GREEN TEA TO CUT STROKE RISK

As we come into cooler weather, a cup of hot tea may be in order. If you want to cut your stroke risk, make that a cup of hot green tea. Drinking tea is always a heart-smart idea but green tea is especially beneficial. Experts reported in the journal Stroke that drinking 1 to 2 cups of green tea per day slashed stroke risk by 88% in the study participants. That is nearly 57% more than those drinking the same amount of black tea. The reason they give is that green tea is higher in compounds called catechins, which reduce cholesterol while taming the inflammation that contributes to strokes. They say to steep green tea for at least 3 minutes. A study in the Journal of Food Science and Technology found that steeping for at least 3 minutes optimized the tea's catechin levels. 

Grab a good book and a cup of green tea. Enjoy a little R&R (see post earlier this week) and a tasty cup of green tea for your health!

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PEPPERMINT BOOSTS HAPPINESS

British Researchers found that sipping on a peppermint drink can boost your mood, making you feel happier in as little as three minutes. The peppermint causes the release of mood-boosting alpha waves, which are electrical impulses in the brain, that make you feel upbeat or happier. Sad, having a bad day, or just in a lousy mood? How about a cup of peppermint tea?

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CAR SICKNESS TIP

If you tend to feel nauseous during car trips, you might want to try sipping on ginger tea. Filling your travel mug with ginger tea and sipping on it during the trip may ease your queasiness, The reason? Ginger's natural spicy compounds interact with serotonin receptors involved in nausea.

A study in Complementary Therapies in Medicine suggested that inhaling ginger's aroma while you sip tamps down nausea naturally. Here's a tip for you: Add a pinch of cinnamon to your tea brew. A study found that within minutes of breathing in the scent of such a tea brew, feelings of nausea dropped almost 62%.

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NATURAL WAYS TO RELIEVE HEARTBURN (ACID REFLUX) III

Today's post will list two ways to naturally find relief from occasional heartburn. Remember if heartburn continues in a prolong manner, see your doctor. It could be the sign of a different problem that your doctor should treat.

• Chamomile Tea: Sometimes we only think of chamomile tea as a sleep-inducer, but it also acts as a stomach soother. Research from the journal Nutrients found that this tea has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce gastrointestinal discomfort from heartburn. It is suggested you drink a cup after meals or at bedtime for relief.
• Fenugreek: If you are not familiar with this one, it is an herb used in ancient Chinese medicine. It many cases it can ease heartburn as well as medication. Again. we rely on research in the journal Nutrients which found that the plant-fiber supplement forms a protective layer over the stomach and esophagus when taken 30 minutes before meals.

If you suffer from occasional heartburn, you might want to give one of the relief methods listed over the past few days.

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GREEN TEA IS A FAT BURNER

Learn to replace at least some of your carbonated drinks and coffees that you drink loaded down with sugar and cream with green tea or water with lemon.  Green tea has been scientifically proven to be a fat-burner.  If you don't currently drink green tea, try replacing one of the above beverages a day with green tea for your health.  Green tea offers many benefits (see the post on this blog about teas), but today I wanted to point out that it is a fat burner!  Aren't we all looking for more ways to burn fat?

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TEA TO TRIM YOUR WAIST

Would you like to trim a little off your waist? If you enjoy tea, you should like this post. A Norwegian study a few years ago, found that drinking three cups of metabolism-boosting black tea daily shrinks your waist by 1-inch in three months. As we are going into Fall and Winter, in the United States, drinking hot tea sounds pretty good to me.

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HIBISCUS TEA FOR BLOOD PRESSURE

If you suffer from high blood pressure or hypertension, sipping three cups of Hibiscus Tea every day may help to lower your systolic blood pressure number by up to 7 points in 6 weeks according to one study I saw.  And that is on par with some medications. 

NOTE: Do not read this, stop taking your medication, and overdo it on Hibiscus Tea.  But if you do have this problem, it might be worth sipping on the tea.  Keep track of your blood pressures numbers and see if you notice any difference.  Never stop taking your blood pressure medication without consulting with your doctor!

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'LET FOOD BE YOUR MEDICINE' lX

Today's food as medicine is actually a beverage, green tea.  There is a phytochemical known as EGCG. ECEG which stands for epigallocatechin gallate, in green tea. It has been shown to have some anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, it may have some heart health benefits. It is also believed green tea's antioxidant quality may protect the skin from sun damage. Nature does have many ways to protect us and green tea is definitely one of those ways.

