I hope you continue to be well!

I find it hard to believe that the beginning of the holiday season is just around the corner. I've been blending like crazy getting everything ready and started cleaning all the "magic tea dust" off the shelves to get them restocked with lots of great products for your gift-giving needs. All of our autumn teas are still available and our holiday blends, samplers and holiday mug sets will be available Thanksgiving weekend! Check out the New at the Shop section below for the complete list of seasonal teas. And some new macaron flavors have arrived...they are also posted below :)

Small Business Saturday is Saturday 11/26, so don't forget to support all of your favorite small businesses! Our holiday schedule, which includes additional days and extended hours, has been finalized and is outlined below. As always, the shop will close for a much-needed post-holiday break. Please make note of the closure to ensure that you have adequate stock. And our holiday raffle will be returning again - details for our 11th Annual Holiday Raffle will be provided in December's newsletter!

As always, pre-ordering your teas is helpful to reduce the amount of time you need to wait for us to prepare your custom orders for you. This is especially helpful during the holiday season when the traffic increases tremendously in my small shop. If needed, pre-order details are below.

Looking for some great caffeine-free options to enjoy? Then rooibos and honeybush may fit the bill, if you haven't already experienced these wonderful herbs. We dive into these two herbal tisanes this month.

Thank you to all who have been interested in experiencing the Gong Fu Tea Service and our tasting workshops! They are done for the year, but will be back in February. Stay tuned for details! :)

Lastly, I am weeks/months behind in my emails and, due to the sheer volume that I receive daily, some emails may now be lost in the thousands of emails that are currently in my inbox. If you sent me an email and I have not responded, please resend it. In addition, I have been running a little late on some mornings no matter how hard I try to get there on time. For those of you who don't know, my husband and I operate a cat rescue, rehabilitation and hospice and the addition of new cats this year has put a big strain on my time in the morning. If you arrive at 11:00AM and I am not open yet, please wait if you can - I am usually there within five minutes. If you will be pressed for time, please do not come at opening unless you have received notification that a pre-order is ready for pick up - I wouldn't want to be the cause of you being late for your own obligations. I apologize for these inconveniences.

I appreciate your continued support of my small business and I wish you much health, great tasting cups of tea, and a Happy Thanksgiving!

-- Kristine, FDN-P

Been blending up fresh batches to ensure adequate inventory of your favorites for the holiday season. Guayusa Cinnamon Lemongrass Organic Herbal Tisane is now house-blended and back in stock - let me know what you think of the new recipe! Other pictured blends are Lemon Ginger Mint Organic Herbal Tisane and Turmeric Spice Organic Herbal Tisane. A fresh batch of Cold & Flu Blend Organic Herbal Tisane has also just been blended, so grab some to keep on hand in case you come down with something!

Holiday Schedule

The shop will be open on several additional days and for extended hours during the holiday season for your shopping needs! Basically, the shop is open every day from Wednesday 12/14 through Saturday 12/31, except for Christmas Day. Please also note the days the shop will be closed for the annual post-holiday break for some much needed recuperation. This schedule is in place of our usual hours beginning Wednesday 12/14.

Additional Days & Extended Hours

Wednesday 12/14 through Sunday 12/18 11:00 to 6:00

Monday 12/19 through Friday 12/23 11:00 to 7:00

Christmas Eve Saturday 12/24 11:00 to 3:00

Monday 12/26 through Friday 12/30 11:00 to 5:00

New Year's Eve Saturday 12/31 11:00 to 3:00

Closures

Christmas Day Sunday 12/25

Sunday 1/1 through Wednesday 1/11

Be sure to check your stash and stock up before the extended break ;)

*Please note that, due to the workload and time necessary to assist those shopping for holiday gifts, bar service (teas prepared to drink) is always discontinued during the holiday season. Please note that from Saturday 12/17 through Saturday 12/24 the shop will be in retail mode and I will not be able to accommodate any transactions that only include teas to be consumed and/or purchases from our small bites menu. I am planning to still offer the teas hot or iced and most of the items on our small bites menu during this time for holiday shoppers to take to-go, but this may be discontinued if it has too much of a negative impact on our ability to service everyone in the shop. Bar service will resume on Monday 12/26 through the remainder of the year. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

As a reminder, current hours, along with future schedule changes and policies, can always be found on our shop website infuseteabarny.com.

