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9 Simple Teas That Work Wonders On Your Wellness

25th August 2020 · Leave a Comment

If you’re anthing like me, you need the odd cuppa to help get you through the day…whether that’s a cup of tea, a mug of coffee, a glass of wine or a tumbler of gin! Oftentimes, making a cup of tea becomes an automatic process, and drinking our black tea with a splash (or three) of milk and a teaspoon (or two) of sugar becomes the norm.

Whilst black tea does contain some health benefits (for example antioxidants), they are generally outweighed by the negative aspects of the caffeine content. Decaf tea may seem like a good option – and it is a good option for an occasional black tea – it is often decaffeinated using a chemical process (much like coffee), which means you are drinking those chemicals. And even if it isn’t, the many benefits of black tea are lost through whichever decaffeination process is used.

Which is why herbal teas are a great option. Not only are they naturally caffeine-free, but they also offer many health benefits beyond just antioxidants. In fact, they are a great way to incorporate beneficial herbs into your day-to-day routine.

Teas for Day-to-Day

Here are some of my favourite herbs to use in your day-to-day teas:

  1. Peppermint – as well as its digestive benefits, like relieving gas, bloating and indigestion, strong peppermint tea is great for a caffeine-free morning kick-start! Put a good handful of leaves into a small coffee plunger and let them steep overnight, then add some freshly boiled water in the morning before enjoying that powerful zing.
  2. Nettle – a gentle diuretic, nettle leaf helps the body to remove toxins. It has been used for centuries as a skin purifier and helps lower blood sugar levels. This is a great addition to a tea blend.
  3. Turmeric – this offers many benefits, including boosting immune function, reducing inflammation, helping with IBS symptoms, and supporting liver function. There are some great tea blends that include this potent spice (technically not a herb!).

Teas for Digestion

Here are some great herbs to help with digestion. You can get some great-tasting tea blends which include these herbs – bear in mind they may not taste as great on their own!

  1. Dandelion root – this pesky weed is actually considered a herb by botanists and has some wonderful benefits. Often known as a ‘liver tonic’, dandelion root tea is a ‘bitter herb’ used for digestion. It also helps the liver to detoxify, acts as a diuretic, reduces water weight, and is full of antioxidants. If you are looking for a good coffee substitute, then roasted dandelion root ‘coffee’ is worth a try.
  2. Licorice – whilst this is a herb, it is the root that is used in tea preparations. It is used to soothe gastrointestinal issues, by speeding up the repair of the stomach lining and restoring balance (especially after food poisoning, stomach ulcers or heartburn). It can also help with gas and bloating. Be mindful that licorice root is not recommended during pregnancy (although small amounts of it in tea will be okay), or if taking medication to control low potassium levels or blood pressure and some other medications (please check this before using if you are on any medications).
  3. Fennel – this highly aromatic and flavourful herb is part of the carrot family (explains the feathery leaves on top!) and tastes a little like aniseed. It helps to smooth and relax the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract, reducing gas, bloating, and stomach cramps. It can also help to boost metabolism, regulate appetite, speed up digestion, and reduce water weight by encouraging urination.

Teas for Sleep & Stress

  1. Chamomile – this little flower has long been linked to relaxation and improving sleep. It contains an antioxidant, apigenin, which binds to the receptors in the brain that help promote sleepiness and reduce insomnia.
  2. Valerian root – this herb helps reduce anxiety and improve sleep by promoting calmness in the brain. It is often included in herbal bedtime tea blends.
  3. Lemon balm – another wonderful calming, soothing herb, great for stress, anxiety, and insomnia. As to be expected, this is a lemon-scented herb making it great in a calming tea blend. However, it can have interactions with some medications and shouldn’t be taken for long periods of time. Do check interactions if you take medications, before using this in your tea.
Images by various photographers, sourced from Unsplash.com

Which Tea?

This list is by no means exhaustive and there are plenty of other great herbs and teas that offer health benefits. And of course, you can create your own blends of herbal teas, using the loose leaves – but this can be quite a fine art, so I recommend trying one of the many pre-made blends that are out there.

