Deep Winter Medicine
I had a bad ‘bout of cold + pneumonia last week and oh boy, it knocked me flat out for over 8 days. My husband Ben told me, “the good news is that this probably doesn’t mean anything,” and I'm trying to trust that. (in other words, sometimes we just get sick, and it's OK to not read too much into it.)
No matter what, I am so relieved to be feeling better and back in it, while also allowing some more room in my life for rest, and sanctuary, and healing. It’s been very cold here in Western North Carolina; winter feels long and deep this year, even for this native New England girl. My chilly bones and body are starting to crave sunshine, warmth, and full, ripe summer days, + overflowing flower and vegetable beds..
Mostly, my body has been so strong and vital since my run in with autoimmunity during the summer of 2017 which totally lead me to birth The Sky Inside, but it was also a very difficult period marked with mysterious body issues, right as I was weaning my then 2- year -old. So I’ve been loving that feeling of resiliency and strength, while getting more clear about my business, doing lots of coaching work, writing a lot, being a mama, and continuing to integrate so much that's happened in my life over the past 5-6 years. (someday I'll write this memoir, I just KNOW it in my bones.)
I also know like many of you, I'm deeply sensitive — I’m all water +fire, which accounts for my creative, fiery, profoundly empathic and intuitive. nature. However, it also means I have to take care of myself and tend to these elements a lot. Sometimes that fire/water combo gets funky, and causes all sorts of issues. (Damp heat, depression, anger, mood swings, overactive nervous/immune system, to name a few I’ve worked through).
On the positive side of that, when things are up and running, flowing and breathing I have LOTS of energy, robust spirit, powerful healing energy, playfulness, connected to lots of people, and in touch with my sexuality and sensuality in a potent way that makes life a lot of fun, + really exciting.
It's literally etched in my astrological chart and in the roots of my being — and I will forever work with different healing modalities to support my life and my system in a variety of ways (my immune system, somatic work, my mental/emotional health, my creative self, my relational self, my archetypes. .. I love all my selves and giving them vitality!) And in turn, I can offer all these modalities to my clients.
While I was sick, I started collecting some cold/flu remedies, and here are some of my favorites I've used lately. This being said, the best medicines for me are still the basics: lots of rest, hot baths/steams, warm, nutrient dense meals, heating pad and warm compresses, plus lots of vitamin C and D. Vitamin D is soooo critical in the winter time! Liquid drop form is my favorite and I swear, I may have gotten sick because I wasn't taking any this year until I actually got sick. Here are some other ones I've collected. I’ve added links if you want a more complete recipe. And please share yours with me!
Bone broth - chicken or beef bones in crock pot, lots of garlic, over night. Add splash of apple cider vinegar to help pull the nutrients out of the bones. Drink the broth all day!
Fire cider (you can make it out of apple cider vinger, horseradish root, tumeric, lemon, honey, onion, ginger root - there's different variations on this, and you can also buy it made)
Tea of ginger, honey, lemon, garlic, + cayenne steeped in hot water.
Also ginger grated into the hot bath with essential oils
Sauerkraut veggie ferments: here’s an easy recipe.
Onion Poultice: Steam onions, ginger, garlic, and wrap in clean dish towel. Put over lungs, feet, or other part of the body for cleansing.
Garlic rubbed on the bottoms of feet, then put on comfy socks. (Theory is that garlic is healing and immune boosting and the bottom of your feet translates to all of the nerve endings in different parts of our body.)
What's your favorite medicine? Please let me know or leave a comment so I can add them to my collection!