Healthy Body & Mind (2025)

26/10/2017

7 Foods You Need To Try While In China

Traveling to new and exciting places should be adventurous and lively. However, some aspiring tourists can get overwhelmed with booking hotels, purchasing affordable airline travel, and deciding which landmarks are worthy of sight-seeing.

On top of all this planning, food is arguably one of the most significant aspects of traveling – and it is usually improvised in the most tragic circumstances. If you ever book a vacation to China or find a study abroad opportunity, keep a mental note of the following foods. Your memories become enriched and you won’t find yourself walking into a McDonald’s after climbing the Great Wall.

1. Peking Duck

A Beijing specialty that is typically served with raw vegetables, pancakes and sweet bean sauce, meant for packing into small wraps. Peking duck is thin, crispy and juicy, achieving the perfect balanced duality of skin and meat.

2. Ear-Hole Fried Cake

This rice cake is a popular street food from the city of Tianjin. Similar to the cronut in New York City, people from all-over flock to Tianjin and form long lines every morning in front of the ear-holed fried cake vendors.

The flavor and texture of the cake is similar to a funnel cake; the exterior is crispy and savory. After you take a bite, you can then taste the sweet and sticky flavor of red bean paste. The name was created after observing a resemblance to a human ear.

3. Dried Noodle Snacks

These snack items can be found in any grocery store next to potato chips and crackers. The snack is flavored like cooked ramen noodles but is crispy like uncooked noodles. My personal favorite brand has a cartoon raccoon on the packaging.

4. Black Sesame Hot Cereal

This porridge is made out of black sesame seeds and is rich in Calcium, Vitamin A and Iron, providing a rich and creamy texture. The nutritious meal is usually served at breakfast time.

5. Dao Xiang Cun Pastries

Dao Xiang Cun bakery creates a bundle of flaky and delicious pastries with a wide variety of flavors. My personal favorite is the flower cake, which is filled with sweet and creamy date paste. The bakery is located in Beijing.

6. Cong You Bing (Scallion Pancake)

Scallion pancakes are thin and savory, usually bought from street vendors for breakfast on-the-go. They are sometimes made with vegetables and sesame seeds.

7. Goubuli Baozi

Goubuli is one of China’s longest established brands. Located in the city of Tianjin, Goubuli is famous for it’s stuffed steamed buns. Each bun has approximately eighteen wrinkles and comes in a wide variety of fillings and combinations.

25/10/2017

Healthy Mind, Healthy Body

Writes Dr. Barsky: “We ‘burn’ with anger, ‘tremble’ with fear, feel ‘choked up’ with sadness; our ‘stomachs turn’ with revulsion. Everyone tends to experience unpleasant emotions as unpleasant bodily symptoms and thus to feel physically distressed when emotionally distressed.”

That’s the bad news, teaches lifestyle experts like Dr. Coral Arvon, Director of Behavioral Health and Wellness at the Pritikin Longevity Center in Miami, Florida.

The good news is that we have the power to change negative thoughts and feelings into positive, rational, motivating thoughts, and in doing so, help create a healthy mind in a healthy body.

This transformation, which is part of emerging fields in psychology focused on mind-body health, is very important because it can greatly boost our chances of achieving what we want in life, including a fitter, healthier lifestyle.

“By changing our minds, we really can change our lives,” asserts Dr. Arvon.

The Healthy Mind and Body Connection

Mind-body medicine originated more than 4,000 years ago, when physicians in China noticed that illness often followed periods of frustration in their patients’ lives. Today in western societies like the U. S., medical professionals also share the view that emotions, life events, and coping skills can have a very strong influence on health.

Healthy mind-body medicine is now part of exciting new fields such as psychoneuroimmunology and behavorial cardiology.

Healthy Mind-Body Program

Don’t let personal obstacles hold you back. At Pritikin, you'll clear a path to wellness and weight loss. Behavior Change Program
Psychoneuroimmunology focuses on the relationship of our thoughts and emotions to our brain chemistry and immune system.

