Boketto Wellness

Warming, Energizing & Protective. Preventative & Restorative Immune Support

Fat of the Land’s Elderberry Syrup is a potent antiviral, adaptogen, antioxidant & immunomodulating syrup to energize and support your body’s natural defenses, helping prevent or recover from cold, fever & flu. This blend is a warming, aromatic, and slightly spicy powerhouse of energy and well-being.

Ingredients: mountain spring water, Hudson Valley honey, fresh & dry elderberry, fresh ginger root, schisandra berry, siberian ginseng root, rhodiola root, Hudson Valley apple cider vinegar & cinnamon. All ingredients are organic or wild.

Suggested Use: Take 1-2 tsp daily as a preventive measure or 1-2 tsp every couple of hours for acute situations. Try as a sweetener in foods and beverages. Refrigerate after opening, use within 3-4 months of opening

Size: 8.4 oz

About Fat of the Land: Anja Schwartz Rothe is a community herbalist, gardener, and human who believes in the transformative power of ecological intimacy. Her work is guided by her relationship with nature, and Fat of the Land’s herbal provisions are imbued with a deep belief that healing with plants can be profoundly pleasurable. Anja has studied herbalism for more than a decade, formally with teachers who center land stewardship and informally under the mentorship of her local bioregion.

Fat of the Land creates herbalist-formulated, seasonally-inspired provisions to support our bodies, our ecosystems, and our communities. They believe everyday healing can and should be pleasurable. Seasonal, small-batch, and fully natural. Grown and gathered in the mountains, forests, and waterways of New York’s Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains.

Shop: https://bokettowellness.com/products/elderberry-syrup-with-siberian-ginseng-ginger

Enjoy our free downloadable PDF “Honoringf Fall: A TCM APPROACH” by the Boketto Wellness team.

Through the lens of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), autumn is associated with the element Metal. The two organs in the Metal element, work together to eliminate what is unnecessary from our bodies while taking in the pure. The large intestine functions on the mental and spirit level— enabling us to let go of waste. The lung grants us the inspiration of a breath of fresh air, a new crispness. During this transitional season, we want to slow down, focus on what we have accomplished, and unburden ourselves by letting go of that which no longer serves us is recommended. Yin within Yang.

This ebook is a compilation of Boketto Founder & Acupuncturist, Jelena Nikolajevic’s TCM know-how, practices, and product suggestions.

Simply add to your cart to download the free PDF and enjoy at your convenience whenever needed.

Find the download link in our bio and below:
https://bokettowellness.com/products/honoring-fall-a-tcm-approach-free-e-book

ICYMI: Our latest newsletter is all about the importance of bitter things for digestive support. It’s a thing most people barely think about. Bile. The liver continuously makes bile; the gallbladder stores and concentrates it, then releases it into the small intestine when needed. Bile helps digest and absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins, but it’s also one of the routes through which the body eliminates cholesterol, bilirubin, and metabolized hormones. So “bile flow” is less niche than it sounds. And something Jelena thinks about more than most. Let’s talk about it…

The liver makes bile continuously, but making it is only half the equation. Bile needs to move from the liver, into the gallbladder for storage, and then into the small intestine when it’s time to digest. This whole pathway: liver → gallbladder → small intestine… that release is bile flow.

When bile is moving as it should, it helps us digest fats, absorb fat-soluble vitamins, and carry certain waste products out of the body. And like much of digestion, the process responds to the bigger picture: what and when we eat, hydration, movement, circadian rhythms, and even the state of the nervous system.
When that flow slows or becomes impaired, digestion can feel it. Fats may be harder to digest, nutrient absorption can suffer, and the body has a less efficient route for clearing some of what bile carries out.

Things with a bitter taste gets digestion’s attention. Bitter compounds activate receptors that help kick off digestive responses, including saliva and gastric secretions, while also supporting the signals involved in bile production and release. That bile helps break down fats, absorb fat-soluble vitamins, and move certain waste products out of the body.

Bring a little bitter to the table with arugula, radicchio, endive, dandelion greens, artichokes, or citrus peel. Herbal bitters offer a more concentrated option, while fresh ginger, nettle tea, ACV, or lemon water can become part of the pre-meal ritual.

