The Perfect Combination: Tea and Yoga

What do tea and yoga for women have in common? Well, both of them provide health benefits. Yoga improves breathing and tea increases immunity. Yoga enhances sleep performance, and herbal tea can soothe the digestive system. Both tea and yoga can instill a sense of overall wellness, and mind and body balance.

There’s been some debate about whether tea is better for you than coffee, and the fact is, both coffee and tea offer several health benefits. While coffee gives you an immediate energy burst, tea provides a slower release of energy coupled with a feeling of relaxation.

Feel Well With Yoga and Tea

Yoga is enhanced when you pair it with a soothing, healing tea before a session. And many swear by a cup of warm, herbal tea after yoga.

A significant benefit of tea after a workout is that it helps to hydrate the body. Tea also reduces inflammation and re-boosts your metabolism.

Here are some types of teas and their health benefits:

• Cardamom – Improves skin and strengthens hair, fights free radicals
• Chai – Kidney, Lymph and vision enhancers, helps coughs, reduces motion sickness and pain, relieves sciatica and weather-related coldness, mood elevator
• Chamomile – Relaxes muscles, lowers stress, sleep aid
• Chrysanthemum – Immunity booster, increases alertness
• Cinnamon – Aids digestion and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), promotes weight loss, helps reduce belly fat, supports blood circulation, improves alertness and memory, freshens breath, may help lower insulin resistance
• Ginger – Aids digestion and can reduce nausea, soothes sore throats
• Green – Reduce heart attack risk*, lowers LDL cholesterol, may boost weight loss, improves dental health, may prevent bone loss
• Hibiscus – Diuretic for water retention and helps stabilise blood pressure
• Jasmine – lowers risk of heart attack, relieves muscle aches, reduces stress, aids digestion, lowers cholesterol, helps eliminate harmful bacteria, pain reliever
• Lavender – Soothing aroma, promotes relaxation, reduces stress and pain
• Lemon-verbena – Energises and aids digestion
• Mint – Aids digestion, helps rid the body of toxins
• Rooibos – Lowers stress and enhances skin
• Rosehip – Immunity booster

Traditional Yogi Tea combined with yoga for women
In 1969, a well-liked and inspirational teacher, Yogi Bhajan, shared healthy living tips for mind/body wellness and taught his students about the benefits of Indian herbs. He served a fragrant, soothing tea during his classes, and his students affectionately named it, “Yogi Tea.”

Yogi Tea Recipe
(one serving)
• 10 ounces water (about 1 1/3 cups)
• Three whole cloves
• Four green cracked cardamom pods
• Four whole black peppercorns
• Two slices fresh ginger root
• ½ stick cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon black tea
• ½ cup milk (or milk substitute)

Bring water to the boil and gently add spices. Cover and boil for 15-20 minutes, then add black tea. Remove from stove and let it settle for 3-5 minutes. Add milk and return to heat. Bring up to a boil then carefully remove from the heat and strain into a cup. Add honey if sweetness is desired.

The Holmes Place global initiative helps members ‘enjoy the journey’. Contact the health professionals today for more information about Holmes Place Lifestyle clubs.

Posted in Wellness