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TEA

Reposting this article from 2011.

Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of liquids is important to our overall health. Tea is a great beverage choice as it basically has no carbs, protein or fat. It is tasty, is a natural source of amino acid and antioxidant catechins. It is available in several forms and is tasty both as a hot drink or iced. Note that we are talking about true tea here. Herbal teas usually contain no actual tea leaves but infusions of fruit and/or herbs. Therefore, this post is not about herbal teas.

True tea comes from the Camellia Sinensis evergreen plant commonly known as the tea bush. The tea bush grows mainly in tropical and sub-tropical climates. This plant or tree prefers acidic soil and requires an annual rainfall of at least fifty inches. Camellia Sinensis plants can grow into trees but are usually kept cropped to about waist height to make cultivation easier. Only the leaves from the top 1-2 inches are picked. Many of the top-quality teas, such as darjeeling, are picked from plants grown at elevations of about 5,000 feet. This causes the plants to grow slower thus acquiring a better flavor.

There are four basic types of true tea common to us today. They are black, green, white and oolong. Each is unique but they all come from the same source. The difference occurs in the processing. Briefly, here is a description of each type and what makes it unique. Green tea leaves are unwilted and unoxidized. White tea leaves are wilted and unoxidized. Oolong tea leaves are wilted, bruised and partially oxidized. Black tea leaves are crushed and fully oxidized. Because of the oxidation process, white and green teas have a higher concentration of the antioxidant catechins.

Proper preparation also differs for each of the tea types. For black tea, boiling water should be used. Many of the active substances in black tea won't develop at lower temperatures. This is the most common mistake made when brewing black tea! For optimum results, black tea should be brewed about 4 minutes and never longer than 5 minutes. Longer brewing will cause the tea to taste bitter.

Green tea should be brewed at a lower temperature, approximately 180-185 degrees which is below the boiling point. Hotter water will burn the green tea leaves causing a bitter taste. When brewing green tea, it is best to pre-warm the mug or teapot you will brew in. This will keep the tea from cooling immediately before it is fully steeped.

Oolong tea should be brewed at about the boiling point in a pre-warmed mug or pot. For oolong tea, it is best to use spring water. The minerals in the water tend to bring out more of the flavor in the tea. High-quality oolong tea leaves can be brewed several times. It actually improves with reuse. Many believe the third brewing actually produces the best tea.

To keep your teas fresh and flavorful, store them in a dry, dark, cool place inside an airtight container.
The health properties of tea are constantly in debate. Many believe drinking tea will help to prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc. One thing we know for sure is that tea contains both antioxidant and amino acid properties. It also doesn't add to our daily carb, protein or fat and calorie count when drank in it's natural state without adding sugar, milk, etc. And it tastes good. If you aren't currently a tea drinker, become one. It sure won't hurt you and it just might be healthy for you. Note that tea is not recommended for someone who is dehydrated.

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STOMACH SOOTHING TEAS

I love teas both hot and iced. If you enjoy tea and have occasional stomach distress, try some hot tea. Both peppermint and chamomile teas can work wonders on the stomach. To get the benefit from these teas, get the real deal. Teas with a peppermint flavor added are not really peppermint tea. When using tea for stomach distress, I suggest buying from your favorite health food store or grocer. Another important tip is to keep the tea covered. You don't want the vapor to evaporate as the volatile oils in the vapors are what make the tea work. Note: As with any health problem, if symptoms persist, contact your doctor.

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ADD LEMON TO GREEN TEA

Green tea is known for its health benefits (see articles on this blog). Research has that adding a squeeze of lemon juice to your cup of green tea allows your body to absorb more of its protecting catechins. The experts tell us the lemon's vitamin C prevents the catechins from being degraded during digestion. This allows more of the powerful antioxidants to be absorbed by your body's cells. Lime or orange juice may be substituted.

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NEED BETTER SLEEP?

If you have trouble sleeping or falling into a deep sleep, try some honey-sweetened herbal tea before bed. The beverage has shown to help ensure a deeper, more restful sleep. It is believed the tryptophan in honey stimulates the production of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone. Also, the natural sweeteners in honey are absorbed more slowly than sugar. Sugar can cause blood-sugar dips that are disruptive to good sleep.

EASE ANXIETY WITH CHAMOMILE TEA

If you are experiencing anxiety, you might want to sip a cup of chamomile tea. According to the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, sipping chamomile tea can cut anxiety levels by 50%.

