Detox Tea & Cacao 2

Try this Detox Tea recipe to kickstart your DETOX!

I share this recipe as part of my Detox Yoga 6 week program. Whether or not you are joining us for the series, you can still get started on a detox program.

I will be sharing some of my favourite tips and tricks over the next few weeks.  Simple things that you can incorporate into your daily life that will make a HUGE DIFFERENCE to your overall health and well being!

WE PEE.  WE POOP.  IT’S ALL GOOD
We all know how important keeping hydrated is.   Equally important as what we put in – is what we put out!  We expel toxins from our body through fluids – tears, sweat, and urine….

I personally struggle to drink enough water during the day…. but this tea recipe is delicious and I like it so much it that I actually take the time to make it and drink it throughout my day.   So here is the recipe from me to you 🙂

Spicy Ginger Lemon DETOX Tea
Ingredients: (Preferably Organic)*
Fresh, ginger root
Lemon
Cayenne Pepper
Cinammon
Honey – Optional  (or alternatively Maple Syrup, or Coconut Sugar)

Play with the quantities of the ingredients to adjust to your personal taste.  To start:
1 3/4 c boiled water
1″ piece of ginger, peeled and sliced – can mince and then strain for more spicy tea*
1/2 lemon worth of squeezed juice
pinch of cayenne and cinnamon
1/4 tsp of honey (or alternative).  I like local honey for allergen desensitization.

Combine all the ingredients and allow to steep to your desired strength of flavour.

Here’s the scoop on why this tea is not only GOOD but GOOD FOR YOU!

Ginger:
Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory and is great for anyone suffering from allergies, asthma, arthritis or other inflammatory conditions.  Ginger is also known to be soothing to the digestive system -helping to calm an upset stomach.  Ginger will increase your Pitta – your FIRE which means it will create heat in your body and encourages sweating.  This is EXACTLY what we want in a detox program!
Lemon:
Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C, one of the most powerful antioxidants and immune system boosters in nature! Lemons may be acidic but they are actually alkanizng to the body which is implicated in restoring a healthy PH in the body.  Your liver loves lemons …if you need to detox your liver.  Just sayin’
Honestly, I could go on and on about the health benefits of lemons.  TRUST ME – they are good for you!
Cayenne Pepper:
A spice that also helps to fight inflammation.  It will clear congestion in your body and also acts as a natural pain reliever.  Cayenne Pepper has been linked to weight loss and gives your immune system a boost with its high beta-carotene content.
Cinnamon:
Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices and is VERY nutritious!  Containing high levels of iron, fiber, calcium and manganese, cinnamon has been linked to prevention of fat storage, regulation of blood sugar levels, mood and energy stabilization, lower cholesterol (the bad kind), antibacterial (fights infections), and even holds promise for various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and MS according to research at The University of Texas.

Honey:
Honey contains flavonoids, antioxidants which help reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease. Recent research shows that honey treatment may help disorders such as ulcers and bacterial gastroenteritis. “All honey is antibacterial, because the bees add an enzyme that makes hydrogen peroxide,” said Peter Molan, director of the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato in New Zealand.
Ancient Olympic athletes would eat honey and dried figs to enhance their performance. This has now been verified with modern studies, showing that it is superior in maintaining glycogen levels and improving recovery time than other sweeteners. Honey helps with coughs, particularly buckwheat honey. In a study of 110 children, a single dose of buckwheat honey was just as effective as a single dose of dextromethorphan in relieving nocturnal cough and allowing proper sleep.

Honey has been used in ayurvedic medicine in India for at least 4000 years and is considered to affect all three of the body’s primitive material imbalances positively. It is also said to be useful useful in improving eyesight, weight loss, curing impotence and premature ejaculation, urinary tract disorders, bronchial asthma, diarrhea, and nausea.

Cacao:
*Note – You have to say it with flair “Cacao!”  – rhymes with pow pow!  I don’t know why but it’s just more fun if you do!
Sometimes I add cacao to this tea for those days when I am craving something chocolatey… I love Giddy Yo Yo’s Organic Cacao.  This is a canadian company – their products are amazing – try the love butter! It is good in the kitchen, the bathroom and the bedroom! 😉

Their chocolate bars and other products are allergy safe too!  Dairy free and Nut free! www.giddyyoyo.com
Here’s what they say about Cacao:

The raw CACAO bean may be one of nature’s most fantastic superfoods due to its mineral content and wide array of unique properties. CACAO may be the number one source of magnesium of any food on the planet. It also contains one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants of any food in the world, and may be exceptionally high in chromium, iron, anandamide (the bliss chemical), theobromine, manganese, zinc, copper, vitamin C, Omega-6 fatty acids, phenylethylamine (PEA), trytophan, serotonin, and more.

CACAO has also been rumoured to help with weight loss and to be an aphrodisiac.  
 
Interesting Facts:

Our CACAO may be naturally mood boosting, pineal gland expanding and heart re-connecting.

Our CACAO may be an amazing weight loss food, natural energy enhancer and aphrodisiac.

Little to no caffeine naturally present.

Unlike most other raw chocolate currently on the market, our CACAO will not give you the ‘jitters’ due to its       complete lack of mycotoxins. Each batch is laboratory tested.

CACAO may be the number one source of magnesium of any food on the planet.

Let me know in the comments below how you liked the tea!

In good health,