The Benefits That Come From Drinking Green Tea
29.September, 2008
Claims have bombarded us regarding a specific product being the cure-all for all sorts of ailments. Some of these include the ability of snake oil products to cure baldness, rheumatism, weight loss and digestive problems. In curing your aches and pains this miracle product guarantees your complete satisfaction of your money back. Often times these extraordinary claims are viewed with skepticism.
However, for thousands of years a drink has existed that emerging studies have been able to support its reputation as a wonder product. Some amazing returns are starting to yield from drinking green tea. The human body can be aided in a number of way by drinking green tea. Prevention of ovarian cancer, fighting viruses and other various ailments are some of the possible benefits from drinking green tea.
Ovarian Cancer
The benefit of drinking green tea and its ability to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer has been suggest in recent overseas studies. A woman’s risk of developing ovarian cancer is reduced by half by drinking two cups of tea per day as the study found.
However, this research isn’t confirmed and additional research still need to be conducted. Although there is a strong correlation between those who don’t drink the tea and are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and those who are free of ovarian cancer and drink the tea. The antioxidants that are found in a cup of tea are thought to be the cause of this benefit since these antioxidants remove the free radicals from the body.
Viruses
Test results also suggest that another possible benefit of drinking green tea is the ability to negate viruses. Viruses that cause the body to experience diarrhea, pneumonia, inflammation of the bladder and infections of our skin have been shown in studies to be effectively counteracted by green tea. The mouth can also be cleansed of viruses by sipping the tea.
The immune system is also believed to be stimulated by certain ingredients in the tea. The role of the immune system is strengthened and increased in combating viruses and the bacteria that invade the body as a result of this stimulation.
Other Benefits
A broad spectrum of soothing ailments within the body are other possible benefits of drinking green tea. This includes cataracts, arthritis, hearing loss and tooth decay. The role of green tea in maintain health is larger than previously suspected as recent case studies have suggested, even though for thousands of years this drink has been popular.
Healthy And Lean With Green Tea
29.September, 2008
Green tea has been enjoyed for centuries in formal Chinese tea ceremonies. It has long been believed to relieve headaches and body aches, increase energy, prevent disease and aid digestion.
Although many tests have been inconclusive and others are still under way, some of the health claims by green tea proponents are:
Longer life
Weight loss
Increased ability to survive after a heart attack
Antioxidants to combat free radicals
Cavity fighting
Higher metabolism, more calories burned
Cancer prevention
Lower cholesterol
Detoxification of blood
Liver function support
Bone density maintenance
Reduced inflammation
Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment
Lower risk of diabetes and heart disease
Green tea contains a group of polyphenols known as catechins. The most studied and effective compound is epigallocatechin gallate, better known as EGCG. A growing number of published scientific studies propose that it does protect against cancer and heart disease and aid weight control. It is used as a fat loss aid used in some dietary supplements.
The side effects of green tea are few and mild. They are mainly due to the caffeine content, which the Buddhist monks of the 8th century discovered helped keep them awake during long meditation sessions. Actually, green tea has just enough caffeine to give you a lift, but not enough to cause nervous jitters. It would take four cups to equal the amount of caffeine in just one cup of brewed coffee. There are 8 to 20 mg. of caffeine in green tea, compared to 40 to 60 mg. in black tea and 90 to 150 mg. in coffee. The best known effects of caffeine include increased intellectual activity, improved reading speed, more energy, increased heartbeat, improved alertness, quicker reaction times and a brighter mood. Too much caffeine, on the downside, can cause insomnia, headaches, irritability and muscle tension.
Because of the caffeine content, there are some possible drug interactions. If you are taking any medicines with the ingredients codeine, ephedrine, psedoephrine, theophylline, atropine, aminophylline or warfarin you should consult with your physician and pharmacist before taking green tea products.
Green tea is available in tea bags, loose leaves, and prebrewed in bottles. It is available in caffeinated and decaffeinated varieties. There is also a product called Matcha, which is made of powdered tea leaves that are simply mixed into hot water. If you are not a fan of the flavor, it can also be found in tea blend sodas and fruit juice beverages, tablets, extracts, nutrition bars and liqueur.
