Jo has seriously hooked me up: Organic Milan Dancong

I have recently been tailoring the menu for an upcoming tea tasting event, and had decided that a Wuyi Rock Oolong was going to be the star of the show. I adore the unique flavours as well as the interesting history of this tea. However, my favourite tea supplier informed me that they are currently sold out of Wuyi Rock.

Jo of Ya-Ya Teahouse kindly suggested some "worthy replacements", "you will not be disappointed" he told me. I got very excited about trying yet another type of Oolong and became increasingly obsessed with looking out for the bright yellow courier van showing up in my driveway. 

This morning the driver turned up bright and early with a big smile and said "More tea for you".

He knows me well.

Well, Jo has seriously hooked me up. I opened the bag of Milan Dancong Oolong and breathed in deeply the dry leaf fragrance. I sat up straight, my eyes almost popping out of my face. I smelt a deep, rich, preserved apricot aroma, and was immediately transported to my grandmothers house, childhood memories of eating grandma's preserved apricots on ice cream. This is one of the things I love about tea. It has a power to transport you through it's incredible range of aromas and flavours.

The dry leaf before brewing. Dark chocolate brown leaves with an intense preserved apricot/stone fruit, floral aroma.

                                      

                                   The leaves after infusion which have turned a lovely green shade.

Oolong leaves lend themselves well to the "bowl tea" brewing method: a few leaves, hot water and a tea bowl. The leaves are larger, unbroken and tend to sit at the bottom of the cup/bowl. 

This tea genuinely excites me. After only a short 30 second infusion, the brewed flavours are already rich and fragrant. I have read that Oolong teas "satisfy the mouth and throat". This is my first time experiencing that fully. I am left with a beautiful lingering floral flavour, a syrupy feeling in my mouth and a pleasant warmth in my throat. I am instantly relaxed, my thoughts have become fully focussed on enjoying this moment. 

I am delighted to be sharing this tea at a tasting this weekend. This feels like the perfect tea for our modern, stressful, tech-filled lives.

A tea leaf after the second infusion. Just beginning to unfurl. Huge!

RLH.

A mother's holiday

I recently embarked on an overseas trip to Sydney, Australia. It was a multipurpose journey, the significance of which was not revealed to me until I was hanging out in the afterglow of all the action.
We decided to fly over to attend the wedding of friends of ours, to stay with my best friend who had a newborn baby, for myself to stay on and start my tea master training and our 3 year old daughter was to stay in New Zealand. My beautiful daughter and I had not been apart for more than 24 hours since birth and I was still breastfeeding her at night. This is not something that many people knew about as extended breastfeeding tends to freak people out. I had left the decision in her hands as to when she would like to wean and it was taking rather a long time for her to lose interest! I had forced her to wean daytime feeds and would only feed her at bedtime. This suited us both fine as it was not too demanding on me physically and she got all the nutritional and immune system goodness that was being supplied.

Once the trip was planned I realised that full blown weaning was going to be the best course of action. My daughter was showing no signs of wanting to wean so I had to change my original plan.
I made this decision without too much thought or emotion involved. I wanted to make the transition as gentle and natural as possible for her. We planned a few sleepovers with her Grandma's where the night feed was missed and my body was allowed to get the message that production needed to start shutting down. It was uncomfortable to say the least! I did not realise just how much she was having in that one feed. I was engorged and leaking like when she first arrived!

After a couple of weeks things started to settle down. I asked her when she would like her "last feed ever" and she chose an upcoming Saturday night. When the time came we snuggled up on the couch and I confirmed with her that this was the last one.
Waves of emotion began to roll through me and hot tears streamed down my face thick and fast. I gazed down at her and how she fit so perfectly in my arms. Our nursing relationship has always been effortless and at no point in the 'extended' period had she felt too big or uncomfortable in my arms. It struck me hard how much I was actually going to miss this delicate, sacred and very special part of our relationship. I understood then how privileged I was to experience such a long breastfeeding relationship and that I was foolish to have kept it so quiet.
I wept rather a lot that evening, but I had the loving and supportive hand of my partner on my shoulder.

A week later we left the country and our daughter for our first holiday together in a long time.
It was surreal and bizarre initially as we navigated the streets of a new city and got used to a different time zone. After cutting a serious rug on the wedding dance floor and having a lot of fun with our friends, I started to feel a kind of restoration that was seriously needed.

