~ Excerpt from a blues song Herbman by Olu Dara (Neighborhoods, 2001) reflects the natural, healing properties of herbs. ~Transcribed by me so there may be errors.~

LISTEN HERE:

Herbman

As far back as the Egyptians, humans have been using gifts from the earth for healing purposes. The Papyrus Ebers, an ancient text written approximately around 1500 BC, contains references to more than 700 herbal remedies, including herbs such as aloe, caraway seeds, marjoram leaves, spearmint, basil, hibiscus, calendula, anise seeds, parsley, cumin, licorice root, chamomile, dill, garlic and many others.

In ancient China, Shen Nung (approx. 2700 BC), the Divine Farmer, wrote a treatise, Shénnóng Běn Cǎo Jīng, also known as The Canon of Herbs or Divine Husbandman's Materia Medica. This extensive book covered over 365 medicinal botanicals and their applications. Shen Nung is also reported to have discovered our beloved camellia sinensis – TEA! The story goes that the legendary Emperor was on one of his herbal recognizance missions and was not feeling quite at peak condition. He sat beneath a tree and began to boil some water. Some of the leaves from the tree floated into his boiling water. He took a few sips and immediately felt more revived and awake. Those leaves turned out to be camellia sinensis leaves. Life would never be the same again.

Ayurveda, the science of life, has been practiced in India for thousands of years using a plethora of botanicals in formulations used prevent and cure many ailments. The ancient encyclopedias of medicine include the Sushruta Samhita, which includes over 700 botanicals and Charaka Samhita. One of the most beautiful aspects of Ayurveda is that it helps the healthy person to maintain health and the diseased to regain their health.  It treats the person as a whole and in the context of their environment.

These are just a few of the many cultures across the globe that has been using herbs and other botanicals for healing and medicinal purposes for thousands of years. In modern society, thankfully there is a trend going back to the ancient ways of natural and holistic treatment of our health and well-being.

Botanical Suggestions

WAKING UP!

Most mornings when I wake I try to start my day with an elixir of hot water, lemon juice, honey and turmeric. Turmeric is reported to have many health benefits, most importantly as a liver detoxifier.  It works by assisting to clear the congestion from the liver. I find it helps my body and mind to wake up a bit more quickly. And it tastes pretty delicious too.

Curcumin has been identified as the agent responsible for most of the biological activity of turmeric. Research is still ongoing but I am a firm believer in thousands of years of Ayurvedic knowledge.

AM Tonic

8 oz hot water ♦ ¼ teaspoon turmeric ♦ juice of half lemon ♦ ½ -1 tablespoon local honey

I AM SO FULL!!

Peppermint and ginger are wonderful as digestive assistants. A nice cup of peppermint tea or a little boiled fresh ginger root does wonders when you’ve eaten too much. I also like to just chew a little raw ginger when feeling nauseous.

COVER YOUR MOUTH!

Allergies, bronchitis, congestion and the flu are all quite unpleasant maladies that can result in fever, headache, coughing, sore throat and other painful symptoms. Chrysanthemum, a ‘cooling’ herb (flower) aids to clear the lungs as well as the liver, assists in eye disorders and as a general pick-me-up. Eucalyptus, which is helpful in clearing congestion and colds, is the perfect complement to chrysanthemum’s benefits. Our benefit blend, Exhale, combines these effective botanicals with peppermint, orange peel and ginger to make your winter (or any other season) blues disappear.

INSOMNIA. ANXIETY. COLIC. CRAMPS.

Chamomile has been known for thousands of years as a benefit herb for many ailments including:

*Indigestion *Anxiety * Insomnia *Canker sores *Colic *Conjunctivitis, eye irritations *Crohn's disease *Diarrhea *Eczema *Gingivitis  *Hemorrhoids  *Menstrual disorders *Migraine  *Irritable bowel syndrome  *Peptic ulcer

Wow. These amazing flowers are used as an anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, nerve tonic – so many uses for one amazing plant. Thanks Mother Earth! Personally, I have been drinking chamomile before bed for as long as I can remember. It has always assisted me in falling asleep more quickly and also calming me down when my nerves were just a little too on edge. It was a natural to be used in our Tranquil blend, especially when combined with lavender & a little peppermint – it truly promotes a sense of calm tranquility.

Stay tuned for more on our series – It’s Just Herbs, Man. What kind of herbs do you use for medicinal purposes? Did elder generations of your family pass down knowledge to you that you would like to share with us? We’d love to hear from you!

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine told me about the gym he goes to for personal training – The Sweatshop. It sounded very interesting and he mentioned they were about to add a new class to their schedule – an aerial yoga class. I had heard of aerial yoga before and always wanted to try it… I mean who doesn’t want to practice yoga while suspended in the air wrapped in a silken hammock? Cirque du Soleil, here I come!

