ANTIOXIDANT HERBS AND HOW IT WORKS
"Antioxidants are wonderful little molecules busting with all the good stuff. Essentially they help us turn back the clock – and fight the signs of ageing and damage. As the name suggests, they are like a powerful force that reverses (anti) the effects our environment has on our bodies (oxidation). Visualise an old rusty piece of iron; this is oxidation at its finest. Now imagine how the environment by way of diet, lifestyle, pollutants, toxins, stress all have their way with your body; all of these things have a huge impact on us – leading to damage just like the rusty iron. They all contribute to placing a load on us, right down to how our cells interact.
I'd like to talk about the ingredients in Antioxidant Herbs Tea and how they have traditionally been used for consumption.
Straight up, Ginko Biloba is a very well known ‘brain’ herb. I used to take it before exams to enhance my memory and activate my brain (there’s a tip!) It’s a powerful antioxidant in this blend alongside some other beauties. Du Zhong or eucommia ulmoides oliver is another herb included in this formula for its ability to not only strengthen the body on the whole but it also helps to calm the body, it treats dizziness and headache and promotes circulation. These actions make it quite an invigorating ingredient – helping to pep up the mind and increase wakefulness.
Ginseng is a name we have all grown to love. Ginseng is widely sought after for its therapeutic properties of vitalizing and invigoration. It powerfully supports the body, it helps to calm the mind, it supports digestion meaning you can better assimilate the nutrients from your food to better supply your body with what it needs to thrive – after all you can eat all the freshest, most superior quality produce in the world but if you can’t digest it, it is useless! Ginseng is of course a powerful antioxidant too – it helps to clean up any damage day to day stress will undoubtedly cause – think of it like your very own superhero in a tea bag!
Another herb here is Fleeceflower root - it is fabulous because its antioxidant properties are used in Chinese Medicine to turn back the clock – ie; they have been used to treat grey hair, diminishing vision, lower back pain – all things we increasingly experience with age. Fleece flower root alongside Go Qi Zi (or goji berry) has also been widely used for similar reasons. It has an extra quality to add to the mix; Go Qi Zi also supports digestive function.
Yi Yi Ren is included to help rid the body of toxic build up, drain away impurities that accumulate and move it out through urination. This handy way of ridding of toxins means it isn’t stirred and the re-distributed back around into your body systems. Yi Yi Ren alongside Fu Ling are both used for these same benefits.
Both Cinnamon and Rose help to awaken the senses, work on the digestive power of the gut and support the body in general. Both being aromatic provide properties to awaken the senses and mind. Cinnamon is useful because it aids in ‘firing up’ the digestive flame (we’ve spoke about the pot and fire analogy before). Both are star players in this well balanced formula.
It’s so important we pull on the amazing properties of herbal ingredients to better support our systems on the whole. Antioxidants are proven to clean up the damage that ‘living’ and breathing have on our bodies. The world is a far cry from the pure state it was once able to offer us. We can’t necessarily control the air we breathe or free ourselves completely of the toxins in our foods but we can help our bodies as best we can by being kind to it, in every way possible".
With Love,
Your Tea