Green tea contains zero calories. Just substituting it for higher calorie beverages, particularly soda, will help you reduce your overall calorie intake and help you feel full and more energetic. While nobody knows exactly how much of the active ingredient, EGCG, is necessary, most researchers agree that to reap the benefits, just three to four cups a day are all that are needed.
Ingredients in Herbal Weight Loss Supplements
29.September, 2008
People who are overweight often look to the help from dietary supplements to achieve their weight loss goals. But are these weight loss pills really safe? What is in them that is supposed to magically help us lose weight?
First of all, lets talk about obesity. Obesity is a dangerous cycle that starts with unhealthy eating. Gaining extra weight makes people less active, and this in turn causes a person to gain even more weight.
The problem with the extra pounds goes far past the physical appearance, in that obesity also has a dangerous effect to our health causing other problems and diseases we can surely do without.
The joints between bones become overworked from the stress of the fat weighing them down, and being overweight can also cause problems like sleep apnea, where a person can literally stop breathing in their sleep.
Surely though, it is possible for anyone to lose extra weight and becoming thinner starts with replacing junk foods and soda with fruits and vegetables, working towards and getting 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise, as well getting extra help from herbal weight loss supplements to create a well balanced diet and active lifestyle.
Herbal weight loss pills have the effect of curbing the appetite, making you feel less hungry, less often. They have the same effect you would have after eating, when starting to feel full. Looking and feeling thinner makes a person more confident and this increases the activity in their day.
Most of the herbal weight loss supplements on the market contain a blended formula of ingredients that work to reduce your appetite, and help you gain control of your food intake. Some dietary supplements like ProShapeRx come with an online exercise program to give you a plan of action for a more active lifestyle to lose weight faster.
Ingredients such as Hoodia Gordonii have been used by old cultures to curb hunger on long hunting trips. Only recently has Hoodia gotten popular in the west by celebrities and the news and now many people are giving it a try. Herbal weight loss products are most successful though when they combine multiple fat burning, hunger reducing ingredients in their formula.
White Kidney Bean Powder is an herb that has gone through extensive research and testing and what it does is stop the digestive process from turning starch into sugar, so you take in less fat calories, and your body gets rid of the starch you dont need.
White Willow Bark extract works with other ingredients to boost your metabolism to burn up calories faster, again making you take in and store less extra fat calories.
L-Methionine works with the natural substances in the liver to burn extra fat more quickly.
Fenugreek is an herb that lowers cholesterol, improves your digestive system and balances the bodys sugar levels.
Green Tea Leaf burns calories and oxidizes fat to burn fat faster.
Beet Root improves the function of the liver, and strengthens the blood.
With the right mix of quality ingredients, herbal weight loss supplements can give you the added effect of reducing hunger, and tuning up your digestive processes. They can also remove some of the unhealthy aspects of food like unwanted fat and cholesterol so you can make sure your exercising is more effective, as you burn off the extra fat.
Try to take 30 minutes per day for some simple exercises such as jumping rope and doing situps and pushups, and keep a close eye on your food intake. Create a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables and take advantage of the extra help from herbal dietary supplements like ProShapeRx. You can look and feel thinner and greatly increase your confidence in just a few weeks by sticking to your natural weight loss goals.
Consumption Of Green Or Black Tea Helps Cardiovascular Disease
29.September, 2008
Over the years, researchers have stipulated that green or black tea consumption reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. This is very important because people from all walks of life inevitably suffer from some form of this potentially deadly disease.
According to the American Heart Association, in 2003, there were 71,300,000 individuals that have this disease and it claimed 910, 614 lives that year alone. This disease does not just affect people in the United States.
It also affects international residents. In the U.K alone, cardiovascular disease was responsible for over 23,000 deaths in 2004. In other words, every one (regardless of where they live) is at risk for this potentially deadly disease.
