Now ALL IN ONE PLACE! I've corralled all of the free downloads and created a START HERE page to help you find the wellness self-help you're looking for.

With all the uncertainty of 2020 wreaking havoc on everyone's energy, and my inability to see clients in person due to the pandemic restrictions, I decided to put all my free resources into one place on the website to help support your wellness naturally.

​I plan on adding more free and paid digital resources as time goes on to make Verbena into your preferred site for natural self-help. Let me knowi f there is anything you'd like to see added, but for now you have access to guides for chakra balancing, meditations, herbal remedies, and simple self-care rituals to get you started and support you along your natural wellness journey.

[UPDATED 16 APRIL 2020: With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's even more important to have a strong immune system. Though this guide was written with the "traditional" winter cold & flu season in mind, these herbs can continue to support a healthy immune system any time of year. I've updated this article to include new info-graphics to make sharing of this info even easier. In regard to the use of Elder berry and flower, while herbalists believe that for most individuals elderberry is safe before infection, it may be that it should be avoided if symptoms develop. Elderberry may also not be safe for some individuals with autoimmune conditions]

​I'm excited to bring to you a brief overview of the seven herbs I've found to be most effective and helpful to bolster health and well-being during the shortest days of the year, which typically coincide with the cold & flu season.

Herbs are unique in their actions ‐ or how they affect the body ‐ when consumed. Choosing the right combination of herbs can go a long way to supporting your health & wellness during the short days of winter or any time of year.

​These are just some of the ways herbs can benefit you and your family during the cold & flu season:
Stimulate Immune System
Shorten Duration of Illness
Relieve Symptoms
Provide Nutrients to Support Overall Wellness
Provide Warmth & Comfort

​The first 3 herbs we’ll cover are best used in root form.
Roots are typically harvested in spring or fall and dried after being cleaned and cut. Because of their tough structure, roots are generally most effective when prepared as a tincture or decocted (simmered, covered over low heat for 20‐45 minutes). They can also be infused in alcohol or glycerine to create a tincture.
​
The 3 Roots we will look at in detail are:
Echinacea Root [Echinacea angustifolia]
Licorice Root [Glycyrrhiza glabra (European)]
Astragalus Root [Astragalus membranaceous]

Echinacea has been studied extensively for its effectiveness at shortening the duration of a cold. It is most effective when used at first onset of a cold. Please note, because of its popularity, echinacea is now considered an at risk plant in the wild. We encourage you to purchase organic, cultivated herb from a reputable seller – or grow it on you own.
​Studies have shown that, when used at higher levels, echinacea is most effective when taken at the first onset of a viral infection and needs to come in direct contact with the virus. It should also be “cycled” on and off to increase effectiveness. Because it is an immune stimulant, echinacea is also effective when taken at lower doses over longer periods of time (the entire winter season, for example). NOTE: may be contraindicated for individuals with autoimmune issues and for those who have experienced hypersensitivity reactions in the past (Hoffmann, 2003)
Actions: alterative, immune stimulant, immunomodulant, analgesic, antibacterial, antiviral, sialagogue
Taste: acrid
Energetics: cooling
​Magickal Properties: strengthening spells (masculine | Mars | earth | sacred to Athena, Venus, Cerridwen)

Licorice is one herb that most people either love or hate the taste of. I’ve learned to sneak a little into formulas for the health benefits while masking the taste with other, stronger tasting herbs. Licorice is an immune balancer, boosting immune function while reducing excessive immune response in those with autoimmune disease. Traditional indications include dry cough and wheezing. (Winston & Maimes, 2007) NOTE: Licorice should be avoided by individuals with high blood pressure, or even a tendency for high blood pressure, and those taking potassium depleting diuretics, digoxin, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) due to potential interactions (Winston & Maimes, 2007).
Actions: adaptogen, antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, demulcent,
antispasmodic, hepatic, tonic
Taste: Sweet
Energetics: moistening, sweet, neutral
​Magickal Properties: used in love powders and potions, ensures fidelity (feminine | Venus | water)

The root of the perennial astragalus is used widely as an immunomodulant, which strengthens the immune system and helps the body fight off infection and disease.
Actions: adaptogen, antioxidant, cardiotonic, hepatic, immunostimulant
Taste: slightly sweet
Energetics: moistening, warming
​Magickal Properties (as Tragacanth Gum – dried sap of several Astragalus species: A. adscendens, A. gummifer, A. brachycalyx, A. tragacantha): binding, transformation in the subconscious/dreamwork
masculine | Earth | fire)

​Due to their more delicate nature, leaves, berries, and flowers are typically infused in hot – not boiling – water for 10‐15 minutes to gently extract the herbal goodness. They can also be infused in alcohol or glycerine to create a tincture.

