Gindi Cafe

Posts Tagged ‘Tea’

There are dozens of variations of food poison, and none of them are pleasant. One of them is Bacillus cereus. While not usually life threatening, this common form of food poisoning can cause diarrhea, nausea, cramps and vomiting. Symptoms usually appear 8-16 hours after exposure to the bacteria, and can disrupt your life for a few days.

Bacillus cereus is usually caused by improper cooking. The problem can be exacerbated by improper refrigeration, which just allows the spores to further grow. Cooked rice that is improperly refrigerated is one of the most common carriers of bacillus cereus.

However, researchers are learning that there may be ways to protect our bodies from the ravages of such bacteria. It appears that tea’s catechins may protect our bodies from bacteria like bacillus cereus. Tea has far more anti-microbial properties than previously realized.

One particular study reported by the UK Tea Council evaluated the anti-microbial activity of seven green tea catechins and four black tea theaflavins, both important anti-oxidants. They also evaluated actual infusions of 36 commercial black, white, green and oolong teas, as well as herbal teas.

These anti-oxidants and infusions were evaluated to determine their anti-microbial activity against bacillus cereus. This study concluded that all eleven of the anti-oxidants evaluated contained anti-microbial properties.*

In fact, most of the compounds were more active than medicinal antibiotics such as tetracycline or vancomycin at comparable concentrations. The study also concluded that the brewed infusions of true tea that contained these catechins and theaflavins also had anti-microbial properties as well, particularly freshly brewed infusions. However, herbal brews did not have anti-microbial properties.

So, just what does this mean to our real life? Well, it means that drinking tea can protect your body against certain harmful bacteria like bacillus cereus. If we consume tea on a regular basis, we may be able to ward off these harmful bacteria before they wreak havoc on our bodies.

The presence of the anti-oxidants in tea may be enough to keep us from getting sick from these bacteria, or at least be sufficient to lessen their effects.

This is likely just the tip of the iceberg. We already know that green tea prevents many serious illnesses, such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and some forms of cancer.

And, if we’ve determined that it can kill bacteria such as bacillus cereus, then there’s certainly potential that it can act as an anti-biotic against other harmful bacteria, as well.

Certainly it has been determined from this along with many other studies that tea is an important part of living a healthy life. In Japan, the medical community recognizes green tea as a known cancer preventative, and it’s likely that medical communities in other countries will soon follow suit.

This information, combined with the other studies that have shown green tea to be effective in preventing heart disease should be enough to convince us that drinking a few cups of green tea each day is a simple way to protect our health.

But, why is does it seem that so many of the positive findings are associated with green tea, and not black tea too? Well, it stems from the way the tea is processed. While the study noted here on the anti-microbial activity of tea didn’t find a difference between the two, in most health studies green tea beats black tea every time.

Black tea is fermented during processing; green and white teas are not. The fermentation process changes the anti-oxidants in the tea from their natural, original state, into a slightly different compound.

While black tea is still healthy, and still contains important anti-oxidants, the more natural anti-oxidants in green and white tea are far more powerful.

The research done so far has mostly been performed on green tea because it is much more widely consumed. However, it is likely that researchers would find that white tea is just as healthful, since its anti-oxidants are preserved in their natural state, just like those in green tea.

Green tea first gained notice as a health preserver because of the much lower incidence of heart disease and cancer in Asian countries, where green tea is a staple. Scientists decided to back up this anecdotal evidence with research and the findings have been astonishing.

In addition to evidence suggesting that green tea protects our health, there has also been evidence to suggest that green tea may even be effective as an alternative cancer treatment. Some studies have shown that green tea slows the growth of certain cancers.

Other studies have shown that administering green tea along with chemotherapy makes the chemotherapy more effective than when it is administered alone.

So, it appears that green tea may be one of the most promising natural health products we can consume. As time goes on, and more studies are conducted on human subjects, we’ll learn more definitive information about this wonder beverage.

It’s amazing to think that something many of us have been drinking all our lives just for the taste could hold so much power to protect our health.

Some of the most promising cancer research going on today involves the use of green tea and its ability to prevent cancer and even treat cancer in patients who have already been diagnosed with the disease. Researchers are examining many possibilities for how green tea might be used, and working to determine the cancer types for which it holds the most promise.

