In this post we review practical supports from black owned brands for improving health and wellness. This includes weight loss, stress relief, and self care. We focus on teas, healthful drinks, supplements, mindfulness, and meditation. A new decade is upon us, and just like many years and decades before, it is time to renew and establish goals. See the companies and product links below for more information.
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The Benefits of Tea
Teas can be an aid to weight loss, optimally in connection with a healthful diet and appropriate exercise. Tea contains “catechins” that can disrupt the growth of fat cells, aid in their breakdown, and increase metabolism. Some teas (and catechins) appear more beneficial. These include green, black, and white tea, along with rooibos (red tea), oolong, ginger, turmeric, and hibiscus. Herbal teas that blend various ingredients consisting of the aforementioned can also aid weight loss. You can find these teas from several black owned brands, both in loose leaf form and bags. These include the following.
- Blended Berries offers teas in loose leaf form. This includes the “berrilax” tea made with ginger among other natural ingredients.
- Brooklyn Tea offers teas in loose leaf form that include green, white, rooibos, and oolong.
- Bundts and Crumpets offers a selection of wellness teas in loose leaf form, designed to promote weight loss, sleep, relaxation, and more.
- Dopare offers a selection of ginger teas in loose leaf form that are blended with other ingredients such as lemon and turmeric.
- Ivy’s Tea Co. offers green, black, and herbal teas. You can make one time purchases or subscribe at a discount.
- Just Add Honey offers a selection of loose leaf teas that include black, green, and white teas, along with herbal blends.
- Possibiliteas offers herbal blend teas in loose leaf form that include green and oolong.
- Trill Tea offers a selection of herbal blend teas (in bags).
Other Healthful Drinks, Snacks and Supplements
There are other healthful drink, food, and supplement options from black owned brands.
Drinks
- Golde (advertisement) offers a selection of powdered drinks that contain turmeric and other super foods that support weight loss, health, and wellness outcomes. Golde is also available on Amazon (advertisement).
- Peak + Valley (advertisement) offers a selection of several adaptogens like reishi mushroom and ashwagandha to include in smoothies and tonics. See the reference section for information about adaptogens.
- Best Made Organic offers a sea moss gel to restore the organs and restore mineral deficiencies.
- Drank brings juicing to your door step. They offer the benefits of fruits and vegetables through unpasteurized and cold pressed juices. Juices are vegan, gluten and cruelty free, as well as organic. There are several varieties including those that support weight loss among other healthful outcomes.
- VeganSmart offers a selection of vegan and organic protein powders (shakes) some of which are specifically designed for appetite control and weight loss. VeganSmart is also available on Amazon. Information about the benefits of protein powder can be found HERE.
Healthful Snacks
Granola is known for its health promoting ingredients, particularly fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Options from black owned brands include the following.
- Oh Mazing offers a selection of nut free granola snacks with gluten free oats that are available as variety/sample packs, or as individual packs in different sizes.
- Spark Bites offers a selection vegan and certified non GMO snacks, made of oats, chia, and other healthful ingredients. They are also available on Amazon (advertisement).
- Way To Life offers a selection of organic, salt and soy free granola snacks in a variety of flavors. Snacks are also vegan and wheat free.
Supplements
- Black Edged offers supplements specifically designed to address the health and wellness needs of Black people around the world.
Mental Health and Well Being
- Black Girl In Om (BGIO) is an informational website to promote well being and self-care among black women.
- Douglairian Therapy is a mental health trading card game designed to promote self reflection and discovery, needs identification, and self advocacy. It was developed by a marriage and family therapist.
Meditation is associated with many psychological benefits including stress relief and relaxation. Liberate is a mediation APP for and by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Guided meditations are for and by people of color to address cultural issues and challenges. Liberate is available through Google Play and the App store. A link to download the app is provided below (advertisement). There are several purchase options.
Mindfulness Coloring
Mindfulness is the ability to be completely present in the moment and attuned to what you are thinking and feeling. It is cultivated through practice and aided by meditation. With mindfulness then your focus is on your own thoughts, senses and feelings, opposed to the multitude of distractions going on around you. With mindfulness you tune out to tune in to yourself. Practicing mindfulness is associated with many benefits including stress relief, and enhanced mental and physical well being.
Asides from meditation, mindfulness can be acquired through creative expressions. “Mindfulness coloring” as it is called is aided by complex and intricate images that encourage you to let go of distractions and focus on the creative elements of the task at hand. There are plenty of coloring books for adults from black owned brands that support mindfulness and by default relaxation.
- It’s a Black Thang (advertisement) also offers “faith and fashion” coloring books.
- Mahogony Books (advertisement) offers coloring books with mythological and natural hair themes.
- African American Expressions offers “faith and fashion” coloring books. These coloring books are also available on Amazon (advertisement).
- Chris Miller, CiCi Caver, and Crystal Swain-Bates offer natural hair coloring books on Amazon. (advertisement).
- Entrepreneurs Color Too offers a selection of thematic coloring that celebrate Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) among others. They are available on Amazon.
- Eso Won Books offers a large assortment of adult coloring books that focus on stress relief, relaxation, and more.
- Pyramid Books offers a large assortment of adult coloring books designed for stress relief, relaxation, and more.
- United Black Books offers an African designs – Dover coloring book.
In reviewing these products for health and wellness, I hope you find one or more that work for you.
Happy Shopping!
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You can find more information about the benefits of teas, adaptogens, mindfulness and meditation, from these sources.
- Baum, Isadora. “These hibiscus tea benefits may have you trading in your daily Chai.” 11 March, 2019. https://www.oprahmag.com/life/health/a26785615/health-benefits-of-hibiscus-tea/
- Chesak, Jennifer. “12 adaptogens for hormonal balance and stress.” 22 July, 2019. https://www.healthline.com/health/stress/smart-girls-guide-to-adaptogens
- Galland, Leo. “Calm your mind, relax your body, and lose weight.” 17 November, 2011. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/stress-relief-calm-your-m_b_559862
- Help Guide. “Benefits of mindfulness.” https://www.helpguide.org/harvard/benefits-of-mindfulness.htm
- Houston, Elaine. “What is mindfulness coloring? + 39 more creative art ideas.” 7 April, 2019. https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-coloring-art/
- Link, Rachael. 25 September, 2017. “The 6 best teas to lose weight and belly fat.” https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/weight-loss-tea
- MacMillan, Amada. “How ginger fights body fat.” https://time.com/collection/guide-to-weight-loss/4787027/ginger-body-fat-obesity/
- NDTV. “Tumeric tea for weight loss and a fat tummy: Benefits of drinking this potion everyday.” https://www.ndtv.com/food/turmeric-tea-for-weight-loss-heres-how-you-can-lose-weight-fast-1875754
- Thorpe, Matthew. “12 science based benefits of meditation.” 5 July, 2017. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation
- Web MD. “Could tea help you lose weight?” https://www.webmd.com/diet/tea-and-weight-loss#1
This is perfect because I’ve been wanting some good tea go-tos!!