The herbal and natural health world is growing by leaps and bounds. People are slowly starting to recognize the benefit of the plants that grow all around us. And they are starting to see there are situations where herbs truly excel by naturally nourishing the body. Hopefully you have had the chance to experience the healing benefits of herbs first hand!

We view our work here at Land of Milk and Honey Herbs as an honor. We appreciate being invited into your life to assist you where we can. We pride ourselves in being there FOR YOU! It may be after hours when a client reaches out but it is my goal to be there for you whenever possible. As I strive to maintain work/life balance and juggle the needs of being a homeschool teacher, wife, mother, and friend, one of the roles that fulfills me most in my life is being there for others as an herbalist. I have been blessed to find this calling in life and to be able to show other women that we can build a life we love without always letting society dictate what our home and work life should look like.  Serving and helping you in big and small ways brings me joy and I am grateful for you!

Your support means the world to us! 

💕-Kate Bodmann, Clinical Herbalist


How can we build a strong herbal community together? Sharing the world of herbs with friends supports local herbalists in providing care in your community!
Here are 3 quick tips!

💕 Share your knowledge or newsletters with a friend
​People do better when they know better. Caring for our friends and taking time to listen and support them is one of the biggest gifts we can give a friend. I was not introduced to herbs until after my kids were born and already toddlers. I SO wish someone had introduced me to the world of herbs sooner. If you would like to learn more I now have most of the newsletters I have written archived in my blog on my website. Check them out and share with friends when you find helpful tips! If you and a friend are interested in deeper herbal knowledge reach out so I can add you to my list of potential new students for my 2021 Herbal Intensive Program.

💕 Support local herbalists
It can be easy to grab a bottle of elderberry syrup or garlic ear oil at the store on your way out the door. And we are SO lucky to have herbal products on many shelves in Omaha.  But consider that those stores are likely not able to provide you support when your child gets an ear infection or you feel ill in the evening and you need advice. What about when you have a tougher situation where you need to see someone for support? Local herbalists such as myself pride ourselves on being there for our clients. Personally, I provide my cell phone number and email to all my clients because I consider them like family. I try to balance work/life boundaries, but in an emergency, if I am available, I commonly make a quick trip over to my shop to make a blend for someone who is in need. It is old-fashioned health care that I value and encourage others to prioritize.
 

💕 Seek out local product makers
As most of you know I make elderberry syrup, salves, a variety of teas, and most of the herbal tinctures that ultimately go into my clients' custom formulas. But there are several other businesses that make my work possible. While I try to harvest my own herbs when possible, being a grower and a Clinical Herbalist and running my Rooted Wisdom herbal program doesn't allow time for me to do it all. We are lucky to have growers such as Shea at Curious Roots who grows herbs with such care that there is a bit of magic in them. Shea is a longtime student of herbs and a masterful grower. While she can't grow it all, we can only hope that at some point by supporting growers like her we will have even more locally grown herbs available to us. I appreciate the superior herbs that she grows.

I am also incredibly grateful for the work of Lisa at Prairie Star Botanicals. I truly love the art and science of turning fresh and dried herbs into tinctures, oils, and syrups where I have been a part of every step. But sometimes I need tinctures in a pinch or I am in need of tinctures of local herbs like Goldenseal and American Ginseng that are at-risk. I feel it is imperative to know herbs are sustainably harvested and tinctured. In those times I know I can rely of them to help me meet my clients' needs. I have known Lisa for years as we both studied with Nicholas of Four Winds a decade ago as a part of his first herbal program class. Lisa brings wisdom and reverence to her herbal endeavors. I appreciate how she helps local herbalists like myself be more sustainable through her efforts to source many of their herbs locally. Beyond their tinctures that I use in formulas, Prairie Star Botanicals has also created many stock formulas for a variety of needs that I carry at my office and I will be highlighting in my monthly specials section of the newsletter and website.
 

💕 Buy One, Get One Elderberry Syrup Special!
In the spirit of supporting local and supporting your friends in learning more about and using herbs, I am offering a special elderberry syrup offer in February.  When you buy a large ($27) or medium ($15) bottle of elderberry syrup for yourself you will receive a free small bottle (value $8) to give to a friend!

It is common for all of us to feel a little down after the excitement of the holidays and the New Year. If you are feeling a bit adrift, know that you are not alone! Some years we burst forth with great plans for the New Year and some years we are too spent to enter the year with that level of enthusiasm and drive. And that is ok. We are not all about fake or toxic positivity here.

