Matcha Tea: Can This Antioxidant Superfood Give You A Reboot?

Sometimes we all just need a boost. And for most of us, that zing in the tail comes from a lovely big shot of espresso.

Let's face it, most of us are pretty hooked on the brown stuff. And while I do my best not to guzzle too much coffee, I certainly couldn't live without - at the very least - extremely strong tea.ALL THE COFFEE (Yahoo)

But caffeine doesn't really agree with me. This much I know. It gives me the twitches and stops me sleeping even if I have it long before the 3pm cut off that's recommended. So really it's part of a vicious cycle of not sleeping, drinking coffee and, er, not sleeping that leaves me tired yet wired and probably not always operating on my A-Game.

So I've always been intrigued by Matcha Tea. Caffeinated sure, but not to the same levels as black tea and coffee and with a longer 'high' as it were, it sounds right right up my street.

When Bloom sent me some of its new tea powders I decided it was time to ditch the habit, and pick up one loved by Buddhist monks - because surely they've got a better idea of what's good for the body and mind than I do?Whisk up the green tea powder for a frothy drink (Yahoo)

Why Matcha Tea?

The highest grade of green tea you can get, Matcha is a very fine, bright green powder that you mix with hot water to make tea. It's part of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony and is the most expensive and highly prized tea you can get.

It's very high in antioxidants but relatively low in caffeine, making it a good choice for those looking ot cut down. But though it does give a gentle caffeine lift, it also promises better concentration and alertness, over a longer period of time than you'd get from your cwaafeee.

That's because the amino acid L-Theanine present in the tea works with the caffeine to give you slow release energy.Tropical Match by Bloom Teas

What it promises

Matcha tea is said to speed up your metabolism, improve your concentration and boost your energy for up to four hours.

And the Bloom tea I tried awas the Tropical Matcha with mango which promises to taste nice.

What's it really like?

If you've ever tried Matcha tea you'll know it's something of an aquired taste. It's earthy in flavour and though not as bitter as standard green tea, it's not as easy to drink as a builder's brew.

So I was keen to try something that changed the taste without reducing the benefits. And this is a good bet.

Like all fruit teas, it smells more mango-ey than it tastes, but it definitely makes the Matcha more paletable if you're not keen.

Did it give me a tonne of energy?

Well I'm a big fan. I religiously supped my bright green brew every morning at around 11am and found it did give me the energy and concentration I usually lack. It's subtler than coffee - instead of a hit of caffeine careening around my body making me work at 100 miles an hour and then crash, the Matcha did seem to give me a longer energy boost and improved focus.

Plus, even better, it did this without giving me the shakes and twitches coffee and tea tend to, didn't stop me sleeping and didn't give me a crash and cravings for another hit a few hours later.

Did it speed up my metabolism?

Possibly. It's hard to tell in a month. I didn't lose a load of weight but I did feel generally more alert and the improved energy and concentration probably had something to do with a boosted metabolism.

So all in all, I'll be keeping the switch! And it gives me something to chat about with colleagues in the kitchen, which is always nice.

https://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/blogs/health-blog/matcha-tea--can-this-antioxidant-superfood-give-you-a-reboot-183629991.html

A Wee Problem That’s More Common Than You Think

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Prostate symptoms are extremely usual in males over the age of 50, yet many are putting off seeing their doctor about it. 

Men are notorious for burying their heads in the sand about their health, and it seems this is especially true when it comes to things going on ‘down there’ potentially relating to the prostate, the gland which sits underneath men’s bladders, surrounds the urethra and produces semen.

One in five UK men would turn a blind eye to prostate problems, according to a recent survey by herbal brand A.Vogel. In fact, 20% admitted that if they experienced symptoms like needing to pee more frequently or urgently, feeling that they’re unable to fully empty their bladder, or difficulty urinating, they would “just ignore it and hope it got better by itself”.

“It can be tough for men talking about their health in general, let alone when it relates to something so sensitive,” says GP Dr Roger Henderson. “In my experience, there are three main reasons men delay coming forward: embarrassment, fear that it may be cancer, or the belief that it’s just a natural part of ageing and there’s nothing they can do.”

Hashim Ahmed, a consultant urologist at the Bupa Cromwell Hospital , understands the complexity of cancer worries. As well as the fear of being diagnosed, the tests involved can be daunting, as can the prospect of treatment and potential side-effects; impotence and incontinence are often big concerns.

“Men are concerned about what might happen if they did go and get a check of their prostate, things like worrying about a back passage examination, and the subsequent tests that can sometimes involve biopsies.

