Me too! The problem is, I haven’t been getting one recently….

Usually I sleep well. I enjoy sleeping. In fact, I love sleeping. Perhaps too much!

But in the past week or so I just can’t seem to nod off. These days, whenever I get into bed, I toss and I turn until I can’t stand it any longer and get back out of bed again. It’s probably got something to do with the fact that my body still has a few minor aches and pains following the accident. It probably needs time to heal itself.

So I’ve been spending a lot of time surfing the net and chatting with friends on skype.

Jessica, a good friend of mine from Austin, Texas, seems to have an herbal remedy for everything. She’s given me a sleeping remedy to try out. Actually, it’s a tea. I intend to give it a go tonight.

So, what should be the sleep-deprived persons tea of choice? According to Jessica, Rosemary and Lavender tea…

I have it on good authority that rosemary is energizing, yet calming, while lavender is known to be an effective, yet mild, anti-depressant. Sounds good so far.

So how does one go about making this wonder brew?

2 teaspoons chopped fresh (needless to say, organic) rosemary leaves
2 teaspoons of chopped fresh lavender flower/leaf
2 cups of boiling water

Combine the rosemary and lavender in a warmed glass or ceramic teapot. Add the boiling water, cover and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Strain. Drink.

For best results, I should get this into me at least 3 times each day for 2 weeks. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Here are some resources for any fellow insomniacs…

National Sleep Foundation – pretty much everything you’d ever want to know about sleep – from why you need it to what to do if you’re not getting enough

Sleep Net – includes a sleep test that helps you determine if you’ve got a sleep disorder

Organic bedding boat that floats – a look at what happens to a bunch of organic mattress guys when they’re given a few hours and told to make a boat (for a worthy charity)

Good night…

Tea is very important in Japanese culture. Although a wide variety of teas and tisanes are routinely enjoyed, it is green tea, or nihoncha, which receives most attention in Japan. Many festivals, celebrations and ceremonies are associated with the production, harvesting and consumption of green tea. Interestingly, organic green tea has, largely due to Japan’s vibrant youth culture, become very popular in recent years. By way of example, Itoen’s organic ryokucha (pictured), a fragrant green tea with a wonderfully clean taste, is now available throughout Japan. Its quality, at least in my opinion, is much higher than the non-organic “to go” varieties currently on the market. And for around 160円 it represents good value for many Japanese consumers.

Japanese culture is intertwined with stories about tea. My Obachan had a knack of telling her own versions of these stories during meal times. Indeed, I have no fonder childhood memories than of those times after dinner in May when, with our small home filled with the sweet aroma of new season tea, my Obachan would explain the arrival of tea in Japan. Apparently, at least as I recall Obachan’s story, it was Japanese Buddhist monks who, upon their return from China, brought tea packed in brick-like casing to Japan. The monks would break off small portions of the tea brick by hand, grind it in a mortar until it had the consistency of smooth powder, and then add boiling water, before serving it in large bowls.

Some things don’t change much. Certainly, the way we consume tea in Japan hasn’t changed all that much from the time the monks first enjoyed it. Unfortunately, other things do change. Growing tea was a relatively simple, albeit labor-intensive, pursuit prior to the introduction of chemical agriculture. For many hundreds of years, each successive farming generation passed down the knowledge they had gained about the soil, terrain, and climate, and how these all worked together to produce high quality tea. But during the 1950s chemical pesticides, fertilizers and chemical agents were introduced on mass to Japanese tea farms. Chemical agriculture promised increased yield, labor reductions and a decreased requirement for on-farm expertise. While it fulfilled many of its promises in the short term, as in most other parts of the world, Japanese tea growers became caught in a vicious cycle of having to use increased quantities of agricultural chemicals for lower returns.

My Obachan always understood the devastating impact that chemical agriculture would have on Japanese tea farms. And given that tea formed one of the foundation ingredients for her natural skin creams, her concern was not something she kept to herself. I recall frequent visits to our local green tea shop, or ochaya. Long before organic certification was introduced, my Obachan would request to know the exact growing conditions used on each farm whose tea she contemplated buying. Although our ochaya stocked many teas from throughout Japan, my Obachan’s questions were not taken seriously. The unfortunate reality, as our Ochaya knew only too well, was that the vast majority of tea farms were using the so-called “new” agricultural techniques that required the use of chemicals.

