In times of uncertainty, there is no better way to find peace than carving out a moment to rest and connect with ourselves – especially if we can make this a daily practice. We loved this article by Joerg Muller of Solaris Botanicals, which appeared in our Winter 2020/21 issue.
In our Autumn 2020 issue, one of our editors Aisling Cronin wrote about the value of taking time to enjoy the humble yet ever-restorative cuppa. No matter how busy your day might be, there’s always time for tea! Read on below to enjoy the article.
We’re huge fans of the delicious blends offered by the lovely Nik’s Tea! This Irish-owned company knows exactly how to craft the perfect cuppa.
We have set aside a real treat for you, Positive Lifers: a unique event with a twist. Come along to the beautiful Blackrock Market at 3.30 p.m. on Sunday September 30th and savour a late buffet lunch in the cute and quirky Cake Room. This café possesses an old-world charm, delicious food and cakes, and the owner Christina loves to serve classy teas and French coffee.
You will be served a buffet lunch with savouries and pastries with tea and coffee. After you have enjoyed this delicious food, we will serve a few pots of loose leaf tea. Then Paul Buggle, as a gifted intuitive, will share his talents and read your tea leaves. This is a gift that Paul inherited from his grandmother and is a true joy to experience. The readings will be delivered in a group setting, with everyone sharing in the overall experience.
Please arrive at 3.30 p.m. Our buffet lunch begins at 4 p.m, while the tea leaf readings will begin at 5 p.m.
Tickets are €65 each. Please note that this event is limited to eight places, so early booking is highly advised! Call 0861579518 to reserve your place.
For more information, visit:
facebook.com/
“Paul Buggle is a truly gifted intuitive. He has helped me many times in my life, through his friendship and his talent for connecting with spirit. His readings are like little energetic reminders to keep you floating along nicely on your path. They are healing and informative in equal measure. Highly recommended.”
– Paul Congdon, Positive Life Publisher
On Sunday September 30th, we are hosting an extra-special Afternoon Delight buffet lunch event in The Cake Room, Blackrock, Co. Dublin. Gifted intuitive Paul Buggle will be on hand to share his skills in reading tea leaves!
We have set aside a real treat for you, Positive Lifers: a unique event with a twist. Come along to the beautiful Blackrock Market at 3.30 p.m. on Sunday September 30th and savour a late buffet lunch in the cute and quirky Cake Room. This café possesses an old-world charm, delicious food and cakes, and the owner Christina loves to serve classy teas and French coffee.
You will be served a buffet lunch with savouries and pastries with tea and coffee. After you have enjoyed this delicious food, we will serve a few pots of loose leaf tea. Then Paul Buggle, as a gifted intuitive, will share his talents and read your tea leaves. This is a gift that Paul inherited from his grandmother and is a true joy to experience. The readings will be delivered in a group setting, with everyone sharing in the overall experience.
Please arrive at 3.30 p.m. Our buffet lunch begins at 4 p.m, while the tea leaf readings will begin at 5 p.m.
Tickets are €65 each. Please note that this event is limited to eight places, so early booking is highly advised! Call 0861579518 to reserve your place.
For more information, visit:
facebook.com/
“Paul Buggle is a truly gifted intuitive. He has helped me many times in my life, through his friendship and his talent for connecting with spirit. His readings are like little energetic reminders to keep you floating along nicely on your path. They are healing and informative in equal measure. Highly recommended.”
– Paul Congdon, Positive Life Publisher
Dazzling December! The most wonderful time of the year is upon us! Beautiful evenings, shimmering lights all around and a cozy fire at home surrounded by family awaits us. We all love this time when we enjoy great food, fun parties, celebrate and reflect on another amazing year passed. We, as always, want to celebrate with you and are bringing our Vibes back filled with beautiful recommendations and events for your mind, body & spirit! Our Positive Life Winter edition is coming out this Friday! Do not miss it by subscribing for yourself or as an original Xmas gift. Sign up here to get a chilled copy in your postbox! Loads of love, from all the team. Join us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter if you haven’t already.x
Happy Food situated within YogaHub yoga studio is an all vegan cafe that is worth seeking out. They are since September on its brand new second location in Castleknock, providing the same delciious plant based meals we all love! The new cafe is right on the M50, just off Junction 6.
check it out here happyfood.ie
Serendipity café opened up inside the Phibsboro Livingi Club earlier this year. They have a delicious vegan, alkaline and gluten-free menu full of salads, soups, treats and a mouth-watering vegan burger. It is guilt-free delicious meals, a win-win!
