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Today I wanted to share another well kept secret of mine, the secret I've been shouting about from the rooftops for the last few months, haha! I featured it in my Autumn Favourites post (you can see it here) and if you have been following me for any length of time on Instagram, you know I've been banging on about about it all over the place too. It gathered so much interest that I thought it might as well do a special blog post about :) So here we go, let's see what is the fuss all about it?
The special drink is none other than rooibos tea with a few extra ingredients, and I swear to God that it is exactly the thing that saved me from sickness time and time again, because anyone who knows me knows very well that it is common for me to get flu eight times in the winter alone. (little correction here, I used to get sick a lot prior to my dermatitis diagnosis, because if you have auto immune disease, you basically have no immune system). If I do get sick, I take OreganolP73 which is another of my not-so-well kept secret, (read more here and here if you are interested) but this is not what this post is all about, so shall we go back to the drink?
Here's what you will need:
💕 Rooibos tea
💕 Lemon
💕 Ginger
💕 Honey or other sweetener of your choice
And it couldn't be easier - just pour boiling water over a packet of tea and a few sliced of ginger and let it steep for a couple of minutes. After the tea has brewed to your liking, discard the tea bag and add lemon and honey to sweeten it up. My vegan friends can use maple syrup, sugar or any other sweetener of your choice. But since I am not a vegan, I choose honey, because it adds to the healing properties of the drink. And of course I shouldn't tell you to not add honey to the boiling water, everybody knows that right? We want those precious enzymes, and they are lost or killed in boiling water. This drink does not contain caffeine so it is perfect for everybody, even children if they will have it (mine don't like ginger in it), for those of us sensitive to caffeine (hello, me!) and just like matcha, this drink is both stimulating and calming at the same time! I know, odd, but it is true. If I drink it in the mornings, I add a few extra slices of ginger to give me that kick that I need, and I have to say I love to have it in the evenings to help me wind down after stressful day!
Let's see why this drink is so good for you?
Rooibos tea benefits for the health:
There are plenty of them! And since I learned that rooibos is abundant in minerals including zinc, that is when I knew I should give it another shot. I have tried it years ago and remember disliking it with passion, but now that I think of it, I probably oversteeped it and didn't flavour it in any kind of way. Because let's face it, us hoomans tend to go for tasty things first, and think of benefits second, okay? And it is acquired taste, let me tell you that! If you are die hard black tea fan you might not like it at first, but give it a chance, and I promise you you will love it. The trick is to not oversteep it, because it becomes bitter easily then. And this tea is strong! Anyway, Renata, stop rambling and get back to the benefits!
Health benefits of red rooibos tea include it's use as a cure for nagging headaches, insomnia, asthma, eczema, bone weakness, hypertension, allergies, premature aging, hypertension, Drinking rooibos tea can further ease severe stomach cramps, as well as bring relief to asthma and other related conditions. It also boosts the immune system, and it is music to my ears! Rooibos contains polyphenols that have anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antimutagenic qualities. Aspalathin and nothofagin are two other vital antioxidants that rooibos tea contains, making this a great beverage to boost your immune system and protect your body against all types of diseases and conditions, like diabetes. It is also rich in calcium thus making it good for bone health. Furthemore, it contains Quercetin, which is music to my ears once more, as it means it is brilliant for treating allergies, dermatitis, psoriasis and other similar diseases!
That is just a very short description of it's benefits, I highly suggest you do your own research. Wikipedia is a great way to start, but if you are not the one to read pages upon pages of content, try Pinterest for great infographics (like this one and this one. I am not publishing them here on my blog as I am not the one creating them, therefore I don't want to run into trouble).
Ginger benefits:
In short, it has strong anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-cancerous properties to it, it helps treat morning sickness and other forms of nausea, it reduces muscle pain, lowers blood sugar, helps treat chronic indigestion, reduces cramps (including menstrual cramps) and studies show it can improve brain function too.One thing I definitely can confirm from my own experience, it helps fight infections, and gives you that natural boost when you need it. If you are only in the beginning stages of cold, take epsom or magnesium salt bath, drink this tea and go to bed, tomorrow you will wake up like a new hooman with no sight of any illness! Great or what?
Lemon benefits:
I am sure all of us know that lemons aid in digestion and detoxification, bumps up your natural VitC levels, rejuvenates your whole body including the skin, boosts energy and mood, plus helps flush out toxins out of your body, balances your PH levels (which can only be a good thing in my books). What's more, the potassium in lemons helps nourish the brain and nerve cells, and aids in detoxification by strengthening the liver. And did you know that lemon juice helps replenish body salts after a workout? Me neither, until I went in deep for my research :)
Honey benefits:
Honey has been used for thousands of years, and I am sure you don't need me to list it's benefits, I imagine everybody knows them already? I grew up with it, my mom and granny always used to stock up for winters and honey was treated like gold, administered by spoonfuls like medicine and was kept well out of our reach so we kids wouldn't eat it all in one go. I really believe in it's healing properties. I am sure most of you are/were the same, with the exception of vegans. (if you are a vegan reading this, more power to you, and I am sorry but I don't know any plant alternative to honey that would have even remotely close benefits to honey. Choose your favourite source of sugar, maybe maple syrup?) May I emphasise the need of not putting it into hot water as not to kill it's precious healing abilities?
Honey is a powerful cold and cough "medicine" making it ideal for our drink here. It is antifungal, antibacterial and antimicrobial, it helps prevent heart disease and cancer, as well as gastro interstinal disorders. It balances five elements in the body, reduces your allergy symptoms and regulates blood sugar, as well as having many benefits to it. All that using it internally, but let's not forget it can be used externally too, to treat wounds, soothe itchy scalp, and more. And if you choose manuka honey, well, the benefits shoot trhough the roof then, it is a king of all honeys. Again, I urge you to do your own research and choose good quality raw honey to get the most benefits out of it. That bear shaped plastic jar of liquid honey? Put it back on the shelf please! Not only it has been heat treated (successfully destroying it's health benefits) but is is mixed from various honeys and sugars too, and it is not what you want.
So with all that benefits combined, is it any wonder that this tea is a superhero in winters? It has saved me from getting a cold or flu time and time again! I feel very strongly about it and I think everyone needs to hear about it :) I can't recommend it highly enough!
(but please apply common sense and don't overdo it, and if you are on any kind of medication, see my disclaimer below).
Have you tried rooibos? How about ginger and lemon tea? What is your go to tea if you are sick?
Please share with me, I would love to know :)
That is all for now,
Lots of Love,
Renata.
Content for more research: Wikipedia, Dr. Axe, Authority Nutrition, Organic Facts, Dr Oz and Dr Mercola.
AND a disclaimer (because I have to)
This information here is not designed to treat diseases and if you are on any kind of medication, consult your doctor before making any changes in your diet or daily habits. I can not be held responsible for what you will do with this information, and I am only sharing what works for me.
Did I do good with this disclaimer?
