Green Tea Consumption Lowers Stroke Risk by Nearly Thirty Percent

Stroke is a devastating medical event that debilitates more than 800,000 Americans each year and kills nearly 150,000. Along with cardiovascular disease, many people continue to think that vascular diseases are a normal part of the aging process and take the statistics and mortality figures in stride. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Arterial stiffness and the buildup of plaque in arteries around the heart, neck and brain are the result of excess refined carbohydrate and wheat consumption, lack of physical activity, stress and smoking. Fortunately there are a host of natural foods and nutrients that can help support a healthy lifestyle to help lower the risk of suffering a life changing, deadly stroke.

Green Tea Supplies a Powerful Dose of Antioxidant Catechins to Slash Stroke Risk

A group of researchers at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center in Japan have published the result of an important study in Stroke, the Journal of the American Heart Association that explains how drinking green tea on a regular basis is associated with a dramatically reduced risk of stroke. Lead study author, Dr. Yoshihiro Kokubo commented “The regular action of drinking green tea daily is a benefit in preventing stroke… if you cannot readily improve your lifestyle, try to prevent stroke by drinking green tea every day.”

To conduct their study, scientists’ monitored green tea intake for a total of 83,269 Japanese adults, aged 45 to 74 years, for an average of thirteen years to see whether it had any effect on vascular health. In the first large scale study of its kind performed to date, researchers reviewed medical records for all participants and adjusted for factors such as age, sex, diet, smoking status, and weight. They determined that making small but positive lifestyle changes such as adding green tea daily to your diet can lower the risk of stroke by as much as thirty percent.

Drink Two to Four Cups of Green Tea Daily to Maximize the Anti-Inflammatory Health Benefits

Detailing the results of their study, researchers found that drinking two to four cups of green tea each day lowered the risk for hemorrhagic stroke by 32 percent. The team also investigated the effect of drinking coffee and found the beverage can yield similar results to those found with green tea consumption. Many health-minded people avoid coffee due to the highly processed nature of the bean and increased levels of homocysteine, blood pressure and blood lipids.

Researchers concluded that green tea provides a healthy dose of catechins that are potent antioxidants and exert anti-inflammatory properties that help lower stroke risk. Coffee contains chlorogenic acid that helps modulate blood sugar levels to improve vascular health. Green coffee bean extract supplements supply chlorogenic acid without the side effects experienced with coffee consumption. Lower your stroke risk by drinking up to four cups of fresh brewed, organic green tea every day.

EGCG from Green Tea Blocks the Formation of Plaques to Help Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

As new cases of Alzheimer’s disease are expected to quadruple over the next several decades, Big Pharma researchers are plowing billions of research dollars into finding a synthetic cure for an illness that has its roots deeply seated in poor diet, excess stress and a generally unhealthy lifestyle. Unfortunately for the giant pharmaceutical concerns, drugs have yielded nothing but dismal results as one potential miracle cure after another fail to provide any hope as new cases of the mind-robbing disease continue to mount.

Green Tea Consumption Prevents Protein Tangles that Promote Alzheimer’s Disease Progression

For more than a decade, nutrition scientists have been heralding a small number of natural compounds including resveratrol, curcumin and EGCG from green tea extracts that easily cross the blood-brain barrier to promote brain health and improve cognitive function. Researchers from the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute, publishing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, explain how extracts from green tea may block the formation of beta-amyloid plaques that have been linked to the onset of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions that prevent the misfolding of specific proteins in the brain.

Improper accumulations of proteins known as metal-associated amyloids are a hallmark sign of many neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s dementia. Researchers used green tea extract to control the generation of metal-associated amyloid-beta aggregates associated with Alzheimer's disease. Building on a volume of prior studies suggesting a protective role for regular green tea consumption, the team set out to establish a beneficial relationship between the active compound in green tea (epigallocatechin-3-gallate, also known as EGCG) and the formation of amyloid plaques.

Drink Three to Five Cups of Green or White Tea Daily to Help Fight Alzheimer’s Disease

The scientists determined that EGCG prevented the formation of amyloid tangles by preventing protein misfolding, and broke down existing aggregate structures in the proteins that contained metals, specifically copper, iron and zinc. Referring specifically to the bioactive catechin, EGCG, lead study author Dr. Mi Hee Lim concluded “A lot of people are very excited about this molecule… we want to modify them for the brain, specifically to interfere with the plaques associated with Alzheimer's”.

Nutrition experts note that green tea contains thirty to forty percent of water-extractable polyphenols while highly oxidized black tea contains between three and ten percent. White tea has undergone less oxidation than green tea and provides the most potent dose of EGCG catechins. A wealth of scientific evidence supports drinking three to five cups of green or white tea every day to support cardiovascular health and prevent protein aggregates in the brain that significantly increase Alzheimer’s disease risk.

Active Compounds in Green Tea and Red Wine Halt Alzheimer’s Disease Progression

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by an unnatural accumulation of amyloid plaque aggregates around nerve synapses that block the transmission of electrical and chemical transmitters that allow the brain to retain a high level of cognitive function and to store and retain memories. Millions of middle aged and older Americans suffer from some stage of Alzheimer’s disease, as the illness continues to escalate at an epidemic rate. It is projected that the prevalence will nearly quadruple in the next 50 years, by which time approximately 1 in 45 Americans will be afflicted with the disease.

