Healing Natures Way

Healing Natures Way Supporting you to improve your physical and mental health naturally. BSc (Hons) Clinical Herbalism, RGN.

Experienced Clinical Medical Herbalist & Prescriber of Lifestyle Medicine I'm Debbie, an experienced registered nurse, clinical medical herbalist, and lifestyle medicine prescriber. I provide online consultations anywhere in the UK and in-person consultations within a 25-mile radius of CB9 0NN, which covers areas within West Suffolk, South Cambridgeshire, North West and North East Essex.

A helpful reminder from Action for Happiness this month, self-care is not selfish, self-care is essential!Best wishes 🌺
01/09/2026

A helpful reminder from Action for Happiness this month, self-care is not selfish, self-care is essential!
Best wishes 🌺

Did you know that kindness can have a real impact on our biology and physiology?When we practise kindness, it can help c...
02/08/2026

Did you know that kindness can have a real impact on our biology and physiology?
When we practise kindness, it can help calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and support emotional balance. Acts of kindness can activate areas of the brain such as the anterior cingulate cortex and the insula — regions involved in emotional regulation, empathy, and our ability to feel connected to others.
So kindness isn’t just “nice” — it can be a powerful tool for managing anxiety and stress, while also creating a more supportive and connected community around us.

This month, Action for Happiness is celebrating Altruistic August, encouraging us to take one kind action each day and help create a wave of kindness across the world. Why not give it a try? 😊

Resilience isn’t pretending things are fine or pushing through alone. It’s about caring for ourselves, connecting with o...
06/07/2026

Resilience isn’t pretending things are fine or pushing through alone. It’s about caring for ourselves, connecting with others and taking helpful steps forward, even in difficult times. This month's Action for Happiness calendar is full of actions to help you cope with challenges and keep moving forward - one day at a time.

Best wishes 🌺

Well, it's been 4 weeks, so I have filtered and finished my elderflower vodka. The heat and humidity are a bit too high...
26/06/2026

Well, it's been 4 weeks, so I have filtered and finished my elderflower vodka. The heat and humidity are a bit too high for me to be drinking it anytime soon, but I will look forward to a tipple with some apple juice and lemonade😊

In the heat of summer, cooling herbs can offer a gentle and refreshing way to support the body and calm the senses. Rose water is especially lovely at this time of year; its delicate floral nature can be used as a cooling facial mist, added to drinks, or included in simple skin-care rituals after time in the sun. Other herbs such as peppermint, lemon balm, hibiscus, elderflower and chamomile can also be enjoyed as chilled infusions to help you feel refreshed, hydrated and more comfortable on warm days.

If you gather your own herbs, always harvest responsibly, choose clean, unsprayed areas, and make sure you are completely confident with plant identification. Herbal medicine is a beautiful way to connect with the season, but it should be used thoughtfully, especially if you are pregnant, taking medication or managing a health condition.
Best wishes 🌺

Summer has officially started, and the first of June also means we are halfway through 2026! Whilst summer months can b...
01/06/2026

Summer has officially started, and the first of June also means we are halfway through 2026!

Whilst summer months can be a better time of year for some, dark and challenging times can arise at any time. However, even in those moments, there is still goodness to be found all around us—small acts of kindness, glimpses of beauty, sparks of joy and opportunities for connection. This month's Action for Happiness calendar encourages us to look for the good around us - one small moment, one kind action and one grateful pause at a time.

Best wishes 🌺

30/05/2026

Here's the non-alcoholic version, e.g. elderflower cordial🙂:

Elderflower cordial is a fragrant, sweet syrup made by infusing fresh elderflowers with sugar, lemon, and water, optionally enhanced with citric acid for preservation.

