In addition to the herbs and spices that can literally create unexpected miracles (see Herbs, Spices, Botanicals: Expect a Miracle on this page) a pale and weak-looking beverage, green tea, is also known for its phenomenal health benefits. Turns out that it contains a powerhouse of antioxidants and other components that can help to heal a wide range of conditions, disorders and diseases, not the least of which is Rheumatoid Arthritis.
The idea that green tea can calm inflammation may be new to us but is well known to nutritional scientists. Green tea is known for its healing properties in Asia and is now coming into its own in the West.
Asians have long used green tea to
fight infection, lower stress and blood pressure, protect against heart disease, diabetes and brain damage, build bone density, minimize the risk of a heart attack, and protect the kidneys and liver.
In addition, they believe that green tea
is good for healthy skin and preventing wrinkles. The same free radicals, which cause cancer also attack skin cells and make you age faster in the form of wrinkles and skin spots.
and that
Polyphenols found in green tea inhibit the growth of bacteria causing bad breath and help protect teeth and gums. Regular intake avoids tooth decay.
Amazingly, Western research now supports many of those claims. For example, scientists at Rutgers believe that green tea can combat cancer and, from the University of Maryland, that it can be of great benefit to those with RA. There is also evidence that it fights glaucoma.
Other universities have confirmed the powerful infection fighting properties of green tea.
Who knows what else it can do? What seems undeniable is that our physicians offices, like all of Western medicine, will not be on the front lines of recommending a natural, non toxic, remedy to replace high priced and lethal pharmaceuticals.
Not to worry since we don’t need either a prescription or permission to use supplements or drink green tea.
Scientists have isolated one key ingredient known as EGCG, short for ‘epigallocatechin-3-gallate,’ that has a profound impact on inflammation.
You can find EGCG and Green Tea Extract in the vitamin section of stores and on the internet. It seems that the more concentrated the dose the more likely we are to see a benefit.