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Tea Made from Panda Feces

When I read the headline, "Tea Made from Panda Feces Expected to be Most Expensive Brew in the World" in the Tea News Direct (who got it from New York Daily News), I immediately thought about the expensive coffee beans that apparently pass through an Philippino cat's system. Coffee connoiseurs talk about the smooth dark chocolate flavour without a hint of bitterness, and the demand for this coffee is helping to provide work for impoverished people in the Philippines.

But, I sure hoped this article wasn't about someone trying to pick tea leaves from panda poop!

It turns out that a wild life expert from Sinchuan University, An Yashi, is planning to fertilize tea plants with the panda feces. Apparently the college lecturer plans to launch a special blend of green tea, which will fetch up to $36,000 per pound. The article goes on to explain why the tea would be so costly:

"Yashi, a college lecturer at Sinchuan University, said using panda excrement to fertilize the tea plants has a health-promoting upside because it contains nutrients from one of the bear’s favorite meals — bamboo.

 “Pandas have a very poor digestive system and only absorb about 30 percent of everything they eat: that means their excrement is rich in fibers and nutrients,” said Yashi, noting that those nutrients make their way into the tea through the fertilization process.

“Just like green tea, bamboo contains an element that can prevent cancer — and enhance green tea’s anti-cancer effects — if it is used as fertilizer for the tea.”

 

Tea and Blood Pressure study

Australian scientists have released a study that suggests that 3 cups of black tea per day can reduce blood pressure. This is more good news for tea! The study suggests that "those who drank black tea three times a day enjoyed a slight drop in blood pressure when compared to others who had another beverage." (cited from Ozarks First dot com) This conclusion would also suggest then, that black tea is good for the heart! And of course, it is great news for those on the borderline of high blood pressure. A slight change in lifestyle by drinking tea could improve health radically.

Steeped Tea offers lots of delicious ways to enjoy black tea! What are your favourite black teas? Do you drink tea for enjoyment or for health?

Tea and Autoimmune Diseases

Studies show that tea, particularly green tea (and I would suggest that white tea would yield similar results), plays a role in helping to prevent autoimmune diseases.

First, a quick primer on what an autoimmune disease is. The following information is taken from the Life Extension website where they define autoimmune diseases:

Autoimmune diseases are characterized by the body's immune responses being directed against its own tissues, causing prolonged inflammation and subsequent tissue destruction. Autoimmune disorders can cause immune-responsive cells to attack the linings of the joints--resulting in rheumatoid arthritis--or trigger immune cells to attack the insulin-producing islet cells of the pancreas leading to insulin-dependent diabetes.

A healthy immune system recognizes, identifies, remembers, attacks, and destroys bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and cancer cells or any health-damaging agents not normally present in the body. A defective immune system, on the other hand, wreaks havoc throughout the host by directing antibodies against its own tissues.

Any disease in which cytotoxic cells are directed against self-antigens in the body's tissues is considered autoimmune in nature. Such diseases include, but are not limited to, celiac disease, Crohn's disease, pancreatitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren's syndrome, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and other endocrinopathies. Allergies and multiple sclerosis are also the result of disordered immune functioning.

Oxidative damage results as these cells turn against the body. Think about the effects of rust, or a sliced potato or apple sitting on the counter. It does not take long before discolouration sets in and oxidative damage starts. The same thing happens inside our bodies when immune system is defective. There are many foods that can help maintain a healthy immune system and tea is one. The article explains the benefits of green tea in countering autoimmune diseases:

Antioxidants are a broad group of compounds that destroy or neutralize free radicals in the body, thereby protecting against oxidative damage to cells caused by the normal aging process or daily exposure to pollutants and toxic substances. Antioxidants are found naturally in healthy food, especially fruits and vegetables. The most effective of the antioxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E, green tea extract, beta-carotene, grape seed-skin extract, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and selenium...

Green tea belongs to the flavonoid family. Green tea catechins are potent free radical scavengers and have also demonstrated anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antiatherogenic, and antimicrobial activity.

Did you notice that the artical refered to green tea extract, rather than green tea. This will be a more ocncentrated form of green tea, rather than the diluted form we get from a cup of infused tea. To maximize the benefits of green tea, a concentrated form, such as that found in matcha will better demonstrate an effect on the free-radicals. If you haven't tried matcha yet, you may be surprised by the intensity of flavour. Why not try to get into the routine of drinking matcha, perhaps starting with one day a week. How about Matcha Mondays? As you get more accustomed to the flavour and texture, increase your matcha intake by adding a second cup on a different day. You will find many recipes for matcha smoothies, spritzers, shakes and lattes here on the Steeped Tea blog, as well as at the Steeped Tea website, so you can find tasty ways to enjoy matcha, if you don't like it straight out of the cup. Why not do it for your health!