Ingredients
20–30 fresh elderflower heads (or 20 g dried elderflowers)
1.5 liters water
1 kg granulated or caster sugar
3 unwaxed lemons (zested and juiced)
2 tablespoons citric acid (optional, for preservation)
Equipment
Large heatproof bowl or preserving pan
Fine mesh sieve, muslin cloth, or jelly bag
Glass bottles with tight-fitting lids
Funnel
Potato peeler or zester

Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Harvest and Prepare Elderflowers
Pick fully open, creamy white elderflower heads on a dry, sunny morning. Shake gently to remove insects and debris. Snip or pull the tiny flowers off the thick green stems, leaving only the delicate flowers, as the stems contain mildly toxic compounds and can make the cordial bitter.
2. Prepare Citrus
Wash lemons thoroughly. Zest carefully, avoiding the white pith, and slice into thin rounds. Juice the lemons and set aside.
3. Make Sugar Syrup
Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until fully dissolved, then bring to a gentle boil. Remove from heat and let cool slightly so it’s warm but not boiling.
4. Combine Ingredients
Place the prepared elderflowers and lemon slices in a large heatproof bowl. Pour the warm sugar syrup over them and add citric acid if using. Stir gently to ensure all flowers are submerged.
5. Infuse
Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or lid and leave at room temperature for 24–48 hours. Stir gently once or twice a day. Do not exceed 48 hours to avoid fermentation or mould.
6. Strain and Bottle
Line a sieve with muslin or a clean cloth and strain the liquid into a clean bowl, pressing gently to extract all syrup. Transfer the cordial into sterilised glass bottles using a funnel. Seal tightly.
Storage
Refrigerate: 4–6 weeks if made with citric acid; 1–2 months without.
Freeze: Up to 6 months in freezer-safe containers.
Avoid pouring hot syrup into cold bottles to prevent cracking.

Best wishes 🌺

Not everyone likes the heatwave, but the elderflowers in my area have certainly been! Always best picked when fully open...
30/05/2026

Not everyone likes the heatwave, but the elderflowers in my area have certainly been! Always best picked when fully open, creamy-white, and fragrant on warm, dry, sunny days, it was the perfect time to harvest some to start the process of making a little elderflower vodka😊

Of course, safety first, so if ever you are not sure of your plant identification, don't try this at home! If, however, you are confident in identifying your elderflowers, making a little elderflower vodka is easy. Collect a small bag full of freshly picked elderflowers, then leave to rest on some kitchen paper for 30 minutes or so, to allow any little bugs to crawl off. Get your sterile, clean jar with an airtight lid from the cupboard, and take off the lid. Next, start to cut and massage all of the elderflowers from the many tiny green stalks. You can either do this straight into the jar or onto some clean kitchen paper first, and then gently tip into the jar.
Once you have a good half of the jar filled with the elderflowers, start to gradually pour in the vodka. Give the jar a gentle shake every so often to dislodge any bubbles and fill right up to the top of the jar. Finally, screw the lid onto the jar and store it to 'brew' for the next 2-4 weeks, giving the jar a gentle shake at least once a week.

Once the 'brew' time is up, use a muslin cloth over a funnel and strain your newly made elderflower vodka into a clean jug. At the end, squeeze out the elderflower-filled muslin cloth so that no goodness or vodka is lost, and then you can decant and pour into a clean bottle. A taste test at this stage can be helpful, as sometimes adding some extra (plain) vodka is required to get it to the desired balance of flavour. That's it, pour into a glass, add your favourite soft drink mixer, sit back and enjoy😁

{It goes without saying, of course, always drink alcohol responsibly, and in moderation!}

Best wishes🌺

Incredibly a third of 2026 has already past as we start the month of May😊 This month Action for Happiness encourage us t...
01/05/2026

Incredibly a third of 2026 has already past as we start the month of May😊

This month Action for Happiness encourage us to make May meaningful with useful daily ideas to try.

Best wishes 🌺

Thank you to Jeanette from Karenja for inviting me, and to all of the lovely ladies I met on Saturday, too, thank you, f...
27/04/2026

Thank you to Jeanette from Karenja for inviting me, and to all of the lovely ladies I met on Saturday, too, thank you, for your open hearts & minds and the very warm welcome I received. It was a pleasure to meet and talk with you all, introducing herbal medicine and the pillars of wellbeing.💚
I'm happy to join you again. If there is anything you'd like to learn more about or a topic of particular interest, please let Jeanette know, and we can arrange something for the future. If there is anything I can help with on an individual basis, please do contact me.
To the 16 going on the five-day retreat to Cornwall, have a fabulous time; and to you all, very warm blessings.
Kind regards, Debbie🌺

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