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Relax - with a Cup of Tea
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For centuries, people have turned to a cup of tea to help relieve stress. Now there's evidence that decaffeinated herbal and fruit teas are better than regular tea, since they don't raise your levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that boosts blood pressure and heart rate.
Here's a quick look at some of available teas and their stress-reducing properties:
- Valerian tea has long been used as a mild tranquilizer. It has a strong taste, so you might want to mix in a sweetener such as honey or a strong spice like cinnamon.
- St. John's Wort tea is used to help alleviate mild to moderate depression as well as helping to fight infection.
- Chamomile tea helps you relax and also relieves indigestion. It provides the most benefit when prepared very strong.
- Lemon balm tea, also called melissa, contains terpenes, which have a tranquilizing effect.
- Kava kava tea is widely used in Polynesia for its relaxing, anxiety-reducing effects.
It is important to note that the FDA has approved none of these claims and you should discuss the use of any herbal tea with your doctor if you are being treated for a health condition.
Source: Healing Foods. Stress-relieving teas.
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