The Vitalist Approach to Seasonal Transition

Evergreen forest on Mt. Pierce in the White Mountains.

Embracing the Seasons: The Vitalist Approach to Fall

In vitalist herbalism, the seasons aren’t just weather changes; they are energetic shifts that influence our bodies, minds, and spirits. As we move from summer’s fiery energy into the cooling, grounding force of fall, it’s essential to realign ourselves with these rhythms.

Vitalism teaches that fall is a time for slowing down, conserving energy, and strengthening our connection to the earth. The body naturally begins to transition inward, seeking warmth, grounding, and nourishment. This is the season for reflection, for nurturing our roots, and for preparing our bodies for the colder, darker days ahead.

To support this transition, consider incorporating daily grounding practices, such as walking in nature, meditation, or mindful breathing. Vitalist herbalism suggests herbs like ashwagandha and reishi, which help the body adapt to change and maintain balance. Warming herbs like ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric can be incorporated into teas or meals to stoke the digestive fire and keep the body in harmony.

Herbal Tip: Brew a warming tea with ginger, cinnamon, and star anise with a touch of raw local honey to keep your digestion strong and your body warm as the weather cools.

Featured Product: Shin-rin Yoku Herbal Soaking Salts

Taking Back Your Health

We’ve all been there before, at the crossroads of where we are and where we want to be. Most succumb to complacency, but there are those who have the tenacity to endure what it takes to make the changes necessary to progress forward.

So you want to change. Awesome. Are you committed to actually making the changes you desire?

If you want to lose weight, it’s not merely about calorie deficits and diets.
If you want to avoid toxins, it’s not simply about buying products labeled “organic”.
If you want to be healthier overall, you need to do more than just run a mile per day, or do a few power squats.

It’s about adjusting your mindset and lifestyle. It’s about self discipline, and having the desire to learn, grow and be better a little bit each day.

Working with clients, I see this a lot. People complain and ask why they aren’t losing weight yet in a particular program, yet upon asking them about their lifestyle, it’s clear they have yet to do the hard work. Signing up for a program isn’t a cure all — there’s a lot of work to be done on an individual level.

No matter how many diets you go on, when said diet comes to an end, most are back where they started before long. Adopting a different lifestyle will set you up for success now and in the future. Changing your mindset will set you up for success not just in the health and wellness department, but in life itself. You have to commit to doing the thing you don't want to do in order to get to where you want to be. You have to give up the things that are holding you back. Cut them out of your life and replace with something better. It’s really that simple.

Make the commitment and stick to it. You’re the only one standing in your way.

Are You Using Chemicals To Clean Your Home?

We are surrounded by chemicals, toxins, endocrine disruptors, respiratory irritants, carcinogens, you name it. The last thing you want to do is to contaminate your working and living space with them under the guise of cleaning.

Cleaners do not need to be toxic. Sure, there will be times when maybe you need something extra strength because vinegar and baking soda isn’t cutting it, or your cat just threw up a chipmunk in the house and you’re completely grossed out by cleaning that spot with peroxide (I may be speaking from experience on this one). That’s fine. But more often than not, you’re just cleaning applesauce off the kitchen table, or chicken stock from the counter, this doesn’t require bleach or extra strength all purpose cleaners.

As we’ve “advanced” in our society, most have become germaphobes. Not every living organism needs to be wiped off the face of the Earth. You don’t need to nuke your kitchen counters on a daily basis. Some microorganisms are beneficial, if not necessary for optimal health.

Case in point, YOU. You’re loaded with bacteria, good and bad. Your health depends on bacteria, LIFE depends on bacteria. So let’s stop nuking everything and creating chemicals clouds in our homes and workspaces. You can still have a sparkling clean, fresh smelling home without the use of conventional cleaning products created and marketed by people who don’t care about you. Sorry, but that’s the honest truth. They just want to sell you their product. If Proctor and Gamble really cared about you, they wouldn’t add endocrine disrupting, carcinogenic chemicals into their air fresheners.

Let’s carry on.

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HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS:

You’ve read through the introduction, now it’s time to get to the details. Let’s start with a healthy home.

Everywhere we turn there are hidden synthetic chemicals & toxins in products, even the ones carefully marketed and “health washed” as natural. Long term exposure to these synthetic chemicals are responsible for issues such as hormone imbalances, fertility issues, respiratory distress, neurological disorders. As a collective whole, we need to stop supporting companies who are knowingly putting toxins in their products to save a minuscule amount of money.

You deserve to clean your home without breathing in or absorbing toxins.

LET’S START WITH ALL-PURPOSE CLEANERS

We all know this is the go-to spray bottle for everyday clean ups;

• Toddler spilled their bowl of frozen blueberries on the floor? All-Purpose Cleaner to the rescue.

• Wiping down the counters after baking some bread? APC to the rescue.

