Because it's been tough to find loose leaf tea in Los Angeles out in the valley (mostly because I no longer have a car) I've been improvising. I've been waking up in the morning and making ginger mint tea with all natural ingredients. I peel and slice four to six large medallions of fresh ginger root and take a handful of mint sprigs and put them in my teapot. I let the pot scream out a full boil, then I turn the burner on low and let the tincture simmer for ten minutes to let the flavors steep. I squeeze a lemon wedge into my mug and pour the brew on top.
I've talked about this before, but ginger, mint, and even lemon have lots of health benefits. When I'm having indigestion or nausea or any other kind of stomach malady, I brew up some ginger infused water and the effect is immediate. When I don't have ginger handy I go to the mint, which has a similar effect but is not quite as potent. Also, cafes (and Starbucks) never have ginger tea, but they always have a caffeine free mint herbal.
As a person with arthritis, I also benefit from ginger's anti-inflammatory magic. I used to turn to caffeine in the morning to help loosen up my joints. While that did make a significant difference, my entire system is better off without the caffeine. Ginger in my morning brew has taken over as my morning dose for easing my joints into the day and at the same time benefits my immune system. This anti-inflammatory effect doesn't just benefit the joints though. It also means it's a great treatment for things like migraines and menstrual cramps because it reduces the swelling of the blood vessels causing pain.
Mint has several health benefits as well, most of which I have talked about before. Something new I learned recently though, is that mint not only freshens breath, which is a no-brainer, it also kills the germs that cause bad breath and is beneficial to the gums. Another good reason to add mint to my morning tea!
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