Herbal formulations to use now and have on hand
None of these things should be considered treatment for COVID-19. The are immune and wellness support to support the body the best that we can.

Land of Milk and Honey Active support tincture $40 - The "active" stock formula that I have created for people to use includes diaphoretic herbs to clear excess heat, herbs that thin mucus and encourage expectoration, and immune modulating herbs. Same idea as shared above but in Western herbalism terms.  I am looking at herbs from both traditions, Western Herbalism and Chinese herbalism; herbs like Chinese Skullcap (Huang Qin) and Andrographis. No single herb is the answer as they need to balance each other. Our herbs that are strong lung antiseptics happen to be warming so they must be balanced with cooling herbs. Drying herbs must be balanced with moistening herbs. Each herb is chosen for multiple reasons and while I would love to share my thinking in choosing each one, it crosses the line in terms of making medical claims for herbs. Unfortunately only when I teach do I feel that I can completely share all that each herb can truly do. But know that a lot of thought has gone into this and I already have people using formulas to support their body.  Because information is every evolving I have already made several different stock formulas of this with different herbs varying slightly so I am not listing ingredients here. I will say that for some formulas I have included elderflower and if that is of concern to you just let me know and I will make a formula without it for you. For current clients I am also willing to create a custom formulation, provided that I am still able to work at that time.

Herbalist and Alchemist Herbal Relief Throat Spray $12 - Spray this directly in the throat to reduce sore throat and germs in the throat. Echinacea angustifolia, Collinsonia (Collinsonia canadensis), Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Sage (Salvia officinalis), Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), Myrrh ( Commiphora molmol),Osha (Ligusticum porteri), Propolis and essential oils

Herbalist and Alchemist Compound Mullein Oil (aka ear oil) $11 -  Certified Organic Olive Oil, Mullein flowers (Verbascum thapsus), St. John's wort fresh flowers (Hypericum perforatum), Garlic fresh bulb (Allium sativum), Tea Tree essential oil, White Sage herb, Vitamin E

Essential Oils  (limited quantities, varying prices) - Pine, Silver Fir, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Cedar, Breathe, Tea Tree, Orange, Lemon, Ginger, Mandarin

Feeling well but still wanting to do the best you can right now?

Hopefully for many of you, you are not quite "there" yet in terms of needing that level of active support and there is still time to build up the body's immune system now.  Please re-read the 1st newsletter I sent called Supporting Your Body in Difficult Times.  Beyond active self-care these are the things that I recommend.

Land of Milk and Honey Herbs Proactive support tincture $40 - For those who would like to be more proactive I have made a "proactive" support blend. That blend includes immune building herbs to strengthen the weiqi of the body and moderate the immune response. Again I am pulling on herbs that have historically been used for this such as Astragalus (Huang Qi) and Elder, Cat's claw, Huang Qin (Chinese Skullcap), Reishi, Bupleurum, and Licorice.

Elderberry  $8, $15, $27 - There has been much debate about elder which I shared previously.  Most of the herbal community feels very comfortable with their understanding of it as an immune modulator. The information regarding cytokine storms is extrapolated from a study that was in vitro and not in vivo and we all know that herbs work differently in the body to activate immune response that can no be replicated in a petri dish. And honestly, every year the cytokine storm fear  raises its head when influenza season comes around and we have not seen cytokine storms happening to the thousands of people who take elderberry for influenza.  As I mentioned though I feel elderberry alone is an option in prevention and early stages, I DO NOT think it is enough and appropriate to be using solely should you be become ill. A bit in a formula when ill I do think is a good idea though as in the past it has been associated with deceasing viruses' ability to replicate.

Jade Wind Screen teapills $18 limited quantity- Traditional Chinese remedy to build Wei Qi - Yu Ping Feng San Wan (also known as Jade Wind Screen Formula) is traditionally used to strengthen the body's overall defenses. The formula replenishes qi/energy and helps consolidate the body's defense system.  Astragalus membranaceus root, Atractylodes macrocephala rhizome, Saposhnikovia divaricata root, Activated carbon, Botanical wax, Talcum. - Huang qi, Bai zhu, Fang feng, Activated carbon, Botanical wax, Talcum.

