Grapefruit Bitters w/ Schisandra

Schisandra kind of does it all, and I won’t be able to tell its full story here. In herbalism, TCM, and other healing systems that rely on herbs, we consider the tastes of a plant to deduce what its actions are (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent) - Schisandra has all five tastes, hence its common name “five taste berry.” This tells us that Schisandra has many actions. It seems contradictory the way in which schisandra can be both drying and moistening... warming and cooling... stimulating and sedative... But the magick of herbs is that we can’t always make sense of why herbs work. Herbs are magick in the way that they have a wisdom within them that guides them to work in our bodies the way we need them to (based on their specific affinities, with contraindications in mind).

Schisandra just in terms of flavor alone is one of my favorite herbs. It’s punchy and bright, and always makes my soul smile. I feel immediately comforted, maybe because I know that I am doing my body a great service by inviting it into my vessel.

Work intentionally with schisandra to balance hormones, increase your vitality (sexual and overall life-force), have more restful sleep, nourish your brain and nervous system, replenish depleted adrenals and kidney, improve liver function... the list goes on... it is a tonic herb, so it is safe to take daily, and helps build resilient systems so you can thrive in a not-so-supportive environment.