I used to drink in excess of 10 plus cups of tea a day. Albeit the majority of those were decaffeinated. I moved to decaffeinated tea, recommended by a friend, 14-15 years ago. At the time it was to support my fertility treatment. Then I continued whilst I was breastfeeding, and by then it had become a habit. My husband even converted at the same time. It seemed to make sense with the amount of tea I drank on a daily basis.
Earlier this year I was diagnosed as having borderline high cholesterol. Rather than ignore the diagnosis, I decided to work with Lucy Childerley, a nutritionist, to try and do something about my cholesterol level. I want to bring it down, before it gets out of hand and I have to take drugs for it on a daily basis for the rest of my life, like my Mum did (it’s hereditary).
One of the bits of advice Lucy has given me is about my tea drinking. She wanted me to drink more water and clear fluids, and cut my regular tea intake. Since working with Lucy, I have cut my (still decaffeinated) tea drinking down to just 2 cups a day. I now prioritise these, and make them at times I can sit down and really enjoy them. Lucy says I associate these cups of tea with comfort.
I am amazed how much impact introducing small bags of dried leaves can have in my body. I need to support; cleanse and detoxify my liver, and to regulate my blood sugar and fat levels to reduce my cholesterol. So I am introducing lemon, ginger, nettle and green tea in my repertoire. I am yet to try dandelion tea or coffee, although they are recommended.
My new pattern means that I now wake up to a cup of hot water with lemon, and sometimes also ginger root. My first cup of the day is made for me by my husband, who wakes and gets up earlier than me each day. So I am having to educate him, on how to make it, which mug to use etc.
I drink 2 or 3 of these in the mornings before I eat breakfast. After breakfast, and once I am ready to start work, I make myself a green tea to drink whilst I start work for my first client.
At around 11am, I break from work, and make myself a ‘normal’ (decaffeinated) cup of tea. Unless I make myself a (decaffeinated) latte coffee. If I’m honest, sometimes my husband makes me this drink too, if he’s at home. Previously I would just have downed this mindlessly as I continued to work. But now, I try to focus on enjoying the drink.
After lunch it’s time for my cup of nettle tea for the day, and back to client work.
My second, and last, comfort cup of decaffeinated tea of the day I schedule for around 4pm. Again, I take a break from client work, and sit and enjoy this cup of tea, before I continue.
After dinner I have a lemon and ginger tea (made with a teabag). And later, during the evening I like a Pukka Peppermint & Liquorice tea. If working later into evening I may even have a second liquorice or another green tea.
I am still drinking about 10 cups of tea a day, but now there are lots of different ‘teas’ in play. And I’m still trying new varieties to see if there are others I might want to buy and introduce into my new tea repertoire. Perhaps even dandelion?
Of course I need to use a variety of mugs for my different cups of tea. Initially I was starting the day drinking my hot water with lemon from one of my porcelain Gustav Klimt mugs. I had these as a gift for my 50th birthday. I love Gustav Klimt. Lucy asked the size of the mugs I am using and thinks these are a bit small. So I am upgrading to use my Anthropologie thumb mug, inspired by my sister, bought for me by my cousin.
I usually have my ‘normal’ tea in one of my Emma Bridgewater mugs. I have a variety of these, including one just like pictured above.
When I’m working on a client site, I could take my own bags with me. That is something my Mum used to do, carry tea bags in her handbag. But I tend to have whatever is available. It gives me the opportunity to try different varieties and brands to those I have at home.
At Austin & Carnley I drink peppermint and / or lemon and ginger. At Active Luton I drink green tea.
If meet a client at a café or coffee shop, I try to time my ‘normal’ teas accordingly, but still always order a decaff.
If you’d like to meet up with me over one of my cups of ‘tea’, we can discuss how I can help you in your business, please get in touch.
n.b. Title of this blog post was not only inspired by, but directly copied from, a regular article featured in a beautiful magazine I have found recently called ‘the simple things’ – more details below ….