A gentle guide shared by herbalist and keeper of the Earth, Georgia Fickes.

As the summer shifts down have you noticed poor digestion, stagnant energy or skin breakouts?

As we transition to fall our bodies may become shocked by the cool weather. What was once hot and humid is now undulating between temperatures of hot and cold. In response our bodies may tighten up, bringing the warmth to our core. When our bodies respond by restricting muscles, there can be a loss of circulation, poor digestion, and stagnant energy.

Transition periods are a good time to connect with herbs to support your body in the seasonal shift.

Here is a list of herbs that will stimulate digestion, keep you warm during the transition from summer to fall, support detox pathways and improve absorption of nutrients.

Burdock Root Arctium lappa

Burdock root is an outstanding herb to support gut and skin health. High in inulin, it feeds our guts micro biome. Building up beneficial bacteria in the gut will help to create better assimilation of nutrients and restore an elimination pathway. If an elimination pathway is compromised, toxins can be reabsorbed into the system, causing skin outbreaks, arthritis and “dirty blood”. Burdock is a gentle yet powerful herb to support detoxifying the blood, lymph and liver. Although it is known for clearing up skin, initially it could bring on more outbreaks. This is a sign of burdock moving through and working on your system to clear out any toxins.

Infusions are a great way to incorporate herbs into your routine.

Create an infusion with 1oz burdock root to 1 qt of water. Pour 1 qt of boiling water over 1 oz burdock root in a quart sized jar, cap and let sit for 4 to 6 hours. Do this right before bed and drink in the morning. It is recommended to drink 1 serving a day. You can store a quart for 2-3 days in the fridge, reheating when needed.

Burdock Chai

2 Tbsp. Burdock root

3 inches sliced Ginger

2 Cinnamon sticks

10 Cloves

6 Cardamom pods or 1-2 tsp. of powder

5 tea bags of Darjeeling tea bags

4 cups water

3 cups Oat Milk

Syrup or Honey to taste

Don’t be afraid of recipes! Play with the ratios to see what you like best! Add more milk if you like it to be creamier, add fennel for extra digestive support, add more ginger for more spice! Lately I have been adding reishi for overall wellness. Always play with recipes to explore what works best for you!

Ginger Zingiber officinale

Our body’s response to temperatures dropping is to tighten up, bringing the heat inward. During this transition it is best to support your body in building heat by using circulatory herbs. Ginger is great to get blood moving to prevent sluggish or stagnant energy from building up. As a diaphoretic, ginger helps to bring warmth to the surface of your body, supporting your body on those first cold days.

30 minutes to 1 hour after eating a meal sip ginger tea to support the delivery of nutrients through out the body or in the morning to stimulate digestion.

Simple Ginger Tea:

2 tablespoons ginger root (fresh, raw, about 2 inches of ginger root)

1 1/2 to 2 cups water

1 to 2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar, to taste)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)

Boil water, adding ginger, simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add sweetener of choice and lemon juice. Sip and enjoy!

Calendula Calendula officinalis

Primary actions are lymphagogue, vulnerary, immune tonic, alterative, and anti-inflammatory. This herb is great to support gut health, liver, gallbladder, female reproductive system, and the skin. The School of Evolutionary Herbalism explains, “Calendula is not to be used as a general “anti-inflammatory”…but rather specifically when there is inflammation due to an underlying coldness and depression of the afflicted organs and tissues”.

Calendula heats your body deeply, different from ginger’s peripheral heating. By bringing warmth to stagnant areas we can activate our immune system by stimulating the lymphatic system. Keeping fluids moving reduces infections by preventing swollen glands and a congested lymphatic system.

Other Benefits of Calendula:

It is known for its uplifting spirit. Some connect this to its restorative properties to the gut, since the gut produces more serotonin than the brain!

It is used in many oils and balms for wound healing as well as belly, breast, and chest rubs as a way to promote lymphatic stimulation.

Its warming properties can be used to regulate menstruation for those with damp, cold, and delayed cycles.

We could go on and on...

Here are some simple ways to prepare and use Calendula.

1 Tbsp. of flowers to 1 cup of water 3x a day
Take in tincture form 1-2 droppers 2-3x a day in water or tea
Use in a balm for external application for skin rashes and to support the lymphatic system

Contraindication: do not use during pregnancy, as it is an emmenagogue. Sensitivity to those who are highly allergic to ragweed.

Summer Shift Take-Away:

Ginger heats the body’s exterior, increasing circulation. Calendula heats internally to stimulate the lymph and liver to support our immune system from invaders. Burdock builds up gut health and cleans the blood to support clear skin.

Meet Georgia: A modern-day medicine woman and keeper of the Earth.

Georgia came to us in February of 2017, after leaving her metalsmith and jewelry design career in California. Since her start at Sunshine Kate's, she has completed a full year at Gaia School of Healing, graduating with a certificate in Herbalism, and is continuing her journey by enrolling in a second-year program. This course has taught her not only how to make medicine in the form of tinctures, balms, and teas, but also how to be an advocate for the earth and our healing.

Georgia also launched her first business, Turn to Nature, as a way to share her journey with herbal remedies and jewelry, which consists of gemstones, wire wrapping, and intuitive making.  She finds herbalism and crystals to have healing qualities that can support ones process in coming back into ones own body. Supporting each person to be their own healer.  She believes that individuals have the ability to heal themselves with the right education and listening.

Georgia looks to start plant meditations and herbal workshops within the coming year!  Stay tuned!