When you’re working hard on your business, it can be hard to keep up with maintaining health and wellbeing.
But by choosing the right tea for the occasion, you can improve your productivity, reduce your stress levels, and relax at the end of the day.
Here are a few of my favourite selections for a work day:
For Increased Concentration: Sip On Ginkgo Biloba
Staying focused can be a challenge, especially as your workload increases. Ginkgo is a mild tasting tea that can boost blood flow to the brain and protect it from inflammation, improving concentration and memory.
In fact, research showed that gingko can speed up processing of information in the brain – something that every business owner can use!
Drink it: During the work day to keep your brain in tip-top condition
For A Caffeine Hit: Switch To Green
Everyone loves a good hit of caffeine for energy, but it does come with side effects, thanks to its stimulation of the adrenals. Luckily, there’s a caffeine option that’s better for you – green tea.
Green tea still has the energy boosting caffeine to put a pep in your step. But it also contains an antioxidant that reduces the adrenal hormones created by stress, balancing you out. This same antioxidant has a host of other benefits, including protecting your brain, your heart and your weight.
Remember, for your best tasting green tea, using hot water, not boiling – boiling water can bring out the bitter taste, whereas hot water extracts all of the benefits while retaining the subtle flavour.
Drink it: In the morning instead of your coffee, for a caffeine hit with benefits
For Stressful Days: Dose Up On Ginseng
When you know you’re coming up to a stressful period of time, it can add even more stress, throwing you off your game. But you can prepare your body so that it handles stress better with a cup of the right tea.
Ginseng can act as an adaptogen, which helps the body to adapt to stress levels through the HPA axis and adrenal glands, balancing the stress hormones.
Drink it: Before stressful events to aid your body in adapting
For Soothing Sweet Cravings: Soothe With Cacao
Between stress, irregular meals and boredom, it’s incredibly common to feel the urge to snack, especially if you have a sweet tooth. But put down the jar of lollies – I have a tasty, healthier option for you.
Cacao tea, made with the husks of cacao beans, tastes 100% just like chocolate – but without the sugar. I discovered it myself about a month ago, and I’m hooked already.
It’s not all in your head either, with research showing that even the scent of chocolate can significantly reduce your ‘hunger hormone’ levels. Cacao is also rich in nutrients that are depleted during stressful times, including magnesium.
Drink it: When you get the munchies, but want a healthier option
For Evening Relaxation: Calm With Chamomile
When you get home from a busy day, it can be hard to switch off and wind down afterwards. What you need is a nice cup of herbal tea.
Chamomile is your best bet, with research showing that it can aid in an easy induction into sleep, and act as a nervine that calms the nervous system when it is overstimulated.
For best results and taste, look for a chamomile that is made with the flowers instead of the root. Ladies, if you’re expecting, please seek your GP’s advice first.
Drink it: After the work day is done, or just before bedtime
There are dozens of teas on the shelves to choose from these days, and most have their benefits. But by including these 5 teas when needed, you will be feeling energized, calm and in control in no time – which is what every business owner wants to be!
References
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0367326X00001702 , http://ijnp.oxfordjournals.org/content/4/2/131.abstract, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14737017, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0006899395014403, http://jn.nutrition.org/content/138/9/1677.short, http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0084468, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167011510000169,
http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/act.2004.10.309, https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bpb/28/5/28_5_808/_article
