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Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

Tisanes are infusions of boiling water and herbs - better known as tsai, chai, char or even tea.

Most tisanes are made from a variety of bushes, herbs, shrubs and grasses, such as sage, mint, lucerne, comfrey, alfalfa and stinging nettles.

Herbal teas, simply put is the liquid yield from soaking part of a plant in hot water for a few minutes. It is also called herbal infusion. In some herbal medicine practices, herbs are put in a pot with water and "stewed" for an hour or so to yield a potent soup to achieve a certain effect.

With winter kicking in, we slow down a bit, it is a great time to rejuvenate and replenish our skin and what's better than giving your skin a moisturising boost than some nice herbal tea! 

Herbal tea is one of the best methods for treating many illnesses. Some herbs can be bland or bitter, but when blended with other herbs like peppermint or lemongrass, they become very pleasant drinks. Herbal tea is very easy to digest, easy to prepare and very effective in treating many medical problems. It does not interfere with lifestyle, religious beliefs or diets. It should be drunk regularly, and will improve health with little interference to any other treatment. The average person can consume between 3 to 8 cups per day, four cups is usual. Every herbal tea has medicinal benefits, and varying the type of tea one drinks, over a period of time, can provide a wide range of preventative health benefits.

Herbal teas traditionally are said to have healing qualities: dried nettle is a source of iron, rosemary is supposed to stimulate memory and sage has the reputation of warding off old age.

Rosemary, sage, balm and agelica are used fresh while comfrey, camomile, nettle and lucerne are dried. Mint can be used fresh or dried and fennel tea is made from seeds.

Organic Chamomile tea is pleasantly aromatic and slightly bitter and is known for its gentle, apple-like smoothness. Chamomile's wonderful taste is well known and enjoyed by the very young to the elderly.

I personally think of chamomile as more than a mother's tea, it's a mothers tonic. Here are just some of the great uses of chamomile tea.

* Sip during pregnancy to calm anxiety and /or help you sleep better.

* Ask your birth attendants to make a compress of chamomile tea. (Warm tea soaked into a cloth). Use this against your perineum during the last stages of childbirth to help soothe your skin.

* Pour some warm chamomile tea into your new baby's bath, before bedtime.

* Make a luke warm tea for your baby to drink from six months onwards, soak a flannel in chamomile tea, for baby to suck when teething.

* Drink regularly while breastfeeding to help settle your baby.

* Make a compress and sit on your baby's tummy from birth if any signs of colic. The chamomile will be absorbed through their skin into their stomach. May provide some relief. Equally beneficial to use the compress on their head.

Herbal teas are not only of great medicinal value, they also taste good. There are many varieties available. Organic Tea bags are okay if you are looking for different tastes. For medicinal or health use, the only option is the loose leaf herbal teas.To dry tisane herbs, hang bunched leaves downwards in a warm dry place until they are brittle and crumble between the fingers. Purchased organic loose leaf teas do not undergo the harsh manufacturing process that are used to grind the herbs before they go into tea bags. This process often loses some of the essential oils that are so important for medicinal use.

With loose leaf herbal teas you can get several cups from the same amount of leaf. If you are making your herbal tea in a cup or mug, try to avoid straining the leaves out before you drink it. The leaves continue to leach out essential oils and vitamins, even while you are drinking it. When empty you can top up the cup with hot water two or three times if you wish. A glass infusion teapot is more convenient and they are not expensive. Same thing applies, you can refill the teapot 2 or 3 times with hot water. Any surplus tea can be placed in the 'fridge for drinking later, or tipped over your houseplants, or poured in your dog's water dish. It can also be used to jazz up sauces, stews, baking (cakes etc). Don't waste a drop!

Teas are refreshing and invigorating and can be enjoyed hot or cold.

For a delicious summer drink try iced mint tea with lemon and organic honey to sweeten. In all iced drinks and soups an ice cube in which a mint leaf has been frozen makes a charming addition. Many people like their herbal teas just luke warm, or even chilled with ice and a slice of lemon or ginger, or garnish with a few sprigs of mint.

Skin Tonics

When winter kicks in, we slow down a bit, it is a great time to rejuvenate and replenish our skin and what's better than giving your skin a moisturising boost than some nice herbal tea!

Drink to Skin Wellness

Rooibos - The South African red bush tea tastes similar to black tea and can be drunk with or without milk. Studies suggest allergic conditions such as hayfever, asthma and excema respond well to treatment with Rooibos. Rooibos contains vitmain C, Zinc and iron and is known to have anti-inflammatory properties - indeed, Rooibos has been a popular remedy for nappy rash in South Africa for decades!

Rose - This beautiful flower has been used in herbal medicine to relax body and mind for centuries (often skin irritation is caused by or aggrevated by an irritated state of mind!). Rose contains Vitamin C and is often included in skin toning products.

Rosehip - Rich in Vitamin C, this tartish fruit makes a nice digestive cup. It also contains Vitamin A, D and E. Rosehips were used in many food preparations by indigenous peoples of the Americas and used for colds and influenza.

Wintersweet flowers - This lesser known Chinese herb is bitter in taste, but effective to relieve skin irritation but gentle enough for baby baths to alleviate skin rash. It is said in Chinese medicine that Wintersweet helps to "brighten the eyes and detoxify the kidney".

Honeysuckle - This detoxifying flower is often used in Chinese medicine for clearing skin irritations and promoting perspiration and urination. It is also a herb used commonly in acne clearing tonics.

Chrysanthemum - A popular Chinese herbal drink. Very mellow and slight sweet taste. Goes well with a drizzle of honey. Chinese have been drinking it to calm sensitive skin while reducing the heat in liver, a good tonic to replenish the body after late nights.

Tea - particularly green tea, oolong and more recently white tea, have been touted by many as the best drink for skin. Many researches suggest the antioxidants such as Catechins and polyphenols contain in tea can help to reduce the harm caused by the oxidant radicals (free radicals). A research conducted in Medical College of Georgia in 2008 suggests green tea could hold promise as a new treatment for skin disorders such as psoriasis and dandruff. There are many skin care products that utilise the natural goodness in green tea.

It does seem like there is a great future for tea in helping us have better skin health.

At the end of the day, we are what we eat, and if we take care of selecting our diet, our skin will take care of us!