Guest post by: Claire Adams

It can warm you up when the days get cold and cool you down in the summer heat, but no matter the season, a cup of tea is always soothing and refreshing. So, this winter, while making good decisions and creating a healthy lifestyle plan for the rest of the year, don’t forget to include tea. How? Here are some ideas.

Exercise more

When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, this is probably the most popular one. We all want to stay fit, so we promise ourselves that, this year, we’re really going to hit the gym. And, yes, it really is easier said than done, but it’s not that difficult and we shouldn’t give up after the first couple of sessions. To get that extra motivation, it might be a good idea to bring along a friend, so that you can push each other towards a common goal. And while exercising, don’t forget to hydrate. Water is a great choice, but tea with some lemon is even better since it contains antioxidants, especially white tea.

Lose weight

This is another frequent resolution, one that does involve exercise, but also a balanced and healthy diet. The problem is that we keep postponing this one, telling ourselves we’ll start next Monday or even next month. Well, stop that and start today! Make a meal and workout plan, and if you don’t really know how, you can find lovely diaries online to help you. Get one with a weekly and daily planner to help you incorporate your meals into your schedule, so that you don’t skip any of them. Skipping meals will make you hungry and have you reaching for anything you can get your hands on. So, avoid this, and if you get really hungry between meals, have a cup of tea, or several cups if it’ll make you feel better. Tea has no calories, so it’s safe to consume in any diet.

Get rid of bad habits and create some good ones

When it comes to bad habits, smoking tobacco is one of the worst. However, since tobacco is highly addictive, it takes a lot of time, commitment and maybe even some counseling to quit smoking. Another bad habit is excess drinking. A glass of wine once a week is fine, but don’t overdo it. Switch to virgin cocktails or natural fruit juice instead. And if you really want to lose your bad habits, switch from coffee to tea, especially herbal blends, which don’t contain any caffeine.

Stress less

There are many things you can do to avoid stress in 2018. One of them is to get enough sleep every night, so have a cup of valerian or catnip tea and go to bed earlier than usual. Listen to calming music, play with your pet and spend as much time in fresh air as you can. In addition, try hanging out with people you love more. It doesn’t really have to be out; you can invite them over for afternoon tea and cookies. And if you do, choose chamomile, lavender or lemon balm tea, since they are great for fighting stress.

Stay healthy

Although we can’t simply decide to be healthy, there are things we can do to improve our health considerably. These include a healthier diet, more physical exercise, but also drinking more fluids, namely tea. We’ve already mentioned that tea contains antioxidants and it can help you reduce stress, but green and matcha tea may also be helpful with reducing the risk of stroke or even heart attack. Moreover, more tea might help keep your bones healthy and strong, since it contains vitamins A and K, iron and higher amounts of calcium than milk. Due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, tea can be of great assistance in boosting your immune system. And since drinking tea changes the pH levels in your mouth, it may even prevent cavities.

So, if you haven’t already made a lifestyle plan for this year, sit down and do it over a nice hot cup of tea. After all, tea can only do you good.

Claire is a personal and professional development expert who believes that a positive attitude is one of the keys to success.
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