Some great organic and plastic-free herbal tea brands include Pukka Herbs, Indigo Herbs, Teapigs, Heath & Heather, Dr. Stuarts, Clipper, and Yogi Tea. Besides the Pukka teas, these brands are often in single herbs rather than tasty blends, therefore they may be more therapeutic but potentially a little less palatable.

Please remember that herbs in teas are still therapeutic, and can be contraindicated in certain health conditions or with certain medications. If you have any health conditions or medications, please check the safety and interactions before drinking herbal teas. The odd cup is generally fine but if you want to enjoy several a day, it is important to check first.

If you are struggling with digestive issues, insomnia, or stress, let’s see how I can help. Herbal teas may be helpful, but they are often just a small part of the recovery puzzle. Get in touch or book a FREE discovery call so we can discuss how I can help.

Filed In: Digestion, Sleep / Tagged: digestion, herbal tea, insomnia, sleep, stress, tea

Insomnia Issues & Sleep Problems Part II – Lifestyle

24th August 2017 · Leave a Comment

Following on from Monday’s post, “Insomnia Issues & Sleep Problems Part I – Nutrition”, today I’m looking at some of the other major factors that could be influencing your sleep, or lack thereof. Hey, if you’re tackling the potential nutritional aspects of sleep problems, you should probably take a look at the lifestyle factors while you’re at it. Work on these and you will improve your sleep!

Even if you only sometimes suffer with sleep problems, now is the perfect time to improve your sleep, before it becomes a chronic issue. So, if you’re being kept awake at night by something other than babies or children, here are some tips to help you get (back) to sleep! You might think you know them already, but how many of them do you actually practice?

Brain in overdrive when your head hits the pillow?
Reduce stressors
  • Reduce screen-time in the evening, and have NO screen-time at all for at least 30 minutes before bed. The blue back-light of the screens (tv, iphone, laptop etc) tricks your brain and keeps cortisol levels raised, keeping you in ‘fight or flight’ mode and preventing you from relaxation and sleep. Read, instead – an actual, old-fashioned, paper book 😉 Put your phone on the automated night-mode overnight so that (a) the screen dims and reduces the blue-light that keeps your brain alert, and (b) no notifications/phone calls ping up on the screen to bother you. Better still, put it on flight mode so the wifi isn’t going on all night right by your head (why take the risk?).
  • Jot down any niggling thoughts – your to-do list for tomorrow, something for the calendar for next week, something you must tell your partner in the morning, anything really. Whatever is floating around in your brain is preventing your brain from switching off and sleeping.

Sleep problems - busy brain

For bonus points, jot your thoughts down in the dark and try to decipher your writing in the morning!

Relax the mind
  • Listen to a guided meditation before you go to bed. It need only be a few minutes long if you have not meditated before. Work your way up to 10-12 minutes of meditation before bed. Try the ‘Calm’ app for some guided meditations (there are some free ones in there to try out first).
Drown out any noises that might be bugging you.
  • Listen to white noise. Use an app on your phone to play gentle sounds, which not only drown out the ticking clock/snoring partner, but have the added bonus of helping to drown out the thoughts in your head.
  • Use earplugs if you live near a noisy road/noisy birds/noisy anything that goes on through the night and could wake you up or prevent you from getting back to sleep. They help mute annoying sounds, but don’t stop you from hearing your alarm clock in the morning. If you’re worried you might not hear your baby cry/alarm clock, just pop one earplug in the ear that is exposed and keep the other ear free (that’s what I do!).
  • Use an eyemask. Okay this isn’t a noise solution but, similarly, light could be bothering you more than you realise. We need very dark rooms for the best, most restorative sleep. Eyemasks are not just for long-haul flights (although they work wonders there too!), but are extremely beneficial if there’s an unwanted source of light in your bedroom.
Something waking you up at night?
Pinpoint what is waking you up
  • Sudden noises? As mentioned above, sudden noises that wake you up and leave you wide-eyed and kinda bushy tailed, but at the wrong time like 3am, need to be eliminated, if possible, reduced, or at the very least drowned out. Stick the white noise back on (if your brain is active) or the earplugs in.
  • Tossing and turning? If your body is having difficulty relaxing and you can’t find a comfortable position, consider that low magnesium may be at play. Magnesium helps to relax muscles, and is particularly beneficial for night cramps.
  • Pets in the bedroom? They could be bothering you more than you realise. We love having our cats in our bedroom overnight – they love to curl up at the bottom of the bed and aren’t any bother. But other times, our big cat, Bear, likes to find somewhere even warmer, like my husband’s chest or around my head on my pillow! When this happens, we wake up and usually cannot get back to sleep while he remains in that position (but it’s sooooo cute!). So if pets might be affecting your sleep, make your sleep and health the priority, and  make a comfy bed for them elsewhere.