Over the last few years, scientists have learned a great deal about the importance of a diet rich in anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are a powerful tool in slowing down the aging process and preventing disease. They are even more important than even with the number of processed foods we consume. Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in anti-oxidants, as is dark chocolate and green tea. Coffee is also a source of anti-oxidants, though it is not nearly as rich in them as green tea.

The process our bodies go through to convert our food to energy creates free radicals each day. Free radicals are oxygen containing molecules that damage our cells and DNA. If we don’t combat them, the make us age more quickly, they contribute to the development of blocked arteries and the make us more susceptible to the diseases and problems of aging.

So, it’s certain that we all need to consume a high level of anti-oxidants as part of our everyday diet. But, of particular interest are the anti-oxidants in green tea. Asian cultures consume a large amount of green tea, and have espoused its healing properties for centuries. And, it just so happens that they have a much lower incidence of cancer and heart disease.

There are, of course, other differences between Asian culture and ours. Notably, we are far more likely to be overweight; and research has shown us that obesity is a significant risk factor for many diseases including cancer and heart disease. However, one other interesting fact; Asian cultures, particularly Japanese men are far more likely to smoke than we are, yet they still have a much lower incidence of cancer and heart disease.

So, green tea is of significant importance in our quest to live longer and be healthier. There are hundreds of studies that have shown that green tea is a good cancer preventative and can increase the effectiveness of cancer treatments.

One important study is linked to skin cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer. While only 4% of skin cancer cases are melanoma, it causes more deaths than any other type of skin cancer.

The number of new cases of melanoma is on the rise in the US- an estimated 62,000 Americans will be diagnosed in 2006, and about 8000 people will die from melanoma in the US this year. Nonmelanoma is extremely common. It is estimated that about one million people develop nonmelanoma cancer each year; this is about the same number of people who contract all other types of cancer combined. However, people rarely die from nonmelanoma – only about 1000 each year in the US.

Since skin cancer is so prevalent in our country, it’s critical that we spend time and money researching how we can treat this cancer. Of course, skin cancer is, in part, preventable. So, as part of a healthy lifestyle we should be diligent about protecting ourselves from the sun, because this is the most important aspect of preventing both types of skin cancer.

To reduce your risk of skin cancer, be sure that you are always protected from the sun, even on cloudy days, and even in the winter. Cover as much of your body as possible with clothing, and use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher on any areas that you cannot cover. Be sure to follow the directions on sunscreen closely; many people do not use enough sunscreen and do not reapply it often enough.

As scientists are researching ways to prevent and treat skin cancer, the results involving green tea are promising. One particular study reported by the Alternative Medicine Review showed excellent results in skin cancer prevention and treatment in mice with the use of green tea both applied topically and given orally*.

In this study, mice were exposed to about seven different kinds of carcinogens, all of which are known to cause or contribute to skin cancer. The mice were divided into groups. Some of the groups were treated with green tea by substituting it for their drinking water. Others were treated topically with green tea extract. Some of the groups of mice were already suffering from skin cancer, as well.

The research was conducted so that mice undergoing exposure to each different carcinogen were treated with green tea in both forms. For example, some of the mice being exposed to UVB rays were treated with only oral green tea, while others were treated with only topical green tea extract.

The research concluded that all of the mice benefited from the green tea treatment, whether it was given orally or applied topically. In every group, the green tea was effective at preventing skin cancer. The study found that green tea applied topically seems to scavenge and destroy skin cells that are likely to become cancerous before they can mutate.

The green tea, whether given orally or applied topically, slowed down the cancer growth in the mice that were already infected. In addition, green tea given orally seemed to cause some regression of existing skin cancer.

Of course, these results are very promising. If this research is a good indicator of how green tea might work in humans, as well, then topically applied green tea may become the new trend in skin products. In addition, these findings support other findings that conclude that drinking green tea is effective in preventing and treating many forms of cancer.

The next step, of course, is to conduct human trials to see if the same results prove true. It certainly seems that we have enough information to suggest that green tea should be part of everyone’s diet for its ability to slow down aging and prevent disease.

The most exciting news from this study is the idea that we might benefit dramatically from the simple step of applying a form of green tea to our skin. Addition of green tea to our sunscreens, lotions and moisturizers could have a dramatic effect on the number of skin cancer diagnosed each year. And, even for those already diagnosed with skin cancer, green tea applied to the skin might prove to be an effective treatment to kill the cancer cells, or at least slow down their progression.

