Something I am incredibly passionate about is plant medicine. I was naturally drawn to it as a child and it sort of creschendo-ed and grew with my love of home apothecary, homeopathics, and the fact that I was always battling with some sort of inflammation for the majority of my youth. My parents did the best they could, and believe me it was excellent care, but by the time I made it to high school I took over on the direction of my eating and in combination with my high levels of stress my skin took a turn for the worst. I had the worst eczema. No matter what I could not get ahead of it. It wasn't until I was deep into my 20’s and I learned to somewhat manage the chaos in my life that it finally decided to subside.
It has become apparent to me that many of us are dealing with our first cold in years.
The pandemic blessed us with the creation of a bubble with an all inclusive germ free zone but now, many of us are suffering with awful colds.
I finally realized that I don't take medicine, even natural remedies. It just sits in my pantry and goes to waste, past the expiration date and putting a not so slight dent on my wallet. I like teas and decoctions, therefore, I don't need to spend any more money on medicines in a traditional sense. When I say medicine, I am referring to tinctures, salves, and event natural pellets. So I would like to share my favorite ways to stay healthy this Fall into Winter and some of my favorite products too.
I often have a Qi imbalance and benefit from Astragalus for many different reasons. This mix is delightful in broths or steeped as a decoction for those who are used to Chinese Herbs.
This was a new to me company that I saw on Zoey Xin Yi Gong's Instagram story. She has a really resonant newsletter for those who are interested in TCM and has a cookbook coming out in 2023.
I am very fond of things that make life a bit more simple. I have been an avid follower of Five Seasons and do love their seasonal releases to help you keep your immunity strong throughout the year. Anything that aligns with the seasonal ebb and flow and understands we have more than four seasons is a win in my book, and they are Asian women owned which is a huge plus (all these businesses are actually). They have an incredibly insightful newsletter which I love reading.
I love being intentional about how I spend my time in conjunction with the moon cycle. I consult with the moon cycle almost daily before making any major decisions, and even before adding items to my calendar. This wasn't intentional but somewhat a revelation when I realized I had hard mood swings when the moon was in it's waxing gibbous phase heading into the full moon. It was really intense, and I was quite unhinged in the home, so I learned that I needed to allow space for alone time and an abundance of nature walks when the moon was reaching it's brightest moment.
I can attest that this single handedly kicked my daughters two plus week cold to the curb. This stuff is amazing. Thank you dear friend k, for recommending this to me. The name has changed, but the ingredients and the product are still spectacular. One bottle of this lasts us a year as we take it at the onset of sickness in our home. The Strong Woman Syrup is also lovely, but I personally still prefer my Floradix.
I have been in the practice this year of gently healing my ailments with herbs I grow in my garden. I used to grow medicinal herbs just to grow them, but I always had the intention to have a home apothecary and make teas, even considering at one point offering my teas for purchase. Now that I am understanding the difference between personal practice and business thanks to Marlee Grace's book’s Getting to Center and How to Not Always Be Working, I can differentiate between something that is a fleeting idea I want to sail into the sunset of dreams and something that I would feel fulfilled bringing to fruition.
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As a reminder, information is meant to be shared. If you know someone who could use this knowledge, pass it along.
Currently reading:
Books on plant identification mostly and Narraciones de Ella by Martha Rivera-Garrido
Listening to:
Unlearning hyper self-reliance by Sara Jane Case
p.s. I had this uncomfortable experience with a woman this past weekend on a nature walk who decided to ask me questions about her own constitution and if what she is currently taking is detrimental to her. As a gentle reminder, I am not able to diagnose people and I am learning this for self and my child, as I have been self healing in my home for years. If you want to explore or learn more, please reach out and I would be more than happy to share book recommendations, Patreon teachers to support and learn, as well as podcasts. This years motto is boundaries y’all.