Meet Misha Moran – mum, wife, naturopath, chef and creator of Sunshine Coast herbal tea business ‘Heart Therapeutics’.
When I discovered Misha’s collective of teas I could see there wasn’t only a passion for wildcrafting and natural health in her products but also respect for the environment. Misha has created an extensive range of organic, naturopathically formulated herbal blends and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to their benefits. The entire Heart Therapeutics collection uses the highest quality of ingredients and is beautifully presented with plastic free reusable packaging.
I recently asked Misha to do a little Q&A with me and loved learning more about the amazing women behind this wonderful local business.
Thankyou for sharing a little about yourself Misha, can you start by telling us about your love of tea?
I think my love of tea really came from my deep love and appreciation for herbs. The
medium in which I consumed them, i.e tea or more accurately named ‘tisane’, was really
secondary to my curiosity and passion for plant medicine. As a young student Naturopath I
worked in an Organic shop that had a large herbal dispensary full of all different types of
herbs and spices. I would spend hours opening the jars and smelling the herbs, deciding
which ones I would take home that day and blend up into new and interesting blends. That’s
definitely where my love began and it’s been a constant part of my life ever since.
Would you share with us all what you did career wise before launching your own business?
I am a fully qualified Naturopath who specialised in Mental Health.
I am a qualified chef with a deep love of food as medicine
I have also worked in organic farming and large scale food event management.
Eco-awareness has come along way over recent years but can you tell us what the first ever eco/sustainable swap was that you made in your personal life?
Oh my lord it was soooo long ago!! I think it must have been back when I first moved out of
home straight after high school. I have always been immersed in environmental activism and
lived with people with the same mind set. I think my first one might have been the art of
reusing before recycling or throwing something away plus only using recycled paper. I was
also Vegetarian at the time and committed to my reduction of animal products. Plus Organic
and biodynamics also became a big part of my life. This was over 20 years ago so a little
foggy on the details- ha!
There’s no doubt we live in paradise but can you share with us what you love most about living on the Sunshine Coast?
The lifestyle- Does everyone answer this question like that?! I mean beach, forest, animals, birds the list goes on…
I think I also have to give a big mention to the amazing community up here, especially in regards to business. I have met such wonderful people up here, building such beautiful businesses who commit to supporting each other grow and flourish. It’s truly an incredible space to build a business.
What is your favourite thing to do in your ‘off’ time?
Spending time with my little family going on adventures around the Sunny Coast, or just
sitting by our fire-pit in our back yard in the Noosa Hinterland, or hanging out with friends or
just some solo time walking the National Park or up one of our awesome Mountain walks.
When it comes to a leading conscious consumer lifestyle, who or what inspires you on this journey?
I guess the environment itself. I am so fortunate to live in the hinterland behind Noosa and I
have become quite in tune with my little bit of bush along with the ocean and beaches that we
are so blessed to live by. I think once you are really in tune with your environment you really
start to understand things like the impact of climate, the damage plastic has, the overuse of
our coastal animal habitats etc.
You have so many amazing blends in your collection and I would love to know what your favourite product is in the Heart Therapeutics range?
Do I have to pick just one- ha! Ok so I would have to say my top favourite at the moment is
‘All Heart’ Blend. It’s such a beautiful formulation and every time I blend it, I love it even
more. It’s both a potent physical remedy but also has this incredible energetic action specific
to the Heart. In the current climate we live in, I think everyone needs a little heart
strengthening medicine.
Can you tell us something we would be surprised to know about you?
I have an incredibly strong love of animals, especially dogs. I have always
had at least 2, all of them rescues, which to be honest have rescued me more
than I have them. I spend A LOT of time on my dogs health and think one
day I’ll write a book on the easiest ways to keep your doggy friends happy
and healthy. Don’t think my dogs are immune to herbal treatments- ha!
When it comes to making the perfect brew can you share any of your best tips with our readers?
The rule of thumb is generally 1tsp per cup (250ml) and brew for 4 minutes. However this is
just a starting point. I will often put a tablespoon of leaf into my pot and brew for approx. 5
minutes. I like it strong. It’s really up to you though and I often recommend starting on the
smaller side and then going from there. Medicinally 4-5 minutes is the best for therapeutic
benefits.
Just for fun, If you could be any animal in the world, what animal would you be and why?
My dogs, what a life they have! Seriously though…
What’s next for Heart Therapeutics
So many things! Lots more blends coming out and wonderful accessories to go with them. I
am also working hard on new product lines that are set to launch soon! Also moving into
community support initiatives, the list goes on… Very much looking forward to the future
and continuing to grow my Heart community, so much gratitude for all my wonderful
stockists and customers- the best!