• Spilled your cocktail? APC to the rescue.

You get the point.

Below are a few top cleaning brands and their listed ingredients. Do you know what all these are? Take a look, click on the links to see the EWG’s report on these beloved brands.

Simple Green: Water, C9-11 Alcohols Ethoxylated, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Carbonate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance, Liquitint Colorant

Lysol Disinfecting Wipes: Alkyl (50% C14, 40% C12, 10% C16) dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, Water, Ethanol, C9-11 Alkyl Glucoside Propylene Glycol Butyl Ether Ethanolamine, Fragrance/Parfum

Mr. Clean Multi Surface Cleaning Spray: Water, C10-16 Alkyldimethylamine Oxide, C9-11 Pareth, Carboxymethyl Inulin, Sodium C10-16 Alkylbenzenesulfonate, Sodium Carbonate , Sodium Citrate, Benzisothiazolinone, Perfume, Polyoxyalkylene Substituted Chromophore (Cyan), Polyoxyalkylene Substituted Chromophore (Yellow)

Mrs. Meyers Multi Surface Cleaning Spray: Water; Decyl Glucoside; Fragrance; (Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool); Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil ; Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil ; ethylene brassylate; linalool; gamma-undecalactone; geraniol; cinnamyl alcohol; 3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-4,7-methanoinden-6-yl acetate; hexyl acetate; benzyl acetate; phenethyl alcohol; cyclamen aldehyde; butylphenyl methylpropional; phenethyl salicylate; amyl salicylate; 2-t-butylcyclohexyl acetate; methyldihydrojasmonate; allyl heptanoate; hexyl cinnamal; citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil; 2-phenoxyethyl isobutyrate; dipropylene glycol; Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract; Lauryl Glucoside; Sodium Citrate; Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate; Citric Acid; Capryleth-4; Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate; Methylisothiazolinone; Benzisothiazolinone

How do you feel after reading the ingredients and seeing the EWG’s report on these products? Concerns for cancer, digestive damage, allergies, respiratory effects, cancer, developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects, damage to DNA, respiratory effects, general systemic/organ effects, nervous system effects, skin irritation/allergies/damage, damage to vision.

I don’t know about you, but you won’t find any of these products in my house. This is where cancel culture needs to step in — cancel the synthetic chemicals!! Products such as the above and the like have been banned in my house for at least the past 5 years. 5 years ago, however I still thought Mrs. Meyer was ok, but take a look at that long list of unpronounceables…..

When you’re reading through the ingredients, you’re most likely thinking that all the ingredients are there, listed out for the consumer to see, that’s not the case however. The word "fragrance" or "parfum" on the product label represents an undisclosed mixture of various scent chemicals and ingredients used as fragrance dispersants such as diethyl phthalate. [ewg.org]

Fragrances have been linked to a staggering number of health risks including, but not limited to; allergens, hormone disruptors, asthma triggers, neurotoxins & carcinogens. The punchline: fragrances are highly toxic. Most contain phthalates, which have been linked to cancer, human reproductive and developmental toxicity, endocrine disruption, birth defects & respiratory problems.

So the question is why are manufactures not responsible for putting these chemicals on their product labels?
Why are they not held liable for pushing out toxic products under the guise of safe cleaning products?
Why are people still supporting these companies by purchasing their products?

It’s time to stop.

SOLUTION:

We’re all in a different place in our lives, some people are able to spend a few minutes each week making their own products, other people want nothing to do with that and would rather purchase from a store, and that’s ok. This guide is here to help you know what brands to purchase from and which ones to steer clear from. Most of the well known brands are no-no’s…. Sorry, walk down any cleaning aisle in your local Target, Walmart, Hannaford, etc and just keep on walking. The smell of that aisle should give it away. However, if you’re in those stores, stock up on some baking soda and white distilled vinegar — those will come in handy for cleaning your home, you may want to get some bulk peroxide as well. More to come on this after the brands that actually care about your well being.

Here are some companies that create quality, naturally based All-Purpose Cleaners without harmful chemicals:

Meliora All Purpose Cleaning Spray: Potassium Cocoate, Sodium Cocoate, Glycerin, Organic Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Water

All of their products are as clean and simple as can be. I cannot recommend them enough. You can purchase the refill solution for a minimal cost as well as the glass bottle to store the cleaner in. Not only are you saving your system from synthetic chemicals, but you’re ridding plastic from your home. It’s a win win! I highly recommend this company for laundry detergent as well. Also note, when I first purchased from this company, I only bought the unscented products. I am sensitive to fragrances. However, the last purchase I made, I decided to try the lemon scented laundry detergent and was happily surprised with the outcome. The fragrance is from essential oils and it is subtle. No overwhelming, in your face scents here — phew!

Use this link above for $5 off your first purchase.

