What Teas are Good for Digestion

I have loved switching to iced tea at the Healing Arts Tea Bar this summer.  We have found a way to do personalized iced tea for your enjoyment and have loved the feedback from everyone, especially on our digestion tea blends.  Whether it's indigestion, bloating, IBS, constipation etc. using tea as medicine can really help especially if taken on a daily basis.  Food is medicine and I enjoy tea so much that I forget that it can actually help your body too.

Our tea menu is different than anything you have ever seen before.  Yes, we have the teas listed and you can pick one and enjoy it to either stay at the tea bar or take it to go but what is different is on the back of the menu is a list of symptoms and you can choose the symptom you want to work on and then get muscle tested for which 3 herbs your body needs.  So you don't choose your tea but your body does!

Besides getting a cup of iced or hot tea we can also make a container for you of your personalized blend that is 12 servings. Before opening the Tea Bar we experimented for months and came up with some great blends when muscle testing for helping digestion.  Here is the list of teas we have that can help your gut and other things as well.

Bergamot    Digestion, lowers cholesterol, brain health, acid reflux, immunity booster, energy booster, weight loss, skin support, constipation, hydrates

Black Tea    Digestion, blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, brain health, heart health, improves blood pressure 

Cat's Claw   Digestion, brain health, immune support, improves blood pressure

Earl Grey     Digestion, brain health, immune booster, energy booster, weight loss, hydrates, skin support

Echinacea    Immune booster, respiratory health, digestion, anti-inflammatory, brain health, skin, anti-aging

Fennel          Digestion, weight loss, immunity booster, energy booster, women’s health, respiratory health, eye support, detox, improves blood pressure, diuretic 

Ginger          Digestion, anti-inflammatory, lower cholesterol, brain health, immunity booster, weight loss, women’s health, pain relief, heart support

Holy Basil    Digestion, blood sugar, anti-inflammatory, lower cholesterol, brain health, immunity booster, weight loss support, skin support, respiratory support, eye support, detox

Jasmine       Liver support, relaxation, brain health, digestion

Marshmallow Root Digestion, blood sugar, acid reflux, immunity booster, weight loss, women’s health, skin support anti-aging, constipation, detox, liver support pain relief, heart support

Mugwort      Diuretic, women’s health, energy booster, brain health, digestion

Peppermint Digestion, respiratory, anti-inflammatory, brain health, pain relief, sleep support, women’s health, weight loss, skin support, immune support, relaxation, brain health

Rose            Hydrates, respiratory support, skin support, sleep support, women’s health, immunity booster, brain health, digestion 

Turmeric      Pain relief, eye support, immunity booster, brain health, lower cholesterol, anti-inflammatory (for more on turmeric, click here)

We also have blends to help inflammation, energy, women’s health, brain health, high blood pressure and more.  So if you haven’t tried a personalized tea blend yet you must at your next visit!

Herbal Teas for Better Gut Health

I help a lot of people with gut issues that include people having trouble with constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux, IBS, malabsorption and bloating.  It seems that no matter what the gut issue is if I help that patient reduce inflammation that is irritating the gut the body tends to heal itself given the right nutrition.  One of the things I use in order to reduce inflammation and heal the gut is to suggest to my patients to drink teas.  The top 4 teas that help my patients reduce inflammation while healing the gut are fennel, ginger, marshmallow root and peppermint.  

Fennel tea is great to help the body digest.  It tastes a little like licorice.  It can relieve constipation and is known to prevent stomach ulcers.  It also has anti-inflammatory properties due to its high level of antioxidants which the body needs to fight harmful things you ingest like bacteria, plastics that leach from food containers, or aluminum that food absorbed from foil.  

Ginger is a great tea to drink if you have an upset stomach for any reason.  Ginger tea is also good for preventing or stopping nausea. Drinking ginger tea is useful in improving digestion and increasing absorption of food.  Drink ginger tea when feeling bloated after eating too much.  It has such strong anti-inflammatory properties that drinking tea can also help reduce inflammation in other parts of the body including joints, head and uterus so it’s good for arthritis, headaches and menstrual cramps.  

Marshmallow root tea is very soothing for the gut.   It reduces inflammation of the stomach lining and even heals stomach ulcers. It creates a protective lining in the digestive tract, thereby treating leaky gut syndrome and soothing acid reflux. Marshmallow root also helps individuals suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Drinking peppermint tea is a good way to balance pH levels and promote a healthy blood flow throughout the body.  In this way peppermint tea reduces inflammation not only in the gut but also your joints.  Peppermint tea is also good for nausea.

