What are the benefits of combining tea and yoga practice?

“If you ask Zen people they will say tea is not something that you pour with unawareness and drink like any other drink. It is not a drink, it is meditation; it is prayer. So they listen to the kettle creating a melody, and in that listening they become more silent, more alert.” – Osho

Tea, its not just a drink like others. It, itself is a meditation. In the words of Lu Yu “Tea tempers the spirit and harmonizes the mind; dispels lassitude and relieves fatigue, awakens thought and prevents drowsiness”. So if you combine this drink with your wellness schedule, it gives you all the benefits of a herb for your body and mind.

Drinking tea after performing yoga is a way to slowly go from the peaceful experience back into the real world with warmth. And if a tea is enriched with antioxidants and caffeine, it helps you to relax your muscles, calm your nerves and give you a boost of energy you need after yoga.

Yoga offers many health benefits, so does tea. So when you make tea a ritual after yoga, you are doing yourself a favor with all the health benefits. Let’s look into it in more details.

Hydration

During Yoga, body gets dehydrated. A 2011 study conducted by the National Library of Medicine found that black tea has many of the same hydration properties as water. So choosing a tea over other drinks adds numerous benefits including hydrating your body.

Fatigue reliever

There’s a tradition to drink tea in many countries as the first drink of the day or evening tea. Because tea gives us a boost of caffeine which is needed to get a boost of energy. Tea, especially black tea and green tea after Yoga, helps to cope up with fatigue.

Endurance

Teas, especially green tea, contain a balance of water, caffeine and antioxidants. Keep in mind, when caffeine enters the bloodstream, it improves perception which then increases endurance and enables you to exercise for longer periods of time. You can also add other ingredients to your tea according to your need. Like you can add honey if you want a punch of energy. Or you can add lemon to keeps your body hydrated.

Awareness

In Yoga or meditation, it is all about awareness. Keeping your mind aligned with body movements and calm during these physical activities is very important. Tea helps to calm your body and mind which is important in practicing yoga.

Stress Reducer

Teas are stress reliever. We all know that it gives our body a sense of relaxation. Teas like chamomile and earl grey are known to have positive impact on our nerves. It contributes to stay calm and helps fighting stress.

Healing and other health benefits

All teas from the camellia tea plant are rich in polyphenols, which are a type of antioxidant. These wonder nutrients scavenge for cell-damaging free radicals in the body and detoxify them. Whether it is green or black, tea has about eight to 10 times the polyphenols found in fruits and vegetables. Tea also helps to prevent heart diseases, fight insomnia, relieves sore throat and preventing cramps.

Teas with fruits and Flowers, like Namastea Sun Kiss and Candy Crush, help eliminate toxins and get vibrant skin. Green teas are good for metabolism, heart health and weight loss. Teas, like Ginger Lemon, are best for those who don’t want caffeine. Ginger lemon is loaded with nutrients to improve your immunity, help in nausea and pain relief as well as promoting weight loss.

So why not complete your wellness routine with a tea ritual? If you are new to Yoga world or you just want to start a wellness routine, try Namastea’s 20 days Wellness Challenge. It has everything you need to give yourself a kick start into a more healthy routine. So wish you a healthy body, mind and warmth in every sip of your tea.

Written by Jyoti Dasila