As an herbalist, this is the time of year that we finish our harvesting and begin to wind down for the season. I tend to look forward to this time of year where I can contemplate my plans for next year, get in some extra writing I have been meaning to do, and look to taking better care of myself. I will admit to letting the latter slip by as I work with clients, help my family, publish a podcast, take care of the business side of things, teach, and hold monthly meet-ups. I enjoy all of this, but I soon realize that I am forgetting something, and most of the time that would be myself. Self-care is an important aspect for the Clinical Herbalist as it is with many other professions that demand much of our time.
Are you also forgetting self-care in your daily regimen? How much time do you take for yourself? When is the last time that you did something you want to do which doesn’t include work or chores? Stress, anxiety, digestive issues, and many other symptoms we experience can be contributed to the fast-paced society we live in today. Take this as your reminder to set time aside for yourself in your schedule to wind down and provide much-needed self-care.
The first thing that all of us need to do is to figure out what makes us happy. For myself, I love to take hikes, sit and meditate in the woods, read, crochet, and write. This is my to-do list moving forward. I live by a schedule it seems, and the best way for me to make sure I incorporate these activities into my schedule is to put them deliberately in my calendar. This way, I won’t schedule an appointment, say yes to help someone else because I see an empty space in my calendar, or forget to make this time for myself. If you are the type of person that doesn’t use a calendar to schedule your day-to-day activities, you could decide to incorporate each of your activities into your daily routine and make it a ritual.
The next thing that has to be done is to evaluate our own physical needs. Do you need to eat better? Do you have some symptoms you need to address? Do you need to exercise more? Do you need to relax and reduce stress in your life? How are you sleeping? Once you have decided what physical needs should be addressed, follow through with a new plan or regimen to better your physical health along with your mental health by following the first step above. If this is something that you are not qualified in or feel that you could use extra help with, find a professional or practitioner that compliments your belief system or is necessary to heal you.
Sometimes our own lifestyles need changing while we also do the things we love to do. Sometimes the things we love to do is harming us and needs to be addressed as well. It’s not an easy road, but a necessary one in order to return to better health both physically and mentally. As I look internally, I have come to a conclusion that I need to address both my physical and mental health in my self-care practice. We are all human and need to do so from time-to-time. This time of the season is the perfect time to contemplate how I will do it. Hopefully, you can do the same for yourself.
One of the recommendations for myself is to include a daily blend of herbs as an infusion to relax and support my nervous system. I also like to combine nutritive and tonic herbs to this blend. Here is a sample of one of my favorite blends:
2 parts Nettle (Urtica dioica)
2 parts Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)
1 part Sweet leaf (Monarda fistulosa)
1 part Violet leaf and flower
I combine this blend using one cup for each part and store this to use on a daily basis. Oftentimes, I drink 1-2 cups daily. This adds nutrition while supporting my digestive, lymph, and nervous systems. If you decide to utilize this blend for yourself, please be sure to check for all contraindications or interactions with your own conditions and pharmaceutical medications.
Don’t forget to utilize herbs in a foot bath or general bath if that is something you like to do as a self-care routine. There are many different combinations of herbs to add to the bath depending on your own needs. I like to add antispasmodic, astringent, and anti-inflammatory herbs such as this blend:
Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
This is my own personal blend that I utilize for my own well-being. I will also add Epsom salts to this blend for the additional magnesium and antispasmodic actions. I love bathing and relaxing in the water with some music playing to relax and wind down.
I hope I have given you some thought into making more time for yourself and providing additional self-care routines into your own daily routines. Try to slow down, enjoy the now, relax, and take care of yourself!