Preparing for Fall and Winter with St. Hildegard: Nourishing Foods, Traditional Remedies & Healthy Habits
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Grace and peace, friends!
Summer vacation is over. The children are returning to school, schedules are filling up again, and many of us are settling back into our daily routines.
Soon, nature begins showing the first signs of fall: crisp mornings, leaves changing color, animals preparing to burrow for the winter, and birds beginning their long journey south. Others stay right where they are, ready to brave whatever weather comes their way.
Depending on where you live, winter may be more of a challenge for some than for others. But today, with people traveling constantly—and viruses traveling right along with us—seasonal illnesses are hardly limited to cold climates.
Perhaps this is the perfect time to revisit some of St. Hildegard of Bingen's wisdom and prepare ourselves for the months ahead.
St. Hildegard's approach to well-being was never simply about reaching for an herb when something went wrong. Her teachings encourage us to consider the whole person: what we eat, how we live, how we rest, and how we care for both body and spirit.
Let's begin with the foundations.
Part One: Building a Healthy Foundation Before Fall Arrives
1. Walk, Breathe, and Get Outside
Take time to walk and breathe in the fresh air—as often as you can.
We spend so much of our lives indoors, especially once the weather begins to cool. Yet getting outside, moving our bodies, seeing daylight, and experiencing nature are simple ways of caring for ourselves and supporting our overall well-being.
Even a short daily walk can make a difference. And when we spend time outdoors, we have another opportunity to appreciate the beauty of God's creation.
Need a little encouragement?
🎥 Watch Our Video: The Importance of Walking and Spending Time Outdoors
2. Good Maintenance, Less Trouble
We maintain our homes, our cars, and so many other things in our lives. Why shouldn't we think about maintaining our bodies too?
This is a wonderful time to become familiar with two traditional Hildegardian herbal preparations: Sivesan and Immunity Blend.
Sivesan: A Traditional Hildegardian Preparation
Sivesan combines four herbs:
- Fennel seeds
- Galangal
- Diptam
- Hawkweed
St. Hildegard described this combination as a preparation for both healthy and sick individuals, traditionally taken in warm wine after a meal.
In Hildegardian tradition, Sivesan is valued as part of a broader approach to maintaining well-being.
Explore Sivesan at Hildegard's Way
Another preparation worth becoming familiar with is our Immunity Blend.
Of course, herbs are only one part of the picture. A nutritious diet, adequate sleep, movement, and other healthy habits remain essential.
3. Keep Noble Geranium Spice Mix Nearby
What happens when you wake up with that suspicious scratchy throat, stuffy nose, or simply that unmistakable feeling that something is coming on?
In our family, this is when we often reach for St. Hildegard's Noble Geranium Spice Mix, also known in Hildegardian tradition as Pelargonium Spice Mix.
It is one of those traditional preparations we prefer to have in the house ahead of time rather than start looking for once we need it.
We also pay attention to adequate vitamin C and vitamin D intake, plenty of fluids, and—perhaps most importantly—a good amount of sleep.
Rather than relying on one preparation alone, we try to give the body the nourishment and rest it needs.
Explore Noble Geranium Spice Mix
4. Build Your Foundation at the Table
Food was central to St. Hildegard's understanding of healthy living.
Ancient spelt, chestnuts, good-quality vegetables and fruits, occasional meat, and characteristic Hildegardian spices such as bertram and galangal can become part of the foundation of our everyday diet.
This doesn't require an elaborate meal plan.
Start simply.
Replace some conventional wheat products with ancient spelt. Keep bertram and galangal within reach when you cook. Prepare warm, nourishing meals as the weather cools.
A bowl of warm spelt soup, freshly baked spelt bread, or a nourishing vegetable dish can bring both comfort and good nutrition to the family table.
Small habits practiced consistently every day matter.
And don't forget about a warm cup of caffeine-free spelt coffee, which we'll return to a little later!
Discover Organic Instant Spelt Coffee
5. And Finally… REST!
This may be the hardest one for many of us.
Today's world constantly tells us there is one more email to answer, one more load of laundry, one more task to finish, one more thing that simply has to be done today.
St. John Paul II often encouraged young people to "go against the current."
Perhaps we can apply that wisdom here too.
