There are dangerous and lethal medical conditions which pose a high risk factor. Hypertension - high blood pressure - can lead to heart attack, stroke and Type II diabetes. That is why the regulation of blood pressure within its normal limits is essential. The question is - can there be a natural way for preventing hypertension and can green tea be the answer?

Several scientific studies, which have been carried out on large groups of people, reveal that the antioxidants in green tea can effectively prevent atherosclerosis. This is the hardening of the walls of the blood vessels which makes them narrower. In this way, the arterial pressure increases. Hence, as long as you consume green tea, you can enhance the flexibility of the arterial walls and protect yourself from hypertension.

The antioxidants in green tea can also affect the enzymes in the liver to prevent the formation and the building up of cholesterol in the arteries. As the clogging is avoided, the blood pressure is prevented form increasing. This effect, along with the prevention of atherosclerosis, makes green tea a great natural substance against hypertension.

There is also evidence that the chemical compounds in green tea can prevent the negative consequences of unhealthy nutrition on blood pressure. Several studies have revealed that the consumption of green tea diminishes the negative effects of salty and sugary foods on the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system.

The consumption of green tea leads to the reduction of stress and provides for relief from anxiety. These factors tend to increase blood pressure, so you will benefit form the tea in yet another way. It has antioxidants that stimulate the production of serotonin, a chemical responsible for calming.

One study, carried out in Japan, has revealed that men and women, who consume green tea on a daily basis for a long time, have a 56% lower risk of suffering from hypertension. The scientists believe that the effect of the chemical substances in the plant is strong, even in people who have genetically set higher blood pressure.

Some might argue that green tea contains caffeine, which can raise blood pressure. It should be noted that, when consumed in appropriate doses, this antioxidant is completely harmless for people who are in good general health. However, people who already have hypertension and are taking drugs for it should limit their consumption of green tea, just to be on the safe side.

Overall, you should drink tea for hypertension prevention.

You might be wondering what exactly green tea extract is and what kind of benefits can you expect to get from it. I was wondering the same thing myself. After all, much has been said and written on the benefits of green tea, but when it comes to the benefits of green tea extract, I hadn?t come across much.

Green tea extract takes the most healing properties from the tea leaves and puts them into a type of chemical form. The extract is then put into things like fat burning pills, dietary supplements, beauty products, and much more. So what really is the big benefit of green tea extract? Actually, there are many.

When green tea extract is put into fat burning pills, the benefits are obvious. It helps with thermogenesis which is the body?s generation of heat which will burn body fat ? thus the name of these supplements ? fat burners. It works without increasing the heart rate that is most commonly associated with fat burners. With green tea, dieters get weight loss without the jitters and other side effects.

Green tea extract contains a large amount of bioflavanoids, and the main benefit of this element helps combat free radicals in your body that can hinder your health. It is also rich in EGCG which can protect the body against digestive and respiratory infections and blocks the actions of carcinogens that cause cancer.

In addition to the weight loss benefits, products that contain green tea extract can decrease hormonal activity and help with acne problems. It helps lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and combat high blood pressure. Green tea extract stimulates the immune system that can fight disease and prevents periodontal disease as well.

Some new research shows another benefit of green tea extract ? prevention of rejection in organ transplant patients. Studies of rats that were made to undergo ?binge? drinking had their damaged livers removed and replaced with new rat livers. Some were then fed green tea extract and the results showed the rats that had green tea extract had less instance of rejection from the new organs.

Regardless of your stance on animal testing, you still have to admit that the outlook is promising when it comes to finding benefits of green tea extract in animals that can be passed along to human beings and heal disease. If we can prove the results in animals bred to do this type of testing, we have a better idea of how green tea extract can benefit the human race itself.

There are still more studies being done regarding the benefits of green tea extract. But there is already enough information that shows there are many, many health benefits to be had when green tea extract is added to your diet as a supplement.

With all of the new research that is being done about green tea, there's no doubt that there are very few chemicals included in those green teas that are touted as herbal green teas. Green tea includes ingredients that are there naturally. They are herbal products that make green tea the healing beverage that it is.

The reality today, however, is that you can find green tea in many different forms besides the traditional tea bags and loose tea. You can now find green tea gum, green tea shampoo, green tea skin cream, green tea juice, and green tea well, almost everything. There's a reason for that. It's because green tea is all herbal all natural. When you go all natural, you are making a healthy choice for yourself as well as your family.

When people think of herbal teas, they general think of oolong or some other type of tea, but the reality is that green tea is truly the original herbal tea. It is made from the green tea plant that generally grows somewhere in Asia. Then the leaf is picked and dried. After that, it is steeped in boiling water but not too much! If you steep herbal green tea too much, you will lose the healing properties that come naturally!