Green Tea and Red Wine Extracts Impede Amyloid Formation to Prevent Alzheimer’s Development

The past decade has uncovered a small handful of natural, bioactive compounds that easily cross the blood-brain barrier where they have been found to alter the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers from the University of Leeds in the UK have determined that natural chemicals found in green tea and red wine may disrupt a key step of the Alzheimer's disease pathway. Publishing in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, scientists have identified the process which allows harmful clumps of protein to latch on to brain cells, causing them to die.

Scientists understand that amyloid proteins in the brain clump together to form toxic, sticky balls of varying shapes. These amyloid balls latch on to the surface of nerve cells in the brain by attaching to proteins on the cell surface called prions, ultimately causing nerve cells to malfunction and die. Study co-author Dr. Jo Rushworth commented "We wanted to investigate whether the precise shape of the amyloid balls is essential for them to attach to the prion receptors, like the way a baseball fits snugly into its glove.”

Supplement Daily with EGCG and Resveratrol to Slow Disease Progression

The team wanted to determine if it was possible to prevent the amyloid balls from binding to prions by manipulating their shape and stop the cells from dying. Scientists formed amyloid balls in a test tube and then added them to human and animal brain cells. Study authors concluded "When we added the extracts from red wine and green tea, which recent research has shown to re-shape amyloid proteins, the amyloid balls no longer harmed the nerve cells.”

Researchers determined that the bioactive compounds in green tea and red wine (EGCG and resveratrol) distorted the shape of the amyloid balls, preventing them from binding with prions and disrupting cellular function. Complimentary studies have also determined that curcumin, the active compound in the curry spice turmeric, crossed the delicate blood-brain barrier to halt the advancement of dementia. Health-minded individuals should consume green tea and red wine or take standardized supplements regularly to help prevent the initial development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Green Tea Extract and Quercetin Boosts Cancer Fighting Capabilities

Green tea catechins such as EGCG have effectively been shown to increase metabolism as an aid to weight loss and have demonstrated a long history as a potent tool to fight many different types of cancer. Compounds in green tea act as powerful antioxidants that can promote apoptosis or programmed cell death, a mechanism missing in cancer cells that permits uncontrolled cell growth.

Researchers from Rutgers University have published the result of a study in the journal Food and Function that explains a synergistic health-promoting relationship when green tea polyphenols and the flavonoid quercetin are provided through diet or supplementation. Quercetin helps boost the levels of green tea polyphenols in cancer cells to decrease methylation of their anti-cancer compounds, effectively increasing the green teas potency as a cancer fighting agent.

Quercetin Boosts Green Tea Antioxidant Capacity Two to Fourfold to Fight Cancer

In past studies, scientists have demonstrated that green tea catechins undergo extensive methylation after ingestion, lowering the effectiveness of the health-promoting compounds to shield against cancer proliferation. Quercetin is a known inhibitor of methylation in normal metabolism, and a study was conducting using mice to determine if the naturally occurring flavonoid found in many fruits and vegetables could increase the potency of green tea catechins (specifically epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG).

Mice with severe combined immunodeficiency were given brewed green tea and a diet supplemented with 0.4 percent quercetin alone or in combination for a period of two weeks. Researchers determined that the supplemented group experienced a two to three times increase of total and non-methylated EGCG in the lung and kidney along with an increasing trend in the liver.

Drink Three to Five Cups of Fresh Brewed Tea Daily Along with Fruits and Vegetables to Ward off Cancer

The study found that combining quercetin with fresh brewed catechins from green tea increased the cellular adsorption of EGCG four times in lung cancer cells and two times in kidney cancer cells, dramatically increasing the effectiveness of this natural cancer fighting compound in vivo. Additionally, quercetin decreased methylation of green tea polyphenols, which would otherwise limit their chemopreventive potential.

The research team concluded that “in order to have a maximum anticancer effect, green tea or green tea extract should be used together with quercetin.” They noted that green tea catechins exhibit higher antioxidant potential than either vitamin C or E, and indicated that consuming the beverage was associated with reduced risk for a number of forms of malignancy including skin cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, esophageal cancer and bladder cancer. Three to five cups of fresh-brewed green tea daily combined with quercetin from fruits and vegetables or supplementation are recommended to synergistically boost the cancer fighting abilities of EGCG catechins.

Green Tea Helps Maintain Cognitive Ability as We Age

Green tea has long been hailed as a cardio-protective beverage due to its ability to lower levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol, an established heart disease risk factor. It has also been shown to promote brain health because the active compound, EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate) freely crosses the blood-brain barrier to provide antioxidant support and lower damaging levels of brain inflammation.

Researchers from Japan reporting in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrate that regular green tea consumption lowers the risk of developing functional disabilities that lead to problems with daily chores and activities, such as bathing or dressing. Drinking up to five cups of green tea each day can lower the risk of developing functional disabilities as we age by nearly one half.

Daily Green Tea Consumption Significantly Lowers Risk of Functional Decline

Prior studies have determined that consuming green tea lowers the risk of diseases associated with functional disability, such as osteoporosis, cognitive impairment and stroke. To date, no formal studies have been conducted to confirm the impact of green tea consumption on functional ability. Researchers from Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan modeled this study to affirm the positive results associated in the past with drinking green tea.

To design this research work, scientists handed out questionnaires to nearly 14,000 respondents aged 65 or older. The participants answered questions about general diet, green tea consumption and lifestyle. After a period of five years, researchers were able to find a close inverse link between functional disability risk and the consumption of green tea. Higher intake of green tea was associated with a dramatically lower risk of functional disability in the group studied.

