Herbal tea Recipes to Overcome Cancer Fatigue

How to fix fatigue quickly  

During and after cancer treatment, Fatigue can last for weeks, which can affect your daily life and activities. Coffee and energy drinks may seem like an escape, but they can actually worsen symptoms. Tea is a healthy alternative. Unlike other caffeinated drinks, people often experience the effects of caffeinated tea differently, reporting a more sustained energising effect, rather than the high and crash often associated with energy-boosting beverages. This is partly due to a unique compound present in tea called I-theanine, which promotes relaxation and focus.

Herbal tea ingredients like peppermint and ginger can also provide a stimulating, energising effect for those who are trying to avoid caffeine entirely.

What are the benefits of Herbal tea? 

1. Relax and Rejuvenate
A safer and more natural alternative to prescription medicines and can help with stress and anxiety.

2. Boost your Immune System
Can help relieve symptoms from cold and flu.

3. Reduce Pain
Like the common cold and flu, pain is often treated by pharmaceutical drugs, which can have adverse side effects. Alternatively, many herbal teas have properties that can help to reduce pain without the negative side effects. 

4. Improve Digestion System
Tea can absorb gas, improve blood flow to the entire digestive tract and eliminate free radicals that can cause an upset stomach and indigestion. 

What are the effects of energy drinks on fatigue?

Energy drinks can pose more of a risk than coffee, due to the large amounts of caffeine, added sugars, and vitamins. Some contain legal stimulants, such as guarana, taurine, and L-carnitine, often in much higher quantities than are found naturally in food. 

• Guarana is a bean from South America that has nearly twice the caffeine as coffee beans.
• Taurine is an amino acid found in meat and fish. Your body uses taurine to regulate energy levels.
• L-carnitine is an amino acid that helps your body turn fat into energy. 

What are the side effects of too much caffeine?

• Restlessness and shakiness.
• Insomnia.
• Headaches.
• Dizziness.
• Rapid or abnormal heart rhythm.
• Dehydration.
• Anxiety.
• Dependency, so you need to take more of it to get the same results.

Herbal tea recipes

1. Orange Tea 
Oranges have a high content of vitamin C, known to fight tiredness, both physically and mentally. This water-soluble vitamin also plays a major role in wound healing and strengthening connective tissue. Carbohydrates are also needed for energy and helps to improve proper brain function. Oranges contain healthy, natural and unrefined carbohydrates, keeping the nutrients intact. 

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon of honey
1 Orange
Boiling water

Simply pour into a cup the juice of a squeezed orange, a tablespoon of honey and boiling water then mix thoroughly. 

2. Cinnamon Tea 
Cinnamon is an extraordinary stimulator, very suitable for frequent use in the case of tiredness. Cinnamon can lower blood sugar and fight diabetes by imitating the effects of insulin and increasing glucose transport into cells. Energy consumption largely relies on insulin. Insulin aids in the transport of blood sugar to the body cells from the bloodstream. Cinnamon can help lower blood sugar by increasing insulin sensitivity, making insulin more efficient at moving glucose into cells.

Ingredients:
Cinnamon sticks and water

Put two cinnamon sticks in 15 cl of water. Turn on the heat and bring to a boil. At this point, turn off the heat and leave to macerate for 15 minutes.

3. Hibiscus Tea 
Hibiscus is a great source of iron and vitamin C, which can help improve energy and focus, boost the immune system and regulate body temperature. Vitamin C has been shown to help absorb iron, making it the perfect cup of tea! However, you should consult a medical practitioner, as consuming hibiscus in any form may interact with certain medications. 

Ingredients:
8 cups water
2 cups fresh hibiscus flowers or ½ cup dried hibiscus flowers.
¼ cup honey add more if you like your tea sweater
3 tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice

If using fresh hibiscus flowers, remove the calyx or the green part at the base of the flower to which the stem is attached. You can also remove the pistil which is the thin thread-like tube in the middle of the flower which has pollen attached to it or you can choose to keep it! 

Bring the hibiscus flowers and water to a boil in a large pot. Once the water starts boiling, switch off and cover. Steep for 15-20 minutes. Mix in the honey and lime juice, then strain.

You can either serve hibiscus tea warm or you can chill it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Either way, it tastes delicious!

4. Dandelion Root Tea
If you love coffee try this! Dandelion root has some resemblance to coffee in appearance and taste, and it is commonly considered as a coffee substitute. Beyond the flavour, dandelion root can give the body and mind a much needed energy boost. It can help detoxify the liver and remove mucus from the body, all things that can lead to fatigue. It can also act as a mild stimulant.

Ingredients
4½ tsp dried dandelion root
2 cups water
1 to 2 tbsp of cream to taste (optional)
1 cinnamon stick OR 1/2 teaspoon of dried ginger OR 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger. OR vanilla extract to taste  (or a combination of these)
sweetener to taste

Place a medium pot over medium heat and place the dried dandelion root in the bottom. Then toast the root until it becomes fragrant and golden brown, then add the water and additional flavourings (if using).