It came to me one afternoon, when I was trying to drive back a sore throat, and I held my cigarette in my left hand, and searched for my lighter with my right I know I should not be smoking. I have had this sore throat for nearly a week, and I can not stop smoking.

I really did not plan on quitting slowing down, yes-but outright quitting, no.

Smoking makes you appear old, smoking causes various types of cancer, smoking smells bad and reduces your own ability to smell, smoking makes your teeth brown, and a million other bad health effects raced through my mind

I accepted them all

Alright, now what. Well, I began to think. With a sore throat bugging me at that instant, I chose to go after this enemy first. Mouth wash, medicine, vitamins; I thought these were all pretty good concepts. But even though I was helping the issue, my throat still was still causing me a lot of pain, and I was starting to cough.

Maybe the coughing was a hidden benefit because I reached for a cup of Rooibos tea to help stop my soar throat as a kind of last resort option. The warm steam helped me breathe, and the hot water cleared my throat. If nothing else, this whole ordeal got me thinking.

I looked further into the issue, as I began drinking more tea.

I figured that consuming tea, Rooibos Tea and Jasmine Green Tea in particular, will help relax my nerves, contain large amounts of anti oxidants to fight against the increased level of free radicals in my body caused from smoking (that cause aging skin and of course, cancer), clean my body of toxins, help me breathe, and help me get rid of a soar throat. I stared at this list, and then started thinking about those stop smoking ads

Is it possible that a cup of tea could help me stop smoking? From personal experience, I have discovered that tea helps. No, I do not think drinking tea will cure me from all illnesses, or that I will never get sick again, or that I can avoid any other ailment that may await me. With these new facts I had to accept, I can only do my best to minimize the damage. And as I conclude this article with no promises, I will restate a simple statement that proves itself time and time again, drinking tea is a good idea.

I hope you enjoy this article on my ponderings on how I began consuming green tea. Before you buy tea online, did you know you can shop and compare to learn the hottest specials on green tea at just one website? To learn more go to buy green tea online and for more great articles and prices on everything tea including green tea extract visit buy green tea extract

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For thousands of years loose leaf tea has been used for a variety of reasons by many cultures. Sitting down after a days work to enjoy a cup of tea has been a ritual for many. A great release after a stressful day would be to sip some chamomile, lemon myrtle or peppermint herbal tea. The following are some useful benefits of some of the most popular herbal teas sold today.

HORNY GOAT Horny goat weed has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. As well as increasing libido in men and women, it also improves erectile function in men. Although it is unclear how this herb works, the plant has long been claimed to restore sexual fire, boost erectile function, alleviate menopausal discomfort and allay tiredness.

GINSENG Ginseng has many uses including its ability to help people deal with physical and/or emotional stress. It can improve your mental performance and help to lift depression and fight off infections. It has also been known to improve your vitality and sex drive for both women and men. It has also been shown in studies to regulate the immune system and can assist in the prevention of colds and flues. In case studies it has also been effective in lowering sugar content in the blood and lowering cholesterol levels. CAUTION Ginseng should not be taken by pregnant or breastfeeding women. Also ginseng should not be taken when you have an acute infection such as a cold.(although it is used to prevent colds).

LEMON BALM As well as being the sweetest tasting herb lemon Balm is also a great herb for stress. It is particularly good for indigestion where anxiety and tension play a part. As well as stimulating circulation making it a good herb to calm tension it can also be used for problems such as irritable bowel and stomach ulcers.

BEARBERRY Bearberry also known as uva ursi is an effective herb against infections of the bladder, urethra and kidney. It is used to not only kill infective organisms, but also soothes inflammation and strengthens the tissue in these areas. Bearberry has also been found useful to relieve the pain of urinary tract infections such as pyelitis, cystitis and urethritis.

HAWTHORN Hawthorn herbal tea is renowned for use in most cardiac and circulatory disorders. It is well known to improve coronary artery blood flow and improve blood flow too the extremities. Many of the active constituents found in Hawthorn exhibit potent antioxidant properties. Hawthorn is also helpful for high blood pressure, hypertension and angina. CAUTION With serious conditions such as angina, heart failure and high blood pressure, it is wise to seek medical advice when mixing medication and herbs. Please seek advise from your doctor or herbalist or both.

Learn more about herbal loose leaf tea. Stop by Herbal Tea The Natural Way.com where you can find out all about herbal tea and what they can do for you.

categories: herbal loose leaf tea,herbal tea,loose leaf tea,chamomile tea,green tea,peppermint tea,health,alternative medicine,health and fitness

Posted under green tea

Green tea has been in the news a lot lately. The latest buzz is centered around a substance found in green tea called polyphenols.

Part of what makes vegetables and fruits so healthy is catechins. Catechins are also found in green tea. The type of catechin found in green tea is the most powerful and is called EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate).

EGCG is called a super antioxidant because it is even more powerful than Vitamin C. EGCG destroys free radicals in the human body. Free radicals are unstable molecules that have been linked to disease. Free radicals constantly attack the body leaving it open to disease.

Every cell in your body engages in biochemical processes. DNA, proteins, and lipids all are necessary for cellular processes to take place. What free radicals do is to disrupt the biochemical process in cells. This opens up the body to disease and illness because it compromises the natural defense system in the body. Free radicals can be thought of as highly reactive molecules that react to all the cells and tissue around them. They damage proteins, lipids, and even DNA!

Reactive oxygen metabolites is another name for free radicals. As the name implies, because we are oxygen breathing creatures, reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) are invariably produced. ROM is responsible for cellular destruction, aging, stroke, heart disease, arthritis and more. Oxygen, the same compound that sustains life also takes it.

Without any antioxidants in your body, your cells oxidize and breakdown faster thereby speeding up the aging process. This is why many people who smoke age faster. The free radicals caused by the hundreds of chemicals in cigarettes causes cellular oxidation at an increasing rate. Free radicals also cause cancer which is why people that smoke have a higher level of risk for certain types of cancer. Whether you smoke or not, free radicals cause oxidative damage that makes us age.

EGCG is found in such high concentrations in green tea, it is why new research has linked green tea to the health benefits listed below.

Lower LDL levels

Raises good cholesterol

Lowers the risk of cancer and heart attack

Decrease the risk of stroke

Green tea drinkers suffer less from arthritis

Enhance immune function

Kills bacteria. Has anti-viral properties. Helps lower weight.

Increases life span because of antioxidant properties

One tea bag provides anywhere from 120 to 350 mg of polyphenols and has a high concentration of EGCG. Scientists now believe that EGCG has 100 times more antioxidants than Vitamin C and 30 times more antioxidants than Vitamin E.

The Chinese have been drinking green tea for thousands of years because of its health benefits. The western world is only now analyzing the benefits of green tea against disease and illness. Watch for more medical studies to be released soon.

The latest research indicates that green tea may help in Alzheimer's disease by decreasing the production of a protein which in large amounts causes nerve damage and memory loss. All of the benefits of green tea can be attributed to polyphenols, particularly EGCG.

Green tea comes in various dosage forms but the more popular versions are the liquid forms and the patch.

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