Healing Power of Tea

The Universal Drink

Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash

Every morning I wake up and make myself a cup of tea. This morning, I channeled my inner Captain Picard and made it Earl Gray.

Tea is like a chameleon — the varieties are endless.

Smoky Russian caravan, floral jasmine buds that open into blossoms, malty Irish breakfast, romantic rose petaled concoctions, elegant macha green… I love to try new teas as well as sticking with my favorites. I still keep Constant Comment on hand because I loved it when I was an undergrad. It was my first favorite tea.

Tea is like yoga in a cup. It relaxes the body and stimulates the mind. You emerge from your tea break enlivened and energized.

Unlike a caffeine buzz, the energy of tea is gentler, subtler, more long lasting.

Plus there are actual health benefits to tea drinking.

According to the 8th century tea master Lu Yu, “tea tempers the spirit and harmonizes the mind, dispels lassitude and relieves fatigue, awakens thought and prevents drowsiness.”

Research has shown that tea can boost your immune system and fight inflammation. It might even help protect against cancer and heart disease.

Tea can help sooth upset tummies, as well, and help with digestion.

In hot weather, a cup of chai can actually help make the heat more tolerable. At least, that has been my experience. After working in the garden or going for a walk in the heat, if I wash my face and then sip a hot cuppa while relaxing in a shady spot, I feel much refreshed.

Emotionally, there is comfort in a warm cup of tea.

The process of brewing a pot from loose leaves is meditative and relaxing. It can jumpstart the creative process.

Brewing a pot to share with friends introduces a friendly and social atmosphere. I like to serve black tea with a few biscuits or green tea with a dish of almonds. Russian caravan tea is lovely with a couple of Mandarin slices or cubes of pineapple. Floral white teas sometimes are enhanced by a slice of green apple. These are just my preferences…

In many cultures around the world, tea has a social significance. In Japan, there is the elaborate ritual of the tea…