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There are many teas that have been drunk throughout the ages. They are basically infusions of plants, usually the leaves and sometimes the flowers, by boiling them with water. Teas can be drunk hot or cold and are used for a variety of ailments. Teas of different sorts are drunk worldwide.

The official tea that we drink is the second most popular beverage and grown in the mountainous regions of China, India, Sir Lanka, Vietnam, Nepal, Georgia, Japan, Kenya, Malawi and Taiwan. The tea we drink is taken from the top leaves and the buds of the Camellia Sinensis tree. These leaves are specially dried and then crushed for maximum flavor.

Tea is a mild stimulant, with small amounts of caffeine. It has far less than its counterpart coffee. It also has small amounts of vitamin A, B2, C, D, K, and P. there are also trace amounts of some minerals. Overall it is good for your health. It is recommended that about 3 cups of tea and more should be drunk a day to get the healthful qualities of this beverage.

There are 4 common forms of tea are:

Black tea
White tea
Oolong tea
Green tea

Black tea is the most common form of tea and is known as the famous “English tea” as this is drunk predominantly in Britain and the Western world. This tea is drunk hot but can also be used to brew the famous iced tea. It is made from the leaves of the tea plant and is completely fermented. This results in its darker color. It is more of a stimulant than the other teas and a more intense taste. Sometimes it is drunk with lemon but most commonly with milk.

White tea comes from the bud of the tea plant. It undergoes little or no processing (fermenting or oxidizing) this brings out the antioxidants but will reduce the stimulant quality of this tea. Because the buds can only be harvested in the spring season this tea is not so common and fairly expensive.

Oolong tea is fermented more than green tea but less than black. Research has shown that this tea helps the digestive system and is good for metabolism.

Green tea is also not fermented like white tea but is made from more mature leaves so is much more common and affordable. This tea was predominantly drunk in the Orient namely Japan and China, but is gaining new ground in the West as research is showing the beneficial properties of this form of tea. Again it has more antitoxins (flavonoids) and is less of a stimulant. Added to this it has vitamin C and fluoride.

Tea Houses are becoming very popular especially in fashionable areas of Europe like Paris. As more research comes to light we will hear more about the benefits of this popular drink. So the next time you relax with a good refreshing cup of tea you can rest assured that your favorite beverage is also good for your health.

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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-different-kinds-of-tea-and-their-health-benefits-1629476.html

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It may be too much for some even to think of drinking eight cups of tea a day but health experts say the intake can help fight heart disease, improve brain power and also boost longevity.

Independent dietician Dr Carrie Ruxton’s research on caffeine at King’’s College, London, saw her review 47 published studies to reach the conclusion that caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee and cocoa have positive effects on mental function, increasing alertness, feelings of well-being and short-term memory.

It was already linked the drink’s healthy antioxidant properties and high flavonoid content to preventing heart disease and cutting the risk of some cancers by precious studies.

Dr Ruxton has supported earlier reports by claiming that an optimal intake of 400mg of caffeine a day leads to “key benefits in terms of mental function and heart health.” She assessed three studies, accounting for almost 90,000 patients, to find that drinking four cups of tea or coffee a day reduced chances of cardiovascular disease.

She also referred to another study of 26,500 middle-aged smokers, which hinted that men who ingested more than two cups of tea a day pulled down the probability of getting a stroke by 20 per cent.

Dr Ruxton insisted that she aimed to “debunk” false beliefs surrounding caffeine. Moreover, she asserted that people who avoid drinking team might be doing more harm than good. “People who cut out caffeinated drinks may miss out on the potential health benefits of the compounds they contain,” the ‘Daily Express’ quoted her as saying.

She further suggested that there is no need for parents to stop children from drinking tea and coffee. In fact, she claimed it was better than juice in some regards.

Also, Dr Catherine Hood, of the Tea Advisory Panel, agreed to Dr Ruxton’s claims. She said: “Caffeinated drinks have been unfairly demonised. Black tea, in particular, contains polyphenols, which are natural plant antioxidants. These have beneficial effects on many biochemical processes in the body because they protect cells against harmful free radicals.”

