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12/21/2025

Happy Sunday!

And Happy Winter Solstice today, too!☃️

Besides the Summer Solstice, this is one of my favorite days of the year, mainly because of the physical and emotional relief some of us enjoy as the world turns, bringing balance once again!

Today marks the the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, a great turning of the earth back toward the sun. From here on out, the days slowly begin to lengthen again. You might not notice it right away, but the shift has already started. ☺️

I LOVE this day because it gives us a natural pause point. Not a dramatic one. Just a moment to acknowledge where we are in the year and how our bodies tend to respond to this season.

Winter asks different things of us than summer does. Shorter days, colder temperatures, and less daylight all affect energy, mood, sleep, digestion, and immune function. That’s not a failure on your part — it’s biology.

High summertime actually has negative effects for some people too, and I'm one of these. I like balance.....

But these are still beautiful times, and without them, we wouldn't have our seasons! And I love all the seasons.

Traditional herbalism has always worked with the reality that seasonal shifts mean we need seasonal changes in how we treat our bodies and emotions.

If you look at the kinds of herbs people have relied on during winter for generations, they tend to fall into a few clear categories: roots, warming spices, immune-supportive herbs, and nervous system supports.

These are not fast-acting, flashy remedies. They’re steady and supportive — exactly what the body tends to need this time of year.

The same is true for essential oils we naturally reach for in winter. This isn’t usually the season for sharp, stimulating blends. Instead, people gravitate toward oils that feel grounding, warming, mood lifting, and stabilizing — woods, resins, spices, and familiar citrus used thoughtfully.

So instead of pushing through winter the same way you might push through a busy summer season, this is a good time to make a few intentional adjustments.

I'm sharing practical things you can do that support how the body actually functions right now, in the depths of winter.

Here are a few simple ways to work with the season instead of fighting it.

1) Think about warmth — internal and external.

Warm foods matter in winter. Soups, stews, broths, cooked grains, roasted vegetables, and warming spices are easier on digestion than cold, raw meals this time of year.

Two of my favorite, fast and easy homemade soups are my Pumpkin Beef Soup and my Immune-Boosting Soup with a Southwest Flare.

Of course, you can still enjoy a salad or other raw vegetables, but it's simply helpful to balance these with warmth.

A daily cup of tea made with roots and pungent warming herbs is an easy place to start. Ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, dandelion root, chicory, burdock, or astragalus are all traditional winter allies. You don’t need an elaborate blend. Even one or two herbs used consistently can make a difference.

NOTE: There are over a hundred of my herbal tea blends in my Big Book of Herbal Tea, which you can find in our Herbal Tea course! ​

2) Support your immune system proactively

Winter is not the time to wait until you feel run down. Supporting the immune system right now helps maintain resilience through the season and well into the spring.

This might look like:

• A regular herbal tea or tincture routine
• Adequate protein and mineral-rich foods
• Prioritizing sleep (even if it means going to bed earlier than you’re used to)
• Reducing unnecessary stress where possible

From an essential oil perspective, winter is a great time to use oils that support respiratory comfort and air quality in the home. Diffusing oils like eucalyptus, fir, spruce, or a small amount of tea tree can be part of a daily routine — especially during cold and flu season.

Citrus essential oils contain limonene in high amounts, and this constituent contributes to increasing white blood cells---great for immune support!

3) Pay attention to mood and nervous system support.

Many people notice lower energy, heavier moods, or increased stress during winter. Again — this is common for many who suffer from S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

And you can find out even more in this article: Winter Blues? Natural Actions and Plants that Can Help.

Herbs traditionally used to support mood and stress response are fabulous in your winter routine.

Adaptogenic herbs (ashwagandha, eleuthero, lion's mane, reishi, schisandra, and others); calming nervines (skullcap, linden, milky oats, passion flower, California poppy, and others); and nourishing herbs (nettle, dandelion, burdock, chickweed, milky oats) in tea blends can all be so very helpful.

Essential oils can be helpful here as well, especially when used consistently rather than only when things feel overwhelming.

Diffusing grounding oils in the evening, using a diluted oil blend on the bottoms of the feet, or enjoying an energizing body scrub can help your body work with the season.

Here's a video where I highlight my favorite essential oils for feeling better if you suffer from the Winter Blues.....

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4) Simplify your expectations

Winter is not the season for maximum output. It’s a season for maintenance, planning, and restoring reserves. For rest.

That might mean:

• Scaling back nonessential commitments
• Restocking your home apothecary
• Reviewing what worked this past year and what didn’t
• Letting go of the idea that you need to “power through” everything

This is also a good time to check in on your basic rhythms. Are you sleeping enough? Eating regularly? Spending time outdoors, even briefly? These simple things matter more than people realize.

Finally, I like to mark the Solstice in a way that feels meaningful and hopeful.

I like to do these things:

• Sit down with a warm drink after sunset and reflect on the year's wins and celebrations. **TIP: Go through your phone and search through your 2025 photos. You'll be amazed at all the good things you've forgotten about!
• Make a nourishing meal for your family, and light a candle for the table. Share gratitudes.
• Turn the lights down lower in the evening. I got some special bulbs for our living room table lamps that stimulate melatonin. I LOVE these because they're not harsh, and they really work! (Afflink)
• Step outside and notice how quiet the world feels on the longest night. Look at the stars if you can see them. I love to say a prayer of thanks as I breathe the cold air in deeply.

Winter is doing important work — even when it doesn’t look like much on the surface.

My hope for you this Solstice is that you give yourself permission to rest where needed, support your body consistently, and trust that steady, simple choices add up over time.

That’s how real health is built.

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A quick note.....

We've been able to keep our prices steady for the past three to four years with one exception. We've had to make the hard decision to raise prices for courses in 2026. We haven't figured out how much or how this will look yet, but they will of course continue to be of exceptionally high value for the amount and quality of content and support students receive.

If you've been considering taking a course, now is a good time to go ahead and enroll in one you've been wanting. If you have any questions about this, please reach out to support@healingharvesthomestead.com

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Encouragement and Inspiration

This is the season when roots grow deeper. When strength is built quietly. When plans are formed before they’re ever visible. Nothing about winter looks productive on the surface, but that doesn’t mean nothing is happening. A LOT is going on.....

The same is true for us.

If you’re not moving as fast right now…
If you’re more reflective than energetic…
If you’re focused on maintaining instead of expanding…

That doesn’t mean you’re behind. It could be that you’re being prepared!

I love this verse, and thought it was fitting for this day and week:

Winter invites us to trust God’s process even when the "why" isn’t obvious.

So light your fire or a candle and slow down for a moment. In the stillness of this season, take time to reflect on what God has been teaching you and what He’s asking you to release. Not everything is meant to be carried forward.

Make your plans. Order your seeds for spring. Trust that the same God who designed the seasons is already at work in what’s coming next! Even in the darker days, He is faithful—and new life is always ahead for us.🌿

Hugs, Health, and Herbs,

Heidi 🥰

P.S. Have you taken our FREE 5-Day Herbal Foundations email course? It's jam-packed with great information and tons of remedies you can start making now. I always tell people: "If you don't have time (I know how that is), you can save the emails in their own folder to enjoy later on, or just to keep for later.

If you have a friend who might be interested, please forward this note along!

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