Study Shows Green Tea Protects Against Prostate Cancer

This article recently appeared in the Tea News Direct and is written by Robin Williams Adams of The Ledger.

The Power of Green Tea

Watson Clinic Trial is Studying Impact of Green Tea Leaf Extract.

Green tea has a soothing, comforting connotation, and its concentrated power may be able to put pre-cancerous prostate cells in their place.

A drug called polyphenon E, a concentrated extract from green tea leaves, has shown promise in lab and animal studies at controlling pre-cancerous prostate conditions that could develop into prostate cancer.

 “The green-tea polyphenon stops the cells from multiplying in a crazy, rowdy manner,” said Nagi Kumar, director of cancer chemoprevention at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. “It helps the cells behave like they’re supposed to behave.”

A clinical trial sponsored by Moffitt, in which Lakeland’s Watson Clinic is participating, now is measuring polyphenon’s effect on men.

The men being enrolled are those identified through biopsies as having abnormal, excessive growth of prostate cells, called high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) or atypical small acinar proliferation (ASAP).

They aren’t eligible if they have prostate cancer, prostatitis or urinary tract infections.

“This is a way for us to be on the front end of things,” said Noreen McGowan, a registered nurse who heads the clinical trials program at Watson Clinic Center for Research.

People are positive about this study and others that focus on prevention, said Susan Collins, a registered nurse supervising the polyphenon E trial there.

Patients with HGPIN usually have symptoms and go to their urologists, said Kumar, who is also a professor of oncologic sciences at the University of South Florida College of Medicine.

A biopsy discloses cells that can be precursors of prostate cancers.

She said 27 percent to 35 percent of men will develop prostate cancer within a year or two if they are at the HGPIN stage.

The other condition, ASAP for short, sometimes gets called stage zero because it’s almost cancer but isn’t quite there yet, she said.

The previous lab and animal trials had positive results in controlling development of cancer from those conditions and in controlling the progression of cancer that developed, Kumar said.

In this clinical trial, men take either the polyphenon E capsule or an inert placebo capsule twice a day. They also take vitamins, Collins said.

Neither the men nor the researchers know which patient is given the actual ingredient being tested.

After six months, participants’ prostate specific antigen level will be checked and they will get rectal exams.

If those are normal, they continue in the trial for another six months.

Previous research led by Kumar, reviewing women’s tea drinking patterns, found a 37 percent reduced breast cancer risk in women younger than 50 who drank three of more cups of green or black tea a day. That was in comparison to younger women who didn’t drink tea.

That supports a “potential beneficial influence,” but further research is needed to confirm the association, she said.

A similar link hasn’t been made with ovarian cancer, but Dr. Patricia Judson, a gynecologic oncologist at Moffitt, said lab research in petri dishes on 12 different cell lines of ovarian cancer found fermented wheat germ extract could kill ovarian cancer cells.

The ongoing study of polyphenon E and pre-cancerous prostate cells could assume more importance in view of disagreement about prostate cancer screening and treatment.

Confusion and disagreement exist with HGPIN as well, according to an article in the October 2010 issue of Renal & Urology News.

Many urologists ignore its presence completely, wrote Dr. J. Stephen Jones, chairman of the Cleveland Clinic Department of Regional Urology and a professor at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University.

If HGPIN is found in multiple places within the prostate, it’s associated with cancer development in approximately half of patients within the next five years to six years, he said.

If an adequate biopsy finds HGPIN in just one place, it may be insignificant.

Just another great reason to get the men in your life drinking tea!

Autumn Flowers

For your Did You Know files:

 
According to the Chinese-American Tea Association, "the purest form of the Camellia Sinensis leaf, white tea is simply picked, washed and dried, giving it a fragile, flaky texture when dry and a very light gentle flavor. White tea is the least processed of all the teas, and therefore is highest in antioxidant, while it is lowest in caffeine."

The Association's blog also confirms what I've suspected for a long time, that any health claims that have been researched and proven true for green tea are also true for white tea.

If you haven't given Steeped Tea's Pai Mu Tan, a delicate light white tea, why not give it a try. You'll also see in the Steeped Tea catalogue several flavoured white teas.

Green Tea Improves Memory, especially as you age

Forgetting where you left the keys can happen to anyone at any age, but as we age, it can be very distressing as we struggle to remember significant details of a story we're sharing. When we mix up the locations or the people who were there, it can be confusing to us and the listener. If you had to appear as a witness in court, how would you do with the details?

