I very rarely get sick. I eat really healthy, but I have my fair share of stress, I don't get much rest or sleep. My point being, I think it's pretty good that I don't get sick very often and I thought I'd share what I do to stay healthy and you can take from it what you like.
It's pretty simple actually - I am constantly sipping tea and water, I take daily vitamins and I always have a bottle of oil of oregano in case of emergency. (1000mg of Ester-C, Ashwaganda and B-complex everyday and 4 drops of oil of oregano under my tongue as soon as I think I might be fighting something. Of course, I'm not a professional so do your own research as well).
I am however, quite well-versed in the amazingness of tea. When you start to feel run down or you start to get those hints that a cold might be coming, the type of tea you choose to drink is important. I have 3 herbal blends I will choose from to be the base for my own 'be well' tea. 2 of the 3 are teas we carry in our online tea shop, but the 3rd is one I mix myself. You can keep it simple and try out our teas: Detox tea or Orange Blossom Chamomile or you can mix one up yourself to have on hand.
- Chamomile
- Lemongrass
- Mint
These are the essential ingredients for the base blend for my 'be well' tea recipe below. Simple! I have a ratio of these ingredients that matches my personal taste. You could add lavender, liquorice, orange peel, goji berries, rose hips, etc. but those aren't as easily accessible. As long as it's not nighttime, you could even drop a few jasmine pearls in the blend.
My simple 'Be Well' blend recipe:
- 3 tsp (1tbsp) of your base tea blend (Detox tea, Orange Blossom or your own blend)
- 2 mug fulls of filtered water
- a few slices of fresh ginger root
Add it all in a pot, bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, strain. Even if you're super sick already, you can handle that much. Squeeze a lemon wedge in your hot tea and stir in as much honey as you want. No, it's not calorie-free, but if you're already sick and congested, honey is your friend.
Why this works: It's not only the ingredients, although each have their own healthful properties, it's about the state that tea can get you in. I'm a firm believer in how how influential your mental and emotional states are to your physical well-being. That base tea blend will help you to relax - again, not only because of the ingredients. Your body needs to relax to get better! It's a bit of a practice you can build over time and a state that your mind and body will associate with the making and the drinking of tea.
I can't stress enough how important it has been for me to create a tea ritual. It doesn't have to be elaborate, but it can be if that's what you like. It's about what works for you.
So anyway, I hope this helps! How do you think tea contributes to your health? Leave a comment and let me know.
p.s. that's tea-infused honey I used. Really easy to make and I'll share how to do it in our next blog post.