Tea - From Mike Adam’s website

Tea is hydrating. Without milk, tea is more than 90 percent water. Drinking four to six mugs of tea a day is as good for keeping you hydrated as a liter of water, reported the Daily Mail, and researchers also found no negative effects from drinking that amount of tea.

Herbal teas and black tea, especially, are great sources of potassium, which plays a central role in making sure your cells can take in the precise amount of water they need – and hence help hydrate your body. (Related: STUDY: Green tea, black tea and matcha tea found to suppress dioxin toxicity.)

In addition, the polyphenols, amino acids and vitamins present in the tea leaves ensure the increase of saliva production – which all contribute to a thirst-quenching feeling.

Tea makes you stronger. Tea contains polyphenols, catechins and biotin which boost and strengthen the immune system. Their antioxidant effects include scavenging reactive oxygen species, inhibiting the formation of free radicals and lipid peroxidation.

These elements protect your cells from free radicals, therefore protecting against blood clots, cancer, or the hardening of the arteries.

Vitamin D found in tea helps build stronger bones, while the amino acids help your body build muscle, as well as fight bad bacteria and viruses.

Tea relaxes you. Tea contains an amino acid that produces a calming effect resulting in a better mood. Also, theanine found in tea reduces anxiety and calms you by increasing the number of inhibitory neurotransmitters.

Researchers have found, for instance, that drinking tea lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol. And evidence of long-term health benefits is emerging, too – drinking at least 100 milliliters (about half a cup) of green tea a day seems to lower the risk of developing depression and dementia.

For centuries, people across the globe have testified to the relaxing and invigorating qualities of tea. The traditional calming effects of the plant Camellia sinensis have elevated the drink, which is produced from its leaves to a role beyond quenching thirst – people drink tea as an aid for meditation, to help soothe the nerves or SIMPLY TO UNWIND.

The magic of a quiet moment: A tip to counter depression

To give your heart and mind time to catch up and process the things that are happening in this world and figure out what role you’re meant to play in it, find the quiet and allow yourself these moments of calm with a cup of tea.

These moments could help you relax better, sleep more deeply, give your days more structure when you’re feeling chaotic, and enhance your overall resiliency.

"The simple act of preparing yourself a cup of tea is, in and of itself, time spent in self-care. Inviting ritual moments into your every day is to call a little bit of calm into the chaos," says kitchen herbalist Sass Ayres, plant foods and medicine educator.

Before bed is a great time to sip on a cup of calming herbal tea. Your moment of calm could last five minutes, 20 minutes, an hour, or as long as it takes you to close your eyes and take a single deep breath. Done. The calm that comes with allowing ourselves to feel the freedom in just simply being, even if for a second, is medicine for your whole self.