10 Proven Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea is the healthiest beverage on the planet
It is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that have powerful effects on the body.
This includes improved brain function, fat loss, a lower risk of cancer and many other incredible benefits.

Here are 10 health benefits of green tea that have been confirmed in human research studies.

1. Green Tea Contains Various Bioactive Compounds That Can Improve Health

Green tea is more than just green liquid.

Many of the bioactive compounds in the tea leaves do make it into the final drink, which contains large amounts of important nutrients.

It is loaded with polyphenols like flavonoids and catechins, which function as powerful antioxidants (1).

These substances can reduce the formation of free radicals in the body, protecting cells and molecules from damage. These free radicals are known to play a role in aging and all sorts of diseases.

One of the more powerful compounds in green tea is the antioxidant Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), which has been studied to treat various diseases and may be one of the main reasons green tea has such powerful medicinal properties.

Green tea also has small amounts of minerals that are important for health.

Try to choose a higher quality brand of green tea, because some of the lower quality brands can contain excessive levels of fluoride (2).

That being said, even if you choose a lower quality brand, the benefits still far outweigh any risk.
Bottom Line: Green tea is loaded with bioactive compounds that can have various

 

2. Compounds in Green Tea Can Improve Brain

Green tea does more than just keep you awake, it can also make you smarter.

The key active ingredient is caffeine, which is a known stimulant.

It doesn’t contain as much as coffee, but enough to produce a response without causing the “jittery” effects associated with too much caffeine.

What caffeine does in the brain is to block an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine. This way, it actually increases the firing of neurons and the concentration of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine (3, 4).

Caffeine has been intensively studied before and consistently leads to improvements in various aspects of brain function, including improved mood, vigilance, reaction time and memory (5).

However… green tea contains more than just caffeine. It also has the amino acid L-theanine, which is able to cross the blood-brain barrier (6).

L-theanine increases the activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which has anti-anxiety effects. It also increases dopamine and the production of alpha waves in the brain (7, 8, 9).

Studies show that caffeine and L-theanine can have synergistic effects. Thecombination of the two is particularly potent at improving brain function (10).

Because of the L-theanine and the smaller dose of caffeine, green tea can give you a much milder and different kind of “buzz” than coffee.

Many people report having more stable energy and being much more productive when they drink green tea, compared to coffee.

Bottom Line: Green tea contains less caffeine than coffee, but enough to produce an effect. It also contains the amino acid L-theanine, which can work synergistically with caffeine to improve brain function.

3. Green Tea Increases Fat Burning and Improves Physical Performance

If you look at the ingredients list for any fat burning supplement, chances are that green tea will be on there.

This is because green tea has been shown to increase fat burning and boost the metabolic rate, in human controlled trials (11, 12).

In one study in 10 healthy men, green tea increased energy expenditure by 4% (13).

Another study showed that fat oxidation was increased by 17%, indicating that green tea may selectively increase the burning of fat (14).

However, I’d like to point out that some studies on green tea don’t show any increase in metabolism, so the effects may depend on the individual (15).

Caffeine itself has also been shown to improve physical performance by mobilizing fatty acids from the fat tissues and making them available for use as energy (16, 17).

In two separate review studies, caffeine has been shown to increase physical performance by 11-12%, on average (18, 19).

Bottom Line: Green tea has been shown to boost the metabolic rate and increase fat burning in the short term, although not all studies agree.

4. Antioxidants in Green Tea May Lower Your Risk of Various Types of Cancer

Cancer is caused by uncontrolled growth of cells. It is one of the world’s leading causes of death.

It is well known that oxidative damage contributes to the development of cancer and that antioxidants can have a protective effect (20).

Green tea is an excellent source of powerful antioxidants, so it makes perfect sense that it could reduce your risk of cancer, which it appears to do:
Breast cancer: A meta-analysis of observational studies found that whomen who drank the most green tea had a 22% lower risk of developing breast cancer, the most common cancer in women (21).

