Hello there! Time to revisit a very important subject from the report “7 Quick Ways to Heal Your Body and Mind”: water. So, why should you prefer to drink water instead of those sweet and/or caffeinated drinks?

Sweetened or caffeinated beverages cause irritation in our bodies and, with continued use, they are a source of inflammation. And since the body has to use its reserves of water to get rid of the toxins they introduce, drinking these kinds of beverages actually dehydrates you!

But you want something more flavorful than plain water. Ok, so, what can be both hydrating and taste good enough to keep you satisfied? The answer is herbal infusions. To make sure you have plenty of water to keep you balanced during the day, you can make them in the morning or the night before, put them on a Thermos and then take them to work.

Note: tea and herbal infusions are two different things. Tea comes from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis), and it’s its leaves that are used for making green tea, white tea or black tea. All of these contain caffeine, which isn’t found in herbal infusions.

So, back to herbal infusions: in the Winter I like to boil 1,5L of water in the morning and divide it into two Thermos, one with just water, the other I add an herbal infusion (and usually a little cinnamon). Herbal infusions can be made of almost any herb out there, but some are more common, tasty, and have medicinal properties.

Below follows a list of 5 common herbs and their properties. Try them and keep varying, that way you’ll never get bored and therefore, never reach to that artificial soda when you’re thirsty!

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) – calming and relaxing to the mind; helps soothe the stomach and intestines; has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help with headaches; used topically it has anti-septic and anti-inflammatory properties which can help soothe eczemas and other skin conditions. A note: pregnant or lactating women, or asthma sufferers should not use chamomile.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) – has analgesic and anti.inflammatory properties, so it can help relieve aches and pains (headache, toothache,…); soothing and can help relieve anxiety, stress and sleep disorders; helps with digestive disorders, like slow digestion, irritable bowel, gas and bloating.

Peppermint (Mentha piperita) – refreshing, it has anti-septic, anti-spasmodic and analgesic properties; helps heal colds and oral infections; helps relieve aches and pains; is a great ally that aids digestive functions and also helps relieve irritable bowel, diarrhea, cramps and vomiting.

Linden (Tilia cordata) – calming, it helps calm anxiety and stress related aches; helps induce a sound and peaceful sleep; aids the digestion; has diuretic and anti-spasmodic properties, and can help relieve gallstones and aid in liver functions; has hypotensive properties so it can help control hypertension.

Lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora) – has anti-spasmodic properties which can help relieve digestive problems like flatulence, diarrhea or cramps; calming, can help relieve stress, anxiety and insomnia.

There are SO MANY herbal and fruit infusions in the market that you’re sure too find many tasty new drinks!