Well, we are in the thick of the Holiday Season which everyone has pointed out daily that it’s a week shorter than normal.  Makes your skin cringe and tighten up just a bit knowing the clock is ticking faster.  Yikes! 

 Hold on now. Stop what you are doing.  Take a seat.  Breathe for a few moments and get a grip.  The world isn’t ending and you won’t lose your mind.  This happens to us every single year and every single year we behave exactly the same way.  Why not try something new instead of going down the same path and expecting a different result each time – hello insanity!

 SO. To help keep your entire being in a WELL space, try some TEA to relax your nerves, keep life in perspective and help you FEEL JOY!  JOY is what the Holiday Season is supposed to be about.  So why don’t you allow yourself to experience it!  Here are a few recommendations:

1. Chamomile Tea is your first stress-reducing tea and probably the most well-known as a calming tea though not everyone likes the taste on its own. The flower is a small daisy and you will find both a variety of its species in the tea blends out there. Chamomile has a sedative effect that is due to a flavonoid known as apigenin. It binds to receptors in the brain and acts as a mild tranquilizer. Because of that, it’s also helpful for promoting a better night’s sleep. Two of my favorite Chamomile blends are from Pukka (chamomile, vanilla, manuka honey) and Adagio’s Foxtrot (chamomile, rooibos, peppermint & vanilla)

2. Peppermint, Spearmint and Licorice - Peppermint might not be the first tea you think of to de-stress. The beautiful thing about peppermint oil is that it helps relax your muscles. A wonderful herb that’s ideal for aiding in digestion woes and upset stomachs from all the internalized stress you are inducing upon yourself!  Spearmint does a fine job as well especially with a few drizzles of honey!  Now, on its own Peppermint is lovely BUT when in a blend with Licorice Root (Aveda’s is the still the best though Pukka does a great job too!) you have a real winner. A lot of folks don’t like the taste of Licorice but I make them try the tea as it’s a very different experience than the molasses black strap sugary stuff you grew up with.  Organic India has some beautiful blends with both for relaxing and destressing.   

 3. Chai - Simply lovely is all I have to say about this blend.  It is a traditional Eastern Indian blend of spices (ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, black pepper and cinnamon) and is usually steeped in warm milk before bedtime.  You can add some Turmeric for additional anti-inflammatory benefits.  Chai is very warming, calming and quite grounding and will take your anxiety down a few notches if you allow yourself to sit still long enough to enjoy it.  So many companies have great blends out there.  Yogi has a Honey Chai Turmeric Vitality that’s lovely and I do like Rishi’s blend as well.

4. Passion Flower isn’t commonly consumed because it isn’t as well known as the others on this list. But it’s just as powerful for reducing stress and anxiety! It has the biggest effect on sleep, which is crucial for the body restoring itself—especially during times of stress. Chronic stress and insomnia often go hand in hand, right? One study, in particular, showed that passionflower tea helped adults get better sleep and sleep more regularly as well. Hello to waking up refreshed! (this taken from a Chopra Center contributor)

 5. My last favorite for relaxing and getting my head to slow down is Dandelion Tea and I really only like one blend by The Republic of Tea Super Herb Tea which has Vanilla in it.  

SO HAPPY TEA DRINKING.  HERE’S TO YOUR STRESS REDUCTION AND FEELING JOY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON! Be Well