My brain was being used in such a different way.  You are constantly surveying your surroundings while traveling which allows for things to get shaken up. I had suffered somewhat from the treadmill of running a household and had slipped into too many habits. As many fellow parents will appreciate - you are often just so damn tired that you easily fall into autopilot mode.
The ten days away felt like a LONG time. If I had spent the same ten days at home doing the "same old" they would have slipped past me quickly as the days seem to do.

It didn't hurt that Sydney had the most beautiful, sunny weather and that green juices and smoothies were available on every corner. I got nourished on so many levels!
Staying with my best friend was another level of restoration. We used to live across the driveway from each other growing up and now we live in different countries. 10 days together was pure luxury.
 
I had made the decision to start my tea master training - something I have wanted to do for a long time. Tea is my passion and it felt so good to take the giant leap in that direction. I will talk more about this at another time :)

I was deeply nervous about catching my first solo international flight home. I have always traveled with others in the past. After catching buses, trains and walking around by myself for a few days in Sydney - I felt a new sense of security in being alone. Not only was I having a break from my daughter, but the second part of the trip was without my partner - the expert map reader who was very good at navigating new places and airports.

I got the full treatment departing Sydney: my bags had to be opened, I was then asked to step into a full body radiation scanner, and was then "randomly selected" to have my luggage and clothing bomb checked. I managed to get onto the plane with some sense of calm remaining!
I enjoyed the late night flight home to New Zealand and soaked up the last moments of being profoundly alone. Alone in a very good way. I felt ready to come back to my life in New Zealand.  When I came through the arrivals gate I got the best surprise ever - my daughter wide awake at 11.30pm in the arms of her dad. There will never be words to describe the waterfall of love and excitement that I experienced in that moment.

In the days that followed I noticed that I had 100% to give to her. I had filled my tanks sufficiently and was less prone to being grumpy or flying off the handle - something that occurred if I was overwhelmed or exhausted in the past.
We are definitely still feeling our way through this very new phase without breastfeeding, and integrating all the emotions and realizations we both had while apart. Huia asks me if I am going away again and if she can come too.
While I am committed to having a "mother's holiday" every year now (the benefits have proved crucial to my family) I am thoroughly looking forward to the day when I am wandering around a new city and getting fabulously lost with my daughter beside me.

RLH
x

Summer nourishment: Creamy Tea Elixir recipe!

Happy new year to you!!

It is hot and unpredictable here in Auckland. One minute it is clear and sunny, the next it is windy and raining sporadically. Either way, the heat has a dramatic effect on my appetite. I often find it is 4pm and I haven't even thought about lunch yet.
Amongst all the socializing and traveling I find it easy to resort to liquid nutrition.
Enter the creamy tea elixir!

Back in the day, I had the honor of working in a tea house with a huge selection of teas and an industrial strength blender. I was on my feet all day and during summer the muggy heat would kill my usually ravenous appetite. I created the most delicious and interesting way to keep myself nourished and hydrated at the same.  Using a base of nut milk (either walnuts, almonds or cashews) a strong brew of Yerba Mate tea, ice and a hefty dose of raw honey this drink is rich, uplifting, stimulating and somehow soothing at the same time.

 This is how we do it:

* 1 generous handful of walnuts. Preferably organic. Substitute with almonds or cashews.
* 500 mls purified water
* 1-2 pitted medjool dates (optional, but very tasty)
* 3 heaping tablespoons loose leaf yerba mate tea.
* Honey to taste. I suggest 2-3 tablespoons.

* Add water, nuts and medjool dates to your blender and whiz until frothy and creamy.
* Pour liquid through a kitchen sieve/nutmilk bag/cheese cloth or clean stocking into a decent sized   jug or jar.
* Brew yerba mate in a small teapot or cup for 10 minutes and allow to cool slightly.
* Add honey to your drinking vessel (I use a 500ml capacity jar) and stir with a small amount of hot water or tea until melted. Add lots of ice and stir again.
* Pour in nut milk slowly while stirring.
* At this point, the drink is absolutely delicious and you can enjoy it as an iced sweet nut milk without any caffeine added. Perfect for children!
* Pour in the yerba mate to taste. You may need to add more ice if the tea warms things too much.
* You can play around with quantities - more nuts for a creamier milk, less honey, weaker tea.. You can also choose to not strain the nut milk for a more filling drink. I prefer the silky texture of strained.