Look at what research says about green tea as an herbal remedy for life's problems. Studies have shown that herbal green tea can affect conditions such as:

• Diabetes
• High Blood Pressure
• Cancer
• Alzheimer?s Disease
• Obesity
• High Cholesterol

And much, much more!

So many studies are being conducted daily regarding the benefits of herbal green tea and what it can do for the human body. While no study has ever really been completely conclusive, they still have shown that herbal green tea can help improve your quality of life and help combat disease.

If you have studies that prove that just drinking a hot cup of tea can help you combat Alzheimer's, why wouldn?t you want to try it if you have a family history? Consider the cancer card as well. If consuming just a few cups of herbal green tea a day could help you prevent getting cancer, why wouldn?t you?

When you really look at the health benefits of herbal green tea, you should really take heed of what the researchers say. Those researchers say that green tea can help heal and/or alleviate the symptoms of some pretty serious diseases. Take a cup of herbal green tea every day and then you can thank me later!

There are millions of people around the world who suffer from high blood pressure. Green tea can help with high blood pressure in so many ways as scientists and researchers have found. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the most common form of heart disease and affects about 20% of the adult population in many countries. The condition is associated with stroke, heart failure, and kidney dysfunction and is a major risk factor for heart-related death.

Research shows that drinking as little as a half-cup of green tea daily can greatly reduce high blood pressure by more than fifty-percent. This study was done among Chinese tea drinkers - who have been consuming green tea for centuries. The link has also been explored in other areas of the world including the United States and the results between green tea and high blood pressure have shown much of the same results.

High blood pressure (hypertension) can be caused by a number of factors, including poor diet, lack of exercise, high stress levels, and genetic predisposition, among others. Drinking green tea, however, can help counteract the effects of high blood pressure risk factors, research suggests.

When a group of mice was exposed to stressful, overcrowded conditions, feeding them green tea kept their high blood pressure under control. The blood pressure lowering effects of green tea have been recorded in humans as well. In a study of 20,000 middle-aged adults, high blood pressure decreased as green tea consumption increased.
Researchers speculate that green tea lowers high blood pressure by causing blood vessels to relax. One study assessed 54 substances - vegetables, fruits, nuts, herbs, spices, and teas - for their ability to relax blood vessels; of these substances, green tea placed fifth, and relaxed blood vessel walls by as much as 91%.

People who suffer from high blood pressure should take note, however, that adding too much green tea to your diet could also cause adverse reactions. There is a certain amount of caffeine in green tea. While it is considerably less than coffee, the caffeine in green tea could still aggravate high blood pressure if too much is consumed in too little time.

There's absolutely no doubt in the minds of those who have studied the effects of green tea on high blood pressure that drinking this beverage in moderation can significantly bring down the high blood pressure. It's a good idea to add a little green tea to your daily diet if you suffer from high blood pressure. Just don't overdo it!

Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as green tea? The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression. There is currently a green tea craze going on in America spawning all sorts of green tea drinks available for sale in a variety of venues.

You have many, many choices when it comes to buying a green tea drink. They come in many shapes and forms as well as have the branding of many well-known companies. Some of the more popular brands of green tea drinks include:

* Nestea
* Arizona
* Snapple
* First Line Mobility
* And more!

The best part about a green tea drink is that it’s refreshing, easily made, and good for you! Studies have shown that green tea provides so many benefits for those who choose to implement into their diets and their lifestyles. Green tea has been shown to help with conditions such as:

* Cancer
* Arthritis
* High Blood Pressure
* High Cholesterol
* Diabetes
* Alzheimer’s Disease
* Obesity
* And more!

Proponents of green tea as a healing drink already know that putting green tea into your diet in any form is a good idea. So whether it’s a cold beverage, a hot one, pill or tablet form, you should drink at least 4 to 5 cups daily or take at least 300 milligrams in tablet or pill form.

Keep in mind when you drink green tea that the valuable antioxidants inside it can be negated by adding things like milk and sugar. In fact, in England where tea is consumed about as regularly as in Japan, researchers found that they weren’t getting the same healing results as they found in China. The reason probably is because many people in England add milk to their tea. This is the only reason they have found to attribute to the difference in results.

Pre-made teas offer convenience and ease for those who just don’t have time to boil water and sit down to enjoy their cup of tea. That’s just the reality of the society we live in. However, if you do have time to boil that water and dip that tea bag, by all means, do so. You will find that your stress is lessened and you will get health benefits as well as stress relief when you drink your green tea this way.

Health Benefits of Green Tea
by Jake Mayer, http://www.tea-dojo.com

Scientific studies continue to show that green tea is good for you.

