The Importance & Benefits of Tonics
In 2006, I created my very first tonic. Since that year, tonics have become a part of my daily practice; a way of elevating myself and my life every single day. Tonic herbs hold such power within them and have truly improved my health as a whole over the past 13 years. They are nothing short of magical.
What are Tonics and What Importance Do They Hold?
Tonics are, by definition, a medicinal substance taken to give a feeling of vigor or well-being. Tonic herbs are ingredients that heal the human body through providing energy, nourishment, support, and protection to the body as a whole. As each herb supports the body in its own unique way, tonics have as a vast capability of bringing you healing and support in many forms.
Tonics are important because of the powerful benefits they provide to the body, mind, and spirit, all leading to an uplifted well-being overall. Tonics are able to focus on inducing specific physical, emotional, or spiritual states, whether that be an early morning boost of energy, a libido boost, mental focus or a calming sensation before bed. Tonic herbs hold the properties of boosting your immune system, improving brain function, balancing hormones, reducing stress within the mind and body, supporting digestion, adding minerals into your system, lifting our moods, soothing a sore throat, and calming the nervous system -- just to begin the list. Ingredients that hold this level of impact and support should be brought into our daily practices.
In my personal experience, I used tonics in order to balance what I was feeding my body as a whole, while on a raw vegan diet. A raw vegan diet entails a large amount of foods that slow and challenge the digestion process. While working to detoxify my body through food, one must also choose ingredients that are going to support the systems working so hard to do so. While incorporating daily tonics into my life, I was bringing warmth and nourishment to the digestion process, balancing the effects of the fully raw diet. The beautiful pairing of the two allowed for my optimal health.
How To Incorporate Tonics into your Daily Life
The simplicity of tonics allows for anyone to incorporate them into their daily life, easily. With a recipe base of hot water, sweetener (if desired), an ingredient to support creaminess, and herbs and spices of your choice, personal preference in all aspects is supported. Because of this simple process consisting of just warming water and blending the rest, tonics are able to be made wherever, whenever.
The feeling of being out of a routine can sometimes challenge people while taking time away from their home. As travel can also cause additional uncertainty, emotions, and stress into our lives, a nourishing tonic is exactly what our body needs in these moments. A beautiful aspect about tonics is that no matter how far you have traveled, you are able to bring along your ingredients or explore new ones used in the culture you are experiencing. Having this grounding practice each day will bring you a sensation of home and routine that you can carry with you anywhere.
I highly recommend consulting your healthcare practitioner if you are taking medications, are pregnant, or have any health issues. Also, consulting with an herbalist or Ayurvedic practitioner is always a good idea to find out which specific herbs will work best with your unique body, mind, and spirit.
Want to learn more about tonics , have a dara approved ingredient list with links to purchase and get my unique recipes you won’t get anywhere else? Be sure to check out my Intro to Tonics eBook!
Butterscotch Longevity Tonic
This tonic enhances longevity, reduces inflammation, prevents disease, and increases libido. It might be my favorite tonic of all!
ingredients
3 cups water
1 bag Gynostemma tea or 2 tablespoons loose leaf
2 tablespoons coconut butter (or coconut manna)
2 tablespoons goji berries
1½ tablespoon yacon syrup
1 tablespoon coconut sugar or honey (optional, for added sweetness)
1 teaspoon chaga powder
1 teaspoon eleuthero powder
1 teaspoon he shou wu powder
½ teaspoon reishi powder
½ teaspoon butterscotch extract
1 dropper Sweet Leaf vanilla cream liquid stevia
instructions: steep the loose leaf gynostemma tea and strain. In a blender, add tea to all other ingredients and blend until creamy. Serve hot, reheating on the stove if necessary.
serves: 2 cups of goodness for you & a loved one!
store: in a glass container in fridge for 3-5 days; reheat on the stove.