Different Teas and Their Health Benefits

For thousands of years, people have used tea to treat all kinds of illnesses. Research has shown that tea can protect from heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and even many types of cancers. Many people don’t know the variety of flavors within different kinds of teas, and how they benefit our health so I will be giving exactly all of that information in my list of teas!

For Weight Loss:

Oolong Tea- Oolong tea improves metabolism, helping you burn fat faster. Its unique antioxidant, catechin, and caffeine combination awakens your body and raises your metabolism for up to 2 hours after drinking it for a fast-burning effect. Drinking oolong tea has resulted in persistent weight loss and a reduced waist size. Also a cool fact about oolong tea is that it has levels of fluoride that helps prevent cavities and tooth decay. 

White Tea- White tea is known to be less processed compared to other forms of tea, which is why the antioxidant called polyphenols is extra effective. White tea also holds ECGC, an antioxidant that stops new fat cells from forming and fights signs of aging, like wrinkles. Research shows that these benefits may protect against colon cancer, among other cancers.

Yerba Mate Tea- Admired in South America, yerba mate tea is jam-packed with antioxidants and vitamins, and on top of that helps you lose fat. It contains the fat-fighting compound mateine that provides you with a metabolism and energy boost. Yerba mate is also known to be an appetite- suppressant; killing the cravings you may have for unwanted calories. Additionally, yerba mate gives a natural, clean energy boost that does not leave you unstable with a caffeine crash.

Overall Health:

Green Tea- This tea has many properties that can help keep you in tip-top health. It contains a phytonutrient called EGCG that increases the hormone CCK, which is responsible for creating the feeling of satiation. Green tea's high EGCG content also makes it an effective cancer fighter. In addition, studies show that drinking green tea may potentially prevent the beginning of dementia.

For Sleep:

Valerian Root- If you’re having trouble sleeping, consider valerian tea. The natural compounds in valerian root have been used as a sedative and may help reduce the amount of time it takes for you to fall asleep. Try drinking valerian root tea a couple of hours before bedtime as a safer alternative to habit-forming sleep aids.

These are just a few common teas that can be found at any local grocery store and should be drank everyday. One of my favorite tea brands, Yogi, has over 30 assortments of teas that vary from soothing bedtime tea to green tea super antioxidant tea. Once you start incorporating teas into your life, it is hard to stop. But one little thing…make sure you don’t put a bag of sugar into each cup you drink because all of the teas benefits will diminish! 

What is your favorite tea?

Check out this website I used for reference:
http://www.symptomfind.com/nutrition-supplements/different-types-of-tea-health-benefits/

#1 Detox Secret: Probiotics

What is the best way to keep your gut happy and healthy? One word: probiotics. Probiotics are essential bacteria that help maintain the natural balance of organisms in our intestines. Whether its through supplements or food, you should be consuming a probiotic every single day. For those of you who did not know, probiotics preserve a clean intestinal tract as well as a strong immune system. If that doesn't convince you, research has shown that they can help battle a vast variety of medical conditions including allergies, cholesterol (helps raise the good kind- HDL), colon cancer, acid reflux, high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, and even acne. 

An average person has around four hundred different species of friendly bacteria in their digestive tract, and if that person is healthy, he or she should have 80-85% friendly bacteria. However, when there is an excess amount of unfriendly bacteria in our bodies it depletes the good bacteria, leading to the disorder known as dysbiosis. This imbalance occurs when one eats a lot of meat and dairy products containing high levels of antibiotics, drinks chlorinated water, and frequently takes over the counter drugs or birth control pills. In such cases, probiotic foods and supplements can help re-colonize the essential microorganisms in our gut.

http://knightnews.com/2012/10/
kombucha-your-way-to-better-health/

Personally, I’m not a fan of taking supplements when I can get the full benefit through foods that naturally contain probiotics. So I prefer drinking a cup of Kombucha a day, or eating some sauerkraut for lunch with a piece of lean chicken breast. Here are a few foods that are naturally high in probiotics: kimchi, Kombucha, sauerkraut, apples, Kefir (if possible, get goats milk kefir), almond milk or coconut milk yogurt. 

http://dishcookingstudio.com/try-these-new-fresh-pickles-
from-sonoma-brinery-in-the-dish-pantry/

These are not for everyone, therefore if you feel like a probiotic supplement works better for you, make sure to choose wisely because many of them are not as effective as they could be. The whole point of probiotics is to carry the wholesome portion of live cells into the intestines, but our stomachs are designed to kill a good portion of the live cells before they can even reach the intestine. That is why it’s important to find a supplement that works like sauerkraut for example since it is absorbed right away by the digestive system, going directly into the intestines. The most common strain of probiotic supplement is Bifidobacterium bifidum, which is known for its high amount of bacteria content.

Although the supplements may seem much easier to incorporate in your daily lives, the best way is to ingest probiotics through the common foods I listed earlier. It is the most natural and reliable way!

Try probiotics and let me know what you think!

Great websites with a bit of info on this subject:
http://www.fitsugar.com/Foods-Naturally-High-Probiotics-Good-Bacteria-20370089
http://www.northjersey.com/news/187072331_Probiotics__the_good-fo-you_bacteria_.html