With this in mind, researchers have been working diligently to combat this illness. Numerous epidemiologic studies have indicated that consumption of green or black tea reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, many are left wondering “How?”.
Scientists have made many assumptions about how these eas positively affects cardiovascular disease and research is still pending. One hypothesis states that drinking green or black tea affects lipoproteins.
However, researchers have found that drinking green or black tea does not increase the resistance of low-density lipoprotein to oxidation in humans or the serum lipid concentrations in humans either.
Researchers determined this during a four week long parallel study comprising of 45 volunteers. The study involved the subjects drinking 900 ml (6 cups) of mineral water, black tea, or green tea daily.
Blood samples were dutifully collected from the fasting subjects, both before and after the study. An in vitro experiment was carried out to record the effect of adding tea extract to plasma and the consequence on the resistance of isolated LDL to oxidation.
Data was carefully evaluated utilizing various research methodologies and researchers concluded that the said 900 ml (6 cups) of the beverage did not have any substantial effect on either serum lipid concentrations or resistance of LDL to oxidation.
However, It was determined that the large intake of green tea did increase the total antioxidant activity of the plasma slightly.
Nevertheless, the arresting effect of tea flavonoids on cardiovascular disease is an open proposition and researchers are still evaluating other probable mechanisms. For instance, many researchers stipulate that green or black tea may have a positive effect on the panacea and on cardiovascular disease.
Before we discuss this hypothesis further, let’s take a moment to discuss how cardiovascular disease is triggered. In some cases, cardiovascular disease runs in families, and in other cases it doesn’t.
Many of its victims experience such triggers like high cholesterol, raised blood pressure, and obesity. In addition, stress is thought to contribute to this disease.
As such, physicians currently prescribe a preventive diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and Omega 3 fatty acids in order to keep this disease at bay. In addition, physicians also recommend that patients engage in regular exercise, reduce stress and anxiety levels, and quit smoking to help prevent and keep CVD in check.
In addition, drinking black or green tea is also an important addition on the list. However, it is still unclear the extent to which tea helps control CVD, but researchers are not giving up.
Animal and in vitro studies have suggested numerous and probable cardiovascular protective mechanisms of tea which include prohibition of oxidized LDL cholesterol, the disintegration of the inflammatory process in atherosclerosis, reducing thrombosis, promotion of normal endothelial function, reduction of total plasma, and LDL cholesterol and adhesion molecules blocking mechanisms.
In addition, the effect of tea consumption on platelet aggression shows mixed results. A study by Duffy, et al. noted an improved endothelial function post consumption of black tea.
In addition, researchers believe that green or black tea also positively effect endothelial function and have found that polyphenolic compounds in tea other than catechins are responsible for improved endothelial function in humans.
Blood pressure is another area where the cardio-protective properties of tea are believed to have a positive influence. However, studies have shown that a positive effect is seen among subjects who had been drinking tea for at least a year, if not more. Short-term tea drinking has not made much of a difference.
Eye Care for Computer Users
29.September, 2008
Eye care for computer users
Most of our work is done on computers, and there is usually no escape from it. It is a visually intensive task and, unfortunately, our work pressure and lifestyles do not give us the opportunity to be kind to our eyes.
Which is why these tips should come in handy.
Source: www.statuseyecare.com
i. Know your eyes
Tears: The first line of defence, they also serve as lubrication by keeping the eyes moist and nourished; they also have a corrective lens function.
Eyelids: Their main job is to protect your eyes from dirt, dust and harsh light.
Eyelashes: A protective net for your eyes.
Cornea: A refractive zone that guides light to reach the retina.
Pupil: Controls the amount of light that enters your eyes.
Lens: A refractive zone that also guides light into the retina.
