Tea, It's not just for Drinking
Although tea is now a popular beverage throughout the world, China was the first country to discover and utilize the Camellia Sinensis plant to create and drink it as a beverage. In around the 28th century BC, during the Shen Nong Era, Chinese people discovered the tea tree and used it as medicine for many ailments. When it was found that the caffeine in it also increased their energy levels as well as quenching thirst, it became even more popular, however was still mostly used for medicinal purposes.
Tea in China developed over the years until the Tang Dynasty, which was from AD618-907, when it came into its true popularity not just as a medicinal tonic but as a beverage to be consumed daily for pleasure. Due to this change, tea production and the tea trade within China and to foreign countries thrived and grew. More recently, scientific studies have shown that it can effectively reduce levels of radiation and toxins in the body as well as helping to lose weight and prevent heatstroke as well as providing many anti-oxidants.
Many people know about tea as a beverage for drinking, however Teavivre will introduce you to some new and unique ways to use it in your home:
Creating a Tea Pillow: After drinking your tea leaves, as long as you have not added any sweetener or milk to the tea, you can re-use steeped leaves by making them into a therapeutic spa-like pillow for relaxation and health. Simply sun-dry your leaves after use, and acquire enough over time to create a pillow the size you desire. Using the dried leaves, stuff your pillowcase or pillow fabric with the dried leaves, then sew shut to create a beautiful tea pillow which is not only comfortable, with a relaxing aromatherapy fragrance, but can also absorb bad gases emitted from your body during sleep. After using it for a while, be sure to let this pillow bask in the sunlight for several hours to let it sun-dry and “recharge” itself and make it fresh once again.
Using Tea Leaves As A Natural Fertilizer: Brewed tea leaves make a fabulous fertilizer, both in your garden as well as helping potted plants indoors. Again, as long as you have not added anything to your tea such as sugar or milk, the brewed leaves contain high levels of minerals, carbohydrates, and other nutrients that create a rich soil. Mix your used steeped leaves in with your mulch or garden dirt, or add just a little into the soil of your potted plants and watch them thrive and grow larger!
Using Tea For Eye Fatigue: Tea is a wonderful relief to dry and bloodshot eyes. Whether your eyes are simply fatigued or simply feeling dry or irritated, you can used your brewed leaves, wrapped as a poultice to place over your eyes to soothe and comfort them. Bagged teas are especially great for this, as you can easily place the used teabags over your eyes. However you can also purchase heat seal tea bags to brew your loose tea in which makes a wonderful ready-made eye poultice for when you are finished your drinking.
Tea For Healthy Teeth: Use your tea after drinking to gargle with during brushing your teeth. Even though the leaves have already been brewed, they can still help your teeth to resist acid and helps to reduce tooth decay and cavities while the fluoride helps to eliminate plaque on your teeth.
Tea To Eliminate Odors: Tea can be re-used to help eliminate unwanted odors in your home. For example, you can use brewed tea leaves in a cloth to wipe down furniture to eliminate bad smells in the upholstery. You can also use tea, or brewed tea leaves to add to your dishwater to help eliminate and reduce bad food smells on your dishes. If there are certain places in your home that hold bad odors, place used, dried tea leaves in that area to absorb the unwanted odors.
There are many different uses for your leaves after you have already enjoyed your tea, which makes for a wonderful way to recycle and reduce waste as well as helping to improve areas of your home and life. These are just some of the ways you can use and recycle your leaves, however tea is very nutritious as well as having a pleasant smell which absorbs bad odors so you can actually find many different uses for tea leaves just about anywhere in your home.