Breast cancer is one of the most frightening diseases faced by today’s women. In fact, breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, after nonmelanoma skin cancer. About 13% of American women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. And, it is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, after lung cancer.

Scientists are continuing to look for new information to determine what causes breast cancer as well how to prevent and treat this disease. Today, we still don’t know what causes breast cancer, but we do understand some of the risk factors.

In addition, we have come a long way in treating breast cancer – though many women still die each year. Some of the research is very promising, including research on green tea.

One group of breast cancer sufferers who cause doctors a great area of concern are those who have a higher than average expression of the epidermal growth factor Her-2/neu. Her-2/neu is a growth factor that sometimes presents itself in a tumor. An over expression of this growth factor is a concern for breast cancer patients.

During routine testing of patients who have been recently diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, doctors will determine the level of Her-2/neu. If the level is high, this information is used to guide treatment. The level of this growth factor is important because studies have shown that patients with an over expression of Her-2/neu have a higher likelihood of their cancer metastasizing, and have an overall lower survival rate. The Her-2/neu is high in about 30% of breast cancer patients.

As part of the ongoing research to find effective treatments for breast cancer, scientists have been looking seriously at the benefits of green tea, both on preventing cancer and treating it. Asian cultures have used green tea for its healing properties for centuries, and their overall rate of cancer is much lower than that of the Western world.

Tea is derived from the Camellia sinensis plant. You’ll hear tea referred to as green, white or black. These differences do not result from actual different types of tea leaf, but rather from differences in how the tea leaves are processed. Green and white teas are not fermented during processing, but black tea goes through such a processing.

Tea leaves contain catechins, part of the flavan-3-ol class of flavonoids, which are anti-oxidants. EGCG is one of the catechins contained in tea, and is a potent anti-oxidant. Fermenting the tea leaves converts the catechins to other compounds that are not as healthy as those in unfermented tea. So, the focus of research has been on green tea, because of its healthier form of anti-oxidants.

What’s So Great About Anti-Oxidants?

During our body’s process of converting food to energy, we create free radicals in our body. These free radicals are damaging to our cells and DNA if we don’t combat them. Left unchecked, free radicals contribute to speeding up the aging process and to causing diseases such as cancer, heart attack and stroke.

Anti-oxidants, however, can help us combat these free radicals, and a diet in anti-oxidants is linked with preventing cancer, heart disease and stroke. So, doctors recommend a diet high in anti-oxidants – which means eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and drinking green tea each day.

However, scientists also seem to be finding out that green tea may be able to increase the effectiveness in some cancer treatments. Several studies conducted on mice already diagnosed with cancer have shown that taking green tea along with the cancer treatments can increase the effectiveness of the traditional therapy and may slow down the progression of cancer to other cells. There is promising research; some of it directly related to breast cancer treatment.

One particular study of interest was conducted by the Boston University School of Medicine. In this study, female mice with breast cancer whose Her-2/neu levels were very high were treated with green tea along with their regular cancer treatment. Mice that ingested the green tea showed a slower growth of their tumors and a slower progression of their cancer than those who were treated with the same medicine without green tea as an adjunct therapy.*

Researchers who found these results also believe that if green tea can inhibit the growth of tumors in patients already diagnosed with cancer, it may also be effective in preventing cancerous cells from forming and growing in the first place. This coincides with other research that indicates that green tea may be significant in preventing cancer. In addition, it helps explain why Asian cultures have such a low cancer incidence compared to the Western world.

This is very promising news for a group of breast cancer sufferers who have traditionally had a lower survival rate than others with breast cancer. If we can slow the rate of cancer progression in those with over expression of Her-2/neu to approximately the same rate as other breast cancer patients, we may be far more effective at treating these patients.

Far more research is needed in the area of breast cancer prevention and treatment. In addition, scientists will be spending more time examining the benefits of green tea in cancer prevention and treatment. But, it seems clear that green tea has a place in the prevention and treatment of many diseases, including cancer.

Even though there is more research to be done, there is no downside to adding green tea to your diet to help prevent disease or to improve your health if it is already failing. Scientists have found no risks involved with drinking green tea. It has no side effects, and is a healthy alternative to coffee because of its high level of anti-oxidants and because it is much lower in caffeine than coffee. So, get a jump start on your anti-oxidants by drinking green tea!