There's an herb for nearly everything, and they've been used for thousands of years. Drinking herbal tea is probably one of the easiest (and enjoyable) ways to get natural vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and other health benefits!!
I'm not here to tell you that any herbal tea or herbal supplement is going to cure any certain disease, however, they do nourish and help replenish the body of the nutrients it needs to heal and cleanse itself of any impurities. In simpler terms, herbs are a support system for the natural healing of our bodies.
As someone who struggles with depression and anxiety, I've always searched for natural ways to ease my worries and calm my mind. After a couple of years of my fascination, researching, and testing herbal tea remedies; I've narrowed it down to my 4 favorite herbal tea remedies.
Some of them may sound a bit crazy--just stay with me here.
1. Catnip Tea
I'll go ahead and start with one of the craziest herbal teas that I never thought would work until I tried it myself.
As it turns out, Catnip is kryptonite to cats, but a mild sedative with tons of medicinal uses to humans. This tea contains vitamins A, B and C; and a specific compound that has been proven to help with stress and anxiety. Catnip is also antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. Since it is an anti-inflammatory, catnip can be helpful in treating acid reflux, sore muscles, and cramps (I'm talking to you, ladies).
Try making a cup of catnip tea after a stressful day to relieve stress and calm your nerves. I'm telling you, it works. You can feel the calming effects before you've finished your cup.
2. Hops Tea
Close Beer Nature Bavaria Harvest Hops PlantThats right! Hops aren't just used for making beer!
These little cones contain vitamins A, B-complex, and B3; along with minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc. Hops also has antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, and bitter properties. That means that this tea.....
1. Gets rid of uninvited toxins/detox in your body.
2. Boosts your immune system.
3. Calms your stomach.
4. Strengthens your nervous system.
5. Keeps skin naturally clean and healthy (when applied to the face).
It may take a bit longer to prepare, but Hops tea is perfect for a day that has left you feeling anxious and stressed! Hops are called "the goodnight flowers"; so try preparing Hops tea before bed to help you sleep. And if you feel like being a little extra--take the teabag out of your mug once it's done steeping and squeeze out the remaining tea to use as a face wash!
3. Ginger Tea
Ginger has been used for it's health benefits way before the medicine of today was even thought about. We can thank the ancient Indians and Chinese for the first cultivation of this powerful superfood.
Scientific studies have found this warming, anti-inflammatory tea to be useful in treating nausea, bloating, sore throats, colds, and the flu! Ginger tea is packed with vitamins C, and B6, as well as magnesium and potassium. The antioxidants and vitamin C in this particularly potent preparation help to boost your immune system.
If you begin feeling like you're coming down with a cold, grab some ginger tea! Even if you're not feeling sick, start your morning with a cup of Ginger tea to get your blood and energy flowing! You should consult with your doctor before consuming ginger tea while pregnant.
4. Chamomile + Lavender Tea
I saved the best my favorite for last.
Chamomile. What can I say about Chamomile? Honestly, there's too much. She's my personal favorite and go-to. It's mild sedative properties have rarely failed to calm my anxieties and stress. Chamomile tea isn't just for sleep, though! This amazing little daisy is also associated with lower cancer diagnosis's.
Lavender has always been a favorite of mine, but only as a scent, I had never thought of lavender as a tea. So I did some research.
It turns out, Lavender's active components and soothing effect make it a perfect tea addition for people suffering from chronic stress and anxiety. On top of that, essential oils and minerals that diffuse from the lavender buds have proven to help bloating, and cramps. Tired skin? Lavender has antioxidants for that.
Both of these herbs come together in perfect harmony to relax you before bed, calm your nerves, and settle your stomach.As a bonus, chamomile and lavender are both anti inflammatory; making this combo not only a tea, but (when applied to the face) a redness reducer!
With that being said:
If you're not too fond of the bitterness of some herbal teas, just add some honey!!! Go the extra mile and find some local honey at your next farmers market! If the honey isn't sweet enough for you. If you just can't stand herbal tea... That's okay! There are plenty of herbal supplements that you can find at your local pharmacy or amazon.com.
Disposable tea bags and store-bought teas are convenient when you're on the go...... but not so convenient for the environment. Try opting for an environmentally friendly, fair trade, loose-leaf tea, and a tea diffuser to reduce the amount of waste in landfills! You can even place the used tea leaves (and even tea bags) at the bottom of your flower pots to give your plants some extra nutrients!!
There is too much information on these super-herbs....(get it?) to fit into this article.If you'd like to learn more about herbal remedies and benefits, you can click on the hyperlinks throughout this article!
