​

December 18, 2024

Happy Wednesday, Reader!

It got me!

That cough that's been going around.....

I hear it takes about two whole weeks to clear up, and to be honest, I think it's hitting me super hard, with aches and pains, super sore throat, and yes, the cough. Headaches. Chills. The whole bit.

I'm not worried, though. I've got my arsenal of herbal tinctures, essential oil blends, and body rubs all ready to go, and boy, are they working well. Hallelujah!

This is what happens when you Ditch the Drugstore! You're simply all squared away and ready with your personal customized home apothecary. If you've already joined us, that's wonderful! If not, no worries because I'm opening up a whole new student group in January, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, let's talk about KITCHEN SPICES!

Yes! Kitchen spices as medicinal herbs!

It's incredible what you can find right in your kitchen cupboard that can provide relief. Here are some of my favorites to reach for:

1) Ginger:

Ginger is warming and can help with aches, pains, and fevers. If you have the chills, ginger is an excellent choice! Just make up an herbal tea with some ginger, lemon, and honey. Sip, soothe, and feel better. Ginger is also helpful is nausea is involved.

You may enjoy: How to Make a Fermented Ginger Bug and Ginger Soda​

2) Garlic:

This is the KING of spices for health. In fact, the text book in our Garlic Masterclass inside the Confident Herbalist Tribe is a whopping 80 pages full of research on how and why it works, plus materia medica, gardening, harvesting, and tons of remedies.

Garlic can help prevent cold and flu. You can take a clove of garlic a day if you're brave or just love garlic. Or, garlic capsules can be helpful too. If you do happen to get sick, garlic goes to work to support the immune response so you're not sick for as long.

3) Cayenne:

Cayenne is HOT, and it helps support a healthy fever response, brings circulation to cold areas of the body, and is also helpful for heart health. It's rich in vitamin C, a natural immune booster.

I love cayenne as a decongestant herb. It's simply amazing. Here's a wonderful recipe for you that only requires cayenne, cinnamon, honey, and a couple other things you probably have in the cupboard:

​BEST Homemade Decongestant EVER​

4) Cinnamon:

Cinnamon contains high levels of cinnamaldehyde that's found in the essential oil in very concentrated amounts. The herb (powder or sticks or chips) is also very helpful and far more gentle. Cinnamon is antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal. It's an all around winner.

It's an ingredient in the decongestant recipe above, and this is the perfect example of how herbal remedies done right can both make you feel better, speed recovery, AND support the immune system.

5) Cloves:

I love diffusing clove essential oil, lemon essential oil, cinnamon essential oil, rosemary essential oil, and eucalyptus essential oil when I'm under the weather. That combination is an all around immune supporting mix.

Those are just five of the MANY kitchen spices that can double as fixes for what ails you as well as help to keep you well in the first place.

There are MANY more spices that work in similar ways, too. Most are very anti-inflammatory and taste amazing.

You might enjoy this article from Healing Harvest Homestead website:

​Discover the Healing Power of 14 Healing Spices!​

A few years ago, I wrote a book called Kitchen Spices for Whole Body Health. It's a look at our different body systems and how kitchen spices can be supportive of each one. Of course it contains recipes, formulations, and remedies!

It's one of the many, many resources inside the Confident Herbalist Tribe. The Tribe is the place to be if you want stellar researched materials, personal support in the village (community---off social media), and tons of remedies, recipes, formulations; special herbal series and workshops. And MORE.

We have over 60 complete herbal masterclasses (video and text) PLUS a load of other courses, herbal and aromatic workshops (all with video and text), and over a hundred Q&A chat replays, and MORE (like our new herbal book club). We're getting ready to begin a live series on Herbal Energetics inside the Tribe, too!

********************************

​

You may also enjoy this video above on Herbal Antivirals I made last year when we were still in our old apothecary office. You'll get a nice broad view of excellent antivirals and how to use them correctly.

Please do like, share, and comment on the video if you watch over on YouTube. This really helps the algorithm, and I appreciate you so much for this! 🥰

**********************************

🌼 Herbal Win of the Week!

From a Tennessee vacation awhile back one of my students in the Tribe told us about. She used several herbal preparations and was even able to make some things while there because she knew how to use the medicinal plants!

Proof (again) that herbal medicine works!

".....My daughter was just miserable (from Cvid). I gave her a dose of both tinctures before she went to bed. She got up yesterday and said, 'I don't know what that was, but can you make me some more?' ...

Another win came from one of the little grandsons that lives here. He got stung by a bee. Black drawing salve to the rescue.....

My husband's shoulders and everything have been hurting. It was a long drive here, and the humidity makes his arthritis worse. His willow bark glyceride was the first thing he asked for when we got unpacked...."

--Ann Giaquinto Scott, Herbalist and Confident Herbalist Tribe Student

I love all the success stories students share in our communities. It's so powerful, and the support is incredible.

****************************

This is pretty brief note this week because I'm going to go get another dosing of my tinctures for fighting this crud so I can feel better fast just like Ann's family did.

I hope you're healthy and well, and that your holiday time is beautiful so far.

Hugs, Health, and Herbs,

Heidi

P.S. Do you have my FREE guide to Best Winter Diffuser Blends yet? You can get it by clicking that link, and please use the same email you're using to receive my notes so you don't get doubles.

Have a friend who'd like a copy? Please forward this note along so they can get their own copy of the blends! (Please don't just share the PDF)

​

**************************

​This note has been sponsored by the Confident Herbalist Tribe! If you want to learn herbalism, you need to join us today for the BEST and most VIBRANT group of herbalists and aromatherapists you'll ever meet PLUS the best materials and live chats ever.

Most herbal schools have "dead" groups where no action is taking place, and it's really hard to get answers. Not at SOBAS (School of Botanical Arts & Sciences by Healing Harvest Homestead)! We pride ourselves on our student support and interactions.

​Learn more! Just click the image below:​

​