Fortunately, we had relatives living in Shizuoka. Shizuoka, along with Uji and Kagoshima, is famous throughout Japan for its high quality green tea. Our relatives, who were always very kind to me and Obachan, lived near a family-run tea farm that remained free of chemical inputs. Each May, without fail, they were kind enough to send us a parcel of shincha (new tea) from their neighbour’s tea farm. This was a special treat for us. One year, when I was about six or seven, my Obachan took me to visit our relatives and the Shizuoka tea farm. The train fare from Nagano to Shizuoka must have been very expensive for us because I recall Obachan saving for many months before the trip. It was during that trip that I first heard the tea pickers song:

Natsumo chikazuku
Hachi-ju-hachi-ya
Nonimo yamanimo wakabaga shigeru.
Areni mieruwa chatsumija naika.
Akane dasukini sugeno kasa.

And in English (although not quite capturing the true rhythm and beauty of the song)

Summer approaches for sure.
Eighty-eight nights have passed since the start of Spring.
New leaves are all around.
Over there are the tea pickers,
Wearing their red sashes and sedge hats.

If you ever get a chance to visit Shizuoka in May, please visit one of the traditional tea farms where each new season’s leaves are respectfully picked by hand, instead of carelessly by machines. You’ll hear the tea pickers sing as they pinch off clusters comprising two young leaves and a shoot, referred to as a leaf set with bud, before tossing them into the baskets strapped to their backs. Simplicity, tenacity, and a commitment to the highest standards for even the most routine of tasks – that is what Japanese Green Tea is – or at least should be – all about. Traditional green tea from Japan should be organic. And my Obachan knew it!

Today, although only about 1 percent of Japan’s tea farms operate under strict organic certification standards, popular culture is driving a move away from the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides. Many farms are in the process of going through the three-year conversion process necessary to rid their land of the chemical pesticides previously used. Hopefully, this transition will inspire others and precipitate a return to the traditional ways of doing things. I hope so.

Numi Organic Tea, a proud Oaktown business, is opening its enchanted Tea Garden in Oakland’s Embarcadero Cove. As part of the celebrations, Numi is hosting a benefit for local non-profit, Art in Action, who work to bring inner-city youth to summer camps to develop their artistic expression and eat healthy with organic food. Art in Action Youth Leadership Program uplifts and transforms the lives of young artists impacted by violence and poverty. Art in Action provides a supportive, positive place for young leaders to cultivate leadership through dance, theatre, music, spoken word/poetry, painting, storytelling, and media arts. Numi is thrilled to be able to help support this important program.

The Numi Tea Garden is an urban tea oasis where you can unwind, relax and be immersed in tea. Numi has a full selection of loose tea and teasan varieties as well as a menu of light snacks. The Numi Tea Garden is also a retail store that includes a lounge for music and community events.

Ahmed Rahim, Numi’s co-founder, designed and ran teahouses in Europe before launching Numi with his sister, Reem, in the Summer of ‘99. Opening this tea garden space in Oakland has been a long awaited goal to again serve premium quality teas to the public while offering education for true tea appreciation. “As a former owner and creator of Tea Houses, it was evident Numi needed one, not just for the purpose of selling and educating our local customers about Numi, but also a place to support our local communitea. Since Numi is a pioneer in the Organic and Fair Trade global communitea, it is important that we are there for our local communitea as well, to support other pioneers, share our tea knowledge, social values and to help change the world one person at a time”.

There are plans for Numi Tea Garden to evolve over the years to provide tea classes, seminars and activities with local chef’s (cooking and pairing teas), local concerts with musicians from around the world. With Numi’s strong commitment to sustainability and fair labor practices, the Numi Tea Garden is sure to become a much-loved venue for Oakland residents and for those fortunate enough to be visiting.

If you’re in Oakland on October 12, we strongly encourage you to attend the opening celebrations, which will be filled with special guest speakers, musical performances, and more.

When: October 12, 12pm – 12am

Where: Numi Tea Garden, 2230 Livingston Street, Oakland, CA 94606

Website: www.numitea.com (for more information)

Schedule of events

2pm-5pm Local Community Speakers:
Oakland Inner City Advisors, Rudolf Steiner Fund, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights/Art in Action, Peerless Coffee, James Norwood Pratt, author of A Tea Lover’s Treasure, Drake Sadler ( Founder, Traditional Medicinals Tea)

5pm-midnight Live Performances:
Tibetan Tuvan Throat Singing by Arjuna, Middle Eastern Oud by Jef Stott, bellydancing, West African Dancing/Drumming by Rhythm Village and world beats from Jef Stott (Six Degrees Records) & DJ Dragonfly (thegroovegarden.com): Trans-Globally-Fuzed Electro-Funky Grooves!