When the world tells us to keep going, we don't always have to follow.
Set a bedtime reminder for a reasonable hour. Put the phone away. Leave something unfinished until tomorrow.
Allow your body the time it needs to rest and regenerate.
There are few things quite like a good night's sleep to help us get back on our feet.
Part Two: Opening the Hildegardian Remedy Cabinet
Even when we do our best to maintain healthy habits, seasonal illnesses can still find their way into our homes.
St. Hildegard left us numerous traditional preparations for the discomforts that often accompany the colder months. Many are surprisingly simple and can be prepared in our own kitchens.
Let's explore a few that have become familiar in our family.
6. Horehound Soup: A Traditional Preparation for Congestion
One of the traditional preparations we turn to when congestion develops is Hildegard's Horehound Soup.
Horehound (Marrubium vulgare) is a rather bitter herb, but the preparation itself is surprisingly simple.
This is also a remedy highly recommended by one of our customers, Kathy, who has followed St. Hildegard's teachings since the 1990s.
She shared her experience with me:
"The cure I have used all these years and recommend to so many is her cure for sinus problems...with the horehound, white wine, and cream. Works every time! No antibiotics!!"
I love hearing how Hildegardian traditions like this have been carried through people's homes for so many years.
In our family, horehound soup has become one of our traditional preparations during the colder months, particularly when dealing with an abundance of mucus in the respiratory tract.
How Is Horehound Soup Prepared?
The traditional recipe combines horehound, water, white wine, and a little butter or cream.
First, the horehound is simmered in water. White wine is then added, and the mixture is brought to a boil again with a little butter or cream.
The result is a warm herbal preparation traditionally enjoyed in small quantities.
Would you like to see how we make it?
🎥 Watch the Video: How to Prepare Hildegard's Horehound Soup
You can also find the full recipe and step-by-step instructions on our blog:
Horehound Soup: Complete Recipe
7. Dill and Fennel: A Simple Traditional Preparation for Stuffy Noses
Another preparation we have become familiar with is St. Hildegard's Dill-Fennel Preparation.
And this one couldn't be much simpler.
All you need are fresh dill and fennel greens—ingredients you may be able to find at your local grocery store.
Traditionally, the preparation uses:
Four parts fresh dill to one part fennel greens.
The herbs are finely chopped and mixed. A small amount is then gently warmed on a food-safe clay saucer until the herbs begin to brown and release their aroma.
The traditional method includes gently inhaling the herbal fragrance and afterward eating the browned herbs with a piece of spelt bread.
There is a lovely bonus, too: the warm herbal aroma is wonderfully relaxing and fills the house with the beautiful scent of herbs.
Why a Food-Safe Clay Saucer?
One difficulty we encountered was finding the right clay dish for this preparation.
Since the herbs are eaten afterward, I wanted something specifically suitable for food contact rather than an ordinary decorative clay saucer.
That is why we now offer a Food-Safe Clay Saucer at Hildegard's Way.
If you've never made this traditional preparation before, watch the video first. I'll show you exactly how we do it in our home.
🎥 Watch the Video: St. Hildegard's Dill-Fennel Preparation
8. Wormwood Oil: A Traditional Hildegardian Preparation
Another Hildegardian preparation worth learning about is Wormwood Oil.
This has been one of our family's traditional preparations, particularly when coughing makes it difficult to settle comfortably.
The Hildegardian recipe is beautifully simple:
Fresh wormwood juice and good-quality olive oil.
Traditionally, the preparation combines two parts olive oil with one part fresh wormwood juice and allows the mixture to stand in sunlight for ten days.
Wormwood oil has traditionally been used externally as a chest rub.
Growing Your Own Wormwood
Early fall can also be a wonderful time to think about next year's herb garden.
Wormwood seeds can be scattered in the garden in fall, allowing them to experience the natural winter cold period before spring.
When the plant is ready for harvest, fresh leaves can be gathered for traditional preparations.
In our video, I show you the process of preparing wormwood oil at home.
🎥 Watch the Video: How to Prepare Traditional Wormwood Oil
For those interested in learning about the ready-made preparation, you can also visit our product page:
Part Three: Nourishing Ourselves Through the Colder Months
9. Don't Forget Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs
Traditional preparations are only part of the picture.
