Guest Post:
There’s been much buzz about green tea lately and rightfully so. Many studies link its daily consumption to weight loss and the warding off of cancer and heart disease. Even skeptics—who criticize that many of these studies were conducted in the East, where green tea is a dietary staple and outcomes may have been influenced by other dietary and lifestyle factors—agree that green tea’s natural antioxidants are beneficial to anyone, anywhere.
These antioxidants are called catechins; they are known as free radical scavengers that would otherwise damage DNA and contribute to heart disease and cancer. Unlike black and oolong teas, green tea approaches store shelves relatively unprocessed; its leaves are withered and stemmed but not fermented, which allows it to retain its catechins, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG).
That its antioxidants are good for consumption is not in debate. Questions do, however, float around specific numbers and findings.
Lowers Risk of Cancer
“Epidemiologically, one of the challenges is finding populations that drink enough green tea and have for a long time,” says the American Cancer Society’s Marji McCullough, ScD, RD. “With cancer, it’s always difficult to find the exposure time.” In other words, cancer takes years and often several factors to begin developing—isolating single causes, cures, and times is often difficult.
Nevertheless, several studies indicate that drinking two cups of green tea daily inhibits cancer growth. Nearly 500 Japanese women with Stage I and Stage II breast cancer participated in one such study. Results concluded that lower recurrence of cancer was associated with those who drank said amount of green tea before and after surgery. Similar results were found in China; the more green tea participants drank, the lower their risk of developing stomach, esophageal, prostate, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers. A total of 22 studies were collected recently and found a correlation between high intake of green tea with 18% lower risk of developing lung cancer.
Lowers Risk of Heart Complications
Similarly, good news developed in Japan after 500 Japanese men and women drank at least 4 cups of green tea daily and were associated with reduced severity of coronary heart disease, especially among male participants. In the Netherlands, in a study comprising of over 3,000 men and women, similar results were found, but especially with women. Advocates agree that green tea’s antioxidants improve blood vessel flexibility, which makes them less likely to clog and thereby cause heart problems. An overall healthy diet and lifestyle in combination with moderate green tea consumption seems to be one’s greatest defense against heart disease.
Fights Against Obesity
Obesity and LDL “bad” cholesterol are prime culprits of heart disease and diabetes, and green tea has shown to lower LDL levels. In a Dutch study, participants who drank caffeinated green tea lost more weight than did participants who drank non-caffeinated varieties, but both parties still ultimately lost weight. Researchers assessed that caffeine aids in fat oxidation.
In this sense, green tea should be taken as a compliment to one’s existing diet, not as a drug or fad diet. The best defenses against these diseases remain healthy lifestyle, exercise, and diet. Moderate green tea consumption, however, couldn’t hurt.
Bio: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education, where recently she’s recently been researching kinesiology degrees and programs and blogging about student life. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.
Tags: green tea
News is spreading about Miley Cyrus smoking Salvia. That’s something that has made a lot of people curious about this substance and ask some questions:
- Is Salvia Legal?
- Is it safe?
- Is it addictive?
- What are the side effects of Salvia?
- Can you buy Salvia online?
In some countries, Salvia is legal. In some countries, it’s illegal to sell to minors but is readily available. Many classify it as a ‘natural health product’. It has been getting a lot of attention lately. It’s also known as Divinity Sage and is often sold as incense. Some resources suggest that it shouldn’t be used as a “party drug”. You’ll find varying opinions about it online.
Salvia smoking results in a quick burst of effects that typically lasts under ten minutes and are not unlike many other hallucinogens. Traditional uses of this herb by shamans call for consumption, such as chewing, which releases and sustains the effects a bit more. Some people do report side effects that are commonly known as a bad trip:
Salvia Bad Trip?
Cases of bad trips on Salvia are common but probably no more common than with other similar substances. Many Salvia YouTube videos exist, showing how people react to the substance. Some suggest that if you opt to try it, you have someone available who’s sober and who can take care of you in case you have a bad trip.
Long Term Effects of Salvia?
Most resources point to Salvia being a fairly clean drug that’s not habit-forming and doesn’t result in hangovers. You’ll find some bad trip claims and some state that long term effects are not thoroughly researched so people should exercise caution when deciding whether or not to try it, particularly because it can affect different people in varied ways.
Many online sources sell Salvia packages with flavoured options. Again, because this is marketed, in many cases, as incense this does leave loopholes regarding standards of production and contents and so buyers should beware and carefully research where they buy it from. And beware, as this drug impacts reaction and could alter behaviour, of your surroundings and avoid driving or operating heavy machinery. Several different salvia potencies can be available with a mixture of leaves and extracts mixed in so not every Salvia is going to produce exactly the same outcome.
Should you try it? That’s a personal decision. The vast majority of people wouldn’t experiment with something new and many are fearful of mind-altering substances. It’s a personal choice but if you are considering it, do get well informed before taking the plunge.
Helpful info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_divinorum – Wikipedia
http://www.sagewisdom.org/usersguide.html – Interesting information about Salvia
Tags: Herbs, Miley Cyrus Salvia, Salvia
Looking for more healthy snack options? Seeds and nuts can be a great addition to a healthy diet. Pumpkin seeds can have a plethora of health benefits, such as:
- Anti inflammatory properties. Good for pain sufferers and those with arthritis.
- Lowering cholesterol
- Providing a great source of maganese, magnesium, and phosporous (plus many other nutrients)
- Promoting good oral, bladder, and prostate health
- Serving as a good natural mood booster, fighting depression.
- Containing phytosterols that can help fight Cancer
- Helping to relieve constipation
To roast pumpkin seeds, simply rinse and then dry. Then spread them on a baking sheet and season to taste and bake. Most recipes call for around 325 degrees for 30 minutes or less.
Here’s a great list of pumpkin seed recipes.
(photo: sxc.hu/profile/stockdot)