Retina and Optic Nerve: A bunch of intricate wiring that carries vision signals between your brain and eyes.
ii. Exercise your eyes
Regular work hours should be infused with short breaks. During such breaks, he suggests a small and easy exercise: “First, blink your eyes several times. While you keep your eyes closed, roll your eyeballs both clockwise and anticlockwise and take a deep breath. Gradually open your eyes while releasing your breath. This exercise lasts for a minute and you can repeat it three times before getting back to work.” It serves as a good workout for the eyes.
iii. Look away
While working for long hours, look at distant objects either in your office or outside. Looking at a distant object and then returning to your task helps your eyes focus better. Try taking such visual breaks for about five to 10 minutes every hour.
iv. Palming
Sit straight at your workstation and rub your palms against each other till you feel them warm. The warmth of your palms helps soothe and relax tired eyes. Then, lightly cup your eyes with your palms and relax for 60 seconds. Count the seconds in your mind. Repeat this exercise two to three times whenever your eyes feel tired, or as often as you want. While palming, you can either rest your elbows on your desk or keep away from the desk and cup your eyes. Both ways are fine.
v. Splash water on your face
During breaks, splash water on your face while closing your eyes. This has an overall relaxing effect and helps you feel refreshed.
Source: www.statuseyecare.com
vi. Take a walk
After you’re done with lunch, take a stroll outside your office for a few minutes. This will give your eyes a much-needed break and get them some fresh air.
vii. Use tea bags
Keep two used tea bags in the refrigerator before you leave for work. Once you are home, place the tea bags on your eyes for a few minutes as you relax. This not only soothes tired eyes, but also reduces puffiness.
viii. Drink water
Drink plenty of water. It helps reduce puffiness. When a person is dehydrated, especially in an air-conditioned office, the body starts storing water as a defence mechanism. This adds to puffiness around the eyes.
ix. Eat healthy
Incorporate Vitamins A, C, and E on a daily basis; eat citrus fruits, green leafy veggies, tomatoes, spinach, poultry and dairy products. Pack a box of chopped carrots, cucumber and fresh fruits and munch in-between meals at the office.
x. Know your contact lenses
“Ideally, a person who uses lenses should wear it for not more than 10-12 hours a day and occasionally for 14 hours a day,”
Never wear your contact lenses while swimming. The pool water houses various micro-organisms as there are several people using it. This may lead to fungal infections in the eyes. In addition, the chlorine in the water can damage your contact lenses.
“Lenses are like sponge, making them susceptible to attracting dirt,”
xi. Eye dos and don’ts
~ Visit your doctor
“One should ideally visit their Optician / ophthalmologist once a year, but if there is a problem with your eyes, visit sooner,”
In addition, before buying an eye-care product such as eye drops, always check the expiry date and don’t forget to check the prescription.
~ Wear antiglare glasses while driving or at work
“Antiglare glasses are mainly used for focused light such as full beam car headlights and serve well for night driving. These can also be used while working on the computer,”
Using a pair of antiglare glasses while working on a computer can reduce the strain on the eyes to a certain extent. If you wear contact lenses, wear a pair of zero powered antiglare glasses for the same purpose.
~ Use re-wetting eye drops
An office environment that is predominantly air-conditioned, coupled with a computer intensive job, this is the perfect combination for dry eyes.
In such cases, you can use re-wetting eye drops to give relief to your eyes. Why? “When dry eyes occur, the aim is to get the tears back into our eyes whether it is naturally (by simple blinking exercises), or artificially (if the problem aggravates),”
“Re-wetting eye drops have a similar in composition to natural tears. One should go for eye drops that do not have any preservatives. Eye drops with preservatives are toxic to the eyes in the long run. You can use re-wetting eye drops as and when required, but preferably span it to a minimum of four to six times a day. If the problem persists, visit your ophthalmologist as soon as possible.”
The two most commonly used preservatives in all eye drops are Benz Alkonium Chloride and Chlorbutol. Read the contents of the bottle carefully and avoid eye drops with these preservatives.
~ Reduce your smoking and alcohol intake
“Smoking and alcohol consumption (either alone or combined) causes irreversible optic nerve damage. As both nicotine and alcohol are nerve toxins, they affect the nerves in the long run. Over a period of time, this can lead to poor or weak eyesight,” warns Dr Belvi.
