The Healing Benefits of Tea

For me tea has always been much more than just an enjoyable beverage but is something that has really become a part of my life. Since I was a young child, I’ve always enjoyed a cup of tea in the afternoon; however it wasn’t until college that I really began to experience new blends and flavors, and learn about the amazing properties of tea. It was during this time that I began to study about eating and using organic products, holistic living, and sustainability. I began to realize that what we put in and on our bodies has a major effect not only on our physical but mental and emotional state.

I found this out first hand when I began to use a special blend of tea to help get me through my anxiety, during my early twenties. After enjoying a cup of coffee with breakfast in the morning I would whip up a cup of lavender honey tea to take with me to work, that I would then sip throughout the rest of the day. This special blend of tea is something that I still enjoy though usually at the end of the day, before bed. Along with drinking it, I’ll rest the cup of tea under my nose (as a sort of aromatherapy) and even against my chest. The effect is incredibly soothing.

This is just one of the many effects and benefits that tea can have on you. Others include a boost to the immune system, a decrease in your risk of heart attack or stroke, and a kick of caffeine minus those nasty jitters that you’ll often experience with coffee. The healing benefits of tea are amazing and something that I recently met up to discuss with Mai-Anh of Discover Teas. Along with getting into the nourishing properties of tea, we also talked about the story of Discover Teas, about women supporting women, and the importance of community.

The Healing Benefits of Tea

While many people drink tea simply for pleasure, tea is an incredible some incredibly healing benefits:

• Tea is full of antioxidants which help to promote vitality and to fight against pollution.

• Tea has less caffeine than coffee (good-bye caffeine shakes!). Herbal blends have no caffeine, whereas traditional black teas have less than 50 percent of what is typically found in coffee. If your looking to make the switch from coffee to tea, try chicory root or dandelion tea.

• Tea may decrease your risk of a heart attack and stroke. A recent study noted that those who drank four or more cups of green tea a day have a 32 percent reduced risk in having a heart attack and lower levels of LDL chloesterol.

• Drinking tea (particularly that which includes holy basil and tulsi) can boost your immune system.

• Tea may help battle cancer. More research is needed on this point but some studies suggest that drinking tea can help.

• Calms your digestive system. Ginger tea and Discover Tea’s DigesTea are great for promoting a happy digestive system.

Discover Teas’ WellTEAing line offers a wide range of masterfully blended herbal formulas that can assist with one’s mind, body and spirit. Mai-Anh and I discussed that while tea cannot necessarily cure a disease or illness, it can provide some short-term healing and long-term positive effects. For those dealing with anxiety, you might find some peace in the Anxie Tea, the Peacepathways or the Lavender Lemonade blend; where as those looking to cleanse their kidneys and liver would benefit from the Gentle Cleanse or the DermaTea. With those dealing with depression, Mai-Anh suggests that since depression generally doesn’t manifest itself physically (i.e. with anxiety) where you have to really begin is in creating a ritual that brings peace. For example, it might help you “to create a space where for the time that you are there drinking your tea, you are there and you are present. This is my permission to hold this space for myself and to understand that yes, there are other things on my plate but that it’s going to be okay. You build yourself up during that time.” There are a lot of ways in which you incorporate tea into healing rituals.

References:

Is Tea Good for You? Today.