What if there was a simple, cost effective way to nourish your body and soul each and every day? Luckily there is: TEA.
Making a cup of tea has been something that has been used to soothe the mind, body and soul since the beginning of time. You might be familiar with classic black tea such as English Breakfast that is often used instead of coffee in the morning to promote energy. While this tea in itself is nourishing there are many, many different herbs and plants both caffeinated and not that can help support your emotional and physical health.
What many people don’t realize is the many ways that the herbs in tea support our physical bodies as we drink them. For example one of the most common teas used out there is peppermint tea. What people don’t often realize is the therapeutic benefit that peppermint has. It is a carminitive meaning that it supports the digestive system and makes it easier for us to break down food. In addition it is a nervine and an anti-spasmodic healing to relax both the mind and body. Finally it is an energetically cooling herb, which can help to decrease inflammation in the digestive system. Can you believe the ways that just having a cup of peppermint tea benefits your body? Each herb/plant that is used in tea has its own specific impact and benefit for the body. Whether it is black tea, or herbal tea, each time we drink a cup it is impacting our body far beyond just warming it up or calming us down. Learning about the physical impacts of different teas can help us to choose teas that best nourish our bodies.
Have you ever been have a bad day – whether you are exhausted physically, emotionally or sick and someone has made you a cup of tea? In this instance there is the therapeutic impact of the herbs in the tea, but there are other benefits that come with the act of having the tea. One of the most overlooked therapeutic aspects of tea is just sitting down and having a hot beverage. This small act helps to release tension that is stored in the nervous system. It decreases stress and actually makes us take a pause amidst the demands of our lives. This simple way of incorporating relaxation into one’s day can help long term to decrease inflammation and health changes that are associated with high stress. In addition the benefit of having someone make something for you in an act of love is nourishing for the soul. Human connection is something that each of us need in different capacities and enjoying a cup of tea together is one of the simplest ways to foster one form of human connection.
Growing up tea has been my own form of personal therapy. The tea calms me and brings me back to myself. It helps me to sit with whatever is going on physically and emotionally as well as transcend them. This is what makes me want to share it with each and every one of you. Phases Tea Blends is a passion project – a local Toronto based brand that uses nourishing herbs to create loose leaf teas that nourish our bodies and minds. Check us out at www.phasesteablends.com.