Start the water boiling because once you begin reading this book you’ll want to make a cup of tea to savor along with learning the medicinal qualities of many popular tea varieties.  Valerie B. Lull has assembled her list in her terse book Ten Healthy Teas, presenting each with a brief description of flavor, what ailments it is known to countermeasure, and the proper way to mix the blend.  Each is accompanied by a quality photograph appropriate for exciting the visionary sense, albeit only a black and white photo.  The richness of the cover art suggests a stimulating galley of information within, of which Valerie Lull gently describes each tea as she would to a friend.

Green and Black tea, Lemon, Ginger, Chamomile, Goldenseal, Echinacea and even Cranberry, Peppermint and Raspberry are all brought to simmer in your mind.  One tea I found quite different is garlic – known for ages as being a healthy herb for just about any condition of the cardiovascular system, it is also known for antibiotic prevention of gangrene; called “Russian Penicillin” during the two World Wars.  Many of the teas have been medically proven to fight cancer and heart disease, lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and improve circulation.  One tip Valerie Lull mentions is for those that do not like caffeine in their tea, to discard the first pour, and drink the second cup, as most of the caffeine is gone by then.  Detoxification of the liver and overall health improvements are the by-products of having a tasty, sole warming hot drink ~ sounds too good to be true !

I have found much of the material to be known already as I would believe most readers also have gained experiences with teas.  Tea has been and still is a very popular drink and most everyone has experienced a wide variety of types in their lives.  However, it never hurts to once again refresh your mind, as you refill your cup.  I believe this book is an excellent gift to be given to a friend along with an assortment of tea bags bought from either a health food store or online on the Internet.  If packaged up and given as a gift, the synergetic effect of stimulating the mind, body and senses would all come together as a memorable, thoughtful present.  So now I hear the teapot whistling, and it’s time to go have a soothing cup of one of life’s little pleasures.