“And then there’s been a lot of press about the fact that prostate cancer treatment itself is quite controversial,” he explains, referring to how many experts believe that aggressive treatment for early prostate cancer actually offers very little benefit, so may lead to unnecessary distress and side-effects, and the fact that traditional testing methods have been highlighted as being potentially unreliable.

“All of these things have contributed to quite a lot of confusion in the public eye,” Ahmed notes.

CANCER CONCERNS

This fear and confusion means two things. Firstly, men who do have cancer may be delaying their diagnosis, and secondly, that men whose symptoms are due to benign conditions may be missing out on treatments.

Though prostate cancer is the most common cancer in UK males, it is still relatively rare, affecting around one in eight men, with most diagnosed between the ages of 70-74.

As Ahmed points out though, as with all cancers, early diagnosis is absolutely crucial. And testing methods have come a long way in the last five years, which means more accurate diagnoses can be made and not all men will require the most aggressive forms of treatment. Side-effects are not always inevitable, either.

A COMMON PROBLEM

The vast majority who experience symptoms, however, will not have cancer. These symptoms are extremely common as men get older, and are most often caused by an enlarged prostate, known medically as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which affects 50% of men over 50. Despite that, the A.Vogel survey also revealed that nearly 70% had never heard of the condition.

“It’s linked with an increase in the size of the prostate gland, due to an increase in cells,” explains Dr Henderson, who has helped launch A.Vogel’s ‘Enlarged Prostate Health Hub’ 

“BPH is associated with a number of common symptoms, including a need to pass water more frequently and urgently, often at night, with occasional leaking or dribbling, hesitancy in passing water, or a weak stream of straining, and a feeling that the bladder is never fully empty.”

Age is the major risk factor, he points out, though a family history can also play a role, and having high blood pressure or diabetes may also be linked with an increased risk.

Also, men with a history of BPH are not at higher risk of developing cancer. “This is a common misconception,” says Henderson. “Although there can be similarities in the nature of the symptoms, having BPH does not increase your risk of prostate cancer in any way.”

READY RELIEF

“BPH can have a significant effect on quality of life,” Henderson notes, “affecting sleep, work, relationships and sex. If left untreated, it can result in complications, such as bladder infections, acute or chronic urine retention, which can affect kidneys, and hernia from straining.”

The good news is though, that BPH is most often easily treatable. Some men with mild symptoms may choose to take a “wait and watch” approach, or make some lifestyle changes. “Things such as cutting down on caffeine and alcohol, especially late at night, as these can make you need the toilet more, and stopping smoking, as nicotine can irritate the bladder,” 

Ahmed notes that an antioxidant-rich diet, particularly containing things like pomegranate juice, cooked tomatoes, broccoli and green tea, could help promote good prostate health.

When symptoms are more severe and are impacting a man’s quality of life, tablets can be prescribed which, usually, are very effective.

Sometimes, though rarely, further treatments, such as laser treatment, may be needed.

OTHER CAUSES

Though benign growths or enlargement are the most common cause of prostate symptoms, sometimes other conditions come into play. “The other thing that can occur, particularly in younger men who have these symptoms whose prostates are quite small, is that the prostate can become quite tight, so the muscle cells, for some reason, tighten up all the time,” notes Ahmed. “Again, that can be treated with tablets to relax the prostate and neck of the bladder, to enable urine to pass better.

“Also, you could have an infection, and that would be detected with a simple urine test and easily treated with antibiotics. And very rarely, men can have a narrowing in the wall of the urine passage from scar tissue, but that’s unusual.”

In the case of infections – or inflammation without infection – it tends to be younger men who are affected (mainly aged 30-50) and symptoms may be accompanied by pain and discomfort.

 http://www.silversurfers.com/health/health-features/wee-problem-thats-common-think/

Why Drinking Tea Can Help You Live Longer – And Lose Weight

Well this news certainly perked up our Monday morning.

Drinking tea can help you live longer, according to a new study.

So do we. [Etsy]Research shows that people that drink tea have a 25 percent less chance of dying early than those that don’t drink tea.

The benefits of tea are largely due to its antioxidant ingredients – and it doesn’t matter whether how much tea you drink or whether you add milk.

The antioxidants in tea help to boost heart health [Rex]French researchers studied 131,401 people aged between 18 and 95 over seven years.

During that time (2001-2008), there were 95 deaths from cardiovascular causes and 632 deaths from non-cardiovascular causes.

Tea drinkers live longer [Rex]

Participants were questioned about how much tea they drank and classified as non-tea drinkers, to moderate (one-four cups) to heavy tea drinkers (more than four cups).

