15 Ways to Control High Blood Pressure without Medication…

High blood pressure, also referred to as hypertension, is a very serious health condition. It can damage your vital organs such as your kidneys, heart, and brain. It is not a rare health condition but one that many people have, especially as they get older. Instead of taking blood pressure medication you can reduce and control your high blood pressure without medication. If you have been prescribed medication do not stop taking it without talking to your physician first.

1. Reduce your salt intake

Many people have the bad habit of adding salt without tasting it so make sure that you taste your food before you add salt.

Junk food and processed foods have a high amount of sodium, aka salt, so try to avoid including them in your diet as much as you can. Avoid preserved foods altogether as they have a very high sodium level.

Flavor the foods that you cook with different salt-free seasonings, herbal seasonings, or fresh herbs. You should try to limit your salt intake to two thousand three hundred milligrams a day or less and if you are over the age of fifty you should keep it at fifteen hundred milligrams or less a day.

This might sound like a lot of salt but actually one level teaspoon will give you two thousand three hundred milligrams, your daily allotment.

2. Reduce your caffeine intake

Cut back on how much coffee you drink during the day and switch to decaffeinated coffee and tea. If you just have to have a cup of coffee to get you going in the morning limit yourself to just one cup.

It is important to remember that coffee is not the only thing you may be drinking that has caffeine like soda pop and energy drinks.

 Switch to soda pop that has no caffeine and stay away from energy drinks. Drink green tea because it is full of antioxidant which makes it good for you.

3. Start exercising

Exercising is one of the best ways in which to help lower your blood pressure and help keep it under control. Even moderate exercised such as yoga or walking can help to reduce your blood pressure.

One big advantage of doing yoga is that it can help to lower your stress levels because this type of exercise helps to relax your mind and body. Yoga can also be done at home and if you have a stressful day at work, do yoga when you get home to lower your stress level.

Starting to exercise is a natural way to help lower your blood pressure. You should try to exercise thirty to sixty minutes a day for at least four days a.

4. Eat food that is rich in potassium

In your body you need to have the levels of potassium and sodium balanced because if your sodium intake is high it can lead to retaining water along with hypertension.

When you eat foods that are rich in potassium it can help to flush out the excess sodium from your body. This will help to lower your blood pressure.

Some of the foods that are rich in potassium that you should include in your diet are bananas, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, spinach, and asparagus.

5. Lose those extra pounds

Yes, this is easier said than done most of the time but if your Body Mass Index is more than what it should be you need to work at loosing those extra pounds.

This is especially true if the extra weight you are carrying is around your waistline. This extra flab around your waist is referred to as “visceral fat” and is the most dangerous fat of all because it will increase your risk of developing diabetes and heart diseases.

Talk to your physician about a weight loss program to get rid of this dangerous fat.

6. Limit how much alcohol you drink

When you are drinking too much alcohol it can cause your blood pressure to rise sharply and increase your risk of having a stroke so reduce the intake of alcohol to no more than one to two drinks a day.

7. Control your stress level

For most people stress at work is the biggest contributor to causing your stress level to rise, especially if they are working long hours. Personal problems can also cause a rise in your stress level.

Although the spikes in your blood pressure from a high stress level do not last long it can still put you at a risk for developing hypertension. When you feel stressed out try to find a way to relax such as taking a long warm bath, listening to soothing music, mild exercise like going for a walk or yoga, etc.

8. DASH diet

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. On this type of diet you need to make sure that you are eating whole grains, low-fat dairy products, vegetables, and fruits.

To help you stay on the diet keep a food diary and write down what you eat for a week to see what your true eating habits are. 

This will help you see what you are eating, when, why, and how much. Once you know the answers then you can start making changes in your diet and start to lower your blood pressure. To make it easier to stay on the diet allow yourself a treat once a week like a chocolate candy bar, a cookie, some mashed potatoes, etc.

9. Stop smoking

You should also try to avoid second hand smoke. In addition to raising your blood pressure smoking can also cause cancer and other cardiovascular diseases.

Home Remedies

10. Lemons

• Drink a cup of warm water with the juice of a half lemon every morning when you get up. Make sure that you are drinking it on an empty stomach to get the best results. You should not add sugar or salt to the drink but if it is too sour you can add a couple of drops of honey.

Lemons will help to keep your blood vessels pliable and soft. When you are removing the rigidity in the blood vessels you will also lower your high blood pressure and also lower your chance of suffering from heart failure.

