Green Tea: The Best Medicine for High Cholesterol?
By Jon Stout

It was reportedly discovered by a Chinese emperor some 40 centuries ago. And, legend has it, the discovery was purely by accident. But that coincidental discovery has improved the health of people around the world, who have turned to green tea in particular to help soothe their pains, improve their digestion, alleviate their depression, boost their immune system, and perhaps even lengthen their lives. But what is it that makes green tea so beneficial to human health?

The Ingredients of Success

Green tea is actually made up of a variety of ingredients. These include caffeine, vitamins, minerals, and oils. However, the most important ingredients are the polyphenols, especially one called EGCG, which is believed to improve health. In fact, it is the polyphenols which make green tea so much more effective than other beverages in fighting disease and illness.

Green Tea and Cholesterol

There have been some intriguing studies indicating that green tea can be effective in the fight against high cholesterol. Specifically, the beverage reduces “bad” cholesterol and boosts “good” cholesterol, improving an individual’s overall cholesterol profile.

In addition, green tea appears to lower overall cholesterol levels, helping to reduce one’s risk of developing heart disease. Similarly, green tea enhances cardiovascular health by improving the consistency of platelets in the blood.

Researchers have also found that green tea appears to protect against oxygen-induced damage to bad cholesterol. Drinking green tea also seems to enhance antioxidant processes in the bloodstream.

Effect of Green Tea on Blood Fats

In recent years, much attention has been focused on blood fats and the effects of diet and exercise on their consistency. In an interesting study conducted at the Department of Public Health at the National Defense Medical College in Saitama, Japan, researchers S. Kono, K. Shinchi, N. Ikeda, F. Yanai, and K. Imanishi investigated the impact of green tea consumption on blood fats, also known as serum lipids.

The study was published in an article entitled, “Tea Consumption and Serum Lipid Profiles: a Cross-Sectional Study in Northern Kyushu, Japan.”

Specifically, the researchers examined the correlation between green tea use and the serum lipid concentrations of more than 1300 men who underwent retirement health exams at the Self-Defense Forces Fukuoka Hospital between 1986 and 1988.

The researchers factored out variables such as alcohol use, use of tobacco, exercise levels, body mass index, and rank. They then discovered that the more green tea a patient drank, the lower his serum cholesterol levels. Men who drank nine or more cups of tea each day had total cholesterol levels that were eight mg/dl lower than those who drank two or fewer cups a day.

The serum cholesterol levels seemed to also decrease for men who ate a great deal of rice and soy beans, and increase for those who ate more Western foods. However, adjusting for these additional diet variables did not seem to affect the correlation between green tea use and total cholesterol levels.

Additional Evidence from the Animal Kingdom

It’s been said that there is a definite link between diet and exercise and coronary heart disease. Therefore, anything in the diet that improves serum lipid profiles should reduce the incidence of heart problems. It’s also known that green tea contains phytochemicals that work to decrease serum cholesterol as well as triglycerides.

In one animal study, 45 rats were subjected to a variety of treatments, including green tea. The study showed that consuming green tea improved the serum lipid profile by reducing total cholesterol, bad cholesterol, and trans fats. In addition, liver fat content decreased in rats that received a large amount of green tea.

Other Positive Effects of Green Tea Drinking

The polyphenols found in green tea may have some additional positive health effects. For instance, a number of animal and test tube studies indicate that these chemicals may have a substantial anti-cancer effect, especially in inhibiting the spread of melanoma, or skin cancer cells. Green tea has also been linked to a reduction in oral cancers and dental cavities.

In addition, green tea may stimulate the production of immune system cells. As a result, it can help the body fight bacteria, leading to improved overall health. In fact, one study showed that drinking ten or more cups of green tea each day could improve blood test results, protecting the body against liver damage.

How Much Green Tea is Enough?

