Green Tea: An Oriental Panacea Revived


A medicinal beverage in Asia for almost 4000 years, green tea is creating a splash in Western society recently. The humble tea leaves belie a bittersweet taste, delicate texture and unique aroma that give rise to a wide array of health benefits.

History

Green tea has been a traditional drink in Japan for over a thousand years, originating in 2737BC as Emperor Shen Nung caught the freshest aroma when some leaves accidentally fell into his cup of simmering water. This royal discovery led to a rich store of wonderful stories passed down from generation to generation, of wonderful health and vitality bestowed upon all of those who drank this beverage.

Ecology

Most teas are harvested from camellia sinensis, a native Asian plant that thrives on high altitudes, rich mineral soils and warm climate. To harvest tea leaves of exceptional quality, the bush is constantly pruned to bring forth an abundance of tender shiny leaves and pure white petals.

There are about 33 types of green tea worldwide and, depending on the region, tea garden and harvest process, each tea emanates its own unique taste.

Compared to its relatives, black tea and oolong tea, which undergo complex processing, green tea stands out in its purity. Immediately after harvesting, green tea leaves are fried or lightly steamed to prevent oxidation and destroy enzymes that would otherwise ferment the health-enhancing polyphenols.

Health Notes

The wondrous benefits of green tea extend way beyond its popular conception of detoxifying and deceleration of the aging process. Packed with polyphenols, catechin, fluoride, manganese, potassium, minerals and vitamins A, B1, B2, C and E, green tea brims with goodness for whoever consumes it.

Polyphenols or flavonoids are natural chemicals found in plants. As one of nature's most powerful antioxidants, polyphenols scavenge the destructive free radicals in the body and have anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties.

Catechin, which gives green tea its bittersweet taste, helps eliminate food poisoning pathogens, reduces allergic reactions, balances cholesterol levels, prevents cold and promotes good immunity.

Fluoride, naturally found in tea, is renowned for its ability to promote good dental health and retards the onset of cavities. To add on to this repertoire, green tea also aids in digestion, reduces phlegm, improves eyesight and enhances mental prowess. As green tea is spreading its wide-ranging benefits throughout the world, Bel'Air has also spearheaded the first-ever green tea essential oil, giving a modern twist to an ancient panacea. As green tea increases the rate of metabolism and burns off more calories, this innovative product has also worked wonders as a slimming aid for many of our users.