“Flavonoids are thought to be especially useful, with a number of studies reporting a link between them and lower risk of heart attack,” she further added.

For 4,000 years, the Chinese people have been using green tea as treatment for everything from headaches to depression.

Today, studies are conducted in Asia and the west in order to produce hard evidence of the health benefits of green tea. In the 1994 edition of the Journal of National Cancer Institute, the results of an epidemiological study stated that one of the health benefits of drinking green tea is that it can reduce the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by up to 60%.

The rich presence of catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the reason why green tea has so much health benefits. A powerful antioxidant, EGCG can not only inhibit the growth of cancer cells but can also destroy them without harming healthy cells.

The University of Purdue has also concluded a research on how a certain compound present in green tea can stop cancer cells from growing. Still another health benefit of green tea is its ability to lower down cholesterol levels and improve the ratio between good (HDL) cholesterol and bad (LDL) cholesterol.

Ram Prakash is a post graduate and is associated with medical transcription service, medical billing service and development of web based for more than 10 years.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/drink-tea-to-fight-heart-disease-1546509.html

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Hormones regulate how well you sleep, how often you eat, your sex drive, your energy level and the way you handle stress. And now you’re aware that hormones don’t just die once prom night is over. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had a way to optimize all of these things?

It seems like there’s not much you can do about it, short of taking medication if there happens to be an imbalance. But hormones were functioning long before hospitals and modern medical equipment. And there are plenty of things we can do at home to make sure they stay that way.

High blood pressure causes many hormone related conditions. You’ll want to keep blood pressure around 115/75. One way to keep your blood pressure at an optimum level is physical activity. Exercise works to drop excess pounds that can elevate blood pressure. What’s more, exercise will increase your muscles’ sensitivity to glucose. This means, that instead of glucose staying in your body as fat it’s used as fuel. So you’ll stay slim and keep your blood pressure controlled, too.

Nutrition is as more about the benefits of certain foods than it is about the taste. What you eat contributes to how you feel in many ways. The same goes for your hormones. Certain foods can be eaten to correct hormones that have been thrown out of whack or maintain health levels.

Studies suggest that ginseng, tea and cinnamon help to fine tune the way insulin works in your body. Statistically shown to prevent type 2 diabetes, a spoonful of cinnamon or cup of tea can go a long way. Start by replacing one cup of coffee a day with a cup of green or black tea.

Broccoli and cauliflower contain estrogen-producing substances that can help protect women from breast cancer. Olive oils, fish oils, calcium and fruits all help keep your arteries healthy. Eating a diet high in lean protein, green vegetables, fruit and healthy fats will not only keep you looking good. It will also regulate your energy level, control blood pressure and reduce mood swings.

Avocados might seem exotic to some, but it is a food rich in healthy fat, as well as magnesium and potassium. Magnesium regulates metabolism and lowers blood pressure when necessary. And potassium helps nerve and muscle functioning. By keeping your systems working properly, magnesium and potassium help hormonal stability.

Staying informed about your health even when you’re not particularly under the weather is a smart and vital practice. Since hormonal processes and their imbalances occur subtly, they slip under medical radar until it’s a serious problem. Regularly monitoring hormonal activity by getting your blood pressure, blood sugar level and thyroid tested. You’ll be one step ahead in the event something starts to go wrong. Also, feel free to ask for these tests and also to suggest that hormones may be the cause of a recent illness. Doctors need all the information they can get to make an accurate diagnosis.

Hormones can help you or they can hurt you. And as you can see, you have more power to control the outcome that you may have previously thought. If you do suspect you are suffering from a hormonal imbalance, visit a doctor, as most problems can be successfully treated with medication.

Brent McNutt enjoys talking about landau medical scrubs and landau mens scrubs and networking with healthcare professionals online.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/how-hormones-effect-your-health-1157182.html

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