11. Watermelon seeds

• Grind an equal amount of poppy seeds and dried watermelon seeds and take one teaspoon each morning on an empty stomach and another teaspoon before you go to bed.

There is a compound found in watermelon seeds called “cucurbocitrin” that helps to widen your blood capillaries and will help improve your kidney function along with helping to lower your blood pressure.

12. Garlic

Using either raw or cooked garlic will help to reduce and control your blood pressure by helping to relax the blood vessels.

• You can eat one or two gently crushed cloves of garlic each day

• Add it to your foods when cooking

• In four ounces of water add five or six drops of garlic juice, mixing well. You should take it twice a day.

13. Celery

In celery you will find the compound “phthalides” that help to control your blood pressure by relaxing the muscles around and in your arterial walls.

This will create more space to allow your blood to flow in without any problems along with helping to reduce the stress hormones that can constrict your blood vessels. You should eat a stalk of celery with a full glass of water each day.

14. Cayenne pepper

Eating cayenne pepper will help to prevent the platelets from clumping together and eventually accumulate in your blood. Keeping them from clumping together will help you have a smooth blood flow and reduce your blood pressure. You only need a little bit to add to your soup, chili, vegetable salad, meats, etc. It is a very spicy herb.

15. Honey

Using honey it can have a calming effect on your blood vessels and reduce the pressure from your heart, reducing your blood pressure. In the morning on an empty stomach eat two teaspoons.

Disclaimer: This blog publisher does not advise self medication and cannot be help responsibly for anybody who does also this shared article serves as a suggestion and not to replace any medical advice from your physician.

10 BAD HABITS THAT LEADS TO DEPRESSION...

Depression is regarded a mental and emotional disorder. Several individuals think that the state of depression is all about being sad. This is just the beginning and it gets a whole lot worse.

Depression is capable of robbing you of your energy, memory, concentration,  your hobbies become a bore and if not addressed at this point, the will to live is lost too. At this state, it is best to get professional help from a qualified doctor.

The following are some bad habits that may lead to depression and or worsen the situation and must be avoided at all costs.

Lack of exercise

You need exercise to keep your body and mind strong and healthy. Depression is brought about by remaining inactive. By always staying indoors doing nothing, you tend to be eat too much and all you do is stay lazy. In no time, weight gain becomes a problem and depression starts to kick in soon after.

It is therefore important to exercise and stay active. This addresses the needs of your body and mind thus keeping you away from depression. If you do not want to do anything strainous, you can opt for walks or you can pick up hobbies like mountain climbing, swimming or any other sport.

Bad eating habits

Staying healthy seems like a joke until you find yourself with a diet related ailment like obesity and depression. If your meals lack essential nutrients like omega-3, the brain is prone to get into the state of depression.

Ensure that you get the necessary nutrients to enrich your brain and your mind set will be more open to handling stress levels that may lead to depression.

Bad sleeping habits

Some people stay up late for various reasons and in no time, they are up in the morning preparing to leave for their work stations. This is not advisable at all as it alters the balance between rest and work. It is advisable that you get enough rest of about 8 hours a day. Lack of sufficient sleep can cause depression as the individual is constantly tired and on the edge as the body is exhausted.

Reduce the risk of depression by getting sufficient sleep and make it a habit to clearly define the pattern. Avoid random patterns. Try to adopt a pattern that your body will be accustomed to. Do not derive yourself of sleep and reduce your chances of creating a situation ideal for depression.

Isolation

Some individuals believe in living a life of isolation where teamwork and involving others does not give meaning to them. This lonely behavior makes individuals less interactive and they end up keeping things that they are supposed to open up in secret.

 The inner self can therefore not be at peace as not much is being solved and the individual carry’s the burdens that life has to offer without sharing them.

It is therefore important that people learn to be social as social activities brighten one’s mind and they are able to share some problems and get the burden off their chest. Remember a problem shared is half solved. Research indicates that people with a strong social network are less likely to develop depression. Have relationships with friends and family.

                        

Overworking

Work overloads can be quite a burden and the problem comes in when the fear of not being able to complete the tasks assigned to you.

People who wait last minute to have work done tend to get into depression than those who spread out the work load over a given period of time. It is important that you get work done without straining yourself.

Handle the much you can. With a spread out schedule that is reasonably times, you should be able to decrease the chances of getting to the state of depression.

Too many choices

Many individuals will get totally confused at the aspect of making choices. Many want to make the right choice and it can be rather disturbing when everything looks alike and you are trying so hard to make the right choice.

While some will walk into the store and pick out anything that will serve the purpose they need and walk out, others will take time to pick out what they regard is the best.