How easy is it for tea producers to deliver a high quality organic product to the consumer? As the fourth generation representative of Darjeeling’s tea dynasty, Rajah Banerjee is the prince of organic tea. Cradled in the lap of the Himalayas, Makaibari is the oldest single owner tea estate and one of the few devoted to organic and biodynamic agricultural methods. Rajah explains that the annual volume of organically grown tea is only six percent that of conventional. While demand for organically grown tea continues to increase, there are significant constraints upon growers who might like to enter this market.

Large producers in particular face significant challenges in adapting to a new set of agricultural parameters. The switch to holistic management requires considerable planning and time. By avoiding chemical fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides, organic growers must directly confront the challenge of developing approved alternatives. These include natural soil conditioners like manure, botanical insect repellents, alternate host species, and manual weeding. Understandably, many large producers are discouraged by the loss of income which is likely to occur during their transition to holistic agriculture.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, small scale organic tea producers seem to have an increasingly difficult time. This is largely on account of the manner in which tea is commercially distributed. In Rajah’s words, volume is the mantra. Specialty teas are often ignored by major distributors who demand standardised products which facilitate swift turnover and high volume sales.

About tea

The tea bush (Camellia sinesis) has been cultivated for thousands of years, originally in China where it became a staple beverage. Due to its popularity as a trading commodity, the cultural influence of tea spread outwards to encompass those regions presently known as Japan, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Russia. At the arrival of the eighteenth century, tea became an important beverage in England where it was consumed across all levels of society.

Chinese herbalists have long appreciated the health benefits of drinking tea, although much of this knowledge was inaccessible in the west. Today, there is a decent amount of mainstream research seeking to evaluate the beneficial properties of tea. Two of the questions most frequently raised in these studies include: Which variety of tea is most beneficial to human health? and Is organically grown tea superior to conventionally grown tea?

Black tea

Several varieties of tea are obtained from the Camellia sinesis bush. The most popular tea around the world is currently black tea. The flavoursome qualities of black tea are captured by a fermentation process which involves an initial steaming to release enzymes followed by high temperature drying. While fermentation enriches the taste, it also decreases some valuable polyphenols while increasing the caffeine and tannin content of the leaves.

A good quality black tea (preferably single leaf) is still considered a useful source of flavonoids and other antioxidant compounds. A regular dietary intake of these nutrients is required for building resistance against infection and many of the diseases which occur in later life.

There is considerable interest and support for research investigating the influence of tea consumption upon degenerative illnesses like arthritis, cancer, and coronary vascular disease. Black tea appears to provide some protection against coronary vascular disease. In a sample of elderly males in Holland, moderate tea consumption was associated with a lower incidence of mortality attributed to heart disease (Hertog, et al, 1993). Some of the lower priced black teas; particularly those used in teabags will be blended with Camellia assam leaves. To date, most of the scientific studies have focused on Camellia sinesis.

Green Tea

Green tea is traditionally preferred in several regions of Asia, notably Japan, where its complex health benefits have been extensively researched. Instead of being fermented, green tea is dried quickly to reduce oxidation. This results in a slightly astringent beverage. When brewed from high quality leaves, a serving of green tea ensures a bountiful harvest of highly desirable nutrients. These include antioxidant vitamins, beta carotene, zinc, and selenium, in addition to complex polyphenols and flavonoids.

From a holistic health perspective, green teas are classified along with other foods which regulate metabolism and alkalinise the body. Promoting an alkaline environment assists the efficiency of cellular metabolism and may decrease the likelihood of certain types of cancer. Scientists have now identified several polyphenol compounds which appear to have inhibitory effects upon the development and progression of cancerous cells.

For laboratory mice, a diet supplemented with green tea polyphenols resulted in a significantly lower incidence of skin cancer (Dreosti et al, 1997). The consumption of green tea was associated with decreased recurrences of breast cancer in Japanese women (Nakachi et al, 1998). Other potential health benefits of green tea include protection against cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and elevated blood pressure (Sueoka, et al, 2001).

