MODERN DISEASE PREVENTION
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Aside from water, tea is the most consumed beverage worldwide.
CAMELLIA SINENSIS (GREEN TEA)
Tea is the most consumed drink in the world after water. Green tea is a non-fermented tea obtained from the tea plant Camellia sinensis and contains more catechins than black tea or oolong tea. Catechins are in vitro and in vivo strong anti-oxidants. In addition, its content of certain minerals and vitamins increases the antioxidant potential of this type of tea.
Green tea has been consumed throughout the ages in India, China, Japan, and Thailand. It is a widely used medicinal plant throughout India and China; and popular in Ayurvedic medicine (a system of traditional medicine native to India), Unani medicine (a form of traditional medicine widely practiced in South Asia), and Homoeopathy.
Recent human studies suggest that green tea may contributeto a reduction in the risk of cardio-vascular disease and some forms of cancer, as well as to the promotion of oral health and other physiological functions such as anti-hypertensive effect, body weight control, antibacterial and antivirasic activity, bone mineral density in-crease, anti-fibrotic properties, and neuroprotective power.
Increasing interest in its health benefits has led to the inclusion of green tea in the group of beverages with functional properties. Other traditional uses of green tea include treating flatulence (gas), regulating body temperature and blood sugar, promoting digestion, and improving mental processes.
R Devaliya, U. K. Jain, N Gupta, A Patel. CAMELLIA SINENSIS (GREEN TEA) - A REVIEW (Abstract). Journal of Herbal and Medicinal Plants, North America. 2011. Accessed: 02 July 2011. http://jpublication.info/index.php/jhmp/article/view/3
READING HERBAL TEA LEAVES:
BENEFITS AND LORE
USDA-funded Agricultural Research Service researchers are checking out science-based evidence of health benefits that could come from drinking three popular herbal teas—hibiscus, peppermint, and chamomile.
Those who enjoy the caffeinated lift that comes from drinking traditional coffees and teas may tend to overlook the benefits of drinking herbal infusions. Now, as explained in this month's issue of Agricultural Research magazine, the idea that herbal teas may provide a variety of health benefits is no longer just folklore.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-funded scientists in Boston, Mass., have looked into the science-based evidence of health benefits from drinking three of the most popular herbals in America. Diane McKay and Jeffrey Blumberg are at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. Both work in the center's Antioxidants Research Laboratory, which Blumberg directs.
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-USDA's chief intramural scientific research agency-supports the HNRCA through an agreement. The work also was funded by Boulder, Colo.-based Celestial Seasonings, a brand of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.
Chamomile tea has long been considered a brew that soothes. But when Blumberg and McKay reviewed scientific literature on the bioactivity of chamomile, they found no human clinical trials that examined this calming effect. They did, however, publish a review article on findings far beyond sedation, describing test-tube evidence that chamomile tea has moderate antimicrobial activity and significant antiplatelet-clumping activity.
The researchers also describe evidence of bioactivity of peppermint tea. In test tubes, peppermint has been found to have significant antimicrobial and antiviral activities, strong antioxidant and antitumor actions, and some antiallergenic potential. Based on a human clinical trial, the team also has reported that drinking hibiscus tea lowered blood pressure in a group of pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults.
McKay and Blumberg have concluded that the available research on herbal teas in general is compelling enough to suggest further clinical studies.
Bliss, Rosalie Marion. Reading Herbal Tea Leaves: Benefits and Lore. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2011. Accessed 18 July 2011. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2011/110301.htm
SEVEN HERBAL TEAS THAT WILL MAKE YOU HEALTHIER
Herbal tea isn’t really made from tea—which is a specific kind of plant. The French use the word tisane, which is a little more accurate, since herbal tea is really just an infusion of leaves, seeds, roots or bark, extracted in hot water. In drinking a well-steeped herbal tea, we get all the plant’s benefits in an easily digestible form.
There are so many wonderful herbal teas to choose from. Here are a few of the most common. Don’t be afraid to try something new! “In a lot of ways, we might get more benefit from a good organic tea than from a vitamin pill,” says herbalist Marianne Beacon of Elderberry Herbals in Peterborough, Ont. "You’re getting the benefits of hydration. There’s the social element: Tea is something that you can share with people. And when you’re drinking herbal tea, you get aromatherapy at the same time—and that’s something you don’t get from a tablet!”
That’s why Toronto-based herbalist Marcia Dixon says herbal tea should always be steeped in a covered vessel to contain the beneficial essential oils. “Otherwise, your room smells nice but you aren’t retaining the medicinal properties.”
