Teas for Health
The Different Tea Types
Herbal Teas, Organic Teas - you have numerous choices - but which ones will you derive the best Health benefits from?
The two teas that are widely know for their antioxidant properties are the Green and White teas.
White tea has taken the honors away from the formidable Green tea in recent times.
Different Types of Herbal Teas
Tea is the most commonly consumed beverage in the world after water. Among all varieties of tea - black, green, white, oolong, red, herbal are most common.
Black, green, white, and oolong teas derive their leaves from a warm-weather evergreen tree known as Camellia sinensis. The leaves from this tree contain polyphenols. The more processing tea leaves undergo, the darker they will turn. Green tea and white tea are the least processed tea.
White tea is derived from young new leaves, the Camellia is planted in early spring. These young leaves contain no chlorophyll, so they are silvery white.
Black and oolong teas are partially dried, crushed and fermented. Regardless of the processing method, black, green, white and oolong teas all contain polyphenols. In fact, tea ranks as high as or higher than many fruits and vegetables in the ORAC score, a score that measures antioxidant potential of plant-based foods.
Health Benefits of Herbal Teas
Herbal teas offer a variety of health benefits if used regularly.
Brewing Instructions
First of all you should brew tea for at least 3 - 5 minutes, this brings out the beneficial polyphenols and the added benefit is the stimulating aromas emitted from the tea.
One caveat we want to alert you to when it comes to bottled green tea beverages is the claim of weight loss.
There is NO solid scientific evidence that this tea efficiently burns calories. There is however a benefit for people with high blood pressure.
Buying Quality Herbal Tea
To derive the best health benefits from herbal teas you need to buy QUALITY.
There are several good distributors with quality teas - one of the better online retailers is Adagio Teas. There are customer reviews, product information and their website is easy to navigate.
Many of the teas mentioned contain small amounts of vitamin C, this is a co benefactor to teas that have antioxidant properties. This doesn't mean you should stop taking vitamin C supplements, it's only an added benefit for some teas.
Getting the Most Benefit From Herbal Tea
People don't understand the how natural remedies work compared to pharmaceutical drugs and they become frustrated.
Natural treatments work slower than drugs; this is why people get impatient waiting for results. But there's another factor that affects how effective remedies work. It's called "digestion."
Do you know how well your system absorbing/digesting?
For lack of a better phrase, is you system clogged up? This is a question most people don't have an answer for.
The other factor people don't think about is "quality." Are you buying cheap tea bags?
When you buy those cheap tea bags, the ones costing $5.00 for 100 tea bags, you're getting the bottom of the barrel tea leaves. And it probably reflected in your results, or lack of results.
If you are trying to treat a health issue using herbal teas then buying quality tea leaves is what works the best.
Since we are looking into things that are natural and provide health benefits, we included a few other products besides teas.
Other Prodcuts For Health Ailments
There are still a few free things you can get to improve your health and sunshine is one of them.
Our body can produce vitamin D3 from sunlight (still free). Vitamin D affects the immune system by promoting phagocytosis, anti-tumor activity, and immunomodulatory functions. This could explain the rise in cancer due to our lack of sunlight.
Getting 10 minutes a day is a good start.
Apple Cider Vinegar
It's suggested that Apple Cider Vinegar has such curative abilities because it causes one's pH levels to become more alkaline. I use it in place of an antacid, it works within seconds . Antacids remove all the stomach acids, ACV only balances the over acidic stomach the digestives juices remain to keep things going. Relief is swift.
Baking Soda
I use it 4 ways, washing clothes, indigestion, showering and smells. In laundry we use it to soften, absorb odors, etc. After showering before rinsing use a a few scoops mixed with water, pour it in your hair, rub on your body when you rinse you will feel the differences ( 2-3 times weekly). It is the alkaline (PH 8.1) that strips away the residue from your body.Here are 30 baking soda tips if you would like more uses.
Honey and Almonds
By themselves they are nutritious, but I crush the almonds and mix with the honey. If I have a sweet tooth I eat this straight from the bowl or I will use as a spread on wheat bread/toast. I don't think there is any argument about the health benefits of these items.
The Egg
For 15 cents you get natures best B-complex health bomb with a few extra minerals included.
The article "eggs - are they good for you?" goes into more detail on the health benefits of eggs.
Getting healthy doesn't have to be expensive, all you need to do is be a little creative and be willing to learn how to use natures best to help your body heal - isn't it worth it?