Prostate cancer: One study found that men drinking green tea had a 48% lower risk of developing prostate cancer, which is the most common cancer in men (22).

Colorectal cancer: A study of 69,710 Chinese women found that green tea drinkers had a 57% lower risk of colorectal cancer (23).

Multiple other observational studies show that green tea drinkers are significantly less likely to get various types of cancer (24, 25, 26).

It is important to keep in mind that it may be a bad idea to put milk in your tea, because it can reduce the antioxidant value (27).

Bottom Line: Green tea has powerful antioxidants that may protect against cancer. Multiple studies show that green tea drinkers have a lower risk of various types of cancer.

5. Green Tea May Protect Your Brain in Old Age, Lowering Your Risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

Not only can green tea improve brain function in the short term, it may also protect your brain in old age.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease in humans and a leading cause of dementia.

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and involves the death of dopamine producing neurons in the brain.

Multiple studies show that the catechin compounds in green tea can have various protective effects on neurons in test tubes and animal models, potentally lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s (28, 29, 30).

Bottom Line: The bioactive compounds in green tea can have various protective effects on neurons and may reduce the risk of both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, the two most common neurodegenerative disorders.

6. Green Tea Can Kill Bacteria, Which Improves Dental Health and Lowers Your Risk of Infection

The catechins in green tea have other biological effects as well.

Some studies show that they can kill bacteria and inhibit viruses like the influenza virus, potentially lowering your risk of infections (31, 32, 33, 34).

Streptococcus mutans is the primary harmful bacteria in the mouth. It causes plaque formation and is a leading contributor to cavities and tooth decay.

Studies show that the catechins in green tea can inhibit the growth of streptococcus mutans. Green tea consumption is associated with improved dental health and a lower risk of caries (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40).

Another awesome benefit of green tea… multiple studies show that it can reduce bad breath (41, 42).

Bottom Line: The catechins in green tea may inhibit the growth of bacteria and some viruses. This can lower the risk of infections and lead to improvements in dental health, a lower risk of caries and reduced bad breath.

7. Green Tea May Lower Your Risk of Type II Diabetes

Type II diabetes is a disease that has reached epidemic proportions in the past few decades and now afflicts about 300 million people worldwide.

This disease involves having elevated blood sugar levels in the context of insulin resistance or an inability to produce insulin.

Studies show that green tea can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels (43, 44).

One study in Japanese individuals found that those who drank the most green tea had a 42% lower risk of developing type II diabetes (45).

According to a review of 7 studies with a total of 286,701 individuals, green tea drinkers had an 18% lower risk of becoming diabetic (46).

Bottom Line: Some controlled trials show that green tea can cause mild reductions in blood sugar levels. It may also lower the risk of developing type II diabetes in the long term.

8. Green Tea May Reduce Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke, are the biggest causes of death in the world (47).

Studies show that green tea can improve some of the main risk factors for these diseases.

This includes total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (48).

Green tea also dramatically increases the antioxidant capability of the blood, which protects the LDL cholesterol particles from oxidation, which is one part of the pathway towards heart disease (49, 50, 51).

Given the beneficial effects on risk factors, it is not surprising to see that green tea drinkers have up to a 31% lower risk of cardiovascular disease (52, 53, 54).

Bottom Line: Green tea has been shown to lower total and LDL cholesterol, as well as protect the LDL particles from oxidation. Observational studies show that green tea drinkers have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

9. Green Tea Can Help You Lose Weight and Lower Your Risk of Becoming Obese

Given that green tea can boost the metabolic rate in the short term, it makes sense that it could help you lose weight.

Several studies show that green tea leads to decreases in body fat, especially in the abdominal area (55, 56, 57).

One of these studies was a randomized controlled trial in 240 men and women that went on for 12 weeks. In this study, the green tea group had significant decreases in body fat percentage, body weight, waist circumference and abdominal fat (58).