Halifax naturopath Colin Huska recommends drinking peppermint tea to relieve the symptoms of abdominal gas and bloating, and to relieve muscle spasms. It’s also good for nausea (without vomiting) and for heating up the body and making it sweat. If indigestion or heartburn are problems, however, then Dixon recommends avoiding peppermint tea altogether. Peppermint tea can also be made using fresh herbs from the garden—and it's one of the easiest herbs to grow.
Another great digestive aid, ginger can be used to curb nausea, vomiting or upset stomach due to motion sickness. Make fresh ginger tea by simmering a piece of ginger root on the stove for 10 to 15 minutes—add fresh lemon juice and honey when you have a cold for a powerful germ-fighting combination. Beacon also suggests making tea from powdered ginger to ward off a chill.
A gentle calming and sedative tea made from flowers, chamomile tea can be helpful for insomnia. It can also be helpful with digestion after a meal. Huska recommends chamomile in cases of cough and bronchitis, when you have a cold or fever, or as a gargle for inflammation of the mouth. Be sure to steep it well to get all the medicinal benefits.
High in vitamin C as well as other minerals, rooibos tea has all sorts of health benefits. An easy drinking tea, it’s largely grown in South Africa and has been touted for its antioxidant properties—which may in turn help ward off disease and the signs of aging. It has also been shown to help with common skin concerns, such as eczema.
An easy-to-grow plant, lemon balm is helpful for lifting the spirits. Lemon balm tea is “...good for the winter blahs,” says Deacon, “and it can help improve concentration.” She adds that lemon balm is safe for children and may help prevent nightmares when consumed before bed. This herb also makes a refreshing iced tea, and can be flavoured with lemon or maple syrup.
When consumed as a tea, milk thistle or dandelion are gentle liver cleansers. “They help the liver to regenerate and function at a higher capacity,” says Huska. Milk thistle and dandelion teas “...can also assist in the production of bile, which can help with our digestive process.”
Rosehips are the fruit of the rose plant and are one of the best plant sources of vitamin C, which is important for the immune system, skin and tissue health and adrenal function. Consider reaching for rosehip tea next time you need a health boost.
Meredith Dault. 7 herbal teas that will make you healthier. Best Health Magazine. Reader's Digest Magazines (Canada) Ltd. Mar 2010. [edited for space]
Tea is the most consumed drink in the world after water. Green tea is a non-fermented tea obtained from the tea plant Camellia sinensis and contains more catechins than black tea or oolong tea. Catechins are in vitro and in vivo strong anti-oxidants. In addition, its content of certain minerals and vitamins increases the antioxidant potential of this type of tea.
Green tea has been consumed throughout the ages in India, China, Japan, and Thailand. It is a widely used medicinal plant throughout India and China; and popular in Ayurvedic medicine (a system of traditional medicine native to India), Unani medicine (a form of traditional medicine widely practiced in South Asia), and Homoeopathy.
Recent human studies suggest that green tea may contributeto a reduction in the risk of cardio-vascular disease and some forms of cancer, as well as to the promotion of oral health and other physiological functions such as anti-hypertensive effect, body weight control, antibacterial and antivirasic activity, bone mineral density in-crease, anti-fibrotic properties, and neuroprotective power.
Increasing interest in its health benefits has led to the inclusion of green tea in the group of beverages with functional properties. Other traditional uses of green tea include treating flatulence (gas), regulating body temperature and blood sugar, promoting digestion, and improving mental processes.
R Devaliya, U. K. Jain, N Gupta, A Patel. CAMELLIA SINENSIS (GREEN TEA) - A REVIEW (Abstract). Journal of Herbal and Medicinal Plants, North America. 2011. Accessed: 02 July 2011. http://jpublication.info/index.php/jhmp/article/view/3
READING HERBAL TEA LEAVES:
BENEFITS AND LORE
USDA-funded Agricultural Research Service researchers are checking out science-based evidence of health benefits that could come from drinking three popular herbal teas—hibiscus, peppermint, and chamomile.
Those who enjoy the caffeinated lift that comes from drinking traditional coffees and teas may tend to overlook the benefits of drinking herbal infusions. Now, as explained in this month's issue of Agricultural Research magazine, the idea that herbal teas may provide a variety of health benefits is no longer just folklore.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-funded scientists in Boston, Mass., have looked into the science-based evidence of health benefits from drinking three of the most popular herbals in America. Diane McKay and Jeffrey Blumberg are at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. Both work in the center's Antioxidants Research Laboratory, which Blumberg directs.
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-USDA's chief intramural scientific research agency-supports the HNRCA through an agreement. The work also was funded by Boulder, Colo.-based Celestial Seasonings, a brand of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.
