All Things Tea & Such

Physical Wellness is a healthy body through exercise, nutrition, sleep, etc. Whew, where should I even begin. LOL! At the top of 2020, pre-quarantine, I started a new fitness routine. I went to the gym a few times a week, I cooked quite often, and really paid attention to what I put in my body. It was during this time, Grace & Gratitude became a real thought. The healthy teas along with a healthy diet and fitness routine would be a win all around.

Then we fast-forward to mid-March and the pandemic erupts and quarantine orders are instituted, but I still wanted to maintain and enhance my physical wellness. So, the thought of Grace & Gratitude turned into a full launch with ten healthy and organic teas, along with self-care products that enhance your physical wellness by improving the quality of your sleep and focus.

Has the quarantine affected your physical wellness? Have you found ways to maintain or enhance a healthy body? Or are you planning a complete ”do over” in 2021?

If you need an easy and effective way to enhance your physical wellness, visit our store and try our teas.

Environmental Wellness focuses on creating a healthy physical environment free of hazards and the awareness of the role we play in bettering rather than denigrating the natural environment 

At Grace & Gratitude, we take pride in the role we play in our environment.

All of our teas are certified organic and are grown without conventional pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizers, or sewage-sludge based fertilizers.

Our teas are grown following the Ethical Tea Partnership, an organization that monitors and regulates living and working conditions on tea estates worldwide.

The tea estates that grow our teas are net absorbers of CO2, one of the common gasses responsible for global warming. Most estates use renewable timber, refuse wood and root stock from exhausted tea bushes as a fuel source as often as possible. Not only are these fuel sources renewable and less costly than fossil fuels, they also emit fewer emissions.

What role does environmental wellness play in your life?

How are we connecting with, interacting with, and contributing to other people and our communities? COVID has forced limitations on our social interactions and forced us interact in creative ways. It's been months since we've been able to attend church, birthday parties, pool parties, concerts, and plays in person or without full PPE! I have never used Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or Facetime as much as I have in 2020. But, these tools have allowed me to interact with people virtually and maintain my social wellness.

Check in on how you're fairing with your social wellness. Are you an extrovert yearning for lots of in-person interactions, or are you an introvert who is okay with limited in-person interactions? What are some ways you're protecting your social wellness during this time?

Happy Sunday! We’ll be discussing the six dimensions of wellness this week (see previous post). We are starting with emotional wellness, which is being in touch with, aware of, accepting of, and expressing one’s feelings (and those of others). Today, as you focus on starting a brand new week, how are you feeling emotionally? Today, I am striving. I have two toddlers that keep me running, and I'm tired 🥱. But I’m aware of and accepting of my feelings (and my husband’s feelings because we are both tired 😂), and I know how to ask for what I need, so I can begin to thrive. 

As you check in with how you're feeling (and those around you), are you striving, thriving, or merely surviving?

If you are new to the loose tea life, don’t worry, enjoying loose tea leaves can be an effortless and enjoyable experience. Follow the instructions below to easily brew a great cup of tea each time.

There are five main types of tea: black, green, white, oolong, and pu-erh. These teas are infusions made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant and vary widely in flavor, aroma, and appearance. 

Black tea leaves are fully oxidized and is the most processed of the main tea varieties. It undergoes a process of withering, rolling, oxidation, and drying. The lengthy production process produces a tea that is full-bodied and bold in flavor and deep in color. 

Green tea leaves are not oxidized, but are hand harvested and the teas leaves are spread out on large bamboo or cloth mats where they are withered. Once the leaves are limp, they are blasted with heat to prevent oxidation. Green tea has a grassy and herbaceous flavor and is typically light green or pale yellow in color.

White tea is the least processed tea. It undergoes the simplest production process, which is designed to maintain its natural look and flavor. Tea leaves are plucked by hand and then immediately dried outdoors in natural sunlight. Only the youngest leaves of the tea plant are used to make white tea. White tea overall has a subtle flavor profile that is delicate and naturally sweet. White tea is typically light yellow in appearance.

Oolong tea is a semi-oxidized tea. The tea leaves are allowed to oxidize, but only for a short period of time. The flavor and color of oolong tea are stronger than green tea, but more mellow than black tea.

Pu-erh teas are post-oxidized. The leaves are hand harvested, withered, and then subjected to heat to prevent oxidation. The flavor and aroma of pu-erh tea are most similar to green and black teas, depending on the variety. 

Rooibos tea is made from the leaves of a bush belonging to the Papilionace family in Africa, rather than from the Camellia Sinensis leaves. The flavor is typically earthy, slightly sweet, and creamy.

Herbal teas, or Herbal tisanes, similar to rooibos teas, do not contain any leaves from the Camellia Sinensis tea plant. These tisanes are made by infusing spices, herbs, and flowers.

Grace & Gratitude carries a collection of black, green, rooibos, and herbal teas. 

What is your favorite type of tea? What additional teas would you like us to add to our collection? Feel free to leave a comment below.

Grace is unearned, undeserved, unmerited favor, or kindness. It’s the love and mercy given to ourselves and others, especially when we feel unworthy. Between the coronavirus and the movement to dismantle the systems of racism, we are all in need of a generous helping of grace.

We’re practicing social distancing, washing our hands frequently, wearing a mask in 80-degree temps, parenting 24-7 without a break, and working full-time; while also encouraging people to vote and fighting for equality. Whew! Thanks, 2020!

We need grace! We can’t possibly be the perfect wife, mom, and friend right now, and we can’t expect anyone else to be either. On a typical day, perfection is overrated and unrealistic, but in the midst of 2020, it’s ridiculous to even aim for perfection. So, give the kids grace and let them stay up a bit later, give yourself grace and let the house be a little messier, give your spouse grace and eat take-out a little more often; just generously give grace!

In fact, sprinkle grace around like confetti!

Have you struggled giving yourself or others grace lately? What are some ways you can better extend grace? Feel free to leave a comment below.