Tea and Health

	Pu-erh — one of the most health-giving teas.

Please, take everything in this article not as a medical recommendation, but rather as an idle talk. And yet if you decide to use healing power of tea — consult your doctor first. Although really in this country it is customary to test everything on oneself. We are audacious people.

Now. Above all, let’s sort out several principal things. First, originally tea came to human culture as a remedy, and not a drink for pleasure. Second, a famous phrase, which says that it is late to drink mineral water after the loss of kidneys, applies to tea perfectly — tea has both healing and preventive effects, the latter being more effective. In this enlightened age, the notions of healing and prevention are often confused — and people start to consume tea in enormous amounts after they get ill, and not before the disease reveals itself. Third, healing and preventive effects of tea become noticeable only at rather high levels of tea consumption — from 5 to 10 cups a day. It is quite a lot — even for an experienced tea lover. Finally, fourth, the effect of tea, as well as effects of other medications (in the framework of this article, let’s consider tea a medication), is rather individual. Of course, tea has contra-indications. So, having decided to treat oneself by tea, consult your doctor (hope, you don’t mind my repeating oneself).

One more thing.Like the one that goes: ‘Cucumbers are poisonous. Almost everyone who had at least tried them died sooner or later’. People have been drinking tea for many centuries. All this time they (that is we) have been drinking it in various and absolutely incredible ways. And neither mass longevity, nor mass untimely mortality became the results of this world-wide tea-drinking. Thus, tea is, first of all, a wonderful drink. And only then it is a remedy and a preventive.

	Tea in open air is very good for health.

After such a strange introduction, let’s move on to the description of specific and rather nice qualities of tea. I will try to avoid technical medical terms — let experts write about glycogens and hypoxia. For me it’s about enough…

Tea enhances heart’s endurance (say ‘No!’ to heart attack!) and strengthens the walls of the blood-vessels (which is very important in years). Green and oolong teas prevent fat depositing on the walls of the blood-vessels and destroy existing fat deposits (‘No!’ to atherosclerosis). Tea speeds up blood circulation and widens the vessels, and contributes to faster recovery of brain functions after a stroke, a cerebral vascular accident (Lord forbid!). Strong black tea raises blood-pressure (this one is for hypotonia), and mild green tea lowers it (this is for hypertension — do not confuse).

Tea is a wholesome dietetic foodstuff. One cup of tea contains maximum 4 calories — but even on a forced tea diet, one does not feel hunger, but retains normal capacity to work. By the way, recently I have tested it on myself. Out of scientific curiosity, during 20 days every day I had a breakfast of two cups of pu-erh — over-fermented China tea. Nothing else. After such breakfast I could do without any food till 4-5 p.m. — and I felt fine. A trite thing spoilt the diet — I began to miss cheese-sandwiches, which used to be my usual breakfast.

Tea (especially green one) is a perfect diaphoretic. Consequently, it is a good means to detoxify your organism (in sauna, for example) and an excellent way to cool in hot weather — as when the body’s moisture evaporates, the body cools. Everyone has heard the statement that in winter tea warms, and in summer — cools. Nobody doubts the ability of tea to warm, but its ability to cool arouses suspicion. And people feel reluctant to check this ability when it is already hot. Could be worthwhile. Try it — only tea should be green and not too hot.

Very-very strong tea may cure diarrhea — tea contains tannin and antiseptics which are good for gastrointestinal tract in general. Tea helps in cases of food poisoning and ulcers (black tea). With the help of tea one can adjust one’s gastric juice acidity — only at doctor’s recommendation, not to have a ‘heal-one-thing-destroy-another’ effect. Finally (not for sensitive people), tea normalizes the work of the bowels, on the one hand it hardens faeces, on the other hand it helps their discharging from the body due to the strengthened bowels tone.

	Genmaicha — Japanese green tea with roasted rice.

Tea contains calcium, fluorine, and phosphorus, which strengthen teeth (but do not substitute a dentist, of course). Diuretic qualities of tea (especially green one) reduce the risk of the formation of kidney stones and help various hypostases.

Green tea powder may alleviate pains of those who have serious burns. Freshly brewed and cooled green tea helps sunburns. Tea has a medical anticancer effect and can be used as a preventive. Green tea contributes to purging strontium-90 from the body — including the one that is deposited in the bones. Tea may be also used to compensate computer monitor radiation (which is not even remembered anymore, to say the truth).

Tea is a very versatile antidote. Many ‘sufferers’ know that it helps to overcome hangover. Besides this, it helps to combat food poisoning (I repeat myself), snake-bites, and various chemical poisoning.

Tea integrated influence mitigates symptoms of cold. Tea also contains zinc, which is necessary for the one small muscle which blocks the flow-out of blood from corpus cavernosum — and makes erection indestructible. Tea stimulates nervous system, being an antidepressant and antistressor. Finally, it helps to concentrate — to write articles, like this one.

Of course, tea is not a panacea, but, one has to agree, it is great to drink a cup of tea and feel how much healthier you become…

Be healthy!