Chamomile tea has long been considered a brew that soothes. But when Blumberg and McKay reviewed scientific literature on the bioactivity of chamomile, they found no human clinical trials that examined this calming effect. They did, however, publish a review article on findings far beyond sedation, describing test-tube evidence that chamomile tea has moderate antimicrobial activity and significant antiplatelet-clumping activity.
The researchers also describe evidence of bioactivity of peppermint tea. In test tubes, peppermint has been found to have significant antimicrobial and antiviral activities, strong antioxidant and antitumor actions, and some antiallergenic potential. Based on a human clinical trial, the team also has reported that drinking hibiscus tea lowered blood pressure in a group of pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults.
McKay and Blumberg have concluded that the available research on herbal teas in general is compelling enough to suggest further clinical studies.
Bliss, Rosalie Marion. Reading Herbal Tea Leaves: Benefits and Lore. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2011. Accessed 18 July 2011. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2011/110301.htm
SEVEN HERBAL TEAS THAT WILL MAKE YOU HEALTHIER
Herbal tea isn’t really made from tea—which is a specific kind of plant. The French use the word tisane, which is a little more accurate, since herbal tea is really just an infusion of leaves, seeds, roots or bark, extracted in hot water. In drinking a well-steeped herbal tea, we get all the plant’s benefits in an easily digestible form.
There are so many wonderful herbal teas to choose from. Here are a few of the most common. Don’t be afraid to try something new! “In a lot of ways, we might get more benefit from a good organic tea than from a vitamin pill,” says herbalist Marianne Beacon of Elderberry Herbals in Peterborough, Ont. "You’re getting the benefits of hydration. There’s the social element: Tea is something that you can share with people. And when you’re drinking herbal tea, you get aromatherapy at the same time—and that’s something you don’t get from a tablet!”
That’s why Toronto-based herbalist Marcia Dixon says herbal tea should always be steeped in a covered vessel to contain the beneficial essential oils. “Otherwise, your room smells nice but you aren’t retaining the medicinal properties.”
Halifax naturopath Colin Huska recommends drinking peppermint tea to relieve the symptoms of abdominal gas and bloating, and to relieve muscle spasms. It’s also good for nausea (without vomiting) and for heating up the body and making it sweat. If indigestion or heartburn are problems, however, then Dixon recommends avoiding peppermint tea altogether. Peppermint tea can also be made using fresh herbs from the garden—and it's one of the easiest herbs to grow.
Another great digestive aid, ginger can be used to curb nausea, vomiting or upset stomach due to motion sickness. Make fresh ginger tea by simmering a piece of ginger root on the stove for 10 to 15 minutes—add fresh lemon juice and honey when you have a cold for a powerful germ-fighting combination. Beacon also suggests making tea from powdered ginger to ward off a chill.
A gentle calming and sedative tea made from flowers, chamomile tea can be helpful for insomnia. It can also be helpful with digestion after a meal. Huska recommends chamomile in cases of cough and bronchitis, when you have a cold or fever, or as a gargle for inflammation of the mouth. Be sure to steep it well to get all the medicinal benefits.
High in vitamin C as well as other minerals, rooibos tea has all sorts of health benefits. An easy drinking tea, it’s largely grown in South Africa and has been touted for its antioxidant properties—which may in turn help ward off disease and the signs of aging. It has also been shown to help with common skin concerns, such as eczema.
An easy-to-grow plant, lemon balm is helpful for lifting the spirits. Lemon balm tea is “...good for the winter blahs,” says Deacon, “and it can help improve concentration.” She adds that lemon balm is safe for children and may help prevent nightmares when consumed before bed. This herb also makes a refreshing iced tea, and can be flavoured with lemon or maple syrup.
When consumed as a tea, milk thistle or dandelion are gentle liver cleansers. “They help the liver to regenerate and function at a higher capacity,” says Huska. Milk thistle and dandelion teas “...can also assist in the production of bile, which can help with our digestive process.”
Rosehips are the fruit of the rose plant and are one of the best plant sources of vitamin C, which is important for the immune system, skin and tissue health and adrenal function. Consider reaching for rosehip tea next time you need a health boost.
Meredith Dault. 7 herbal teas that will make you healthier. Best Health Magazine. Reader's Digest Magazines (Canada) Ltd. Mar 2010. [edited for space]
CONSUMING HIBISCUS TEA
LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE
Drinking hibiscus tea lowered blood pressure in pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults
Drinking hibiscus tea lowered blood pressure in a group of pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults, according to a report being presented today by nutrition scientist Diane McKay at the American Heart Association's annual conference in New Orleans, La. Hypertension is a condition in which blood pressure is chronically high, and it affects one-third of all U.S. adults.
