Health Benefits of Tea Consumption

Transparent cup of green tea with lime on wooden backgroundFor centuries people have been drinking tea, both socially and medicinally. Formal research is somewhat limited in this area, but the traditional uses and case studies have encouraged this trend of tea drinking to be passed down throughout the years. In my opinion, the health benefits that can be acquired from tea are more than just from the herb that is used. Medicinal properties can extend from the time spent consuming tea with a friend, or even the act of preparing a cup of tea. In my opinion, the act of making a medicinal tea for one’s ailments could have a great placebo effect in itself, not to mention the health benefits that you would get from the tea.

Much of the research regarding tea consumption and health benefits looks at green or black tea. However, some of the findings below relate to tea consumption as a practice and not necessarily a specific type of tea.

Bone Health

Research has shown that among daily tea consumers, bone density was 2.8% thicker than those individuals who did not drink tea on a daily basis. In addition, the tea drinkers experienced far less bone loss than compared to the non-tea drinkers (1% versus 4% respectively).

Brain Health

Not only has tea been shown to impact cognition, but mood as well. Researcher found that individuals who consumed tea on a regular basis (i.e. daily), were less likely to be depressed. In regards to cognition and risk of dementia, individuals who consumed tea daily were at a decreased risk of cognitive decline or impairment. In addition, regular tea consumers have been shown to have a faster reaction time than those who did not consume tea regularly.

Cancer Prevention

Some research has shown that daily consumption of tea can decrease the risk of and protect against various forms of cancer, including colon, esophageal, and lung cancer.

Heart Health

The antioxidant capacity of tea makes it quite beneficial for heart health. Specifically, research has shown that those individuals who drank tea on a regular basis had lower blood pressure than those who did not. The more tea that individuals drank, the less likely they were to have high blood pressure. This effect was noted in green tea or oolong consumption. In addition, regular consumption of green or black tea has been shown to decrease risk of cardiovascular disease.

Other

In addition to the health benefits mentioned above, daily tea consumption has been shown to potentially protect against bacterial infections, dental cavities, and kidney stones. Tea may also present a positive benefit on decreasing body weight and body fat overall. In addition, tea consumption was suggested to decrease the risk of developing type II diabetes when consumed at 3-4 cups per day.

As some of you may know, I do offer organic, custom teas to my patients as a therapeutic tool to promote healing. If you are interested in having a custom made tea suited to your individual needs, consider booking an appointment with me to help you address your health goals.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!

References:

http://nutritionreviews.oxfordjournals.org/content/58/1/1.abstract

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/86/4/1243.short

http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=217219

http://www.ajol.info/index.php/tjpr/article/view/14660

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0098299710000737

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10654-005-0148-2#page-1

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/88/1/224.short

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/88/1/224.short

http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=485133

 

 

 

 

 

6 Ways to Treat Acne at Home

Unshaven Middle aged man reading a prescription label in front oAcne has been a nemesis that many have battled for years. It can show up at the most inopportune times, such as before prom, before your wedding, before that family photo shoot, or even before a first date. It is my hope that this blog will provide you with some at home therapies or treatments to help you fight acne and win.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil has many good medicinal properties to it that make it beneficial for acne. It can help fight infections and reduce inflammation that might be caused from the pimple. You can apply it with a Q – tip to the areas of acne. Myself, as well as others, have found that it helps to decrease the size, colour, and soreness of the pimple.

Changing Your Pillow Case

Changing your pillow case is an important habit to get into. By changing your pillow case more frequently your skin will be less likely to be exposed to dead skin, grime, etc. I tend to recommend changing your pillow case as often as possible – i.e. every day if possible. This can be unrealistic for some, and so changing it at least once per week is better than not changing it until a month goes by.

Green Tea Bag

Not only is Green Tea healthy for you internally, but it can also be useful externally as well. A green tea bag that has had time to soak in hot water AND cool down (so that it can be applied to the skin without burning), can be applied to the area of acne and help to decrease inflammation, prevent infection, and soothe the area from pain.

Green Tea Face Wash

Using a tea bag may be inconvenient and too messy for some. Alternatively, you can make a green tea face wash. This involves letting your green tea bag soak in hot water and letting the water cool down until you could comfortably apply the water to your skin. Once the water is cool enough, you can wash your face with this water, and then rinse off with your standard tap water. Doing the face wash has the benefit of being able to be applied to more areas of your face, however, may take longer to have effect over the green tea bag being applied to smaller areas.

Exercise

Acne can be caused from our body sweating and blocking pores. Therefore, by giving your body more opportunities to detoxify, such as through regular exercise, it may decrease the amount of acne flare-ups you have.

Drink More Water

Water can be beneficial for so many different things, including acne. I have found that when I am making sure to provide my body with the necessary water that it needs, acne tends to subside. This could be due to the detoxifying nature of water or the cleansing effect that water can have on your blood. Either way, it doesn’t hurt to drink water and try and achieve water consumption levels that are appropriate for you.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please contact Elisha Cook (on the contact portion of this website) for more information.

Top 5 Herbal Teas to Keep at Home

Transparent cup of green tea with lime on wooden backgroundHerbal teas are great not only for their relaxing capacity, but also for their medicinal benefit. Having teas available at home for some common ailments provides a convenient way to have some home treatments, but also to save money and time. The following is a list of a few teas I have at home, that I have found to be beneficial with some common ailments.

Echinacea 

Echinacea is a great tea to keep at home when you feel like you might be coming down with a cold, or just feel the need to “boost” your immune system. It has the most benefits when it is taken right when you start to feel like you might be coming down with something. A great addition to this tea when you are trying to fight that cold is honey for its bacterial fighting capabilities!

Chamomile 

Chamomile is a nice tea to have at home for several reasons. Firstly, chamomile can be beneficial when you have an upset stomach, difficulty digesting food, constipation, or any other difficulties with your gastrointestinal tract. Its calming properties make it beneficial for soothing the gastrointestinal system as well as calming the mind. Specifically, chamomile can be beneficial if you are having a difficult time sleeping. Taking a cup of chamomile before bed might help to prepare your mind and body for sleep.

Green Tea 

I am sure many of you were anticipating this tea being on the list due to all of the hype that this tea often gets. All hype aside, this tea is great for many different circumstances based on its components helping to fight infections, stimulate the mind, and promote health. Green tea helps to kill off infective agents that might be attacking the body, and so is also beneficial when you feel a cold coming on. Green tea also has the unique ability of helping one to regain focus and attention without being as stimulating as coffee. Finally, green tea has many antioxidants making it beneficial for overall health.

Raspberry

Raspberry Leaf is a great tea for females to have on hand, especially when Mother Nature makes her monthly visits. Raspberry leaf tea can be helpful when experiencing cramping from your menstrual period.

Nettle  

Nettle is a great addition to your tea pantry for several reasons. Nettle is able to help “clean” the blood, making it beneficial for acne. For this reason, Nettle tea is also beneficial for helping those who suffer from allergies. As well, Nettle is a herb that has been promoted as a “male tonic”.

Have you  benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment or Tweet about this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC today and let me help you achieve your health goals.