3 cups of Tea a day slashes breast cancer risk

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I start my day by making a half gallon of freshly brewed tea. I change the flavors daily. I put it on ice and drink it through the day. I get my 3 cups...and more! I want those antioxidants! This is good news for me. Pattyhttp://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/02/10/Three-Cups-of-Tea-a-Day-Slashes-Your-Breast-Cancer-Risk.aspxThree Cups of Tea a Day Slashes Your Breast Cancer Risk

Just

three cups of tea a day can reduce the risk of breast cancer in young

women. New research shows that the chances of developing a tumor drop

by around 37 percent in women under 50 who drank tea at least three

times daily.Older women who consumed similar amounts did not

see a the same benefit; researchers theorized that the anti-cancer

properties of tea may have a more potent effect on the types of tumors

that tend to grow in younger women.Although the health benefits

of tea are well known, they have long been considered to mostly affect

heart disease. A study last year showed four cups a day could reduce

your risk of a heart attack. However, other recent studies have

suggested that tea can protect against skin cancer, ovarian cancer and

even weak bones.

Sources:

The Daily Mail January 21, 2009

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Tea

is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, other than water.

Even in the United States, which is typically considered a

coffee-drinking nation, tea can be found in 80 percent of all

households, according to the Tea Association of the USA.Although

I still believe that pure water should make up the majority of your

daily fluid intake, it’s becoming increasingly clear that high-quality

tea has numerous health benefits to offer.Among them is growing

evidence that the polyphenols in tea, which include EGCG

(epigallocatechin gallate) and many others, are protective against

cancer. In this most recent study, women under 50 who drank three or

more cups of tea a day had a 37 percent reduced risk of developing

breast cancer.Other studies have also highlighted tea’s

potential to fight skin cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, and

prostate cancer, and compelling evidence suggests that the polyphenols

in green tea are even more effective at fighting the progression of cancer than the antioxidants found in red wine and grapes. So

if you enjoy sipping on a hot (or cold) cup of tea, you may be giving

your body some extra protection against cancer. And that’s not all.Tea’s Benefits Extend to Your Entire BodyTea

was discovered in 2737 BC by Shen-Nung, the Chinese Emperor known as

the “Divine Healer.†According to the Tea Association of the USA,

legend has it that tea leaves accidentally blew into the Emperor’s pot

of boiling water, and the rest is history.For nearly 5,000 years since, tea has been regarded by many cultures as a powerful health tonic. As one Chinese proverb says:“Drinking a daily cup of tea will surely starve the apothecary.â€For instance, the beneficial properties in tea have been known to: • Neutralize the effects to your body of harmful fats and oils• Inhibit bacteria and viruses such as HIV, hepatitis, and herpes• Improve digestion• Protect against oxidation in your brain and liver• Help promote healthy gumsTea

may also improve exercise performance, increase fat oxidation and

prevent obesity, as it’s known to have a regulatory effect on fat

metabolism. And drinking tea has been linked to: • Improved mental alertness and slowing of brain-cell degeneration• Lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels• Reduced blood pressure• Lower risk of breast, colon, lung, ovarian and prostate cancers• Protection again type 2 diabetes• Reduced risk of heart attack and stroke Does it Matter Which Type of Tea You Drink?There

are thousands of different types of tea out there, each with subtle

differences in flavor and possibly health benefits depending on where

it was grown (similar to grapes used to make wine).What may

surprise you is that ALL tea (except herbal tea) comes from the same

plant, a warm-weather evergreen called Camellia sinensis. The varying

colors and flavors come from the way the plant is processed -- the

darker the tea, generally the longer it has been oxidized, or exposed

to oxygen. Black teas may be oxidized for two to four hours, whereas

green tea is not typically exposed to any oxygen.One of the

easiest signs to look for when evaluating a green tea’s quality is

therefore its color: if your green tea is actually brown, it’s likely

been oxidized. When I drink green tea, I personally prefer Matcha tea,

as the color is a vibrant bright green and it is far less processed and

of much higher quality than most green teas.My other favorite is Tulsi tea, which is a powerful adaptogenic herb that provides important therapeutic benefits. Also,

rather than being steeped and strained like typical tea, matcha tea is

made of tea leaves ground into a powder, and the powder gets added

right into the water. Because you are actually consuming the whole

leaf, matcha tea is said to be one of the healthiest green teas out

there.There are also many very healthy herbal teas out there,

which are made from leaves, roots, bark, seeds or flowers of plants,

and are technically “infusions†or “tisanes,†not “teas.â€My advice on which ones to choose? Listen to your body and drink those that appeal most to you. Of

course, there are some general ground rules to follow when selecting

tea of any kind, and those are that it should preferably be: • Organic (otherwise tea may be heavily sprayed with pesticides)•

Grown in a pristine environment (tea is known to accumulate fluoride,

heavy metals and other toxins from soil and water, so a clean growing

environment is essential to producing a pure, high-quality tea)With that in mind, tea can certainly be a regular addition to your healthy lifestyle.

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