Even a committed coffee lover (like me) can find a certain peace and comfort in sitting down with a cup of hot tea. For many of us, it takes us back to mom serving us a warm mug when we were feeling unwell. For others, it may bring memories of sharing a cup with grandma or another loved one on a cold winter's day. Most among us can come up with a warm memory associated with a cup of hot tea.
In addition to the feel good, warm & fuzzy feelings that boost our mood and make us feel connected to more than ourselves, there are many cited health benefits of tea.
The New York Times reports that tea is good for your liver:
...studies including more than 800,000 participants have looked at the association between tea and liver disease. Those who drank tea were less likely to have hepatocellular carcinoma, liver steatosis, liver cirrhosis and chronic liver disease.
And, it eases depression:
11 studies with almost 23,000 participants found that for every three cups of tea consumed per day, the relative risk of depression decreased 37 percent.
And heart health:
...drinking an additional three cups of tea a day was associated with a reduction in coronary heart disease (27 percent), cardiac death (26 percent), stroke (18 percent), total mortality (24 percent), cerebral infarction (16 percent) andintracerebral hemorrhage (21 percent).Tea is a more complex subject than you might think. For example, this article, 13 Reasons Tea is Good for you, outlines the differences between tea and what we call herbal tea, as well as addressing the complexities of black, white and green teas.
So the next time you are feeling blue, unwell or are looking for alternative ways to manage symptoms or chronic illness, you might reach for a cup of tea. Which kind is up to you.... when it comes to hot tea, the options are seemingly endless and the internet is a wealth of information.
Kimberly Henrie is a coffee and tea lover that has many warm associations with hot beverages. She is a yoga/fitness teacher, radio personality and local business owner who can put you in touch with some quality teas and fair trade organic coffees. You can reach her at kimhenrie@vitalityforlife.com or by calling 970-930-1242.