Pre-order Reminder

As a reminder, pre-orders of loose leaf teas are encouraged in order to streamline the preparation of your custom orders and reduce your wait time, especially if the shop is busy when you arrive. Orders also continue to be shipped nationwide and all (pre)orders can be placed in our online shop pleasuresoftea.com. Please place orders at least 24-hours ahead of desired pick up time, if possible, to ensure that I will see your order in the portal and have the time to pull it together in time for your arrival. Indicating the approximate date and time of pick up in the Comments section in the Cart helps ensure that your order will be ready for you upon arrival. Pick-ups can only be done during shop hours. If you plan to browse at the shop or grab a cup of tea, then please do not pay online - select the Pay at pick-up option. You will receive an emailed notification once your order is ready for pick-up. DO NOT send orders to my email or leave on voicemail - they will be lost and most likely will not be seen until weeks after you are looking for them.

Please note that the last day to order a custom gift basket for Christmas will be Friday 12/9 or two weeks before you would need to pick it up. Anything in the shop can be assembled into a custom basket, so let me know while in the shop what you would like to have assembled!

Thank you for your continued cooperation in helping to serve you in the most efficient and expeditious manner possible! :)

Rooibos & Honeybush

Are you sensitive to caffeine or just looking for a caffeine-free beverage to drink at night? Then try the wonderful caffeine-free infusions of rooibos (pronounced ROY-boss) and honeybush. Both of these herbs are native to the unique terroir of the mountainous Cedarberg region of South Africa, north of Cape Town. They have been consumed by the indigenous Khoisan people for hundreds of years. They are not “true teas” since they are not from the Camellia sinensis plant; however, they are just as healthy. Both rooibos and honeybush are low in tannins and, therefore, have no bitterness and astringency. The medium- to full-bodied infusions can be consumed either hot or iced, plain, with lemon, a little sugar or honey, or milk. These herbs also work well as a base for blends with other herbs or flavors - fruit, floral, spice, and the more dessert-like flavors of chocolate, vanilla, and/or nuts. Since they have no caffeine, they can safely be consumed by anyone, including children and pregnant women.

The Afrikaans word “rooibos” means “red bush” and you may have seen this tisane marketed as red bush, red tea, or rooitea. It's scientific name is Aspalathus linearis. It is most commonly found in the oxidized form, a step during manufacture that gives the red color to the finished form of the herb; however, it can also be found in the “green” form, which does not undergo the oxidation step. The oxidized form of rooibos has a natural mild sweetness with subtle woody, citrus, or nutty notes. Green rooibos has a fresh and slight grassy note.

Rooibos contains many healthy phytonutrients, including antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Polyphenols, flavonoids, nothofagin, aspalathin, and chrysoeriol are just some of the antioxidants found in rooibos that bind to free radicals in the body, thereby reducing oxidative damage. It is interesting to note that rooibos is the only natural source of aspalathin and only one of two natural sources of nothofagin. Chrysoeriol, which is known for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral abilities, has also shown to be an effective bronchodilator and can lower blood pressure and relieve spasms. Rooibos also contains potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, and vitamin C.

Rooibos has been used traditionally in South Africa to alleviate the following: digestive issues such as nausea, vomiting, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation; stomach cramps; colic in infants; allergies and asthma; soothe itching and irritation, including eczema, when applied directly to the skin. Rooibos contains phytoestrogens (plant-derived estrogens) and is being investigated as a potential alternative in hormone replacement therapy. Recent research on rooibos has found potential links between regular consumption and the reduction in the risk of developing cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, and reducing oxidative stress. It is also being studied as a potential treatment for inflammatory bowel disease. Another interesting recent study showed that regular consumption of rooibos may help to modulate the hyperinflammation that takes place during a COVID-19 infection.

The less well known honeybush is distantly related to rooibos. Its scientific name is Cyclopia intermedia. Like its cousin, it is most commonly found in the oxidized form and it can also be found in the "green" form. The oxidized form of honeybush has a natural sweetness with woody and honey notes, hence its name, and it is a little more full-bodied than rooibos; while the "green" form has a woody-grassy note.

