Many people these days enjoy Peppermint. You can find it’s unique and refreshing characteristics in gum, toothpaste, chocolate, cookies, lip gloss, candy canes, and in a multitude of beverages.

But did you know that this herb has been cherished for centuries?

Fresh Cut Peppermint

(Well, to be more precise mint has been around for centuries – but peppermint which is a hybrid of water mint and spearmint is relatively new, jumping on the scene in England between 1696 to 1750)

Dating as far back as 1000 BC The Ancient Egyptians would bury their dead with herbs and essential oils – including mint – thought to be burned as incense. The Romans also used mint frequently to aid in digestion, brewing the leaves to create a tea that helped with gastric and nerve related issues.

We have a few great teas that include this wonderful herb:

• Peppermint Dream (peppermint and lavender)
• Premium Peppermint (yep you guessed it – nothing but high quality peppermint)
• Blueberry Pom-Bomb Antioxidant Tea
• Chocolate Mint (A perfect dessert tea that is wonderful with shortbread cookies – YUM)

I’ve read and been told many differing recommendations for how much water a person should drink in a day.  Can you drink too much? How much should I drink to lose weight? These are common questions about the oldest beverage in history and a vital link to every living thing.

8 Glasses a day – is this enough?

It really depends on what your goals are.  If you are looking to maintain your current weight and be properly hydrated then 8 glasses is a good rule to follow.  However there are many variables that can alter this amount – your age, weight, and physical activities should all be taken into account.  For a 2,000 calorie diet eight glasses is about right, but if your caloric intake is less or more then it should be adjusted accordingly.  A good rule of thumb is one milliliter of water for every calorie consumed per day.

Signs that you may be dehydrated:

• Headaches, dark yellow urine, dry mouth, difficulty concentrating, and feeling sick after a workout
• Hungry – sometimes this can be confused with being dehydrated as the signals that our bodies give off for both feelings are similar in nature.  Give a glass a water a try before reaching for a bite to eat.

A kick of flavor without the added calories

Some days I find it more of a chore to try to chug back my daily water requirements.  Instead of cutting it short I prefer to reach for some quick non (or low) calorie options:

• Spa in a bottle: Toss in some citrus fruits (orange, lemon, lime slices) and fresh mint.
• Slice and dice: cucumbers and cranberries are fantastic
• Herbal Iced teas: many herbal teas taste great chilled and add little or no calories. We recommend this berry tea.
• Frozen berries: as they defrost they slowly infuse their flavors into your water – and keep it chilled longer.

Water Intoxication: Is it real?

Well technically yes, it is possible to have too much water. Also referred to as water poisoning or hyper hydration, an excess of water can break down the levels of electrolytes in your body- leading to unnecessary stress on your heart and ultimately to a heart attack.  A rare occurrence but it has happened in the past.  Sticking to 8 to 10 glasses of water a day is well within the safe zone of water hydration.

I have always had a love of music, so when Herbal Infusions  got the opportunity to be an official sponsor for the 2009 Canadian Country Music Awards, it was thrilling.  Hosted in Vancouver, on September 13 at GM Place, the music awards will be a night of celebration and entertaiment for the who’s who of Canadian country music. The line up includes some fabulous icons and performers, such as Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Jann Arden, Teri Clarke, Paul Brant, George Canyon, Doc Walker, Emerson Drive, and many more. With a line up like that, who could possibly be disappointed?

The gift lounge is presented by the Uptown Gift Box Company - an exclusive gift service based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  The Founder and CEO Gabrielle Durning is an absolutely wonderful woman to deal with, and our experience with her throughout the process of supplying the Uptown Gift Box Company with our as Green as can be Eco friendly tea chests, proved to be as smooth as a cup of our Caramel Kiss tea.

Eco Tea Chests made from Reclaimed Utilty Poles

Gabrielle also provided the swag items for the 2009 Genie Awards, and 2009 Juno Awards. She has made this an unforgettable experience for us and for anyone lucky enough to snag a swag bag at this truly exciting event. Other sponsors include:

• Planet Forward (Sustainable Products)
• Doi Chaang Coffee (Certified Organic)
• Buddha Board (Definately one of my personal favourites. You have to check this out!)
• Warm Buddy Co (The most interesting stuffed animals you will ever find… don’t miss out)

So here is a story you don’t hear about everyday:  It turns out that the Chinese Department of Health has been conducting under cover surveillance at herbal tea shops and found that some were lacing their tea blends with what they describe as ‘Western Drugs’.

Lab tests showed the presence of two drugs: Paracetamol and Chlorpheniramine

Paracetamol, or what we here in the West refer to as acetaminophen – aka Tylenol, a common drug available over-the-counter to help relieve pain and fever.  Although many people will agree that it is generally a safe drug for short term relief, over exposure has been linked to liver damage (since it is processed through the liver)

Chlorpheniramine is an antihistamine that blocks the naturally producing histamines in the body, and is used to control allergies and common cold symptoms (such as itching, sneezing, and runny nose).  It is also not recommended to be used by breastfeeding mothers as it can pass through the milk and harm the baby.

It’s a sad reality to see that even in China local shop owners are  trying to get a ‘heads up’ on their local competitors by trying to enhance their products.  Maybe they weren’t aware of the side effects or didn’t care if people were reporting illnesses.   Or maybe they were.  Reminds me a lot of a story I read where Red Bull was found to containe trace amounts of cocaine .

It goes to show you that regardless of what the product is the practice of trying to get a one up on competitors has been going on for ages.

Snake Oil Anyone?

I was tuning in earlier today to the Barack Obama Pre-Inauguration broadcast and thought what better way of celebrating this historic and monumental occasion in American history  than releasing an Obama inspired tea blend?  Now the question was not only what base to begin with, but also what would Obama himself enjoy?

I kicked around a few ideas- maybe a nice Oolong? Or how about a Green tea? ‘Nah’ I thought, ‘It’s gotta be Rooibos‘  So with that as a canvas I tinkered around and came up with a wonderful African Red Bush (rooibos) tea base deeply rooted  with Hawaiian pineapple, coconut and a hint of dry rum.

Hurry on over to our Herbal Infusions Store and pick up your limited edition Aloha Obama loose leaf tea before its gone!