Stress Tea

UNWIND AND MELT YOUR CARES WITH A CUP OF STRESS TEA

Tea is chemically very complex, with many different ingredients.
Substances in tea, such as catechins, polyphenols, flavonoids and amino acids have been found to have effects on neurotransmitters in the brain.

Study participants who drank black tea four times a day for siz weeks and were subjected to daily stressful tasks that substantially raised blood pressure, heart rate and stress indicators, specifically raising their stress hormones, such as cortisol.

Factors such as relaxing tea drinking situations, familiar tea smells and tastes etc. were eliminated to more clearly study the effects of the biological ingredients in the tea.

The Study concluded that drinking black tea may speed up our recovery from the daily stresses in life. Although it does not appear to reduce the actual levels of stress we experience, tea does seem to have a greater effect in bringing stress hormone levels back to normal. This has important health implications, because slow recovery following acute stress has been associated with a greater risk of chronic illnesses such as coronary heart disease."

If you haven't tried herbal teas for relaxing, you are missing something. A warm relaxing tea helps relieve tension at the end of the day.

Chamomile - chamomile tea is a classic - it's the tea Peter Rabbit's mother gave him to calm down when he'd had a scary run in with the gardner. It's very soothing, flowery sweet flavor will help tension melt away.

Kava Kava - kava is native to the South Pacific and a highly prized medicinal plant whose primary benefit is relieving anxiety and calm the body and mind.

Valerian - valerian is an herb that helps nourish and keep the nervous system healthy. It is especially used to help calm nervous functions before bedtime.

GROWING YOUR OWN STRESS TEA HERBAL GARDEN

Apart from the stress relieving benefits of puttering around in your garden, or your planted patio pots, stress teas can be an inexpensive, flavorful way to relieve stress.

Chamomile
Chamomile is a pretty yellow flowering plant that grows in the wild. It is easy to grow in a garden and as a tea it combines very well with any of the other relaxing garden stress tea herbs here.

Peppermint
Peppermint is famous for its refreshing taste. It's calming to the mind and senses, but also very soothing for an upset tummy, which is often a sign of stress. It mint-green bush type foliage adapts well to pots. It's also very bug resistent and grows so prodigiously it must be contained so as not to over run your garden. After a rain the smell of peppermint in the air alone can be wonderfully mind clearing.

Lemongrass
Lemongrass adds a zesty lemon flavor to any tea, and it is also very versitile as a garnish.

Fennel
Licrorice is another soothing tea herb. It is best planted in its own pot for it does not grow well with others.

BREWING THE PERFECT CUP OF HERBAL TEA

Traditionally 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried herb are used for each cup of water. If you use fresh herb instead of dry, simply double the amount of herb.

Bring 1 cup of pure or filtered water to a near boil. Pour it over 1-2 teaspoons of dried herb. Brew your tea in a glass or ceramic container for most metal tea pots will leach metals into your tea. Cover and let steep for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on your desired strength. Strain and serve, or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Natural sweeteners such as Stevia and/or honey may be added but they are not necessary.

Although herbal tea doesn't generally interact with any anxiety medications or conventional medications....

PLEASE EDUCATE YOURSELF BEFORE USING ANY HERBS. As a rule, do not combine herbal remedies with pharmaceutical drugs without the consent of your physician and/or a herbal practitioner.

As with all medicinal and neutriceutical products, keep out of reach of children and pets, and avoid use during pregnancy or lactation unless otherwise specified.

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