I honesty haven’t found many other products in this category that I can stand firmly behind. There are other clean brands out there such as Seventh Generation, Eos, Better Life, etc, but this Meliora is the cleanest one I’ve found aside from making my own.

Which brings me to the second best option

DIY ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER

There are a few varieties of cleaner you can make. To start, you’re going to need a reusable spray bottle. You can repurpose an old spray bottle, buy a plastic one from your local Walmart/Target or purchase a nice glass spray bottle. My preference is always glass, but of course you have to be careful of dropping and breaking it. If you use an old bottle, be sure the previous cleaner has been throughly cleaned out & aired out. As for buying a new plastic one, that’s fine as well, but you’re bringing plastic into your home, aaaaaand you have to worry about BPA and other toxins in the plastic. Ok, just use the glass spray bottles — you can buy them here on Amazon.

The Down & Dirty Cleaning Spray:

For those times you’ve run out and need something fast. [due to natural acetic acid in the vinegar, this spray is not recommended to spray on natural stone, tile grout, or wood.]

Ingredients: Water, Vinegar, Essential oil of choice

1. 2 cups water

2. White Distilled Vinegar

3. 20 drops essential oil of choice [amount may vary depending on your scent preference, and essential oil.]

   1. Essential oil recommendations;

      1. Lemon

      2. Lemon & Thyme

      3. Tea Tree

      4. Sweet Orange & Cinnamon

      5. Peppermint [also keeps ants and spiders away]

(also feel free to play with combinations of oils.)

Blast of Citrus Cleaning Spray:

This formula takes a bit more time to create, so be sure to start a new batch when you’re beginning to run low to avoid a gap in cleaning spray. [due to natural acetic acid in the vinegar, this spray is not recommended to spray on natural stone, tile grout, or wood.]

Ingredients: Water, Vinegar, Fresh Lemon Peel or Orange Peel — whatever citrus you’d like to use [lime, grapefruit, lemon, lime, mandarine, your choice, OR mix them all]

1. 2 cups water

2. White Distilled Vinegar

3. 20 drops essential oil of choice [amount may vary depending on your scent preference, and essential oil.]

   1. Essential oil recommendations;

      1. Lemon

      2. Lemon & Thyme

      3. Tea Tree

      4. Sweet Orange & Cinnamon

      5. Peppermint [also keeps ants and spiders away]

DIY Natural Softscrub:

Softscrub isn’t the cleanest cleaning product around. Used for mainly dirty surfaces, this product can easily be made at home, using toxin free ingredients. You can use this on many surfaces, counters, floors, tile, grout, pots and pans, stubborn schmutz, etc. Take a look at these Softscrub ingredients; Water, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Alcohol Ethoxylate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Bicarbonate, Fragrance, Preservative, D-Limonene, Linalool.

Make your own — save your health and money.

INGREDIENTS: Baking Soda, Castile Soap, Coarse Salt, Lemon juice or about 10 drops of Lemon essential oil

1. Depending on what you’re looking to clean - a large area or small, pour 1/2 a cup of baking soda into a bowl, add Castile soap until a thick paste is formed, sprinkle in about 1 tablespoon of coarse salt then add lemon juice or essential oil. Mix together.

2. Apply the mixture to your surface [bath tub, sink, burnt pan, paint on the table from the kids arts & crafts time, etc….]. If it’s a large area rub it down gently to disperse the mixture over the whole space.

3. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes before scrubbing and rinsing.

4. Admire your clean, sparkling surface.

As always, what’s listed on here is my opinion and things that have worked for me in my household. If they don’t work for you, I implore you to figure out something that does.

Transitioning To A More Natural Lifestyle

Tired of finding out about synthetic chemicals in your favorite products? Don’t like the idea of taking over the counter drugs anymore? Want to make changes to your lifestyle but aren’t quite sure how?

Hear me out. Making a lifestyle change takes work and dedication. It can also become overwhelming due to the abundance of clashing information on the internet. It’s ultimately up to you to determine what works best for your body. But here is a good place to start. I’ll be posting some blogs in the coming months that outline some changes you can adopt to start living a cleaner life. However, don’t just trust what I’m saying as the right way.

Do your own research.

The first step towards making a change is action. Start by evaluating your life: what you put in your body, what you put on your body, the cookware you use, toothpaste you brush with, chemicals you clean with, etc… Pick one area you want to start with and begin swapping out what you have with cleaner alternatives.

If you make small changes toward your goal every day, or every month, you’re going to look back after a certain period of time and see how far you’ve come. This type of lifestyle change is extremely rewarding. You deserve to live toxin free, to eat food and use products that don’t contain unnecessary chemicals, pesticides, fillers, flavors, colorings, fragrances, etc.

The trick is to start slow and continually make small changes that will make a drastic difference in the long run.