More Resources

The Universal Calibration LatticeŽ - Your Own Personal Connection to the Universal Energy Source
Now is an incredible time to be on Earth. All of us in our divine wisdom agreed to be here doing the journey of human at this most auspicious time in the annals of humankind.
Endorphins - Strong Painkillers Your Subconscious May Be Able to Provide
The sources of the original "natural high," endorphins and ekephalins can nonetheless lose their ability to kill pain if the situation becomes chronic. Visualizations may be able to help your subconscious to send in reinforcements.
Mud Baths at Your Home Spa- the Pros and Cons
"If you truly love Nature, you will find beauty everywhere"-Vincent Van GoghMud baths are natural products you can use at your home spa.You are a spa goer and enjoy mud baths at health spas, beauty spas, day spas etc.
Visualization For Self Healing
Visualization and guided imagery are two of the mostpowerful healing powers of your mind. All you needto do is use your imagination for some astonishingresults.
Understanding Aromatherapy
In the 1920's, a French cosmetic chemist named Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, was one day making fragrances in his laboratory, when he accidentally burned his arm. He then thrust his badly burnt arm into the nearest cold liquid, which turned out to be a tub of lavender oil.
Natural Alternatives vs. Prescription Drugs
Natural Alternatives: A growing phenomenon across this world which is a very diverse concept yet very divine and instrumental in healing health diseases. It might be thought as any health care which is not a part of the mainstream medical establishment.
Muget Des Bois: A Healing Victory
Known by its other name as Lily of the Valley or May Lily, muget des bois is an English plant used commonly as a perfume. Since the discovery of its virtues in aromatherapy, the use of muget des bois for healing has been increasingly widespread.
Not Now, I Have A Headache
Home Remedies - Facts or Quacks?That's what I recently asked myself. Myths and legends often have their basis in a grain of truth.
Toxins Make You Fat and Shorten Your Life
When your body is toxic, toxins hide and embed themselves in your body fat. This causes your cells and organs to become sluggish and lose efficiency.
Aromatherapy - Essential Oils for Physical and Psychological Well-being
What is Aromatherapy?It is the practice of using volatile plant oils (and essential oils) for physical and psychological well-being.Before I get started take note that fragrance oils (fragrances) are not essential oils.
Laxatives You Find In The Drugstore
A laxative is defined as,A substance that is used to promote a bowel movement when you are constipated.Laxatives work by starting and stimulating peristaltic action.
What is Hypnosis?
"Hypnosis" refers to the power that words and ideas have when we surround these words and ideas with our complete attention. A hypnotist or an operator delivers words and ideas.
Olive Oil: One of the Original Seven Wonders?
Is Olive Oil one of Nature's seven original wonders?According to several resources, Olive oil IS nature's wonder drug. Olive oil is composed of and up to 30mg of Vitamin E, contains Provitamin A (carotene), has up to 83% Monounsaturated Fatty acis (oleic), contains up to 20% Polyunsaturated unfatty acis (Linoleic), and also has up to 23.
What are Some Benefits For Quitting Smoking?
There are immediate benefits for quitting smoking. Within eight hours after you quit, the level of dangerous carbon monoxide gas in the blood returns to normal.
Are You Suffering From Chronic Constipation?
Embarrassing as it may be, we have all suffered from constipation at one time in our life or another. According to the National Health Interview Survey as many as 3 million Americans suffer from frequent if not chronic constipation.
Headaches/Migraine
"Oh, how densely packed your head is, my sweet," sighs Grandmother Growth. "I'm afraid there's no room for new growth.
Healing Crisis A Natural Part of Body Cleansing
Introduction to A Healing CrisisAn increasing number of people today are trying alternative healing methods to cleanse and detoxify their bodies. Simple methods such as switching to a natural food diet, juicing to increase nutrition, or fasting are used to cleanse the body of stored toxins in the hopes of naturally addressing long-standing symptoms such as chronic headaches, adult acne, allergies or arthritis.
Aromatherapy for the Mind, Body, and Spirit - Sandalwood Essential Oil
For over 4000 years, the Sandalwood tree has played a significant part in Eastern culture as a material for art and artifacts, a medicine, and a divine aroma. Sandalwood products are obtained from the sandalwood tree (Santalum album), which is a member of the Santalaceae family native to southern tropical Asia.
Get Hemorrhoid Relief from Herbal Remedies
Here are four different herbs that can give you hemorrhoid relief and help to get rid of your hemorrhoids. Using these herbs is a convenient and cost effective way to treat your hemorrhoid symptoms.
Quit Smoking With Nature's Help
Smoking is very dangerous to your health. Most smokers feel that there is nothing that they haven't tried in order to quit.

More Alternative Information:

