Eyeopener #02: How tea hinders rather than helps you

“Dad was at his desk when I opened the door, doing what all British people do when they're freaked out: drinking tea.” ― Rachel Hawkins, Demonglass

As you can see, the belief in tea as the Cure is nothing new, you only have to watch an episode of Eastenders or Corrie (where they are continuously “putting the kettle on” and offering each other a “nice cup of tea” after a crisis) to know of its powers to resolve any situation.

If you knew me well, then my love for a good old cuppa is hardly a secret. I can drink around 10 cups a day if I’m at home, and can’t wake up properly without one. Yet, when people advise you to watch what you drink, you assume they’re referring to alcohol. This isn’t necessarily the case. Hot drinks such as tea and coffee can also be harmful, particularly regarding your mood. 

Too much caffeine used to give me migraines but it can also mimic the symptoms of stress, such as anxiety, problems with sleeping, and a faster breathing rate. So if these problems sound familiar to you, ask yourself whether your caffeine intake may be fueling your problems rather than consoling or aiding them.  

What do I do now?
I can share a few things that I do that have helped me considerably:

•  I didn’t cut out all caffeine/tea immediately (yes you can even have withdrawal symptoms with caffeine) – but gradually.
• I have a personal rule: If it’s AM I drink caffeinated tea, and if it’s PM then I switch to decaf. I’m quite flexible about it mind – I don’t turn into the Gestapo after 11.59 or anything.

There are actually some pretty nice decaf teas...

My faves:

I hope I haven’t put a negative tone to the fun of all you wild teapartiers – like with everything, moderation is key.

Photo 1 this post belongs to Danielle at cupofloveliness.blogspot.com. This post is merely my own opinion.