The more bitter the better. This blend infuses some of the most vigorous herbal bitters—angelica, yellow dock, and barberry root—and harmonizes them with sweet and satiating notes of cardamom

🌞 DECODING YOUR BIRTH CHART🌙

At Boketto, we see astrology as one of many lenses through which to better understand and contextualize our lived experience, and in turn, how we care for ourselves. Boketto’s own Christina Lyon has put together her top ten tips for understanding the language of astrology and beginning to make sense of your own birth chart. We’ll let her take it from here….

Whether you are an astrology enthusiast, a total skeptic, or curious about astrology, first things first. Astrology is not a belief system, it’s a language, and like any language, learning the alphabet is one of the most, if not the most fundamental element to learn in order to speak, read, and master the language.

The truth is it takes quite a bit of time, energy, and focus to master the language of astrology, just like learning any other language.

With that said I want to share my top 10 tips to decoding your birth chart like a professional astrologer with you! I hope these tips will help jump start your interest in learning astrology.

Tip #1 Memorize the glyphs. (The symbols of the natal chart)
Tip #2 Make sure you know your exact time of birth if possible.
Tip #3 Find your rising sign.
Tip #4 Figure out your planetary ruler.
Tip #5 Check to see if you have a day or night chart.
Tip 6. Check your essential dignities.
Tip 7 Make note of all of the major aspects to your Ascendant.
Tip 8 Review the planets in your angular houses.
Tip 9 Memorize the meanings of all 12 houses.
Tip 10 Learn the decans.
You can read the full detailed article on Boketto’s Blog, and if you’d like more help with decoding your own birth chart, Christina, of Lua Astrology, is currently accepting new and returning clients for astrology consultations. Book with her directly through her website at www.luaastrology.com

Read the full article on The Journal here: https://bokettowellness.com/blogs/journal/decoding-your-birth-chart

🌿 SHOP GAL FEATURE: Meet Meredith 🌿

Hi! I’m Meredith. I’ve been at Boketto since June. Historically I have been in the food and beverage world (with a couple year stint in massage therapy). Through a series of kismet events I’ve landed at Boketto and am taking over shop management 🙃

Q: What’s always in your bag?
A: Everything. I like to be prepared. Pens (Pilot .38 G2’s only), sharpies, pocket knife, chapstick, multiple scents, tinctures, florida water, small notebook, physical planner (cannot and will not use a phone calendar), wine key, lighter, just in case bandana, and ideally but unfortunately sometimes missing, my wallet

Q: Coffee, tea, matcha, or something else?
A: Ritualistically having a cup of coffee with breakfast. Big thyme herb gal so I am a huge fan of herbal tea blends, and that’s usually what I’m drinking the rest of the day.

Q: Sun, Moon, Rising
A: Virgo Sun, Leo Moon, Virgo Rising

Q: Favorite place(s) in Richmond?
A: Sneed’s Nursery, Great Big Greenhouse, Southside Trails that I will leave undisclosed because I have reactive dogs. Pocahontas and Powhatan State Park. VMFA on a rainy day.

Q: What’s one product in the Boketto shop you genuinely can’t live without?
A: Quintons - iykyk. La Lyra Mood Mist or Perfume Rollers - scents are a must for me.

Q: Ocean, mountains, or desert?
A: Ideally would live somewhere with all three.

Q: Favorite book(s):
A: Women Who Run With the Wolves, Braiding Sweetgrass, Brave New World, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The works of Edgar Allan Poe

Q: Favorite planet?
A: Pluto - not to be Plutonian about it, but it’s too expansive of an answer for a set amount of space

Q: What does wellness look like for you right now?
A: Routine. Giving myself consistency. Discipline as a freedom practice. Finding actionable steps to the philosophy that no one is coming to (or can) save you besides you.

Q: Favorite service / treatment at Boketto?
A: Acupuncture with Jelena, facial with Anne, massage with Malia (to be fair I haven’t gotten to work with all of our practitioners yet)

Thank you Meredith!! We are so lucky to have you at the shop!!

Enjoy our free downloadable PDF “Seasonal Eating from Boketto: Fall” by Boketto Founder, Jelena Nikolajevic.