Behavioral cardiology is the application of psychological and social factors in the assessment and reduction of cardiovascular risk. It is an important field for a number of reasons, including reducing recurring heart attacks, helping patients recover sooner, and improving family support.

Chronic stress can make us fat – and sick

It is the long-term consequences of an anxiety-filled existence that are particularly troubling. Over time, chronic emotional and psychological stress can:

Promote fat storage
Retain salt in the body
Destroy the body’s resistance to cancer, infections, and illness
Cause infertility and sexual dysfunction
Exacerbate diabetes
Deposit cholesterol in blood vessels
Accelerate heart rate and increase blood pressure, and thicken blood so it clots more readily, which makes you more prone to suffering a heart attack or stroke
Calming the mind

To guide people toward healthier states of mind, emerging throughout America are major medical centers with wellness divisions offering stress management, relaxation training, guided imagery, and cognitive therapy techniques.

Mindful Eating

Having a hard time losing weight? Learn about Mindful Eating For Weight Loss

Binge Eating

Out of control? Learn 3 key strategies for How To Stop Binge Eating
Guests at Pritikin are also introduced to and practice many of these techniques. “Add them to healthy eating and exercising,” encourages Dr. Arvon, “and you maximize your control over your well-being.”

Stress Hardiness
Attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that are linked with a healthy mind and body

A key goal of mind-body techniques is achieving an overall approach to life known as stress hardiness. Stress hardiness is associated with four important personality traits that buffer the impact of stress and improve coping. These characteristics of the stress resistant or healthy personality are identified as:

Commitment

An attitude of curiosity and commitment to yourself, your loved ones, your work, and the world.

Control

The belief that you can respond effectively to situations that arise in your life, rather than feeling hopeless and incompetent.

Challenge

The ability to see change as exciting and an opportunity for growth rather than viewing it as frightening and fearing failure.

Connection

The enduring assurance that you are understood and validated by those you are closest to.

Other attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that are linked with good health include:

Social support

Social support, explains Pritikin psychologist Dr. Arvon, is protective against the effects of stress and has been found to be associated with longevity.

Emotional disclosure

By keeping a journal or speaking with others, emotional disclosure helps people cope with events. Also, people who use these strategies have lower blood pressure and report fewer health problems compared with people who don’t.

Humor

Humor has been demonstrated to have “stress-busting” qualities and reduces the body”s physiological response to stress.

Healthful Choices

Healthy behaviors, such as developing and maintaining the Pritikin nutrition and exercise program, are crucial for optimal health.

Healthy Mind-Body Education at the Pritikin Longevity Center

To maximize emotional well-being and the ability to make positive changes, Dr. Arvon guides guests at Pritikin through a five-seminar series, entitled:

Healthy Mind, Healthy Body
New Thoughts, New Behaviors
Taking Charge of Stress
Listening and Being Heard
Managing Your Moods
“The seminars help our guests develop the valuable skills needed to take charge of their emotional lives,” explains Dr. Arvon. “That’s so vital because a healthy mind can lead you to a healthy body – and a much happier life.”

