Preview: Scratchy throat? Body aches? Woke up feeling off? Don't panic, get prepared. In this 12-minute episode, I share the simple Ayurvedic tea rituals I learned from my grandmother, Amma Amma, that help your body bounce back instead of crashing during cold and flu season.

Why This Episode Matters

You can't avoid germs, but you can support your body's natural response to them. This episode is about moving from panic to preparedness during cold and flu season. Winter wellness is about proactive defense and consistent care, not last-minute scrambling. Instead of waking up with a scratchy throat and wondering if you're about to go down, I break down how small, steady habits make your body more resilient. These are the daily rituals and key kitchen ingredients that keep your body feeling supported, not depleted, all winter long, whether you're in Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, or anywhere across Southern California.

Tools for Natural Immunity Support

Inside this episode, you'll discover the key functional teas and practical routines for focused cold and flu care.

Establish your everyday immunity foundation with two essential rituals: use Therapeutic Turmeric in warm milk with black pepper at night to quiet that inflamed and irritated background hum, and sip Elderberry Immunity tea in the morning for daily support and hydration.

When your body starts talking loudly, shift to targeted relief: use Throat Relief tea with raw honey to soothe a rough throat. For full-body aches, chills, and the feeling of moving through molasses, reach for Cold Buster. This warming, spicy workhorse opens your chest, clears the fog, and most importantly, helps you settle enough for the deep, restorative sleep your body needs for repair.

Shop Your Winter Wellness Kit: Find all these immunity teas, Therapeutic Turmeric, Cold Buster, Elderberry Immunity, and Throat Relief, at teaandturmeric.com or visit us in person at Tea & Turmeric, 1100 S Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach. We'll help you choose the right blends for your body and your season.

Kitchen Allies and Your "Uh Oh" Plan

Your kitchen really is the first pharmacy. I highlight essential, powerful ingredients like fresh ginger sliced and simmered, garlic crushed into soups, thyme in broths, and sage steeped as a simple tea for a scratchy throat, all stirred with honey.

I also share my Real-Life "Uh Oh" Plan for the moment I feel something coming on: moving non-essential tasks, drinking warm, mineralized water, and focusing on simple, warm foods like soups, kitchari, and broths that my digestion doesn't have to argue with. Remember, this kind care is support, not a replacement for medical care. If your symptoms worsen, or if you have a high fever or trouble breathing, seek professional medical attention.

Local Story

The quiet confidence of preparation guides us through this season in Orange County. You can build your own Winter Wellness Kit and find all the functional blends I mention by visiting Tea & Turmeric in Laguna Beach. We'll help you choose the right tools for your body and your season.

Takeaway & Links

Choose not to wait until you're flat on your back to care for yourself. Take a breath, put the kettle on, and let this season feel like a collaboration between you and your body.

Stay Connected

Come visit us in Laguna Beach or explore our teas and spices anytime at teaandturmeric.com.

We share recipes, brewing tips, and behind-the-scenes moments on Instagram at @teanturmeric.

Got a question or a story about how tea is helping you? Email me and the team at hello@teaandturmeric.com

If this episode brought you a little calm or clarity, tapping follow and leaving a quick review helps more people in Orange County and beyond find the show. Thank you for supporting our little wellness community.

Preview

Dry January reset: Swap wine for functional teas that help you unwind with true calm, not numbness. Discover simple tea rituals for clarity, deep sleep, and stress relief, ideal for the sober-curious in Orange County and beyond.

Read the full blog post and transcript at teaandturmeric.com

Why This Episode Matters

Dry January is more than just removing alcohol. It’s a pause button and a reset for your body, brain, and daily routines. We often confuse unwinding with unplugging our feelings, reaching for a drink that promises rest but fragments our sleep hours later. This episode provides the practical alternative: a mindful tea ritual that nourishes you from the inside out, sparking a meaningful shift for your entire year.

How to Replace Your Evening Ritual

The key to a successful Dry January is replacing the evening ritual, not removing it. Follow this simple, sensory-focused process to signal your nervous system to exhale:

• Sound: Listen for the whistle of the kettle.
• Scent: Inhale the calming aromatics of rose, lavender, or mint.
• Warmth: Feel the cup in your hands.

This intentional sequence rewires your idea of calm without alcohol.

What You Will Learn

Tea works differently than alcohol to achieve genuine relaxation:

• L-theanine: Green tea, found in the Stress Less blend, contains L-theanine, an amino acid that calms the mind without sedation.
• Stress Management: Tulsi (Divine Tulsi Rose) helps the body handle stress and restore natural energy.
• Deep Rest: Blends like Peace of Mind use chamomile, lavender, and lemon balm to settle your system down for deep sleep.
• The Science of Clarity: Alcohol fragments sleep by spiking cortisol and adrenaline hours after the first pour. Tea invites deep rest and mental clarity instead of a fuzzy morning.
• The Mocktail: How to make the Purple Moonrise Mocktail using Lavender Moon tea, which shifts from blue to a soft purple with a splash of lemon sparkling water.

