So what’s Ayurveda all about?
Ayurveda is an ancient philosophy of body & mind developed in the Indian subcontinent more than 5000 years ago. It gave rise to many other early forms of medicine & healing, and is a tap root of what we now call complementary or alternative medicine.
Considered by its adherents to be a science for life, Ayurveda is a holistic system that looks at each individual and their condition of being-in-the-world. It involves herbal remedies, diet, and exercise in the form of yoga & yogic breathing.
How does this relate to my health?
In Ayurveda your health rests on a balance between mind, body, spirit & social well-being. Humans are considered to be a microcosm of the macrocosm: all things in the universe are connected and must remain in harmony.
Disease and illness are brought about by imbalances in the body, and between the body and its environment. There are natural laws that we should obey if we want to remain healthy, but everything is always in flux: therefore our routines & diet must strive to reset these imbalances.
Another key aspect of Ayurveda, and an understanding which is also central to Western medicine (but sometimes less emphasised), is the fact that our bodies & minds are well-equipped to heal themselves, but this healing is hindered by many aspects of our lives.
What kind of health tips do you find in Ayurveda?
Some of the lifestyle recommendations in Ayurveda are very relevant to a modern lifestyle, and represent choices agreed upon by health experts across many schools of thought.
A summary of a daily Ayurvedic routine looks something like this:
• Get up before sunrise • Drink a full glass of water at room temperature • Have a nutritious breakfast • Do some yoga and light stretches • Meditate for 20 minutes • Have a nourishing lunch between 11am and 2pm • Go for a walk or run 3-4 times a week • Meditate in the afternoon • Have a light dinner at least two hours before you go to bed • Go to bed from 10pm to 11pm
Stress and imbalance
Ayurveda is a holistic system: it looks at every part of your life, rather than the particular illness or problem in isolation.
One area of growing concerning in Western societies is the connection between stress & disease. In a nutshell, almost any health condition will be made worse by stress. And stress itself is linked to heart problems, high blood pressure, obesity, depression, anxiety, and diabetes, not to mention muscle tension, sleep problems and fatigue.
Ayurvedic practices can be a useful intervention, helping to break the cycle, and complementing other approaches. By looking at every factor in your life affecting your day to day levels of stress, Ayurveda seeks balance, diffusing every stressful symptom in your body with its opposite.
This could involve any number of lifestyle changes rather than a particular remedy: finding hobbies & activities that force you to slow down, practising self-care, spending time in nature, getting regular exercise, eating nutritious food etc.
Tea making & drinking can also be part of that routine: mindfulness goes hand-in-hand with taking tea, and the right loose-leaf tea can be mentally calming, as well as containing powerful spices.
What are the benefits of Ayurvedic tea?
Ayurvedic teas are not a replacement for medicinal remedies. However, based on Ayurvedic principles they seek to invigorate, restore balance and soothe with natural compounds.
They are little distillations of Ayurvedic knowledge, producing a spicy tea that will boost your energy levels, alleviate stress or more generally to help address imbalance and hydrate at the same time. All of our blends contain ingredients that are thought to promote & soothe digestion.
What kinds of Ayurvedic tea blends do you have?
We have our own signature Ayurvedic blends, and we are very proud of their taste. They balance earthy fire with sweetness and nutty tones.
All of our herbal infusions are caffeine-free.
Ayurvedic Harmony Tea (Pitta)
This all-round goodness blend is designed to bring body & mind back into alignment. Based on Ayurvedic principles, the perfectly balanced spices promote digestion with ginger & cinnamon, then pepper for cleansing, liquorice for the immune system and finally rose for cooling, and to complement the fiery nature of the other ingredients.
Ayurvedic Energy Tea (Kapha)
Pick yourself up without resorting to caffeine. This spicy blends zaps you awake with earthy fire and the stimulating effects of natural spices. Ginger, cardamom, coriander, turmeric, cloves & nutmeg all combine is a harmonising wake up call. Drink any time of day.
Ayurvedic Anti-Stress Tea (Vata)
The ultimate chill-out tea. We’re proud of this one. Cinnamon, fennel, liquorice, a dash of ginger and strong notes of fresh orange peel make for a brew that smooths out the creases and levels the spikes. Let those earthy spices do their work under the bonnet while you take a break.
Ayurvedic Yoga Tea
This is a sweeter, herbaceous tea, designed to be drunk hot or cold any time of day. We dialled down the spice with this one, and added some nettle, a natural source of iron, to boost the immune system, some blackberry leaves containing tannins & flavonoids (like black tea) plus white peppercorns for their mineral content. This is a very special tea with complex flavours.
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