As temperatures cool and daylight shortens, the way we eat naturally begins to shift. Warming, cooked foods take the place of summer’s lighter fare, while root vegetables, winter squash, cooked greens, richer proteins, warming spices, and slower cooking methods return to the kitchen. This guide explores fall eating through seasonal foods, digestion, metabolic stability, minerals, ferments and broths, meal structure, and practical cooking and storage methods.

Designed as a gentle framework rather than a rigid plan, the fall edition of our Seasonal Eating from Boketto Series encourages a more intuitive approach to nourishment as the seasons change.

Simply add to your cart to download the free PDF and read at your convenience whenever needed.

Link: https://bokettowellness.com/products/seasonal-eating-from-boketto-fall

New on The Journal… FALL RECIPE: BUTTER CHICKEN

This recipe by Asha Loupy from Diaspora Spice Co. is shared to mark the arrival of Fall—the perfect season to be making stewy, warming foods like… ✨BUTTER CHICKEN✨

Originating in the late 1940s/early 1950s, Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken) was created by legendary chef Kundan Lal Gujral, of Moti Mahal in Delhi, as a way to extend the life of tandoori chicken. The leftover chicken was simmered in a spiced tomato gravy, made extra luscious by a hearty dose of butter. Today, Butter Chicken has become a beloved dish not only across the Indian subcontinent, but also across the globe.

Like many recipes, this dish has many variations— some use more tomatoes than others, some call for upwards of 2 cups of heavy cream while others just ¼ cup, and, of course, the spice level varies— but there is one thing that remains constant in every iteration of butter chicken: paan methi (or fenugreek leaves). These sweet, herbal, slightly bitter leaves are what gives Butter Chicken its signature flavor.

Diaspora’s version of Butter Chicken is rich in chillies, using both Sirarakhong Hathei to bring mouthwatering smokiness and heat and Byadgi chillies for earthiness and they’re bright red color (if you’re craving a little extra fire, you can swap out the Byadgi for Kashmiri chillies). Its warm with cumin and coriander, plus a little cinnamon, and has plenty of paan methi weaving its way through the sauce.

This recipe is a labor of love— from gathering the South Asian spices, to marinating the chicken, and slowly cooking down the onions to blending the butter into the sauce so it emulsifies to a dreamy creamy bliss— and the end result is well worth the time. Psst, if you are making tandoori chicken, take a page from Chef Lal Gujral’s book, and make twice and much to use to make butter chicken later in the week!

Head on over to the journal for the full recipe + instructions: https://bokettowellness.com/blogs/journal/recipe-butter-chicken?_kx=8ymmkYuJVrdLLZRo06v-WeyujHtFfbw8_UePGUFK33Y.XBNL5c

WHAT IS AN ACU-LIFT?

Cosmetic acupuncture is more than skincare—it’s a holistic approach to skin health.

Also known as facial acupuncture, cosmetic acupuncture uses ultra-thin, sterile needles on strategic points of the face and body to stimulate circulation, support the skin’s natural regenerative processes, and promote balance within the body.

By creating tiny micro-injuries in the skin, acupuncture may support collagen and elastin production while improving microcirculation and lymphatic flow. And because treatment isn’t limited to the face, acupuncture points throughout the body can also be used to address things like jaw tension, inflammation, stress, and overall tension.

Potential benefits include:
• Supporting collagen production and skin elasticity
• Smoothing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Improving puffiness and circulation around the eyes
• Supporting clearer, more balanced skin
• Relieving jaw and facial tension
• Softening the appearance of nasolabial folds and fine lines around the mouth
• Promoting a deeply restorative, relaxed state

A treatment typically begins with a conversation about your digestion, sleep, energy, menstruation, diet, and overall wellbeing—because your skin doesn’t exist in isolation.

From there, your practitioner creates an individualized treatment plan. Treatments may also incorporate gua sha, LED therapy, serum/SPF application, and microcurrent for additional support.

The goal isn’t a quick fix. It’s to support healthy skin from the inside out while creating space for relaxation and restoration.

Cosmetic acupuncture isn’t appropriate for everyone, including those who are pregnant, taking blood thinners, have certain blood-clotting disorders, or have recently received Botox or filler. Always consult your healthcare provider before treatment.

To learn more, check out our journal post linked below, or book a consultation with Jelena online or over the phone.

Read more: https://bokettowellness.com/blogs/journal/what-is-an-acu-lift-aka-cosmetic-acupuncture