Do you drink tea as a form of alternative medicine? I do. I use red raspberry leaf tea to ease cramps, chamomile to ease me to sleep, slippery elm bark to relieve a sore throat and peppermint tea to relieve me of a headache. I always take mine with a spoonful of honey and will either have it hot or cool it in the fridge for later.

    

I love herbal teas for a variety of reasons not to mention flavor! One of my favorite beauty books had a regimen of teas that you drink at different times of the year to revitalize your system.

However, regular tea (green, black etc.) has many health benefits of its own. Benefits ranging from assisting in weight loss to preventing cancer and heart disease. I’ve read a number of medical journals while working on a few projects and was impressed with the findings, so much so that my husband was encouraged to make the switch (the articles were so good I had to read them out loud to him). I still like my coffee too though, but fancy a great cup of Earl Grey every now and then.

I switched to brewed iced tea to reduce the amount of soda we drink. Using 1 family size tea bag and 1-2 flavored tea bags keeps the price down and the fruity or minty tea flavors means you can use less (or no sugar). Decaf tea bags are a bit more pricey but don't interfere with anyone's sleep. Every so often I'll visit one of the tea shops in the area and try a new loose leaf tea or order some online. My favorite is Mango!

I just wanted to mention for those who drink tea on a regular basis, you can actually be doing your health some harm when you add in a ton of sugar to it. It would be best to switch to a bit of honey or use all natural cane sugar instead. Stevia and Splenda are also great sweeteners.

I drink peppermint tea to relieve headaches also. Green tea is my favorite because it gives me energy and helps with digestion. I don't put regular sugar in my tea, but I do use Equal or Splenda with a bit of honey.

Ok so does anyone make their own tea or do you use prepackaged tea bags? I used to "make" my own tea by using this cute little teapot I bought from a world market where I'd put the herbs and pour hot water over to infuse. But then I got spoiled by my Senseo and use tea bags now. My guess is the first way is healthier. I suppose you can also add essential oils to the herbs?

I have never heard of the peppermint tea to help with headaches, that is a great idea. Where do you purchase your teas at? Does it matter if you drink it hot or cold? I have trouble with hot teas sometimes, but maybe using honey in it will help!

I drink tea for pure enjoyment. LoL. I love it and I love the effects it has on me. When I have trouble sleeping, I made myself a cup of chamomile tea. It helps relax my muscles and relieves stress.
Sometimes I drink green tea when I feel like I've put on some weight. It helps with my cravings and I won't snack as often. I can usually drop any of the extra pounds I've put on just by drinking green tea.

Esper D, I don't think you should be taking essential oils internally, unless they are prescribed to you. From everything I have read, the oils are way too concentrated to use like that, and could cause more harm than good.

Wow, esper.. Thanks.. I'm like 'addicted' to tea. I just have to have a morning and evening cuppa to keep me alert, active and high on energy. Bt, I'd be using sugar to sweeten it till now.. Will be switching to honey, especially, since am also trying to lose weight..
Thanks for bringing this to our attention.