Gracefully Entering the Winter Season notes from Herbs for Life by Amanda from Lion's Tooth Herbals
http://www.lionstoothherbals.com/home.html
- Drink more water
- Humidifiers - especially if you are the type to get a dry throat in the middle of the night
Use of Essential Oils
(Anti-viral essential oils: tea tree oil, eucalyptis, lavender, rosemary, thyme - can be combined with other essential oils as well)
- Essential oils can be used in a non-plastic humidifier or put in boiling water on the stove to act as a diffuser
- Room spray - half water, half alcohol then add essential oil (15 drops per ounce) - spray as needed
Diet:
- *Increase intake of dark leafy greens - supports liver - spinach, kale, collards, dandelion greens, arugula, romaine
- Also this time of year, you want to start cooking your vegetables. no more salads. you need things that are warming and nourishing to your body like casseroles and soups.
- Soups are a great way to hide all those medicinal herbs (rooty vegetables like dandelion root, burdock root, yellowdock, red clover, astragulus) that don't taste so great - you can put them in a muslin bag and use them in soup stock - and when you add in all of your delicious vegetables and grains and spices, you won't be able to taste them. *You can also add seaweeds to your soup stock and then pull it out when you're done if you don't want to actually eat it.
- Elderberry extract or elderberry syrup - can be used at the onset of feeling ill (which is the only time to take echinacea), during your illness and for at least a week after you start to get better.
To Nourish Hair, Skin and Nails
- If your skin tends to be not super-dry, you can buy a skin brush and brush toward your heart just before the shower and it helps stimulate circulation and moves toxins out and is generally invigorating.
- If your skin is dry, sesame oil is fantastic. you can also use virgin coconut oil or sunflower oil. You want to use unrefined oils because those will have more minerals and vitamins. *You should warm it up like you would a baby bottle and massage it into your skin, let it soak in for a couple minutes before you hop in the hot shower. *The hot steam will open your pours so your skin can suck in the moisture more easily. *As the moisture is sucked in, dirt is pulled out because oil is a cleanser. You can add your favorite essential oils.
Add color to your life
- Bring bright, vibrant summer colors indoors (like cut flowers) or you can wear them can help counteract winter blues
- You might want to buy full-spectrum bulbs to simulate sunny energy indoors
Exercise - move your body every day preferably 45 minutes a day but even a little helps