Pukka Herbs

Stop Those Cravings with Aloe Vera Juice and a Rather Cute Yogi!

2011-07-22T06:07:00.000-07:00

An article last month (17/06/2011) on Thinking Women's Health highlighted the benefits of using Aloe Vera Juice to stop sweet cravings, and the attractiveness of our Ayurvedic Herbalist, Sebastian Pole.

The article entitled 'The Sweet Craving Fixer' talked of the balancing effect a shot of pure Aloe Vera juice and a pinch of cinnamon can have on an empty stomach to stop cravings, and the gentle and calming effect it can have on your digestive system when experiencing discomfort.

The article's writer then went on to praise Pukka Herbs' lead Ayurvedic guru Sebastian Pole's rugged good looks, commenting he was “my favourite (and rather cute) yogi” – a quote that went down exceptionally well here in the Pukka Herbs office.

We're ecstatic that Thinking Women's Health liked both our Aloe Vera Juice, one of our best selling products online for its cleansing effect on the body, and our good looking herbal practitioner – both of which are fine assets to the Pukka Herbs brand, we're certain.

Pukka's Aloe Vera Juice contains the juice of hand selected leaves grown in pristine conditions, and is cold processed and unfiltered. Aloe Vera is an incredible plant which has been used for centuries to aid digestion and enhance beauty – as I think Sebastian's now proved!

5 Pukka Herbs Teas Win Stars at Great Taste Awards

2011-07-12T03:00:00.000-07:00

We've just heard from the Great Taste Awards that five Pukka Herbs teas have been Gold Star winners at this year’s event.

The Great Taste Awards, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, is the acknowledged benchmark for speciality food and drink. Regarded by many as the Oscars of the food world, it has become a quality sign consumers can trust.

Cleanse and Detox have received 1 Star, Night Time and Three Ginger have each received 2 Stars, and Three Fennel received 3 Stars. To put that into context, according to the Great Taste Awards, 1 Star is 'Close to perfect', 2 Stars is 'Faultless', and 3 Stars is 'Wow you must taste this'.

Wow – haven’t we done well? Of the 7482 products entered into the awards, only 608 were awarded 2 Stars and 114 were awarded 3 Stars.

Three different judging panels are responsible for the awarding at the Great Taste Awards and all tasting is bind to make the system as fair and unbiased as possible. The judges are made up of fine food retailers, chefs, restaurant critics, food writers and other industry experts.

Winning differentiates our products from the norm and gives a guarantee to the consumer that the products they are buying have a reliable seal of approval based upon great taste, and nothing else.

Daily Express – Cake 'Cure' for Dementia

2011-07-04T05:27:00.000-07:00

A recent article in the Daily Express, 'Cake 'Cure' for Dementia', has suggested that cinnamon is a “possible cure for Alzheimer's”, claiming it to be the “holy grail” in slowing the development of or even eradicating dementia in patients.

The article was based largely on research from Tel Aviv University in Israel – who were inspired to examine cinnamon from an extract in the Bible that described priests using it to combat infectious diseases. It was suggested that the research had found when an extract from cinnamon bark was given to mice and fruit flies bred with Alzheimer’s, after four months they showed “remarkably” normal “activity levels and longevity”.

Professor Michael Ovadia, lead author of the study, was quoted as stating: “The discovery is extremely exciting. It would not be a drug with side-effects but a safe, natural substance that human beings have been consuming for millennia”.

The article then went on to quote Dr Marie Jansen of Alzeimer's Research UK, who said: “Although these results look promising in mice and fruit flies, it's too soon to know what effect it would have in people.”

So that's all food for thought – quite literally in fact. Anyone fancy a nice cup of Licorice & Cinnamon tea?

Simple rules for healthy living

2011-06-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

There are no rules, so don't be too hard on yourself.
When you can, stick to unprocessed, organic, seasonally produced foods - much more delicious!
Make time to enjoy your food when you feel calm and relaxed.
Eat until you are satisfied, not until you are full. Take a walk after meals to help digestion.
Drink hot herbal drinks first thing in the morning to help your body cleanse.
Improve digestion by avoiding chilled food or iced drinks.
Exercise until the point you sweat - don't overstrain.
Generate extra energy by going to bed by 11pm and getting up early.
Try regular oil massage to keep your skin supple, body relaxed and mind cool.
Find time to switch off in your day even if its only for 10 minutes.