During the colder months, when our bodies encounter plenty of seasonal challenges, it's important not to forget what we put on our plates—and into our cups—every day.
Good nutrition remains the foundation.
At Hildegard's Way, we have introduced three 100% fruit and herbal juices:
- Nettle Juice
- Rosehip Juice
- Raspberry Juice
Each offers its own nutritional characteristics and another way to incorporate plants into our daily routine.
They can be diluted with water and enjoyed according to the product directions as part of a balanced diet.
10. A Cozy Fall Favorite: Spelt Coffee with Hildegard-Inspired Spices
We couldn't possibly talk about fall without mentioning spelt coffee.
Warm, comforting, caffeine-free, and incredibly easy to prepare, it's another delicious way to keep spelt in our daily routine.
And I have to say...
I think pretty soon our spelt coffee might be ready to challenge Starbucks. 😂
Especially if you add a little honey and...
Pumpkin spice!
But here's the fun part.
Centuries before pumpkin-spice lattes became a fall tradition, St. Hildegard was already writing about several of the spices we now associate with that wonderful cozy fall flavor.
Was St. Hildegard Ahead of the Pumpkin-Spice Trend?
In her writings on nutmeg, Hildegard recommends combining nutmeg, cinnamon, and a little clove with flour and water to make small cakes.
Today, these are widely known as Hildegard's Cookies of Joy.
So no, St. Hildegard didn't invent the pumpkin-spice latte. 😊
But centuries before the latte became a fall staple, she was already combining some of its signature spices—and pairing them with flour in a recipe that has inspired many modern Hildegardian bakers.
Perhaps we've simply come full circle.
Make Your Own Hildegard-Inspired Fall Spice Blend
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg1
- ½ teaspoons ground cloves
Mix everything together and store in a small airtight jar.
Add a couple of pinches to a warm cup of spelt coffee. Sweeten with a little honey if you like.
Take your cup to your favorite chair, find a warm blanket, and enjoy.
Fall doesn't sound so bad anymore, does it? 😊🍂
And don't forget the original Hildegardian inspiration for this spice combination: Cookies of Joy!
If you'd like to make them at home, watch our video for the recipe and step-by-step preparation.
🎥 Watch the Video: How to Make St. Hildegard's Cookies of Joy
Part Four: Bringing It All Together
11. Small, Consistent Habits Matter
When we look at St. Hildegard's approach as a whole, perhaps the most important lesson is also the simplest:
Don't wait until something goes wrong to begin taking care of yourself.
Keep the foundations in place.
Spelt. Chestnuts. Vegetables and fruits. A little good-quality meat. Hildegardian herbs and spices. Fresh air. Movement.
And make time for rest.
A good night's sleep costs nothing, requires no complicated recipe, and may be one of the most neglected ways we care for ourselves.
When your body tells you it needs rest, listen.
Rest is best!
12. Caring for Body and Spirit
There is one more dimension of St. Hildegard's wisdom that deserves our attention.
As a Benedictine nun and Doctor of the Catholic Church, she understood human life in relation to God, His creation, and the responsibility we have to care for what has been entrusted to us.
Our bodies need nourishment, movement, and rest.
But our souls need care, too.
Prayer, gratitude, time with family, and moments of silence can help us return to what is truly important.
Perhaps the changing seasons are a beautiful reminder of this.
Nature doesn't rush endlessly. There is a time for growth, a time for harvest, and a time for rest.
We, too, can learn to live with a little more harmony.
Are You Ready for Fall?
If you're already living a Hildegardian lifestyle, fall and winter don't have to be something you dread.
And if you have only one foot through the Hildegardian lifestyle door, that's perfectly fine too. 😊
Start with one good habit. Prepare one nourishing meal. Go for a walk. Learn a traditional recipe. Make room for rest.
Little by little, these habits can become part of everyday family life.
And don't forget: if you've been shopping with Hildegard's Way, you may have Rewards points waiting for you. This might be a good time to check your balance before restocking your pantry.
Here's to a beautiful, cozy fall—and to enjoying all the goodness this season brings.
Grace and peace,
Hildegard's Way 💚
Disclaimer: This article shares teachings, Hildegardian practices, and personal experiences for educational purposes. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease or replace professional medical advice.