2013 Faith (in) Wellness Challenge Week 10 Recap: Drink Tea

I chose to drink tea as a Wellness Challenge not just because tea is good for you or because I have a lot of it in my pantry and needed to get rid of some of it.

Tea is a ritual. Americans don’t pay much attention to rituals in our culture. We may have traditions, but few of us practice daily ritual. Drinking tea can very much be like a ritual – a time to calm the mind and engage the senses.

As I researched more about tea, its cultural ceremonies and how to enjoy it, I was struck by how similar the tea experience is to wine tasting. Serious tea drinkers smell the tea, spend a long time tasting it, observing the note and tone of the flavors produced by the leaves. They engage all the senses to create a meditative experience, enjoying tea not just for its taste or for its cafeinnated effects, but for the boiling of the water, the texture of the tea cup and the uniqueness of each cup of flavored water.

Naturally, I was intrigued. Any way to invite meditation into my life in a new way is worth a try in my book.

While tea is caffeintated, it’s effects on the human body are quite different from coffee’s. Coffee’s caffeine causes a spike in energy and then a hard carsh, prompting the drinker to grab another cup and start the cycle all over again. Tea on the other hand gives the drinker a much more steady rise and fall of energy so that the drinker feels a purer, fresher sense of energy . This eliminates the crash, the shakes, the addiction and the headaches.

When possible, it’s better to drink loose leaf tea, as it’s normally a higher quality than what we get in bags and will produce a more robust flavor and tea drinking experience.

Invite friends over for a cup of tea and have a conversation face-to-face. Turn off the technology and relax. Set an intention for drinking your tea and make it a conscious experience. Another moment to be in the moment.

My Favorite Teas

Sencha Green Tea

this green tea is combined with roasted brown rice for a really smooth, soothing flavor that calms the stomach while providing a blast of caffeine.

Chai

If you want a latte, replace the milk with almond or coconut milk. Sweeten with agave or honey. Beware of coffee shop chai lattes – they’re loaded with sugar and fat.

Tulsi Tea

Tulsi is an herb, often combined with black tea leaves to produce a strong breakfast tea with many health benefits. Tulsi has long been used in Ayurveda, yoga’s sister science and India’s holistic medical system, to heal coughs, colds and the flu, as well as clear out the respiratory tract and prevent bloating and gas, according to The Chopra Center.

Chamomile

You can’t go wrong with this soothing herbal infusion. Chamomile is actually not tea, since it isn’t actually made with tea leaves. Another healing herb, chamomile has long been touted as a stomach soother by moms around the world. It’s a great choice before bed and when you’re sick as well.

Ginger Tea

Maybe my all time favorite, ginger tea is another herbal infusion rather than an official tea. The healing properties of ginger include settling an upset stomach and regulating digestion. I swear on ginger tea to nurse me back to health whenever I’m feeling a little down or whenever my stomach isn’t cooperating with me. The taste is strong, and the effects are just as potent

Echinacea

I consider Echinacea the mother of all cold busting remedies and drink it to improve my immune system.

One of the cool things about tea is the varied flavors and uses. Tea is just for sick people anymore, although it’s especially comforting in the cold winter months and when we’re feeling under the weather.

Do you have a favorite tea? Share it with me in the comments below!

Image credit: Cozeeteas.com