Tea Remedies 101

The final month of the semester has arrived and with that comes the long list of assignments you've put aside, thinking you’ll get them done tomorrow. “Tomorrow” was actually last month and now you’re left trying to figure out how to complete them all on time. Your stress and panic levels are now higher than your flappy bird score.

You went out with some friends last night to check out that new Mexican restaurant to try out the “muy caliente” tacos everyone’s been raving about.

You then wake up the next morning rushing to the bathroom. You’ll be spending the next few hours in there becoming acquainted with the remains of last year’s Thanksgiving meal. You’re expecting Uncle TOM’s (time of month) visit in the next few days but you notice that you’re not as hormonal as you usually are. A week goes by and no visit; another week goes by and still no visit. Uncle TOM is known for making week to two week late visits but right now it seems the bastard has gone off with no signs of a visit anytime soon.

 And no, you’re not pregnant.

What do all of these situations have in common? We've all in one way or another experienced them and have tried to think of ways to rationally handle the situation: load up on Red Bull, buy some Pepto-Bismol, and inquire about Birth Control ASAP.

As someone who has had experience with all three of the aforementioned scenarios I know how dependent we can get on man-made/easy to buy from the drugstore remedies. But that all changed when I decided to take the advice from a relative to look into the wonders of herbal tea.

And no.

I am not referring to the pseudo organic crap hipsters stock up on from that obscure 24 hour gas station.

Herbal tea has been used as a remedy for multiple illnesses over thousands of years. Various roots, herbs, and plants can be combined together or customized in order to create the perfect blend to soothe your problem. Not to mention the process of putting together your own blend of dried herbs and roots can be quite fun!

The following are three different teas you can consume to help with the problems mentioned in the three scenarios.

Chamomile Tea: For moments of stress, panic, or anxiety you can’t go wrong with a cup of nicely brewed chamomile tea. This tea will help bring down your stress levels and leave you feeling relaxed and tranquil. Additionally, this tea will help you get some good night’s sleep a la Nyquil during those long restless nights. This is due to the tea’s ability to raise up the amount of glycine (an amino acid that reacts as a nerve relaxant) in the body.

Peppermint Tea: This tea is a personal favorite of mine and has changed my father’s life for the better. He’s always had issues with his stomach after he consumed a meal and no matter how many different medicines the doctor would prescribed him, none of them worked the way peppermint tea did.



Have a problem with cramps? Drink the tea.

Heart burn? Drink the tea.

Diarrhea? Drink the tea.

Indigestion? DRINK.THE.TEA.

This bad boy contains Menthol, which is defined by this article from Reader's Digest as, "a volatile substance that has a direct antispasmodic effect on the smooth muscle of the digestive tract."

Now, if you've consumed out of this world junk food and the tea isn't strong enough to take away all the discomfort then I highly recommend adding a few drops of Peppermint extract into your tea.

 Not only does it smell great but the extract itself will enhance the tea to give it the extra boost you may need!

Raspberry Tea Leaf: To all my ladies out there who have had difficulty with irregular periods, cramps, or heavy bleeding. I give you the holy grail of PMS remedies. Words cannot define the miracle worker that is Raspberry Tea Leaf. For years I have struggled with irregular periods and almost gave in to birth control. I've spent countless hours researching on the internet for cures or remedies to help with the problem until one day I stumbled upon RTL.

This tea does wonders for the female body--we're talking about the ability to induce labor! This plant contains a multitude of minerals and vitamins essential for women's health; such as vitamin's C,E,A, and B-Complex. For further information I recommend you read this article by Healthy Beginning's Magazine. This was the page that led me to my discovery on this wonderful remedy.

I hope this post encourages you to research and try out herbal tea! The possibilities are endless!