The Green Dragon
GREEN TEA
There are many claims about the benefits of green tea, some claiming it is a cure all! You are probably thinking, please green tea isn’t’ that special? And you are right! No single drink, supplement, or action will be the ultimate cure all. But if you are on the path to living well and being healthy, you know that every drop into the wellness bucket helps propel us on a disease free path. So as much as we should eat healthy, we should drink healthy too!
ANCIENT DRINK
Green tea was popular in Asia centuries ago. There are many complex ceremonies surrounding preparing & drinking different types of green tea. It was used medicinally for centuries to treat ailments from headaches to depression. In Eastern medicine, it is useful in various conditions because it is a wonderful balance of the sweet & bitter flavors, and has cooling properties. Green tea makes up about 10% of the world’s tea. The leaves are picked, rolled & dried before they go brown. Green in Asian medicine represents Spring & the liver. It symbolizes health, peace & eternity.
DETOXIFIES THE BODY
Green tea has high amounts of antioxidants, amino acids, & phytochemical like polyphenols. It contains B vitamins, folate, manganese, potassium, & magnesium. It helps to refresh the mind, enhance alertness and boost concentration. It is found as an addition in many ancient herbal formulas to help clear heat from the body!
BOOST THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
Green tea is touted to help improve brain function, fat loss, help lower the risk of cancer, & contribute to better cardiac health. Green tea relieves indigestion & smooths bowel movements. It helps relieve headaches, dizziness, heat stroke & sleepiness. Drinking green tea promotes fluid production, quenches thirst, clears heat & phlegm, promotes digestion & urination.
Whew! If that wasn’t enough…green tea is an immune system boost! The tea contains polyphenols that inhibit many targets & molecular proteins in the body that are clinically relevant. Crazy names like antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins & endothelial growth factor receptor signaling (say what?!), are involved. Some preliminary studies show that ingesting green tea supplements the body with high levels of polyphenols that have an effect on the prevention of abnormal cell growth.
CHARGE YOUR BEAUTY ROUTINE
Green tea can also boost your beauty routine! Green tea has anti-aging & antioxidant benefits that can help delay signs of skin aging. Green tea can help say good-bye to facial wrinkles & sagging skin! Polyphenols in the tea neutralize the free radicals that are harmful to our skin & accelerate the aging process. So it helps keep our skin healthy by flushing out toxins, healing blemishes, reducing inflammation, shrinking pores & improving elasticity. Green tea steam anyone?
So put down that cup of coffee & pick up that tea pot. Experience the many benefits a pot of Green Tea has to offer! I’m boiling the kettle now!