Teas for health

Are you someone that enjoys tea, did you know that many teas have many health benefits?  I have used teas to aid many things that ails us from allergies to upset gut for years

Teas for high fluids or edema can be difficult to manage. Edema is swelling that is caused by fluid trapped in your body’s tissues. Causes include diseases, medications and allergies being on your feet to long. Treatment involves lifestyle changes, including diet exercise and massage.

There is a combination of reasons. If it occurs occasionally then you can take tea to help reduce it. If you have swollen feet, hands or other parts, you might need to see your doctor. Make sure your kidneys and other body functions are working well. 

If you have any health conditions especially kidney, heart or known or suspected allergies to any of the natural ingredients in the teas, please seek guidance from your health provider. With kidney and heart concerns you might need to reduce your fluid intake, you may also not be able to have quick acting diuretics. Many don’t consider teas or herbs as medicine. They may have contraindications for medications you are taking. 

The best water temperature for the herbal teas is below boiling. 80 to 93 celsius or 176 to 199.4 fahrenheit put the water in and let the tea gently submerge. I use a metal fine mesh tea cup and let the tea sit for 5 to 10 mins then sit back and enjoy. You will feel most tea effects between 20 mins and an hour. 8 oz 2 to 3 times a day can benefit your condition. 

If you have to be on reduced fluids and your doctor is ok with you having the tea you can have 5 oz up to three times a day.

If any tea or herb ever makes you feel not well in any way, please listen to your body, the teas are to aid you in feeling better and reducing the undesired effects going on in your body. They are never there to make you feel worse.

Being mindful when you have tea is a good idea, if it will make you need to pee, you might want to have your last cup by 3 or 4 pm if you sleep at 10. If there are diuretics they take time to get the fluid out. The last thing most of us want is to forgo a good nights sleep before bed. I have teas that help me sleep about a hour before bed, if that keeps you up or you are waking to pee because of your tea do it earlier.

I use many of my freshly picked plants and herbs for my teas. If you do that you might want to smash them a bit with a muling stick or meat tenderizer. It is called bruising herbs. You can crumple them up in your hands too. 

Tips for harvesting, preserving and using herbs for tea. https://gardentherapy.ca/harvest-and-prepare-herbal-tea/

Dandelion – helps to detox the liver and is a diuretic, it is high in vitamin C and it is very good in bringing down high fluids.

Mint – diuretic, antispasmodic (will help muscles that are spasming to calm down, if your gut is not feeling well due to tensions).

Parsley- can help with urinary tract infections.

Nettles – Help detox the liver.

Insomnia – when you can’t fall asleep or stay asleep.

Promote sleep – a quiet, calm, clean, and right temperature after a night cup of herb tea be good practices for a better sleep. Avoiding coffee, chocolate, black and green tea 5 hours before heading bed.

Chamomile – reducing pain and inflammation, calming the mind.

Lemon Balm –

Lavender – be mindful if you or anyone in your home has low blood pressure. Lavender can lower your blood pressure.

Passion flower – blood pressure lowering, sedative and antispasmodic action. Side effects have been rarely reported for passion flower but may include nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, rapid heartbeat, and mental slowing. When taking passion flower, make sure you don’t drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how it affects you.

Digestion Runs from our mouths to our anus, we start with chewing or consuming and end with waste products at the other end. When something gets upset it can make use feel bloated and yucky.

Licorice – can help soothe the gut lining when taken before food. When having a problem with my gut I tend to drink this very strong.

Fennel – can help with flatulence and other gas, helps with bringing milk in for breastfeeding. I use about a teaspoon or 5ml of the dried seeds.

Mint and Ginger – can have mixed effects when you have acid reflux and can be soothing when you have nausea. 

Allergies of the non anaphylactic. Can cause runny eyes, stuffy nose, scratchy nose ears, and throat as well as swelling and in the extremities Some also get digestive problems. 

Rosemary– this is very good to have if you need to study, do a test or concentrate. It is not a good tea to have if you are dealing with high blood pressure. I would avoid this if you are pregnant.

Fenugreek –

Thyme – https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-benefits-of-thymus-vulgaris-88803

Cold and flu virus

Lemon ginger tea with honey.

Pine needle – decongestant (if your head, chest and nose are stuffy, this will help to break down the congestion mucus), expectorant (means it brings out mucus).

Elderberry 

There is many teas I have used that have not been listed, I could write a book on the benefits of tea. At a later time I might do teas and herbs for when you are pregnant. I hope you can grab a nice cup of tea, many are lovely to drink cold in the heat of summer. Would love to see what teas you enjoy and how they have given you peace of mind and body.