You can check them out on their Instagram
Vegus Juices Delicious, raw, healthy and with a conscience. They sell a range of ready-to-drink raw, cold-pressed juice that are never heated, never frozen with a 6 month shelf life (no fridge needed). We particularly recommend their newest addition: 100% raw Broccoli + Beetroot juice, health and taste in one!
You can check them out and do a little shopping here!
Turmerlicious is an instant, soothing turmeric latte made from a delicate blend of coconut milk, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, a hint of black pepper, and coconut blossom nectar. Based on the age old Indian “Golden Milk” or “haldi milk” this is a modern & easy take on the turmeric latte.
Click here to get yourself a treat!
King of Kefir Natural full flavoured, low calorie soft drinks, teeming with microbiome friendly cultures from water kefir. Made in small batches in the Chocolate Factory in the heart of Dublin. They have achieved the low sugars in their soft drinks by using the natural sweetener Stevia.
Learn more about this tasty drinks and where to buy here!
Positive Nights Our last two events of the year are coming in style!
Thursday, December 7th: Christmas Heartsongs with John Bowker! We always have a wonderful time with this lovely man so click here to learn more and get your tickets!
Wednesday, December 20th: Our Annual Xmas party! a lineup of beauty is coming for you all! click here to learn more and save yourself a spot!
Sussed Healthy Heart Oils are the only oils fully endorsed by My Nutrition Ireland. Their oils are certified to both Cold Pressed and Extra Virgin Standards, ensuring all the good omegas and vitamins are passed on to you.
This is an excerpt from our Winter 2016 issue. Read the rest of the article by subscribing soon so we can post you a copy or picking up a magazine from one of our lovely stockists all over Ireland. Tell them we said hello!
By Colleen Kennedy, CNM Naturopathic Nutritionist & Herbologist
In Ireland, we are blessed to be living in a most westerly point of Europe. This, however, provides weather-related challenges to our wellbeing.
Our wild Atlantic location brings with it a dampness which pervades the environment and our delicate systems, becoming the basis of many illnesses we commonly see this time of year. This dampness has been remedied throughout the ages and in many cultures across the world. When you think of damp, it conjures up feelings of cold, mucous, congestion, slowness, lethargy and pallor. To counteract this we can use foods and herbs with an aromatic and pungent nature to promote warmth within.
Beneficial foods which offer these warming properties include onions, garlic, leeks, horseradish, ginger, wasabi, mustard greens, turnips and radishes. They have a pungent nature which can heat up and cut through the dampness and cold. You’ll recognise this sensation when you take a little wasabi or horseradish paste on the tongue!
This is an excerpt from our Winter 2016 issue. Read the rest of the article by subscribing soon so we can post you a copy or picking up a magazine from one of our lovely stockists all over Ireland. Tell them we said hello!
By Dr. Dilis Clare
Sharing the secrets of herbs for health
Meeting new people, the question I’m most frequently asked is why I became a herbalist after years in general practice. There are several answers, but the reason I continue to practice herbal medicine is because of the power of herbs to treat the discomforts of illnesses commonly affecting people.
Herbs are both symptom relieving and healing. For example, if you suffer from IBS, you want to feel less discomfort and have more energy, you want to maintain a sense of well-being and avoid recurrence when life gets stressful again.
Herbal teas are particularly useful for treating and maintaining comfort and supporting normal digestive processes. Used over several months they can consolidate the healing effects. I use tinctures (herbs preserved and extracted in dilute alcohol) combined with teas for the initial treatment and for flare-ups of distressing symptoms.