Because I had been to a very hot, difficult tennis lesson about 30 minutes before, I figured it was in my best interest to get activated with KickAssam. I threw 2 pyramids in a pint glass, filled it halfway with hot water and let it steep for about 5 minutes before filling the glass up the rest of the way with cold water. When I workout, I like room temperature tea to drink. Drinking warmer liquids will aid your digestive system by increasing its activity.  In fact, according to Ayurvedic principles, drinking cold beverages is not good for your digestion at all. It is suggested to drink only room temperature beverages with your meals.

I transferred my perfect temperature KickAssam to my water bottle and off I went to The Sweatshop.  This small private gym located here in Coral Gables is unlike any other gym I have seen before. According to their Facebook page it is the “Most unique fitness facility including indoor virtual spinning, trapeze bars, selectorized weight equipment, and sky based counter-weighted power racks and “The Grassroom Anti-Gravity Yoga”. I concur.  It is. Completely and utterly unique.

My favorite thing about The Sweatshop is The Grassroom, the studio that the yoga classes are held. The floor is entirely made of artificial grass. It is one of coolest indoor places I have ever practiced in. Hanging from the ceiling in the Grassroom are the hammocks, which are long parachute like fabric slings, mounted high in the ceiling. I’d love a room in my apartment like this!

According to the AntiGravity Yoga site, the benefits of aerial yoga are:

• Decompress tight joints
• Relieving pressure while aligning the vertebrae
• Perform advanced yoga inversions without neck or back compression
• Hold challenging yoga postures longer and in correct alignment
• Stretch further with less strain
• Add an entirely new dimension to your yoga practice
• Create better body awareness while increasing overall agility

Which is all well and good but they forgot to mention the most important benefit – IT IS RIDICULOUSLY FUN! There was a whole lotta laughing during class and I am positive I had a smile on my face the entire time. Our instructor, Xta, was phenomenal. As it was the first time for most of us in class, she was patient and very encouraging. I loved the flipping and hanging upside down; it was like playing on an adult jungle gym! I felt like a kid again. The other amazing part of AntiGravity Yoga is savasana (corpse pose), which is my favorite part of my regular practice anyway. In savasana, the hammock wraps you up in a little cocoon; I felt so peaceful and safe. Back to the womb.

The next day my abs were sore – the kind of sore that feels great. New muscles were being worked! This was a killer core workout that didn’t FEEL like a core workout. I am hooked. Cannot wait to get back to my next class.  I highly recommend giving this relatively new yoga a try. Especially if you’ve ever dreamt about running off and joining Cirque du Soleil! Do you have any other fun new ways to keep active that you have tried or heard about? Let us know!

Last month I decided to try a juice cleanse through The Standard Spa located here on Miami Beach. I have never done a juice fast before but I felt off balance so I figured it was time to get back into fighting shape. Rejuvenate and restore. The only detox programs I have ever followed were my own and that included lots of Chinese herbs that weren’t so delicious and really bland, boring food. But there was food. This is just juice. Yummy juice – but just juice. And for 5 days. FIVE DAYS! Also, as Admari’s Balance is part of the support included in the cleanse, I wanted to make sure it truly was the right one of our teas to include.

According to several sources, juice cleanses can assist in boosting your immune system, increasing energy levels, elevating your mood & sex drive, weight loss and numerous other benefits. It gives your body a break and basically allows it to re-boot. I definitely needed to reboot.

In preparation for the cleanse, the week prior I eliminated the majority of alcohol, meat, dairy, sugars & anything processed out of my diet. I do normally eat healthily but I was confident this was not going to be an easy week for me. For 5 straight days I picked up from The Standard my brown bag containing 5 bottles of very pretty colored liquids, a bottle of water, a carton of coconut water and 2 of Admari’s Balance pyramids. The spa receptionist (who was doing the cleanse as well) also handed me an instruction guide that contained hints, meditation suggestions (which were quite helpful), a list of what were in my juices and a suggested schedule for the cleanse.

I learned a lot about my body during the next week.  I followed the schedule but I did add a minimal amount of asparagus, avocados & spinach to my diet. The first 3 days I had a mild detox headache, which is pretty normal for any sort of cleanse. Still quite irritating though.  I kept a daily journal to document my descent into juicing madness but the entries got shorter and shorter. Instead of writing by the end of the 3^rd day, I wanted to use the time to nap. I didn’t experience the added energy that a lot of people do experience with juicing. I was sluggish and I was sleeping a lot more than usual. My tennis game was pretty miserable that week and I found that my yoga practice was a little more trying. I came to the conclusion the lack of protein in the cleanse was the culprit.

Our Balance Tea Blend was a definite help. It curbed food cravings and picked me up a bit. I couldn’t help but think a more detoxifying blend would also add a nice boost to cleanse the body. Admari’s blend, Purify, would be a perfect addition to the diet. Next time.

I do believe that we, our society, consume too much food. We can survive (and flourish) on a lot less. There have been times in my life where my diet was very limited and the benefits were that my mind got sharper and my yoga practice more fulfilling. I absolutely believe in the power of juicing, but you have to listen to what is right for your body. Trust what it is telling you.  The next time I juice, it will be for a maximum of 3 days, as I believe that is the best thing for me personally. I will also be sure to add direct sources of protein – cashews, walnuts, almonds –directly to my smoothies.