The 4 herbs we will look at in detail here are:
Elder Flower (dried) & Berry (cooked)* [Sambucus nigra]
Peppermint [Mentha × piperita]
Rose Hips [Rosa spp.]
Lemon Balm [Melissa officinalis]

​Commonly used as a syrup for children as an immune stimulant to help shorten the duration of colds, elder berries and flowers are a must have herb during the cold & flu season.
Safety: elderflowers are considered safe even for small children, and the ripe fresh berries are considered safe unless consumed in high quantities or by someone sensitive to the compounds in the plant (Buhner, 2013); however, cooking or drying them before use is the safest approach. Also note: while herbalists believe that for most individuals elderberry is safe before infection, it may be that it should be avoided if symptoms develop. Elderberry may also not be safe for some individuals with autoimmune conditions
Actions: diuretic, antivirals, analgesic, anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, immune stimulant
Taste: slightly sweet
Energetics: cooling, pungent
​Magickal Properties: exorcism, protection, healing, prosperity, sleep (feminine | Venus | water | sacred to Holda, Venus)

This ancient perennial, peppermint, is commonly used today as a flavoring agent for candy, gum, toothpaste, mouthwashes, and medicines, but don’t let that fool you! In addition to its great taste, peppermint (and its cousin Spearmint) is equally beneficial to supporting health and wellness, jam packed with minerals and vitamins.
Actions: antispasmodic, carminative, bitter, antimicrobial, analgesic, diaphoretic, stimulant, nervine, anti‐emetic
Taste: bitter (mild), refreshing
Energetics: pungent, slightly sweet, dry, stimulating, relaxing, and warming with a secondary cooling action
​Magickal Properties: purification, sleep, love, healing, psychic powers (masculine | Mercury | fire | sacred to Pluto)

The actual “fruit” of the rose plant, rose hips are harvested in fall, after the rose petals have fallen away and the fruit has ripened to an orange or red color, and are high in vitamin C content. I love adding them to many formulas for their sweet taste and the energetic “hug” they give to whoever consumes them.
Actions: analgesic, antidepressant, anti‐inflammatory, nervine, astringent
Taste: bitter (mild), refreshing
Energetics: cooling, drying
​Magickal Properties: love, psychic powers, healing, divination, luck, protection
(feminine | Venus | water | sacred to Hatha, Holda, Eros, Cupid, Demeter, Isis, Adonis, Harpocrates, Aurora)

This fragrant, lemony member of the mint family is an excellent choice for young
and old alike. A gentle nervine that soothes anxiety, nervousness, and depression, lemon balm also relieves digestive upset relative to anxiety or depression. I find its strong fragrance very uplifting and its mild, refreshing taste the perfect addition to many tea formulas.
Actions: antiviral, antispasmodic, antidepressant, antioxidant, carminative, anxiolytic, nervine, radioprotective, trophorestorative (nervous system)
Taste: refreshing, sweet, astringent, sour
Energetics: cooling, drying
​Magickal Properties: love, success, healing, health, friendship, attraction and psychic/spiritual development (feminine | Moon | water)

​(aka Witch’s Brew to Chase Away Colds & Flu* )
Step 1 (decoction)
1tsp Org. Echinacea Ang. Root
1tsp Org. Licorice Root
1tsp Org. Atragalus Root
2 Tbsp Org. Elder Berries
Step 2 (infusion)
2 Tbsp Org. Peppermint
1 tsp Org. Rose Hips
2 tsp Org. Elder Flowers
2 Tbsp Org. Lemon Balm
Cover and simmer roots and berries (Step 1) in 16oz water for 30 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer and reserve the liquid in a 32 oz heat‐proof jar with lid. Add the herbs (Step 2) to a large, 32 oz. heat proof glass jar with lid. Make an infusion by covering the herbs with 16 oz of boiled water that has been allowed to cool for 30 seconds. Cover loosely and let sit for 30 minutes before straining the liquid (into the jar containing the root decoction) through cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve. Allow to cool, cover, and refrigerate for 1‐2 days. This recipe makes a strong brew that should be diluted by half for everyday use (1‐2 cups/day) or served as is, 2‐3 times throughout the day as soon as cold symptoms appear.   
*pre‐mixed blend available at www.vervainandrue.com
​COMING FEBRUARY 2019!

