Herbal Teas for Daily Health

If you’re familiar with traditional “kitchen medicine”, you’ll know that there are plenty of home remedies and simple botanical solutions for common issues. In my house, we have a tea nook (which was once rather small, now it’s kind of overtaking a corner of the pantry) that is usually our go-to when we need some health support. Now, I’ve gotten kind of out of control with my tea nook, and have ridiculously specific remedies for what commonly comes up for us, but I remember a time when the basics were best, and my foundational teas are still there. Here are some great teas that are ideal to keep on hand for both daily nourishment and occasional health imbalances:

1. Gaia Bronchial Wellness Tea – I keep this one on hand all year long, but most especially for the fall and winter months when the air is dry and colds and flu’s are rampant. This helps keep my lungs soothed and clear. The plantain and licorice are very moistening for dry coughs, and the thyme is balancing by being more drying for the wet conditions. This is a beautifully balanced tea, and it tastes delicious.
2. Traditional Medicinals Gypsy Cold Care Tea – This has been my go-to cold formula for probably 10 years. The peppermint, yarrow and elder flower are ideal for the very beginning stages of a cold, while the ginger, clove and licorice are nice and warming to push out lingering symptoms. I add a dash of honey and a squeeze of lemon to every cup and drink this All. Day. Long. when I have a cold.
3. Traditional Medicinals Throat Coat Tea – The licorice, the marshmallow, the orange peel. This is SO soothing to a sore and upset throat in the cold months or when you wake up in the morning with a scratchy cough. That feeling of a raw cough is perfectly soothed with this moistening and comforting formula. This is another tea that you can sip on all day that has a delicious and nourishing taste.
4. Mountain Rose Herbs Blossoms of Health Tea – This one is packed with vitamins and minerals from the chamomile, nettles and red clover. I like to drink this one for an added dose of nourishment every day.
5. Pukka Detox Tea – I love this tea as a daily, gentle liver support as well as digestive support after any meal. The fennel seed and cardamom pods are great for lower gastrointestinal support to help with digestion while also gently cleansing your organ system in a building a nourishing way (not a stripping or depleting tea).
6. Gaia Sleep & Relax Tea – for when the Monkey Mind takes over and it’s hard to get relaxed and to sleep at night. The passionflower is ideal to calm a racing brain, while the chamomile and lemon balm hep to relax the muscles and organ systems to help you ease into a comforting and peaceful state of mind.

As an added benefit, drinking herbal tea every day sort of demands that you take some time for yourself. Set some time aside to brew a perfect cup, sit down, relax and sip consciously knowing that the hundreds of medicinal constituents in every cup are nourishing and supporting your body in a deeply foundational way.