Daily Mail - Organic food 'can help you lose weight and live longer'

2011-06-01T02:50:00.000-07:00

An article in the Daily Mail this week (21/05/11) claimed that organic food can actually help you live longer.

Based on a recent study by The University of Newcastle, the article commented that “organic produce could help you live longer as well as keeping you healthier and slimmer”.

The study showed that organic fruit and vegetables, grown without artificial fertilisers, have more beneficial substances known as secondary metabolites and natural vitamin C, which can extend lifespan and help to balance weight. Certainly food for thought for all us lovers of natural herbal supplements!

Peter Melchett of the Soil Association commented: “There are lots of reasons people choose organic, not least because it is better for the environment, animal welfare and wildlife. Here we have research which demonstrates a significant health benefit.”

The University of Newcastle study will be published in the next issue of the journal Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences. The findings can be found on the Soil Association website, summarised in this Meta poster.

An Introduction to Chanoyu - The Japanese Tea Ceremony

2011-05-20T03:26:00.000-07:00

Since we read the amazing article 'Chanoyu and the Rituals of Tea Drinking' in Yoga Magazine, we thought we'd do our own post on Chanoyu, for those that didn't get chance to check it out.

Chanoyu is otherwise know as the Japanese tea ceremony. The literal meaning of the word is 'hot water for tea', but what it really symbolises is the thousand years of tea drinking history in Japan, and the study of making and serving tea.

More than just hot water, it's a spiritual experience for host and guest, allowing both to show hospitality and gratitude respectively.

The ritual started with monks drinking tea in a customary fashion, and soon spread to a wider crowd, making tea the drink of the masses. Zen Buddhism is seen as a primary influence.

Large tea drinking gatherings were called Chakai. Here specific instructions for the preparation of the room, utensils and service for tea drinking were created, resulting in the Chanoyu tea ceremony we know now.

So what exactly does Chanoyu involve?

It basically involves following a set of predetermined actions when serving tea, which includes spoken phrases and unspoken gestures. The host does all the preparation and work in front of the guest, and they communicate through these unspoken gestures without general talk. It's designed to create the most harmonious and efficient means of serving tea to guests.

One of the most basic forms of Chanoyu is called Usucha (thin tea). Want to know how to do it? Here's a quick (very basic!) guide:

1) The guest enters a prepared tatami mat room (tatami is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style homes).

2) The guest must bring his/her own napkins and silverware.

3) The host enters, greets the guest, serves kashi (candy), bringing with them the necessary implements.

4) These implements are then cleaned in front of the guest.

5) The tea is then mixed and served, before the implements are then cleaned again.

6) The host must then leave the room before the guest.

7) The guest can now leave.

So there we have it, a mere taster of the practice of Chanoyu. It's certainly nice to see tea being taken as seriously as we do! And don't forget to stock up on your herbal teas – you never know when someone's going to call in with their own silverware.

Reveal Magazine Mentions Pukka Three Ginger

2011-05-19T06:38:00.000-07:00

Pukka Three Ginger tea has got a mention in the upcoming edition of Reveal magazine, in the article 'What's Your Pain IQ?', that looks into high street purchased painkillers and their natural alternatives.

We're all very happy that our ginger tea is going down a treat and getting some much deserved attention. The ginger we use in Three Ginger is 100% organically grown and comes from a small group of farmers in India, where the hot and humid climate perfectly suits that needed by the roots to grow.

They are harvested after one year of growth and dried in hot air ovens to ensure the essential oils are preserved, as well as all that deliciously spicy flavour. All this effort results in us producing an amazing tea that will help settle digestion whilst warming and uplifting your spirit!

Three Ginger tea is everything a ginger tea should really be – rich, spicy and stimulating, and in case you were wondering about the name, it's made using three different roots from the ginger family to create the fullest flavour possible.

Pukka Three Mint Tea: A Note From a Field

2011-04-21T08:22:00.000-07:00

Ben from Pukka Herbs is 'our man in the field', and can currently be found in North India where he looks after our crops, and occasionally drinks a cup of delicious mint tea.