​We hope you enjoyed this Winter Herbal and find the information useful. Please share with others you know who may benefit from learning more about these immune boosting herbs.
For more helpful tips on natural wellness, please visit the blog at 
www.verbenahealingarts.com/blog or connect with us on social media:
Facebook.com/verbenahealingarts
Instagram.com/susanheidifilardo
Pinterest.com/susanhfilardo
Youtube.com/susanheidifilardo
​
Wishing a blessed and healthy, happy winter season to you and yours.
xoxo
Susan

​Interested in pursuing herbal studies further? You might find my blog discussing my own journey into choosing an online herbal training program helpful:
http://www.verbenahealingarts.com/blog/becoming-an-herbalist

​Resources:
https://honeycoyote.tumblr.com/post/86280810010/lemon-balm-magic-and-medicinal-uses
Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs
Materia Magica; Draja Mickaharic
A Green Witch’s Cupboard; Deborah J. Martin
The Herbarium; www.theherbalacademy.com

​​So, you want to be an Herbalist? Up until a few years ago I wasn’t even sure what that meant. Sure, I have a degree in chemical engineering and took my fair share of chemistry and biology classes in college, but would another college degree be required to practice herbalism?

[This post contains affiliate links. Read more HERE]

​THE INTERNET HERBALIST?
 
I have been using and sharing herbal remedies for the better part of my adulthood. For the most part I stuck with tried and true remedies I grew up with and added a few more from books I’d purchased or articles I’d read. If there was a remedy that I didn’t have experience with, the internet quickly became my best friend, but would a general web search provide the best information?

It is true that there are a multitude of resources available free online to provide some information when you want to look up a particular herb or ailment, and many herbalists have blogs to share their recipes for teas, tinctures, and salves. This info sufficed for a time, but in order to confidently suggest herbal products to support the wellness of my natural bio-energetics clients, I knew it was time to formalize my training. Given how important and influential I believe herbs are in supporting mind-body balance, it was just a question of finding the right program of study.
 
FORMALIZING YOUR HERBALIST EDUCATION
 
In the true form of an engineer, I hunkered down and did EXTENSIVE research into the types of formal herbal education available both online and in-person. My biggest resource for reviewing programs was the American Herbalists Guild’s Directory of Herbal Education. This very comprehensive list of herbal education programs proved to me that the path to becoming an herbalist could be as unique as the individual seeking to formalize their herbal studies. My first thought was to enroll in a master’s degree program. Excellent master’s degree programs in Clinical Herbal Medicine and Herbal Product Design and Manufacture are offered by Maryland University of Integrative Health, but at considerable cost. While this option may be right for you, it wasn’t the financial commitment I was ready to make at the time.

WHAT ABOUT A CERTIFICATE HERBALIST PROGRAM?
 
Next, I dug deeper into what online certificate programs were available. [Note that, because the field of herbalism is not officially regulated by any specific set of standards or governing body in the U.S., one can study in herbalism courses for a certificate of completion, but one cannot become a “certified herbalist.” Read more about that in this article by Herbal Academy.] After considering the many online programs available, I made a decision I’m very happy with to learn from the Herbal Academy.  To date, I’ve completed several of their courses on the path to becoming a clinical herbalist. In addition, the Herbal Academy recently released a number of short course intensives, like Herbal Self-Care for Stress Management and their highly popular Botany & Wildcrafting Course, which are excellent for more focused study in a certain area.
 