Green Tea Drinking Lowers Risk of Functional Disability in the Elderly

The research team concluded that nearly 13% of the participants consuming the lowest amount of green tea (one cup or less each day) developed moderate to severe degrees of functional disability. By contrast, only 7% of those consuming the highest amount of green tea (5 cups or more each day) were classified with any degree of functional decline. The highest level of green tea consumption was shown to cut the risk of functional and cognitive decline by close to one-half.

The researchers noted that those consuming five or more cups of green tea each day also ate more fruit and vegetables, consumed more fish, were less likely to smoke, had fewer strokes or heart attacks, and tended to have a higher level of education. Improved dietary and lifestyle considerations are synergistic factors that compliment green tea consumption and likely contribute to the positive results in this study. Health-minded individuals already follow strict dietary principles to maintain brain health and functional abilities. Drinking 5 or more cups of green tea each day are shown to boost the healthy benefits associated with proper nutrition and lifestyle.

Green Tea Boosts Weight Loss and Improves Cardiovascular Health

Green tea (and its less refined cousin, white tea) has been a part of the ancient Chinese tradition for countless generations, in large part due to its rich endowment of bioactive catechins. Many studies over the past decade have shown that green tea is a powerful tool to improve metabolism in a way that is supportive of weight loss.

Scientists publishing in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry demonstrate that it activates genes associated with fat burning while also helping to reduce absorption of fat from the digestive tract. Further evidence on the gene-altering activity of green tea is reported in the International Journal of Cardiology, as polyphenols from the drink lower free radical damage to help maintain telomere length in heart cells. Drinking several cups of green tea each day may hold the key to effective weight management and cardiac health.

Green Tea Supplementation Assists Weight Loss by Reducing Abdominal Fat Stores

Researchers from the Departments of Chemical Biology and Pharmacology and Toxicology at Rutgers University in New Jersey examined the effect of green tea supplementation on obese mice, known to exhibit similar metabolic characteristics to humans. The animals were broken into two groups and both were fed a traditional high fat/Western style diet. One group received water supplemented with the green tea bioactive catechin EGCG, while the second group acted as a non-supplemented control.

The study determined that EGCG supplementation significantly reduced body weight gain associated with increased fecal lipids and decreased blood glucose levels compared to those of the control group. Scientists further found that fatty liver incidence, associated liver damage and liver triglyceride levels were also decreased by the EGCG treatment. Treated animals also experienced improved insulin response as well as lowered C-reactive protein (CRP) and interlukin-6 (IL-6) levels, both strong indicators of systemic inflammation and immune response.

EGCG is a Powerful Antioxidant Shown to Increase Heart Muscle Lifespan

The study authors concluded “Our results demonstrate that the high fat/Western diet produces more severe symptoms of metabolic syndrome and that the EGCG treatment can alleviate these symptoms and body fat accumulation. The beneficial effects of EGCG are associated with decreased lipid absorption and reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines.” Green tea helps our cellular engines (mitochondria) to better metabolize calories more efficiently, providing a significant weight management tool.

Additionally, supporting research documents the effect of green tea catechins on extending the lifespan of heart muscle cells. Scientists found that EGCG supplementation exerted a potent antioxidant effect that lowered free radical damage to preserve telomere length and reduce heart cell death. Nutrition experts recommend two to four cups of fresh brewed green tea daily or an organically compounded and standardized EGCG supplement (300 to 500 mg daily) to assist weight management goals and improve cardiovascular health.

Green Tea Halts Weight Gain by Inhibiting Fat Absorption

Reporting in the research journal Obesity, researchers continue to mount crucial evidence to support green tea as an agent in the war against overweight and obesity. Green tea (and its less refined cousin, white tea) is shown to slow weight gain and may be a key tool in the obesity epidemic impacting the health of millions of children and adults in western cultures.

Mice supplemented with the active compound found in green tea, Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) were fed a high-fat diet and gained weight much slower than their control counterparts. The findings demonstrate the potent effect of the natural tea extract when coupled with a healthy, calorie-reduced diet that minimizes processed carbohydrate foods and hydrogenated fat sources.

Green Tea Extract Shown to Slow Weight Gain By 45 Percent

Extensive scientific research has been performed on green tea and the potent EGCG extract. Most of this work has shown a direct link between green tea consumption and lowered risk of Alzheimer`s dementia, many digestive cancers, cardiovascular disease as well as being an aid in weight management. Green tea contains between 30 and 40 percent polyphenols that contribute to its myriad of health benefits. Common black tea contains between 3 and 10 percent polyphenols, as the leaves have been highly refined to remove the naturally occurring compounds.

Research leader Joshua Lambert, assistant professor of food science in agricultural sciences at Penn State University and his team determined to expand on prior research showing that green tea consumption promotes healthy body weight. The researchers used obese mice genetically predisposed to gain weight. The mice were broken into two groups; each fed a high fat diet. The test group was supplemented with EGCG in their drinking water for a period of six weeks.