Herbalist and Alchemist Immune Adapt tincture $45 - Codonopsis root (Codonopsis lanceolata), Eleuthero root (Eleutherococcus senticosus), Reishi mushroom and mycelium (Ganoderma spp.), Schisandra berry (Schisandra chinensis), Astragalus root (Astragalus membranaceus), Bai-Zhu Atractylodes root (Atractylodes macrocephala), Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) , Ligustrum berry (Ligustrum lucidum)

Herbalist and Alchemist Immune Adapt Capsules $45 - Astragalus root (Astragalus membranaceus), Eleuthero root (Eleutherococcus senticosus), Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum), Schisandra berry (Schisandra chinensis), Bai Zhu Atractylodes rhizome (Atractylodes macrocephala), Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Ligustrum berry (Ligustrum lucidum) and Maitake mushroom (Grifola frondosa)

As our community continues to battle this illness I will continue to provide support as I can, unless I become quarantined myself. Please do not wait if you would like something I have mentioned or if you need a refill on your regular herbs.  
Be well my herbal family!  Remember to take care of you emotional and physical health during this time!

-Kate

We hear a lot about gratitude these days. We hear about it so much that I fear it might become cliche if our hearts aren't in it. But like so many healthy mindset activities, it is a "practice" that we can focus on daily. We grow what we focus on. This directly relates to our physical and emotional health. When it comes to healing, our ability to see the bright moments in our lives can be a key lifeline that helps us get to that place of wellness that we desire.

But let's be honest. When it is dark and cold outside...that can really affect us all. The practice of gratitude is truly a "practice." Daily we are choosing to focus on an action that was appreciated, a sign that lifted us or a moment that brought us joy.

It can be important in moments of darkness to focus on light. From the Danish "hygge" we know that in a country that has long dark winters that they choose to embrace that time and create warm and cozy moments. Maybe we can borrow a bit of that wisdom and light a few candles to relax by, gather a soft blanket and curl up with some music or a book, and maybe have a heart warming cup of tea. 

In an effort to show our gratitude and help heal your mind, body, and spirit with soul nourishing "hygge" time I am offering a free tea to everyone who has a follow-up or new client appointment in December. There are various teas to choose from: Loving Heart to nourish and open your heart, Damiana Delight to give a lift to the spirit, Pep in Your Step to build your energy reserves, or Sweet Immunity to support your immune system during this time.  ​

 I first wrote this piece in 2013 as I was healing from adrenal exhaustion.  Being the rather driven person that I am I can say it has been a real journey to try to slow down and make time for myself.  When you hit bottom though and your body has finally said enough then there is no choice but to learn the lessons.  Slowing down is not something I can say I have mastered at all but at least I have learned to listen to my body better and recognize when to downshift if I can.  I have learned a lot in the process to include changes in mindset, lifestyle changes, and herbs to use to help support the process.  I have been able to share much of what I have learned with my clients who also struggle with the same issues. I understand their journey because I have been there.  For many we have pushed ourselves so hard we don't even know how to take care of ourselves or where to begin.  Or we just need a little inspiration or someone else to tell us it is "ok" to spend time taking care of ourselves.  For those of you who need that nudge I am re-sharing this piece to remind you of the little things you can do to nourish yourself.  It is a blessing to yourself and others to be as physically and emotionally healthy as you can be so that you can continue to be the gift that you are to your family and community.

One of the things I learned this past year is that I was failing to nourish myself.  I was failing to take time for myself.  Things like that tend to happen when you have 3 kids especially when they are young.  The reality is that they need a lot of things!  Help getting dressed. Nudged to brush teeth and get dressed. Food. Help reaching things. Drinks of water. Spills cleaned up. Food. Having their butts wiped. Cuddles. Books read.  Food.  You get the idea. It is never ending and then at one point you realize it is 3:00 and you haven’t eaten your own lunch yet.  As mothers we put ourselves LAST often.  But here is the kicker if we push too hard we end up sick or even worse in adrenal exhaustion and then things come to a screeching halt. Why can’t we take the time for ourselves before we are energetically bankrupt?  Well the answer is often that we don’t think we deserve it until the dishes are washed, the kids are bathed, and life is perfect which it will never be.  So here is a list of things to consider doing to take care of yourself in the coming year.  Pick one or pick 5!  Your mental and physical health and your family will all be the better for it.

