Words by Natalie Jacques, The Herbal Dispensary
Winter in New Zealand is not just cold, it is damp, heavy and often leaves the body feeling sluggish. Cold hands and feet, low energy and that sense of not quite warming up can all point to reduced circulation.
It is also the time of year when aches and pains tend to surface. Arthritic joints can feel stiffer, old injuries more noticeable and the body generally less mobile. Cold and damp conditions can reduce circulation to tissues, while also increasing sensitivity in already inflamed areas.
While winter health often centres around immunity, circulation is just as important. Good blood flow delivers oxygen and nutrients to tissues, supports warmth and plays a key role in overall energy levels.
Herbal medicine offers targeted support here, with many herbs traditionally used to stimulate and restore movement in the body.
Ginger is one of the most effective and accessible. It acts as a circulatory stimulant, increasing peripheral blood flow and bringing warmth to the extremities. It also supports digestion and has mild anti-inflammatory effects, making it particularly useful where there is stiffness or discomfort.
Turmeric works more systemically. It helps regulate inflammation while supporting healthy blood flow over time, making it especially beneficial for ongoing aches, joint pain and that deeper sense of winter sluggishness.
Prickly ash is another traditional circulatory herb, particularly useful where there is coldness, numbness or a dull, stagnant feeling. It helps stimulate movement and restore warmth to areas that feel undernourished.
One of the strengths of herbal medicine is that these actions rarely occur in isolation. Many circulatory herbs also support digestion, liver function or blood quality. This layered effect is what makes herbs so effective. They work with the body, rather than targeting a single symptom.
Circulation is also closely linked to blood quality. Maintaining adequate iron levels is essential, particularly for women, as iron supports oxygen transport and influences both energy and warmth. Herbs such as Codonopsis, Withania and nettle can help support this, alongside addressing underlying iron deficiencies where needed.
Food plays an equally important role, especially in how it is prepared
In winter, digestion naturally slows. The body is working harder to maintain core temperature, leaving less energy available for breaking down food. Slow cooked meals like broths, soups and stews are ideal. The cooking process begins the breakdown of fibres and compounds, making nutrients easier to absorb and reducing the energy required for digestion.
Warming spices can enhance this effect. Cumin, clove, cardamom, cinnamon and black pepper all gently stimulate digestion and circulation, helping to generate warmth from within.
In contrast, cold or raw foods require more digestive effort and can leave some people feeling more depleted during the colder months.
A simple way to bring these principles together is through a daily warming tonic.
Turmeric and Ginger Elixir
2 cups of water or milk
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp turmeric
a small piece of cinnamon
Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain, then add a pinch of black pepper, a little raw honey, and lemon if desired. Drink warm.
This combination supports circulation, reduces inflammation and gently warms the body while being easy to digest and absorb, and when paired with simple shifts like warming herbs, slow cooked foods and daily rituals, it helps create warmth, support flow and maintain energy through the colder months.
Natalie Jacques
Naturopath & Medical Herbalist
The Herbal Dispensary
6 Wallis Street, Raglan
07 82574444
Click here to read Natalie’s column on Perimenopause or on sleep