June 24, 2026

I came across a woman (actually one of many over the years) who attributes all things good to Nature (note the capital 'N'). Honestly, I don't disagree with this.

But there's a bit of VERY important nuance missing, and here's my take:

God made all things good for us. For our food, our health, our healing. And nature contains all of these things! So much goodness we have, and at this time of year, when my herbs are growing, and I've already begun harvesting some of them....when the forest is warm and the soil smells SO good...

Here are just a tiny few of God's countless prescriptions from the nature He created:

Anxiety? Forest air--the negative ions from trees calm us and support our immune systems

Insomnia? Get morning sunlight---about 20 minutes spent outside, no sunglasses should do the trick!

Loneliness? The sound of birds singing

Tension? Watching the ocean or a flowing river

Irritability? Walk barefoot on the grass. Or just stand there and breathe deeply

Stressed out? Inhale lavender, clary sage, orange, or nutmeg essential oil

Overstimulated? Look at the sky

Lack focus or concentration? Inhale rosemary essential oil

Tired or in a little energy slump? Inhale peppermint essential oil

Disconnected? Cranky? Get your hands in some soil. According to Medical News Today, there is a type of friendly bacteria that may affect the brain very similarly to antidepressants, by activating serotonin. Seriously. Just try it!

Consider starting a daily journal of one thing a day in nature you notice and love. It could be a flower or a scent. The sunrise or the sunset. It might be breathing deeply in the early morning air. Or the feeling of a gentle breeze.

Then...feel gratitude on purpose for these good things.

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Latest Things to Consider

Great News: Hormone Imbalance and a Common Condition.....

I’ve met so many women over the years who have been diagnosed with PCOS, which stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. The problem is that many of these women didn’t have cysts on their ovaries, but they had other issues commonly presented in PCOS diagnoses. The old name of PCOS never told the whole truth about what is really going on in a woman’s body. In fact, the name itself has caused a lot of confusion.

When most people hear the word “polycystic” and “ovarian,” they naturally think the condition is mainly about cysts on the ovaries. But that’s not usually what is happening. The so-called “cysts” are not abnormal cysts in the way most people think of cysts. They are ovarian follicles, and they also aren’t the root cause of the condition. This is one reason a global group of doctors, researchers, patients, and health organizations recently reached consensus on a new name for women previously diagnosed with PCOS: Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, or PMOS.

Frankly, as a clinical herbalist, I’m relieved. This new name and the thought patterns around the presentation of symptoms make a great deal more sense to me, especially as a woman.

Did you know that PCOS/PMOS affects about 1 in 8 women worldwide? YIKES!

In the article linked below, I discuss this frustrating and misunderstood condition. And...you'll ALSO enjoy an herbal tea blend for helping support balanced blood sugar levels inside, too!

​Understand the Holistic Picture of Hormone Balance Through a Perspective of Herbalism​

Whether you struggle with hormone imbalance or not, this is a pretty interesting article. Well, at least to my nerdy, geek mind, LOL. And...it's highly likely you might know someone struggling with this.

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A Better Alternative to Commercial After Sun Spray

Unfortunately, most store-bought suncare (and other skincare) products contain carcinogens, phthalates, parabens, synthetic fragrances (unknown toxicities), AND they come in those soft plastic bottles and probably contain some amount of BPA. This makes them completely unsuitable for use on skin (in my opinion), and especially not for children and those with damaged or senstivie skin.

Yay, though! Luckily plants have your back, and here I'm sharing one of my favorite super easy formulations for you.

After Sun Spray

1/2 cup aloe vera gel

1/2 cup witch hazel - alcohol free if possible

20 drops lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oil

10 props peppermint (Mentha x piperita) essential oil

Optional: up to 10 drops Roman chamomile essential oil, or Helichrysum italicum essential oil.

Add the essential oils to the aloe vera and stir very well. Then add the witch hazel and stir again. Pour into your four ounce spray bottle.

IMPORTANT: Shake well before spraying on the skin--be sure to put this direction on your label. This is because the essential oils aren't emulsified or solubilized into the water-based liquid.

This spray formulation is also NOT preserved, so you can assume it will be ok for about a week in the refrigerator. The extra cooling from being refrigerated will feel super on your hot skin, too. Be sure to date it so you dispose of it before it's too old. Of course, you can use a natural preservative like Optiphen or Leucidal if you like, and that will preserve it.

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🌼 Encouragement and Inspiration 🌼

I finally planted the dying plants on my deck.

YES. That open loop is closed, at least for now.

And you guys? It was not some dreamy, barefoot-in-the-garden moment with a wicker basket, a linen apron, and a calm spirit.

Nope.

It was two days of hauling soil, moving pots, rescuing what could be rescued, composting what could not, and wondering why on earth I’d let these poor plants sit there so long. Like, literally months.

But here’s what happened…

My deck is beautiful now.

The mimosa tree has BLOOMED. There’s color and life again. It’s a place to sit, think, read, play my Panda drum, pray, breathe, or simply walk past and smile on my way to the next garden chore.

And that made me think about how often the thing we’re avoiding isn’t just a chore.

Sometimes it’s a little pocket of discouragement, maybe even resentment, we keep walking past.

And sometimes, when we finally tend it, we’re not just getting something done.

We're practicing stewardship for the person we're actively becoming....

​So I wrote about it today.​

What’s your “dying plant on the deck” right now?

What small thing would bring relief, beauty, peace, or joy if you finally tended it?

NOTE: I'm writing my encouragement and inspiration on Substack under KYLLA----which stands for "Keep Your Lamp Lit...Always." But if you search my name (Heidi Villegas), I'll pop up, too.

I would LOVE to have you join me there as we "become" together!

I'm not stopping my herbal and aromatic path, by the way. Not at all. Not ever. I love my plants WAY too much. But I'm adding an aspect of mental wellness and emotional uplifting to the holistic herbalism path..... And this is part of that journey.

You're invited. And I'd be delighted and thrilled if you joined me there!

Hugs, Health, and Herbs,

Heidi

P.S. Do you have questions or comments about using essential oils? If you do, please hit "reply" and tell me! I'd love to know....