Tea Time

Good morning, peaches! It's mid-week again and we are in the homestretch for the weekend. This morning has been a good one; I am off work today so I spent a good bit of time lounging around and reading when I woke up. Sometimes it feels positively splendid to have nothing on the schedule.

This morning, I want to talk about tea. I enjoyed a nice cup this morning and think you should too. If you are familiar with my daily routine, you know that I am an avid tea drinker. I will almost always choose tea over coffee. My parents were raised on English tea and, as could be predicted, their offspring inherited this habit. This being true of me, I take a special interest in different teas and their unique histories. So, when I spotted a quaint tea shop the other night, I all but ran to the door. Teavana. That's the name of this lovely place. Teavana specializes in high-end teas, cast iron teapots, and tea tins. The employees were friendly, helpful, and quick to give me samples of just about every tea in the store. After spending [way too much] time in this store, my interest was sparked about the health benefits of tea. Turns out, the benefits are plentiful. Here's what I found about the different categories of tea:

They have four main categories of tea: green, black, white, and oolong.

Green tea lowers cholesterol, inhibits the growth of cancer cells, and boosts the immune system.

Black tea contains useful antioxidents, boosts metabolism and fat burn, and has been know to help the aging process.

White tea lowers blood pressure, protects the heart and circulatory system, and promotes healthy teeth, gums, and skin.

Oolong tea has plenty of antioxidents, stress-fighting nutrients, and is known to be effective in improving skin vitality.

Aren't the following tea-themed pictures just the cutest? Be inspired!

Tea jewelry.

Adorable tea cups.

Teapot centerpiece.

Tea and fruit. Classic.

Teapot collection.



Patterned teacups and dishes.

Tea-time.

Tea set and cake.

Love.

Readers, I encourage you to try a few teas, iced or hot, and make tea-time part of your routine. Your body will thank you.

I appreciate you and you and you!

XO.

Yoga!

It’s Wednesday, cherries! And we are half way through the work week. How’s your state of mind today? Mine is a bit hazy, to be honest. Time seems to be flying by and no matter what I do, I just can’t quite convince it to slow down for me. If you find yourself relating, worry no more! I propose to you: yoga.

I don’t regularly do yoga. I went to a few classes with friends in high school, but never got hooked. However, as I was flipping through the channels the other night, I came across a program that was investigating the many benefits of yoga. To double check the validity behind their claims, I whipped out my computer and did a little yoga research. For what I once thought to be simple stretching and deep breathing, I found that the practice of yoga is actually much more. In fact, for many people yoga is a lifestyle, encompassing multiple aspects of their lives.

Yoga poses are specifically designed to cultivate self-discipline, awareness of body, balance, and freedom. The goal is to bring healthful harmony to both the body and mind. What a cool thought!

On the physical side of things, yoga has proven to lead to better alignment and less strain on the joints, muscles, and organs. Strength and flexibility are intertwined and key in the poses. Through the process of yoga, individuals learn how to listen, become in-tune with, and respond to their bodies. This awareness is invaluable. Why not try to treat your body well?

Surprisingly, yoga is just as helpful on the mental side of things. By practicing physical relaxation and awareness, this intelligent state of being will naturally overflow into other aspects of the person. The mind will follow along by quieting the constant flooding that most people experience from worries, thoughts, and to-do’s. In fact, many report feeling happier, more content, and less stressed after a yoga session.

Correlations have also been made that connect yoga to a decreased risk of heart disease, strokes, arthritis, migraines, and asthma.

Booya. It’s hard to find a downside, isn’t it? Needless to say, I’ll certainly be making more time for this whole-person form of exercise. I hope you consider it, too. If you prefer group yoga classes, these are available at most gyms and in specific yoga studios across the valley. However, if you prefer to practice from home, yoga videos and books are popular. I tend to be a home-body, so I prefer to be on my own for this central time.

Daises, consider enjoying some yoga goodness! Thanks for turning your attention this way for a bit; until next time. Love!

XO.