Invitation to Tea ................... by Lyle Dagnen

in the body. While our bodies are designed to fight free radicals on their own, they’re not 100 percent effective — and since damage from these radical oxygen ninjas has been linked to cancer, heart disease and neurological degeneration, we’ll take all the help we can get. • Tea is hydrating to the body (even despite the caffeine!). • Drinking tea is linked with a lower risk of

Parkinson’s disease. When considered with other factors like smoking, physical activity, age and body mass index, regular tea drinking was associated with a lowered risk of Parkinson’s disease in both men and women. • Tea might provide protection from ultraviolet rays. We know it’s important to limit exposure to UV rays, and we all know what it’s like to feel the burn. The good news is that green tea may act as a back-up sunscreen. • Tea could keep waist circumference in check. In one study, participants who regularly consumed hot tea had lower waist circumference and lower BMI than non-consuming participants. Scientists speculate that regular tea drinking lowers the risk of metabolic syndrome (which increases the risk of diabetes, artery disease and stroke), although it’s important to remember that correlation does not equal causation. • Regular tea drinking might also counteract some of the negative effects of smoking and might even lessen the risk of lung cancer (good news, obviously, but not a justification for cigs). • Tea could be beneficial to people with

Type 2 diabetes. Studies suggest that compounds in green tea could help diabetics better process sugars. • Tea can help the body recover from radiation.

One study found that tea helped protect against cellular degeneration upon exposure to radiation, while another found that tea can help skin bounce back postexposure. • Green tea has been found to improve bone mineral density and strength. • Tea might be an effective agent in the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases, especially degenerative diseases (think

Alzheimer’s). While many factors influence brain health, polyphenols in green tea may help maintain the parts of the brain that regulate learning and memory.

We should all encourage others and ourselves to take pride in our bodies and be in control of our own health. Incorporating healthy alternatives is always worth a shot, slow yourself down when you can. Next time you think about reaching for your third cup of coffee during the day, consider working in a cup of tea instead!

Planting an Herbal Tea Garden

by Robin Gagnon from Blommi.com

An herbal tea garden is a great way to grow the herbs and plants, to create your own custom tea mixes. Having fresh straight from your garden herbs for brewing tea is not only convenient, but it also ensures that you are using herbs that are free of pesticides and herbicides. Whatever reason you have for growing herbs to use in teas– health or simply because you enjoy the taste of tea– being able to create the exact combination you want for a cup of tea is such a pleasure. Considerations When Planting an Herbal Tea Garden

Planting an herbal tea garden is as hard as choosing the type of tea you want to drink. If you like to enjoy a variety of teas, then a wide variety of herbs needs to be planted. If you are growing for a specific tea, or want to grow herbs that aid with a specific health issue, then the garden won’t need to be as big or include as many plants.

Decide on the Types of Tea Wanted

If you generally enjoy tea, then you want to grow an herb garden filled with a wide variety of teas that can all be combined or used in a variety of combinations to create the perfect tea for your mood. Growing herbs that you can brew into teas that will help ease a specific condition that you need help with will call for less space, but smart planning when it comes to including enough of each plant in order to ensure that you are able to enjoy homegrown tea from the garden all summer long. Find out which herbs help with the specific health needs you have, and then choose one or two additional two or three herbs that pair well with those herbs to make a tea that you can enjoy.

Designing the Garden

Decide if you are going to be planting in a garden bed or potted containers. If you are going to be growing specific tea combinations, a couple potted containers that grow all the herbs you need can be sufficient. An herbal tea garden that is going to include the ability to grow as many tea combinations as possible, you are going to need more space and should prepare and entire bed. Remember that most herbs, including those that are used in herbal teas, prefer well drained, nutrient poor soil that is not disturbed with tilling, but gets good aeration.