Power Combo: 4 Healing Herbal Teas To Pair With Your Yoga Practice

September 2, 2015

We all know that yoga is good for health and so are herbal teas. But have you ever thought of combining the two?

Did you know that yoga studios across the country, in following with the ancient practice, have been offering the goodness of a warm cuppa after a yoga session to double the benefits?

From improved flexibility, strength, breath control, better posture and of course stress reduction, the benefits of yoga are many. Similarly, while the benefits of tea may not be evidently visible, they are numerous. A rich source of natural antioxidants, a fresh brew can help boost metabolism, reduce inflammation, aid immune health as well as make you shed the pounds.

Yoga & Tea: Capitalizing On The Combined Benefits
To talk about how your yoga practice can be enhanced and improved by combining certain teas, consider this example. Yoga improves circulation in the body, which means the antioxidants that you take in through tea can now be easily and widely distributed in the body. This can improve everything—your skin, hair, heart, brain and liver.

Yogis also highlight that drinking tea after a yoga session can help prolong the meditative state of mind achieved by yoga. While it can be quite jolting to jump right back in the daily slog, tea serves as a means to relax and makes for a peaceful transition.

Combinations That Work
If you’re wondering if all kinds of teas are good and if it matters how one prepares the tea, we are here to help.

Though all teas are good, green herbal blends have an upper hand since they contain little or no caffeine. Freshly brewed tea is always better than bottled ones that are overloaded with additives and sugar.

There is a wide array of choices when it comes to choosing the tea, and we tell you about four such yoga-tea combinations that you should definitely try.

1. Chamomile & Lavender With Restorative Yoga: Now that you are calm and rejuvenated after a restorative yoga session, lock in that feeling with a soothing and mood-boosting cup of chamomile tea. A chamomile and lavender blend is also effective after a yoga session.

2. Peppermint Tea With Hot Yoga: After sweating out the stress and anxiety in the soaring temperatures of your hot yoga class, indulge in the mild cooling sensation of a peppermint blend to calm your body and mind.

3. Green Tea With Meditation: A rich and abundant source of heart-healthy polyphenols, green tea has been associated with improved cognitive function and memory. It would be best to take this tea before you begin a meditation session to enjoy its benefits. By instilling a sense of calm, this tea can rejuvenate your entire system while also improving focus and concentration, which will help you get the best out of your meditation session.

4. Black Tea With Active Yoga: Do you often feel light-headed or a little tired after a vigorous vinyasa class? Sip on some black tea after your yoga class, as research suggests that the caffeine in black tea can enhance the circulation of blood and make you feel more energetic than drained.

It is not necessary to drink tea before or after a yoga session. However, with such clear benefits, wouldn’t it be worth trying anyway?

For more interesting stories, visit our Health page. Read more stories on Complementary and Alternative Medicine here.