Honeybush is a healthy beverage that is rich in minerals and phytochemicals that act as antioxidants. Honeybush contains potassium, calcium, copper, manganese, magnesium and zinc, key minerals that support a healthy body. While honeybush is not as widely studied as rooibos, the current research that has been conducted has identified several phytochemicals that may validate its traditional uses that span centuries. Some of the phytochemicals that help to alleviate symptoms of several conditions include: pinitol which is used for coughs and as an expectorant; flavones, isoflavones, and polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that support and strengthen the immune system; isoflavones and coumestans, which are classified as phytoestrogens and may reduce the effects of menopausal symptoms; and hesperetin which has anti-inflammatory properties and is used to alleviate the symptoms of allergies.

We offer over 30 rooibos and honeybush options, including the straight herbs, blended, and flavored. If you haven't tried them yet, now's the time to expand your palate and incorporate something new. Let me know what you think! :)

Do you or someone you know need a personal health detective to address chronic wellness issues that can't seem to be resolved? If you haven't tried the FDN approach, then you haven't tried everything! New clients will begin to be accepted again in 2023.

As a Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) Practitioner, I help clients get to the root of their health and wellness issues and reclaim the vitality that they very much deserve. I offer fully customized, programs that are unique to each client and that incorporate holistic protocols addressing body, mind, spirit and senses. This is an extension of my work in tea and herbalism for the past fifteen years, but I will now be able to help those of you who need it at a much deeper and personalized level than I can offer in the shop. In addition to the new tools in my toolbox, I will continue to draw from my experience in using tea for health, along with my herbalism training, during the development of the comprehensive protocols that will be specific to the bio-individualized needs of each client. I will educate and empower you to make the choices that are best for YOUR health so that you can be your own health advocate moving forward. I look forward to showing you what I can do to help you achieve your wellness goals and enjoy continued vitality well into the future!

To learn more, please visit https://vitalityholisticwellness.net. If you are ready to make the investment in your wellness, then I would be happy to discuss the potential opportunity with you. You may book a complimentary discovery call directly through the website so I can learn about your issues and you can learn more about how I work and how my approach is different from the conventional medicine and/or alternative approaches that you have already experienced. I also have an email address specific for Vitality Holistic Wellness business and I ask that all inquiries regarding these services be directed to kristine@vitalityholisticwellness.net.

The website also shares My Why - the reasons why I am so passionate about this approach to health and wellness. This is a very personal experience for me and I share my 32-year journey toward finding health and wellness and dealing with autoimmunity and a compromised immune system, among many other issues that you or someone you know may be experiencing. I hear from so many of you about your own chronic wellness issues and I share my story as a way to connect and open the door and show that there is hope…even after 32 years! If you would like to read my health story, please click here. It is long, so make sure you have a big mug of tea :)

I also email out a newsletter with health and wellness tips that do not fit within the scope of this newsletter. If you are interested in receiving the Vitality Newsletter, then feel free to sign up while you're at the website!

New at the Shop

All your favorite autumn teas and tisanes remain available! Apple Molasses Black Tea, Gingered Vanilla Toddy Black Tea, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Black Tea, Pumpkin Pie Black Tea, Roasted Chestnut Black Green & Yerba Mate Blend, Maple Walnut Green Tea, Rooibos Maple Walnut Herbal Tisane, Rooibos Pumpkin Creme Herbal Tisane, Rooibos Pumpkin Spice Herbal Tisane, and our house-blended Mulling Spice Organic Herbal Tisane.

Holiday teas will be available in the shop Thanksgiving weekend and the online shop earlier that week for (pre-)orders to be picked up at the shop or shipped! Your returning favorites include: Christmas Blend Black Tea, Chocolate Peppermint Black Tea, White Chocolate Peppermint White Tea, Rooibos Christmas Cookie Herbal Tisane, Rooibos Orange Gingerbread Herbal Tisane, Candied Pomegranate Herbal Tisane, and Holiday Punch Fruit Tisane. And don't forget that most of our autumn blends are perfect for the holidays too! :)

All samplers, including Holiday Assortments, and our popular Holiday Mug Sets will be assembled and available Thanksgiving weekend!

New macaron flavors have arrived - NY Cheesecake and Tiramisu! Yum :)

Infuse Tea Bar & The Pleasures of Tea

106 Main Street

West Sayville, NY 11796

www.infuseteabarny.com - shop

www.pleasuresoftea.com - online shop

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500+ Loose Leaf Teas, Herbal Tisanes & Functional/Medicinal Herbs

Certified - Tea Professional, Tea Sommelier & Tea Health Expert

Student of the Art & Science of Herbalism

Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner - Vitality Holistic Wellness