ECGC Polyphenols From Green Tea Cut Fat Absorption by Thirty Percent

The results showed that mice receiving the active EGCG component through supplementation, along with a high-fat diet, gained weight 45 percent more slowly than the control group of mice eating the same diet without EGCG. Lambert noted “Our results suggest that if you supplement with EGCG or green tea you gain weight more slowly.” Additionally, mice fed the green tea supplement showed a nearly 30 percent increase in lipid excretion, suggesting that the EGCG was limiting fat absorption by inhibiting pancreatic lipase. The study did not differentiate between caffeinated and caffeine-free green tea consumption, so caffeine sensitive individuals can attain similar results with non-caffeinated sources.

Researchers noted that green tea consumption did not appear to suppress appetite, an indicator that the weight reduction effect was due to inhibition of fat cell genesis. The authors concluded “Human data … shows that tea drinkers who only consume one or more cups a day will see effects on body weight compared to non-consumers.” Most nutritionists suggest 2 to 4 cups of green tea each day, or a standardized EGCG extract (500 mg to 1 gram daily) along with a calorically-balanced diet to achieve weight management success.

Green Tea Affects Genes to Improve Cholesterol Metabolism

Green tea consumption has been shown to benefit many health issues ranging from help with weight management to cancer prevention and treatment. New research published in the British Journal of Nutrition explains that the natural extract from the Camellia sinensis plant has a powerful effect on cholesterol metabolism in the human body.

Most forward thinking health professionals now understand that dysfunction in the LDL cholesterol pathway lays the foundation for cardiovascular health problems, cancer and fatty liver disease. Regular green tea consumption is now shown to improve healthy LDL cholesterol function, enabling the fatty molecule to efficiently usher excess cholesterol from the body and improve risk factors for many chronic disease conditions.

Green Tea Alters Gene Expression Lower LDL Cholesterol Levels

In one of the first studies of its type, researchers performed DNA microarray analysis to examine the effect of the active compound found in green tea called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Scientists specifically targeted the catechin to determine their effect on cholesterol metabolism in HepG2 hepatocytes. They determined that the expression levels of several genes related to cholesterol metabolism, including the LDL receptor, were changed by EGCG treatment.

EGCG was found to boost the function of the LDL receptor on liver cells. Researchers commented “This is very important as proper function of the LDL receptor enables your liver to “capture” circulating LDL and recycle it.”  In this study, green tea is shown to alter gene expression toward healthy LDL cholesterol metabolism by improving receptor acceptance by the liver. The liver displays an improved capacity to capture and filter LDL cholesterol for removal from the body.

Green Tea Improves Biomarkers to Lower Heart Disease, Cancer and Dementia Risks

In addition to the finding that green tea alters LDL cholesterol metabolism, ECGC was found to inhibit genes to reduce the production of Apolipoprotein B (ApoB). ApoB formation is required to initially form LDL molecules in the blood. Excess production of ApoB is a significant marker for chronic illnesses ranging from cardiovascular disease and heart attack to increased risk of cancer and dementia.

Green tea and the active compound EGCG are quickly ascending to nutritional “superstar” status. The Chinese have extolled its virtues for countless generations. Researchers now document the prowess of this nutrient by scientifically validating the direct impact exerted on our genetic structure to affect healthy cholesterol function and removal from the body. The healthy benefits of green tea are realized by drinking several fresh brewed cups of organically harvested leaves each day or supplementing with 250 to 500 mg of EGCG extract.

Green Tea Catechins Boost the Body’s Immune System

The Chinese have known the healing power of green tea for generations. Many believe that the unprocessed tea leaves can help to prevent or even cure many chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer and dementia. Volumes of scientific evidence now provide compelling proof that the active polyphenol found in green tea (EGCG) has the power to increase the number of regulatory immune support T-cells.

T-cells play a crucial role in the suppression of autoimmune diseases including the terminal condition ALS (Lou Gehrig`s disease). Research published in the journal Immunology Letters demonstrates that regular consumption of green tea can help your innate immune system to operate at peak efficiency to fight invading pathogens.

EGCG from Green Tea Consumption Improves Immune Response to Pathogens

Autoimmune diseases occur as the result of an imbalance in the immune system that results in the body mounting an attack against itself. Immune T-cells are critical in providing a defensive shield that can protect against cancer proliferation and a host of diseases where the body recognizes healthy cells and organs as foreign. T-cells also help to control systemic inflammation and can dampen the inappropriate response to normal cells seen in autoimmune conditions.

Scientists conducting this study found that EGCG found in green tea was responsible for a significantly higher number and frequency of regulatory T-cells found in the spleen and lymph nodes, helping to control the immune response. They found that EGCG did not directly affect the genetic DNA, but did influence gene expression that determines how the genetic material is switched on or off as a response to food consumption. Epigenetic regulation is a rapidly emerging science that explains the extensive health benefits seen with a natural diet.

Green Tea Polyphenols Fight Systemic Inflammation to Prevent Chronic Illnesses

Emily Ho, associate professor and research author from the Oregon State University Department of Nutrition commented with reference to EGCG “This appears to be a natural, plant-derived compound that can affect the number of regulatory T-cells, and in the process improve immune function.” Researchers found a dual role for green tea polyphenols include boosting T-cell production and fighting cellular inflammation. Both mechanisms are critical in fighting conditions exacerbated by chronic inflammation such as cancer and heart disease as well as autoimmune disorders.

Studies that involve regular consumption of naturally occurring foods and extracts are rapidly mounting to explain the importance of the foods we eat on our genetic health. Genes are expressed immediately following each meal and directly influence the progression of disease and the prevention of most chronic conditions.

