As the weather grows colder and drier, people often complain of dry, itchy, flaky skin.
During the wintry months, this is a normal bodily reaction due to the colder weather and lower-humidity air combining with the dry heat inside our homes. This environmental combo strips moisture from our skin, causing the body to become dehydrated.
But, don’t worry! I’ve got a delicious herbal remedy to help your body hydrate and moisturize from the inside out.
It’s a fruit and flower based herbal tea.
Dried fruits and flowers are an essential staple in many cultures and cuisines around the world. They have also been used medicinally for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and in Western Herbalism.
Here’s how this tea works…
Jujube dates (pictured above) moisten the skin by nourishing blood and tonifying Qi. This helps improve circulation and hydration. These mildly sweet dates are often brewed into teas or soups with other ingredients like goji berries and ginger to enhance nutrient delivery to the skin, and promote a plumper, more radiant, and hydrated complexion.
In this skin tea blend, I’ve also added Longan fruit. In TCM, this fruit is revered as a warming tonic that nourishes the blood and spleen. It improves hydration and helps the skin retain moisture.
Plus, we’ve got goji berries that are classified as a kidney and liver tonic that replenishes the yin (fluids) to hydrate the body.
From western herbalism, calendula flowers act as a gentle emollient, to deeply hydrate and restore lipids to fortify the skin barrier. Calendula is ideal for moisturizing the skin to relieve dryness and itchiness.
Rose petals, rich in Vitamin C, were added to support collagen production. Rose water (or tea) supports overall hydration, which is crucial for maintaining skin elasticity and a healthy, plump, and glowing complexion from the inside out.
So there you have it. Instead of reaching for a caffeine-laden dehydrating beverage, try this fruit and flower tea to re-moisturize you if you are feeling flaky and dry.
- 2 jujube dates, halved
- 1 tbsp. dried longan fruit
- 1 tbsp. goji berries
- 1 tbsp. calendula flowers
- 1 tsp. rose petals
- ½ tsp. ginger
- Put all ingredients into a 32-ounce French Press or glass mason jar.
- Cover with boiling water and steep 45 minutes to one hour.
- Drink 1-2 cups daily.
Andrea Beaman is an internationally renowned Holistic Health Coach, Natural Foods Chef, Speaker, Herbalist and best-selling author who helps people feel happier, healthier and in control of their health. She was named one of the top 100 Most Influential Health and Fitness Experts, is the recipient of the Natural Gourmet Institute’s Award for Excellence in Health-Supportive Education and a Health Leadership award from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Since 1999, Andrea has been teaching people how to harness their body’s own preventative and healing powers using food, herbal remedies and alternative medicine.
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