More Healthy Mind, Healthy Body Articles

How To Stay Sharp As You Age
Top Tips For Living a Long, Healthy Life
The Two Faces Of Anger, and How To Deal With Anger Issues
Foods That Promote Sexual Health
Does Anger Hurt Your Body?
How To Keep New Year’s Resolutions
Reducing Holiday Stress | 5 Simple Strategies
The Hunger Scale: Mindful Eating for Weight Loss
Holiday Healthy Eating and Exercise
Difficult Relationships and the Three C’s that Fix Them
Taking Pritikin On the Road
Mindfulness and Weight Loss
Tap Into Pritikin Twitter Talks
Twitter Talk: Round Two
Inspirational Weight Loss Quotes and Motivational Tips
Lower Stress Equals Lower Weight
Spafinder Wellness 365 and Pritikin Talk about the Diet Game on Twitter
Twitter Talk: is better
Exercise Your Imagination and Burn Calories!
Twitter Talk: Tips for Eating Out
Pritikin Longevity Center Opens In India
9 Tips For Controlling Holiday Binge Eating
7 Healthy Holiday Travel Tips
Beating Back the Blues
A Shortcut to Good Health
Mind Power: Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia
Healthy Tips for Holiday Survival
What is Your Lifestyle IQ?
10 Tips For Couples:
Managing Stress – Tools For a Healthier Mind
Are You Stressed? Review These Stress Symptoms
Tip #1 For Stress Relief
Meditation Benefits – Just 5 Sessions Curb Stress
How To Stop Binge Eating
Positive Thinking: Your Heart Will Thank You
So Now What: Getting Healthy and Staying Healthy
Seize on the C’s to Ease Your Way to Change
Declare Your Own Independence Day!
View It, Don’t Chew It!
Strong Mind, Happy Mind, Successful Mind in 15 Minutes a Day!
Make your Pritikin Challenges into Winning Choices!
When You’re Struggling, Use This Four-Letter Word!
Outsmarting Your Inner “Brat”
Stay Online to Stay In Line
Knowledge is More Blissful
Support or Saboteur?
“I’ll Think About It Tomorrow”: The Scarlet O’Hara Holiday Syndrome
Brain Fitness: Strategies to Improve Your Memory
You Eat What You Think, So Catch Those Thoughts!v
Stalking the Wild and Wily Celery
Take Charge of Your Thoughts and Be A Pritikin Success
Oscar Wilde and Life Style Change
Put An End To Compulsive, Mindless Eating
Use the Three M’s To Stay On Track
Mindful Eating
Learn To Analyze Your Successes And Lapses
Travel Light this Vacation: Pleasure without the Pounds

24/10/2017

Healthy mind really does live in a healthy body

A new study has proved an old saying ‘healthy mind lives in a healthy body’.

Researchers from University of Gothenburg in Sweden have revealed that regular exercise boosts brain power of young adults.

It improves blood flow to the brain that could help build new brain cells.

The study involving nearly all Swedish men born between 1950 and 1976, scientists discovered that cardiovascular fitness was linked with overall intelligence.

The participants also scored on tests of logical, verbal, technical and visuospatial capabilities and even socioeconomic status and educational attainment later in life.

Researcher Georg Kuhn, a neuroscientist at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said cardiovascular exercise increases blood flow to the brain, supplying it with more oxygen and nutrients. Moreover, during exercise, growth factors are produced that could improve brain structure over time. This not only includes more and stronger connections between nerve cells, but also more neurons and supporting cells. “From animal experiments we know this is the case especially in the hippocampus, a region of the brain that is important for learning and memory,” Live Science quoted him as saying.

Past research has suggested that cardiovascular fitness can benefit the minds of older adults. For instance, it can delay or reduce the onset and progression of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

The study appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

22/10/2017

8 Tips For Staying Fit In College

College is a time to explore your new freedom. Freedom to do whatever you want, think whatever you want, and of course, eat whatever you want. I learned the hard way freshman year by truly taking advantage of the all the options I was given (especially the soft-serve ice cream machine).

Now on my second time around, I have learned I need to control my eating habits and motivate myself to get my butt to the gym! Yes, I know this can be a drag, but it will really pay off in the end! So, here are a few tips to stay happy and healthy during the school year.

1. Make a gym schedule

By sitting down and making time in your schedule to go to the gym, you will be more likely to go to the gym. Right now, I have penciled in specific times Monday through Friday to go to the gym and get my workout in, and so far, I haven’t skipped one day! Go me!

2. Pick certain times to go the gym

One of the things I hate is when I show up to the gym, and it is packed. I also get nervous or feel self-conscious if too many people are around me while working out. So, I pick times that are not so popular where I can have my own space to workout. Typically, I workout at either 8 in the morning or 9 at night. I am almost guaranteed my own space and weights at these times!

