Lab Tonica celebrates the mood-boosting properties of herbs and plants via a broad range of balms, mists and herbal teas, championing century-old knowledge, sustainability, and the finest hand-picked herbal ingredients. Kitty’s tips provide a unique and different perspective on wellness.
1. START YOUR MORNING RIGHT!
You can’t pour from an empty cup. Literally. And though a cup of coffee is one of the most popular ways to kick off the morning, it might not be as beneficial as we think, especially if there’s an excessive amount of caffeine involved. “Because we naturally feel more lethargic in winter, we can overcompensate with one too many coffees in the morning,” Kitty explains. According to her, the initial energy dip we feel once half of the caffeine leaves our system (an occurrence taking place approximately 4 or 5 hours after consumption) may quickly become more of a catastrophic nose dive than a gentle dip. So, why not opt for an energising yet supportive herbal tea instead?
Lab Tonica’s POW tea is a naturally energising herbal tea with many benefits. With a unique blend of herbs, roots, and fruits, which are “formulated to aid natural energy production, without the slumps or jitters that coffee can give you.”
“Roots like ginger, beetroot, and lemongrass improve the oxygenation of the blood around the body — naturally elevating energy levels,” says Kitty. She then adds that “ginger naturally balances blood sugars, reducing energy slumps, and cravings” and “herbs like rosemary work to activate the brain and improve focus and concentration.” Research has shown that a tea made with ginger and lemon in the morning can help to kick start the metabolism and get the digestive system ready for the day, improving the digestive process and aiding a natural and steady absorption of nutrients. All of the herbs in the POW product range are packed with antioxidants and contain the added benefit of improving metabolism and balancing blood sugar levels, both of which are vital for the steady production of energy throughout the day.”
“POW is a naturally energising herbal tea with a unique blend of herbs, roots and fruits formulated to aid natural energy production, without the slumps or jitters that coffee can give you. Roots like ginger, beetroot and lemongrass improve the oxygenation of the blood around the body – naturally elevating energy levels. Lemon and rosemary help support optimum brain function. All of the herbs in POW are packed with antioxidants and have the added benefit of improving metabolism and balancing blood sugar levels – all vital for the steady production of energy throughout the day. Yerba Maté is a South American super plant, with holistic health benefits through the body and with the same stimulating compounds as coffee but with many more health benefits.”
— Kitty McEntee, founder of Lab Tonica
2. CELEBRATE AND MOTIVATE
Psychologically, the start of the new year can feel daunting and overwhelming. Everyone knows it. “Instead of setting new year’s resolutions and starry goals, which can be demotivating by their very nature, look back at the previous year and make a list of what you achieved and what you are grateful for,” Kitty recommends. Motivation is key in powering through the new year, especially once the post-celebration exhaustion has kicked in — so, celebrating your achievements is a great way to make sure that motivation follows you throughout 2023, too.
“No matter how small, all of these accomplishments, achievements and learnings can add up to be pretty impressive,” Kitty continues. “Visualising our past achievements can give us the self motivation and sense of pride we need to move into the next year with positivity and confidence” and, of course, determination to power through and achieve more than ever before.”
3. REST UP
Sleeping isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when talking about feeling energised and awake throughout the day — however, it’s extremely important. Without a doubt, a good night’s rest is key in ensuring a productive day ahead. And, in order to fall asleep we need our internal temperature to drop, too. So, it may seem counterintuitive to submerge yourself in hot water.
According to a research team led by Shahab Haghayegh, a PhD candidate in the department of biomedical engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, bathing one to two hours — ideally, 90 minutes — before bed in water at 40°C to 43°C did the trick to help people get the best quality sleep. In fact, bathing at that time and temperature can help you fall asleep an average of 10 minutes quicker than normal — what a time-saving hack, right? Taking a bath before sleep stimulates the body’s thermoregulatory system, drawing the internal heat of the core to the hands and feet, speeding up the expulsion of body heat, and lulling you more quickly into a deep and peaceful sleep. And, after a night of restful dreaming, no task will be as exhausting anymore.
4. SPICE UP YOUR LIFE
If there’s one thing that Kitty is sure about, it’s that Yerba-maté is where it’s at. “Yerba-maté is a South American super plant, with holistic health benefits through the body,” Kitty reveals. She also adds that it’s got “the same stimulating compounds as coffee but with many more health benefits,” making for an excellent alternative to coffee (a quick throwback to the first tip).
And, get ready for a one-of-a-kind tagline, Yerba-maté is said to have the strength of coffee, the health benefits of tea, and the joy of chocolate. The best thing, though, is that you can have it iced as well as hot — perfect for healthy and delicious summer sipping. Yerba-maté has got a broad variety of health benefits: from boosting energy and improving mental health to protecting against infections, just to name a few examples. So, now’s the time to fix yourself a warm cup of Lab Tonica’s energy-bursting POW tea and both keep yourself warm and get ready for the day that awaits you.
