Holistic Health Rituals with the Spice and Tea Exchange #Sponsored

So many things shift as the seasons do, leaves change colors, animals enhance their coats, humans update their wardrobes to include cozy sweaters, but many of us don’t put a lot of thought into switching up our habits to better suit the changing seasons. Holistic Health is all about a whole body experience and what feels good and is healthy for the body as a whole. So for me, maintaining a healthy body and mind means switching up my daily routine to adapt to changes in body and atmosphere.

To showcase one of my favorite ways to transition my health and wellness routine, I’ve teamed up with Sadie from The Spice and Tea Exchange in Idaho Springs, just up into the mountains from Denver. But before we dive into that, a bit about Spice and Tea and Sadie! I have passed Idaho Springs about a thousand times heading up into the mountains and never really thought to stop. I always had a destination in mind and didn’t give myself the chance to explore the route. It hadn’t occurred to me that Idaho Springs was a destination all on its own. It is a quaint mountain chock full of fun shops and delicious restaurants, but the absolute gem of the bunch is The Spice and Tea Exchange.

When you walk in, the smell of herbs is overwhelming in the best way! Floor to ceiling shelves house an incredibly well curated array of spice rubs, infused salts, and my personal favorite handcrafted teas by Sadie herself- the owner and resident herbalist! You all know that I have a background in herbalism, so a mindfully crafted tea makes my heart happy, and Sadie does just that. From her seasonal teas to wellness sample packs, everything has been mixed, gathered, and edited with intention. So as we are gathering supplies for our seasonal wellness audit think about where yours are coming from- the energy of how they are made can have an impact on your experience! (I know I have a new favorite!)

3 Reasons to Incorporate Tea into Your Autumn Routine

When we start to think about self care, health and wellness, and an overwhelming sense of who we are as humans and what we need, we tend to overcomplicate things. We often think that change needs to be this huge, overwhelming process that seems nearly impossible, but quite frankly little changes make the biggest difference to me. These three reasons for adding tea into your daily wellness rituals get into the nitty gritty, the soul searching, the big ‘why,’ but it only takes a few minutes of boiling water and watching tea brew.

Moments of Presence

The act of brewing a great cup of tea can be a meditation and a moment of presence all on its own. In this world that celebrates being busy, we don’t often take a moment to pay attention to ourselves, to slow down, to breathe, to be aware of stillness and silence and gratitude. When making a cup or a pot of hot tea, focus on the act itself. Allow yourself to wait for the water to boil and watch when it does, find joy in scooping loose leaf tea into your favorite infuser, and pay attention to the water changing color as it steeps. This whole process only takes a few minutes but allows your brain to calm down, refocus, and release. I’ve found that some of my favorite teas to watch steep are the robust autumn and winter flavors. Think chai, autumn spice blends, or fruity holiday blends! Also you can never go wrong with a good matcha! (Especially these easy to make single serve packets!)

Health Benefits

It is great for your health! I know, this is one you see everywhere, but it is true! Especially as we live through autumn and transition into winter, herbal tea can do wonders for both your immune system and as a way to help you get healthy if you do fall ill. Herbs are so wonderful for a number of ailments, conditions, and preventative care. The wellness line of teas at Spice and Tea Exchange are particularly suited to keeping you healthy and feeling well. From the immunity boosting effects of ginger to the detoxing properties of dandelion root you have something for everything. I especially enjoy the calming effects of chamomile, catnip, and lavender before bed.

Self Care

Self care is trendy right now, as it should be! As humans we are more stressed than ever, so taking steps to take care of yourself is important. By bringing a lens of self-care into the mindfulness of brewing a cup of tea and the health benefits we add another element of healing. Instead of knowing that we need to take a break, or need energy, or need to stay healthy for the end result of productivity, we allow ourselves to brew a cup of tea and take time for ourselves, just to know ourselves. Also the act of shopping for tea, figuring out what we like, what we need, what our body needs is self care in itself. I love being able to walk into a tea shop and browse to see what sticks out for me. Sometimes reading a list of ingredients and what they are for triggers something and it feels like a lightbulb that goes off and you realize, YES I am feeling [Insert symptom here] and realize that it is something you should pay more attention to.

So, I would love to know how you like to incorporate tea into your daily ritual, let me know over on Instagram! Do you go browse tea shops like The Spice and Tea Exchange and figure out what you’d like, or do intensive research? Are you a hot tea or an iced tea kind of human? Caffeine or no caffeine? There are SO many different types of tea and combinations that you’ll never get bored- especially if you have access to a tea sanctuary like the one up in Idaho Springs!