Using Herbs Simply & Safely

Are herbs “dilute forms of drugs” - and therefore dangerous? Or are they “natural” - and therefore safe? Those that sell herbs, probably hear these questions often. What is the “right” answer? It depends on the herb! These thoughts on herbs will help you understand how safe - or dangerous - any herb might be.

To prevent problems when selling or using herbs:
1. Be certain you have the correct plant.
2. Use simples (single herbs)
3. Understand that different preparations of the same herb can work differently.
4. Use nourishing, tonifying, stimulating, and potentially poisonous herbs wisely.

BE CERTAIN YOU HAVE THE CORRECT PLANT
One of the easiest ways to get into trouble with an herb is to use the “wrong” one. How could that happen? Common names for herbs overlap, causing confusion as to the proper identity. Herbs that are labeled correctly may contain extraneous material from another, more dangerous, herb. Herbs may be picked at the wrong stage of growth or handled incorrectly after harvesting, causing them to develop detrimental qualities.

Protect yourself and your customers with these simple steps:

• Buy herbs only from reputable suppliers.
• Only buy herbs that are labeled with their botanical name. Botanical names are specific, but the same common names can refer to several different plants. “Marigold” can be Calendula officinalis, a medicinal herb, or Tagetes, an annual used as a bedding plant.
• If you grow the herbs you sell, be meticulous about keeping different plants separate when you harvest and dry them, and obsessive about labeling.

USE SIMPLES
A simple is one herb. For optimum safety, Use herbal simples, that is: preparations containing only one herb. (Occasionally add some mint to flavor a remedy.)

The more herbs there are in a formula, the more likelihood there is of unwanted side-effects. Understandably, the public seeks combinations, hoping to get more for less. And many mistakenly believe that herbs must be used together to be effective (probably because potentially poisonous herbs are often combined with protective herbs to mitigate the damage they cause). But combining herbs with the same properties, such as goldenseal and echinacea, is counter-productive and more likely to cause trouble than a simple. A simple tincture of echinacea is more effective than any combination and much safer.

Different people have different reactions to substances, whether drugs, foods, or herbs. When herbs are mixed together in a formula and someone taking it has distressing side effects, there is no way to determine which herb is the cause. With simples, it's easy to tell which herb is doing what. If there's an adverse reaction, other herbs with similar properties can be tried. Limiting the number of herbs used in any one day (to no more than four) offers added protection.

Side effects from herbs are less common than side effects from drugs and usually less severe. If an herb disturbs the digestion, it may be that the body is learning to process it. Give it a few more tries before giving up. Stop taking any herb that causes nausea, dizziness, sharp stomach pains, diarrhea, headache, or blurred vision. (These effects will generally occur quite quickly.) Slippery elm is an excellent antidote to any type of poison.

If you are allergic to any foods or medicines, it is especially important to consult resources that list the side effects of herbs before you use them.

UNDERSTAND THAT DIFFERENT PREPARATIONS OF THE SAME HERB CAN WORK DIFFERENTLY
The safety of any herbal remedy is dependent on the way it is prepared and used.

• Tinctures and extracts contain the alkaloids, or poisonous, parts of plants and need to be used with care and wisdom. Tinctures are as safe as the herb involved (see cautions below for tonifying, stimulating, sedating, or potentially poisonous herbs). Best used/sold as simples, not combinations, especially when strong herbs are being used.
• Dried herbs made into teas or infusions contain the nourishing aspects of the plants and are usually quite safe, especially when nourishing or tonifying herbs are used.
• Dried herbs in capsules are generally the least effective way to use herbs. They are poorly digested, poorly utilized, often stale or ineffective, and quite expensive.
• Infused herbal oils are available as is, or thickened into ointments. They are much safer than essential oils, which are highly concentrated and can be lethal if taken internally.
• Herbal vinegars are not only decorative but mineral-rich as well. A good medium for nourishing and tonifying herbs; not as strong as tinctures for stimulants/sedatives.
• Herbal glycerins are available for those who prefer to avoid alcohol but are usually weaker in action than tinctures.