The good news is that studies are showing that caffeine, especially that in tea, can help prevent the decline in memory. A study published in the 7th issue of Neurology in August 2008, describes how scientists studied the effects of caffeine on cognitive decline and dementia in people over the age of 65. They found that women over the age of 65, who drank 3 or more cups of coffee or tea a day, showed less decline in verbal retrieval and in visuospatial memory over 4 years than women consuming one cup or less. This benefit was shown to increase with age. Basicly women who drink tea seem to keep mentally sharp as a result of the caffeine in tea as they get older. Another study described at Anti-Aging.org suggests that the polyphenols, especially ECGC, available in green tea, seem to lower the incidence of dementia and Alzheimer's.

Although the studies have mostly centred on green tea, it would appear that white tea would also be effective as it also has high concentrations of ECGC. According to livestrong.com,

White tea is a good source of EGCG and is a viable alternative to green tea for people who seek a slightly different flavor but still want to take advantage of EGCG's health benefits. Studies show that the two types of tea are essentially equivalent in their catechin content, depending on the tea's source and processing. And, as shown in a 2008 "Journal of Analytical Toxicology" study, there is not an appreciable difference in caffeine content between green and white teas.

[Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/397497-does-white-tea-contain-egcg/#ixzz1XJbk3JNn]

As you stock up on your favourite Steeped Fine loose teas, be sure to include some green or white teas and work proactively on preserving your memory!

Green Tea and Cancer

I've been reading Knockout by Suzanne Somers. The woman made famous for playing ditzy Chrissie way back when on Three's Company has authored over a dozen books, organically grows her own veggies, seeks alternative solutions for maintaining her health, and looks pretty amazing for 64 years old.

Knockout is, as the the subtitle states, a book about curing cancer. Each chapter is an interview with a different doctor who has rejected the western medical model to further study and pursue alternative ways to control, treat and cure cancer. In addition to the chapters on treating cancer, there is also a chapter on preventing cancer. This book will not be everyone's cup of tea. Some people will always put their trust in doctors and pharmaceuticals and if that is you, this book will only frustrate and possibly anger you. For those who realize there may be a place for both, that botanical elements exist to aid in our health and healing, you may find this book enjoyable.

We've shared the results of many green tea studies here on the blog, and this book reveals more. In one of the chapters, Somers interviews Dr. Burzynski, whose studies have identified missing peptides, antineoplastons, in the blood and urine of people who have cancer. He indicates some supplements help put back the peptide, and that "the chemicals in green tea are also molecular switches which can activate some of the genes and switch off oncogenes."

Another doctor interviewed, Dr. Faloon, discusses how removing a tumour may cause other metastatic cancers elsewhere in the body as certain cells go into overactivity after the surgery. Suppressing the growth, for example of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), in the blood vessels can prevent the metastatic cancer. VEGF appears in, among other things, green tea. "In one experiment, EGCG - the active constituent of green tea - was administered to mice with stomach cancer. The results demonstrated that green tea reduced the tumor mass by 60%, while also reducing the concentration of blood vessels feeding the tumor by 38%. Remarkably, EGCG decreased the expression of VEGF in cancer cells by an astounding 80%! The authors of the study concluded that EGCG 'is a promising candidate for antiangiogenic treatment of gastric cancer.'"

As we've stated before, you should always seek advice from your medical practitioner, and they should be informed of any independent or alternative treatments you are trying.

Meantime, isn't it great to know that as you sip your green tea you are doing something that is good for you, and you may be preventing cancer at the same time?

What kind of green tea will you drink today? Will it be the new aptly named Divine Goji Berry green tea, a classic like Tart Granny Green, something exotic like Hawa ya-doin, or something a little spicy and rich like Superior Snow Cap? Whichever green tea you choose, enjoy!

Green Tea for Your Bones!

There have been many many studies done on green tea, and even many more health claims made about it.

Here's one that seems to have some body to it.

There's been a recent study on the effect of green tea on Bone Mineral Density (BMD) and how that relates to the treatment of osteoporosis.

Author Jessica Hodges describes the study and its results:

A five-year Australian study of 1,500 women, aged between 75 and 80, looked at the effects of tea drinking and calcium supplements on osteoporosis and found that the tea drinkers had a 2.8% greater BMD at the end of the study. Another study, which looked at 632 Japanese women of 60 years or over, found a significant link between green tea drinking and a higher BMD.

A recent review of laboratory work carried out on rats found that green tea helped increase bone mineral density both by promoting bone formation and inhibiting the bodies re-absorption of bone tissues. This study reinforces the work already done with people and helps scientists to start understanding the reason that green tea seems to work so well. Studies being done of the health effects of tea are increasing year on year, and it’s medical applications are starting to be taken very seriously.

