I’m layered up, and scoping out activities near a fire because it's cold out. This season is a call to action for nourishing wholly, flooding the body with clean, colorful plants and staying cozy with teas, tinctures and herbs.  I love the advice of Anja Rothe, farmer, herbalist, and formulator at Fat of the Land Apothecary on which tools— both plant and otherwise— are especially healing during the big chill. Think: herbal remedies, adaptogenic chocolate and potions, and journaling out your 2024 intentions. 

There is a particular stillness that characterizes winter, and with it comes a subtle invitation to redirect our own energies. In the natural world, there exists a fallow season for all things. Eating seasonally is one of the best things I’ve learned during my health journey. Warming up with creamy cauliflower or detox green soup is especially healing this time of year. Both recipes are on my IG page. 

As winter is a time for the earth to rest and build up energy for times to come, it is also a time for our bodies to embrace this dormancy. This period gives us time to regenerate from the busyness of the year and dream about what seeds we want to plant come spring. It’s not too late to write out your intentions for 2024 or create a vision board! 

Try these tools for blissfully surrendering to the sleepiest of the seasons.

Dim the Lights. Try turning the house lights off early, reducing screen time and lighting a candle. These practices remove stimulation that keeps us wired and unable to relax. Embrace the natural wane of light and reset your circadian rhythm. My favorite scents are lavender and frankincense essential oils or Sakara’s calming manifestation candle. 

Write It Down. Try stream of consciousness journaling to let go of whatever is lingering in the subconscious. Write to release yourself from the day and allow yourself to explore your passions and dreams. Things that give you a sense of wonder and mystery strengthen your life force. Try 5 minutes of morning pages this year. It’s important to pen to paper and not type out your thoughts to release them from your body. 

Soak It Up. Saltwater baths help to balance minerals in our bodies while nourishing our kidneys. This allows us to rest and sleep more deeply. A foot soak can provide the same benefits if you’re without a  bathtub. Don’t forget a warming oil massage afterward to support the nervous system. My favorite Ayurvedic oils are from Copper Cup Ayurveda by Lisa Braken (you can order them locally). My favorite clean epsom salts 

Incorporate Good Fats. Fat gets a bad rap, but not all fat is bad fat—some fats are good and essential to a healthy, functioning body. Healthy fatty acids (especially those derived from foods like avocado, cold-pressed olive oil, nuts, and seeds) are one of our bodies’ most basic building blocks, supporting everything from our cell walls to our brain and skin.

Fat is also an essential conduit for absorbing a rainbow’s worth of nutrients, including fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. And, importantly, it keeps our bodies feeling satisfied and energized far longer than if we’d skimped on it. Try to use the highest quality, organic, cold-pressed oils in your meals. Focus on healthy fats that help activate PPAR-alpha and fat-burning pathways in the body, helping you to burn fat and keeping you feeling satiated especially if you’re on a plant-rich diet.

Next time you’re at the grocery store, look for oil that’s in a dark bottle, and that’s labeled organic and cold-pressed. At restaurants, you can ask about the types of oils used in preparing your meal (and don’t be shy about asking to swap industrial seed oils for higher quality olive oil!).

Lie Down More. There is nothing indulgent about getting enough sleep, especially in the winter when our bodies require the extra zzz’s. Make sleep a sacred ritual. Prepare your bedroom like you would an altar and invite some plants into your regime. Try an eye pillow with dreamtime herbs, a cup of tea, or tincture. I love Pukka teas to relax and unwind. 

HERBS FOR SLEEP, REST + DEEP DREAMING

ASHWAGANDHA The botanical name “somnifera” means “sleep-inducing”, though ashwagandha is not classified as a sedative, rather it helps nourish our body to “rest and digest.” Indicated for those who are ‘wired and tired.” Try with warm milk for a calming evening beverage. For a daily ritual, try Sakara RX's Foundation Vitamin Packs, where the Adaptogenic B-Complex contains ashwagandha for all-day support to your adrenals and nervous system. 

MUGWORT A bitter member of the wormwood family, Mugwort is known for invoking vivid and lucid dreams. Mugwort helps you move in between worlds and navigate realities. Can be taken internally as a tincture or burned as incense. Caution against using too much and too regularly, as it can prevent restful sleep.

HOPS A close relative of cannabis, hops share some similar properties. Hops have a sedative and hypnotic effect, as well as being a nervine, anodyne, and digestive tonic, the combined effects help remove restlessness from the body and mind caused by overthinking.

When energy wanes in the afternoon, our first inclination might be to grab another espresso—but that quick hit of caffeine could be doing more damage to our sleeping patterns than we realize. Though some might not feel the direct effects of alertness when it's time to go to bed, the issues may arise while you're in repose: during the four stages of sleep. Stage three, also known as deep sleep, and stage four, also known as REM, are integral periods of time for the body to regenerate, and is essential to waking activities including learning, memory, and displaying creativity. When we have too much caffeine, it can hinder how long we are in these important sleep stages, spurring on a cycle of tiredness and feeling lackluster in our waking hours. The antidote? This frothy tonic packed with amino acids, courtesy of bee pollen, plus naturally stimulating roots and medicinal mushrooms, that work on internal stamina and heighten energy without taxing the adrenals. Sweetened with date, enjoy this vanilla-rooibos tonic and don't even miss your second cup of coffee. 

Ingredients:

¾ cup Rooibos tea

1 tablespoon maca powder

2 teaspoons cordyceps powder

1 date

½ tablespoon tahini (substitute: nut/seed butter of choice)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons bee pollen

¼ cup plant-based milk

 

Directions:

Brew a cup of tea

In a blender place tea, maca, cordyceps, date, tahini, vanilla, 1 teaspoon bee pollen and blend on high until smooth

Add plant-based milk and blend again until frothy

Pour into cup and top with 1 teaspoon bee pollen

Source: Sakara