What Plant Do You Need Today? A Practical Guide

Our bodies inherently emulate the environment and ecosystems we see all throughout nature. After all, we are nature. Before we created the world of indoors and boxes - houses, buildings, cars, etc. we lived in tandem with nature and we were one with the earth’s ecosystem.

It is no wonder that plants have the ability to facilitate certain ecosystems and environments within our bodies, too. It’s like our bodies are just miniature earths!

Spicy or Pungent

They get things moving and energized — both physically and energetically.

Think of that rush of heat sweat on your forehead, or runny nose you get from eating something spicy — that’s your body moving things up and out.

You’d reach for herbs like cayenne when you’re feeling stagnant, cold, sluggish, or congested.

• Head Cold

• Slow Digestive System

• Poor Circulation

• Cold Weather

• Feeling Stagnant in Life

• Lack of Motivation

• Repressed Anger

Bland

Herbs that are bland sound very… not exciting… & that’s kinda the whole point!

They offer quiet, sustained support to restore comfort, rebuild reserves, and bring inner ease.

Their cooling and moistening qualities soothe, hydrate, and calm inflamed or irritated tissues — especially in the gut, lungs, or urinary tract.

You’d reach for herbs like marshmallow root when you’re feeling inflamed, irritated, depleted — physically or emotionally.

• Dry Cough

• UTI

• Swelling

• Constipation

• Leaky Gut / IBS

• Emotional Burnout

• Energetic Exhaustion

Acrid

Acrid herbs help release tension and open stuck pathways — in the muscles, nervous system, and energetic body. They’re similar to spicy/pungent herbs but tend to be more gentle and soothing rather than intensely stimulating.

They encourage a sense of relief, flow, and exhale.

You’d reach for herbs like ginger when you feel tight, tense, emotionally bottled up, or frozen in stress.

• Muscle Tension

• Cramps

• Stress Headaches

• Anxiety

• Feeling Trapped

• Controlling

• Perfectionistic

Bitter

Most eastern cultures use some sort of bitter digestive aid to stimulate digestion 15-20 minutes before or after eating a meal.

Bitters stimulate digestion by activating the body's natural digestive secretions — bile, enzymes, and saliva — while also clearing heat, tension, and inflammation.

You’d reach for herbs like dandelion root when you feel overheated, inflamed, overloaded, or emotionally stuck. Bitters are the herbs of release, clarity, and reset.

• Sluggish Digestion

• Acne

• Bloating

• Irritability

• Overthinking

• Overstimulated

Sour

Known for their cooling and grounding qualities that bring energy down and in. They are powerful for moments of overstimulation, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm.

Sour herbs bring you back into your body — which is why sour candy has been shown to interrupt panic attacks because of their sensory grounding.

You’d reach for herbs like hibiscus when you feel anxious, scattered, overheated, or ungrounded.

• Panic Attacks

• Anxiety

• Heartburn

• Sensory Overload

• Loose Bowels

• Leaky Boundaries

• Mood Swings
  

Astringent

These bring structure where things have become too loose, porous, or leaky — physically, emotionally, or energetically.

They create containment and stability, helping the body hold onto what’s needed and release what’s not.

Topical astringents such as witch hazel or lemon are used to help tonify the skin.

You’d reach for herbs like raspberry leaf when you’re feeling scattered, overly open, depleted, or energetically unprotected. These herbs help you pull inward, hold your ground, and restore integrity.

• Leaky Gut

• Loose Stools

• Heavy Menstrual Flow

• Burnout

• Over-giving & People Pleasing

Sweet

Sweet herbs restore, energize, and nourish — replenishing depleted systems.

They bring a sense of comfort, safety, and wholeness — lifting the spirit while grounding the body. They rebuild what's been lost and remind the body it’s safe to relax and receive.

You’d reach for herbs like licorice root when you feel exhausted, scattered, emotionally raw, or in need of comfort and support.

• Fatigue

• Irritated Throat

• Sugar Cravings

• Dry Cough

• Self Worth Wounds

• Lack of Joy & Pleasure

• Spiritually Disconnected

Salty

Mineral-rich, moistening, and deeply nourishing.

These restore he body’s foundation by supporting fluid balance, electrolyte absorption, and tissue resilience. Their energy moves downward, grounding you into your body and supporting long-term vitality.

You’d reach for herbs like nettle when you feel depleted, chronically dry, or nutritionally empty. These herbs bring you back to the earth — physically and spiritually — and help you rebuild from the root.

• Low Mineral Levels

• Chronic Fatigue

• Deep Burnout

• Dry Skin & Hair

• Energetically Drained

• Grief

• Lack of Belonging

Plants have extreme intelligence and our bodies have intelligent receptors that know exactly how to plug and use them for your best benefit!