STAYING HEALTHY & SANE
I’m not even going to say it: the ‘c’ word and, yes, all its fears around it. Anyone like me where your head’s spinning and you’re feeling drained?Which, dear friends, got me thinking, “How can I take back control in these crazy times?” My intention for the week/month/year: Protection.
Here some ways to conserve and safeguard your energy. (Cue: protective shield and superpower cuffs!)
Boost Your Qi/Water Element
As Botanarchy’s Carolyn Barron (my acupuncturist and swoon-worthy sorceress/healer) poetically writes, “The Huang Di Nei Jing, the sacred writ of Chinese medicine, speaks to how emotional energy has vectors, predictability, movement. Fear, unsurprisingly, causes qi to sink. To understand how fear relates to the Kidneys and Water element, think of the last time you felt fearful… Fear, like water, plunges to the depths. Our bodies collapse into survival mode, our spine curls inward to protect our vital organs, a cold shock pulses through our fingers and toes, and our energy quite literally drops into our lower loins, the spaces that speak to fundamental safety…If you find yourself living in perpetual fear of your health, your Water element may be out of balance and require tending (holler at your acupuncturist). In the now, resist the inward pull of the tides, remain upright, risk assess like a boss. Trust in your body’s innate curative processes, stay home, say no, protect the vulnerable, surrender to the unknown. Take notes.”
So, listen to your intuition. Take care of yourself. Do what’s best for you. Maybe it’s finding stillness with meditation or a walk, spending less time with (social) media, getting a good night’s rest, booking a treatment with Carolyn, or an energy clearing with me!
Grab Your Crystals
RX for fear or anxiety? Our favorite crystal guru, Madison Young of Open Eye Crystals, schools us on prescriptive stones.
“When I’m feeling low-frequency emotions like fear, worry or stress, obsidian keeps them at bay. Or lepidolite and lithium quartz…both are good for combatting worry and anxiety and putting the mind at ease.”
Need more stones in your arsenal? Madison suggests, “Bloodstone with Aventurine. Whenever I’m feeling sick, I throw on those bracelets and immediately feel better. They’re great for health in general.”
Flower Power
To protect my space and home, I use red geraniums, grown in planters that are placed around the house. Ditto for lavender and rosemary, which are good for cleansing and purifying. For bouquets, I use a High Vibe staple—roses. Rose is the highest frequency flower, so it raises your vibration and elevates your mood. Shop the High Vibe collection here.
And for boosting immunity, here’s what’s in my toolkit for staying healthy…
Vitamin C
At the first signs of a cold, I take a packet of Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C—more easily absorbed by the body than a tablet. The gel can get messy, so squeeze it into juice or coconut water and swig.
Tinctures & Tonics
When I’m feeling run-down, I take 3-4 droppers full of Woodstock Herbal Products C&F Seasonal Support, which is always stocked in my fridge. There’s a long list of immune boosters including echinacea, olive leaf, elder berry and flower, sage and yarrow. Be warned: It’s got a pungent taste, so dilute or chase with juice or water.
And packing even more punch, brave Simples’ Fiery Immune Tonic. This extra potent mix—thanks to onions, garlic, ginger, horseradish, apple cider vinegar and chili peppers—is not for the faint of heart. But I like to think, “The more it burns, the better it fights!”
Baths
Because by now, you know how much I love a good bath… The Sacred Ritual Immunity is filled with Pink Himalayan salts, antimicrobial clove, lemon and frankincense. (And if you missed the last newsletter, try Pursoma’s Hot Tub Bathwith ginger, French green clay and fleur de sel to sweat it out.)
Another bath I swear by: hydrogen peroxide. I read years ago from a homeopath about the benefits of this bath for children with fevers. So I tried it out for myself, and it’s stuck as a staple in my get-well regime. I take as much as 4 cups of hydrogen peroxide mixed with magnesium flakes, in hot water. Then, I imagine my body detoxifying head to toe.
Essential Oils
Defend yourself from the elements with oils that purify and sanitize. (Dab it on or add drops in a diffuser or atomizer.) Floracopeia makes wildcrafted, organic blends including their Legends Protection Blend—based on the Thieves Vinegar recipe that combat epidemics in the Middle Ages—which includes clove, rosemary, lavender, thyme, basil, white sage and mint.
I also like doTerra’s On Guard, a mix of orange peel, clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary.