As I type this from the slow, chilly, and rainy farmers’ market in Medford, Oregon, Seth is at home staving off a cold. It’s that time of year. The time when it behooves us all to take extra good care of our bodies so that we can be resilient as microorganisms and viruses fly around seeking vehicles for their continued transmission.

Of course, resilience starts with the simplest things that we all know are important but are often hard to do—get lots of sleep; reduce inflammation by upping our dosages of awe and gratitude and minimizing sugar, alcohol, dairy, and stress; and filling our bowls with dark green veggies and whole grains and beans and mushrooms and garlic and ginger and onions and garlic and herbs and spices. But even the most wholesome sleepers and eaters among us sometimes need a little extra immune support, and—obviously—herbal extracts are our favorite something extra.

When Seth woke up with a tickle in his throat a couple days ago we mixed up a new batch of our Seasonal Resilience Blend. Each year’s formula varies slightly depending on the bounty of the growing season and our sense of what’s needed most in our homes and broader community. This year’s Seasonal Resilience is a blend of Elderberry, Elder Flower, Motherwort, Yarrow, Usnea, and Oregano and can be ordered through our online shop. And whether you buy our tincture or not, read below to learn more about each of these herbs and how they can help you stay well (and get well sooner) all year long.

Elder Flowers (Sambucus cerulea)

Elder flowers are the uniquely flavored component of St. Germaine liqueur. Not only do these flowers make a tasty drink to sip, they help to promote sweating and reduce fevers, dissolve phlegm throughout the body, can act as an expectorant, and offer general respiratory support. They are a great addition to tea blends, and make a tasty tincture that have traditionally been used to help reduce the length of flus and colds. For sore throats, you can add some tincture to warm water and gargle it. Because of its affinity for the respiratory system, we also use it in our Breathe Easy Blend.

Elderberries (Sambucus cerulea)

Elderberries are widely known for their immune-stimulating qualities, and for good reason! Not only are they strongly antiviral, supportive of the circulatory and respiratory systems, and an excellent tonic for the immune system... they taste delicious! We recommend taking a small dose of elderberry daily throughout cold and flu season to stay well, and multiple times a day to support and speed up recovery should you get sick.

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)

Motherwort’s gifts are manifold. It is perhaps best known as a heart and uterine tonic, and is beloved for its grounding + anxiety-reducing nature. But wait, there’s more! As a bitter herb, Motherwort supports digestion, which helps our bodies get the nourishment they need to stay well. In addition, studies have demonstrated that motherwort has antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory qualities. It is also a “diaphoretic”, meaning that it promotes promotes sweating to help the body eliminate waste and drive out fevers.

Not recommended for pregnant people or folks on heart medication.

Oregano (Origanum vulgare)

Like many common culinary herbs, oregano not only tastes good but can be good medicine. Rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals, oregano can help us stay well by preventing infection through its nutrient-rich and antimicrobial actions. According to herbalist Rosalee de la Foret, Oregano is a warming herb that has particular affinities for the respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems.

Usnea Lichen (Usnea spp.)

Usnea is a lichen famed for its profoundly protective qualities. Also know as “Witch’s Beard Lichen” and other mythic names, this tangled beauty is an antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral life form found in the lush forests of the Pacific Northwest, among other places.

Usnea has been traditionally used to support respiratory, urinary, and reproductive tract infections, and to stimulate the immune system. It may also help with pneumonia, strep throat, and herpes.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Yarrow is a common wildflower all over the continent, and it is as powerful a medicine as it is ubiquitous. Energetically, yarrow is known to support and promote healthy boundaries. This makes sense to me because yarrow is also strongly antimicrobial, so it can help us with both biological and energetic boundaries.

We use it both internally in our tinctures and externally in our salves to prevent infection. Yarrow has a paradoxical relationship with blood—it’s able to both staunch bleeding to prevent excessive blood loss, and promotes circulation to move stagnant blood. Like motherwort, yarrow is a diaphoretic that helps the body sweat out fevers and infection.

Not recommended for pregnant folks or people with liver complications.

Resources

Elderflowers

https://theherbalacademy.com/the-joy-of-harvesting-and-using-elder-flowers/

Elderberry + Yarrow

Kloos, Scott. 2012. Pacific Northwest Medicinal Plants. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Motherwort

https://theherbalacademy.com/motherwort-benefits/

https://theherbalacademy.com/motherwort-the-plant-worlds-mama-bear/

Oregano

https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/what-is-oregano-good-for.html

Usnea

https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/usnea-herb.html

Disclaimer

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Seasonal Resilience and Herbal Allies for Immune Support!