Live Healthier – Drink Herbal Tea

One of the best advantages of summertime is you don’t need so much food or at least not that heavy kinda food. Maybe this is not so obvious for everyone as most of people eat by habits but I strongly believe that if you pay more attention your body and your needs it’ll be only logical.

However for me eating less and drinking more is rather connected with temperature than seasons (besides there are undeniable connections between the two :)). Now that we experience normal spring and summer weather my body has set itself kinda automatically. I need less, lighter food and more, much more liquid. This means around 2-2.5 litres/8-10 glasses a day. While in wintertime I want more warm tea summertime I need more water. Or herbal tea. Luckily I don’t like cola and any fizzy drinks. If I want something sweeter I prefer juices, lemonades and smoothies.

The indispensable parts of my morning routine:  black tea, lemon juice and sweeteners.

It was a habit of mine of drinking a lot of herbal tea years ago when I changed lifestyle and started loosing weight (yeah I did loose around 10 kgs/22 lbs/1.57 sts 7-8 years ago, but more about that later), but then somehow it disappeared. I’m not sure why though, it just did. And since we’ve been living here I’ve started drinking black tea again. I always was a tea (with lemon juice) kinda girl as my father always made some black or chamomile tea in the weekends. Somehow this habit had faded away, until we realised that black teas are much (I mean much much much) better here than were in Hungary. We got/could buy? there only the weak stuff I guess.

I was thinking about how should I redeem my habit of black teas mostly because of sweeteners when my hubby has got food poisoning and I mentioned to my brother. And then he replied it in the most natural tone, why don’t we drink peppermint tea as it’s the best and most natural thing for the belly. And it struck us, yes indeed, why don’t we?

Why don’t we drink herbal teas again? They’re the best as they don’t need anything in them and they’re good for you. So I’ve bought a big bunch of peppermint and nettle tea filters and started to drink it regularly which already resulted more pee which is also the best start when you want to start detoxifying.

And now the indispensable parts of my daily routine: herbal teas.

And guess what, after the first or second night I got awake for being all wet of sweat, shivering and with the urge of pee (I was before going bed but it seems that wasn’t enough :)). Like when I start being to ill but a warm blanket and lot of sleep is enough to cure it. And today morning it was much better. I feel myself more energetic already. Also my hubby feels better too, he says his nausea is much more bearable.

Well maybe that’s just the power of mind and this good weather, but sometimes this is just what you need. A big kick off to feeling better, healthier and more energetic.  So I keep drinking herbal teas, maybe bring more from Hungary as we have more and really good options there (and they’re cheaper as well) as I’ve experienced so far.

So after my own experiences I want to include the benefits and side affects of herbal teas too as yes, they own both of them. So be aware, careful and always keep balance.

The benefits and flip side of peppermint tea*:

• Boosts immune system
• Helps improve breath
• Aids in weight loss by reducing appetite
• Helps to reduce fever and associated pain and discomfort
• Helps to prevent vomiting, nausea and motion sickness
• Provides relief from excess gas, bloating, cramping and stomach discomfort
• Aids in relieving mental stress, cough and cold

Some word of caution before you start using: although it has a wide range of health, there are still some possible side effects. The menthol can act as an allergen to some people, and can cause heartburn in others. Both of the reactions are typically mild, but consulting a doctor about possible allergies is always a good idea.

A good cup of peppermint tea with peppermint leaves.

The benefits and flip sides of nettle tea*:

 

• Aids detoxifying body
• Helps to treat respiratory conditions such as hay fever, asthma and seasonal allergies
• Relieves fatigue, anemia and stimulates blood circulation
• Prevents bacterial infection and helps to maintain healthy skin
• Gives relief from premenstrual symptoms such as cramping and bloating
• Helps to eliminate stones from kidney and gallbladder
• Helps to stimulate production of milk in lactating mothers
• Effective in treating gout, soothe muscle pain and reduce symptoms of arthritis
• Lowers systolic blood pressure and relieves tension and stress on cardiovascular system

But again it’s also important to know that while nettle tea has these benefits it has its flip side too. For example, if you have low blood pressure, low blood sugar, or are early in your pregnancy, stinging nettle can be dangerous. So keep balance and speak to your physician. 😉

A good cup of nettle tea with nettle leaves, obviously. 🙂

And black tea remains for the mornings when I need to wake up and kick off the day. This sounds like a plan and I like a good plan, are you?

Xo Andi

*http://www.organicfacts.net