In my clinic in Galway, I encourage patients research the herbs I prescribe. The clinic was always intended to make herbs available to people and to share the medicinal benefits of herbs and how to use them. A wide range of herbs are available individually along with blends formulated for those happy to follow traditional combinations recommended for various health issues and discomforts.
Visit our website for useful leaflets and articles. You will also see a short film on making and using herb teas as part of your daily routine.
Dr. Dilis Clare MBBCh, DRCOG, BSc (Herbal Medicine), IIMH
“The rhythm of life is a powerful beat, puts a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet.” And what is the rhythm of life? It’s the constant change that is the in and out of breathing and the steady pulsing of the heart. It’s never static, it makes a beat, creates a rhythm.
Sometimes, in times of constant change and turmoil, we can feel unsteady and ungrounded as though the wave of change may overwhelm us and take us over. However, Shiatsu and the food we eat can help to ground the consciousness in the heart so that even though all around us may be loosing their heads, we will still have ours, secure in its home, the healthy heart.
The first step to start housing the heart is to build the blood. Leafy greens, full of chlorophyll, are great at improving the quality of blood. They are packed full of calcium and magnesium, and eating them raw in the following salad will ensure that none of the water soluble vitamins and minerals like the calcium and magnesium are lost through cooking.
Watercress contains extremely high levels of Vitamin C and – as well as boosting the immune system – provides vital antioxidants, essential for removing any waste or toxins from the blood. The salad can be quite bitter, so the orange and red onions should sweeten the flavour, although, curiously, the flavour for the high summer and the heart is bitterness. It is as without the unavoidable pain and sadness of life the joyous expansion of the heart cannot fully be experienced.
200g Watercress or Baby Spinach leaves or a mix of both
100g Rocket
1 Orange
1 Pomegranate
1 small red Onion
Wash and drain the green leaves; shred them by hand into small mouth size bites. Peel and cut the orange into chunks; tip these along with the juice onto the leaves. Cut the pomegranate in half and – using a fork – scrape out the red fleshy seeds. Ensure that none of the pomegranate pith falls into the salad as this is really too bitter. Chop the red onion in half after peeling off the outside layers, then thinly slice into half moons; these should come apart when tossing all the ingredients of the salad together.
This salad is great at cooling and nourishing the blood. Bulgur wheat is made from wheat berries that have been boiled, dried and cracked. Wheat, with its bitter flavour, benefits the heart, but over use, refinement and genetic modification, can cause allergic reactions. However, as a grain, it absorbs a wider range of vitamins and minerals from the soil than any other grain and is brilliant at nurturing the heart mind of the body. So, try organic bulgur wheat or spelt flour.
Parsley is the other main ingredient in this salad. Make sure you use the flat leaf variety. Its main influence is on the kidneys, as it has a mild diuretic effect, but all organs in Chinese medicine serve the heart, so building healthy fluids in the body by aiding the kidneys is no bad thing. It also contains calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron and several times the vitamin C of citrus fruits. So, energetically, this will soothe the nerves, build the blood and strengthen the heart.
250g Bulgur Wheat
1 tablespoon Miso paste, mixed with 1 litre of boiling water to make a stock
1 large bag (100g approx.) flat leaf Parsley
500g Tomatoes
2 bunches Scallions
Juice of 1 Lemon
50ml Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Place the bulgur wheat into a saucepan and pour over the hot stock. Bring the liquid back to the boil, cover with a lid and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Keep checking it to make sure it doesn’t run out of liquid, and – after 5 minutes – take it off the heat and leave it to sit in the remaining liquid for a further 15 minutes. The bulgur should have absorbed the liquid and be soft in texture with a slight bite. Leave this to cool, and begin to chop the parsley very small. The scallions and tomatoes are also chopped into bite size pieces, and cucumber can be added, but I find it goes soggy if the salad is kept in the fridge for over 12 hours. Juice the lemon and stir with the olive oil, scallions, tomatoes and parsley into the bulgur wheat. I like plenty of ground pepper and salt in my salad, but really add to taste. This salad is great by itself and will serve 4-5 people, but it’s also delicious served with fish because of the lemon tang and fresh parsley.
