Cath Kay Medical Herbalist

I love elderberries! Easy to identify and harvest, easy to make syrup, a potent anti-viral (better than tamiflu btw). Also the only native source of vitamin K.

I do this daily when I walk the dogs. We need to be outside. The weather is rarely as bad as it looks!

Hinge of the year today, the winter solstice. Up till now the days have got shorter, the nights longer. Tonight is the longest night, so tomorrow we turn towards summer 💥🌱. There's a reason why we have a festival of lights now, to get us through the dark 🔥. But the dark is important too. We can't all feel happy all the time (altho society says we've failed if we don't pretend to be always happy); sometimes we feel dark, and we need those times too, however scary it is alone in the dark. Light a candle - or, be brave, look into the darkness. Feel your heart, YOU TOO ARE LOVED ❤️ It's full moon 🌕too, interestingly, so all emotions will be intensified. Peace be with you all xx

Or 3 cloves a garlic a day for 3 days - you stink, but it works! Recommend chopping garlic, cover with oil and eat with bread throughout the day. Or turmeric honey, might well be nicer!

I use Cinnamon a lot this time of year, as well as the distinctive spicy smell it's a strong anti-viral (saty away you bugs!) and a warming digestive tonic, gentler than ginger.

Unique chance to work on a Herb Nursery, gardening qualifications preferred.

Fab opportunity for any radical projects that could do with a bit of cash.

It's really hard to speak out when experiencing mental ill-health. It's not treated the same as a broken limb. It really should be. We can't all function at 100% all the time.

For anyone interested in learning about herbs, wild harvesting and making remedies, this is an awesome course from some fine people.

So often I see people who 'don't have time to be ill'. We all have to keep going, but you are entitled to time to be ill, or to heal. Capitalism doesn't like workers to stop working, but it's a part of life. Working through it often leads to real long-term problems.