You can do this. You want to do this. And you’ll be so happy once you do.

Now of course everyone is different, our priorities vary, our drive varies and our timelines vary — that’s ok. So you broke down and ate a Snickers bar instead of an organic brand with less crap in it…. Own it, move on, and make a better decision next time.

This is your journey, there will be ups and downs.

The time will come when you’ve removed yourself from food and products containing harmful chemicals and additives for a certain period of time. You’ll wander back to old faithful and buy yourself that Snickers again only to realize how disgusting it actually tastes. The fake flavoring, fake chocolate taste, not to mention wondering how many ounces of cockroach carcass you just ate….. you’ll be running back to the organic dark chocolate brand, trust me. I’ve been there.

Did you know that per the FDA there has to be a certain amount of bugs or bug parts, rodent hair, fecal matter, etc, in your food before it's deemed unsafe? So that beloved Snickers bar can legally contain 30 or more insect parts and a lovely dash of rodent hair. Eat up!

Also, did you know that the FDA allows harmful chemical additives and pesticides in your food that are and have been banned in other countries such as Europe? Follow The Food Babe for more information on this.

Potassium bromate and azodicarbonamide (ADA): These additives are commonly added to baked goods, but neither is required, and both are banned in Europe because they may cause cancer. (https://www.cornucopia.org/2019/01/additives-banned-europe/)

There’s a lot go look out for these days. You can’t simply trust a government agency to look out for your best interests or health. The FDA is incredibly corrupt, as is the CDC, the WHO, and Big Pharma to name a few.

My hope is that through these blog posts, I empower you to take action and start looking into the items you consume on a regular basis rather than blindly consuming what is marketed toward you.

There are thousands of brands out there, but they’re all owned by a handful. Small independent companies that have values are being bought out at an alarming rate. Even some formerly trusted organic companies are now sell outs to the corporate monster, for example, Annie’s Organics is now owned by General Mills, Tom’s of Maine is owned by Colgate. And it’s not just the food industry. Cosmetic companies, supplement companies, the media… Time to wake up and start learning what the world is really about.

It’s all about money, folks. Money and power.

So vote with your money. Support your local herbalist, baker, seamstress, farmer, maker, food truck… Keep it small and keep it local.

The information I provide on my blog is based on my opinion, what has worked and works for me. I am sharing this with you to give you a path to walk down. Your opinions and choices may vary depending on what you research and learn. I am always open to new information and others opinions. If you have something you’d like to discuss shoot me an email at kimberly@modern-herbal.com or DM me on instagram @_modernherbal_

Slow Down, You May Be Missing Something.

Everyone is rushing; rushing out of the house in the morning, rushing on the drive to work, rushing to complete a never ending to-do list, rushing to get home after work, rushing to get dinner ready, rushing to get the kids to bed, and repeat…

We’re rushing through life to our death and missing crucial moments along the way.

Do you ever stop to think about your existence as you did when you were a child, or a teenager? Why are we here, what is our purpose?

We’re here to experience something, to make connections and to grow.

The next time you find yourself rushing, make yourself aware of it, and stop. Slow down, allow yourself 5 minutes, go outside. Quiet the noise in your mind; look, listen, and feel. Pay attention. What do you see; the trees dancing in the wind? What do you hear; the peaceful sound of snow touching the ground? What do you feel; maybe you feel present for the first time in a while.

When you slow down and take a moment to really feel what’s going on around you, you’re opening yourself up to receive. You’re always given what you need, you just need to be open enough to accept it.

Have you ever been drawn to something, but weren’t sure why? I find myself having these experiences all the time, but instead of suppressing them, I follow along to see what’s to come of it. A few years ago I found myself incredibly drawn to dandelions. At the time, I had no idea why I was suddenly so drawn to a common weed. I took pictures of them, picked a few to put in small vases in the house, then I started reading about the plant and realized it’s been misunderstood for decades. A plant that was once revered for it’s potent medicine and healing actions was now viewed as a pest and continually sprayed with toxic chemicals to kill it off because for some reason, people feel the need to have perfectly manicured lawns without a spec of color. I personally would much rather my entire lawn be made up of dandelions than grass but I digress.

In following through with this intuitive push, I started having this insatiable desire to learn and understand the plants around me. When you’re walking through the forest or along the street, do you ever pay attention to the plants around you? Next time, stop and take a look, you never know what herbal ally could be close by, calling your name. 

For decades, plant medicine has been suppressed, labeled as quackery thanks to the likes of John D Rockefeller. Though there has been a surge, people are waking up and are looking for alternative ways to heal. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of herbalists and healers all over the world, people are beginning to understand that while allopathic medicine has it’s place, a holistic approach to supporting the body is the way to go.

We all have innate intuition, all of us. We need to give ourselves the time to listen to it, to follow through and to have faith that it’s pushing us in the right direction.