TEA AND ADDICTION

TEA AND ADDICTIONpromoting sweating. Yarrow, elder flowers and
  peppermint are efficacious in this respect.
"I like a nice cup of tea in the morning- Red root and Echinacea can assist in cleansing
Just to start the day you seethe lymph system
And at half past eleven, well my idea of heaven- Blend of Fennel, Fenugreek, Flax, Liquorice,
Is a nice cup of tea....."Burdock and Peppermint can help to stimulate the
 so the popular ditty goes.  We all recognise teaelimination of wastes from the body by providing
as the quintessentially British beverage.  A cup ofa liver flush.
tea in bed with the Sunday papers, afternoon tea- Bergamot, chamomile, geranium, lavender,
with scones and jam.  But a rather less wellpatchouli, rose, sandalwood and ylang-ylang are all
known view of tea is that of health promoter. effective in helping to counter depression.
In no field is this of more relevance than that of- Clary, sage and jasmine can help to lift spirits.
addiction, one of the more pernicious ills and least- Nervous tension can be eased with basil,
welcome gifts of the modern age.  Addictionsmarjoram, neroli, rose and tangerine.
come in many guises, food, drink, alcohol or- Irritability can be alleviated by the use of
prescription or non-prescribed drugs to name butchamomile, cypress, lavender and thyme.
a few.  All involve an over indulgence in one or a- Insomnia might be eased through chamomile,
set of substances with attendant adverse effectsmarjoram, rose and ylang-ylang.
on lifestyle and diet, an attack on mind and- Ginger and jasmine help to improve confidence
body.  Tea can be of great benefit in the- Basil and patchouli are said to help where
recovery from addiction.  We are not necessarilyindecisiveness is an issue
talking here of the traditional and familiar better- Chamomile, lemon and thyme are all said to
known black leaf tea - although some researchboost the immune system.
would suggest that drinking this milder form ofBlends of herbs and essential oils taken as
stimulant (as part of an overall package ofinfusions can, then, be very effective as part of
prescribed care) can be an aid to weaning oneselfpackages of care in the treatment of, and
from harder, more damaging forms - but ofrecovery from, addictions of many sorts.  So,
herbal infusions: mixtures of naturally occurringinstead of ‘more tea vicar?'  Why not
products which treat the body and spirit and aid‘tea, the healthier alternative'?
recovery. Below are some herbal infusions forNB In considering the use of any herbal remedy
variousas part of your care programme, it is always
- Herbal treatments can help remove the residueswise to consult with your GP or a specialist in
of drug substances from the system byyour particular addiction.