1.  Eat regular meals at the same time every day.  Your body will be so happy that you did! It will begin to even think you care about it and honestly will be there for it and listen to it when it tells you things like to slow down when it needs a break or is ill.
2. Drink a nourishing herbal infusion such as nettles or oatstraw.  Your nerves and energy levels will reach new heights.
3. Eat a warm and nourishing breakfast no matter the season.  A warmed up pop tart is not what we are talking about here.  Oatmeal, soup, eggs, something hearty that isn’t just carbs.
4. Squeeze in some time to do 10 minutes of Yoga or Qi Kong every day.  It is amazing what 10 minutes can do for your mood and energy!  If you really want to show your body you care for it consider 30 minutes!
5. Write a thank you card to someone even if it is only in your mind.  When you are grateful for others you begin to appreciate yourself more as well.
6. Try not to give all your energy to activities that fail to nourish you.  This could be a volunteer role that no longer fills your cup or it could be fighting with people on Facebook. Not that I know ANYONE that wastes time on senseless activities like that on Facebook. J
7. Find a new activity that you are passionate about and give yourself the right to spend time to continue to learn and grow as a human being on this divine journey. Maybe it is knitting or maybe it is belly dancing or maybe it is learning about herbs but find something that brings you joy.  *This is not only good for you but it is good for your children to see that learning never ends and there is joy to be had in this world no matter your age. 
8. Find a community to be a part of.  It can be a virtual community or a real one.  Maybe it is a special chat group or maybe it is a group that gets together to share meals but it is your people and you care about them and they care about you.  Keep looking until you find what suits you and if you don’t find what you are looking for then create it yourself. 
9. Learn about adaptogen herbs which help your body deal with stress and our busy lives.  Find one you like and commit to taking it.
10. Take time to journal and reflect on your journey. Or simply to take a quiet moment to reflect mentally.
11. Take a moment to brew yourself a cup of tea every morning or evening and drink it while you are sitting down and doing nothing else.
12. Give and get hugs as often as you comfortably can.  So many people are hungry for love and connection.
13. Speak your truth as often as you can.  Why?  Because you matter and your truth is as valid as anyone else’s.  If you don’t value what you think then why should anyone else?
14. Try to let anger go.  Try to not engage in frustrating activities when you can avoid them. Why?  Because it eats away at your energy yet produces nothing.  Learn to let go of these things as best you can.
15. Commit to spending 15 minutes every day outside.  Walk, garden, sit, do what you choose but do it with intention to nurture yourself.
16. Consider walking outside without shoes on to ground yourself to the earth.  Soak in the energy of the earth and the sun or the moon. 
17. Plant something and visit it regularly and watch as it grows.
18. Get to know one neighbor well. Someone who one day may need you or whom you might need to call upon.  It will give you a sense of peace, security and connection.
19. Make a new friend.  Reach out to someone who you meet and say hello not because you need anything from them but because you recognize their humanity and their beauty as another soul on this difficult journey we call life.
20. Give up measuring sticks.  Quit measuring yourself against all your friends and family and Pinterist.  Mentally burn that stick every time you see it rearing its head.
21. Empower someone.  Lift them up.  Support them in their role. Maybe it is a smile to a fellow mother having a rough time. Maybe it is helping a child fundraise for something they feel strongly about.  Empower someone to feel awesome about themselves and what they are doing and some of that sparkly glitter of love will land on you as well.
22. Love yourself. No matter what you did or failed to do that day.  Simply love you for who you are.  For your spirit and your light.

 
 
 
 
By Kate Bodmann, Land of Milk and Honey Herbs 2013