This is such a refreshing pick me up and perfect if you need some nourishment but
can't seem to face eating a meal. I drank an entire batch today and feel absolutely lovely (and perhaps a bit caffeinated!)

My beautiful daughter likes to join me in my crazy blended beverages. We have been hitting green smoothies every morning for breakfast with chlorella and spirulina added for extra goodness. I give her mini sized portions if I am adding medicinal herbs or blue green algae. Indian chai glasses are perfect for a mini sized smoothie!

My lady is not a huge fan of meals and tends to snack all day. Her new favourite thing to do is eat in front of a mirror as if it is a documentary. She is totally meta.

Wishing you all and superb 2014!!
Stay tuned for more iced tea recipes and yummy treats.

Miss Le Harle x

Reiki, running & raw foods

Hello lovely ones!

I appeared out of the shadows after a tough year and burrowed back into my mole hole again.
This year has been amazing however. Instead of hiding I have been busy working/training/dreaming/recovering and learning many new things.

One of the great tools that has helped my anxiety/phobia ridden mind is running.
I have always turned my nose up at runners, preferring to roll on the floor doing yoga, dancing or long walks. Being a parent has meant less time for luxurious yoga classes or scenic, long distance walks.
A dear friend took me for my first proper run ever. I bought an industrial strength shock absorbing sports bra in anticipation of the event (rather expensive, I must have known this would become a long term love affair).
We covered 8 kilometres on that run. I could hardly walk for a week afterwards but I felt like my light had been switched back on again.

Suddenly I was getting time to myself to sweat, push, let all the crazy thoughts out, feel the various parts of my body working together, test my so called limits and smash through them one at a time. The positive effects were numerous and I am still noticing new benefits as I go along. I charged myself with the goal of doing the Auckland half marathon this year. I dedicated most of my spare time to hitting the road and training hard. Having this kind of goal truly helped me to stay afloat and gave me a deep sense of purpose. 
The regular boost of endorphins and detoxifying sweat sessions resulted in a happier, healthier, fitter Mama who could run around with her daughter with a re-captured "care free" spirit.
The half marathon was one of the best days of my life! I felt like I was flying and finished well within my goal time.

Another wonderful thing in my life is reiki. I had completed the first and second reiki degrees and decided that this year I would train to be a reiki master. My wonderful teacher Uli had moved overseas but came back in August to do the training. There is a time of cleansing and reflection before, during and after the training. I enjoyed this immensely! I spent the fortnight before doing daily reiki sessions on myself, eating very simple plant based meals, lots of pure water and infusions and going to bed super early. For 21 days afterward I continued this routine. There was a lot to process and I felt a great release of old, useless stuff.
One of the great messages of reiki is "Healer, heal thy self".
By doing so, you create a positive ripple in the world.
Reiki is a wonderful treatment for anxiety and the effects of stress on the body. I am one of those people who has a very "physical" response to stress. Reiki has dramatically reduced the digestive distress and completely eliminated the shaking panic attacks I used to get. I would shake so violently I would be unable to walk and had no control over my muscles! So I have experienced first hand how effective reiki is in managing stress response and the cumulative beneficial effects it has on trauma recovery. My goal with the reiki master training is to begin to help others. Please do contact me if you would like to have a reiki session or to know more about it!

A little side note: Huia, my nearly 3 year old LOVES reiki. She asks for it on a regular basis. First, I ask her where she would like it and she will always take my hand and put it on her head while she closes her eyes. I have used reiki to help her sleep when she is teething or under the weather and she tends to like it just before bedtime. Bonus :)

And finally, raw foods! I ate a raw food diet for nearly 4 years until I was pregnant with my first child.
The more fresh/raw the food is, the happier/healthier/positive I am. It is not for everyone, and I don't think I will go back to eating only raw foods unless it is for healing purposes. I got into the habit of eating a lot more grains and heavy fats while I was training for the half marathon. This was quite disruptive on my poor tum tum and I found my energy levels drop significantly. I gently transitioned back to eating a high raw diet, still with plenty of cooked goodness in there, but the presence of dark leafy greens and mineral rich raw vegetables completely changes how I feel - physically and mentally.

I am greatly enjoying the approach of Christmas and reflecting upon the year that has been.
I highly encourage you all to get outside and move your precious bodies, eat nourishing, delicious, chocolate-laden foods and if you are stressed and worn out, do whatever you need to do to nurture yourselves. Massage, a swim in the sea, time alone with true friends, (come and see me for reiki!!), even just sitting with your feet on the grass for 10 minutes will do wonders.