Researchers conducting this study concluded “Epigenetic regulation can be potentially exploited in generating suppressive regulatory T cells for therapeutic purposes, and is of significant clinical importance for the suppression of autoimmune diseases.” Although this study did not publish the dietary equivalent of green tea used to achieve their results, similar studies have recommended consuming 2 to 4 cups of green tea daily or 500 mg of a standardized EGCG extract for optimal health benefits.

Green Tea and Cocoa Extracts Reduce Diabetes Risk, Extend Lifespan

New research published in the Journal of Nutrition provides evidence that potent epicatechin flavonoids from extracts of green tea and cocoa lower the destructive effects of high blood sugar. This can effectively prevent damage that ravages the major organs and especially the coronary arteries lining the heart muscle. Diabetes is a disease that is growing at an epidemic rate and decreases life expectancy by as much as eight years.

Death occurs as a result of complications from multiple chronic conditions. Scientists found that epicatechin flavonoids inhibit the cellular damage caused by rising blood sugar levels and can prevent damage to the heart and liver. Regular supplementation can improve life expectancy by halting organ damage leading to chronic illness.

Green Tea Extracts Shown to Lower Diabetes Risk in Later Life

This body of research was conducted using five-week old diabetic mice known to present similar metabolic characteristics to humans. Mice were provided drinking water containing .25% epicatechin flavonoids for a period of 15 weeks. This group was compared with lean mice acting as a control. At the end of the study, half of the non-diabetic control mice had died compared with only 8.4% of the diabetic mice provided the epicatechin-supplemented drink. Both groups received the same diet and there was no difference in body weight as the study concluded.

Treatment with the epicatechin-infused water resulted in a significant reduction in deterioration of the aortic vessel of the heart and the liver. Additionally less fat was found to accumulate in the liver of the treated mice, an important factor known to cause progression of metabolic diseases including diabetes and lipid abnormalities. One of the most striking findings in the supplemented animals was a reduced level of systemic inflammation caused by oxidized LDL cholesterol and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).

Cocoa and Green Tea Flavonoids Demonstrate Anti-Aging Properties

Many prior studies have demonstrated that sustained high levels of IGF-1 in the circulating blood are consistent with chronic disease and shortened life span. Because of the effect exerted by epicatechin compounds extracted from green tea and cocoa products, the study authors determined that the data derived "further suggests that epicatechin may be a food-derived, anti-aging compound given the important role of IGF-1 in regulating the life span of organisms."

The potent health-inducing nature of green tea has been in evidence for more than 5,000 years as countless Asian generations have cultivated the plant for medicinal purposes. Nutrition advisors recommend taking 2 to 4 cups of fresh brewed green tea each day or supplementing with 250 to 500 mg of the EGCG active compound found in green tea to lower disease risk and increase healthy lifespan.

Green Tea Consumption Shown to Lower Body Weight and Fat Accumulation

Compelling evidence presented in the journal Nutrition Research makes the firm connection between green tea consumption, lowered body weight and reduced levels of dangerous belly fat. Drinking between 5 and 8 cups of green tea each day was shown to lower body weight by 5.6% and decrease abdominal fat stores by 17.8% over a period of 8 weeks.

Green tea consumption has long been associated with lowered risk of cancer, metabolic syndrome and heart disease. This research provides compelling evidence that green tea boosts metabolism to target fat stores and assists weight loss efforts.

Green Tea is Shown to Help Weight Management Goals

Green tea extracts have been researched extensively over the past decade and are shown to dramatically lower the risk of Alzheimer`s disease and dementias, cardiovascular disease and many forms of cancer. Additional studies have shown that the polyphenols in green tea are a significant factor in improved oral health and can provide necessary support for weight management and control. Green tea is composed of four primary polyphenols (epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epicatechin) that are shown to influence genetic signaling and metabolic rate.

The study was conducted by Polish researchers and used an animal model to determine weight loss and fat accumulation characteristics. The researchers also analyzed cardiovascular risk factors and atherogenesis over an 8 week period. The animals were fed a high fat diet and drank green tea made from either a 1.1% or 2% extract of the active phenolic compound. The results indicate that body weight and fat reduction are dose dependent with maximum results (5.6% lower body weight, 17.8% fat reduction) achieved with the 2% extract.

Green Tea Improves Arterial Elasticity and Reduces Cardiovascular Risks

Researchers also found that both concentrations of green tea extract reduced atherogenesis (initial loss of coronary artery elasticity leading to artery hardening and future heart disease) by 14.3% compared to non-supplemented subjects. The study authors did not determine the mechanism for cardiovascular risk reduction. Prior research has shown that the potent antioxidant content of green tea is responsible for significantly lowered levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol and increased particle size that are consistent with reduced heart disease risk.

This study used the equivalent of 5 to 8 cups of green tea consumed each day to achieve optimal weight management, fat reduction and cardiovascular risk reversal. Researchers found that the green tea concentration is important to achieve optimal weight lowering results. Drink 6 cups of fresh brewed, non-fluoridated green tea daily (or take a standardized green tea extract supplement) to help prevent coronary artery disease, assist weight loss and boost fat reduction efforts.

Compounds in Natural Fruits and Vegetables Lower Cancer Risk

Natural compounds commonly found in many fruits and vegetables are among the most powerful agents we have in our dietary arsenal to combat many forms of cancer. Flavonoids and proanthocyanidins have evolved as a protective mechanism for a variety of different plants and play a critical role in preventing disease in humans.

