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Since the ancient times, Chinese have been drinking tea. They have believed and reported health benefits from tea. It has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years. Today, there are numerous studies showing evidences improvements in health attributed to tea drinking. More and more people drink tea for their health.
In the Journal of National Cancer Institute (published in 1994) they claimed that drinking tea has reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by a huge 60 percent. While, the University of Purdue researchers claimed that green tea can prevent the growth of some cancer cells. Tea has polyphenols that can reduce risk not only of esophageal cancer, but also gastric and skin cancers.
It can also help in the prevention or the spread of prostate cancer as discovered by the Center of Human Nutrition at UCLA. It can also protect the body against cancer brought about by smoking. Green tea and white tea are significant in fighting colon and lower stomach cancers.
Tea can also improve the ratio of good and bad cholesterol levels in your body. The same polyphenols help in preventing blood from clotting and are responsible in lowering cholesterol levels. Thus, drinking tea is a great help for heart disease patients.
These are not only the health benefits attributed to tea. According to Newcastle University’s Medicinal Plant Research Centre study, tea might also delay Alzheimer’s disease. While, University of Tokyo stated that tea may play a role against fighting AIDS.
Aside from cancer it can also be helpful in rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, infections, and impaired immune function. There are also new studies claiming green tea helping those who would like to lose weight. Those who drink caffeine and green tea tend to burn more calories that those consuming caffeine only.
Because of its ability to fight and destroy bacteria, green tea can even fight against tooth decay. It can kill dental plaque just as it can help prevent food poisoning. In the market, there are also deodorants and skin creams with the component of green tea in it.
How can something be this good?
The secret is the polyphenols, especially the epigallocatechin galleate or EGCG. ECGC is an anti-oxidant. This powerful anti-oxidant can kill or prevent the growth of cancer cells without harming the healthy tissue and cells. It also has flavonoids and catechins which are also anti-oxidants. It also has fluoride which is why it can fight tooth decay and helps control bad breath.
Different kind of teas has different levels on anti-oxidants. White tea has more anti-oxidants compared to other tea. Freshly brewed teas have more polyphenols than instant or bottled teas. Thus, freshly-brewed teas have more anti-oxidants than instant teas.
Caffeine is also present in tea. Caffeine levels or amount in brewed tea depends on the type of the tea. Black tea has higher amount of caffeine than green tea. The amount of caffeine also depends of length of time of brewing, and also on the water temperature. If the leaves are exposed to higher water temperature, more caffeine are drained from the leaves.
The American Diabetic Association reported that a cup of tea has an average of 40 mg. of caffeine. A cup of freshly brewed coffee has an average of 85 mg. of caffeine. An average of 350 mg. of caffeine consumption is still good for a healthy individual.
Currently, the only negative effect reported in drinking too much tea is insomnia. This would be because of the caffeine content of tea. So start brewing your tea, drink for your health.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Preventing High Blood Pressure
No doubt, there are number of treatments and medicines available for the treatment of high blood pressure. But as it is said, “Precaution is better than cure”. So, we must consider this saying and follow the recommended rules in order to prevent the high blood pressure.
Blood pressure is directly proportional to the body weight; it means that if your weight increases the blood pressure also rises. Overweight people have an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and other illnesses. Losing weight reduces the risk Even if you don't have high or low blood pressure problems due to being overweight, a healthy weight can help you feel active and lower your risk of blood pressure and other diseases.
It's not just how much you weigh that's important: It also matters where your body stores extra fat. Just like the other things your body shape is also inherited from your parents. Some people are “Apple-shaped”; these have extra fat at the waist while others are “pear shaped” having more fat at their hips and thighs. The former have higher health risks than the later.
Anyways, wherever that extra weight is you can still prevent it and control your blood pressure. Even if you are already captured by the high blood pressure; no problem just start loosing wait and it will help you lower your pressure.