In fact, he's just sent us an email from the very field used to grow one of the three varieties of mint used in our delicious Three Mint Tea (maybe he wasn't in the field when he sent it – but you know what we mean). Here's his email:

“Dear All,

I have very much enjoyed receiving the Pukka emails and keeping in touch with news from HQ. From my side I thought you might enjoy the occasional photo from the field...

I have just come back from a trip to the mint fields to meet the farmers and help plan the next harvest (starting in May). Attached is one of my favourite pics from the last few days (well done to whoever picked the shade of green on the tea bag – it goes well with the field!). It’s a shame photos cannot capture smells – the air in this field is very, very fresh!

Congratulations to all on the Three Fennel award!

Ben”

Pukka Three Mint Tea contains peppermint leaf (34%), spearmint leaf (34%), fieldmint leaf (32%) and...absolutely nothing else whatsoever.

Sweet, intensely fresh with a delicately aromatic scent, this really is the best mint tea you will ever taste – if we do say so our humble selves. It's also perfect for soothing digestion.

Naturally caffeine free, 100% organically grown and ethically sourced – we know exactly where our teas come from (as I think we've proved in this article), and now so do you.

Remedying the Rule of Remedies

2011-04-18T02:27:00.000-07:00

Today the Metro feature a really informative and positive article about the pending changes in legislation that rule herbal medicine. Our very own Sebastian Pole was asked to contribute and here are the results! Click here to see the page online

Pukka Wins Big At Natural Products!

2011-04-05T03:31:00.000-07:00

Three Fennel wins at Natural & Organic Awards 2011

Pukka Herbs' Three Fennel tea has won Best New Organic Food Product at the Natural & Organic Awards 2011.

We're delighted one of our newest products has been recognised by one of the organic industry's leading authorities and award ceremonies.

Hosted in association with the Soil Association and Natural Products Magazine, since its creation fifteen years ago, the Natural & Organic Awards has become one of the benchmarks for quality and innovation in natural and organic food.

Launched in October 2010, Three Fennel is our deliciously sweet, aromatic and soothing tea that uses three varieties of fennel (in case you hadn't guessed!) to create an abundance of flavour that also helps calm and support digestion.

Naturally caffeine free, it's perfect for those cutting down on their caffeine intake, and as with all Pukka Herbs products, it's ethically sourced from the best suppliers.

Fennel has been used to support health for thousands of years; that's why we have created this unique blend to harness its incredible potential. That's also why we're very proud this special tea has received the attention it deserves.

The Ecologist: Top 10 Organic & Fairtrade Teas

2010-11-12T03:31:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Greenhouse for pointing this one out to us! Great news is that After Dinner made the top 10 and our 3 Berry, 3 Mint and 3 Ginger got a mention too!

http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/Ecologist_top_ten/680716/the_ecologist_top_ten_organic_and_fair_trade_teas.html

Why we love Elderberry Syrup

2010-11-11T05:39:00.000-08:00

The nights are drawing in and there is a definite chill in the air so we can almost say winter is here. And, when the clocks go back, our minds turn internally and think about looking after the body and defending our systems against the onslaught of the changing seasons.

When we are feeling chock full of cold, you will see us reaching for the Elderberry Syrup! This month, save £2 on a bottle, now only £8.95

And it is true! Erin O'Connor told Celebs on Sunday how our Elderberry Syrup was first the first line of defence for her when the onset of a cold.

Announcing the arrival of two great new teas!

2010-10-27T07:43:00.000-07:00

We've been excited about this one for a while but yesterday saw the official PR launch for our new teas! We have Morning Time and Three Fennel to welcome into the Pukka Family!

Three Fennel is a deliciously sweet blend of organic sweet fennel, wild fennal and fennel leaf tea. All the ingredients in this soothing and calming tea are organically grown and ethically sourced; as with all of our teas! Particularly exciting is the inclusion of a lovely ingredient from here in the UK; organic fennel leaf!

Morning Time has been specifically blended to give you a caffeine free lift first thing in the morning and, with its rich flavours of Rooibos, honey bush and the kick of red ginseng, we think it is a great alternative to coffee. This lovely tea can be drunk with or without milk and helps kick start the day.

September has been a good month

2010-09-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our guys in Denmark, Naturesource, who picked up an award over there this month for Pukka Tea's where we won 'Best food product of the year'.

