Mood boosting iced tea with turmeric and chamomile
Change can be a little scary. Last month I left my old job for a new role in a different hospital and trying to fit into a new team comes with excitement but also challenges.
I made this recipe a while back, when the stress from my old job reached its peak, giving me loads of sleep trouble, consequently making me so tired and the days unbearable.
I tried Nytol, a herbal medicine but to no avail which led me to do some research on natural remedies. I had to give into the latest trend of putting turmeric on everything even though it has such a bitter after taste. There is extensive evidence (in rats and humans) that turmeric has a potential anti-anxiety effect. Research shows that anxiety negatively impacts on physical health and may damage brain cells and that adding turmeric to your diet may actually reverse this damage. If you would like to read more about it click here and here.
So that is the star of the show. But we also have chamomile, which not only has anxiolitic propertie but also helps with insomina.
I don’t enjoy hot drinks that much, not even in the winter so I made an iced tea with these amazing ingredients, made sweeter with the addition of agave and orange juice. I made a big batch then froze the tea as ice cubes, just add more orange juice or water. Or I will add a few cubes to a smoothie.
I take it before going to bed, I would also recommend the app headspace which has mindfulness/meditation exercises, which often help me if i am having trouble sleeping. But if you continue to have longstanding symptoms of anxiety or stress speak to your doctor.
Mood boosting iced tea with turmeric and chamomile
Juice of 6 oranges
1 tbsp turmeric
500ml water
6 chamomile tea bags
Agave nectar or honey to taste
Ice
1.Boil the water and brew the chamomile tea in it. Let it cool whilst you squeeze the oranges
2. Add orange juice and turmeric to the tea and stir. Sweeten it with honey or agave nectar to taste. At this point you can add ice and serve it once it’s chilled or freeze it in an ice cube tray and drink it diluted with a little water
