10 Ways to Work With Simples
Rooted in rhythm. Guided by intuition. Nourished by the old ways.
We don’t heal by adding more complexity. We heal by returning to what’s simple — whole food, sunlight, breath, movement, and herbs that speak the same language as our cells.
Your simples — these single-herb extracts — are the most direct, elemental way to work with plants. No elaborate formulas, no overthinking. Just one plant, in its purest essence, ready to harmonize with your body’s innate intelligence.
What is a “Simple”?
In herbalism, a simple is exactly what it sounds like: one plant, worked with on its own.
No blending. No stacking. No crowding the conversation.
A simple allows you to experience a plant’s full personality — its taste, its timing, its way of moving through the body. This is how herbs were traditionally used for centuries: one plant at a time, in relationship with the individual and the season.
Working with simples builds somatic and herbal literacy. You begin to notice how a plant affects you — your digestion, your energy, your mood, your sleep. Over time, this teaches you to trust your body’s feedback instead of outsourcing your intuition.
Simple doesn’t mean weak.
It means direct.
Here are 10 ancestral-aligned ways to weave simples into your day — through foods your great-grandparents would recognize: broth, butter, eggs, milk, meat. Every ritual supports a different phase of your metabolic and circadian rhythm.
1. Sunrise Fat-Fueled Coffee
Herb: Moringa Extract
Why now: Morning sunlight + healthy fats + green tonic energy = metabolic ignition.
How to use: Add 1 dropper (or the recommended/appropriate dose) of Moringa Extract to your morning coffee blended with grass-fed butter, raw cream, and a pinch of sea salt.
Optional: Add a dash of cinnamon or cardamom.
Ritual: Step outside and sip it in the morning light. Let your eyes meet the horizon. Cortisol rises naturally with the sun — this combo tells your body: I’m safe, awake, and ready to move.
2. Mid-Morning Raw Milk Tonic
Herb: Astragalus Extract
Why now: Astragalus strengthens qi (vital energy), supports immune and metabolic resilience, and balances blood sugar between breakfast and lunch.
How to use: Stir ½ dropper (or appropriate dose) into a glass of raw milk or raw kefir. Add a drizzle of honey and a pinch of mineral salt if desired.
Ritual: Drink slowly while taking a few grounding breaths — it’s a nervous-system check-in disguised as a snack.
3. Pre-Lunch Liver Primer
Herb: Schisandra Berry Extract
Why now: Before your biggest meal of the day, prime your liver and digestion. Schisandra sharpens mental clarity and supports hormone metabolism.
How to use: Take ½ dropper (or recommended dose) of Schisandra directly on the tongue before your first bite of lunch.
Meal idea: Grass-finished steak or venison with sautéed greens in tallow or butter, and roasted root vegetables.
Ritual: Eat in the sun if you can. Light exposure during eating helps sync digestive hormones and circadian rhythm.
4. Afternoon Bone Broth Reset
Herb: Burdock Root Extract
Why now: Mid-afternoon is when energy dips and blood sugar crashes can sneak in. Burdock supports liver, lymph, and steady glucose balance.
How to use: Warm up a mug of homemade bone broth (beef, bison, or chicken). Stir in ½ dropper of Burdock Extract once it’s off the heat.
Optional: Add a squeeze of lemon or dash of apple cider vinegar.
Ritual: Drink it outside or by an open window. Let it ground you instead of reaching for caffeine (eek, it's hard, I know!) or sugar.
5. Golden Hour Unwind (Post-Work Transition)
Herb: Yarrow Extract
Why now: As you transition out of “doing mode,” Yarrow helps recalibrate circulation and move stagnant energy.
How to use: Mix ½ dropper into a warm cup of ginger or lemon tea — or a small mug of salted broth if you prefer savory.
Ritual: Take this one barefoot in your backyard. Feel your heartbeat settle. This is where sympathetic shifts to parasympathetic.
6. Evening Raw Milk Latte
Herb: Milky Oats Extract
Why now: Milky Oats nourishes the frazzled nervous system and replenishes what’s been spent throughout the day.
How to use: Gently warm raw milk (not boiling) and whisk in a dropper of Milky Oats Extract with a touch of vanilla and honey.
Optional: Sprinkle with nutmeg or bee pollen.
Ritual: Drink under soft lighting or, even better, fireside or candlelight. Think of it as a lullaby for your adrenals.
7. Nighttime Nervous System Tea
Herb: Chamomile Extract
Why now: Chamomile signals your nervous system that the day is done. It soothes digestion and relaxes muscle tension.
How to use: Brew chamomile or lemon balm tea and add ½ dropper of your Chamomile Extract.
Ritual: Drink while journaling or stretching. Lights low, phone off. This is the melatonin window — honor it.
8. Morning Fertility & Hormone Smoothie (Women)
Herb: Chaste Tree Berry Extract
Why now: Use in the morning when pituitary-ovarian signaling is most active. This herb supports rhythmic hormonal flow.
How to use: Blend:
- 1 raw egg yolk (pasture-raised)
- ½ cup raw milk
- 1 tbsp collagen
- ½ banana or handful of berries
- ½ dropper Chaste Tree Extract
Ritual: Sip mindfully and repeat: My hormones are wise. My body knows what to do.
9. Post-Workout or Afternoon Reheat
Herb: Garlic Extract
Why now: Garlic supports circulation, immunity, and metabolic fire. Great post-movement or when your body needs warmth.
How to use: Add ½ dropper to a bowl of leftover stew or soup (beef heart, elk, venison, or chicken). Stir in after reheating.
Ritual: Eat slowly. Feel the warmth spread through your chest — that’s your blood flow saying thank you.
10. Sunday Morning Restoration (Women)
Herb: Dong Quai Extract
Why now: This is a slow, restorative day. Dong Quai nourishes the blood, balances hormones, and supports the cyclical rhythm of feminine energy.
How to use: Add ½ dropper to your morning bone broth or raw milk tonic. Pair it with slow movement — stretching, barefoot walking, journaling.
Meal idea: Scrambled pasture-raised eggs in butter, with fermented vegetables and sea salt.
Ritual: Breathe. Eat slow. The old ways were never rushed — and neither is true healing.
And, as always:
- Follow dosage guidance on your bottles; simples are potent.
- Avoid adding extracts to boiling liquids — heat can damage the plant’s volatile compounds.
- Anchor your herbal rituals to light cues: sunlight in the morning, candlelight at night. It’s the simplest way to restore circadian rhythm.
- Think of your day in rhythms, not rules — sunrise for activation, sunset for integration.
- The body isn’t broken. It’s simply remembering.
- And, the red tape... obviously, none of this is approved or even acknowledged by the FDA, so yeah, yeah... it doesn't have any health benefits and isn't intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
- Don't overdo it. You don't need to do all of these in one day. Choose one and go from there. Less is more with this work.