USE NOURISHING, TONIFYING, STIMULATING, AND POTENTIALLY POISONOUS HERBS WISELY
Herbs comprise a group of several thousand plants with widely varying actions. Some are nourishers, some tonifiers, some stimulants, and sedatives, and some are potential poisons. To use them wisely and well, we need to understand each category, its uses, best manner of preparation, and usual dosage range.

Nourishing herbs are the safest of all herbs; side effects are rare. Nourishing herbs are taken in any quantity for any length of time. They are used as foods, just like spinach and kale. Nourishing herbs provide high levels of proteins, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, carotenes, and essential fatty acids.

Examples of nourishing herbs are: alfalfa, amaranth, astragalus, calendula flowers, chickweed, comfrey leaves, dandelion, fenugreek, flax seeds, honeysuckle flowers, lamb’s quarter, marshmallow, nettles, oat straw, plantain (leaves/seeds), purslane, red clover blossoms, seaweed, Siberian ginseng, slippery elm, violet leaves, and wild mushrooms.

Tonifying herbs act slowly in the body and have a cumulative, rather than immediate, effect. They build the functional ability of an organ (like the liver) or a system (like the immune system). Tonifying herbs are most beneficial when they are used in small quantities for extended periods of time. The more bitter the tonic tastes, the less you need to take. Bland tonics may be used in quantity, like nourishing herbs.

Side effects occasionally occur with tonics but are usually quite short-term. Many older herbalists mistakenly equated stimulating herbs with tonifying herbs, leading to widespread misuse of many herbs, and severe side effects.

Examples of tonifying herbs are: barberry bark, burdock root/seeds, chaste tree, crone(mug)wort, dandelion root, echinacea, elecampane, fennel, garlic, ginkgo, ginseng, ground ivy, hawthorn berries, horsetail, lady’s mantle, lemon balm, milk thistle seeds, motherwort, mullein, pau d’arco, raspberry leaves, schizandra berries, St. Joan’s wort, turmeric root, usnea, wild yam, and yellow dock.

Sedating and stimulating herbs cause a variety of rapid reactions, some of which may be unwanted. Some parts of the person may be stressed in order to help other parts. Strong sedatives and stimulants, whether herbs or drugs, push us outside our normal ranges of activity and may cause strong side effects. If we rely on them and then try to function without them, we wind up more agitated (or depressed) than before we began. Habitual use of strong sedatives and stimulants - whether opium, rhubarb root, cayenne, or coffee - leads to loss of tone, impairment of functioning, and even physical dependency. The stronger the herb, the more moderate the dose needs to be, and the shorter the duration of its use.

Herbs that tonify and nourish while sedating/stimulating can be used freely, as they do not cause dependency. Sedating/stimulating herbs that also tonify or nourish: boneset, catnip, citrus peel, cleavers, ginger, hops, lavender, marjoram, motherwort, oatstraw, passion flower, peppermint, rosemary, sage, skullcap.

Strongly sedating/stimulating herbs include: angelica, black pepper, blessed thistle root, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, coffee, licorice, opium poppy, osha root, shepherd’s purse, sweet woodruff, turkey rhubarb root, uva ursu leaves, valerian root, wild lettuce sap, willow bark, and wintergreen leaves.

Potentially poisonous herbs are intense, potent medicines that are taken in tiny amounts and only for as long as needed. Side effects are common.

Examples of potentially poisonous herbs are: belladonna, blood-root, celandine, chaparral, foxglove, goldenseal, henbane, iris root, Jimson weed, lobelia, May apple (American mandrake), mistletoe, poke root, poison hemlock, stillingia root, turkey corn root, wild cucumber root.

In addition, consider these thoughts on using herbs safely:

• Respect the power of plants to change the body and spirit in dramatic ways.
• Increase trust in the healing effectiveness of plants by trying remedies for minor or external problems before, or while, working with major and internal problems.
• Develop ongoing relationships with knowledgeable healers - in person or in books - who are interested in herbal medicine.
• Honor the uniqueness of every plant, every person, every situation.
• Remember that each person becomes whole and healed in their own unique way, at their own speed. People, plants, and animals can help in this process. But it is the body/spirit that does the healing. Don’t expect plants to be cure alls.

