Pour Me A Cold One

Alcohol just isn’t for me.

Carbonation and I don’t agree.

So, what do you think,

is my favorite drink?

The answer my friend, is Iced Tea!

We just got back from a mini family reunion, over the week of July 4^th. It was the best ever! We finally got to see our one daughter and her family who we haven’t seen in over two years. Our seven-year-old grandson grew two feet I think (just kidding)! Our other daughter and her family also were there. We rented an Airbnb, since we didn’t want to invade my 93-year-old mother-in law’s house with six adults, and two energetic, boisterous little boys aged 7 and 4.

There was one BIG problem that complicated our time together – her house. It’s almost 80 years old, and NO air conditioning. That’s one reason we rented the Airbnb. The other was the weather. The weather was absolutely ideal for those who love hot, sweltering, muggy and just plain scorching weather. The inside of her house was like a sauna, luckily, she lives lakeside, so the water was our only respite from the heat.

So, each day we would pack up towels, sunscreen, chairs, water and sand toys, little boy snacks, water shoes and anything else to keep everyone happy. It was like packing for an army – my one daughter even had a checklist, so there would be no need for repeated trips back up to the house. But most importantly there were several coolers filled with assorted tasty adult beverages, bottles of water and lots and lots of iced tea.

There’s nothing better, than an enormous glass of iced tea, tightly clutched in a slick sunscreen hand, with ice cubes clinking around keeping the tea, frigid and frosty, to cool off. For me, it was the ONLY drink appropriate for those hot days. It was really refreshing… helped cool me down and offered a bunch of health benefits.

Iced tea provides the body with a variety of health benefits – minerals, and vitamins that we may not even realize our body needs. On the other hand, drinking a lot of pop for instance, which is loaded with sugar, is not always the best thing. Even soft drinks labeled as “diet” or “zero sugar,” research has shown can also be unhealthy. Iced tea is the natural healthier choice, to tame those heat demons (and remember all those antioxidants). Furthermore, it’s also the perfect way to stay hydrated, which is one of the most important things to do during the summer.

It was pretty crazy during our time together. I don’t think I need to go into all things that transpire when families get together – we’ve all been there. Tea, however, lowers levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. And families can indeed be stressful at times, especially when the heat causes both kid and adult melt downs. Stress is responsible for numerous health issues and problems, some which have been linked to heart ailments, kidney issues, and mental health issues.

So, if you find yourself challenged this summer with family, in addition to the debilitating effects of the summer sun, the best way to counteract them both, is just to sip a tall glass of iced tea, count to ten, say a little prayer and suddenly all will be well with the world.

Drink more iced tea!!!!