By Lyndsey DePalma
Founder and President
House of Steep

Photos by Anna Gibbs Photography

Got a hangover?

Forget the Tylenol, and reach for a steaming cup of healthy, herbal tea.

Why? Because tea is nature’s ancient remedy for soothing what ails you.

Here are four blends to ensure you are tip top in 2013. Chin up!

1. Green Tea to the Rescue: Say, ‘Ahhhh!’

Green tea is an excellent source of antioxidants, and with its natural theanine, it can also clear a foggy head after a night of indulgence.

• Take caution, however, because green tea has caffeine. Alcohol dehydrates the body, and a dose of green tea can affect your cells’ ability to rehydrate and restore.

• Be sure to drink two cups of hydrating water for every one cup of green tea.

2. Try Pu’erh: China’s Oldest Tea

This ancient blend can speed the body’s detoxification process by causing the body to sweat. It’s also great for quieting a headache and promoting circulation to the brain.

• Because it works at the body’s deepest cellular level, it’s known to calm nausea and regulate digestive functioning.

• Be aware that this tea also has caffeine, so be sure to apply the two glasses of water to one cup of tea rule here.

• If you have some lemons or oranges on hand, squeeze in some juice or add a slice. Packed with Vitamin C, the fruit also provides potent antioxidants to help flush toxins from the body.

• Want the rescue remedy, but not the caffeine? To settle your stomach, throw some fresh ginger a cup of hot water for a healing tisane. While you are at it, add in the juice of a lemon to boost your Vitamin C intake and addresses the toxin build-up.

3. Cleanse: The Antidote to Too Many Hot Toddies

Our House Blend contains burdock, dandelion, peppermint, red clover, licorice, ginger, yellow doc, pau d’arco, and calendula—all known to help purify blood and detoxify cells at various levels.

• Licorice and ginger stimulate and nourish the digestive system to help your body absorb the nutrients it needs.

• Your other body systems respond favorably to the support of this blend, too!

• Drink two cups a day for the duration of your detox, or drink in between holiday parties for a healthy, healing cleanse.

4. You want to celebrate, but not with a cocktail? Try Kombucha

Bubbly is bright, happy, and can be hard to resist. But if you’re truly committed to detoxing, skip the champagne and try Kombucha.

• This beautifully fermented tea is more beneficial than most because it contains good bacteria, which is important when you’re detoxing.

• You can make it yourself, but a better bet is to pick up a bottle at Whole Foods, or at a distributor that carries Capital Kombucha.

About Lyndsey DePalma and the House of Steep

Lyndsey DePalma is the founder of the new Arlington, VA, tea house and reflexology studio, House of Steep, where visitors discover the treasure that is tea and the power of reflexology to heal and harmonize.

Before coming up with the concept for House of Steep, DePalma yearned to find a place to relax, and just be, for a while each day. Not satisfied with any of the existing answers and armed with some entrepreneurial hard-wiring and a respect for natural healing, DePalma left her corporate career in human resources to bridge the gap.

Since October of 2010, House of Steep has been taking up residence in DePalma’s heart and will become the ultimate destination for busy corporate citizens, casual connections, bridal parties, street shoppers, believers in alternative healing, moms and grandmoms, yogis and yoginis, consultants, crafters, lovers, and the rest of us.

For more information, visit www.houseofsteep.com.