Top 10 Herbs For Fall & Winter Health

Top 10 herbs for Fall and Winter health.

- Michelle Burklund, ND

It’s the time of year when leaves transform into vibrant hues, sweaters come out of storage, and the air becomes refreshingly crisp. Unfortunately, it’s also a time of increased cold and flu symptoms, dry and painful skin conditions, and altered moods due to shorter days and a lack of sun. Go into this season prepared with a cupboard stocked with healing remedies for common ailments. Here are some beneficial and easy-to-use herbs to support your mind and body through the fall and winter months.

1. Fight Fatigue with Eleuthero

Also known as Siberian ginseng, eleuthero is a plant that has been used for centuries in Russia and China due to its ability to improve cognition, enhance energy, and support stress. Eleuthero is part of a unique group of plants called adaptogens, which have been proven to augment resistance to stress both physically and mentally—in other words, they help you “adapt more easily.” In the fall and winter months, energy levels can wane as the days grow shorter, but this plant might be just what’s needed to remain alert until bedtime. One study published in the International Journal of Phytotherapy and  Phytopharmacology found that a group of females taking a standardized extract exhibited improved attention and accuracy during stressful cognitive tasks. Eleuthero is most often taken in capsule or extract form.

2. Keep Your Skin Radiant with Sea Buckthorn