Save With Tankless Water Heaters

Do you use hot water mostly in the mornings and evenings and frequently run out of hot water in the middle of a shower? With a tankless water heating system you can overcome the shortages of tank water heaters. The tankless water heater never runs out of hot water – you can take 3 hour showers!

Hot water heating accounts for about 20% (or more) of the average North American household’s annual energy costs. With energy prices rising day by day it is becoming important to take a closer look at where the money is going. Cost of gas is more efficient than electricity and you can install a bigger gas tank that would last for several months.

The average yearly cost for a conventional gas or electric storage hot water heater is approximately $500 for a 1300sq.ft. 4 member family home. It lowers or increases depending on how many people live in the house and on their particular water usage habits.

Conventional hot water heaters store water and maintain the water temperature to the temperature setting on the tank - usually between 120° and 140° F. That means keeping water hot even when you do not need it - while you are at work; while you are sleeping; while you are away on holidays.

These “standby” losses represent 15% to 25% of a household’s annual water heating costs.

Another thing that annoys all of us, is waiting for the water to heat up because someone took a bath before us. The storage tank water heaters only have a limited amount of hot water. After that is gone you have to wait for the tank to get heated again.

Throughout the rest of the world, where energy costs have consistently been higher than in North America, different methods of heating water are common.

Enter Tankless Hot Water Heaters. They began appearing in the United States and Canada about 25 years ago but have been used in Europe for the last 50 years.

Unlike "conventional" tank water heaters, tankless water heaters heat water only as it is used, or “on demand”. Opening a hot water faucet ignites the powerful burners and the computer monitors the water temperature and adjusts the burners according to the need. High demand, high heat. Low demand, low heat.

Because the efficiency rate of tankless water heaters is about 20% higher, averaging around 90% and going up to 96% and there is no stand by losses, savings on your energy bills are evident.

Some models even have the capacity to heat the house at the same time. With these tankless water heaters, which are connected either to radiant floor heat or to a heating coil in your furnace (air handler), you can bring high efficiency space heating capacities to every home.

Just imagine a contraption the size of your kitchen cabinet, heating your home and giving you an endless supply of potable hot water. You do not need a separate furnace and a separate hot water heater.

Some models can be mounted on the exterior of a home, freeing up valuable floor and closet space on the inside. The unit can be placed in a recessed box, flush-mounted and painted or textured to match the exterior of the home.

Tankless water heaters can also be used for supplementary heat, such as a booster to a solar hot water system, or snow melting systems, or to meet all your hot water needs.

The major players include: Takagi, Rheem, Noritz, Rinnai and up and Luna Baxi.

We would suggest researching different makes and models in order to make the right choice for your particular needs and circumstances.

How To Use Herbs

There are many ways to prepare herbal remedies. The ones presented here were developed through trial and error over the course of centuries of use. Herbalists have found that each herb releases its healing powers in certain forms. Some herbs are most productive when they are prepared as decoctions while others prove to be more appropriate in capsules.

This week let's discuss Herbal Tinctures & Teas

Important Considerations When Making Teas,

Infusions and Decoctions:

* Not all herbs are suitable for making medicinals.

* It is important to cover your pot while boiling or steeping to prevent the aromatic oils from evaporating into the air. A lid will cause the steam to condense back into the water.

* Use a glass or ceramic container. Aluminum, iron, tin or other metals will leach into the tea. Although copper and stainless steel may be okay, herbalists recommend you use clean glass, ceramic, pottery or unchipped enameled pot.

* Use pure water. Fresh spring water or distilled water is best.

* Boil the water first, then remove it from the heat and add the herb or pour over the herb.

* Strain the finished tea before capping and storing.

* Refrigerate if kept for more than a few hours.