Of course, you might be wondering how much green tea must be consumed in order to have a positive impact on health. In Asian nations, the typical tea drinker consumes about three cups each day—enough to provide as much as 320 mg of polyphenols. Nevertheless, some studies indicate as many as ten cups each day are needed in order to really make a difference in cholesterol levels and overall health.

Possible Side Effects

It should be noted that there can be some negative side effects associated with green tea consumption. While green tea is a relatively healthy drink, those who consume several cups of it each day may experience anxiety and insomnia brought on by the caffeine found in the beverage. Drinking green tea may also lead to iron deficiencies, since iron absorption in women may be reduced as much as 26 percent when green tea is consumed with a meal.
In addition, some drugs can interfere with green tea’s positive effects. Therefore, before switching to a diet rich in green tea, it may be best to check with a physician to determine if such a diet is right for you.

Looking to the Future

The forecast for green tea appears to be bright—as far as public health is concerned. Study after study seems to indicate that green tea can reduce cholesterol levels, combat cardiac disease, boost the immune system, and reduce the risk of cancer.

While additional study is needed in order to effectively harness all the benefits of green tea, it appears, for the moment, that simply adding a few cups of the brew to your daily diet can yield impressive health benefits.

Jon M. Stout is the Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. Golden Moon Tea carefully selects the finest rare and orthodox teas, which are processed slowly and handcrafted with extreme care. At their website, you can learn more about their current tea offerings, including their exceptional green tea, white tea, black tea, oolong tea (also known as wu-long and wu long tea) and chai. Visit goldenmoontea.com for all details concerning the Golden Moon Tea Company’s fine line of teas.

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This popular liquid is known as the healthy way to deal with weightloss. Globally, not only do normal citizens use the liquid, but film stars use it as well. There is no denying that it is very beneficial.

A study that was recently conducted has found that losing weight and drinking green tea are connected to one another. It shows that the green tea helps to burn that unwanted fat and calories to help lose weight. Studies that were also conducted on animals have shown that it possesses the ability to increase thermogenesis.

Studies on humans have also been conducted and found the same information. It does not matter if it is in liquid form of capsule form, it is still beneficial. Studies have shown that those individuals that consume green tea for a long period of time has less body fat percentage when you compare it to those that do not drink the tea on a regular basis.

I have been consuming liquid green tea for a couple of years and have found it very beneficial to myself. Not only has it helped me lose weight, but it has also helped to boost my energy. In fact, when I first started drinking it, I lost six pounds in the first month. For those of you that are interested in this tea, there are many different places you can find it. You can find it in your local grocery store and on the Internet.

Jack Segar

How exactly does green tea help achieve those weight loss goals? Well, you see, green tea naturally has a thermogenic component in it and that is caffeine. Thermogenesis helps to boost the temperature of the body, which allows you to burn extra calories.

These pills also have two major components. Those two major components consist of theophylline and theobromine. These two components help boost the metabolism of the body. These two components cannot be found in coffee. Yes, green tea may have some of the same components that coffee has, but it is much more useful than coffee is.

Yes, they come in a pill format, but you do not need to get a prescription from your doctor in order to get them. This in terms makes it much easier for you to get. These pills are not illegal to take in the USA. However, you may still want to speak with your doctor in order to get the go ahead to take these pills.

For the most part, there have not been any bad side effects, but you should still speak with your doctor in order to determine if this is the best route for you. For example, they will determine if your body is able to handle caffeine. Green tea pills are starting to gain popularity today, so maybe it will help you obtain your weight loss goals.

Jack Segar

Heart Rate Monitors – Top 5
By Mike Singh

What is a heart rate monitor? These gadgets are a very wonderful tool to have for both those who have heart related problems and those who are looking to improve their workouts. The goal of these devices is to monitor your heart rate at all times during the day. While exercising to lose weight, your goal should be to maintain your heart rate in the ideal ‘zone’ for fat burning. But, too much of a good thing is not good either. The monitor allows for accurate measurement of the heart during these periods so that you don’t exceed the recommended levels for your age/fitness level. The heart rate monitor makes this process a lot easier.