As always, you need to treat tea as a complementary medicine and not an alternative to conventional treatment, but it certainly won’t do you any harm. In fact, the Japanese government recommends that its people drink ten cups of green tea a day, and the popularity of tea-based bottled drinks has rocketed as a result.

References:

Devine, A., Hodgeson, J.M., Dick, I.M. and Prince, R.L. – Tea drinking is associated with benefits on bone density in older women. Am J Clin Nutr 86(4) 1243-1247

Muraki, S., Yamamoto, S., Ishibashi, H., Oka, H., Yoshimura, N., Kawaguchi, H., Nakamura, K. – Diet and lifestyle associated with increased bone mineral density: cross-sectional study of Japanese elderly women at an osteoporosis outpatient clinic. J Orthop Sci 12(4) 317-320

Shen C-L, et al. Green tea and bone health: Evidence from laboratory studies. Pharmacol Res (2011) doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2011.03.012

Hara Y. Tea catechins and their applications as supplements and pharmaceutics Pharmacol Res (2011) doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2011.03.018

Wouldn't it make sense to drink green tea in your younger years and perhaps prevent osteoporosis? Whether you are preventing or preserving your bone mass from reducing, Steeped Tea offers so many delicious flavour options for green tea that you're bound to find at least 1 you like. Check out the summer flyer for some new flavours (Divine Gogi Berry anyone?), and the wellness flyer (Hawa-ya-Doin is a fave among our consultants) and catalogue for some classic options. To your bone health!

Super Tea!

The goji berry is popping up on lists that describe superfoods, along with items such as cinnamon, turmeric, pumpkin seeds etc. These lists help guide you as you make choices to improve your health through eating foods reknown for their nutritional content and/or healing components.

From the Canadian Living website, here is a brief description of the goji berry:

Hailed as the newest superfood, goji, a Himalayan berry, has inspired a surge of interest for its use in treating diabetes, hypertension, malaria, fever, cancer and other ailments. Gram for gram, goji berries pack more vitamin C than some oranges and more beta-carotene than carrots.

Some research has been conducted on the goji berry (obviously, or it wouldn't be on these lists!). From the About.com Alternative Medicine site, here is a bit of info on the health benefits that are being noticed:

Traditional Uses:

Goji berries have been used for 6,000 years by herbalists in China, Tibet and India to:

• protect the liver
• help eyesight
• improve sexual function and fertility
• strengthen the legs
• boost immune function
• improve circulation
• promote longevity

Goji berries are rich in antioxidants, particularly carotenoids such as beta-carotene and zeaxanthin. One of zeaxanthin's key roles is to protect the retina of the eye by absorbing blue light and acting as an antioxidant. In fact, increased intake of foods containing zeathanthin may decrease the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in people over the age of 65.

 Goji has only been tested on humans in two published studies. A Chinese study published in the Chinese Journal of Oncology in 1994 found that 79 people with cancer responded better to treatment when goji was added to their regimen.

There have been several test tube studies that show that goji berry contains antioxidants and that goji extracts may prevent the growth of cancer cells, reduce blood glucose, and lower cholesterol levels. However, that doesn't necessary mean that goji will have the same benefits when taken as a juice or tea.

Although goji berries like the ones used in traditional Chinese medicine aren't very expensive, goji juice is very pricey. Considering that a 32-ounce bottle of goji juice (about an 18-day supply) can run as high as $50 USD, the evidence isn't compelling enough at this time to justify the cost of goji juice.

What research has been done on goji berries?

 

While there are not nearly as many studies on goji berries as there are on other foods, Steeped Tea's Divine Goji Green Tea combines a sweet berry with another superfood, green tea.

The colour of the brewed tea is lovely - a chartreuse green that looked gorgeous in this glass tea pot with a tea light shining through it.

The taste was naturally sweet and fruity.

Although I seem to prefer black and white teas, I would definitely drink this green tea again. The goji berry enhanced the green tea flavour nicely and made a delightful anytime tea.

Even if the medical claims for the goji berry are inconclusive, it would seem that adding something like the goji berry with its anitoxidants to green tea with its antioxidants, should make a very healthful beverage, and at the same time,it makes a very smooth, enjoyable green tea that I believe would be tasty iced as well. This tea is listed on the summer flyer and is available through August. To your health!

Tea for Migraines

I was asked to write an article about tea for migraine relief.