Tea began its illustrious history as a Chinese medicinal drink, and only gradually did it become the popular beverage that it is today. In traditional Chinese medicine, tea is considered good for you to clear the eyes and head, resolve excess phlegm, promote urination, relieve toxins, aid the digestion, and quench thirst. As with so many foods and medicines, the traditional Chinese medicinal thoughts are being proven scientifically in modern times. Today, there is ample evidence to recommend tea as a daily tonic in the interest of preventing or treating a wide range of maladies, including: cancer, hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, premature aging, food poisoning, dental decay and bad breath, and even arthritis.

Tea is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Green tea may help dieters. In November, 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.

A Japanese report found that men who drank ten cups of green tea per day stayed cancer-free for three years longer than men who drank less than three cups a day (there are approximately 240 - 320 mg of polyphenols in three cups of green tea). Meanwhile, a study by Cleveland's Western Reserve University concluded that drinking four or more cups of green tea per day could help prevent rheumatoid arthritis, or reduce symptoms in individuals already suffering from the disease.

Scientists at the Saitama Cancer Research Institute discovered that there were fewer recurrances of breast cancer, and the disease spread less quickly, in women with a history of drinking five cups or more of green tea daily.

Scientists also discovered that EGCG from green tea can help to prevent metastasis, or the movement and spreading of cancer cells from one organ or tissue to the other by bloodstream or lymph. Cancer cells secrete special enzymes in order to enter and colonize tissues. Research shows that EGCG stops the secretion of these special enzymes.

A case study that was done in China, reports that those women who drank green tea regularly had a 50% lower risk of developing esophageal cancer. Men showed less risk as well, but not as significant as women.

Researchers from Sweden reported that green tea blocked the development of new blood vessels in the lungs. By blocking the development of new blood vessels in the lungs, tumors are less likely to grow and metastasize. Scientists believe that EGCG plays a significant rule in blocking the development of tumors. Similar results were achieved in breast cancer, colon cancer and melanoma studies. It is believed that drinking green tea for an extended period of time will help to prevent and might cure cancer naturally.

The antioxidants found in tea--called catechins--may selectively inhibit the growth of cancer. In laboratory studies using animals, catechins scavenged oxidants before cell damage occurred, reduced the number and size of tumors, and inhibited the growth of cancer cells.
National Cancer Institute researchers are investigating the therapeutic and preventive use of tea catechins against a variety of cancers.

One Chinese study involving over 18,000 men found tea drinkers were about half as likely to develop stomach or esophageal cancer as men who drank little tea, even after adjusting for smoking and other health and diet factors.

In the laboratory, studies have shown tea catechins act as powerful inhibitors of cancer growth in several ways: They scavenge oxidants before cell injuries occur, reduce the incidence and size of chemically induced tumors, and inhibit the growth of tumor cells. In studies of liver, skin and stomach cancer, chemically induced tumors were shown to decrease in size in mice that were fed green and black tea.

Green tea catechins can help to prevent tooth decay by killing the bacteria (Streptococcus mutans) that cause dental plaque. Green tea also contains fluoride. One cup of brewed green tea contains around 0.3-0.5 mg of fluoride. This is an optimal level of fluoride according to dentists. As we all know, fluoride builds in our teeth's enamel, making it more resistant against acidic environment, of our mouth. Green tea also eliminates other bacteria that responsible for bad breath. According to researchers, green tea polyphenols can inhibit, by 30%, the growth of bacteria that causes unpleasant breath.

A study at the Beijing Dental Hospital found consuming 3 grams of tea a day, or about 2 cups, along with the application of a tea extract reduced the size and proliferation of leukoplakia, a precancerous oral plaque.

Recent research suggests that green tea can lower cholesterol (LDL, the "bad one") increase HDL cholesterol ( the "good one") and lower triglyceride levels. Several tests have been done. And Green tea extract showed positive results reducing cholesterol.

At the the end of a 5 week experiment, one group with the regular diet showed blood pressure increases. For the catechin fed group, the blood pressure stayed normal. After this initial testing the scientists switched the diets for the two groups. This switch led to a reversal of the blood pressure trends. The study concluded that drinking moderate amounts of green tea each day can help to prevent high blood pressure.

The catechins in green tea have addiitonally been shown to help prevent excess cholesterol in the blood, killing the bacteria that causes food poisoning, lower blood sugar, as well as helping to control high blood pressure by supressing the production of angiotensn II. Catechin is also a strong anti-oxidant, which aids in aging related concerns.

Green and white tea leaves are less processed than oolong or black teas, which prevents oxidation and retains the highest levels of beneficial compounds. But all teas may be beneficial to your health, so find the ones you like, and drink them daily!

Jake Mayer

Jake is the owner of Lapis Teahouse and runs http://www.tea-dojo.com. He is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist.

Keyword: Green Tea, food and drink, tea

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