This inability to let go and make a decision can be rather disturbing as the fear to make the wrong choice can be devastating.Try and let go of some petty issues and keep in mind that you can have a given objective accomplished in several other ways.

Constant Negative thought

It is not that every other aspect has to be related to everything that is bad. Constantly thinking negatively is more likely to get you in a state of depression. Thing that you cannot change should not be your line of focus either.

Stop always thinking of aspects such as rejection, loss, failure or threats. As much as life is not always about good, do not always put your concentration of the bitter side of life.

Drug and alcohol abuse

These intoxicate your body and mind. Making the correct judgment over things is not only tampered with but your mental state is also disfigured. In turn depression kicks. Drug and alcohol abuse do not just lead you to a state of depression but also worsens the situation if consumption is maintained.

It is therefore important to stop alcohol and drug abuse. If it is proving difficult, you can always seek medical help to help you get through it.

Self pity

The state of self pity arises when individuals feel like they are not doing enough and that they are not good enough for anything or anyone. Depression will kick in sooner than you can imagine as you are constantly thinking of why you and not someone else.

Keep in mind that you have no idea what any other person is going through and focus on the achievements you have been able to achieve.

Disclaimer: This blog publisher does not advise self medication and cannot be help responsibly for anybody who does also this shared article serves as a suggestion and not to replace any medical advice from your physician.

10 Ways Mushrooms Can Improve Your Health...

A mushroom is a fungi that most people consume on a daily basis to add flavor to various dishes and, most importantly, to benefit from its well-known healing properties.

There are thousands of varieties of mushrooms that grow throughout the world. Although there are a small number of mushrooms that are fatally poisonous, there are also very many classes of the mushroom species which possess several different health benefits.

Therefore, it is very important to conduct extensive research to know which mushrooms to add to your diet, in order to maintain and improve your living. Mushrooms have been on earth for thousands of years and there are many ways that this organism can improve your health.

Helps To Maintain A Healthy Weight

Certain types of mushrooms can help with allowing a person to reach his or her weight loss goals, as well as to maintain a healthy weight. Since organically-grown mushrooms are low in calories and sodium, but packed with delicious flavors, they can be used as a meat substitute or added to any main dish.

Mushrooms help to increase metabolism, which quickly turns food to energy, and speed up a person’s weight loss. The most popular mushroom known to help with a person’s weight management is the “white button mushrooms”.

Provides Proper Nutrition

Mushrooms are loaded with healthy nutrients and antioxidants that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Most nutritionists suggest that mushrooms be eaten after they are cooked because this method allows its healthiest properties to be released through the spores.

 Mushrooms also contain important B vitamins, which aid the nervous system and break down complex carbohydrates, while providing a boost of energy. By many nutritional experts, mushrooms have been coined as one of the world’s ultimate super foods.

Gives the Immune System a Boost

Mushrooms are also known as nature’s medicine and can drastically improve and support the body’s immune system. A person who starts to eat mushrooms before cold and flu season starts are less likely to develop any type of common cold.

 But, mushrooms deliver much more power to the immune system than just combating the common cold. A person’s immune system gets a major boost and stays in healthy shape with the help of mushrooms.

Several different types of mushrooms can kill harmful bacteria, germs, and yeast, which can improve your body’s overall health to fight off major diseases.

Loaded With Vitamin D

“Portabello mushrooms” are packed with healthy vitamin D.  Normally, vitamin D is produced throughout our bodies with the help of proper sunlight. If a person is not getting his or her daily intake of the critical vitamin, mushrooms can be of assistance.

Proper vitamin D intake contributes to a vast amount of the body’s important functions. This super vitamin supports the immune system and brain health.

Increases Bladder Health

Mushrooms contain high levels of the mineral “selenium”. Selenium helps to protect against any type of bladder illness that could lead to bladder cancer. This mineral is very beneficial to women. Raw “crimini and shitake mushrooms” are very rich with selenium. Both forms of mushrooms provide almost fifty percent of what a person’s daily consumption should be.

Fights Cancer and Combats Cancer-Causing Cells

Recent scientific studies have proven that mushrooms can lower a person’s risk of developing cancer. “Lectin” compounds found in certain mushrooms are powerful in preventing cancer cells from forming altogether. Extensive research by experts has shown that women who eat at least one mushroom per day can drastically reduce her risk of getting breast cancer by fifty percent.

