Herbal and Ayurvedic Remedies to Help You Through the Winter
If you deal with Seasonal Affective Disorder aka Seasonal depression like me, you already know that winter time can be really rough regarding mood regulation.
I have been actively using plant medicine for over 10 years to help my body get through rough times. This is my first real winter being up North and single in over 8 years so my body felt a little frazzled when the days got shorter and colder. I have been noticing the real need for warmth and comfort. This season, I am being mindful of what I consume to ensure that my body is equipped to make it through the cold.
Based on Ayurveda, wintertime embodies the qualities of Vata, which is cold and dry. In order to balance the energies out, we are encouraged to introduce foods and wellness practices that are high in Pitta (hot and wet) energy as well as Kapha (heavy and oily) energy. I have a few tips for you to survive the winter as we celebrate and honor the magic of self-care, nourishment, and mindful living.
If it is accessible to you, I would recommend increasing your warm liquid intake (warm teas, hot water, hot drinks), consuming more healthy fats like ghee and avocado or sesame oil, eating wet hot foods that ground you (like stews), and keeping your body heated and moisturized inside and out.
A few rules of thumb for me during the winter time is to always keep my feet warm. I ALWAYS have socks on. I take warm baths, but not too hot for too long because that can dehydrate the body. I also eat plenty of root vegetables, incorporate healthy fats into what I eat, and drink A LOT of water.
Something that I started to incorporate into my evening routine is a foot massage with castor oil. Castor oil is already known for stimulating blood flow. After I get out of the shower, I get into bed, pour a few drops of castor oil in my palm, rub them together, and take about 10 minutes to rub my feet, ~5 minutes each. Immediately after I finish rubbing down one foot, I put on wool socks to preserve the warmth generated.
I also rest A LOT. I spend most of my time sitting on a soft surface or laying down in bed. In that time, I do my best to limit sensory input so that my many systems can genuinely rest. I am mindful of who I am speaking to and who gets my energy. Winter time (in the Northern Hemisphere) is a deeply internal and reflective time for me. I use this time to review the past Gregorian year and evaluate how I want to show up come springtime.
Last but not least, you already know that there are herbal remedies that come through in the clutch. I believe that food is medicine, and of course, I believe that medicine includes plant allies.
Something new that I have incorporated into my daily regimen is adding a cinnamon stick or a knob of peeled ginger (sometimes both) into my water to infuse it with “warmth”. Shout out to my friend Rachel for reminding me about cinnamon!
Warming herbs can literally increase your body temperature, improve digestion, improve circulation, assist the nervous system, boost the immune system, as well as speed up your metabolic rate. Warming herbs are, but are not limited to: peppercorn (black), pipali, ginger, cinnamon, fennel, anise, cayenne, turmeric, and basil. Warming herbs are also said to help calm feelings of anxiety.
Cacao is a beautiful heart-stimulating and heart-warming plant ally. I shared a recipe online a few weeks ago, and now Anima Mundi helped me elevate my recipe with their Mushroom Mocha Milk which includes cacao, coconut cream (healthy fat) and 7 adaptogenic mushrooms. Adaptogenic mushrooms help my mood, hormone balance, and combat fatigue. For my personal recipe, I added more cacao for bitterness (the coconut flavor was very forward for my taste), nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla extract, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. I blended it with almond milk for the perfect healthy “hot cocoa”.
*please ensure that when purchasing cacao, that is a single source and ethically grown and harvested. Hence, I trust Anima Mundi.
A cup of mushroom mocha milk, decorated with a sprinkling of cacao and a cinnamon stick in the center of the picture. There is green foliage at the top right and bottom left corner. The cup is surrounded by a gold spoon (right) and three oracle cards that say reishi (top), cacao (left), and lion’s mane (bottom).
A cup of dirty rose chai with rose petals on the left side of the cup. The cup is surrounded by green foliage, a gold spoon to the right, and three oracle cards that say calendula (top), nettle (left), and rose (bottom).
I also made a drink with Anima Mundi’s Dirty Rose Chai for a loving collagen boost. I steeped some chai and then added the Dirty Rose Chai powder which has adaptogens, digestive spices, and flowers known to support, beautify, repair, and restore hair, skin, and bones. I added a teaspoon of Anima Mundi’s Euphoria Mood, Joy, + Bliss Elixir to boost my mood and calm my nerves as well as brown sugar and almond milk.
**please consult your physician before consuming any herbs that you are not familiar with.
I am really grateful to partner with Anima Mundi this year as I have been using their products for at least 3 years now. I would love for you to share in this partaking of herbal remedies for better living this winter. Use code: “JAZNEL” to receive 15% off of your purchase.
Leave a comment below, send me an email, or tag me on social media (@jchavae on all platforms) so that I can see what magic you created and how the earth medicine made you feel!
#farmtopharmacy #plantpartner #animamundiherbals