3. Go with a plan

You are more likely to stay longer and get a successful workout if you go with a workout plan. If I don’t, I just end up cheating myself and leaving early. Finding a good workout is so easy now with social media, Pinterest, or YouTube. Also, there are typically fitness clubs on campus that you can join for great workout opportunities.

4. Don’t go alone

One of the mistakes I made last year was going to the gym alone. By having a group of two or more people, someone is always ready to push you and keep you motivate to finish strong. And, it is obviously more fun hanging out with your friends.

5. Wear something cute

By wearing a cute outfit to the gym, I am always so much more excited to get my workout on. I’m not exactly sure what it is, but whenever I look good, my motivation to work out is much higher!

6. Always hit up the salad bar

Wherever you eat, there will always be a salad bar. I know it is very difficult to avoid all the greasy, delicious food options, but I highly recommend eating a salad for a meal once a day. If you can’t do that, I would suggest eating a small salad before your meal so your stomach is a little full resulting in eating less unhealthy food after.

7. Limit your snacking

I don’t think I love anything more than snacking. In my room, I always have a stack of snacks ready to eat. However, unless your grabbing an apple or some celery every time, snacking can be very dangerous. I only allow myself one snack in between my big meals. I also try to make them a little healthier whether it be fruit or peanuts or even skinny pop!

8. No late night food runs

Late night trips to McDonalds with your friends is always a good time until you feel like crap after you downed a 10 piece chicken nugget, large fry, and a Coke. Eating later in the night is also worse for your body. Try setting a reasonable time in the night to stop eating and snacking. I try my best to stop eating after 8 PM. However, sometimes we just need that midnight pizza order with all your friends, so feel free to splurge every once in a while!

21/10/2017

The Caffeine Fix

A lot of people live off coffee and swear how good it is and how they can’t live without it, but I’m the opposite. I love my tea, all but the fruity varieties unless I’m in the mood for that day. I only like iced coffee if I’m buying it, and hot when I’m at home, but you’ll rarely see me drinking any if there’s tea. When I’m studying I usually have a cup of steaming hot Earl Grey tea and I’ll have a big happy smile on my face (that’s a lie, studying is tough). Within the past year though, I’ve had a hard time with caffeine seeing as my body isn’t very accepting of it. A couple years back I was informed that I had PCOS(Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), which is the leading cause of infertility in women. Statistics show that 1 in every 10 women are affected by PCOS, so it’s more common than a lot of people are even aware of. (I’ll explain below why this is relevant further on.)

Just within the last few years, I upped my caffeine intake and I was drinking a whole lot more caffeine than usual, which was basically every day where I’d have maybe 1 or 2 cups of tea or coffee. I loved the taste and needed the small boost of energy that the caffeine would provide me while juggling school and work. However, in the last year or so I started developing very sharp lower abdominal pains and I didn’t know what to make of them. I brushed them off for the most part until the pain started getting worse. I went to the doctor and was informed that the pains were probably just ruptured cysts (associated with my PCOS), and to return only if the pain got worse.

The pain didn’t get worse though, the stabbing/shooting pain just wouldn’t go away. Any woman who’s affected by PCOS probably also knows that not many doctors are as well-informed of PCOS as others and that’s where all the online forums come in handy. I was looking everywhere trying to figure out if anyone else with PCOS was having this kind of problem, and it turns out I wasn’t the only one. I read up and found out that several women noted that caffeine was causing them some sort of discomfort, and it all clicked for me. I had been drinking too much caffeine.

I decided to put what these women were saying to the test and decided to give up my tea and my coffee for a while, and sadly for me, the pain instantly went away. I gave up caffeine for a couple of weeks after that and then decided to try my luck again and got a small iced coffee, but the pains, although dull, came back.

I had to give up on caffeine at that point, but I told myself I’d survive. And I did, and I felt a whole lot better energy-wise after a couple of weeks. I could stay up late without the caffeine and I wasn’t jittery or feening for a cup of tea. I felt okay!