More from London Fashion week and Miriam Saltmarshe

2010-09-28T04:09:00.000-07:00

We've had some lovely feedback from Miriam Saltmarshe, Nutritionist for Models at London Fashion Week about some of our lovely Pukka goodies that were helping keep the models in tip top shape!

“Pukka's elderberry syrup worked a treat for any of the models who were coming down with a cold or cough and worked very well with their Three Ginger tea. To support skin health we used Pukka's bionutrients (Clean Greens and Vitalise) with their delicious teas, Cleanse and Detox, which replaced tea and coffee”.

And here are some great pictures of Miriam at manning the Sanctuary at Fashion Week

Pukka at the Model Sanctuary

2010-09-23T02:10:00.000-07:00

It's London Fashion Week and Pukka have been lucky enough to be featured... in the Model Sanctuary! The official nutritionist loves Pukka products for their gentle and nurturing qualities!
http://www.erinsmodelsanctuary.com/page/3/

More from Natural products

2010-09-22T07:27:00.000-07:00

A further browse into the magazine and here Pukka is again! This time its a great review of our firm immune system favourites. Take a look!

Organic Food Fair, Bristol Harbourside 2010

2010-09-22T06:26:00.000-07:00

We are always proud and excited to be part of the Organic Food fair in Bristol so imagine our excitement when our copy of Natural Products magazine turned up and you can see (just!) our lovely banner!

Its not just us that love our herbal teas!

2010-09-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

Reading The Times last week we were pleased to see that model Erin O Connor states that she 'can't live without Pukka Tea'! We've scanned the article and placed it on our Facebook page for you to peruse but here it is in miniature

Tribe of Doris!

2010-08-27T08:10:00.000-07:00

From the 10th till the 17th of August the Tribe of Doris - a seamless fusion of summer camp and festival - hit a site in Devon with over 40 workshops in drumming, dance and song from award winning and inspirational teachers from Africa, South America, Asia, and Europe.

Doris is a participatory event, where learning from these amazing artists is the core activity but there was also world class performances, open mic sessions, jamming, Ceremonies, fireside jamborees, a wellbeing zone as well as a host of creative youth and childrens activities!

Visitors could get involved in djembe drumming at all levels, sabar, African ballet and contemporary African dance, Flamenco song and dance, samba, Brazilian song and dance, Sufi whirling, belly dance, Middle Eastern music, Moroccan Gnawa and much more, culminating in a huge firelit celebration of the weeks workshops on Saturday night. And Pukka was there (in spirit!) to provide a refreshing back note in the form of our teas!

Tribe of Doris: not so much a festival more a way of life!

Help for Alzheimer's: A few berries a day could stop the brain over-ripening

2010-08-24T04:01:00.000-07:00

There is a great article from the Daily Mail online today. Worth a read! It's good to know that our Vitalise Capsules are full of helpful Blueberries!

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1305556/Help-Alzheimers-A-berries-day-stop-brain-ripening.html#ixzz0xWIcpwsA

http://www.pukkaherbs.com/file/d765b7bdd177a8cfc61969b09dcfc917/vitalise-capsules.html

Tea break rituals

2010-08-03T08:28:00.000-07:00

We've been a-wondering here at Pukka HQ how you manage to make your tea break real breaks? What little rituals and routines do you have to make that time your own? We'd love to here from you! You never know, it may even make it into our next newsletter!

Drop us an email pukka@pukkaherbs.com

Natural Ways To Treat Depression

2010-07-28T03:22:00.001-07:00

Great article on alternative treatments for depression online at womanandhome.com this month. It is well worth a read and features a few Pukka Herbal favourites!

http://www.womanandhome.com/galleries/dietandwellbeing/healthylifestyle/28685/4/0/natural-ways-to-treat-depression.html

Fall in love with Pukka this summer

2010-07-26T09:18:00.000-07:00

We love summer here at Pukka and have been celebrating all through July by giving away a FREE love tea with every online order.

We want you to feel the love too and have teamed up with the lovely people at My Single Friend to give you a chance to maybe do just that!

We have 10x 1 month full memberships to give away. Whether you have a fabulous single friend you want to help find love, or you’re looking to find someone special yourself, My Single Friend is a great way to meet other singles. Entry could not be simpler. Click through and complete the form and we will send you a FREE tea sample.

