health AND
WELLNESS
southern at heart:
T H E healthy
W I T H W E L L
HOW TO HELP HEAL THE BODY
WITH TEA By: Nicole Quevedo One of my favorite things to do is curl up with a good book and a nice hot cup of tea, or sit on my porch first thing in the morning when it’s nice and crisp with a cup of tea in hand, or sip on hot tea when I have a sore throat, but now that I’m a little older and a whole lot wiser, I like to make my tea count. You see, I like for my tea to do double duty, to nourish my soul and my body. I try to drink teas that have great benefits to my skin, my liver in helping to keep it working in tip-top shape, or to increase my brain power. As we all know, as we grow older our bodies need just a tiny bit of extra help to function at their best. Here are just a few of my favorites and a rundown of what they can do to help your body heal and function at its best.
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One of my favorite healing teas to sip on is dandelion tea. Dandelion is a French name that means “lion's tooth” and is very rich in vitamins A and C and rich in iron and calcium. Dandelion tea comes from the dandelion flower. Those pretty little yellow flowers that grow in your yard that you think are just another weed happen to be a powerhouse health booster when eaten or drank as a tea. Some of the benefits include: bone health, liver health (detoxifying), improved digestion, blood sugar control, urinary health, weight loss, cancer fighting, decreased constipation, anemia prevention, lower blood pressure, and reduced cholesterol. This tea has a very mild flavor, not too strong but right for sipping and healing.
Lemon balm tea is another favorite healing tea. This plant’s leaves look like a peppermint leaf but have a sweet lemon scent to them. It is so easy to grow and harvest and can be used in teas, flavorings, herbs, and as an essential oil for aromatherapy. This tea is another mild flavor but packs a big health punch, too. This easy-to-grow tea can reduce triglycerides, treat heart palpitations, is a natural antibiotic, reduces blood sugar levels, decreases anxiety, reduces insomnia, improves cognitive function and focus, decreases ADHD in children, fights the herpes virus, fights cancer, reduces inflammation, manages overactive thyroid, decreases constipation and reduces PMS symptoms. If you’re not someone with a green
