Contributed by Rose Sullivan, All About Herbs
Long before there was a supplement aisle, people in cold climates prepared their bodies the same way they prepared their pantries: in late summer and fall, and with purpose.
Five of those traditions, all of them simple and most of them inexpensive, are still worth doing.
DIY elderberry syrup:Â
Elderberries ripen at the end of summer, which is exactly why folk tradition across Europe and North America turned them into syrup right at the door of winter. A batch is nothing fancy; dried berries simmered down with water, spices and then stirred together with honey once it cools. It keeps in the fridge for weeks, and it tastes good enough that nobody in the house has to be talked into a spoonful!
Trade the second cup of coffee for roasted dandelion root:
Dandelion root is harvested in the fall, when the plant pulls its energy back down into the ground. Roasted, it makes a dark, malty, caffeine-free drink that folk herbalists have long paired with the change of seasons. This coffee alternative is a digestive bitter, traditionally used for preparing the body for rich meals in the months ahead. In a place where the sun sets in the afternoon for months, a gently energizing hot drink is worth having on the shelf.
Get to know propolis:
Propolis is the sticky antibacterial resin honeybees gather from tree buds, used to seal and protect the hive. Beekeeping cultures from ancient Egypt onward saved it and used it themselves, most often for the throat and to support immunity. It comes as a tincture, a spray, a lozenge or a capsule. If you keep one bee product in the house through winter besides honey, this is a strong candidate.
Eat something alive every day:
Traditionally fermented sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, yogurt and kombucha were how northern households kept vegetables and dairy edible until spring, and they happen to deliver live cultures along with the calories. A large share of the body’s immune tissue lives in the gut, which is a good reason not to let that habit lapse in November. Look for raw, unpasteurized or live cultures listed on the label.
Keep an aromatic blend on the counter:
The old story goes that four thieves survived robbing plague houses in medieval France because they’d covered themselves in a vinegar steeped with clove, cinnamon, rosemary and lemon. The story is almost certainly embroidered, but versions of Thieves Oil are still mixed today as essential oil blends. Diffuse it or dilute it with water and vinegar for wiping down doorknobs and countertops during the months when the whole household is indoors sharing air.
Visit All About Herbs for more winter wisdom. If you’d like a closer look at where your body is starting from, we offer Cell Wellbeing epigenetic scans, a non-medical wellness report that maps which nutritional and environmental factors your system is asking for support with. And if you just want to ask questions, that’s free; come in and speak to a Wellness Consultant.