But, choosing a heart rate monitor can be tricky. We’ve cut through all the hype and reviewed some of the best on the market:

The Polar F11: Polar is an excellent brand no matter what but this model is a great all around version. You can use the program “Keeps U Fit Workout Program” to meet your personal goals. OwnZone is another feature which allows you to monitor your target heart range and it tells you how many calories you are burning during it. It uses a coded transmitter to find your heart rate and you will not have interference from other monitors.

Polar A3: If the Polar F11 looks good but is too expensive, go with the stepped down version in this model. It works as a personal trainer in its ability to allow you to track the previous workouts. It’s easy to use and very accurate.

Garmin Forerunner 301. Okay, if you are a gadget lover, this is the heart rate monitor for you. It uses GPS to help you throughout your journey through health fitness. If you are a runner, use this monitor to track how far you have gone what your heart rate is during that time as well as allow you to download it all to your PC to track and monitor. And, as your heart rate improves this monitor will adjust your target zone to keep pushing you to the next level.

Acumen Eon Basix ES: In this model, you get beginner tools. It’s easy to use and has the functions that you want. It has a target zone function that you can program.

For something different, go with the Mio Shape. In most heart rate monitors, a chest strap is used to monitor your heart’s beat. But, in this unique model, it uses a finger sensor instead. Although some have found difficulty in using this accurately, it is worth mentioning.

We hope you find something that fits your style and needs and you use it to take your fitness to the next level.

Mike Singh is the publisher of http://www.elliptical-trainers-reviews.com/ On his website he provides nordic track elliptical reviews and more eliptical trainer reviews.

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Have you considered taking green tea pills? There are many health benefits of green tea including relief from headaches, aid for the digestive system, and weight loss.

Since it is late December at the time I am writing this article you will be reading a lot about how green tea will give the boost you need for weight loss. Green tea can help increase your metabolism and fat oxidation to help you lose weight.

After the holidays and in the beginning of a new year lots of people make resolutions to lose weight. You know those five to ten pounds that you put on during all the Christmas and New Year feast and parties. You will find many advertisements for green tea pills to aid you with getting those extra pounds off.

Other health benefits of green tea range from helping combat heart disease to helping ward off cancer. A study in Japan was published in the Journal Of the American Medical Association that shows a significant reduction in heart disease in green tea drinkers.

The study involved 40,000 people over a period of 11 years. The people who drank more than five cups of green tea per day had a 16% lower risk of overall mortality or death related to cardiovascular disease than those who drank less than one cup of green tea per day. In this study the health benefits of green tea were also associated with reduction in the risk of strokes.

If taking green tea supplements will reduce the risk of heart disease by 16% I would estimate many more people will consider taking them. If you are one of those people you may want to know there are supplements available that combine green tea extract with other well known vitamins, minerals, and herbal products that will give you all the benefits of green tea and then some.

Purchasing one tablet with many ingredients in it will be far less expensive than buying the supplements separately. So if you are considering green tea pills, check out my web site to learn more about nutritional supplements and information on maintaining good health.

Elizabeth Ruby is passionate about good health. She is a firm believer in taking quality nutritional supplements. Check out her web site at http://www.your-natural-supplements-site.info/ to find out more about good healthy supplements and which one she feels delivers the best totally balanced supplement on the market today.

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Exercise has always been a part of a person’s life to ensure good health. But exercise should be done properly to make sure that it gives you the benefits that you expect. That is why it is necessary to use a heart rate monitor to keep track of your progress in achieving your exercise goals.

If you are on the look out for a high quality heart rate monitor, you should check reviews to arrive at a wise purchasing decision. Heart rate monitor reviews should be able to give you an insight on the different types available and their features and benefits. Aside from this, reviews should help you determine which monitor is right to help you achieve your personal goals. They should also help you examine your exercise objectives, and see which heart rate category best fits your situation.