I had to start substituting my usual caffeinated drinks with water or different types of juices. At one point I was making my own juices at home with different types of fruits and vegetables which were all a whole lot better tasting than tea or coffee, not to mention a whole lot healthier. I do still try to make my own juices but sometimes it’s just easier to refill my water bottle and call it a day.

My take on this to really anyone, not just those affected by PCOS, but especially those who feel they’ve grown dependent on coffee to get through the day, is that you can make a better and healthier choice. I know the fresh juices that you get at Juice Press are very expensive, which is why you can always hit up your local farmer’s market or Trader Joes for some good deals to make your own fancy juices at home. You’ll feel better eventually once you accustom your body to a caffeine-free lifestyle.

That’s not to say that you should give it up completely because I’m guilty of still drinking some tea here and there and my love for iced coffee is endless, but you shouldn’t be dependent on it getting you through the day. You can surely pull through your next exam or day at work without it if you try to slowly wean yourself off it, so stop telling yourself you can’t.

It ain’t easy, but trust me when I say you’ll feel a whole better when you don’t feel as drowsy without the caffeine intake. Not to mention, some more money in your pocket from not blowing it off on Starbucks instead!

20/10/2017

10 Foods That We Thought Were Healthy For Us

Food, who doesn’t love it right? While I was reading up on what’s going on in this world right now, I came across a food article explaining that most of the “healthy” foods we are shown, aren’t actually that healthy at all. I am shocked at the results and will definitely have to rearrange my grocery list.

10. Protein Bars

This one shocked me the most. While we were all thinking, “Hey, I can skip lunch and just pack a protein bar. That’ll fill me up.” we should’ve been saying, “Wow, check that sugar content. In my cart, I usually have some Luna Bars, and Nature Valley bars. After my research, Luna bars showcase the”12 grams of protein” but what they don’t tell you (or what you don’t look at) is the 13-15 grams of sugar they contain. That right there outweighs the protein content making the bar pointless to your health. Nature Valley bars say “hey we have 10 grams of protein” but they don’t show the 190 calories, 12 grams of fat and filler foods.

9. Wheat Bread

I was always told that white bread is more unhealthy for you than wheat bread, but that might not always be the case. A single slice of generic white bread contains 1 gram of fat, 100 calories, 35 mg of potassium, 15 grams of carbs, 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of sugar and 3 grams of protein. Seems fine right? A single slice of generic wheat bread has 70 calories, 1 gram of fat, 115 mg of sodium, 35 mg of potassium, 12 grams of carbs, 1 gram fiber, 2 grams sugar, 2 grams protein. They’re really not that different – depending on what you put on them. If the wheat bread isn’t “100% whole wheat” then it’s probably white bread with wheat flour mixed in, causing you to get a sugar high and crash like you would with candy. Crazy, huh?

8. Any Kind of Wrap – That’s NOT Lettuce

I know a few people, including myself that prefer wraps over sandwiches. It cuts the carbs right? Wrong. Tortillas themselves have roughly 400-800 calories not to mention all of the ingredients you put in the tortilla under the amazing sauces. Stick to lettuce wraps and save your gut some trouble.

7. Smoothies

Unless they taste like they came straight from the ground, dirt and all, they are not helping you in any way shape or form. Average smoothies from bagged frozen fruits have around 11-12 grams of sugar. With the sugar content being so much higher than anything else in the bag, it proves that you’re just getting a sugar high, you’re not feeling energized from anything beneficial. Comparing “low-fat yogurts” like FAGE and Dannon, FAGE wins. Dannon’s “fat-free” yogurt contains 80 calories, 9 grams of sugar, 5 grams of protein. FAGE contains only 100 calories, but 8 grams of sugar and 12 grams of protein. Be sure to compare two different kinds of yogurts before grabbing your ‘got-to’.

6. Light Salad Dressings

I’m super guilty of grabbing the “low calorie” “low fat” dressings off the shelves but I’m not really giving myself anything different if I were to grab the regular stuff. Between the amount of preservatives, sodium and sugars that are added to the ‘light’ salad dressing to keep their shelf-life longer, you’re better off using a type of vinaigrette. or having no dressing at all.