What sleep problems? Catnap like a pro.

What sleep problems? Catnap like a pro.

The need to pee is waking you up
  • Minimise fluid intake after dinner. Ensure you get your 2 litres of water throughout the day, and don’t have to cram a litre in before bed to get your daily quota!
  • If you take tablets at night, take with as little amount of water as possible or take a little earlier, about an hour before bed, to give your bladder a chance to do its job before your head hits the pillow.
  • If this doesn’t help, there may be other causes of excessive night urination which you should discuss with your health practitioner.
You wake up and then think you might as well pee.
  • Something else is waking you up – can you pinpoint what it was? A noise that you can block out? Your partner? Find ways to help prevent the wake-up from even happening, and you’ll probably find your bladder can last until the morning.
  • Minimise how much you allow yourself to ‘wake’. If you really must go to the bathroom, don’t turn lights on – use the light of your phone to light the way if you must, but RESIST THE URGE TO LOOK AT YOUR PHONE/EMAILS/FACEBOOK/insert your online vice of choice!

What sleep problems? Sleep like a baby.

What sleep problems? Sleep like a baby.

Other sleep problems at play?

Obviously, the above pointers are general sleep hygiene tips. If you have something else causing your sleep issues, then see below for where to get some help:

My baby believes sleep is for the weak.

I hear ya. So does mine. It is definitely worth speaking to an expert for help – long-term baby-induced sleep deprivation is not fun. Try Tresillian for free advice on settling your baby at night, or there are many (paid) baby sleep consultants around these days. Or, just come and see me and we can console one another over a cuppa whilst I put together a plan to help support and fuel your body and mind nutritionally during this ‘new mother’ phase. Book in for a consult and I can create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.

I’m in pain and it keeps me awake.

Don’t suffer in silence. Chronic pain can often cause night restlessness and sleeplessness. If you are looking for a more natural solution to your pain management, book a consult with me today.

This just scratches the surface.

There are so many variables at play can cause sleep problems. Book an appointment with me TODAY to chat in-depth about your sleep, diet, health history, and more.

BOOK NOW!

Sleep easy knowing we are going to get to the bottom of your health issues. Let me help you get rid of your sleep problems, and get the sleep you need to reach your health goals!

Lucy x

Filed In: General Health / Tagged: fatigue, improve sleep, insomnia, meditation, relax, relaxation, serotonin, sleep, sleep deprivation, slumber, stress, sweet dreams

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From the blog

  • How to improve your health when you’re a busy working mum
  • Recipe: Easy Moroccan Chickpea Stew
  • 9 Simple Teas That Work Wonders On Your Wellness
  • 7 Best DIY Detox Baths for Tired Mums
  • 4 Simple Ways To Ensure Your Baby Gets Enough Iron With Baby-Led Weaning

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~Taunton Nutritionist ~

The Real Nutritionist is about optimising your health and wellbeing. It's honest and holistic, yet balanced and realistic.

It's about what is best for you, to help reach your health goals, in an achievable and sustainable way.

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