We also will be providing 10x runners up prizes of our gorgeous Love Gift Packs.

Great Taste Awards 2010

2010-07-20T02:43:00.000-07:00

Great news at Pukka HQ today; we've won a Gold Star on EIGHT of our delicious organic herbal teas!

We've uploaded an album to our Facebook page, so have a click and a look!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=20799&id=1222069078086
83&l=3bb1ade4c1

A word from our residential herbalist, Sebastian Pole

2010-07-14T02:03:00.000-07:00

The Bulgarian rose harvest

I am just back from a wonderful and exciting Bulgarian trip visiting our organic rose flower and rosewater suppliers and looking for future sources of incredible sustainable organic herbs for our Pukka products.

It was my first trip to Bulgaria and even as my aeroplane began its descent flying over endless stretches of forests and lakes, I was struck by how beautiful this country is. One third mountains, Bulgaria is situated in the heart of the Balkan peninsula. It is a country famous for its ancient archaeological sites, as the birthplace of the Cyrillic script and for its enormous diversity of wildlife, wild herbs and flowers.

Poppies, camomile, mullein, blue cornflower, meadowsweet, St Johns Wort and milk thistle sit in open plains side by side with oak forests and walnut groves. Butterflies, swooping swallows and enormous storks fill the air as they enjoy and support this rich and diverse habitat.

Roses have been grown commercially for over 300 years in the central Bulgarian ‘valley of the roses ‘ and this is where I started my trip meeting our rose supplier whose grandfather set up the family rose growing business in 1909. Like all Bulgarian private companies it was taken over by the state during the communist era but after many decades it was returned to the family who consulted with the older locals to find the location of the old rose growing sites. In a beautiful location in the lee of the mountains they began their enterprise again in an ideal environment for herb growing, at over 500meters above sea level the mountains shelter the tender young rosebushes, protecting from frost and bringing in water.

At the time of my visit in early June the rose harvest was in full swing. Rosa damascena, Rosa centifolia and Rosa alba all grow near each other making for a beautiful sight as their pink and white colours shimmer in the early morning sun. Local villagers and seasonal workers from the countryside gather in the fields shortly after sunrise and carefully pick only the fully open roses in the best condition; the early morning picking ensuring that the high essential oil content in the roses doesn’t evaporate under the warm sun. The large sacks filled with freshly-harvested roses are weighed on site and within 2 hours are at the nearby distillery to be made into rosewater and rose oil or at the drying facility to be dried as rose flowers for our Love and Refresh teas.

Organic rose growing means no petro chemical fertilizers or pesticides are used which allows the wonderful diversity of nature to flourish in the rose fields; lavender, poppies and blue cornflowers are just a few of the colourful array of purple, red and blue wild flowers bordering the rosebushes. But no chemical pesticides and fertilizers also means a 50% lower flower yield than non-organic rose growing and leaves our supplier with very difficult problems such as the ‘agrillos’ infection whose presence can be detected by a swelling in the rose stem meaning that particular bush needs to be cut back losing the flowers for the rest of that season.

The roses grown for our rosewater and the special concentrated distillation give the rosewater a very high geraniol content which is unmistakeable as the classic rose smell and contributes to its inflammation reducing, skin toning, anti bacterial properties and enable us to make our products without preservatives. However roses are also particularly delicate and sensitive plants presenting a lot of challenges for the grower. One challenge is the weather; rain is vital for the plants but rain in the harvest season makes drying the plants very difficult and inclement weather means the need to adjust rose petal processing times on a daily basis. Watching our rose supplier at work at his most busy and stressful time of the year really brought it home to me that as organic rose growing means half the volume and twice the processing costs compared to non-organic, our rose water and the rosepetals used in our teas really are extremely precious products !

We followed the roses for our Love and Refresh teas as they were driven the mile to the huge workshop of the drying facility where the rose heads are heated to remove humidity and then carefully airdried to retain the colour, aroma, flavour and essential oil content. After 24 hours at the drying facility and constant inspection the dried rose petals are shipped off to our UK base to be blended into our delicious teas!

Meanwhile the roses destined for our rosewater are driven one mile to a pristine distillery which still uses the original copper vats set up by our suppliers grandfather alongside more modern machinery. The intense heady scent of roses hangs in the air while the distillery workers move swiftly emptying tons of rose flowers and petals into enormous stainless steel vats where they are steamed for 2 hours before the steam is sent to the cooler where it condenses and is collected as rosewater.

