I've been doing 15 hour days in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit for the past month plus, (long story, grandson had a car accident, in coma, extremely critical but starting to hold his own). Since I cannot go more than 8 hours with a tea fix, I have a large assortment of my favorite black tea bags with me.
There is a Starbucks in the hospital and they have been incredible, giving me huge cups of boiling hot water, sugar, half and half and even the occasional squirt of flavoring. I was carrying a monster cup of Bigelow's Constant Comment (awesome tea in loose and bagged forms) back to the unit and a doctor was in the elevator with me. He asked what I was drinking and did I get it at Starbucks, so I ended up giving him several of my tea bags.
Finally got back to the SICU and the scent grabbed several other visitors. I passed out tea bags and three of them trooped down to Starbucks for water and we sat around waiting for when we could go see our loved ones.
Here's something most of us long term tea addicts will agree with: The people who had a cup of tea were generally soothed and felt more able to cope with their family emergencies. Could there be a chemical in tea (black and green) which reduces stress and raises endorphin levels in the blood? Researchers have shown that ingestion of tea helps reduce cholesterol in the blood, so why not endorphins in the brain?
I even had one man ask me what perfume I was wearing and got him hooked on Constant Comment as well. The vanilla, vanilla and almond and vanilla caramel black teas (also from Bigelow- I buy case lots) seem to be good gateway drugs, er....tea...for reducing tension, especially in first time hot tea drinkers.
I wanted to leave a basket of sealed tea bags in the SICU waiting room but the volunteer wouldn't let me, so several of us have started passing out tea bags like a druggie handing out dope.
Gotta run, time to go back to SICU.
I've been resisting Constant Comment... now you are tempting me to try it after all.
Like I need more tea.
Thanks for a great story!
Sarah
Like I need more tea.
Thanks for a great story!
Sarah
***This organic blend is earthy & spicy, with a fragrant aroma & smooth flavor to captivate the senses. Naturally sweetened in the Kentucky sunshine & infused with natural energy. Equally delicious when served piping hot or crisply chilled.***
Tea is the only plant that makes theanine, and the predominate form found in tea is L-theanine. L-theanine is well known to promote relaxed, alert brain activity. [1][2][3]treazure wrote:Here's something most of us long term tea addicts will agree with: The people who had a cup of tea were generally soothed and felt more able to cope with their family emergencies. Could there be a chemical in tea (black and green) which reduces stress and raises endorphin levels in the blood? Researchers have shown that ingestion of tea helps reduce cholesterol in the blood, so why not endorphins in the brain?
Sorry to hear about your grandson.
Glad things are improving.
Nice that you are sharing the TeaLove.
Glad things are improving.
Nice that you are sharing the TeaLove.
- Victoria -
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
Jan 6th, '09, 22:47
Posts: 5151
Joined: Dec 20th, '06, 23:33
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Gainesville, Florida
Oh NO! Tea cannot be healthy. It is bad enough that it's gotten trendy, pricing it out of the market. It used to be cheap to be a vegetarian too, but now it is trendy and more expensive. I remember when I could get a cup of coffee with refills for ten cents and the only fancy additives was cream and sugar.
Seriousy though, I'm glad to have the info on what tea does. Thank you! No wonder the nannies of the world used to give "nursery tea" to the kidlings before bed. (Mostly hot, sweet milk with a few tablespoons of brewed black tea.)
One of my fellow addicts was there tonight and went "Pssst. Got any of the good stuff?" Oh boy, the looks we got. So I pulled a wrapped tea bag from my pocket and slipped it to her. There were some new folks there tonight but we'll get them hooked if they are there long enough.
In my cup, Irish Breakfast Blend with a little bit of Irish Whiskey. It kind of goes together. Nighty night.
Seriousy though, I'm glad to have the info on what tea does. Thank you! No wonder the nannies of the world used to give "nursery tea" to the kidlings before bed. (Mostly hot, sweet milk with a few tablespoons of brewed black tea.)
One of my fellow addicts was there tonight and went "Pssst. Got any of the good stuff?" Oh boy, the looks we got. So I pulled a wrapped tea bag from my pocket and slipped it to her. There were some new folks there tonight but we'll get them hooked if they are there long enough.
In my cup, Irish Breakfast Blend with a little bit of Irish Whiskey. It kind of goes together. Nighty night.
Jeanne - I never met a tea pot I didn't like.