I won’t lie though, there are many options for formal online herbal training and the decision was not an easy one. In the end, after much research, I decided on the Herbal Academy because of the quality of their programs and the high standing of their instructors within the American Herbalists Guild (AHG), “founded in 1989 as a non-profit, educational organization to represent the goals and voices of herbalists specializing in the medicinal use of plants (excerpted from the AHG website)”. Another deciding factor for me was the flexible option to delay the course start dates with the “start course” button so that I could purchase a “Path” at a discount (with payment plan) and start each program when I was ready to dedicate the time needed to complete the course. Each program also allows ample time to access the course in order to complete it. Finally, the Herbal Academy is influential in building a community of herbalists through their use of a student community forum and social media #myherbalstudies

​LEARN MORE ABOUT STUDYING AND PRACTICING HERBALISM
 
Not sure if studying herbalism or the Herbal Academy and their course offerings are right for you? An excellent way to learn more about this field of study while testing out the presentation and professionalism of their programs is through the Herbal Academy’s FREE Becoming an Herbalist Mini Course . Though I wish it had been, this course offering wasn’t available before I started my herbal studies with the Herbal Academy. I decided to take the course mid-way through my herbal studies because of all the amazing information provided on navigating the legal, ethical, and logistical considerations of using herbs that is included in the course in a very detailed and easy to understand format.

UPDATE 17 April2020
During the caronavirus pandemic, the Herbal Academy is making a gesture of goodwill to you who may be suffering financial hardship at this time and offering their foundational programs at 50% off for a limited time.

​Can you imagine the thought of a day spa or art studio without music playing in the background? Or do you enter a retail store and wonder why music isn’t playing overhead? Would movies be nearly as memorable without a killer soundtrack? We have come to expect to hear music playing in certain environments. Ever wonder why that is? 

​Music is really effective at getting you into the right mindset and evoking different feelings. That’s because music has an effect on the emotional, memory, and motor centers of the brain.
 
Without getting too technical, the right music can help you relax and let your thoughts flow from one to another. For artists and content creators, listen to the right music and it can essentially help you get into the creative thinking mode.

So, what is the “right” music to listen to in order to boost creativity? The answer is probably something you knew all along: the “right” music is whatever music you enjoy listening to at a particular time.
​
That’s right, I said it. No need to feel guilty about not loving classical music if you’re an artist! Listen to whatever music feels good to you and studies have shown it will have the same effect of helping you relax so that your mind can wander and get into the creative problem-solving mode

Personally, I have very diverse tastes in music depending on the situation. And yes, as you can tell from some of the images in this post, I’m guilty of loving Heavy Metal – it’s something I was raised on and I’ll never tire of it. For me, it’s what I listen to when I need a boost of energy or if I’m feeling like I need to be more grounded. Other sounds appeal to me more when I’m doing certain tasks.
 
In my art studio, I like to listen to alternative or singer songwriters. To prevent the music from becoming a distraction, create nice long playlists (I use Spotify) that you can listen to for hours. They're terrific for focusing on the task at hand.
 
I also like the sounds of gypsy soul. It’s very upbeat and I love it for when I’m working at the computer. It really brings a higher level of sensory stimulation to an otherwise mundane setting.
 
And then there’s the type of music you’d expect for meditation or peaceful reflection – ambient. Great for those times that you really need to unwind and de-stress.
 
Finally, you  may want to have a set of upbeat songs for when you need a little extra motivation to finish a tough workout or start a task that you've been putting off.

Music shouldn’t just be limited to times when you’re working or working out either. Abide by the philosophy of adding music to your life every day and see what changes it makes to your health & wellbeing as well as your creativity and productivity.
 
For me, it adds a little magic if I que up one playlist on Sunday mornings when I’m making brunch and a different one to beat the drudgery of housework. Music can simply just make life more enjoyable!
 
Make your own playlists or find some pre-made for whatever mood you’re in and add a soundtrack to your own life!
 
You can even check out some of my playlists on Spotify.
 
Music for Daily Intentions: 
https://open.spotify.com/user/12127318088/playlist/04PcsTNIYblkex9WBX22EM
Studio Music
https://open.spotify.com/user/12127318088/playlist/6FuO9KY3KtRcjFrOrM1XgP
Invigorate & Create
https://open.spotify.com/user/12127318088/playlist/2xBmXznleJaV8OPGOViv8v

​I hope you found this post helpful in finding ways to use music to help you relax, feel invigorated, and start creating! Let me know if you have any interesting ways of using music to add to the magic in your life. I'd love to hear from you :-)
 
xoxo
Susan

Resources
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/24/music-creative_n_5511501.html