Tea drinkers had lower blood pressure and were generally healthier than their coffee-drinking counterparts – or those people that didn’t drink tea at all.

Unfortunately coffee drinkers didn't fare as well.Coffee drinkers came off the worst, with 57 percent of heavy coffee drinkers being smokers (so coffee and cigarettes go hand-in-hand, after all).

“Overall we tend to have a higher cardiovascular risk profile for coffee drinkers and a lower risk profile for tea drinkers,” said Professor Danchin, who led the study in Paris, France.

“Tea drinking lowered the risk of non-cardiovascular death by 24 per cent and the trend towards lowering cardiovascular mortality was nearly [statistically] significant.”

Drinking tea could help people lose weight too [Rex]But it’s not the only reason we’ll be sipping on our builder’s brew come 3pm, as tea has also been found to boost your metabolism while milk provides calcium, too.

Studies have shown that tea can also help you lose weight. It contains compounds that prevent some of the fat you eat being absorbed by the body.

Now who wants a cuppa?

https://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/why-drinking-tea-can-help-you-live-longer-–-and-lose-weight-115735258.html

Reduce Inflammation with These Anti-Inflammatory Foods

 

Anti-inflammatory foods may have the capability to reduce inflammation when they're eaten as part of an overall health diet.

Of course, the opposite of that is true too -- inflammatory foods might trigger your body's inflammatory response, potentially increasing your risk of chronic disease. Especially if you eat too much heavily processed, non-nutritious foods on a regular basis.

Okay, so how exactly do you get started on an anti-inflammatory diet?  

The quick start method is simply to double up your servings of fruits and vegetables at every meal -- you can't go wrong there. Divide your plate into quarters -- at least half should be filled with green, and other colorful veggies or fruits.

Here's a quick look at the fruits and vegetables that have anti-inflammatory potential:

Fruits and Vegetables. Whole fruits, berries and vegetables, are all rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and phytochemicals. Choose green and brightly colored vegetables and whole fruits, including these:

• Broccoli
• Apples
• Sweet potatoes
• Chard
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Spinach
• Carrots
• Oranges
• Olives
• Avocado
• Kale

Of course there's more to an anti-inflammatory diet, including healthful protein sources, and the right fats. Then round out your diet with beneficial beverages.
Protein Sources. Anti-inflammatory protein sources include most fish and seafood, and some plant-based sources. Some examples:

• Salmon
• Tuna
• Sardines
• Trout
• Non-fat Yogurt
• Soy Foods
• Dry beans
• Walnuts
• Almonds
• Pecans
• Brazil Nuts

Fats and Oils. Omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids are an important part of an anti-inflammatory diet. Many of the protein sources also contain beneficial fats, including fish, seafood, soy, avocados, olives and all those nuts. In addition, choose these:

Beverages. Drink tap, sparkling or bottled water, 100-percent juices, herbal tea, low-sodium vegetable juice, and low- or non-fat milk.

Anti-inflammatory Diet Tips

Choose fresh foods more often and choose fewer heavily processed foods. Here are my tips:

• For breakfast, try oatmeal served with fresh berries and walnuts.
• Snack on whole fruits, nuts, seeds, and fresh vegetables instead of cookies and candy.
• Eat more fish and less fatty red meat.
• Cook with olive oil and canola oil.
• Try a tofu stir-fry or scramble.
• Have a salad with lots of fresh vegetables as your meal.
• Stay away from deep-fried foods; bake, broil, poach or stir-fry instead.
• Choose dark green or brightly colored vegetables as side dishes -- they should fill half your dinner plate.

Inflammatory Foods to Avoid

Loading up on junk foods, high-fat meats, sugar, and highly processed foods may increase the potential for inflammation in your body. Reduce your consumption of trans-fats and saturated fats by cutting back on highly processed foods, red meats, and high-fat processed meats such as bacon and sausage. Cut back on refined white flours in bread and pasta (look for 100-percent whole grains instead). A small amount of sugar is okay, but cut down on most added sugars by decreasing your consumption of sugary sodas, pastries, candy, rich desserts, and pre-sweetened cereals.
Another possible source of irritation comes from the nightshade family of plants, which includes, tomatoes, and eggplant. These vegetables contain a chemical alkaloid called solanine, which can trigger pain in some people. While there aren't any formal research findings that back the claim about nightshade plants, some people do believe they get relief from the symptoms of pain and inflammation when they eliminate them.
Maintaining a healthy weight also appears to be helpful for reducing pain and inflammation.
http://nutrition.about.com/od/dietsformedicaldisorders/a/antiinflamfood.htm