McKay's research was funded by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), a scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and by Boulder, Colo.-based Celestial Seasonings, a brand of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. McKay works in the Antioxidants Research Laboratory of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts.
In a clinical trial, McKay tested 65 volunteers, aged 30 to 70 years, whose systolic blood pressure was 120 to 150 mm Hg and whose diastolic blood pressure was 95 mm Hg or less at the start of the study. Blood pressure readings of 120 over 80 or greater are considered a risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
For six weeks, about half the group was randomly selected to drink three cups of hibiscus tea daily. The others drank a placebo beverage containing artificial hibiscus flavoring and color. All participants were advised to follow their usual diet and maintain their normal level of activity. Before the start of the study, blood pressure was measured twice, one week apart, and at weekly intervals thereafter.
The findings show that the volunteers who drank hibiscus tea had a 7.2 point drop in their systolic blood pressure, compared to a 1.3 point drop in the volunteers who drank the placebo beverage.
In a subgroup analysis, 30 volunteers with the highest systolic blood pressure readings at the start of the study (129 or above) were found to have a greater response to hibiscus tea drinking compared to placebo drinkers. Their systolic blood pressure went down by 13.2 points, diastolic blood pressure went down by 6.4 points, and mean arterial pressure went down by 8.7 points.
This data supports the idea that drinking hibiscus tea in an amount readily incorporated into the diet may play a role in controlling blood pressure, although more research is required.
Bliss, Rosalie Marion. Study Shows Consuming Hibiscus Tea Lowers Blood Pressure. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 10 November 2008. Accessed 18 July 2011. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/081110.htm
GREEN TEA EXTRACT SELECTIVELY TARGETS NANOMECHANICS OF LIVE METASTATIC CANCER CELLS
The biomechanical response of green tea extract treated cells taken directly from patient's body samples was measured using atomic force microscopy (AFM) (Binnig et al 1986 Phys. Rev. Lett. 56 930). We found significant increase in stiffness of green tea extract treated metastatic tumor cells, with a resulting value similar to untreated normal mesothelial cells, whereas mesothelial cell stiffness after GTE treatment is unchanged.
Immunofluorescence analysis showed an increase in cytoskeletal-F-actin in green tea extract treated tumor cells, suggesting green tea extract treated tumor cells display mechanical, structural and morphological features similar to normal cells, which appears to be mediated by annexin-I expression, as determined by siRNA analysis of an in vitro cell line model. Our data indicates that green tea extract selectively targets human metastatic cancer cells but not normal mesothelial cells, a finding that is significantly advantageous compared to conventional chemotherapy agents.
Sarah E Cross, Yu-Sheng Jin, Qing-Yi Lu, JianYu Rao and James K Gimzewski. GREEN TEA EXTRACT SELECTIVELY TARGETS NANOMECHANICS OF LIVE METASTATIC CANCER CELLS. Nanotechnology Vol 22 Number 215101. 2011
LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE
Drinking hibiscus tea lowered blood pressure in pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults
Drinking hibiscus tea lowered blood pressure in a group of pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults, according to a report being presented today by nutrition scientist Diane McKay at the American Heart Association's annual conference in New Orleans, La. Hypertension is a condition in which blood pressure is chronically high, and it affects one-third of all U.S. adults.
McKay's research was funded by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), a scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and by Boulder, Colo.-based Celestial Seasonings, a brand of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. McKay works in the Antioxidants Research Laboratory of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts.
In a clinical trial, McKay tested 65 volunteers, aged 30 to 70 years, whose systolic blood pressure was 120 to 150 mm Hg and whose diastolic blood pressure was 95 mm Hg or less at the start of the study. Blood pressure readings of 120 over 80 or greater are considered a risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
For six weeks, about half the group was randomly selected to drink three cups of hibiscus tea daily. The others drank a placebo beverage containing artificial hibiscus flavoring and color. All participants were advised to follow their usual diet and maintain their normal level of activity. Before the start of the study, blood pressure was measured twice, one week apart, and at weekly intervals thereafter.
The findings show that the volunteers who drank hibiscus tea had a 7.2 point drop in their systolic blood pressure, compared to a 1.3 point drop in the volunteers who drank the placebo beverage.
In a subgroup analysis, 30 volunteers with the highest systolic blood pressure readings at the start of the study (129 or above) were found to have a greater response to hibiscus tea drinking compared to placebo drinkers. Their systolic blood pressure went down by 13.2 points, diastolic blood pressure went down by 6.4 points, and mean arterial pressure went down by 8.7 points.
