How and Why Did You Begin Making Herbal Tea?
October 26, 2014
My wife and I began working with the Noni Leaf after moving to Kauai in 2007. We are both resourceful and entrepreneurial and could not understand why no one was using the leaf for medicinal purposes as the Hawaiians did for centuries. As we initially steamed and baked the leaves in our kitchen, we immediately experienced the potent and incredible healing properties of the Noni Leaf. It was amazing to us that so many leaves grew here in the jungle and that no one was utilizing the leaf, which we believed were more balanced medicine than the fruit. The fruit had become extremely popular around the world in recent years. The Noni Leaf gave us energy, helped circulation, digestion and also seemed to create clarity and truth in our lives. We referred to the Noni leaf tea as the “truth serum”, because suddenly we were addressing ourselves and the people surrounding us in truth. While experimenting, I also remember drinking the tea one night and staying up till the wee hours of the morning. No caffeine, just a clean, natural stimulant. So we began making tea and selling our dried tea and brew at the farmers market and in a few of the health food stores. The venture was promising but we realized that without a farm and operating space the business potential was challenging.
A few years later we rented a house in Kilauea with a beautiful herb garden that my landlord at the time had planted. There were approximately 12 or so herbs in the garden. After my landlord gave me a garden tour, I began doing some extensive research on the herbs, and immediately began making tea with the raw herbs. I remember the blend – Tulsi (Holy Basil), lemon balm, mint and sage. After my research, as well as from the physical characteristics of the plant, I was particularly excited to use the Tulsi (Holy Basil). I would infuse the herbs in hot water to make a tea concentrate and then dilute the tea with water to make sure I was hydrating as I drank the herbal tea. I was drinking about a gallon of tea per day from the beginning and loving the taste, experience and feeling. Within weeks I remember my energy picking up dramatically. I began losing weight around my waste, chest and neck as my appetite picked up. It was amazing. My metabolism was reignited in real time from drinking this very simple herbal concoction. My appetite reminded me of when I was a teenager, eating several plates of healthy food. And my awareness towards the types of foods I was attracted to also changed, and I began eating more local vegetables than ever before. I could not help but think that the world had to learn what I was experiencing.
