The savvy excessive adventurer, Bear Grylls, has saved his personal conceal from many a treacherous state of affairs, however the well-known TV host could also be shocked to study simply how useful our homegrown Rooibos tea could be in an emergency.
Adele du Toit, spokesperson for the SA Rooibos Council says Rooibos (Aspalathus Linearis), which solely grows within the Cederberg area of the Western Cape, has turn into a well being phenomenon as information of its helpful results have unfold up to now few years.
“Whereas most consider it as only a tea, Rooibos is a multi-purpose survival device that may allow you to keep hydrated, take care of aches and pains and preserve you centered and alert in a disaster.”
For those who’re planning to get off the overwhelmed observe to flee the busy vacationer path these holidays, uncover the outstanding advantages of the tea and why it’s a should on your first assist/survival equipment:
Glorious Firestarter
Tea luggage are wonderful for beginning a fireplace in an emergency for those who don’t have tinder. The dried tea contained within the bag is extremely flamable.
Hydration
In the summertime warmth, extreme sweating can simply result in dehydration. Rooibos tea will help you hydrate rapidly because it incorporates polyphenol antioxidants, together with flavonoids and phenolic acids which are potent free radical scavengers and has purported advantages for accelerated rehydration.
Aches and Pains
Nothing ruins a vacation fairly like a nasty tummy bug. For those who’re experiencing nausea, indigestion or bloating, ingesting Rooibos tea might assist to ease signs. The tea incorporates antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties that assist to cut back irritation. Its anti-spasmodic compounds assist to ease tummy aches and pains by activating potassium ions within the physique.
Eczema
Hovering temperatures, swimming and spending hours within the solar, may cause eczema flare-ups in summer season. Heat and humid climate typically result in extra sweating, which aggravates the situation. Analysis reveals that Rooibos tea can soothe pores and skin irritations and assist enhance dermatological situations, comparable to eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis, because of the excessive degree of flavonoids, which inspires the physique to destroy undesirable pathogens. The tea can also be hypoallergenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial, which implies it may be used on probably the most delicate of pores and skin sorts and may deal with and alleviate infected pores and skin and bacterial infections too. You possibly can drink the tea and/or soak in a shower of Rooibos to alleviate signs.
Sunburn, rashes, blisters and bug bites
Scientific research have validated the well being properties of Rooibos on pores and skin, thus for those who or your youngsters are badly sunburnt, have blisters or are looking for aid from insect bites or rashes, flip to Rooibos for assist. It’s the abundance of polyphenols or antioxidants within the tea, which provides it its restorative energy. Soaking in a lukewarm tub of Rooibos two to a few instances a day or making use of it as a heat compress to the affected space will assist to speed up the therapeutic of the pores and skin. It may well additionally scale back the ache of pinkeye (conjunctivitis) – a standard vacation ailment.
Minor cuts and nosebleeds
Haemostatic powders and dressings are an vital a part of first assist kits and helps to clot and soak up blood whenever you’ve sustained a deep minimize. However, because of the excessive price related to these powders, tea luggage are sometimes used as an alternative. It’s the tannin in tea that turns it right into a coagulant (blood clotting agent), which helps to dry blood on smaller wounds. Whereas Rooibos has a decrease tannin content material than black tea, it could turn out to be useful if no industrial haemostatics can be found. Soothe bleeding gums by biting down on a tea bag or use a dry tea bag to cease a nosebleed.
Insomnia
It’s typical to run your self ragged over the vacations, which might have an effect on your sleep. For those who’re struggling to sleep, a cup of Rooibos tea earlier than bedtime can present a chilled impact that will help you slip into slumber.
“Rooibos is a pure product that can be utilized to deal with minor illnesses within the younger and previous, so you should definitely pack a field, together with different first assist necessities, comparable to plasters, antihistamine tablets and cream, disinfectant, antibacterial cream, paracetamol, insect repellent, tweezers and a thermometer, to make sure a secure and stressless vacation.
“Who is aware of, as soon as Bear will get wind of Rooibos’ utility, he could point out it in his subsequent blockbuster survival information,” says du Toit.