This data supports the idea that drinking hibiscus tea in an amount readily incorporated into the diet may play a role in controlling blood pressure, although more research is required.
Bliss, Rosalie Marion. Study Shows Consuming Hibiscus Tea Lowers Blood Pressure. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 10 November 2008. Accessed 18 July 2011. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/081110.htm
GREEN TEA EXTRACT SELECTIVELY TARGETS NANOMECHANICS OF LIVE METASTATIC CANCER CELLS
The biomechanical response of green tea extract treated cells taken directly from patient's body samples was measured using atomic force microscopy (AFM) (Binnig et al 1986 Phys. Rev. Lett. 56 930). We found significant increase in stiffness of green tea extract treated metastatic tumor cells, with a resulting value similar to untreated normal mesothelial cells, whereas mesothelial cell stiffness after GTE treatment is unchanged.
Immunofluorescence analysis showed an increase in cytoskeletal-F-actin in green tea extract treated tumor cells, suggesting green tea extract treated tumor cells display mechanical, structural and morphological features similar to normal cells, which appears to be mediated by annexin-I expression, as determined by siRNA analysis of an in vitro cell line model. Our data indicates that green tea extract selectively targets human metastatic cancer cells but not normal mesothelial cells, a finding that is significantly advantageous compared to conventional chemotherapy agents.
Sarah E Cross, Yu-Sheng Jin, Qing-Yi Lu, JianYu Rao and James K Gimzewski. GREEN TEA EXTRACT SELECTIVELY TARGETS NANOMECHANICS OF LIVE METASTATIC CANCER CELLS. Nanotechnology Vol 22 Number 215101. 2011
GREEN TEA EXTRACT REDUCES INDUCTION OF P53 AND APOPTOSIS IN UVB-IRRADIATED HUMAN SKIN INDEPENDENT OF TRANSCRIPTIONAL CONTROLS
Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation plays a pivotal role in human skin carcinongenesis. Preclinically, systemically and topically applied green tea extract (GTE) has shown reduction of UV-induced (i) erythema, (ii) DNA damage, (iii) formation of radical oxygen species, and (iv) down-regulation of numerous factors related to apoptosis, inflammation, differentiation and carcinogenesis. In humans, topical green tea extract has so far only been tested in limited studies, with usually very high green tea extract concentrations and over short periods of time. Both chemical stability of green tea extract and staining properties of highly concentrated green tea polyphenols limit the usability of highly concentrated green tea extracts in cosmetic products.
The present study tested the utility of stabilized low-dose GTE as photochemo preventive agents under everyday conditions on human subjects. We irradiated with up to 100 mJ ⁄ cm2 of UVB light skin patches which were pretreated with either OM24-containing lotion or a placebo lotion. OM24® is a commercially available green tea containing extract from Omnimedica, a Switzerland-based company. A specially developed extraction process ensures a constant, optimal, and stable proportion of polyphenols, amino acids, minerals, and polysaccharides from Camellia sinensis.
Biopsies were taken from both irradiated and un-irradiated skin for both immunohistochemistry and DNA microarray analysis. We found that while OM24® treatment did not significantly affect UV-induced erythema and thymidine dimer formation, OM24® treatment significantly reduced UV-induced p53 expression in keratinocytes. Since the early 1980s, cancer researchers have known that a protein called p53 plays a critical role in protecting cells from becoming cancerous. The p53 protein is a tumor suppressor encoded by a gene whose disruption is associated with approximately 50 to 55 percent of human cancers.
We also found that OM24® treatment significantly reduced the number of apoptotic keratinocytes (sunburn cells and TUNEL-positive cells). Carefully controlled DNA microarray analyses showed that OM24® treatment does not induce off-target changes in gene expression, reducing the likelihood of unwanted side-effects. OM24® cosmetically usable topical green tea extract, already at low concentrations, reduces UVB-mediated epithelial damage without tachyphylaxis over 5 weeks; suggesting green tea extract as suitable everyday photochemo-preventive agents.
Christian D. Mnich, Keith S. Hoek, Leila V. Virkki, Arpad Farkas, Christa Dudli, Elisabeth Laine, Mirjana Urosevic, Reinhard Dummer. GREEN TEA EXTRACT REDUCES INDUCTION OF P53 AND APOPTOSIS IN UVB-IRRADIATED HUMAN SKIN INDEPENDENT OF TRANSCRIPTIONAL CONTROLS (Abstract). Experimental Dermatology. 2009; 18: 69–77. Available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0625.2008.00765.x/abstract