~ Never rub your eyes
If dirt enters your eyes, do not rub as this may cause the dirt to stick inside. “Blink several times to start your tears flowing; this will help flush out the dirt,” advises Dr Belvi. “If you rub your eyes, the dirt particle will keep disturbing your vision and irritate your eyes. In such cases, seek your ophthalmologist’s help immediately.”
Quick tips
~ Shelf life
Preservative-free re-wetting eye drops have a shelf life of about a year, if the seal is unopened. Those with preservatives last around two years, if unopened.
~ Discard
All eye drops should be discarded within a month after opening their seals. Once opened, the medicinal properties tend to deteriorate due to exposure to the external atmosphere, making it unsuitable for your eyes.
~ Protective eye gear
While driving, wear protective eye gear especially if you are wearing contact lenses (for night driving) or sunglasses with UV protection (for day driving). Make sure the gear covers the sides of your eyes as well.
Being healthy is a personal choice and one has to work hard at it. A balanced diet, regular sleep habits, a balance between work and rest, ad exercises all play a vital role in restoring our health and helping us maintain our eyesight
Source: www.statuseyecare.com
Drinking Green Tea - Weight loss?
29.September, 2008
if i were to drink 6-8 cups of (hot) green tea full of anti-oxidants. Would i lose weight by one full week? I want to replace about two meals in my day with green tea. and i will always have good nutritious for diner everyday. 2/3 meals will be tea. I do mildly exercise but thats not the question.
Would this work? How many lbs would i lose. Im 18, Male, 290lbs
Please, serious inquiries only
i think you should rather than eating at dinner, you should eat at lunch, because before lunch and after lunch, you get alot of exercise, and stuff, eating at the dinner is proberbly the WORST thing you can do, because you REST shortly after dinner,
they say that you should eat GOOD NUTRITION for BREAKFAST, then eat you FULL for LUNCH, and then dont eat or eat LITTLE or SMALL amounts for DINNER.
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does drinking green tea help lose weight?
29.September, 2008
does drinking green tea help you lose weight? if so, why, and how much?
If you’re drinking green tea from a bottle complete with sugar and added junk, then no. If you’re drinking brewed green tea from a teabag, then yes. It has antioxidants, which are good for you. It has a small amount of caffeine which is an appetite suppressant (but a small amount a day is good, don’t go crazy with the coffee or you’ll just end up dizzy all day). It also provides you with more fluids. Water does wonders when trying to lose weight. It is important to detox when losing weight because fat cells can store toxins you ingest.
As always, diet and exercise combo is the best way to lose weight. Here’s a bit of help to point you in the right direction. Yahoo! Health has a lot of useful information.
http://health.yahoo.com/weightloss-healthyhabits/127-foods-that-fight-fat/prevention–18521.html
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Do green tea extract supplements often contain caffeine?
29.September, 2008
Should you be concerend about being full of caffeine if you bother to take green tea extract supplements? If your sensitive to caffeine? It doesn't say on the bottle whether they contain caffeine or not .
These for example : http://www.puritancatalog.com/pages/file.asp?xs=D7982FE118C34FBE913D23DCF6735C11&PID=451&CID=164&CPID=1507&rlid=
if youre sensitive to caffeine…(like me)
you def. dont want to take green tea supplements.
Theres more caffeine in green tea than soda and coffee combined!
SO…IF YOU DONT WANT TO FEEL LIKE CRAP, I would say try somethng different.
Good Luck!
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what are the pros/cons for drinking green tea?
29.September, 2008
also will adding sugar to the tea defeat the purpose of what the tea is suppose to do?
use splenda instead of sugar and the green tea will raise your metabolism
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Does the green tea, fat burner tablets work?
29.September, 2008
I don’t know about the tablets, but I have been drinking diet green tea from http://myultragreentea.com and it has been awesome as far as helping increase my metabolism and energy levels! Check it out because I know it has personally worked for me.
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