Tea: Herbal teas are quite pleasant and a healthy addition to your diet. They have a mild relaxing or invigorating effect, depending on the character of the herb. They don't, however, have the potency, the medicinal dose, of the active constituents in herbs.

The easy way to make a medicinal cup of tea is to triple up on herbal tea bags or the loose tea leaves that you would normally use and steep them in one cup of very hot water, covered, for
ten minutes. By tripling the amount of tea you come very close to the medicinal value of an infusion. Dosage is in cups per day. Single strength herbal teas can be taken as often as you wish.

To use bulk dried herbs, toss a quantity of the herb in a nonmetallic container, pour in boiling water and allow to steep for ten to 20 minutes. Most herbalists prescribe an ounce of dried herb (you should invest in a small scale) in a pint of water. Strain the herb parts. Usually, the tea is consumed at room temperature. Drink the tea hot only if the goal is to induce a sweat or to break up a cough or cold. Sip throughout the day, the cumulative dose would be one to four cups a day depending on the herb.

Infusions are another easy way to make an herbal remedy. A decoction is made by boiling the hard and woody parts of herbs. Because extracts and tinctures are much more potent than decoctions or infusions, much smaller dosages are used. They are dosed in drops, not cups.

Keeping Herbs Simple

WHAT IS A SIMPLE?

A "simple" is one herb used at a time. A "simpler" is an herbalist who generally uses herbs one at a time, rather than in combinations.

WHY USE SIMPLES?

Most herbalists - whether from China or Japan, Eastern or Western Europe, Australia or North America - use herbs in combinations. Simplers, don't. Why?

Well, its simply that herbal medicine is people's medicine. Make herbal medicine simple: as simple as one herb at a time. Because people worry about interactions between the drugs they take and herbs, I keep it simple: with simples, interactions are simple to observe, and simpler to avoid. Because empowerment in healthcare is difficult, It should be easy to use safe herbal remedies: and what could be easier, or safer, than a simple?

SIMPLES MAKE YOU THINK

If you are just getting started with herbs, one thing that could confounded you is the many choices you have when you begin to match symptoms to the herbs that relieves them. If someone had a cough you think, "Should I use garden sage or wild cherry bark or pine sap or mullein or coltsfoot (to name only a few of the many choices)?" One way out of this dilemma is to use them all. Some cough syrups can contain every anti-cough herb that you can collect. And they all work.

As you get more sophisticated in your herbal usage, and especially after studying up on the various herbs, you begin to see that each herb has a specific personality, a specific way of acting. you realize that you can't notice the individual actions of the herbs when they were combined.

Dare to use just one herb. Would wild cherry bark tincture all by itself be enough to quell that child's cough? Yes! Would mullein infusion alone really reduce a person's asthmatic and allergic reactions? Yes! Would sage soaked in honey for six weeks ease a sore throat? Yes! Each herb that you try as a simple can be successful. They all work, not just together, but by themselves.

The more you use individual herbs the more you come to know them as individuals. The more you use simples, the simpler and more successful your remedies can become. The more you use one herb at a time, the more you learn about how that herb works, and didn't work.

SIMPLES ARE INTIMATE

When we use one herb at a time, we come to know that herb, we become intimate with that herb. Just as we become intimate with each other by spending time one-on-one, simply together; we become closer to the herbs when we use them as simples.

Becoming intimate with an herb or a person helps us build trust. How reliable is the effect of this herb? When? How? Where does it fail? Using simples helps us build a web of green allies that we trust deeply. Simples help us feel more powerful. They help abate our fears, simply, safely.

SIMPLES ARE SUBTLE

Using one herb at a time gives us unparalleled opportunities to observe and make use of the subtle differences that are at the heart of herbal medicine. When we use simples, we are more likely to notice the many variables that affect each herb: including where it grows, the years' weather, how we harvest it, our preparation, and the dosage. The many variables within one plant insure that our simple remedy nonetheless touches many aspects of a person and heals deeply.

A Herbal apprentice, who tinctured motherwort flowering tops weekly through its blooming period,  reported that the tinctures made from the younger flower stalks had a stronger effect on the uterus; while those made from the older flower stalks, when the plant was going to seed, had a stronger effect on the heart.