Our body uses these powerhouse nutrients to lower inflammation, reduce blood pressure and fight the aging effect of free radicals. New research shines a bright light on the cancer fighting capacity of flavonoids you need in your diet to provide optimal disease protection.

Study Finds Significant Risk Reduction for Many Cancer Lines

The results of a study published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer conducted in Italy over the past 20 years found that a high flavonoid diet played a key role in cancer prevention. Study participants with the highest intake of flavonoids and proanthocyanidins demonstrated a 44% lower risk of oral cancer and a 40% reduced occurrence of laryngeal cancer. Incidence of colon cancer was lowered by a third and reductions in breast, ovarian and kidney cancers were noted as well.

The study authors attributed the findings to the powerful antioxidant, anti-mutagenic and anti-proliferative properties of the dietary compounds commonly consumed by the participants in the study They conclude “The findings from this large network of Italian case-control studies have provided support for an apparent protective role of flavanones on upper aerodigestive tract cancers; flavonols, anthocyanidins, and proanthocyanidins on colorectal cancer; flavonols and flavones on breast cancer; isoflavones on ovarian cancer; and flavonols on renal cancer.”

Including Flavonoids in Your Diet to Prevent Cancer

Health conscious individuals will want to take advantage of these essential nutrients to achieve optimal disease protection. Include some of these flavorful options in your diet every day to lower your risk of many deadly cancer lines.

Black, Green and White Tea: All members of the tea family are packed with a special group of flavonoids known as flavonols (catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate). Research has shown that these powerful flavonoids work directly on replicating DNA sequences to prevent mutations that lead to cancer initiation. Drink 2 to 4 cups of fresh brewed tea daily.

Garlic, Leeks and Onions: Quercetin is the key flavonoid in this family of vegetables. Known for its ability to spark the immune system into action, quercetin is rapidly taking its place at the top of the antioxidant pyramid. Some people have trouble eating garlic and onions due to the sharp taste so supplementing may be a good option.

Blueberries, Acai Berries and Grapes: Humans have been eating berries and grapes since early in our history. The flavonoids in these foods have been shown to help our immune system attack and destroy rogue cancer cells before they have a chance develop and become malignant. Enjoy 1 to 2 servings of these super foods for maximum cancer protection.

Diet is our most powerful agent in the fight against many diseases. Adding natural foods including those packed with flavonoids gives our body the ammunition to fight many dangerous lines of cancer so we can live a life free of disease.

Green Tea and Fish Oil Promote Health and Assist Weight Loss

Green tea and the Omega-3 fatty acid DHA combine to provide a powerful natural shield against certain forms of cancer, heart disease, stroke and dementia while assisting weight loss and maintenance. Both of these nutrients directly target gene sequences which have been shown to lower disease risk while increasing base metabolism to burn more calories.

Include green tea and DHA in your nutritional arsenal to prevent a wide array of potentially lethal illnesses and reach your ideal weight loss goal.

Harness the Power of Green Tea Against Cancer

The active antioxidant compound in green and white tea is Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which has been shown to exert significant anti-cancer properties by fighting development and proliferation of rogue cells. EGCG works by switching off the genes responsible for cancer initiation while influencing natural cell death to prevent replication. Chemical components of green tea further help to cut off the blood supply cancer cells need to grow while lowering levels of dangerous systemic inflammation known to promote cancer as well as many other diseases.

Green Tea Boosts Metabolism

The results of a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition provide evidence that EGCG increases fat oxidation by 33% through accelerated metabolism. Green tea has also been shown to inhibit fat cell formation and improve excretion of fat from abdominal adipose tissue. This study found that fat was burned at a higher rate for 2 hours after eating and deceased rapidly after that point. The study authors recommend drinking green tea or supplementing with EGCG prior to eating for maximum benefit.

The researchers also noted that higher intake of green tea or EGCG does not necessarily translate into increased levels of fat oxidation. Fresh brew your own green tea or use low dose EGCG supplements (300 mg or less) to receive the full fat metabolism effect.

DHA Provides Support for the Heart and Brain

DHA is one of two Omega-3 fats found in fish and distilled fish oil. DHA has been shown to lower levels of inflammation, provide a thinning effect to blood platelets to prevent clotting and reduce dangerous triglycerides in the blood. These benefits all contribute to the heart health benefits of DHA as research demonstrates that supplementation can cut the risk of sudden death from a heart attack by one-third.

DHA is the preferred fat used in brain cell neurons as well as most other cells in the body. Its unique properties allow for oxygen and nutrients to easily pass through the cell wall. When this vital fat is deficient, other fats must be used which create a stiffer cell membrane leading to cellular death and disease.

DHA Prevents Fat Accumulation

DHA works by influencing genes which control blood sugar, insulin secretion and fat accumulation. This Omega-3 fat targets the bioactive white adipose cells and affects how triglycerides in the blood are either burned for fuel or allowed to be stored as fat. The results of a study published in the International Journal of Obesity demonstrate the addition of DHA and Omega-3 fats increased weight loss in a group of overweight men by 28% compared to those who didn`t supplement.

It’s no surprise that natural nutrients and supplements act to promote health and assist weight loss. Green tea and DHA fats are prime examples of an intricate mechanism evolved over generations which our body uses to support our health. Incorporate these powerful nutrients into your lifestyle for improved quality of life and longevity.