Combats Diabetes and Regulates Insulin Levels

Diabetes affects millions of people throughout the World and lowers their quality of life. Diabetes, a condition where the blood glucose rises to unhealthy levels, is a form of poor health and can eventually lead to death, if not monitored properly.

Mushrooms can be of a great benefit to people with this particular disease. Since mushrooms are a free of dangerous cholesterol and harmful fat, it can help prevent heart disease and regulate a person’s blood sugar level, when eaten often and properly.

Keeps Your Heart Healthy

Eating foods high in fat, sodium, and sugar can contribute to an unhealthy heart which can lead to heart disease and, later, even death.

Thousands of people die every year from not properly taking care of their heart health, improving their diet, and getting sufficient daily exercise.

 Mushrooms can help a person take better care of their heart and prevent heart disease by providing natural heart-healthy fiber. Along with many fruits and vegetables, mushrooms tremendously lower cholesterol levels.

When a person includes mushrooms to a healthy diet, he or she can live a longer and much healthier life.

Promotes Healthy Skin and Hair

Many people always strive to look their absolute best. A healthy diet can help with getting started on that journey. When trying obtaining the closest level of perfection, a person desires to have healthy skin and beautiful flowing hair.

Mushrooms can provide an array of healthy vitamins and nutrients to help a person put his or her best face forward. Organically fresh mushrooms have an abundance of important nutrients such as biotin, niacin, copper, and riboflavin.

All of these elements improve the health of the skin and hair. A person will soon notice glowing skin and thicker, stronger locks as a result of adding mushrooms to his or her daily intake.

Abundant In Ergothioneine for a Longer Fuller Life

Most people would like to live out their years by being as healthy as possible. Mushrooms have been proven to increase the longevity of a person’s life because it is packed with ergothioneine.

Ergothioneine is a very powerful antioxidant that cannot be produced by the human body. Therefore, a person has to get this powerful substance through food intake. 

Ergothioneine is extremely important for a person’s health because it protects the blood cells and actively transports nutrients and oxygen into the cells.

According to studies, ergothioneine is found in both, white and brown mushrooms, and remain active after mushrooms are cooked.

Disclaimer: This blog publisher does not advise self medication and cannot be help responsibly for anybody who does also this shared article serves as a suggestion and not to replace any medical advice from your physician.

15 BENEFITS OF PAPAYA (PAW PAW) FOR YOUR SKIN AND BEAUTY...

Papaya is a tropical fruit that has a sweet taste. Papaya has certain properties that can help to bring back that healthy glow of years past. Papaya also has the ability to help reduce age spots and decompose the free radicals that is causing your face to age along with rejuvenating your skin. The enzymes in papaya fruit also can help to heal your irritated skin from sunburn. Papaya is the type of fruit that can benefit your skin on the outside and inside. Here are some of the many ways in which you can use papaya for natural skin conditions.

1. Facial masks

Papayas are rich in vitamins E and C along with an enzyme that can help to exfoliate your skin naturally. One way to use this natural exfoliation is to make facial masks to help keep your skin smooth and baby soft. When making facial masks at home you can add different ingredients such as oatmeal, pineapple, yogurt, egg whites, and clay with the papaya.

Oatmeal and papaya—peel and dice two slices of papaya. Add five tablespoon to the papaya after mashing it. Once mixed add the juice of one fresh lime and two egg whites. Mix well and apply it on your neck and face, leaving it on for fifteen minutes. Wash your face with warm water.

These facial masks will moisturize and rejuvenate your skin.

2. Lighten your skin

Using the extracts of papaya can bring shine and glow to your skin because of the vitamin E in the papaya. When you first use it to lighten your skin , your skin may itch and feel irritated but after a few weeks it will stop and you will start to notice changes in your skin tone. It helps to peel off the cells and layers which are dark and dead. To get this effect you need to use papaya soap every day. Check the soaps to find one that has papaya as a main ingredient and is of good quality. When using regularly it can help to eliminate freckles, pigmentation, sun spots, acne scars, and more.

3. Facial cleanser

If you are experiencing problems with blemishes, dry skin tone, wrinkles, and pimples rub the white pulp from a papaya on your face for five to ten minutes, leave on for ten minutes, and then wash off with warm water. You will see youthfulness and a glow to your skin afterwards. You should do this at least three times a week to maintain these results.

4. Reduce the calluses on your feet and hands

Use the sap from a papaya that appears when you cut the fruit on your rough and dry hands and feet. If you do this once every day it will make your hands and feet to feel soft again.