However, some studies don’t show a statistically significant increases in weight loss with green tea, so this needs to be taken with a grain of salt (59).

Bottom Line: Some studies show that green tea leads to increased weight loss. It is particularly effective at reducing the dangerous abdominal fat.

10. Green Tea May Decrease Your Risk of Dying and Help You Live Longer

Of course, we all have to die eventually. That is inevitable.

However, given that green tea drinkers are at a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, it makes sense that it could help you live longer.

In a study of 40,530 Japanese adults, those who drank the most green tea (5 or more cups per day) were significantly less likely to die during an 11 year period (60):
Death of all causes: 23% lower in women, 12% lower in men.

Death from heart disease: 31% lower in women, 22% lower in men.

Death from stroke: 42% lower in women, 35% lower in men.

Another study in 14,001 elderly Japanese individuals aged 65-84 years found that those who drank the most green tea were 76% less likely to die during the 6 year study period (61)

NOTE:

If you want to buy quality organic green tea (or green tea extract), then there is an excellent selection with thousands of customer reviews on Amazon.

In order to feel better, lose weight and lower your risk of chronic diseases, then you might want to consider making green tea a regular part of your life.


By Kris Gunnars

Feng Shui Tips for Zen Living

General Feng Shui for your entire House

1. Do what feels right to you. Trust your intuition. Even if it goes against one of the Feng Shui rules listed below. Your intuition is always right in a given situation at a given moment.
2. Use natural materials in your home. This will invite the positive energy of nature into your home. Whereas synthetic materials will invite health issues into your home...
3. Eliminate clutter. Do this in every part of your house and garden: rooms, attic, cellar, garage, garden shed, ... Eliminate everything you don’t use and/or don’t like. Give it away, sell it or throw it away. You'll feel lighter, think clearer, lose some weight and get rid of headaches. 
4. Clean out closets and drawers too. I know, for most of us, out of side means out of mind. But that doesn't count in Feng Shui. Hidden clutter is still clutter, thus negative and blocked energy, and you don’t want that in your home.
5. Find a place for everything you use. Being organized will save you a lot of time: the time you usually spent on searching things that don’t have a place.
6. Wipe the dust and spider webs away. They represent low, stagnant, and blocked energy, and you don’t want that in your home, do you?
7. Clean your house in every little corner. Don’t forget to clean under, above and behind your furniture (if possible).
8. Bring in strong vibrant energy when you eliminate low energy. Strong energy is represented by the things you love like music, flowers, scented candles, ... Use these when you clean out negative energy like clutter, dust, spider webs, ... And be sure to have enough light around, do not clean out negative energy in the dark, because it will drain out to much of your own energy.
9. Use appropriate lighting in every room of your house. Light is the strongest manifestation of energy, which makes it our number 1 nutrient. Be careful with the use of candles and be sure to buy candles without toxins.
10. Don’t stay/work/sit/lay with your back to a door or a window. If that’s not possible, put up a mirror that reflects the door or the window. It’s important for your piece of mind to see what’s coming at you (otherwise you’ll feel in “danger”).
11. Don’t stay/work/sit/lay in direct alignment with a doorway or window. That’s where chi comes into the room.
12. Don’t stay/work/sit/lay in the line between a doorway and / or window. That’s how chi travels through the room.
13. Don’t stay/work/sit/lay under something that hangs over your head. Think of chandeliers, ceiling fans, bookshelves, beams ... They’ll make you feel unsafe.
14. Replace sharp-edged furniture that you bump into with furniture that has rounded edges. Otherwise your brain will think that your home is not a safe place to be.
15. Get rid of furniture you don’t use. Imagine energy as water flowing into the room: all furniture represents an obstacle for the flow of the water, i.e. the flow of the energy. Restricting the chi’s flow restricts your opportunities.
16. Remove from sight anything that is or even looks like a weapon. That counts for the knifes in your kitchen, the scissors on your desk, your grandpa’s antique riffle, pictures of weapons, ...
17. Remove from sight anything that is or represents death and/or sacrifice. Dried flowers, pictures of dead people, Christ-crosses ...
18. Fix what's broken. 
19. Repair or get rid of clocks that aren't working. Otherwise you’ll have the impression that time is missing or standing still.
20. Repair any leaks in your house and garden. Otherwise your money and health will “leak” away too.
21. Keep your trash cans clean and closed. Don’t forget to empty them regularly.
22. Play music. Music activates energy and is food for your soul.
23. Hang your dreams on your walls, not your nightmares.
24. Make your own magic Feng Shui frame. Make a frame that’s divided into 9 squares that represent the 9 Feng Shui areas of your life, and draw/picture your dreams in each square.
25. Use colours in your house. Bright colours like yellow and orange stimulate us. Blue and lavender relax us. Earth colours make us feel stable.
26. Use a lot of plants. Plants represent grow, prosperity and good luck.
27. Take care of your plants. Don’t keep sick or dead plants in your house. When a plant gets sick, you can expect trouble in the corresponding Feng Shui area of your life...
28. Only use plants with round coins. Don’t keep a collection of cactuses or other plants with sharp leaves.
29. Create an organic vegetable, fruit and herb garden. Organic food that lands straight from your garden on your plate is loaded with positive energy from nature. Food you buy in stores has lost a big part of that energy because it decreases over time. Plus, if you cultivate your food with love, that will give it an extra positive energy.
30. Use aromas, scents, fresh flowers and candles. Smells activate chi (energy).
31. If you're single and looking for a partner, create space for him/her in your house. It’s especially important to create space for two in the bedroom and bathroom: empty a drawer or a part of a closet.

