you need to take action when required and the confidence to stay rooted in your decisions and who you are. At the same time, it provides a sense of comfort, nourishment, and support. To incorporate nettle into your daily ritual, you can drink it as a tea, take it under your tongue as a tincture, or infuse it into an oil for cooking. My favorites are tincture or tea.”
“Rosemary warms you from the inside out. It aids in circulation and connects you to the energy of the sun. It improves memory, strengthens your immune system, protects, and supports strong relationships.
“It’s also a versatile herb that can easily and safely be used in various ways. I recommend a tincture or oxymel, which is similar to a tincture but includes a sweetener such as honey. My favorite kind of oxymel during the colder seasons is fire cider (an herbal blend infused into apple cider vinegar), as it contains specific herbs geared towards immune support.
“To incorporate rosemary into your daily ritual, you can use it in your seasonal cooking, take a spoonful of fire cider in warm water, or take it in tincture form.”
“Oat straw is great for nourishing the body, relaxing your mind, easing anxiety, and providing a sense of peace.”
It’s also deeply mineralizing, and a great herb for—ehem—lubricating the libido.
Rachel recommends taking oat straw in a tea, infusion, tincture, or body oil. “To incorporate it into your daily ritual you can make an infusion by steeping the herb in boiled water overnight, straining it in the morning, and drinking your oat straw infusion throughout the day.”
Of course, you can look for products like teas and tinctures that combine all of these herbs. But we love making space for each one individually, creating rituals that honor the season and our personal needs.
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