This has turned out to be tricky, because as migraine sufferers know, the trigger isn't always the same. One time, it could be food or alcohol-related (caffeine, MSG, cheese, nuts and red wine are documented triggers for some migraine sufferers). Another time it could be brought on by changes in weather pressure, allergies, fragrances,  or stress. Unfortunately, just as the trigger isn't always the same, the cure is not always the same. What works one time may not work the next. My suggestion would be to experiment and I hope migraine sufferers can build up a small arsenal of things that work.

Here then, are some teas to try. You can try steeping the root of ginger in boiling water for 15 minutes to make your own ginger tea, or steep some Steeped Ginger Rooibos, drinking the tea either plain or with lemon at the first flashes of an oncoming migraine. (Be sure to check with your physician before using ginger as an herbal remedy because the herb can conflict with some medications.)

Christa Titus, at ehow, suggests green tea may help with headaches. Although caffeine can be a known trigger, for the migraine not brought on by caffeine, it can work. And as she points out, many headache remedies contain caffeine. Here's her step-by-step process:

Green tea helps ease migraines because of its caffeine content, which helps

Green tea helps ease migraines because of its caffeine content, which helps

open up the constricted blood vessels that are causing the pain. However, consuming caffeine is a balancing act, since everyone has a different tolerance, and too much of it can actually cause a headache. Consume the tea as soon as you notice you are experiencing symptoms, because a migraine can often be staved off if it is caught early.

Read more: How to Use Green Tea to Get Rid of Migraines | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4874121_use-green-tea-rid-migraines.html#ixzz1JxzDXsF8

Take an over-the-counter pain reliever with an 8 oz. glass of water.

 Boil a kettle of water.

  Steep 1 or 2 tsp. of loose green tea leaves in a diffuser for two to three minutes. (Bagged tea has more caffeine and is of a lesser quality than loose tea.)

  Remove the diffuser from the cup.

Dump out the tea. You do this because the younger the tea leaves, the more caffeine they contain, and the first steeping contains the strongest dose of it. Good-quality tea leaves will produce three cups of tea, so you have two left that you can drink.

6

Put the diffuser back in the cup, refill it with boiling water, and steep it for another two to three minutes.

7

Remove the diffuser and put it aside in case you need to make a third cup of tea.

8

Thoroughly dampen a wash cloth with cold water.

9

Drink the tea while it's hot. The tea contains elements called theanine and catechins that blend with the caffeine when the water is hot and keep the effects of the caffeine from being too strong.

Read more: How to Use Green Tea to Get Rid of Migraines | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4874121_use-green-tea-rid-migraines.html#ixzz1Jy03s3UZ

Drink the tea while it's hot. The tea contains elements called theanine and catechins that blend with the caffeine when the water is hot and keep the effects of the caffeine from being too strong.

  Hold the washcloth to your forehead in between sips of the tea for pain relief and to help keep cool. (Migraines can cause your face to feel flushed.)

 Drink a glass of cool water or Gatorade after you finish the tea to stay hydrated. Dehydration is one culprit behind headaches.

 Find a comfortable, quiet place to lie down. Pull the shades down, since bright light can make the migraine worse.

 Take a nap or rest as long as you need to with the washcloth on your forehead

Make another cup of tea with the used leaves if you haven't fallen asleep in about 45 minutes, or if the pain is getting worse. If you are comfortable, don't get up until the headache is completely gone. When a migraine is abating, abrupt movements can sometimes make it flare up again.

 

Other herbs, in addition to ginger, that may be helpful as teas or in a bath for abating the onset of a migraine include lavender, chamomile or peppermint.

According to Otesa Miles at Migraine.com, here is a list of when not to use tea for migraine relief:

Who should not drink tea to stop migraine

Pregnant women should not take chamomile because of the risk of miscarriage.

Pregnant women should not drink large amounts of green tea because the caffeine can cause miscarriage, slow the growth of the fetus and result in low birth weight.

Breastfeeding women should not drink large amounts of tea because the caffeine can be transferred to the breast milk.

People with asthma should not take chamomile tea because it can make asthma worse.

People with allergies or sensitivities to daisies, ragweed, asters or chrysanthemums should be cautious because they may also be allergic to chamomile.

Don’t take chamomile if you also take blood thinners, sedatives, alcohol, antidepressants, birth control pills, antifungal drugs, cholesterol-lowering drugs or Seldane.

People with liver disorders should not take concentrated green tea extracts. Anyone who develops abdominal pain, dark urine, jaundice or any signs of liver problems should stop taking green tea extracts immediately and seek medical attention. There have been rare reports of liver abnormalities in people taking concentrated green tea extracts.

Many teas contain caffeine. For some people, both caffeine and tea can be a migraine trigger. If caffeine or tea is a trigger, do not drink tea in an effort to ease migraine pain.