5. Breaks up dead skin

Rubbing papaya any place on your skin will help to break up the dead skin cells to make your skin look cleaner, more glowing, and fresher. When you rub the fruit on your skin you can do this at night before showering. Leave on for ten minutes, and then take a warm shower.

6. Get rid of acne

When using papaya as a face pack it can help to open the pores of your face or wherever you have acne so you do not have clogged pores, which are a main cause of acne.

 7. Remove blemishes from your skin

To help remove pimples and blemishes from your skin apply some mashed raw papaya to the areas, leave on for fifteen minutes, and wash off with warm water to get rid of those embarrassing blemishes and pimples.

8. Softens your skin

When using a papaya enzyme peel it will soften your skin and aid in fighting free radicals that can damage your skin. The peels from the papaya enzyme are very rich in antioxidants and will dissolve your dead skin cells leaving you smooth skin. It can even help eliminate fine lines and reduce the appearance of age spots and blemishes.

 9. Gets rid of cellulite

To do this you can eat papaya and you can also use papaya as a scrub to help smooth out and get rid of the bumps and lumps that cellulite can cause. There are enzymes that help to stimulate the production of collagen and breaks down the top layer of fat dead cells under your skin to help you have smoother, firmer lines.

 10. Treatment for wounds

If you have cuts or wounds that do not heal quickly you can use the pulp from papayas and put some of it on the wound. You can also make a poultice to put on the wounds.

11. Cleanses your body

Eating papaya every day will cleanse your body from the inside out to give you healthier looking skin.

12. Use as a sunscreen

You can rub some raw papaya on your body or else use a moisturizer that lists papaya as a main ingredient to help protect your skin from the harmful effects rays of the sun.

 13. Remove acne scars

Make a facial treatment of honey and papaya. Rub some on your face or where you had acne and can already see the scars. Leave on for thirty minutes and then wash off with warm water. Both of these ingredients have enzymes that help to heal and repair your skin and slowly and gently fade out your acne scars.

 14. Gives you smoother skin

Using the inner part of the papaya skin apply it to your skin and let it dry. Rinse it off with cold water and do this treatment every two weeks.

 15. Hair care

To use for hair care you will most likely have to go to the store and see if they have either papaya shampoo and conditioner or a shampoo and conditioner that lists papaya as their main ingredient. It can help prevent dandruff along with helping to control dandruff.

This blog publisher does not advise self medication and cannot be help responsibly for anybody who does also this shared article serves as a suggestion and not to replace any medical advice from your physician.

Top 20 Health Benefits of Drinking Green Tea

Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) hailed as one of the most potent remedial health tonics of our age, has come a long way from its humble beginnings in 2737BC, when it was first brewed for Emperor Shennong. Just how many cups a day we need is still open to speculation. It’s an individual thing; but drinking it daily guarantees that you will feel better, lose (or control) weight and lower your risk of chronic illness such as Diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Cancers and Heart Disease.

The secret is in the processing, which does not include the fermentation that Black Tea goes through before it is dried. Fresh Green Tea is simply steamed at ultra high temperature and then dried immediately. This process retains a powerful group of antioxidants called polyphenols, along with beneficial bio-active enzymes, amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, sterols, carotenoids, tocopherols, vitamins, caffeine, phytochemicals and dietary minerals.

Whilst its full range of medicinal properties are still being debated, here are 20 things you did not know about drinking green tea :

1. Weight Loss – Most of the latest fat burning ‘thermo-genic’ products on the market today will probably list Green Tea as an ingredient. This is for two reasons. The first is that Green Tea increases the metabolic rate and fat metabolisation up to 17% depending on the individual. Secondly, because the catechins found in green tea, slow down the actions of digestive enzymes. This slowdown means that the intestines aren’t absorbing all of the calories eaten either — so the body isn’t gaining weight.

2. Overall Health and Healthy Ageing – It makes sense that any substance that can lower your overall risks of serious cancers and cardiovascular diseases, help you live longer. It is also true that by doing so, this also helps improve and maintain quality of life. So much so, that in a Japanese study of 14,000 elderly Japanese individuals aged 65-84 years, it was found that those who drank the most green tea (up to five cups a day) were 76% less likely to die during the six-year study period.

3. Digestion and Liver Function – Green tea has been consumed for digestive health from its earliest uses in India and China, where it was found, that men who drink more than 10 cups of green tea per day are less likely to develop liver problems. Green tea also protects the liver and stomach from the damaging effects of toxic substances such as alcohol.

4. Cholesterol - Maryland Researchers found that 10 cups of green tea a day lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) while leaving your good cholesterol (HDL) untouched. They found that for every glass of green tea you drink you can expect a reduction of 0.015 milli-mols per litre (mmol/L).

