Winter is upon us. With its chilly weather and lengthened nights, we are drawn towards warmth and hibernation. Yet, our modern lives beckon us outwards, exposing us to the vulnerabilities of the season. Fortunately, our body is a well-constructed vessel built for survival. From head to toe, each of our body systems interact with one another in a beautiful dance to maintain homeostasis.

There are times of the year when certain body systems take on more strain. Top of mind for many of us this season is our immune system. Herbalists like to take this opportunity to use the power of plants to gently assist the body in its immune function. Since everything is interconnected that means caring for our overall internal ecosystem, from digestive, respiratory and skin health to the nervous system.*

Here’s a quick look at these body systems and some of our favorite ways to support them with herbs this winter.

Step 1: Nourish the immune system

One of the best ways to directly support the immune system for winter is through food. As Medical Herbalist David Hoffmann says, “We must ensure that the physical body has the appropriate nutritional and health support to help it perform optimally.”

For this we like to incorporate medicinal culinary herbs and mushrooms like astragalus, elderberries, rose hips, shiitake, lion’s mane, and maitake into our meals. Support your immune system by making a big batch of Astragalus Miso Immunity Soup and Ginger Cinnamon Elderberry Syrup.*