5. Veggie Burgers

No meat is not the most healthy thing for you, but replacing meat burger with a veggie burger is no better. Veggie burgers are typically held together by butter or some type of oil, allowing them to last three or four meals – how gross is that? I thought I was picking the healthy one of the two, but in reality, they’re almost the same but with different ingredients.

4. Turkey Bacon

Though it is a ‘healthier’ alternative to pork bacon, turkey bacon is loaded with artificial colors, sodium, and nitrates being known for leaving the consumers with higher risks of digestive cancers.

3. Quaker Oatmeal

I am super guilty of using these little packets to start my day. Yes the brown sugar oatmeal is amazing, and fills you up, but little did I know the little packet contains 12 grams of sugar. I’m not sure if any of us really want to start our day on a sugar high – certainly not me! Make sure your oatmeal is flavor-free if you want to stay on the “healthy” train.

2. Margarine Vs. Butter

Lots of people believe that margarine is a healthier substitute to butter, but it’s not. In a single tablespoon of this stuff, you could consume 2 grams of fat – making your future heart hate you. Stick with butter, it’ll decrease your risk of heart-failure, and high cholesterol.

1. Fruit Juice

After reading about this on http://www.eatthis.com/unhealthiest-foods-on-the-p… I have decided to stop drinking fruit juice. The unhealthy part (high-fructose corn syrup & fiber-free fruit) you’re really just drinking sugar.

18/10/2017

A Simple Guide To Flexible Dieting

Three years ago, I was a lab rat.

I was part of a study conducted at The University of Tampa.

The study was 6-weeks long. It was done to determine if Ketogenic Diets were beneficial in increasing strength. If you read my last blog about diets, you’d know what it is!

It was a painful 6 weeks. Why? I had to eat NO more than 30 grams of carbs a day. This meant I could eat a banana a day and that’s it. No rice, no candy, no fruits, etc.

On the other hand, I could eat loads of bacon, eggs, burger patties, and extremely fatty foods.

At the end of this study I was back to eating normal. I suffered only to see that this diet had no significant difference in my strength.

However, thanks to the guys at the lab I was introduced to the concept of flexible dieting – or “eat whatever you want, but keep it between the limits.”

The concept of flexible dieting is very simple to understand; you eat whatever you want, you keep yourself in track with your dietary goals, you learn the nutritional value of food, and you don’t fall for the trap of “magic diets.”

Dietary goals are different from person to person, but the value of food and understanding what carbs, fats, and proteins are is something everyone should know.

In this blog, I will give you the top things you must know and do to be a flexible diet master.

1. Before we begin.

As I said above, there is no such thing as magic diets. In fact, when I was doing the Keto Diet, I wanted to murder everyone (not really). The transition from being on a normal carb diet to a low carb diet is horrible.

However, there are some people that enjoy this diet. Every diet is different, and you will need different amounts of food based on your goal.

2. What is food?

I know. You’re probably very confused. What kind of question is that?

Listen, no food is created equal and food contains 3 major macronutrients and many micronutrients that you should know about. You should know this because you will begin to see food differently. Eventually, you will start eating depending on what you need rather than what you crave; thus, you will be eating smarter.

I could write an entire article just on this, so let’s keep it simple.

The 3 main macronutrients are fats, proteins, and carbohydrates (or carbs). First of all, carbs are not bad, fats are not bad, and proteins are not bad either. The only situation when they are bad, is if you over eat them. Simple.

Protein is often considered the most important macronutrient because it helps build muscle, increases satiety, and a high protein diet helps maintain that hard earned muscle.

Carbs are probably the most demonized macronutrient of all time. There is so much contradictory information out there that will drive you crazy. However, if you are someone that is healthy, exercises regularly and lifts weights, you can safely eat carbs without having to worry.

You can find carbs almost anywhere: Fruits, starches, vegetables, candy. Almost all carbs are broken down into glycogen, which is a primary source of energy for the body when exercising.

That leaves us with fats. They play a very important role in our body such as: regulating hormones, joint health, cell health, etc.

