I have been learning so much about alkalizing our bodies.

My husband and I recently went to a spa for our 20th Anniversary. It was the kind where no TVs or cell phones were used, all meals were eaten in bathrobes, and everyone had this I-just-had-a-massage-and-now-my-hair-is-greasy look the entire stay. It was amazing. Anyways, they served tea throughout the day.

photo credit: Dayne Topkin

The day everything changed.

We are coffee drinkers {snobs}. Not the addicted kind nor the kind that need it to survive the day but we took our coffee seriously, serving only quality grounds via the pour over method. When I say we were coffee drinkers, I mean we were not tea drinkers. Until the spa. That changed everything.

I realized there was this world of lovely teas that go far beyond the Earl Grey Tea I remember smelling in a childhood breakfast joint and wondering why people would endure that.

My eyes have been opened. Because I love doing things from scratch, I began to combine the flavors I enjoyed from the yummy teas and make my own. Rooibos is my fav because it not only tastes great but is super healthy and now, I learn it is alkalizing to the body, too! 

So if you have been blinded by believing that Earl Grey is all there is, let me encourage you of the world beyond it. You will thank me when you have your hand hugging a warm mug of a lovely healthy sipping experience. 

Struggling with irritations of the skin, IBS, inflammation?

Studies have shown that alkalizing our bodies allows some amazing healing to occur. So if you struggle with exhaustion, illness or other irritations I encourage you to learn more about an alkaline lifestyle. Here is a wonderful article to help you get started.

Here are some of my favorite things I use to make tea:

Rooibos tea as a base as it has less caffeine than black tea and is alkalizing to the body.  

Simply add the following ingredients to a pot of water and boil for 1-2 hours or on high in a crockpot with the lid off for 3-4 hours. Strain ingredients so only liquid is left. When ready to drink tea, heat up liquid and steep Rooibos tea as directed. Enjoy!

+Orange peel or other dried fruits

+Ginger

+Cinnamon pieces (lots of these)

+Allspice

+Cardamom pods

+Cloves

+Pepper (that's not a siri typo)

+Raw honey (duh) It's best to get local raw honey

+Adding pau'd arco bark to tea helps combat fungal issues in the body.

Before you go thinking this list is more of a thanksgiving/fall/winter time drink, let me assure you otherwise. I thought the same thing since I started making tea but lovely tea can be enjoyed in warm weather as well.

Plus, there should be a study on the psychological effects of hugging a warm mug. It feels therapeutic, right?

Here is an article on the alkalinity of teas you might enjoy. Happy exploring the world of tea.

Are you a tea drinker? If so, what are your favorites?