ask a herbalist
Q&A, cakes, and confessions
I am currently enveloped in the low lying January sun - a feeling I am deeply relishing. Especially since this month so far has felt kinda icky. I found myself feeling totally agitated on the 31st of December, on the cusp of a new year and a “fresh start”. I felt like a cranky kid not wanting to get out of bed. This isn’t a hot take, I know, people have been complaining about the Gregorian calendar like it’s their day job. But damn, this year I was feeling it. January, the depth of winter, is no time for new beginnings. A couple of years ago I came across a conspiracy theory that had to do with the Holy Roman Emperor Otto III adjusting the year, essentially jumping something like 300 years. Meaning that it could really be sometime in the 1700s right now. For some reason I love this theory. It makes me laugh and reminds me yet again that time is irrelevant. We are simply spiralling around the wheel of the year, following the cues of nature, which are always “on time” and, news flash, we are nature too, so how we are feeling at any given moment is also always on time.
But still, our cultural ways take their toll on me and I have entered this year scattered as can be. One minute I’m looking up farm sitting gigs in the Scottish Highlands, and the next I’m making an itinerary for 3-5 day treks in Nepal (please let me know if you can relate). Am I losing it? Or is it just January and I am bored?
I’ve been transmuting some of this frantic energy into the kitchen. Call me a trad wife, I don’t care, but I just made roast beef and gravy for the first time as if I’d been doing it my whole damn life. And just wait til you hear about the baked alaska. Last month, we watched The Taste of Things, which is a gorgeous film, and made me painfully aware that I needed to make baked alaska asap. It’s a wild dessert - cake topped with a mountain of ice cream, which then gets covered in merengue and thrown into the oven (or torched), to come out like some sort of magic trick. While I was at my parent’s place for the holidays I got my mom in on the plan and we attempted and succeeded our first baked alaska. Chocolate torte, homemade raspberry ice cream, and light fluffy merengue. I am obsessed.
Other notable things include this butter that I am working my way through, lovingly:
and these cute gifts I made for friends and family this christmas. Fire Cider and a rosemary hydrosol I have dubbed Dew of the Sea. I have some more product offerings in the works so please stay tuned.
Okay, without further ado, I present you with my first edition of ask a herbalist. I ran a little question period over on instagram to collect your q’s. If you missed it, don’t worry, you can shoot me an email with your herbal questions anytime and I’ll answer in a future segment. The questions for this round are on pretty universal topics, so I hope you all can glean something, and if you have any of your own tips to add, I’d love to see them in the comments!
Q: Go-to herbs for cycle support and pmdd?
A: Love this question as my love for herbalism was cemented by using it for my cycle. My top suggestions for broad cycle support would be to focus on getting enough protein in, especially in the first half of the day, and really tuning into how you feel during the different stages of your cycle. Our hormones go through some serious ups and downs, so it’s been super helpful for me to learn what foods work best for me, what workouts to do, what kind of social commitments to make etc. I really try to release any self imposed contracts I’ve made and drop expectations. It’s completely natural to experience a wide array of emotions during one’s cycle, and not something to fight against, unless those emotions become debilitating. Feeling down and being in one’s “winter” phase is important, too. If I plan to go for a run in my follicular phase but feel resistance, I’ll push past it knowing that I’ll thank myself later. But during the luteal phase? I’ll trade that run for a bath any day. (See the question below for suggestions directed at anxiety and stress, which may accompany PMDD). Next up is magnesium. I take this daily but will often double my dose during menstruation to help with cramping (this one is my fav but has been sold out for ages!!). Inositol is another supplement that is worth trying, especially if you have pcos or irregular cycles. I also suggest consuming more bitter foods to support the liver to flush out excess hormones. Even just taking a bitters formula daily can do wonders! I’d shoot for dandelion root, burdock, or yellow dock. Other herbs I’d turn to include:
Raspberry leaf - tonifies the uterus. Can drink as a tea anytime during the cycle but definitely hit it the week before menstruation to help with pms.
Cramp bark - I always keep a tincture of cramp bark on me to help with cramps. It works like magic for me.
Vitex - a supreme herb for the cycle! Best suited for estrogen dominant conditions, but a nice harmonizing herb for the hormones that is meant to be taken long term.
Chamomile - mood boosting, relaxing, bloating and cramping saviour. Basically a perfect herb for almost anything.
Ginger - increases circulation to the pelvic region to give your organs a nice warm hug.
Lady’s mantel - a plant I have become so fond of. Can regulate menstrual cycles, strength the uterus, and support pms symptoms.
Tulsi - a vitality stimulant that brings about a sense of joy, even in the darkest of times. Truly a light that keeps on shining.
Q: What to do for chronic and acute stress?
A: Ah, stress, the plague of our times. This is a broad question, so to start with, ask yourself what is causing the stress? Where in your body do you feel it? Ideally we want to pinpoint the stressor and work on removing it from our environment, but that is easier said than done! Plus, most of us feel the constant hum of stress in our current global state which is seemingly inescapable (and some of us love to get sucked into it). We tend to get stuck in our sympathetic nervous system so when stress strikes, we get this surge of adrenaline but don’t have an appropriate outlet for it so we end up in this fight-flight-freeze response. The body’s response to stress takes energy away from the internal organs, hence why many people experience digestive issues when under stress, or notice changes to their cycle. So, the effects of stress run deep and addressing chronic stress will look differently from person to person. To broadly cover this big topic I’d first zoom in on lifestyle. Prioritize sleep hygiene, which not only means getting enough sleep (8-10 hours) but also trying to get into a good circadian rhythm. Getting out into the first morning light has got to be my number one health tip across the board. Rest and sunlight are #1. Next, focus on good quality fats in the diet. Our bodies need nourishment when we’re undergoing stress! Before we turn to herbs, try to lock in a some sort of practice of mindfulness, be that meditation, breath work, keeping a gratitude journal, or listening to affirmations. I fall off this wagon all the time but heck, these practices work. Okay herbwise here are some favourites:
Kava - this is my go-to for acute stress. I always used to keep a bottle of the tincture on me while travelling for flight anxiety etc. It’s like instant relaxation, making it great for sufferers of panic attacks.
Rescue Remedy - This Bach flower essence formula is another one I like to keep on me for moments of acute stress.
Milky oats - these puppies are trophorestorative, which means that they strengthen and restore tissues. Feel like you have fried nerves? Taking a milky oats tincture for 3+ months might be your ticket.
St John’s Wort - amazing for chronic stress when taken regularly for 3+ months (just be aware of contraindications with antidepressants and birth control).
Tulsi - heart opening and joy stimulating!
Ashwagandha - everyone’s fav adaptogen. Can work great for chronic stress when taken longer term. I suggest taking as a tea or getting it powdered and making relaxation lattes with it in warm milk with honey, cinnamon and cocoa. Yum!
Skullcap - strengthens and calms the nervous system, for both acute and chronic stress. Like a soothing cool down for agitated states.
Chamomile - once again, chamomile does it all. Eases anxiety, aids in digestion that may be effected by stress, and supports sleep.
Lemon balm - brings a sense of lightness and ease and overall mellowing out.
magnesium - supports sleep and can reduce anxiety.
Ok that was fun! Hope you enjoyed this hodge podge letter. I’ll send you off with a good vibes song to leave us all feeling a little more copacetic.
May all beings be peaceful.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be free.
I’m excited for more of Ask An Herbalist! And I haven’t stopped thinking about your creations since I read this luscious post earlier! Will Dew of the Sea be one of your offerings in the future? 🤍