Curcumin, Garlic and Green Tea Lower Risk of Chronic Disease

(Article first published as Powerful Nutrient Trio Protects the Brain and Heart on Technorati.)

Humans have relied on natural extracts and powerful nutrients to prevent disease and maintain health for countless generations. The typical diet consists mostly of foods that have been heavily processed so that most of the vitamins and minerals we need to sustain optimal health have been eliminated. 

Estimates are that only 1 in 20 people consumes the minimum daily recommendation of 5 servings of vegetables and fruits. Most individuals are therefore deficient in a wide array of phytonutrients supplied by fresh produce that are essential for disease prevention. You can improve your health by adding these natural nutrients to your diet or supplemental arsenal.

Curcumin Shown to Protect the Brain and Liver

Curcumin is the active component of the Indian spice, tumeric that gives curry its deep yellow color. This potent antiviral is known to provide critical protection to the brain as it can easily cross the blood-brain barrier. Researchers have shown that the spice extract can effectively inhibit the formation of brain plaque that is associated with Alzheimer`s disease and other neurological disorders such as Parkinson's.

New research published in the journal Endocrinology confirms how curcumin can help prevent the accumulation of fat in the liver. Fatty liver disease is a potentially fatal affliction that worsens with excess body weight and obesity. The liver is our primary organ responsible for filtering toxins from the blood as well as hundreds of other important metabolic functions within our body. Any natural nutrient that can help keep fat from clogging the normal activity of our liver is critical to our health.

Garlic Dramatically Lowers Risk from Many Cancer Lines

Sulfur is the active compound that makes garlic difficult for many to eat raw and also contributes to its long list of health benefits. Our body uses the breakdown of sulfur to power a process known as methylation. Through this chain of chemical reactions our body is able to perform many critical functions that promote healthy immune response and clear waste products from our cells.

The result of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrates that a diet including garlic (and onions) was inversely related to the risk of many forms of cancer. Pancreatic cancer risk was lowered by 54%, prostate cancer by 51% and colon cancer rates were cut in half. Researchers believe that an improved immune response is behind the cancer fighting ability associated with garlic.

Green Tea in the Fight Against Obesity and Heart Disease

The catechins in green tea (EGCG) have been known for their ability to fight diseases ranging from cancer to dementia and heart disease. Extensive research has shown that EGCG can effectively inhibit the blood supply required for the development and proliferation of cancer cells. Risk for developing deadly lung cancer was reduced by 66% in participants taking a concentrated form of green tea extract.

Green tea is also a powerful tool in the fight against heart disease. Information published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition explains how EGCG increases the oxidation of fat by boosting metabolism. This action assists in weight loss by increasing base metabolic rate. Green tea also lowers the risk of coronary artery disease by limiting oxidized LDL cholesterol that causes arterial plaque.

Natural antiviral nutrients are vital to our health. Those interested in lowering their risk of cancer, heart disease, dementia and liver dysfunction should be certain to include these powerful compounds through diet or supplementation.

Green Tea Lowers Risk of Alzheimer's Disease and Cognitive Decline

(Article first published as Harness the Healing Capacity of Green Tea to Prevent Chronic Disease on Technorati.)

The healing capacity of green tea has been understood and cultivated by the Chinese for more than 5,000 years. Western medicine has been very slow to embrace the many health benefits attributed to drinking green tea, as it has been with many super foods known to lower the risk of chronic disease.

Researchers now have conclusive scientific evidence that green tea can protect the brain against developing Alzheimer`s disease and can play a vital role in protecting the body against cancer. Health-minded individuals can take advantage of the ancient Chinese tradition of drinking green tea each day to naturally protect their health.

Green Tea Becomes a Powerful Antioxidant When Digested

Green tea contains compounds known as catechins (EGCG) that are powerful antioxidants known to scavenge free radicals and lower the risk from many illnesses. In the past, scientists have been unable to validate the specific effect of these catechins once they are broken down in the body through digestion. We now have confirmation that EGCG becomes more potent when subjected to post-digestive enzymes in the stomach.

Scientific research conducted at Newcastle University and published in the journal Phytomedicine explains how our body activates green tea compounds to provide enhanced disease protection. Lead researcher Dr. Ed Okello found “when green tea is digested by enzymes in the gut, the resulting chemicals are actually more effective against key triggers of Alzheimer's development than the undigested form of the tea."

The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer`s disease that is known to be a progressive and irreversible disorder resulting in loss of cognitive function. It is widely accepted that the disease is the result of damage from hydrogen peroxide free radicals and an inability to efficiently clear amyloid beta proteins that form brain plaques.

Green Tea Extract Shown to Protect the Aging Brain

In this study, researchers showed that compounds in the post-digestive tea extract were able to selectively bind with toxic chemicals in the brain and protect the delicate neurons and synapses that are essential to learning and forming new memories. Dr. Okello explained “green tea has been used in Traditional Chinese medicine for centuries and what we have here provides the scientific evidence why it may be effective against some of the key diseases we face today."

In addition to being a powerful neuroprotective agent, green tea compounds are effective anti-cancer agents. The study authors were able to show that the digested tea catechins were able to slow the growth of tumor cells in an experimental cancer model. A strong association has always existed between green tea consumption and lowered risk from cancer and this study provides conclusive evidence of the healing power of this natural agent.

