3 BIG REASONS TO DRINK AND LOVE BLT2

I can’t remember a time when I felt more victorious than last week when I coasted through Gatwick airport security with 3 bottles of 100ml Botanic Lab Tonic 2. Knowing that I would have these powerful and punchy tonics to ingest over the next 14 hours of immune-straining transit time made me feel incredibly clever.

In herbal medicine, a tonic is a liquid mixture used to help restore, fortify and revitalize all systems in the body. A Tonic simply promotes health and well being on all levels. The possibilities for tonic recipes are endless and many tonics date back to the beginning of medicine making.

London’s Botanic Lab’s TONIC 2 works in a myriad of ways. I have broken them down into the following 4 components, making them one of my all time favorite tonics.

1. Powerful medicine

Turmeric and Ashwagandha, and in notably high doses.

These are some of the most well respected plants in Ayurvedic medicine. More than 200 science based research papers have been written on the benefits of Ashwagandha. Even more have been written on the astounding benefits of Turmeric’s prized phytocompound: curcumin. Both Ashwagandha and turmeric are Adaptogens: the most important classification of medicine for the new wellness-centric global paradigm shift (and our stressed-out little selves).

1. The Vehicles that Drive the Powerful Medicine Home

Raw honey and Vitamin C.

Good formulators know how to drive the healing compounds of their ingredients of their tonics into the body. Certain ingredients support the bioavailability of the medicine. The most common vehicle is of course alcohol, as it enters the blood steam so quickly and directly (the main ingredient in most elixirs and tinctures).

Raw Honey is another incredible vehicle. Many historic tonics include honey, a powerful healer in it’s own right, but also doubling as an affective and slightly magical transporter of the big player ingredients. It also gives this drink extremely well-rounded taste profile making it more delightful than some tonics.

Vitamin C (found in spades in the lemon and orange juice in the tonic) is another extremely affective vehicle to many tonics, boosting the absorption of important compounds and polysaccharides.

3. This is a Hot Tonic

Ginger and Chile

Heat is an incredibly powerful healing modality. The heat in food has been used in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for centuries. Heat is used to boost a low Pitta Dosha (sluggish digestion) or eliminate excess Yin (and the problems associated with too much cold in the body).

Healing requires warmth because heat encourages circulation (while cold restricts it), and circulation is what is needed for tissue and cellular repair. Heat is also essential in supporting the body’s natural detoxification process: where opening and expansion are mandatory in the promotion of the elimination of toxins. This drink is Deee-licious as is, but is also lovely with some warm water added to it, creating a hot drink that compliments the internal heat of the tonic.

4. Manipura

Vibrant golden yellow

The intense golden color of this tonic just has to be acknowledged. I personally love tapping into the natural colors of the things I ingest, and how they relate to our chakra system. Manipura is the solar plexus chakra and shares the same color as this little tonic. Manipura is the source of personal power and governs our self-esteem and the power of transformation. Spot of for a fortifying tonic.