2-3 Rosehip tea bags
Couple of large sprigs of mint
1-2 tablespoons of Apple Juice Concentrate or Honey
Place all ingredients in a large cafetiere and pour over 1 litre of recently boiled water. Leave it steep for at least five minutes. Give it a stir and it’s ready to serve. Fresh rosehips really would be the best here as they are packed with Vitamin C. However, they can be difficult to find, so I often substitute the tea bags. This tea is absolutely delicious hot but I love to make a big jug of it and let it cool, serving it over ice in the garden with a few calendula petals sprinkled through. Roll on sunshine.
Joanne, together with Uta Kaiser from Yogatouch, will be running a residential workshop from June 8th – 10th, “Building a home for your heart,” which will use food, meditation, acupressure meridians and yoga practice to bring peace, stability and health to your heart. For more information on this and Calcium and Magnesium in food and the body, visit www.joannefaulkner.org or contact Joanne on 0866070432.
By Jorg Muller.
Solaris Botanicals, a Galway-based Organic Tea company specialises in blending internationally award-winning organic Speciality and Herbal Teas. The Solaris Tea range has won 6 Great Taste Awards in 2 years and was awarded Best Irish Organic Grocery Product in 2007 & 2008. Joerg Mueller, founder of the company is a Medical Herbalist and Master Tea Blender.
Tea is the second most drunk beverage after water in the world. Wars have been fought over tea, and tea was the tipping point for the American War of Independence (The Boston Tea Party). It is strongly embedded in the Irish culture. In fact, Ireland has the highest per head consumption of tea in Europe. Nowadays tea is regarded as a commodity product. Yet, what always surprises me is how little really is known about quality tea. I hope this article will shed some light on the forgotten treasures tea has to offer.
First of all, it is important to know the different types of tea that are available. These also have different health attributes attached to them.
All teas (except the herbal teas which are often referred to as tisanes or infusions) come from the same plant: Camellia Sinensis. This plant originally only grew in China and was smuggled out by Japanese Monks in the 15th century. After many failed attempts by the English to do the same, a botanist discovered a similar plant growing in the tropics (in this case India), which he called Camellia Assamica. Shortly after, the Camellia Assamica plant could be grown in tropical climates which facilitated world-wide trade (China had closed itself to all foreign trade).
The difference of all traditional teas lies in the different degree of fermentation.
White Tea is considered the healthiest of all teas with the highest content of anti-oxidants and lowest content of caffeine. It is unfermented and air-dried straight after hand-picking. It is called White Tea because it has white, hairy leaves. The best qualities of white tea only contain the unopened bud.
Many varieties, and also methods of preparation exist, but they all have one thing in common: Green Teas are unfermented which results in high anti-oxidant, vitamin & mineral content. Higher grade green teas also only contain the undamaged whole leaf. Green Teas make a fabulous pick me up and are good for detoxing.
Oolong is a semi-fermented tea which places it between green and black tea. Recently promoted in the West by Celebrities for weight-loss, Oolong is considered a rejuvenation tea in China. The fermentation ranges from 30% (Formosa Oolongs, which are closer to green tea ) to 80% (Shui Xian, which are closer to Black Teas). Also known as the ‘Champagne of Teas’.
Fully fermented, they were originally invented by a Chinese Trader to preserve the tea on its voyage to Europe. Black Tea consumption only constitutes 1% of tea consumption in China…
We mainly consume the tropical Assam (grown in Asia & Africa), and Darjeeling (same plant but special growth conditions in the Indian District of Darjeeling make this tea special).
Pu-Erh has a category on its own, since it is a post-fermented tea. This means certain bacteria are added after the leaf is fermented. These bacteria are similar to pro-biotics and help the breakdown of fat in the digestive tract. Alongside Pu-Erh’s energising qualities, it is a valuable aid for weight-loss and lowering cholesterol levels.