Tea plantations

With approximately twenty thousand plants supported on each hectare of land, commercial tea production places high demands upon natural and human resources. The average annual yield is approximately two thousand kilograms of dried tea per hectare.

Like other intensively farmed crops, tea is routinely treated with a broad range of agricultural chemicals. Because their new growth is continually harvested, tea plants must obtain sufficient nitrogen from the soil. Most commercial growers depend on synthetic fertiliser to replace soil nitrogen. Organic farmers replace soil nitrogen with natural materials like green manure crops, seaweed, compost, and animal manures.

Not surprisingly, commercially cultivated tea is susceptible to damage caused by fungal infection, and several species of insect. Once again, the majority of tea plantations depend on chemical treatments which must be frequently applied, often in higher concentrations than those recommended. This impacts negatively upon the quality of life enjoyed by plantation workers and results in a product that is potentially dangerous to consumers.

Conventional tea producers operate within narrow margins and cannot routinely accommodate the shift to an organic approach since, in most cases, their yields would be significantly decreased. It has also been reported that workers employed to maintain and harvest tea bushes prefer conventional spraying, since this eliminates the natural prey of scorpions, spiders, and snakes. The chance of being bitten or killed by one of these creatures is apparently much greater on organic plantations. Conventional growers frequently promote these statistics to gain approval for their practices. Since many of these workers are children, it seems cynical to address short term safety without considering the longer term implications of repeated chemical exposure.

Health and wellbeing

For ensuring the health and wellbeing of those who consume dried tea, there is little doubt that organically certified products contain less chemical residue than conventionally grown alternatives. One of the difficulties with assessing pesticide levels in tea is the fact that each season will precipitate different approaches to crop management, depending on variable factors like climate, insect breeding cycles, and the market price for individual tea varieties. The majority of tea is sold in blended form, meaning that elevated pesticide levels can rarely be traced to a single source. As a consequence, many scientists and consumers are somewhat sceptical of the publicised laboratory analyses.

In addition to accumulating within the cells of each plant, agricultural chemicals have the potential to inhibit or weaken natural processes which create highly potent nutrients. The complex polyphonous and flavonoids within tea leaves are involved in complex functions like protection against predatory insect attack. When plants are artificially protected by synthetic chemicals, they gradually lose their natural ability to discourage insects. This is less of a problem with most species of culinary herb, which can be dried and blended to create healthy or medicinal beverages. When grown in appropriate locations, herbs are naturally resilient. Many of them grow in marginal soils and produce volatile compounds which discourage insect pests. This enables them to be grown organically, without chemicals.

Health conscious consumers have every reason to choose an organically certified product. Oakland based Numi Tea have developed a unique range of teas which meet strict organic standards. Company spokesperson Anna Hartman explains that most tea leaves are unwashed when they’re dried and processed. So the first time you steep your tea, you’re also infusing chemical residue from any pesticides previously used on the plants. Dedicated to quality, Numi Tea avoids the use of fragrant oils which can disrupt the subtle flavours of a genuine tea. Since their introductory launch of Dry Desert Lime, the company has proceeded to introduce many distinctive and exotic teas. These include Rooibos (red tea), Lemon Myrtle, Honeybush, and Berry Black.

Sourcing organic teas

Many informed consumers are attracted to the health giving properties of organically certified tea. Lisa Hilbert’s a Melbourne based naturopath specialising in Herbal Medicine. She’s also the founder and CEO of Tea Tonic, a company dedicated to developing teas with therapeutic properties. From her experience, Lisa knows that an appropriately selected tea will enhance and strengthen specific aspects of bodily function. For example, Tea Tonic’s Warm Spicey blend includes therapeutic herbs such as Clove, Anise, and Cinnamon. When taken regularly, this can assist general circulation and digestion.

In situations where it is difficult to obtain organically certified varieties of black or green tea, consumers may prefer to concentrate on herbal teas like peppermint, rosebud, or chrysanthemum. There are numerous varieties to choose from and regular consumption can provide nutritional benefits of similar magnitude to black or green tea.

One of the factors affecting local supplies of organically certified tea is its recent incorporation within a range of natural health products. Widespread awareness of beneficial compounds in green tea has encouraged enterprising manufacturers to develop its functional properties as the key ingredient within sports drinks, toothpaste, and premium cosmetic products. Health food manufacturers are increasingly interested in the antioxidant properties which preserve nutrients and discourage rancidity of natural oils. There is little doubt; the future of organic tea appears very promising.