The different types of heart rate monitors that are usually included in heart rate monitor reviews are the heart rate monitor watches, digital heart rate monitors and the strapless heart rate monitors.

Many prefer the heart rate monitor watches since these are very light and can be worn easily. These also include different features that make them very convenient to use even on a daily basis. The heart rate monitor watch includes a chest strap and a receiver that are used to register and monitor the beats of the heart.

The digital heart rate monitors, the latest in digital technology, offer the accuracy demanded mostly by athletes. Anyone at any age can use these to improve fitness condition, lose weight and burn fat, increase stamina and aerobic endurance and achieve peak athletic performance.

If the digital and the heart rate monitor watches are preferred by athletes, the strapless heart rate monitors are for those who only need heart rate monitors for casual monitoring.

These are the different types of heart rate monitors that are compared in heart rate monitor reviews. So, the next time you are thinking of buying one for your need, look into different heart rate monitor reviews first to arrive at a wise purchasing decision.

Heart Rate Monitor provides detailed information on Heart Rate Monitors, Heart Rate Monitor Watches, Heart Rate Monitor Reviews, Strapless Heart Rate Monitors and more. Heart Rate Monitor is affiliated with Heartburn Treatment.

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Weight Loss program

Unfortunately most diets have already failed before they begin. There are several reasons for this. In this article we will go over a few and list some solutions to the problem in attempt to give your diet a better chance at success.

Reason # 1

Always choosing the latest fad diet, unfortunately many people opt for the quick results; this is almost always a certain path to failure. I can understand why people choose these diet plans, its hard not to get excited hearing about the wild claims the promoters make. However these weight loss programs always lack required fundamentals for success and usually only produce results for the people selling the diet information. Doing things the slow way may seem boring and tedious, but gradual weight loss is the best way to long lasting results.

Reason # 2

Another common reason for a New Weight Loss Program failing is due to a lack of confidence. Losing weight will be a difficult task, but if you’re constantly thinking negative and telling yourself you’re never going to get your desired results you are practically guaranteeing failure. A great way to beat this is too choose a reason for losing weight. This reason will be your motivation and will help pick you up when you are feeling negative and thinking your weight loss program will never succeed.

Reason # 3

You will also often see weight loss programs fail due too late night snacking. The time of day that you eat isn’t all that important; remember if you burn more calories than you consume you will lose weight. Unfortunately many individuals end up adding many additional calories with late night snacks. To avoid this always keep low calorie snacks around, that are high in fiber, fruits and vegetables are the perfect solution to your late night cravings.

Reason # 4

Dieting for someone else is another reason many diets fail. When starting a weight loss program if your reason to lose weight is for someone else find a way to make it for you. Losing weight takes time and many people may take a while to notice that you have lost weight. When this happens you may be discouraged and begin to think you’re wasting your time. If the reason you are losing weight is for yourself, you will notice the early results of your weight loss program regardless of how small they are, this will than give you the motivation to keep going with your plan, instead of quitting just before the results start really showing up.

The success or failure of your weight loss program will depend on you. For lasting results a great deal of self control and commitment will be required. There will certainly be bumps along the road, but all these problems have solutions. The four reasons outlined above have derailed many diets but all have very simple solutions. Chances are the problems you encounter will have solutions just as simple as the above or even simpler.

Jack Segar

When first beginning a new fitness program, many individuals don’t fully understand all the benefits a heartbeat monitor can provide. But taking the time to fully understand how heartbeat monitors can help your workouts and your overall fitness levels can be well worth ones time. This article will give you a couple ways to begin using a heartbeat monitor in your workout instantly.

Benefit #1

Heartbeat monitors make it very easy to track your heartbeat at all times allowing you to maximize results. Plus with this information always at your disposal it will be much easier to ensure you are working at a safe heartbeat.