SIMPLES GIVE ME POWER

• Using one herb at a time helps you feel more certain that your remedy has an active value, not just a placebo value.
• Using one plant at a time, and local ones at that, reassures you that your herbal medicine cannot be legislated away.
• Using one plant at a time allows you to build trust in your remedies.
• Using one plant at a time is a subversive act, a reclaiming of simple healthcare.

Combinations may erode your power, and might lead you to believe that herbal medicine is best left to the experts.

FROM COMPLEX TO SIMPLE

Take the challenge! Use simples instead of complex formulae. Rework some herbal remedies and get a sense of how simple it can be.

The great anti-cancer formula Essiac contains

• Arctium lappa (burdock),
• Rheum palmatum (rhubarb),
• Ulmus fulva (slippery elm), and
• Rumex acetosella  (sheep sorrel)
• Trifolium pratense (Red Clover blossoms)

Extracting the simple: Rhubarb root has no possible use against cancer; it is a purgative whose repeated use can "aggravate constipation". Slippery elm bark also has no possible anti-cancer properties and has no doubt been added to counter some of the detrimental effects of the rhubarb. Sheep sorrel juice is so caustic that it has been used to burn off skin cancers, but it would likely do more harm to the kidneys than to any cancer if ingested regularly. Leaving us with a great anti-cancer simple: burdock root. One that is found to be superbly effective in reversing dysplasias and pre-cancerous conditions.

But this herbal magnifies its power in the combination. Not only for cancer, this treatment can be used for almost anything. It is kind and gentle and good tasting. It has the most amazing healing properties. This brew is so easy to make and keep as a dried mix in the cupboard. If you get sick -any kind of sick, even gastro, it can be brewed up a cup at a time (1 teaspoon boiled slightly in pure water and cooled with a lid on to keep the delicate essential oils inside. then drink as a tea. It is mighty soothing and uplifting and can be kept down very easily.)

Simples are fun. Give them a try.

Footnotes

Among the many variables, you can especially notice that the tinctures that are made with fresh plants are many times more effective than tinctures made from dried plants. Some say that preparations of common plants growing in uncommon places will be stronger as well. Many herbalists are aware of certain areas of their land that nurture plants that are particularly potent medicines.

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First Aid In A Bottle

Tea tree oil is steam distilled from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia. This indigenous tree is found only in tropical northeastern New South Wales Australia. The name tea tree was given by Captain Cook during his exploration of Australia during the 1700’s. After running out of tea on his voyage, he found a fragrant plant and brewed the leaves into a spicy beverage and named these plants, tea trees.

Tea tree oil is both powerful and safe. It is known for its antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. The Aboriginal people of New South Wales have used the tea tree plant medicinally for thousands of years. In the early 1900’s, tea tree oil was readily used by dentist and surgeons as a disinfectant and for incisions. The dentist also used tea tree oil for gingivitis, bleeding gums, and infection. During World War II, tea tree oil was included in the first aid kits of medics. It was poured on wounds to prevent infection. It was also used very successfully to heal wounds that were already infected. They were amazed to find that this powerful germicide dissolved pus without damaging the surrounding tissue.

The beauty of tea tree oil is that it penetrates deep into the skin tissues. Acne and nail fungus are popular conditions many use tea tree oil for. It is effective and gentle on the skin. There are numerous other conditions that tea tree oil is effective on such as arthritis, athletes foot, bites and stings, Candida Albicans, cold sores, dandruff, eczema, head lice, hemorrhoids, muscle aches, psoriasis, rashes, sinus congestion, warts, wounds and more. Don’t forget about your pets. It’s great for removing fleas, ticks, lice and as an antiseptic.

Tea tree oil should only be used externally unless otherwise directed by your doctor. Make sure to choose high-quality tea tree oil that is 100% pure. Tea tree oil can be found in body lotions, foot creams, deodorants, dandruff shampoos, toothpaste, mouthwash, soaps, healing saves and even dental floss.

