It's All About Tea — traditional chinese medicine

Balancing our internal energies is crucial for a relaxed and healthy body. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been around for thousands of years. According to this ancient knowledge, all teas are either cooling or heating. Understanding the properties of tea may help us make more conscious choices when choosing a tea for the soul for our gongfu session. (Read more)

This week the Northeast coast has been hit by a snow blizzard, and of course — many of us reached for something warm. Something hot. Tea! Granted, most of us tea heads drink tea all year round, no matter the outside temperature. Although undoubtedly, there's something exceptionally satisfying about warming yourself up with some hot tea while the weather is chilly. (Read more)

Most commonly, chen pi (citrus peel) is associated with pu-erh or aged white teas. It is no wonder why particularly post-fermented and aged teas go best with the dried citrus peel. Aside from tea, its use is widespread in Chinese medicine. Many people choose to drink chen pi tea precisely because of the benefits it brings, according to Chinese medicine. (Read more)

All throughout China, Taiwan, and other parts of East Asia, the bubble tea trend has reached its peak, with crowds of youth lining up for a big cup of the ice-cold tea beverage. Yet we still find small groups of elderly folk sitting somewhere shaded in a park, enjoying hot Gong Fu style tea.

For the westerner it is counterintuitive, to be drinking hot tea for hours on a hot, muggy day. Many of the older people, however, know the secrets of Chinese medicine and know exactly which beverages to drink in the summer to keep the body cool. (Read more)

In China and parts of Southeast Asia Pu-erh tea has been consumed for centuries. It was a significant export product on the Tea-Horse Road, but even back in its homeland of Yunnan people did not dismiss the amazing Pu-erh tea benefits.

While in Tibet this tea was popular with monks for its amazing energizing qualities, in China people would always drink it after a meal, especially an oily one, to aid with digestion. (Read more)