Benefit # 2

Since a heartbeat monitor always displays your current heartbeat it will also be easy to ensure you are within you target heart rate zone. This alone is a great benefit of using heartbeat monitors since being below or above your target zones can really cause setbacks in your fitness goals.

Benefit # 3

To add to #2 a heartbeat monitor can easily act as a coach for you, by setting your monitor to beep every time you fall below or rise above your targeted zone. With this feature in use, you will always be within your targeted zone and getting the maximum results possible from your workout. That alone is probably worth the cost of the heartbeat monitor.

Benefit # 4

Ease of use is another great advantage to using heartbeat monitors. By always having an accurate and current heart rate you won’t have to constantly stop your workout and manually count your heartbeat every time you want to know it.

Benefit # 5

Using a heartbeat monitor can make designing a fitness program, a very simple process. Once your goal is defined, you can then match up your goals with a heart rate zone and have the peace of mind knowing you’re always within your targeted range and receiving the best possible results.

As always, comments are welcome.

Jack Segar

At the beginning of a new weight loss program, a problem people often run into is always feeling hungry. There are many ways to avoid this, the one I find works the best is too consume foods that are high in fiber. A simple google search for high fiber foods will give you many examples. Another important thing to remember is too spread the fiber consumption out throughout your entire day.

You will also want to include plenty of water in your new weight loss program, water will also help your body perform several essential functions. Water will help your metabolism and provide great benefits to your skin just to name a couple of its many benefits.

The ability to control your cravings is also vital to the success of your new weight loss program. This will be especially important when eating out; adding up the amount of calories consumed at a restaurant can be a painful event, once you factor in appetizers and deserts in addition to the meal you may find yourself above your limit very quickly. When possible always opt for lower calorie meals such as a salad or other plates high in vegetables.

Don’t dive right in; always start slow, especially if you’re trying to make a big change to your lifestyle. Shocking your system by dramatically changing your routine can cause more damage to your new weight loss program than good. Start off with small changes, that way your body can gradually adapt to the change. Plus a diet that rapidly changes your lifestyle is practically certain to fail.

Another great way to kick start your weight loss program, is too increase your amount of physical activity. Remember many household chores will get you active, such as washing the car, cutting the grass and vacuuming are just a few examples. Riding a bike rather than driving is also another excellent way to get active and it can still get you places fairly quickly.

The success of a new weight loss program usually depends on how realistic you are. Don’t choose unrealistic targets, while planning they sound great but remember the feeling of failure when your goal isn’t achieved can often derail your entire weight loss plan. Instead try aiming for gradual results, these may not seem as exciting as what the latest fad diet is promising you, but remember its lasting results that count and that’s something just about every fad diet lacks.

Jack Segar

1. Many studies have shown omega3 supplements can be very beneficial to your heart health. Many studies have noted a drop in bad cholesterol, while good cholesterol rises, when subjects take the recommended dosage.

2. Omega3 supplements have also been found, to help keep rheumatoid arthritis under control. This is due to omega3 behaving similar to an anti inflammatory, helping with overall mobility and pain in your joints.

3. Another great benefit of omega3 fish oils is that omega3 supplements have also shown to improve your level of concentration. This is believed to be due to the high levels of docosahexanoic acid found in omega3 fatty acids.

4. A study at the University of Western Australia also found that, a diet high in omega3 supplements can help you in your weight loss efforts. It was also found to benefit glucose tolerance and lower your blood pressure.

5. Lastly another great benefit of omega3 fatty acids may be for those who suffer from asthma and other respiratory problems. Many facts from studies point to a diet high in omega3 fatty acids as a great tool to keep your asthma under control.

I hope this article has helped you realize the importance of getting sufficient amounts of fish oil in your diet. If you don’t enjoy eating fish, you may want to consider an omega3 supplement as a great alternative. If you choose the later always ensure the quality of what you are buying, high quality fish oil that may cost more will certainly help in the long run. Also always remember to consult your doctor before taking any supplements to ensure they are the right choice for you.

Jack Segar