Related Articles

Three Steps to Get Rid of Hemorrhoids
Constipation, Hemorrhoids or Piles, and inactivity go hand in hand. If you have been constipated for quite a while, chances are you have hemorrhoids.
Fitness-related Benefits of Massage
Ask someone their reason for getting a massage and you're likely to hear "because it feels good". We all know that a massage can relieve stress, help to make sore muscles feel better and even reduce anxiety, but can it help us achieve our fitness goals? Research shows that the massage you get to relieve stress can also have a positive effect on your muscle-building capabilities and fitness level.
A Lifestyle Approach to Remedy Snoring
If you want to remedy snoring, you have to find the underlying cause. Snoring is not an affliction like the common cold, where you wake up one morning and you've just got it.
Why You Should Use Fruits for Constipation
Fruits are made by nature and are a perfect food. They contain the right balance of nutrients with distilled water.
How to Get Rid of Smoking, Drinking, Drugs and Other Bad Habits
These are practices that I do whenever I am trying to release a pattern that no longer serves my highest good. I am using smoking as an example but you can fill in any other habit instead of smoking like drinking, drugs and other addictive behaviours.
Complementary Medicine
Complementary Medicine is the use of natural therapy and medicines to restore and maintain health in addition to conventional medicine. Dating back to 420 B.
Homemade Bath Products...the Pros and Cons
When you surf the Internet to find proper bath products for your home spa bathing you can see many websites offering homemade bath product receipts:" Why to pay more for expensive bath products if you can make your own products?Forget (give up) these expensive bath products at bath (drug, department etc) stores?You can make your own inexpensive bath product at home etc?etc?etc?"Is it right? Yes and No?Let us describe three main levels of natural bath products depending on several factors. Each level differs from others by complexity of composition, structure, technology, therapeutic value and results, biological activity of ingredients etc.
Natural Prevention & Treatment For The Flu: What Your Doctor May Not Know
Flu can affect 10 to 30 percent of the U.S.
More Fruit Constipation Remedies Part II
Here are some more constipation remedies using fruits. Try to get your organic fruits and eat them as soon as possible.
Top 3 Yogis Secrets for Health and Happiness
For hundreds of years, the yogi's have been known to know the secrets for health, peace and happiness. In this short, but informative article, I will briefly describe 3 of these secrets with you.
1st Textbook on Sleep Psychiatry
An informative textbook confirming a newly established field: Sleep PsychiatryBook Review by Nikos M. Linardakis, M.
Why Your Search for Pain Relief Needs a Strategy
If you're like most of us who have known chronic pain, you've tried one thing after another to ease your suffering. Here are three reasons why working with your subconscious and having a well-defined strategy may increase your chances of success.
Natural Remedy for Motion Sickness
Motion sickness is a normal response to real, perceived, or anticipated movement. People tend to experience motion sickness on a moving boat, train, airplane, automobile, or amusement park rides.
The Chevreul Pendulum - A Tool for Accessing Your Subconscious About Your Pain
The Chevreul pendulum is a simple device for communicating with the subconscious mind to learn what it thinks you can do to relieve your pain. Chances are good that you'll be able to use it, since about 90% of the people who try it are able to gain information from it about their pain.
Gout Pain Relief With Cherry Power - How To Ease Pain By Eating Fruit
We can all learn something new every day! And good doctors are constantly alert to learning from all of their patients. It takes a lot to surprise me after twenty years in medicine but - I hold my hand up - this is a new one!I had never heard of cherry juice or fresh cherries being used to treat gout or for gout pain relief until I heard it recently from a patient (who had been told it by his pharmacist, who had heard it from a relative etc etc).
Neuro Emotional Technique
NET or Neuro Emotional Technique is one of the newer "power therapies" and stress reduction techniques that along with TFT (Thought Field Therapy), and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) have become popular in the last ten years. These therapies seem to work quicker than traditional talk therapies.
What Exactly is Alternative Therapy and How Does It Boost Your Health and Well-being?
My first yoga retreatI never wanted it to stop. It was a wonderful feeling of joy, love compassion and connection to everyone who was there with me.
What Causes Osteoporosis and Ten Changes You Can Make to Reduce Your Risk of Osteoporosis
Ten Simple Lifestyle Changes You Can Make to ReduceYour Risk for Osteoporosis Stop or decrease your meat intake.Stop or decrease your dairy intake.
Top Ten Reasons Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy Works
Studies and research show natural HRT really works. By using natural progesterone you can reap the benefits in the following ways:1.
The Sense of Smell and Emotional Response
Smell is a specialised chemical sense. It is interesting to note that the olfactory cells are the only place in the human body where the central nervous system is in direct contact with the external environment.