Oh mumma, we see you! The overwhelm, the metal load, the noise, the touching, the family admin and to-do lists, the personal driver and chef.
motherhood is the most amazing thing, and also the most intense years ive ever been through.
time and time again you hear “of course your tired, your a mum” and argh that makes me so frustrated! the two things dont come hand in hand.
the fatigue from overwhelm and overstimulation is non stop. And the only antidote is space; allowing yourself time to restore and rest.
so how do we find the space?
- speak up to those around you
- create a routine and include yourself in it! just as swimming lessons are thursday at 4, your time is fridays at 10.
- move your body in a way that brings joy
- support your nervous system with herbs such as passionflower, rehmannia, withania etc
- add in magnesium
- speak with friends and do a kid swap
- create a parent swap so you and your partner can have some time together
- if you can, add a extra day to kindy for some alone time or plan a work free day and sneak a day date in
- have a set sleep routine, aim to be asleep by 10pm
- eat nourishing food, especially breakfast!
RED DATE TEA (jujube tea)
I literally could not be more obsessed with this tea at the moment. For myself, for my kids and for my clients! firstly its incredibly easy to make and tastes earthy and sweet and secondly, for its health benefits.
Jujube or red dates are commonly used in TCM practice, they are used to enrich the blood, nourish the liver and kidneys and brilliant at supporting women in times of restoration such as postpartum, post surgery, post menstruation or even just as an energy booster. They are known to enhance Qi.
The addition of the ginger brings heat to the digestive system and reproductive system. While the goji berries are a tonic herb, again used to enhance Qi and blood. They are also high in antioxidants and a brilliant way to use food as medicine.
The blend is also higher in vitamin c so a delicious way for kids to get in a little extra nutrients (though be mindful of too much ginger for kids), or a very easy way to naturally support collagen production in women as we require vitamin c to help strengthen the skin – you know, if you wanted another great reason as why you should be making this tea often!
I N G R E D I E N T S
10 dried red dates (jujube) with the seeds, cut in half
fresh ginger – I like a lot of ginger and so generally I add a lot, but this measurement is up to you
a small handful of goji berries
3L of filtered water
M E T H O D
1. Clean the dates and if you haven’t done so already, chop them in half – they are not tough to cut but if you prefer, you can tear them in half.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients into a large pot and simmer on a low heat for at least 30 mins. I will generally simmer mine for about 60-90 mins, depending on what time I have at home.
3. Sip warm throughout the day. If you can’t get through it all you can strain and rewarm when you are ready.