Unlike most rosewaters, at Pukka our rosewater is not a by product of essential oil production but comes from rose flowers only used for rosewater. As it takes a whole kilo of roses to make 1 litre of rosewater every drop is carefully collected as every one is infused with the sweet scent of the rose flowers.

The delicate beauty of roses are particularly suited to women’s health and are highly prized for their soothing strengthening effect on the emotional heart and for their skin cooling and nourishing properties. Rose oil is an even more labour intensive product as it takes 3.5 tons of petals to produce one litre of oil. The manufacturing process is similar to that of rosewater but the steam from the petals circulates for much longer until rose oil floats on top of the rosewater. I found out on this herb trip that rose oil capsules have become a ‘ must have ‘ item for discerning Japanese women who swear that the daily swallowing of rose oil prevents body odour and gives them a deliciously fragrant ‘glow.!’ Perhaps another Pukka product for the pipeline?

Roses are an inspiration to us; they are strong, self-protecting and irresistibly beautiful. Long used throughout the world as cooling and astringing on the tissues they help to tone puffy skin, clear spots and soothing inflammation. A teaspoon of rosewater in a glass of cool water is quite simply one of the most delicious drinks in the world. Dried rose flowers in a hot tea are instantly soothing. Understanding quite how much hard work goes into growing, harvesting and preparing the roses helps me appreciate them even more.

Bringing the idea of Fairtrade closer to home!

2010-07-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

Fair trade is growing fast with ever more Fairtrade towns that promote ethical shopping and even twin with their producer communities
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jul/13/fairtrade-towns-ethical-shopping-twinning

Summer of Love

2010-07-06T09:04:00.000-07:00

Throughout July we're celebrating a Summer of Love by giving away a FREE box of Organic Love Tea - a soothing blend of rose, chamomile and lavender - with every online order. Spend over £35 and receive this gorgeous mug for the perfect Pukka cuppa!

#7 Collectors Card: Green Tea

2010-07-06T08:59:00.001-07:00

#6 Collectors card: Cardamom

2010-07-06T08:58:00.001-07:00

#5 Collectors Card: Fennel

2010-06-24T08:49:00.000-07:00

#4 Collectors Card: Cocoa

2010-06-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

#3 Collectors Card: Vanilla

2010-06-24T08:47:00.000-07:00

#2 Collectors Card: Gotu Kola

2010-06-24T08:45:00.000-07:00

#1 Collectors Card: Mint From India

2010-06-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

The Real World Cuppa

2010-06-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

2010-06-10T08:21:00.001-07:00

Tarporley Health Store 4th Birthday Event.

Richard Thomas and his team celebrate 4 years trading on Tarporley High Street with a day of celebration and added value for customers.

On Saturday June 12th between 9am and 5pm Tarporley Health Store will be offering all customers on the day a straight 5% OFF ALL PURCHASES - Plus Food and Drink Samples. Charity £1 Entry Prize Draw to win a £100 Health Store Hamper. Also enjoy a FREE Mini Hand Treatment and Sample SYNOVITAL Hyaluronic Acid (Anti-Ageing Sachets) throughout the day.

Everyone welcome at Tarporley Health Store. 2 Chestnut Terrace. High Street. Tarporley. Cheshire. CW6 0UW. Telephone 01829 730 662, or 0845 437 4490 (Local Rate Call From A Land Line).

Normal Opening Days and Times Tuesday - Saturday 9am - 5pm.

Online 24 / 7 @ www.healthstore247.com eMail help@healthstore247.com

Pukka Products on Amazon

2010-05-19T06:37:00.001-07:00

Well, the 21st century has really kicked in for us now! Pukka Herbs is live and kicking with the Organic Bio Nutrients and Organic Botanical supplements on Amazon!

Find our your Dosha!

2010-05-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

The doshas:

In Ayurveda we are said to have body-mind types, these are known as dosha and consist ofvata, pitta and kapha. Each dosha has certain attributes and describes our individual characteristics, inherited traits, our likes and dislikes and our tendencies.

Generally we are a combination of dosha but one will usually dominate. If a dosha becomes out of balance, which can happen for a number of reasons, it can effect how we behave and even our health.