5. Type II Diabetes – Approximately 300 million people worldwide suffer from this modern epidemic. Studies into the effectiveness of green tea in improving insulin sensitivity and reducing blood sugar levels are positive. In a review of over 286,000 individuals throughout seven separate trials, green tea drinkers had an 18% lower risk of becoming diabetic overall, with substantially lower blood sugar levels.

6. Blood Pressure – The catechins in green tea have been shown to cause a decrease in blood pressure. Drinking  few cups daily, can assist in returning normal blood vessel function over time.

7. Heart Disease – A study of 40,000 Japanese people found that death from heart disease was 31% lower in women and 22% lower in men who drank an average of five cups of green tea daily. Scientists believe that the antioxidant effect of catechins is their ability to reduce the damage to the arteries caused by free radicals. It also helps reduce the formation of clots, which are the primary cause of heart attacks.

8. Breast Cancer – In a study to see if the polyphenols in green tea inhibited the growth of breast cancer cells, 472 women (in various stages of breast cancer) were studied. Overall, cancer spread slower in those who drank the most green tea. This was more so in the case of premenopausal women in the earliest stages of breast cancer. Researchers also found that those in the early stages who drank at least 5 cups of tea daily (before being diagnosed), were less likely to go into remission after treatment.

9. Prostate Cancer – The American Journal of Epidemiology reported that Japanese men drinking green tea regularly had a 48% lower risk of developing prostate cancer, than those who did not.

10. Ovarian Cancer - In a study conducted with ovarian cancer patients in China, it was discovered that the women who drank at least one cup of green tea per day lived longer with the disease, than those who didn’t drink green tea at all. In fact, those who drank the most tea lived the longest.

11. Bladder Cancer - Clinical studies conducted at the Maryland Medical Centre examined the relationship between bladder cancer and green tea. Researchers found that women who drank powdered green tea were less likely to develop bladder cancer. A follow-up clinical study revealed that people with bladder cancer – particularly men – who drank green tea, increased their survival rate by five years over those who did not.

12. Depression – Green Tea contains the amino acid L-theanine which crosses the brain barrier easily. Research has proven that this reduced major depressive symptoms, stress and anxiety in older people who drank more than four cups of green tea each day by 44%, compared to those who drank less than one.

13. Brain Function, Focus, and Concentration – Caffeine blocks an inhibitory neuro-transmitter called Adenosine. It fires up neuron activity and concentrations of compounds like dopamine and norepinephrine improving brain function, mood, vigilance, reaction time and memory. The combination of caffeine and L-theanine has a particularly potent synergistic effect on brain function, doubling its positive effects. Like choosing a low GI meal, more people reported a ‘stable,’ longer lasting kind of “buzz” drinking Green Tea than coffee, without the ‘jitters,’ ‘burn-out, or ‘down side’ afterwards.

15. Alziemhers and Parkinson’s - These two diseases both involve the death of dopamine producing neurons in the brain. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neuro-degenerative disease in humans and a leading cause of dementia. Multiple studies have shown that the catechins compounds in green tea may not only improve brain function in the short term, but it’s accumulative effects into old age too.

16. Coughs, Colds and Flu -Nothing really ‘cures’ a cold or flu, but recent research at Harvard University found that drinking five cups of green tea daily, quadrupled the body’s immune defense system after two weeks. Green tea polyphenols kill bacteria and inhibit viruses like the influenza. The catechins act like an anti-oxidant clean-up crew against the viral free radicals scavenging your body and its organs.

17. Anti-viral and Anti-Fungal - Some studies show that these same compounds have other biological effects as well, like killing bacteria and lowering the risk of infections. Handy to know when there is no Tea-tree oil in the house!

18. Glowing Skin - Because of the antioxidant properties of Green Tea, applying it topically (daily) as a toner can help reduce sun damage and fine lines.

19. Tooth Decay - Not only have studies shown that drinking green tea reduces bad breath, but that the harmful bacteria in our mouths – Streptococcus mutans – causes plaque formation, and is a leading contributor to cavities and tooth decay. The same polyphenols in green tea inhibit their growth considerably, resulting in improved dental health.

20. Anti-Inflammatory - Great news for those who suffer with rheumatoid arthritis. The secret? The powerful high amounts of antioxidant polyphenols. Like the people who have consumed this wonder plant on a regular basis for thousands of years, (who already know) because they have considerably lower occurrences of arthritis the world over.