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Healing Process

This is an overview of a healing process that you might consider or at least ponder:

These are remedies you can use for your problem in order from safest to most dangerous: Step 0 is the safest; Step 6 the most dangerous. Use Steps 0, 1, 2 and 3 as preventive medicine. Prevention is an important, though often invisible, way of healing. Deep relaxation, information exchange, energetic engagement, optimum nourishment (including touch) and exercise promote health with little or no side effects.

Examples are in parenthesis: (with a few of the modalities available at each step)

Step 0: Do Nothing 
A vital, invisible step.

• sleep
• meditate
• unplug the clock or the telephone

Step 1: Collect Information 

• low-tech diagnosis
• books
• support groups
• research

Step 2: Engage the Energy 

• prayer
• homeopathy
• ceremony
• affirmations
• color
• laughter

Step 3: Nourish and Tonify 

• herbal infusions and vinegars
• hugs
• exercise
• food choices
• gentle massage
• yoga stretches

     Note: Healing with Steps 4, 5, and 6 always causes some harm.

Step 4: Stimulate/Sedate 

For every stimulation/sedation, there is an opposite sedation/stimulation. Sooner or later addiction is possible if this step is overused

• hot or cold water
• many herbal tinctures
• acupuncture

Step 5a: Use Supplements

• synthesized or concentrated vitamins
• fresh juices
• minerals
• food substances such as nutritional yeast, blue-green algae, bran, royal jelly or spirulina

Supplements are not Step 3. There’s always a risk with synthesized concentrated substances that they’ll do more harm than good.

Step 5b: Use Drugs 

Overdose may cause grave injury or death.

• chemotherapy
• tamoxifen
• hormone
• high dilution homeopathics
• potentially toxic herbs

Step 6: Break and Enter 

Side effects are inevitable and may include permanent injury or death.

• threatening language
• surgery
• colonics
• radiation therapies
• psychoactive drugs
• invasive diagnostic tests such as mammograms and C-T scans

HOW TO USE THE SIX STEPS OF HEALING

If you want to remedy your problem with the least possible side effects and danger,

• start at Step 1.
• After reading Step 1, pick one remedy from Step 2 and set a time limit for working with it. If your problem is unresolved within that time, decide if the time limit needs expanding or if you are ready to go to Step 3.
• Continue in this manner, moving to Steps 4, 5 or 6 as needed, until your problem is solved.

Each step up increases the possibility of side effects and their severity so try at least one of the Step 2 techniques, even if they seem strange to you, before going onto the remedies of Step 3 and beyond (note also that time spent at Step 2 will help you choose appropriate remedies at Step 3 and so on). When your problem is resolved don’t stop. Go back through the steps, in reverse, before resting at Step 0.

You can continue to take remedies from a previous Step after moving on, but be cautious about the use of Step 4 remedies in combination with Step 5 remedies.

If you deem it necessary to heal through Step 5 and/or 6 (and real healing can and does take place with the aid of drugs and surgery) and have not yet tried any techniques from Steps 2 and 3, do so immediately. Engaging the energy, nourishing and tonifying will aid and abet the healing powers of the more dangerous healing ways and help prevent or moderate their side effects.

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Let the Juices "Move" You

Organic fresh made juices have cleansing and laxative action, which will help you eliminate constipation. Taken regularly they will help you have daily bowel movements.

Organic juices contain loads of mineral, bioflavonoids, vitamins, enzymes, antioxidants, and other nutrients. Citric fruits have citric acid and the more tart they are the more acid they have.

Fresh juice is a fast way to get all types of nutrients into the blood quickly. As juice nutrients get into your blood, they suck out toxins and build up tissues. In your colon they destroy bad bacteria, feed wall tissue, pull out toxins, and have laxative action.

Even though juices provide helpful action throughout the body, it is best to limit their use and drink them in larger quantities only when trying to accomplish certain health benefits.

If you use natural foods with laxative effects, their laxative effect diminishes after long-term use.

