The warm aroma of tea boiling over fire wood logs filled the veranda in the mornings. The sun’s rays glisten from a distance…pots and pans sounding off from Neighbours’ kitchen. The village wakes.
It’s breakfast time in Besongabang, Cameroon.
Despite tea’s ubiquity, 30 years later I can vividly recall the subtle way this morning ritual brought our family together- to connect before the day’s flurry.
While tea drinking is no longer a daily practice as a family it is a regular solo ritual I enjoy- as a tasty beverage and for its many health benefits.
so, how I started utilising tea for its health properties…
10 years ago, I went through a very tumultuous pregnancy with my first child. That pregnancy was a baptism by fire and I mean this in the most honest way possible. It went like this: I found out I had a number of fibroids at my first scan, then went through weeks of excruciating pain of my fibroids degenerating, developed chronic anaemia and it all rounded off with postpartum hypertension and hyperthyroidism. What a way to enter motherhood!
I survived, but I wanted to thrive! Not just existing on the fringes.
It was then my fairy herbalist friend appeared.
The wisdom of my herbalist friend empowered me to start thinking differently about my health. It was a wonderful feeling to believe I could transform my health by fully embracing ownership of my body.
I wanted more babies, the fibroids gone, my thyroid within normal levels and enough energy to live out my motherhood.
Amongst several things she advised, she shared specific teas that do wonders for women’s uterine health, those that alleviate symptoms associated with PMS and bring an overall feeling of calm to the body. On one hand, it all sounded too simple to believe, and on the other I thought what could I lose by trying the simplest thing that could get me on the road to health. In a nutshell, that’s how I got into tea for its medicinal benefits.
I like to start my mornings with apple cider with molasses for detoxification, I like peppermint in the afternoons to aid digestion and tranquillity after lunch and raspberry leaf in the evenings especially around the time of my cycle as I find it minimises my bleeding. Green tea works wonders for water retention and like ACV and chamomile, it gives you a good night’s sleep when taken before bed. Tea truly brings calm and rejuvenation to my body.
Listed below are the 7 powerful feminine teas every woman needs
(Perhaps you’re curious to know how these teas have worked for other women so I dug around the net and have included what some of the ladies over at Lipstickalley had to say)
*All products featured on AFROGIRLFITNESS are independently selected. However when you buy something though our retail links, Afrogirlfitness may earn an affiliate commission.
1.Raspberry leaf tea
“That raspberry leaf tea is the truth. I drank it throughout my pregnancy because my midwife says it ones the uterus, and I had an easy home birth. Then after, I’d get these cramps from breastfeeding, because that’s connected with the uterus for some strange reason. I think it helps to shrink it back down. That tea was a life saver.
“Raspberry leaf tea is a must. The fastest way to reduce cramps and also your period will stop faster”
“Raspberry leaf tea. 100% works. Drink a couple of days before your cycle”
“Raspberry leaf is the goat for heavy bleeding”
2. ACV tea
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“I swear by ACV. I usually take a shot every morning. My skin is flawless and I feel “cleaner”. It does help with bloating aswell”
3. Chamomile Tea
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“Chamomile helps with my cramps”
“I have used Chamomile tea to help me go to sleep, however, I find that the loose tea is much more effective than the kind in the grocery store. Also, don’t use any sugar to sweeten the tea, for me the sugar negates the calming effect.”
“It (chamomile)relaxes me. I drink mine with milk so maybe that helps.”
4. Peppermint Tea
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“Peppermint tea is good for bloating”
“Dandelion root roasted- cleans the liver of the excess toxins and hormones like estrogen which we do not need an excess of in our body. Clearer skin, better sleep, easier periods
6. Green Tea
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“Green tea loose leaves. Not the tea bag because it’s not as potent. I’ve been drinking this for years and it stops my cramps after drinking a few cups”
7. Ginger tea
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“I make a blend of honey and grated ginger root with the juice and store it in the fridge. Add a spoonful to hot water. If I don’t have my mix on hand, I really like those unsweet instant ginger drink pouches from the Jamaican market”
“Fresh ginger tea with a bit of cinnamon is my go-to for cramps”
“Lemon and Ginger tea works if you suffer from excruciating cramps like me, removing dairy and cutting down on sugar from your diet will work wonders”
Tea is loaded with the nutrients required to tend to your body on a cellular level and bring harmony to your entire body. Whether you want to reduce your cramps, boost your fertility, regulate or reduce your menstrual flow or soften your PMS rage, there’s a tea for you. There are many health benefits ascribed to regular consumption of tea. Besides dietary changes and herbs, getting in quality sleep and regular exercise will go a long way in transforming your health. Happy tea drinking! and do come back to share which tea worked for you.
**These recommendations are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent disease. Any information provided here is not intended to represent or replace professional medical advice.