Much love and peace to you all for the festive season.

Miss Le Harle

x

  


 

Epsom Salt Baths: Healing Time.

Ah the luxury and nourishment of a hot bath.
Something that busy folks and parents rarely have time for.
 
I hadn't had a bath in a very long time until a blocked duct (breast) sent me running for the epsom salts and the hottest water I could handle. Not only did these baths help heal my boobies, but as a pleasant side effect I noticed that my anxiety levels dropped significantly and I started to fall asleep hard and heavy at night.

I decided to continue bathing on a regular basis, increasing the amount of epsom salts and adding some immune boosting essential oils to the mix. I also discovered that if you cover yourself up with towels and a blanket after the event, you will continue to sweat things out as if in a sauna. After a month or so of regular soaking in epsom salts, I literally feel like a new person.
The deep drawing action of the salts combined with heat, steam and getting to have a lie down = the best kind of meditation that I have ever experienced. The mind is coaxed quiet and some lovely insights have occurred during the sweat out.

Here is a breakdown of these lovely salts and how to bathe yourself into love land:

• Epsom salt is hydrated magnesium sulfate.
• Magnesium and sulfate are often poorly absorbed through the stomach but easily absorbed through the skin. 
• Having sufficient magnesium and sulfate levels provide many health benefits, (here are some as listed on the website of the Epsom Salt Industry Council. See REF.)
• Improved heart and circulatory health
• Flushed toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.
• Improved nerve function by electrolyte regulation. Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood.
• Relieved stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.
• Reduced inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps.
• Improved oxygen use.
• Improved absorption of nutrients.
• Prevention or easing of migraine headaches.

Having the best bath experience:

If you are pregnant, nursing, have a heart condition or any other medical condition, PLEASE talk to your doctor first before trying this. 
 

• Start small and work your way up. Use 1/2 to 1 cup of salts and only stay in the bath for 10-12 minutes. You will feel drowsy and tired, almost drunk, and if you stay in too long you will begin to re-absorb the toxins that have been drawn out. 
• You will reach a point where your body tells you "It's time to get out!!" Listen to that signal. 
• Set an alarm on your phone or battery alarm clock just in case. Even when my family are around, I always set an alarm to make sure I get out at the right time. 
• Play around with water temperature. I notice that if the water is not hot enough, I don't get as many benefits. If it is too hot, drain some water out or have a bucket on hand to scoop some out to put on the garden (epsom salts are great for the soil!). 
• Once you are ready, start working your way up to 2-3 cups of salts and staying in a little longer. I currently soak for 16-17 minutes and use really hot water. 
• Make sure you have a bottle of water next to the bath for any pangs of thirst.
• OPTIONAL: Lay some towels and a blanket on your bed or couch. Lie down and cover yourself with towel then blanket and continue to sweat for a further 5-30 minutes. Continue to drink water as you will have sweated a lot. 
• You can rinse under the shower afterwards, but some say to let the mineral rich water soak in.
• Having this bath close to bed will help you have a wonderful sleep.
• These baths are great if you need an immune boost. Great for fighting off and soothing ills and chills.

Enjoying some delicious "me time" will make a world of difference. This does not take long and is totally manageable within the working day - even as a parent. I find that asking for and making the time out is just as beneficial as the bath itself.

Happy soaking!


REF: http://www.epsomsaltcouncil.org/about/

Reviving the good stuff

Hello again.

I have taken a break from this little blog space for nearly a year. I have had an interesting adventure into the land of anxiety and phobias, which landed my ass in the phobic trust's anxiety clinic being treated for post traumatic stress disorder. Trauma that is not dealt with sufficiently will often manifest as OCD, irrational phobias and varying levels of depression. I have always had charming and quirky fears and rituals that were laughed off and brushed aside. The birth of my first child provided a well needed shake up that caused a lot of these to rise to the surface in full glory to take hold of my entire thought structure.

I went from being a joyous being to a ball of mess to having full blown panic attacks and left unable to leave the house a lot of the time. I was terrified to my bones. I was so scared to be in the outside world and to be around other people that I seemed to disappear. As a result I made no effort to make time to spend with friends and suffered a complete loss of social nourishment. I am still trying to recover these relationships! If you are a friend of mine and you are reading this - I apologise from the bottom of my heart for not being in touch. Friendship is the most important thing in the world to me and a life without friends is very lonely indeed.