Feng Shui for your Entry

32. Make your entryway welcoming. This is the way chi (energy) comes in, and so are opportunities. Don’t block them. This is also the first impression others get of who you are.
33. Don’t put a mirror on the wall that faces the entryway. All incoming energy will be reflected back out.
34. Make your mailbox bright, colourful, funny and eye catching. You’ll get more mail (and more orders if your business is home based).

Feng Shui for your Kitchen: the heart of your house and the keeper of your home’s soul

35. Create abundance by filling op your food stock.
36. Plug the drains of your kitchen sink with rubber stops when you’re not using them. By leaving these drains open good energy (and money and health) drain out of your home. 
37. Put your kitchen in the health area of your home. I know, this one is a bit tricky...
38. Position your oven, stove and sink so that you can see the door and windows whilst working at them.
39. Use the colour yellow in your kitchen. This colour stimulates a good digestion.
40. Get nature into your kitchen. Display fresh foods and grow fresh herbs in your kitchen. Bring the wonderful smell of basil, thyme, mint, lavender or rosemary into your kitchen. Grow them in earthenware containers (avoid metal or plastic containers).
41. Don’t cook if you feel negative emotions. That negative energy will pass into the food you’re preparing.
42. Use round plates. Round shaped plates have a harmonious flow energy. Square shaped plates have a slower, more grounding energy. 
43. Use the right colour for your plates. White plates are a good foundation for the food that’s served on them. Blue plates are a good choice if you’d like to lose weight. Red, orange and yellow plates will stimulate your appetite.
44. Always keep your kitchen clean and bright. This is very important for your health.

Feng Shui for your Bathroom : minimize their energy leaks

45. Keep your toilet lid down (before flushing) and plug your drains with a rubber stop when you don’t use them. By leaving these drains open good energy (and money and health) drain out of your home. 
46. Use several sources of lighting. A soft light when you’ve just opened your eyes, an energizing light when you want to get your eyes open, and candles when you’re taking a relaxing bath.
47. Use scents and oils. Choose relaxing or energizing scents and oils depending on the result you’re trying to get by taking a bath.
48. Transform your bathroom into a spa. Make it a nice place to take a relaxing bath whilst enjoying some music, a good book or some excellent company / champagne.
49. Ventilate your bathroom. Healthy air is very important for a healthy bathroom and thus a healthy you.
50. Keep your bathroom very clean and well ordered. Although this counts for every place in your house or garden, the bathroom is one of the most important rooms to keep clean and ordered.
51. Hide your laundry basket and don’t let your laundry pile up.