Green tea has stood the test of time for more than five millennia and is finally validated as a critical tool in our health management regimen. Most adults will want to drink 2 to 4 cups of green tea each day to take advantage of the healing benefits of this natural super food.

Add Green Tea to Your Anti-Aging and Weight Loss Nutrient Arsenal

(Article first published as Add Green Tea to Your Anti-Aging and Weight Loss Nutrient Arsenal on Technorati.)

Would you drink a beverage that has repeatedly been shown to fight cancer initiation and proliferation, prevent damaging genetic mutations and negate the effects of free radicals that cause the outward signs of aging? Green tea and members of the tea family including black and white teas have passed the test of time dating back countless generations and have demonstrated essential health advantages in extensive research studies over the past decade. You can take advantage of the numerous anti-aging benefits from drinking 2 to 4 cups of fresh brewed tea each day.

Green Tea Shields Against Free Radicals

Most health experts agree that free radicals are the root cause of aging. Free radicals are created through the normal processes of breathing, eating and physical activity. The negatively charged particles rip through the cell nucleus where they can knock out critical components to the DNA sequence. Mutations follow and the risk of many types of cancer is dramatically heightened. Anything that can neutralize these particles before they have a chance to damage our genetic material will slow the aging process and protect us from disease.

Two Cups of Green Tea Daily Protects Against DNA Damage

Green tea has been shown to provide needed protection against free radicals. The results of a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition shows that subjects that consumed just 2 cups of green tea daily for a month were able to lower their level of DNA damage by 20%. The natural polyphenol in green tea known as ECGC has been shown to be particularly effective in lowering risk in a host of cancer cell lines including prostate, colon, esophagus, bladder and pancreas.

ECGC Shown to Halt Cancer Growth

The results of a study published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research demonstrated that men with prostate cancer were able to lower predictive markers of cancer progression by as much as 30%. Participants supplemented with 1.3 grams of green tea extract each day which is the equivalent of 12 cups of fresh brewed tea. ECGC has been shown to protect cells from DNA damage and can also inhibit new blood vessel formation that cancer cells need to proliferate.

Green Tea Assists in Weight Management

One of the serious effects of obesity is a dramatic rise in systemic inflammation that leads to the onset of many potentially fatal diseases. The body activates our white T-cells in an attempt to calm the flames of inflammation. Researchers reporting in the British Journal of Nutrition have discovered that T-cells are fewer and less efficient in overweight and obese individuals. When obese subjects were supplemented with ECGC, their T-cell numbers multiplied and were activated to fight inflammation. This boosted immune response against pathogens and assisted natural weight loss efforts.

Many people take aging in stride with the misinformed belief that it is normal and inevitable. Forward thinking alternative health advocates understand that aging is a disease that can be prevented and treated with a healthy diet and targeted natural supplementation. Green tea provides a host of essential polyphenol nutrients that have been used for generations to protect us from disease and the ravages of aging.

Diet Soda Doesn't Help Weight Loss Efforts

(Article first published as Diet Soda Shown to Hinder Weight Loss Efforts on Technorati.)

With millions of Americans crossing from the overweight to obese classification each year, it’s no wonder that so many people are looking for an aid to ensure their weight loss success. In addition to diet pills, formulas and bariatric surgery, one of the most popular tools that people use are artificially sweetened beverages.

At first glance this makes sense. After all, a 12 ounce serving of the typical sugary soft drink tips the scales around 150 calories. And most people drink more than one each day. When doing the math, sweetened beverage calories can really have a significant impact on your ability to lose weight. But are diet drinks really the answer?

Diet Drinks Lead to Calorie Misconceptions

The mind is a powerful tool to harness in your quest for weight loss success. It can also lead to failure, especially when using weight loss substitutes such as diet drinks. The problem arises when you consciously make the effort to replace a day’s worth of sweetened beverage calories with a diet alternative. Many people underestimate the number of calories they cut and eat more food thinking they can make up some of the difference.

In reality, research has shown that people take in up to 20% more calories than they eliminate from sweetened drinks. In theory, cutting calories from sugared drinks makes sense, but in reality our brain is accustomed to the extra calories and will ultimately coax you into subconsciously making up the difference. People with rock solid will power may be able to make drink substitution work, but there may still be another problem related to our body’s metabolism of sweets.

Artificial Sweeteners Trick the Brain

Humans have evolved an affinity toward eating sweet foods. From a survival perspective, sweet foods were usually a good source of high energy and helped our early ancestors thrive in an environment void of quick food sources. Today we live in a much different world with easy access to high calorie foods. Our genes are still programmed toward sweet tasting foods and manufacturers are more than willing to infuse our food and drink with massive amounts of sugar.

Artificially sweetened items have been shown to trick our body into thinking other sweet foods don’t have many calories and we are much more inclined to overeat as a consequence. The results of a study published in the International Journal of Obesity and reported on WebMD shows that when subjects are given artificially sweetened drinks over a period of 10 days, they are much more likely to overeat to compensate. Participants allowed to drink sweetened drinks registered the calories and did not overeat as a result.

Make the Switch to Black and Green Tea

Diet drinks are a popular tool used by many people trying to lose weight. Research has shown that they may be ineffective and can actually lead to weight gain. The best plan would be to substitute sugared and artificially sweetened drinks with health promoting tea. Both black and green teas are naturally low in calories and have a direct impact on lowering disease risk. Sweeten with stevia extract for a beverage that increases resting metabolism and can deliver successful weight loss results.