LIFESTYLE: 12 HERBAL TEAS TO SAVE A TRIP TO THE DR

I don’t know about you, but we’re on the road to a natural healthy lifestyle; one of the ways we’re achieving that is but drinking herbal teas. What’s not to love? Aside from being natural and healthy, they taste/smell great, they’re low in calories and relaxing. If that’s not enough, there’s one for almost every common ailment going. Take this list with you when you’re on your next grocery shop, I think you’re going to like it…

1. The Wake Up Call – Peppermint

Mint stimulates, restores, and revitalises the body; one cup in the morning kick-starts the system, refreshing the mind, and blowing away the cobwebs. It also helps with your digestion, flatulence, and digestive issues. A cup of peppermint tea will ease nausea and vomiting, especially if you suffer motion sickness; aaaand reduces stomach cramps and headaches!!! Other health benefits of this tea are control of muscle aches and chronic pain, clearing of congestion and mild coughs, mild asthma and reduction of stress.

2. The Relaxant – Camomile

Camomile soothes the stomach, relieves bloating, indigestion, calms the mind, helps you relax, and deal with your stresses. Drink a cup before you go to bed to fight insomnia and fall asleep naturally.

3. The In-house Doctor – Nettle

Made with the ever feared stinging nettle leaves, nettle is one of natures best remedies for a bunch of ailments such as high blood pressure, anaemia, arthritis, rheumatism, coughs & colds, congestion, urinary tract infections, and kidney and bladder problems!

4. The Energizer – Ginger

Ginger is an energizer and a stimulator. Drinking ginger tea both stimulates and soothes the digestive system, it has also been known to aid people experiencing nausea. Arthritic people have found ginger tea helpful since it has anti-inflammatory properties.

5. The Regulator – Hibiscus Flower Tea (Sorrel)

Known to lower blood pressure, reduce high cholesterol, strengthen the immune system (with it’s vitamin-C goodness), and reduce hypertension. Hibiscus tea aka Sorrel is rich in antioxidants, protecting the body against cell-damaging free radicals.

6. The Wonder Herb – Green Tea

It ain’t called the ‘Wonder ‘Erb’ for nothing…ok deep breath – green tea contains potent antioxidants called polyphenols, which help suppress free radicals; so drinking green tea lowers cancer risk, stopping certain tumours from forming. It lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels and thereby promotes heart health; it also lowers blood pressure, prevents and fights tooth decay and dental issues, and inhibits different viruses from causing illnesses.

7. The Cheerleader – Lavender 

Not only used for making a room smell nice, or rubbing on your temples to soothe away a headache – you can drink it too! A cup of lavender tea can soothe your mind and body, inducing sleep. If you are feeling down and depressed, it can help uplift your spirit. Lavender tea also helps sooth and treat flatulence, colic, bowel infections and an upset stomach. As well as a wash on the chest to help reduce cough, bronchitis, asthma, cold and other respiratory issues. For both children and adults, lavender is used to reduce body temperature during fever. Lavender also has healing properties; use a wash of lavender tea to help heal wounds, cuts, ulcers and sores.

8. The Health Booster – Rosehip

The fruit of the rose plant, rosehips are one of the best plant sources of vitamin-C, great for the immune system, skin and tissue health, and adrenal function.

9. The Prevention & The Cure – Echinacea

Enhances the immune system, relieves pain, reduces inflammation, and has antioxidant effects. Echinacea is widely used to prevent or cure the common cold.

10. The Indigestion Reliever – Cardamom

You may know cardamom for the aromatic seeds used in Indian cooking, well guess what, yes you can drink it too! It helps treat indigestion, prevents stomach pain, relieves flatulence, and nausea. Cardamom tea fights pulmonary disease where lots of phlegm is present, relieves coughs, and detoxifies the caffeine from your system if you’ve had too much coffee. This is your best friend if you’re a woman who experiences mood swings during your period.

11. The Cold Sore Remover – Lemon Balm

Lemon balm tea calms nerves and anxiety. Cold lemon balm tea bags help relieve cold sores, or genital sores caused by the herpes simplex virus. Mix lemon balm leaves with valerian to treat anxiety, stress and insomnia. Lemon balm when mixed with peppermint can calm an upset stomach, sooth the digestive track and reduce flatulence. Drink it if you suffer from nerve pain, and to help strengthen memory and brain functions. You might also like to know that it also uplifts your mood.

12. The Muscle Relaxer – Rosemary Tea

Rosemary tea aids in muscle relaxation, is a great digestive aid, and also relieves symptoms of gall bladder and liver complaints. Rosemary tea also relieves cough and mild asthma symptoms.

So what have we learnt? Well if you have digestive problems you can pretty much drink any herbal tea going; but if you have something a lil more acute there’s almost certainly a tea out there for you. Buy a few boxes for your tea cupboard and mix it up a little.