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GREEN TEA HAS MANY BENEFITS INCLUDING LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE

If your blood pressure is out of control, it is very important to do everything you can to get it under control. Uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension) is like a ticking time bomb. This time bomb can lead to such health problems as cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, kidney damage, etc. But controlling your blood pressure can greatly reduce your risk of these health problems. Some people, including myself, need medication to control our blood pressure. But there are lifestyle and diet changes that can be very helpful. One of the simple yet effective ways to help control your blood pressure is to drink green tea. Green tea has many benefits and one of them is that the catechins, powerful flavonoids found in green tea, can lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels. There have been studies that have also shown that some of the compounds in green tea can reduce the stickiness of blood thus helping to prevent blood clots and arterial disease. If green tea is not currently a part of your diet, I would suggest you start adding one to three cups of green tea per day.

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BEVERAGES TO DIAL DOWN INFLAMMATION

Yesterday I wrote about some vegetables that can help "Dial Down" inflammation. Today is about beverages that do the same. There is always talk about food when diets or eating healthy are discussed but what we drink can be as important as what we eat. So today we will feature coffee and tea. Both coffee and tea contain antioxidants that fight cellular damage that can lead to inflammation. A couple of days ago I posted about inflammation and some of the problems it causes so it is important to know the foods and beverages that help to slow it down and thus limit the problems. Coffee and tea are both helpful in slowing down inflammation, but green tea is particularly good in this respect. Green tea is loaded with EGCG, an anti-inflammatory compound known to have both cardio and neuro protective benefits. Add a dash of cinnamon and you up its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, according to Amy Gorin, M.S, R.D.N, in NYC.

Try relaxing with a cup of green tea and help fight inflammation in two ways, relaxing and drinking an antioxidant loaded beverage. Sounds like a good idea to me.

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ANOTHER REASON TO DRINK TEA

Saw this article recently and thought it worth passing on. I love tea, both hot and iced. If you aren't currently drinking tea, maybe you should add a cup a day to your diet.

Drinking tea – black and green – may also have heart-healthy benefits.

“Tea in general seems to have cardiovascular benefits,” says Dr. Messerli, also a cardiologist and director of hypertension at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center in Manhattan.

“The benefits of tea are probably due to its antioxidant properties,” he says. 

But not all teas are created equal. Herbal ones, such as chamomile, rosebud and elderberry, don’t have the same antioxidants. 

Plus, “when you add cream or milk, you may abolish the benefits,” Dr. Messerli says, “because it seems that the milk or the cream prevents the antioxidant substance from acting.”

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This is a repeat of an older post.

ROOIBOS TEA HAS MANY BENEFITS

This information comes from Ray Sahelian, MD.

Rooibos tea originates from the leaves and stems of the indigenous South African plant Aspalathus linearis. Rooibos tea is also known as Red-Bush and grows on high mountain ranges. Rooibos has gained much attention for clinical purposes in the case of nervous tension, allergies, dermatitis, and various digestive problems. Recently, antioxidant activity has also been attributed to the tea on the basis of its flavonoid content. Rooibos tea is a powerful antioxidant, has anti-HIV activity, may protect brain cells from damage by toxins, and additionally has anti-tumor potential.

Dr. Sahelian states that he has rooibos tea on his kitchen counter along with other teas which he drinks.

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TEA FOR BAD BREATH

 According to a study from the University of Chicago, a cup of black or green tea may edge out gum for fighting bad breath.  Both black and green teas contain compounds that suppress bacteria in the mouth, deodorizing every exhalation.

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PEPPERMINT FOR STOMACH BLAHS

Does your stomach ever rebel when you eat a spicy Mexican meal, etc? Next time your stomach gives you a hard time after a spicy meal, try eating some peppermint.  Now this needs to be something with actual peppermint in it and not just peppermint flavoring.  A study published in the journal Pain a few years ago says that peppermint can soothe abdominal discomfort.  A cooling agent called icilin activates a receptor in the colon that desensitizes the area. Have a cup of mint tea, etc to soothe your abdomen!

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GREEN TEA FOR ENERGY

Many of you follow Dr. Oz faithfully.  I do not but I do notice when he mentions things, I have found to be true.  One of those things is drinking green tea for energy.  Dr. Oz is quoted as saying, "I drink green tea," when asked what he does for an energy boost.  He went on to say, "It has lots of energizing phenols but a quarter of the caffeine of coffee, so I won't get jittery.  Avoid sodas and energy drinks, which give you a quick sugar rush but then you crash."

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