But what can we do about it?

💙 Get Outside
Don't forget that the outdoors are still calling you in the wintertime! You can make it easy--you don't have to make a trek to a park or make the commitment to go hiking, although you can if that works! If there's a lot of snow outside, spend some time with your kids or have a social distance friend date where you get creative making some snow art! Or if the snow is mostly gone, take a walk around the neighborhood and take in wintertime's stark beauty.

💙 Consider where you're spending your energy 
How are you feeling about where your energy goes each day? Are you consuming a lot of negative news all day? Are there boundaries that feel right in terms of screen time or social media? Are there people in your life that you need some boundaries established with? By reclaiming that time and energy, you give yourself more chances to spend time doing what you do want!

💙 Schedule quiet down time 
We all know that only things that get scheduled actually GET DONE.  Let's take a moment and remember that you are what makes your life and your family's world go round so your physical and mental health is important! Whether it is a bit of quiet yoga time, a soak in a bath, or quietly coloring a mandala you deserve a bit of quiet time!  Let's find a spot to fit it into your week!

💙 Reflect on what is working
Take some time to think about one or more changes you made last year that you feel good about. Celebrate them! Reflect on how it feels to have this change in your life, and continue reminding yourself of the habits you already practice that are supportive and nourishing that you are proud of.

💙 Reach out to friends who need you just as much as you need them
Remember that if you're having a rough day and could use some support, chances are there are multiple people in your life who are in the same boat. Text a few friends and ask them if they want to chat, your voice might be just what they needed to hear that day! Don't forget to tell your friends how much they mean to you!

💙 Find one small habit to shift
If you're still feeling like something needs to shift for you to feel your best, try to find a small thing in your life that you could tweak, rather than something huge to radically transform. Habit changes are best accomplished when we take the time to gradually shift one small thing at a time. As a health coach, I can help you choose the right habit to focus on. and follow up support calls are just $30 for 25 minutes. If you could use this level of support in looking at habit changes, schedule a health coach appointment here! And read more below about my health coaching practice.


For herbal suggestions this is where we have some wonderful mood lifting and energizing herbs.

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💚 Choose an adaptogen to nourish your energy levels
Adaptogens build energy reserves rather than depleting them like coffee or other stimulants. If you don't know which one might be right for you schedule a quick consult appointment at the link below.

💚 Try a mood lifting herbal tea
Such as my Loving Heart or Damiana Delight. Loving Heart gently nourishes your tired spirit and heart. Damiana Delight is mildly energy lifting and mood lifting. Or choose a Tulsi tea from your local grocer. Try 1-3 cups per day! Pick-ups can be made at the link below.

💚 Try an uplifting bath
Here is a recipe for bath bombs for the bath that will recharge your spirit! If you are not a DIYer, try Dr. Teal's Bath Salts which are available at many stores.

1 Cup Epsom Salt
1 Cup Himalayan Salt
10-12 drops of an essential oil that is gentle on the skin (Mandarin, Rosemary, Rose Geranium etc.)
Add 1/2 cup to your bath once the tub is full. 
Enjoy!

💚 Schedule an appointment with me! 
Herbally we have SO many choices and ways we can lift and build you up to make 2021 be the best year that it can be!  Let's get started now!
Hope to hear from you soon,

Kate

Had a little too much to eat and feeling it?  Those are moments that call for herbs we call carminatives. They are often right in your kitchen cabinet, so let me introduce you too a few of them. 

Fennel - Candy-coated fennel gives you a little something to chew on that tastes like candy but with side benefits of reducing bloat and tummy cramping.  You can find it at many Asian or Indian grocers. If you don't have any, give your spice rack a look and make a warm tea of them.

Pumpkin pie spice - Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, and Cloves!  You don't have to wait for pumpkin pie day to use this! Add it to warm milk, hot chocolate, or plain tea and enjoy the digestion warming benefits!  Or try adding it to a dish.  Fresh cranberries that have been pulsed into a puree with a bit of orange peel and these spices added are delicious!

Mints - Last but not least are our mint family herbs. This can be peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, sage, basil, or one of my favorites; holy basil. A quick cup of tea will have your tummy feeling much better and ready for late night seconds of your Thanksgiving dinner!

If you aren't a do-it-yourself type herb person, I sell a digestive blend called 'Turkey Dinner Regrets' that is a great herb blend to have on hand any time that tummy trouble hits.  Head over to my appointment page to schedule a pick-up if you need some this holiday season!