Life is like a cup of tea…it is all in how you make it.
Let’s face it, we all want gorgeous, youthful, glowing skin. Of course, what you put in your body has a direct effect on the external, so first and foremost, it is imperative to feed your body with healthy, organic pure foods: fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and clean proteins. Nutritional research has also taught us that certain foods can dramatically turn up radiant outside glow. Foods like spirulina, maca, chlorella, wild salmon, organic berries, and yellow-orange foods (sweet potatoes, zucchini, mangoes, papaya, oranges, tangerines), all of which are full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, carotenoids and anti-inflammatory properties. However, there is one often overlooked and very important dietary category that also encourages radiant, beautiful skin–HERBAL TEAS! Not only delicious, herbal teas pack powerful nutritional properties!
Let’s get into the details…
Benefits of Tea
Teas are flat out amazing in that they can help to fill in missing nutrients lacking in the body and thereby restore the body back to balance. (My favorite for this is Red Clover tea). The best part about this is, you don’t have to take a supplement! Moreover, certain herbs have the ability to invigorate and energize the body, while others relax and prepare the body for sleep. And did you know certain infusions can actually eradicate viruses and bacteria that can be lingering in the body preventing optimal health. Yes indeed! [I’ll save that post for another time].
Additionally, herbs contain antioxidants just like food, which help to fight free radicals (these cause premature aging and skin damage), hence this makes herbal teas powerful tools for glowing, radiant skin! Would you believe me if I said certain herbal concoctions can also reduce body fat, boost collagen, slow aging and maintain healthy skin cells? Well they CAN and do! Lucky for you, below I share a recipe for a potent beauty tea that will bring you that much sought after glow and radiance + bring you closer to optimal health!
Glowing Skin Tea
Materials:
- 32 oz. Mason Jar with Lid or French Press
- Dried Herbs: Spearmint, Lemon Balm, Thyme, Rosehip, Nettle, Raspberry Leaf and/or Oregano *(choose 1-3 herbs based on the properties below)
- Boiled Filtered Water
- Optional: 1 tsp organic honey
- Optional: 1 tsp organic turmeric (anti-inflammatory)
- Optional: 1 tsp cinnamon (speeds up metabolism, which is great for weight loss)
Spearmint: helps to balance hormones + anti-inflammatory (rids the body of excess testosterone)
Lemon Balm: aides digestion + balances stress
Thyme: eliminates viruses
Rosehip: supremely high in vitamin C
Nettle: balances hormones + helps with stress + detoxifies + iron rich
Raspberry Leaf: balances hormones + detoxifies + iron rich (great for women)
Oregano: anti-bacterial
Directions:
*Note: Prepare your potent beauty infusion before you go to bed, so it has time to brew and really get potent.
- Heat water and bring to boil. While water is boiling, pack 1/3 of jar with your herbs of choice. *You do not have to use them all. You can choose your favorites or rotate them. If you only have tea bags, that’s okay too. Just soak them overnight for a potent beauty elixir to be consumed in the morning.
- Pour the boiling water to the top of rim of the jar, put on lid and let it sit overnight.
- In the morning, strain your herbs and reheat if desired by pouring into a kettle or pot and bringing to medium heat. You may also drink it room temperature. If using the French press, simply press the rod down to strain your herbs.
- Add in honey, cinnamon or turmeric to your warm tea (not boiling) and picture yourself with glowing, radiant skin! Yes, visualize it! Visualization is a powerful tool of the mind!
**Bonus: save the strained tea leaves for more tea brewing throughout the day. You will be able to get several steeps of tea before discarding.
I recommend drinking the above herbal teas several times a week for glowing, radiant skin, balanced hormones and optimal health. It is important to note that if you have acne prone skin, you may see an increase in breakouts. What? More break-outs? Yes, this is completely normal as it is just your body detoxifying and pushing toxins out of the body that would eventually make there way out anyways, contributing to future breakouts. Just embrace the process and work on visualizing that glowing, beautiful skin that you so desire.
*Inspired by Organic Olivia
“Where there is tea, there is hope [a.k.a beautiful skin].”
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