3. Where Do You Start?

All it takes is a change of mindset. If you set yourself to change the way you eat, then you are already ahead of the game.

Remember when I was part of that research? Well, they gave me a food scale and I was told to weight my food for them to know exactly what I was eating.

Although, I’m not telling you to buy a scale, I do recommend you find a reliable way to measure what you eat. Don’t worry, you won’t have to carry this scale everywhere. Most restaurants and packaged foods have their macronutrients listed somewhere.

That’s where the magic happens. I use an app to log all my food, and I know exactly what I’m eating. It’s extremely easy. Especially when you know how much to eat and how to train; and I can help you with that.

4. How do I do it?

I bought a scale from Walmart for $12 and I use a free app called MyFitnessPal. You can get better scales or use other apps, but I recommend not spending more than $50 on a scale and using that app. In my opinion, they have the largest database of foods. I’ve used that app in Colombia and the U.S.

Knowing what I need to eat allows me to anything I can possibly think of. Why? Because I stay within my boundaries.

I can eat a cheeseburger, fries, and a beer because it “fits my macros.” In fact I did that last Saturday. Now, this is not a free pass to eat anything. You should still eat fruits, vegetables, and a good amount of fiber.

With some time, you will be able to be very balanced with your diet.

Look, it takes a while to get used to measuring what you eat and logging, but after a while, it will become second nature. They way to start is to actually start doing.

I’m just extremely consistent with the things I do, and for fitness to work, you have to make it a long-term goal.

17/10/2017

The Wonders Of Green Tea And What It Does For You

When we think of green tea, we imagine the spout of an oriental pot filling a glass with steaming liquid of a minty hue. A hand reaches for the glass. The hand is that of a young individual with a great physique. We tend to associate green tea with youthful, fit individuals. But why?

“Umm, it has antioxidants…?” This was the overwhelming response I received from twenty of my friends when I posed the question, “Why do people drink green tea?” When I asked them if they actually knew what antioxidants were, all of them responded with something along the lines of, “Well, they’re good for you.” What I gleaned from this informal survey is that many people know that green tea is beneficial for one’s health, but we are only superficially aware of its healing power. So, what is it really that makes green tea a miracle drink for human health and wellness?

First of all, let’s define “antioxidant.” According to Nutrex Hawaii, antioxidants are substances that, “prohibit (and in some cases even prevent), the oxidation of other molecules in the body.” This means that antioxidants help remove free radicals from the bloodstream. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that form through respiration of oxygen that can cause damage to the body if they are not properly regulated. In short, free radicals make us age, and can cause diseases, including cancer.

Now that we understand what antioxidants are, we can confidently say that green tea is a powerful drink. In fact, the liquid is loaded with flavonoids and catechins, polyphenols that act as antioxidants, which can eliminate free radicals. Green tea possesses remarkable medicinal properties, but that is not all that green tea has to offer.

In fact, green tea can help make you smarter. The liquid contains both a moderate amount of caffeine and the amino acid, L-theanine. Since caffeine can stimulate the brain and L-theanine has the ability to stimulate dopamine (the neurotransmitter linked to the feeling of happiness), and relieve anxiety, together the substances can help you think more clearly. Another incredible fact is green tea’ can help people lose weight, a side effect from which I have personally benefitted.

Green tea has the ability to boost your metabolism (the relative number of calories you burn in a given period of time), anywhere from 3-11%, meaning it can assist weight loss and lower the risk of obesity. Multiple studies have confirmed that the beverage can decrease body fat, especially in the abdomen. Last summer, I decided to test out green tea’s fat burning abilities for myself. For 8 weeks, I consumed four cups of green tea per day and lost 8 pounds!

Green tea is a miracle drink. It can do everything from neutralizing harmful free radicals that risk the health of our organ systems to stimulating our brains and helping us think. It can even decrease body fat. The beauty of green tea is that all it takes is a plop of a tea bag into hot water to experience the magic.

Healthy Body & Mind

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