To loose weight, you should use up more calories than you eat. You need to use up the day's calories and some of the calories stored in your body fat. Eating 300 to 500 calories less per day, may lead to losing between one and two pounds per week. This is a realistic weight loss. It may seem slow, but would add up to a weight loss of more than three stone in a year.
Increase your physical activity if you really want to loose your weight. Being active controls your weight 10 times by eating less. Besides losing weight, there are other reasons to be more active: Being physically active can help lower high blood pressure and your total cholesterol level while raising HDL-cholesterol, and reduces your risk for heart disease. Physically active people have a lower risk of getting high blood pressure (20% to 50% lower) than inactive people.
You are not being asked to join a gym but at least try to fit various physical activities into your daily routine in small but important ways. If light physical activities done on regular basis can reduce the risk of blood pressure and heart disease.
Do at least 30 minutes of exercise like swimming or running. If you don't have 30 minutes for exercising, try to find two 15-minute periods or even three 10-minute periods. Try to do some type of aerobic activity in the course of a week or try brisk walking, most days of the week. These exercises can condition your heart and lungs and can prevent you from diseases.
Most people don't need to see a doctor before they start exercising, since a gradual, sensible exercise program has few health risks. But in case of any health problem like, heart disease, blood pressure problem or any other you should first consult your physician. Your doctor or other health worker can help you set sensible goals based on a proper weight for your height, build and age and help you prevent high blood pressure. Men and very active women may need up to 2,500 calories daily. Other women and inactive men need only about 2,000 calories daily. A safe plan is to eat 300 to 500 fewer calories a day to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week.
Blood pressure is directly proportional to the body weight; it means that if your weight increases the blood pressure also rises. Overweight people have an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and other illnesses. Losing weight reduces the risk Even if you don't have high or low blood pressure problems due to being overweight, a healthy weight can help you feel active and lower your risk of blood pressure and other diseases.
It's not just how much you weigh that's important: It also matters where your body stores extra fat. Just like the other things your body shape is also inherited from your parents. Some people are “Apple-shaped”; these have extra fat at the waist while others are “pear shaped” having more fat at their hips and thighs. The former have higher health risks than the later.
Anyways, wherever that extra weight is you can still prevent it and control your blood pressure. Even if you are already captured by the high blood pressure; no problem just start loosing wait and it will help you lower your pressure.
To loose weight, you should use up more calories than you eat. You need to use up the day's calories and some of the calories stored in your body fat. Eating 300 to 500 calories less per day, may lead to losing between one and two pounds per week. This is a realistic weight loss. It may seem slow, but would add up to a weight loss of more than three stone in a year.
Increase your physical activity if you really want to loose your weight. Being active controls your weight 10 times by eating less. Besides losing weight, there are other reasons to be more active: Being physically active can help lower high blood pressure and your total cholesterol level while raising HDL-cholesterol, and reduces your risk for heart disease. Physically active people have a lower risk of getting high blood pressure (20% to 50% lower) than inactive people.
You are not being asked to join a gym but at least try to fit various physical activities into your daily routine in small but important ways. If light physical activities done on regular basis can reduce the risk of blood pressure and heart disease.
Do at least 30 minutes of exercise like swimming or running. If you don't have 30 minutes for exercising, try to find two 15-minute periods or even three 10-minute periods. Try to do some type of aerobic activity in the course of a week or try brisk walking, most days of the week. These exercises can condition your heart and lungs and can prevent you from diseases.
Most people don't need to see a doctor before they start exercising, since a gradual, sensible exercise program has few health risks. But in case of any health problem like, heart disease, blood pressure problem or any other you should first consult your physician. Your doctor or other health worker can help you set sensible goals based on a proper weight for your height, build and age and help you prevent high blood pressure. Men and very active women may need up to 2,500 calories daily. Other women and inactive men need only about 2,000 calories daily. A safe plan is to eat 300 to 500 fewer calories a day to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week.
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