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2/8/2026

Happy Herbs & Oils Sunday!

This note is going to be short because there is a LOT going on for Healing Harvest Homestead and the School of Botanical Arts & Sciences right now. Here's a quick list:

• We've completely updated all the video lessons in one of our very first courses, Herbal Medicine Making Basics. We've renamed it to more accurately reflect what it really is: Herbal Medicine Making Methods: Cold and Flu! NOTE: Thousands of you own this course already, so be sure to sign in to your courses on the School Login Page and check it out if you're a student! You'll enjoy updated formulas, new videos, additional medicine making applications and methods, and more.

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• PLUS, all students of Ditch the Drugstore, the Family Herbalist Certification Program, and the Confident Herbalist Tribe members ALSO get the upgrades.

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• Need HELP? No problem! No AI bots here....reach out to support@healingharvesthomestead.com and a real live human will get back to you within 24 hours in most cases.

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• If you're in the Confident Herbalist Tribe, stay tuned for the Black Pepper Herbal Masterclass coming soon. PLUS, we're diving into phytochemistry and tastes of medicinal plants in our upcoming Special Sessions inside. We're getting ready to put a wrap on the Western Herbal Energetics sessions in the Tribe (which will soon become another course in the school).

Learning herbalism is the most important self-sufficiency skill you can own.

Especially as it becomes more and more evident to those of us who are aware that Big Pharma is not our friend and the PTB (powers that be) don't have our best interests at heart in regard to our wellness, learning how to make your own plant medicines with the REAL medicine God has created for us is our BEST recourse for empowering health choices.

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🥰 You Might Enjoy.....

There are so many wonderful things you can make right at home to celebrate this romantic day!

Last week, I shared a formula for a Joyful Massage Blend. (It brings instant happiness due to the uplifting aromatics it contains).

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If you love DIY, like I do, then you'll enjoy this article on Being My Natural Valentine. Inside you'll find 30+ super easy, eco-friendly, and natural gift ideas!

​Be My Natural Valentine ​

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If you missed last week's note, I shared several beeee-utiful diffuser blends perfect for the season. You can reread and enjoy that note HERE.​

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Notes on Inflammation: An Herbalist's Experience

Everyone is talking about inflammation these days (and have been for years), and that just makes sense...because if you're over the age of about 40, you probably have some of it going on. Maybe a lot.

Now, some inflammation is good. If we twist our ankle, we'll note swelling, heat, and pain. This is good inflammation because our body is telling us to rest it. Let it heal.

But most inflammation is caused by decades of abuses of varying types, and some of these things aren't our fault.

There are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic.

Acute inflammation is like the sprained ankle example above. It usually lasts between 1 and 7 days, is localized, beneficial, and adaptive.

Chronic inflammation, though, is the bigger problem. It destroys tissue in the body, is harmful over time, becomes self-perpetuating in our system, disrupts our body's natural state of balance, and guess what?

Inflammation is involved in ALL chronic disease states.

Here are things we can do to improve inflammatory states in our bodies, especially if we're several decades old....

1) Move your body; move your lymph

2) Get an "oil change." This means drastically reduce your consumption of Omega-6 fatty acids and consume a lot more Omega-3 fatty acids.

3) Work on your digestive system and improve the health of your microbiome. This is one of the things I did (accidentally) when I started using only herbs and essential oils for my medication needs and also became addicted to fermentation as a preservation method.... If you didn't know this already, I went off all OTC and Rx meds cold turkey one day out of desperation about 15 ish years ago. Best thing I ever did for myself.

NOTE: I do NOT recommend anyone going cold turkey off any prescription medication unless you have the oversight and support of a medical team.

Anyhow, my gut microbiome normalized over a period of probably 2-3 years. No more candida overgrowth and all the unpleasant issues that go along with a bloated gut from all the "bad" bacteria, etc.

4) Reduce your stress level if you can. Pay attention to nervous system regulation. Breathwork can be very helpful.

5) Reduce your toxic load! This is what I was doing when I turned to herbs and essential oils instead of medications from Big Pharma. Other ways to reduce your toxic load is to clean up your diet, your body care, your cleaning supplies, what you allow in your home and office environment, etc. Go Natural. Pay attention to your drinking water, too.

6) Support your immune system like crazy. Once you clean up your body, then your immune system doesn't have to struggle so hard, and it's a lot easier to support it too. In the meantime, immune supportive herbs and diffusing certain essential oils like lemon can get you started.

There's a LOT that goes into the topic of inflammation in the body, far more than can be addressed in a weekly newsletter. Plus, we all experience it differently, depending on our lifestyle habits, genetics, and environments.

Are you interested in learning more about inflammation in relation to herbal and aromatic and nervous system regulation helps? If you are, let me know. Just hit "reply" with any thoughts or even just a thumbs up!

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Inspiration and Encouragement

Regarding your Calling:

I have a calling I am passionate about, and so do you. We can't ignore this! Work and purpose is vital to us, as humans.

God is our caller, and He created us to do good things here in this earthly place. To work and to serve.

Food is provided through people who tend the land, who farm or ranch. Commodities are provided by people who know how to do things like sew and knit; how to make soap and body care; and who can create home remedies that work. Builders build. Teachers teach. Laborers do what needs to be done on a job.

Some of us diminish the importance and the vitality of good work. But when we show up for others, we're doing what we're supposed to do! God made us to work.

There is a system in place where God gives us each a calling and the gifts and desire to do what we do. Even if what we do is a simple thing or seems minute....it's what we need to do and be proud of for how we show up in the world. For how we serve.

Whether it's changing diapers and hugging infants in a daycare while their moms go to work or whether it's performing the highest level of brain surgery, it's all important.

What you do is important. YOU are important.

I heard this statistic: When a man retires and doesn't move on to any other kind of good work, he lives on average only 18 months after the day he stops working. Isn't that crazy?

God made us to work. He made us to serve.

The thing is, yes, we can abuse this and work too much; and I've been realizing for a time that this is me. So, I am going back to His ordered rhythm He set up in Genesis, where He creates amazing things.

Then He praises and rests from His work.

What a great cycle: Work. Praise. Rest.

Whatever work you do, even if it's simple, do it unto the Lord. Do it with praise and do it with quality that is worthy of praise. Even just cooking a simple dinner for your family. Love the moments. Then rest.

"Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men..." Colossians 3:23

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🎉 A Special Offer

It has been such a joy to re-film the Herbal Medicine Making Methods: Cold and Flu course! I hope you enjoy it if you are one of the many who own it.

If you aren't a student with us yet, I'm going to share a way you can get it for 75% off! Yep....for only $37, which is a crazy steal for the content it contains. It's great if you're new to herbalism!

Get the special price of $37 by signing up for one of our free offers, and you'll get an invitation right afterward! It's that easy!

In fact, you may enjoy How to Relax Using Herbs and Oils (free). It's an oldie but goodie.

Hugs, Health, and Herbs,

Heidi

P.S. Do you have a friend who would love to start making herbal medicine? Forward this note along, and let them know to pick up one of our free guides, like the Herbal Remedy Guide and Cheat Sheet! Then they'll see the invitation for the 75% off Herbal Medicine Making Methods. On the school site it's $147, so be sure to take advantage of the special offer and save over $100!

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