A few days following the cleanse, I was feeling very restored. My body was recharged with essential nutrients and protein. The biggest benefit I noticed was that my sleeping patterns became pretty amazing. I was falling asleep easily and sleeping through the night with no assistance from anything. I have spoken with many people about their juice cleanse experiences and as with everything else is – everyone is different. Have you done a juice fast? An herbal detox? How did your body respond? Tell me about it!

Today’s post has nothing to do with tea but being that it is National Gumbo Day I figured I would share my very rich, delectable recipe for Chicken and Andouille Gumbo. I spent 4 glorious years living in New Orleans where I learned some great Creole/Cajun recipes and cooking techniques. I also learned that drinking many many hurricanes will ALWAYS result in a very uncomfortable next morning. A nice big bowl of gumbo helps. As does a Jerry Mary from Igor’s.

Happy cooking and laissez les bons temps rouler!

1 tablespoon plus 1 cup vegetable oil/olive oil mixture

1 pound smoked sausage, such as andouille or chorizo cut crosswise 1/2-inch thick pieces

Waiting for the bus on a rainy day in Hangzhou, China

I wrote this post a year ago today but it is quite apropos for today’s post. I am in Ridgewood, New Jersey to do a tasting at The Cheese Shop at Super Cellars tomorrow and it is a gloomy, rainy day!  We don’t have many of these in Miami so I can truly appreciate the warm feeling a nice cup of tea gives me on these rainy days. Happy Fall!!! Enjoy!

RAIN, TEA & LOVE

I watch the raindrops chase each other down the glass on this very rainy, grey day in Miami. Not the normal rain, then sun, then rain, then more sun. Just an ominous darkened sky. But I don’t mind one bit. The rain invokes a memory. A remembrance of an experience I had when I was probably about seven years old. My family and I were on vacation in Cape Cod and we had stopped in Plymouth, Massachusetts for historic sightseeing. I remember walking up a hill in drizzling rain on a very grey/green day, very much like today. We were all wearing those old rubber raincoats that get too hot; the bright yellow ones. Except mine was bright green. They couldn’t find a yellow one small enough for me. I remember pouting at being excluded from the tribe of yellow coats. I was cranky, hungry and damp to the bone. We spot an old house, a tea room. The perfect place for a dampened spirit.

We all sat around a small table by the window and I remember watching the raindrops bead and run down the glass. The sweet smell of scones and tea filled the room. We had a steaming pot of black Tea, probably a Ceylon or an English Breakfast blend – something robust and floral. Of course I took milk and sugar in mine back then. My mother put a scone on my plate and I was probably the happiest child on the planet at that moment. I took one bite into the dense, moist, flaky scone and I was in heaven. It was the scone to which all others are measured even to this day. I mean nothing can compete with a seven year old girl’s memory of pastry on a rainy day in Massachusetts. A cup of Tea and a bite of scone, something so simple, created a feeling of warmth, of love -  even if I didn’t have a yellow raincoat.

This love affair with Tea started at such a young age for me and its days like this that remind me of that. I do what I do because Tea does more than taste delicious. Tea can create memories that stay with us forever. Memories filled with warmth, comfort and love. I think I will go make a pot of Tea.

When we moved the company to Miami, I found life to be increasingly more hectic, if that was possible.  I was skipping my morning tea as well as my afternoon tea more and more. I felt a difference in my daily energy levels and my general health. I began to pack my own teabags, as I do for travelling – I just didn’t have the time to prepare my beloved beverage anymore. I knew I wasn’t alone; our customers have been requesting our blends in teabags for quite a long time. It was time to evolve.

On Monday our first samples of our Admari Tea blends in biodegradable pyramid teabags arrived. It was an ecstatic moment for me. The realization of years of work was here in a convenient form. And none of the originality of our blends were compromised at all!  The tea tasted the same… it had the same great aroma and rich flavor. I was over the moon. When I woke late Tuesday morning and had to run to meetings, I didn’t have to sacrifice my morning KickAssam.  I flipped on the electric kettle, threw a KickAssam pouch in my travel mug, poured the water and I was off. As I got in my car, I inhaled the deep cardamom aroma and smiled – it really worked.

Nothing will change in our tea blends. The process is simple… I’m personally still blending all our tea so the tea you find in these fabulous see through pouches is exactly the same – whole leaf loose leaves… the best we can find.  The tea is then run though a machine where it is weighed into the proper serving size and put into the biodegradable pyramids. Great tea made easy.

We will no longer be carrying straight loose tea; we are shifting focus entirely to our lifestyle blends – Teas that enhance the quality of your life.  The transition was made so that all of our customers can enjoy Admari Tea as quickly and easily as possible.

I still use my yixing, gaiwan and Simple Steep to prepare tea – but not all the time. That ritual has been relegated to my meditative moments – the time I need to truly collect myself- as well as for students, family and friends.

I truly hope you all will embrace and try the new Admari Tea – I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be” – Lao Tzu