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Steep & Tell: Dr. Sara Love of Lichen + Leaf
Our Steep & Tell interview with Dr. Sara Love, founder of Lichen + Leaf, on slow mornings with her cat, the burnout that led her to reinvent everything, giving people permission to rest, and why branding matters more than a perfect product.
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Best Herbal Teas for Period Cramps (and Why They Help)
A warm mug is one of the oldest, gentlest ways to ease period cramps. Here are the caffeine-free herbal teas to reach for, from ginger to peppermint to cinnamon, and the simple reasons each one helps.
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Best Teas for a Cold and Flu (What to Sip When You're Sick)
When a cold or flu has you down, the right herbal tea brings real comfort. Here are the caffeine-free blends to reach for, and the ingredients that soothe a scratchy throat, ease congestion, and keep you hydrated while you rest.
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Turmeric Tea Benefits: What It Does and How to Brew It
Turmeric is the golden root behind one of the most talked-about wellness cups. Here is what turmeric tea actually does, how it tastes, how to brew it well, and the caffeine-free blend that makes it effortless.
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Steep & Tell: Amy W Rees of Personality Plates
Our Steep & Tell interview with Amy W Rees, founder and designer of Personality Plates, on slow coffee mornings with her goldendoodle, the boredom no one warns you about, pivoting to wholesale, and building a brand with a whole lot of personality.
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Steep & Tell: Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya of African Women in STEM
Our Steep & Tell interview with Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya, founder of African Women in STEM, on protecting five quiet minutes, burnout, future casting, and the real work of helping women stop asking for permission.
Learn more![Steep & Tell: Melissa Panszi Riebe of A D'Zine & Make Your Mark[et]](http://www.leavesofleisure.com/cdn/shop/articles/0001-4971363355967286072.png?v=1788893547&width=1100)
Steep & Tell: Melissa Panszi Riebe of A D'Zine & Make Your Mark[et]
Our Steep & Tell interview with Melissa Panszi Riebe of A D'Zine and Make Your Mark[et], on slow mornings, community, betrayal and pivots, and trusting your gut.
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The Best Teas for Focus (Without the Coffee Jitters)
We have all been there. You sit down to get something done, and twenty minutes later you have reorganized your desk, answered three texts, and somehow not started the actual task. Focus is hard, and for a lot of us the go-to fix is another cup of coffee. The trouble is that coffee often does too much, leaving you wired, scattered, and staring down an afternoon crash. Tea offers a gentler path to a clear, focused mind. Here are the blends to reach for. Why tea beats coffee for focus Coffee gives you a big, fast spike of caffeine, which can tip you straight past focused and into jittery. Then it drops you just as fast. A low-caffeine or caffeine-free tea gives you something steadier: enough of a lift to feel alert, without the racing, anxious edge that makes it hard to concentrate. There is also the ritual of it. The simple act of making a cup and pausing for a moment is its own little reset button for a busy brain. The best blends for a focused, calm mind Sun Soaked. Made with green mate, apple, and hibiscus, Sun Soaked is our low-caffeine pick for a gentle, steady lift. Green mate gives you that clear-headed alertness people love, without the harsh spike and crash of coffee. It is the one to reach for at the start of a focused work session. Bath Time. Sometimes the thing standing between you and focus is not low energy, it is a frazzled, overwhelmed mind. Bath Time, our caffeine-free blend of lemongrass, sage, and tangerine, is soft and calming, and a calm nervous system concentrates far better than an anxious one. Reach for this when your brain feels loud. Small ways to help your focus along Put your phone in another room, or at least face down and out of reach. Work in focused sprints, then take a real break with your tea before the next one. Choose a low-caffeine blend in the afternoon so a late lift does not cost you sleep. Keep your cup within reach as a small anchor to come back to when your mind wanders. Frequently asked questions What tea is best for focus without jitters? A low-caffeine blend like our Sun Soaked gives you a gentle, steady lift, while a caffeine-free blend like Bath Time supports the calm, clear headspace that focus needs. Is tea better than coffee for concentration? For many people, yes. Tea tends to deliver a smoother, more even kind of alertness, without the spike and crash that can leave you scattered. Can I drink focus teas in the afternoon? Absolutely. Because these are low or no caffeine, they are a great afternoon choice that will not keep you up at night. The bottom line You do not need to be wired to be productive. Reach for Sun Soaked for a gentle lift or Bath Time for calm, clear focus, and give your brain a steadier way to settle in. Find them both in our tea shop.
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The Best Teas to Drink After a Meal
There is a particular kind of heaviness that settles in after a big meal. You are full, maybe a little sluggish, and all you want is to feel light again. For centuries, people all over the world have reached for a warm cup of tea to help. A gentle after-dinner brew is one of the oldest and loveliest ways to feel settled, and it fits beautifully into a slow evening. Here are the best teas to sip after a meal. How tea helps after eating A warm cup does a few comforting things. The warmth itself is soothing on a full stomach, and many of the herbs traditionally sipped after meals, like ginger, peppermint, and lemongrass, have a long history of easing that heavy, overfull feeling. Just as important, an after-dinner cup gives you a reason to slow down, sit for a few minutes, and let your body do its thing. No caffeine required, so it will not get in the way of a good night's sleep. The best blends to sip after a meal Road Trip. Ginger is the classic after-dinner hero, and Road Trip is full of it, alongside turmeric and pineapple. Warming and bright, it is a wonderful choice when you are feeling weighed down. Snow Angel. Peppermint has been settling stomachs for generations, and Snow Angel pairs it with rosehip and ginger for a cool, refreshing finish. It is especially nice after a rich or heavy meal. Bath Time. With lemongrass, sage, and tangerine, Bath Time is soft, citrusy, and light, another gentle, caffeine-free way to feel settled as the evening winds down. How to make it a habit Put the kettle on as you clear the table, so the cup is ready when you sit back down. Sip slowly, giving yourself ten quiet minutes before moving on to anything else. Keep it caffeine-free in the evening so your after-dinner ritual does not cost you sleep. Add a little honey or a slice of lemon if you like a touch more comfort. Frequently asked questions What is the best tea to drink after eating? Ginger and peppermint blends are the classics. Our Road Trip (ginger) and Snow Angel (peppermint) are both lovely after-dinner choices. Does tea really help digestion? A warm, caffeine-free cup with herbs like ginger, peppermint, or lemongrass is a time-honored way to feel settled and less heavy after a meal, though no tea is a cure for anything. How long after eating should I drink it? Whenever it feels good, though many people love a cup within a half hour or so of finishing, while they are winding down. The bottom line A warm cup after dinner is one of the simplest comforts there is. Reach for Road Trip, Snow Angel, or Bath Time, and give yourself a soft, settled end to the meal. Explore more in our Gut Happy collection.
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