Tea benefits: Medicinal uses for the teas in the cupboard
Chamomile
Ahhh Chamomile. You may not be the yummiest of the herbs but you sure are versatile.
Chamomile is a great relaxer. It helps to relax the mind and the gut. If you have trouble falling off to sleep then having a cup of chamomile tea before bed is a great nervous system relaxer. **TIP: no more than one cup before bed otherwise you might be running to the loo all night, and thats not relaxing for anyone.
If you suffer from stomach cramps or other digestive discomfort then chamomile is great for releasing tension in the digestive tract and aiding digestion.
Conjunctivitis got the you down? Placing luke warm chamomile tea bags on your eyes may help to ward this yucky infection off. What have you got to loose?
Peppermint
Classic peppermint, great for after dinner to aid digestion but did you know that it works similarly to Chamomile, helping to reduce any spasms of tightness. For both of these reasons after dinner or whenever you have a bit of abdominal discomfort peppermint is a great one to reach for.
Ginger
Ginger is a favourite of mine because it has so many uses!!
Digestion…again…ginger helps to stimulate the movement of food through the digestive tract so when your feeling a bit bloated and blah then a cup of ginger tea may help to relieve this feeling.
Ginger is also a great anti-emetic. This means that it can help to relieve nausea. So again if your feeling less than 100% sipping on a cup of ginger tea will help to settle your stomach.
Warming
What could be better than hot ginger tea on a cold day. ginger is a great circulatory stimulant, so it helps to move the blood around your body, warming you from the inside out.
Period pain
Boys avert your eyes dow to the next point. This next bit does not concern you (unless your partner suffered, then please read on :) )
Cramps be gone! At the first sight of period pain making up a big cup of ginger tea may help to relieve the pain. By helping circulation, reducing spasm and reducing inflammation ginger has a multifaceted approach to reducing those pesky period cramps
Inflammation
Ginger is a great anti-inflammatory. a cup a day may help to reduce symptoms associated with inflammation such as arthritis, sore joints etc.
Congestion
Ginger helps to thin mucous, so if you suffer from sinus or just have a terrible head cold, a nice strong cup of ginger tea will go a long way.
Fennel
Digestion
Another great digestive tonic, fennel also helps to move food through the digestive tract, helping to reduce bloating and other abdominal discomfort.
Milk production
Fennel helps to support the production o breast milk in new mums, If you are struggling to keep the milk up increasing your water intake by making lots of fennel tea is a great place to start…plus it tastes yummy!
Congestion
Fennel helps to clear congestion the same way as fennel does, by thinning the mucous.
Green
I think of green tea as the ‘I’m going to make you look amazing’ herb. Why? It has a very high antioxidant content, so it is going to promote longevity by protecting our cells from any damage from free radicals. It is also thermogenic, meaning that it increasing your metabolic rate to help with the burring of fats. Aiding weight loss and keeping me looking young? Yes please!
Licorice
Licorice is a great anti-inflammatory, so by combining it with ginger yu would make a kick ass inflammation tea :)
Licorice also has a mild laxative effect, so be careful if you are that way inclined. If you need some assistance in that department then drink away!
Licorice is great for soothing sore throats as well as a great expectorant. If you have a cold with a sore throat and a cough then this sweet tasting herb should be your go-to!
**blood pressure!! Be careful if you have high blood pressure as the herb licorice can cause blood pressure to increase if had long term.
Karah is available for consultations in Ocean Grove, Geelong and Melbourne. You can keep up to date on everything health by liking her facebook page https://www.facebook.com/karahmnaturopath , following her on instagram @belyhealth , or visiting her website www.karahmclarennaturopath.com
Peninsula Family Medical Practice, Ocean Grove. Ph 03 52562001
Aura Health & Beauty, Geelong. Ph 03 52433966
A Peace of Health Clinic, Melbourne CBD. Ph 0396633665