Feng Shui for your Bedroom

52. Get all things by two (night stands, lamps, pictures, statues ...). That way your love life will be balanced.
53. Use bright red, white, or bright green bed linens. This brings more passion into your bedroom. Don’t use red bed linens all the time though or your romance could burn up.
54. Place pictures or images of couples in love across from the entryway and across from the foot of the bed. These are the two most important locations for visual stimulation in your bedroom. 
55. Use different levels of lighting in your bedroom. This way you can adjust the level of lighting to your mood and activities.
56. Don’t mix work and pleasure. Don’t put your desk or computer in your bedroom. If you can’t do otherwise, use a screen or a curtain to get your desk out of sight.
57. Don’t mix work-outs and pleasure. Store your sports equipment elsewhere (in the Feng Shui health area of your house) and you’ll have to work less on your relationship.
58. Don’t use mirrors in your bedroom. If you can’t remove them, cover them. They reflect your energy which makes it more difficult to sleep. They reflect you and/or your partner, that’s not the way to go if you just want to be the two of you...
59. Don’t put a television in your bedroom. A television acts like a mirror.
60. Don’t put any electronic gadgets in your bedroom. They emit radiations that disrupt sleep, that includes your cell phone.
61. Keep the bed accessible from the 2 sides. So the two of you can climb in it.
62. Place the head of the bed against a wall. That will give you a sense of security.
63. Don’t store stuff under your bed.
64. Don’t use plants in your bedroom. They liberate carbon monoxide during the night.
65. Don’t put your bedroom under, on top of or next to something that has a drain.
66. Open your windows every day. A clean fresh air full of oxygen is important for your health and the quality of your sleep.

Feng Shui for your Small rooms

67. Even small rooms should be filled with light. If they don’t have a window, be sure to place a bright lamp in small rooms like dressings.
68. Add mirrors to make a small room look bigger. This will give you more space for opportunities in the corresponding area of your life.

Feng Shui for your Garden

69. Attract wildlife in your garden. Make shelters/food for birds, insects, frogs ... You’ll attract more energy around your house.

8 bonus Feng Shui tips for your You 

1. Wear green cloths regularly. That’s the colour of health, for your mind and your body.
2. Wear pink if you feel angry. Pink melts away anger.
3. Write down your intentions on white paper with a red ink.
4. Keep your attention on your intentions.
5. Use affirmations. Write them down, and hang them in different places where you can read them often.
6. Have an open mind. You’ll see more opportunities.
7. Eat healthy, organic food, especially fresh fruits and vegetables. Nature’s energy will do miracles for your health and well being.
8. Do yoga ! Yoga activates the energy flows of your body and mind.

Relax

Yin And Yang

In Chinese culture, Yin and Yang represent the two opposite principles in nature. Yin characterizes the feminine or negative nature of things and yang stands for the masculine or positive side. Yin and yang are in pairs, such as the moon and the sun, female and male, dark and bright, cold and hot, passive and active, etc. But yin and yang are not static or just two separated things. The nature of yinyang lies in interchange and interplay of the two components. The alternation of day and night is such an example. Here is a summary of the characteristics of yinyang. Yin and yang are opposite in nature, but they are part of nature, they rely on each other, and they can't exist without each other. The balance of yin and yang is important. If yin is stronger, yang will be weaker, and vice versa. Yin and yang can interchange under certain conditions so they are usually not yin and yang alone. In other words, yin can contain certain part of yang and yang can have some component of yin. It is believed that yinyang exists in everything.

Beautiful Healing Rain Music By Meditation Relax Club on Youtube.

I totally recommend  their music which is so calm and relaxing

Serene Pics

Zen

Relax