Generally caffeine free, herbal teas can be made up of any plant-material on this planet. Solaris Herbal Teas are delicious hand-blended mixes targeting specific body systems and complaints. Herbal infusions are ideal for boosting your system with easily absorbed minerals and make the perfect addition to your Spring Detox regime.
To find out more, just use our tea selector on our website to find specific teas for specific conditions.
Very important for buying the right teas is the quality grading aspect of teas. Let me get this straight from the beginning: if you are drinking tea for its health benefits, whole-leaf teas are the only choice. Once the tea leaf is cut or bruised (i.e. for fermentation) it oxidises, thus looses anti-oxidants. This means anti-oxidant content is highest in this order: White Tea > Green Tea > Oolong > Black Teas
For ordinary Tea bags, low grade tea fannings (dust) is used which are almost devoid of anti-oxidants. Expressed more positively: Whole-leaf Teas contain on average 95% more anti-oxidants than Tea Bag Teas (except where these contain only whole leaf tea, such as in Silken Tea Bags).
Generally Tea is graded into 10 grades: 1st grade, 2nd grade… Fannings, which are the lowest grade.
Another important factor in the quality is the picking time. The best teas are picked in spring time, which is the first harvest (there can be up to 4 harvests a year, each one resulting in a lower quality), also called 1st flush or spring flush tea.
The health benefits of tea have been well documented and to date up to 2000 clinical trials were conducted on this topic. The main findings are as follows:
The antioxidant properties of tea flavonoids play a role in: reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease by decreasing lipid oxidation, reducing the instances of heart attacks and stroke, and beneficially impact blood vessel function, an important indicator of cardiovascular health.
Tea flavonoids may lower the risk of certain cancers by inhibiting the oxidative changes in DNA from free radicals and some carcinogens. Tea may also promote programmed cell death, or apoptosis, and inhibit the rate of cell division, thereby decreasing the growth of abnormal cells.
Tea-drinking has been associated with oral health and bone health.
Compounds in tea other than flavonoids have been shown to support the human immune system.
Vitamin B1 Encourages carbohydrate breakdown in the liver
Vitamin B2 Important for breakdown of protein, fats and carbohydrates; acts anabolic, supports the building and breakdown process of red blood cells
Vitamin B3 Supports building process of hormone
Vitamin B5 Anti-stress, detoxing
Vitamin C Stimulates cell-activity, supports breakdown of free radicals, important for Vit.E, builds collagen. Green tea has as much Vit. C as fresh lemons
Proteins 6%
Calcium Bone-density, stabilizes cell membranes
Potassium Facilitates nervous system impulse transmission, stabilizes blood pressure, with calcium it regulates acid-alkaline balance
Zinc Supports hormones, e.g. blood sugar levels, anti-oxidant, constituent in over 200 enzymes
Fluor In tea it is bound to calcium and potassium, protects against tooth decay
Manganese Important in connective tissue, bone, activation of enzymes
For a more in-depth read on clinical trials and health benefits go to www.solaristea.com where we have compiled a wealth of up to date research on tea.
A cup of tea represents more than the health benefit alone. Tea has been of major social importance in many cultures around the world. Offering tea to a visitor, friends, or in meetings, tea is a universal gesture of goodwill and hospitality. Tea represents communication and feeling at ease with your surroundings. This aspect was developed to a painstakingly exact ritual in the Japanese Tea Ceremony, but can be found in every household on this planet drinking tea.
Solaris Flowering Teas are a celebration of this tradition. When steeped in hot water, the flower buds slowly blossom into breathtaking displays. Requiring no tea bag or strainer, Flowering Teas are environmentally kind as well as easy to serve.
For tea connoisseurs and beginners alike, Flowering Teas make unforgettable gifts.
An extraordinary sensual experience!
Solaris Tea’s are sold in Health Food Stores & Deli’s nationwide. The teas can also be ordered online on www.solaristea.com
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