Typcial characteristics of each dosha type:

Vata types tend to be visionary, imaginative and full of creative energy but when they are out of balance they can be forgetful, spaced out, anxious and uptight. Typical vata problems are erractic digestion, bloating, anxiety or joint disorders.

Pitta types are confident, passionate leaders, organised and perfectionists but excess pittacan make them fiery, snappy and irritable. Pitta people have a tendency to suffer from skin irritations, overheating, heartburn and ulcers.

Kapha types tend to be loyal, kind-hearted, calm and full of love, but a kapha overload can make them lethargic, lacking in energy and a little overindulgent. Kapha types are prone to congestion, excess weight and sluggish digestion.

It's important to try and keep our doshas in balance in order to stay on top form. It's not always easy with the hectic lives we lead, but if we can learn what our body needs and adjust our lifestyle accordingly, it's a big step closer to staying healthy and happy!

Discover yours!

2010-05-18T05:08:00.000-07:00

May Star Products!

Check out the featured products for this May either via Pukka Herbs or come and see them at our new Facebook page.

THE ART AND SCIENCE OF VINYASA KRAMA YOGA

2010-05-14T04:20:00.000-07:00

The lovely people at Harmony Yoga are running a series of Summer Schools in Wells and Doncaster in the upcoming months.

14^th-20^th August 2010 in Wells, Somerset. UK

30^th August - 5^th September 2010 in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. UK

With Steve Brandon, IYN Yoga Elder, AYS Senior Teacher.

Yoga is a complete, integrated approach to attain optimum health, vitality, longevity and spiritual awareness. It arose from the spiritual tradition of ancient India where the sages wanted to maintain perfect health and total independence to pursue the goal of spiritual freedom. So, they devised the practices of Yoga to attain these aims. These courses are designed to be primarily practical and experiential with theoretical teachings to support your understanding.

For more information,click here

New Fair Trade Green Teas

2010-05-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

We set out to create some truly incredible tasting, smooth green teas. So we have selected the finest organic whole leaf green tea hand picked by Fairtrade growers around the world.

Each tea has been specially blended by our herbalist, Sebastian, using the whole leaf which is gently steamed and rolled to retain the fantastic delicate flavour. The methods used to prepare our organic Fairtrade green teas ensure the high levels of antioxidants are preserved. We've blended three great flavours: Green Tea, Mint Green Tea and Lemon Green Tea. Worthy of any tea break, any time!

The three varieties of green tea used in our unique ‘Green tea’ blend are sourced from Fairtrade growers in China, India and Vietnam.

Sencha green whole leaf tea comes from a pioneering project in China called Da Zhang Shan which means ‘Great Barrier Mountains’. It is the first EU organic and Fairtrade project in China. There are 15,000 smallholders, each owning a third of a hectare. The Sencha green tea is a traditional Chinese tea made by steaming and rolling that creates a flat whole leaf, brimming with flavour.

Oothu green whole leaf tea comes from an estate in India called Singampatti which means ‘Home of the Lion’. Some of the original pioneers of organic farming in India came from this estate. They use bio dynamic farming methods and are also Demeter certified because of the effective growing techniques used. The Fairtrade estate has a high social responsibility with schools, a hospital, crèches and special shops with discounted food.

Suoi Gang green whole leaf tea comes from Van Chan in Vietnam. The green tea is sustainably collected by H’mong and Zhao tribes from wild tea trees that grow in certified organic rainforests. Tea collecting is a part of their ancient culture which existed even before tea drinking became popular. The trees are grown to full height and therefore have a higher antioxidant level. No cultivation is involved as the trees are part of the local ecosystem. Traditionally Suoi Gang is quite a strong local brew, however, there has been investment in this Fairtrade project which has helped to refine the flavour and create a delicious smooth tea.

Award Winning Teas

2010-05-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

Posting this a little late (as it happened last month!), but good news! Pukka won BEST NEW ORGANIC FOOD PRODUCT at the Natural and Organic Products award for our new After Diner Tea. After Dinner is a deliciously rich and full-bodied blend of bitter-sweet digestive herbs including organic fennel, chicory and cardamom. Perfect sipped after a meal to help soothe and support the digestive system.

Certified organic by the Soil Association.