It is best to drink the loose leaf, organic version of any of these teas at any time of day.  Steep one teaspoon of tea in 6 ounces of hot water for at least 3 minutes.  

How to have Healthy Hair

How to have Healthy Hair

More people than I would think come to me for help with their hair.  Many women feel like they are losing hair at an extreme rate.  They are worried it won't grow back and that they eventually will go bald.  A lot of women come to me showing me spots on their scalp where their hair is thinning or where they are already completely bald.  There is a lot of natural things one can do for healthier hair to help hair regrow (even men) or prevent hair from falling out.

Number one thing I ask patients when they complain about their hair is what their stress level is. Stress is the number one thing that causes hair to thin.  Stress affects hormones and hormone levels affect hair growth.  Besides stress management here are other things that can help.

Supplementation

Some of the best supplements for one's hair to become thick and healthy include Saw Palmetto, Black Current Seed Oil, Vitamin E, etc.  Yet I never found that one supplement that could do it all so I developed my own, called Hair Rejuvenation.  It includes wild harvested Black Current Seed, Saw Palmetto, Dandelion, Rosemary, Pomegranate, Raspberry Leaf, Liposomal Vitamin C and Vitamin E. With this combination of ingredients I have found great results in hair regrowth and strengthening weak hair.  

Vitamin C, vitamin E and pomegranate are used for their antioxidants which helps the body have less stress on it from toxins.  Pomegranate also contains punicic acid which stimulates the hair follicles for better hair growth. This will strengthen the hair follicles and stimulates strong and fast hair growth. Also to help detox is dandelion which supports the liver.  Dandelion is also rich with vitamins A, C, B-complex and E. It also contains biotin, iron, sulfur, magnesium and calcium. These all enrich the hair by stimulating and strengthening the hair.   Rosemary has been tested in clinical trials and shown hair growth just as good as Rogaine on men after 6 months of use.   Raspberry leaf supports the hormones while black current seed and saw palmetto are direct hair support.  Hormone support is important because too much testosterone can cause hair to fall out.  Black Currant Seed contains omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids, which help provide moisture for your hair and encourage hair growth and strength. Specifically, the gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) in black currant seed oil is an omega-6 acid that can help prevent hair thinning, splitting and dryness.

By taking the oxidative stress off the body, while also supporting the hormones and liver as well as the hair I have seen the best results with my patients’ regrowth of hair.  Unfortunately it takes time and it’s usually only in the 4th month that patients start noticing a difference.  

Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

Simply mix 1 part apple cider vinegar with 2 parts warm water. Rinse through your hair after washing at least 2-3 times per week. You can let it sit for 1-2 minutes, and then rinse out your hair completely.
What does apple cider vinegar do for your hair?
This apple cider vinegar rinse closes up your hair follicle to prevent damage by keeping your hair’s pH levels balanced. This gives you smoother, shinier, stronger hair.

Feed Your Hair the Right Nutrition

One of my most important natural hair growth tips is: nutrition.
Hair only grows if you feed it the right nutrients.  
Here’s how to keep your hair healthy by adding some key nutrients to your daily diet:

• Collagen powder (I use Organixx)
• Food-based B-vitamins
• Healthy fats (think coconut oil, olive oil, wild salmon and omega-3s, etc.)
• Antioxidants 

DIY Abundant Hair Growth Serum

This serum is what I use every day to promote strong hair:

• 10 drops rosemary essential oil
• 10 drops cedarwood essential oil
• 10 drops lavender essential oil
• 2 drops peppermint essential oil
• 2 drops cypress essential oil

Add these oils to 4 ounces of grapeseed oil OR aloe vera gel in a glass bottle. (Use the oil if you tend to have dry hair, aloe if it tends to be oily).
Apply a small amount to your fingertips after washing your hair and massage into your scalp daily.
You can also use the oil to do a deep moisture treatment by massaging a generous amount into your scalp and hair (especially the ends). Leave it in for about 30-60 minutes and then wash as usual. Do this especially if you use heat tools on your hair often.

Scalp Massage

One common reason for hair loss is lack of circulation. Due to lack of circulation the hair roots aren't getting enough blood to them. Without enough nutrients the hair prematurely falls out. What I suggest doing is spending a full minute in the morning and another full minute at night massaging your scalp to increase blood flow to the hair roots. You may find that as you massage in small circular motions using your fingertips, tender spots and it is those spots in particular you want to concentrate on for they are tender due to lack of circulation. You will notice as you massage the tender spots they will become less tender. Continue to do every day, twice a day, for at least 2 weeks in order to see a change.