If you have diabetes or adrenal fatigue, limit your use of fruits and juices when you first wake up in the morning. However, exercise in the morning will help you tolerate drinking some juices in the morning

When juicing fruits and vegetables, the more fiber that is left with the juice the better results you will get with your constipation.

It is always best to use fresh juices, but as a last resort using frozen juices will be better than not drinking anything.

Apples and Apple Juice

Apples are good for eliminating constipation because they are high in pectin, a soluble fiber, have many minerals, and contain sorbitol - a natural sugar, which stimulates peristaltic action. Pectin helps to detoxify the intestines and promote regular bowel movements.

The fiber in apples adds weight and bulk to your fecal matter and helps draw water from your colon into the fecal matter keeping the stool from becoming hard and thus preventing constipation.

Apples are one of best fruits to eat because they are high in minerals, which provide alkaline electrolytes to your body. What electrolytes do is neutralize acids that are created during illness, anxiety, anger, exercising, breathing pollution, and improper eating. Body acid is a major reason we get deadly diseases as we age

Make eating apples or drinking fresh apple juice a daily habit. They are also effective in liver and gallbladder problems. 

Here’s what to do.

Use crisp and hard apples such as granny smith, Fuji, or gala apples for juicing.

Drink three glass of apple juice during the day - morning, noon, and evening. In combination with drinking fresh apple juice, eat 3-4 apples each day to get fiber. The combination of eating and drinking apple juice will activate your colon to start moving stagnant matter.

One-day apple and apple juice fast

You can also do a one-day or two-day apple and apple juice fast by, eating 3-4 apples during the day. Drink apples juice every two hours. Don’t eat anything until the next morning. Then, start changing your eating habits as listed in some of my other articles.

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Green Tea - A Treat (ment)

Did you know that tea is one of the top selling consumable drinks, only topped by water?  Drinking green tea provides all kinds of health benefits.

Green Tea has long been valued in China for its contribution to good health. Popularity of Green tea in the United States continues to grow, showing that green tea is a natural source of antioxidants. These antioxidants help protect the body from accelerated aging and increased risk of diseases. Decades of research show that green tea inhibits the development of undesirable cell colonies, thus making it the healthiest tea available.

Green tea has higher contribution to health than other teas, because of the way it is dried. Green Tea is organically grown and the traditional drying technique used with Green Tea prevents the tea from the negative effects of fermentation. Green tea products come in potency levels. Some supplements contain low potencies of the active polyphenols, while others go as far as using un-standardized green tea leaf powder.

It has been proven that green tea is bursting with health benefits. It acts as a powerful antioxidant, which has been known to help prevent cancer, recover from the harmful cholesterol, and protect against damage caused by free radicals.

Medical Benefits: 

Green tea has many medical benefits, and is known for prevention of the following diseases:

• Cancer,
• Rheumatoid Arthritis,
• High Cholesterol,
• Cardiovascular Disease,
• Infection, and
• Impaired Immune Function.

Other Benefits:

• Promotes weight loss- the leaves of green tea plants help raise metabolism in the body. By increasing the amount of calories burned in a 24-hour period, green tea promotes weight loss. 
• Prevent bad breath- an element found in green tea decreases the growth of odor-causing bacteria. It is said that drinking a cup or two of green tea may help maintain fresh breath.
• Reduce smoking risks- cigarette smokers who drink up to six cups of green tea daily reduces their susceptibility to risks caused by the toxins emitted in cigarette smoke. 
• Beauty remedy- green tea may be used to freshen up the face and sooth tired or strained eyes. It can be applied to spots and blemishes to lessen their visibility. 
• Antiseptic properties- Green tea is also known to treat minor cuts and rashes, and is an effective treatment for sunburn.
• Green teas inhibit the expression of antigens made by the body, substances that can trigger an immune response.
• National Cancer Institute reports that Green Tea has Cancer preventing abilities and Cancer fighting components add new life to the market.

People who have relied on expensive anti-oxidant products are finding that Green Tea is very economical and all natural. Tea is one of the top selling consumable drinks, only topped by water.

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