Local Story

Your host, Vidya, from Tea & Turmeric in Laguna Beach, shares why customers are coming into the shop ready to try the "tea thing" and are done with hangovers. This local OC community is discovering that genuine relaxation isn't "buzzed".

Join the Tea & Turmeric Dry January invitation and replace your evening pour with one of the recommended blends: Divine Tulsi Rose, Peace of Mind, Lavender Moon, Stress Less, or Eternal Om.

Takeaway

Dry January is about restoration, not restriction. Within a week, you may notice deeper sleep, clearer mornings, and improved skin. Once you feel true rest and real calm, you will never want to trade it for a hangover again.

• Online: Find everything you need at teaandturmeric.com.
• Community: Share your ritual on social media by tagging @teanturmeric and using the hashtag #TeaInsteadOfWine.

Stay Connected

Come visit us in Laguna Beach or explore our teas and spices anytime at teaandturmeric.com.

We share recipes, brewing tips, and behind-the-scenes moments on Instagram at @teanturmeric.

Got a question or a story about how tea is helping you? Email me and the team at hello@teaandturmeric.com

If this episode brought you a little calm or clarity, tapping follow and leaving a quick review helps more people in Orange County and beyond find the show. Thank you for supporting our little wellness community.

Preview

A guided manifestation meditation to set clear 2026 intentions using visualization, tea rituals, and trust. Learn to connect your desires to your deeper why and manifest your dreams with specificity and heart-centered purpose.

Why Listen to This Episode?

This meditation is your invitation to become your life’s creator. Discover how clear intentions align your thoughts, emotions, and energy to consciously shape your reality in 2026. Whether new to manifestation or deepening your practice, shift from spectator to empowered participant before daily life pulls you away.

Manifestation Tools You’ll Learn

• The Power of Specificity: Vividly visualize your goals using all five senses for clarity.
• Heart-Centered Intention: Connect your "what" to a meaningful "why"—the real source of power.
• Tea Ritual Mindfulness: Use intentional tea sipping as a grounding tool for presence and focus.
• Trusting the Process: Let go of the "how" and cultivate deep knowing that your desires are on their way.

Key Takeaways

• How to set impactful intentions that sculpt your future self.
• Distinguishing intention-setting ("what") vs. purpose-driven manifestation ("why").
• A guided visualization stepping into your desired life one year from now (Future Progression).
• Trust as the most vital part of manifestation success.
• Practicing mindful presence with a simple tea ceremony.

Meet Your Host: Vidya - Orange County Manifesting Dreams

The OC Wellness Resource: Broadcast live from Tea & Turmeric, Vidya and co-founder Kavita’s beloved Laguna Beach tea and spice shop, this episode connects you locally to deep wellness. Vidya shares transformative insights from Ayurveda and meditation studies in India and coaches you to manifest the life of your dreams. Their handcrafted teas and practices have shaped countless lives.

Local Story

The OC Wellness Resource: Broadcast live from Tea & Turmeric, Vidya and co-founder Kavita’s beloved Laguna Beach tea and spice shop, this episode connects you locally to deep wellness. Vidya shares transformative insights from Ayurveda and meditation studies in India and coaches you to manifest the life of your dreams.

Stay Connected

• Meditation Teas & Kits: Visit teaandturmeric.com for our Manifest Dreams organic tea and meditation kits like the Chakra Balancing Kit, the Self Care Kit, and the Sleep Kit. Explore our line of meditation teas: Greatest Love, Eternal Om, Peace of Mind, and Mindful Meditation.
• Share: We’d truly love to hear what intentions you set. Share your stories and connect with us on Instagram @TeaAndTurmeric.
• Local to Orange County? Stop by our Laguna Beach shop—your wellness oasis.
• Please subscribe, leave a review, and tell a friend to help our community grow!

Final Wisdom: Wishing you warmth, peace, and a beautiful journey as you manifest your dreams. Remember, the journey is a beautiful, co-creative dance between you and the universe.

Stay Connected

Come visit us in Laguna Beach or explore our teas and spices anytime at teaandturmeric.com.

We share recipes, brewing tips, and behind-the-scenes moments on Instagram at @teanturmeric.

Got a question or a story about how tea is helping you? Email me and the team at hello@teaandturmeric.com

If this episode brought you a little calm or clarity, tapping follow and leaving a quick review helps more people in Orange County and beyond find the show. Thank you for supporting our little wellness community.