After a little therapy, a lot of self work and support from my beloved partner and my wildly happy daughter, I am finally through the clouds. I still get the odd day where I find myself falling back into old patterns. The difference now is that I can see it for what it is and have the tools to pull myself out. I am so happy to have found joy again that I am incredibly reluctant to let it go.

I look forward to getting back to sharing the delicious things in life!
Stay tuned for recipes, tea appreciation and all things 'joy'

Winter Wellness Tips

Here in Auckland. New Zealand, the temperature has dropped suddenly and facebook is awash with sickness status updates. My response to this onslaught of snot and vomit is a passionate: no thank you!
Prevention is the best thing I believe, rather than having to deal with symptoms once they arrive. I am writing briefly rather than going deep into descriptions. I could write a novel chapter on each but that would be tedious for you to read and I don't really have the time :)
Please feel free to research these further if you so desire. And always remember that I am not a doctor or qualified health practitioner (though I plan on changing that)
Here is my listy list of action.

1. Colloidal silver:
Anti-viral, anti-bacterial. Good for the whole family. Great for cold/flu and tummy bugs.
Use as directed on the bottle. I take 5mls daily and give my daughter 2mls daily as a maintenance dose. If sniffles or tickles arise, I up to dose to 2-3 times daily. This has sorted us out every time so far.

2. Lemons:
First thing in the morning, lemon squeezed into warm, purified water. Use lemon rind (ALWAYS organic, never use conventional lemon rind unless you want a cocktail of pesticides and nasties going into your system) in your teas. soups, sauces/dressings and smoothies.

3. Garlic:
Raw garlic. Blend into dressings and sauces for dinner, or make a guacamole and add as many cloves as you can handle.  Overcooking garlic will reduce the medicial benefits so raw is best.

4. VITAMIN C.
You know the deal.

5. Food suggestions:
Yummy squash, kumara (sweet potato) carrots and pumpkin. Steam or gently cook them in coconut oil. Soup, soup and more soup. Easy to digest and choc full of nutritional goodness. Combine with dark leafy greens, garlic and lemon. ZINC (pumpkin seeds/or supplement), SELENIUM (brazil nuts x 3 per day) and VITAMIN D (sunlight, cod liver oil, dandelion flowers, organic butter) are essential to your immune function.

6. COCONUT OIL:
My current best friend. Anti-viral, anti-microbial, anti-bacterial. Use for all of your cooking and add a spoonful to your tea (green, white, oolong, black teas) is also good added to your morning espresso.
If you have a scratchy throat, suck some off a spoon with a little manuka honey and enjoy the soothing benefits.

7. Teas:
Here are a list of teas that are good for the immune system, and some herbs that can be drunk as teas.
Loose leaf rather than tea bag.
Green, matcha, yerba mate, oolong, spicy chai, Rooibos (very good for immunity and to drink if you have caught something already).
Herbs: Elderflower, yarrow, hibiscus flower, peppermint, ginger, licorice root, nettle (my favourite).
These herbs can be found at stores like harvest wholefoods and occasionally at health 2000 and hardy's health stores. 
I personally crank the green tea with coconut oil and manuka honey, and make a combination of yerba mate and peppermint. In south america they often add lavender flower or lemon rind to their yerba mate for immune support.

8. Honey.
Manuka, raw is best or stirred into not boiling hot tea or with lemon. Suck off the spoon!
As mentioned earlier, mix with a little coconut oil for throat soothing and immune support.

9. Funny movies and positive vibes.
Try to remove stress triggers as much as possible. Cuddle up with your whanau and friends while watching  funny movies. This is what winter is for in my opinion!
Exercise comes under the positive vibes banner.  Bad weather need not be a party spoiler. Yoga in your lounge, dance to your favourite music. If you have kids, chase them while laughing maniacally. The tibetan rites are amazing and include downward facing dog, which is great for the immune system. I included the thymus thump in my yoga routine. This stimulates your immune system :) There are many people on youtube demonstrating how to do this. 

10. And finally....
If you believe you are going to catch every seasonal thing that is going around, you probably will.
Remember that your body is an AWESOME, wise machine. We just need to treat them will a little more grace and respect and feed them with super good foods and super good thoughts more often.


That is all from me. I have a daughter reaching for some cuddles with a pile of books at her feet. Time for some number 9.
May the winter season treat you well and may you treat yourselves well.
xx