Ahhh, tea. Just the words create an image in my mind of relaxation and private time; time to reassess my day and let go of all my concerns and stresses. Tea is a means of experiencing the essence of nature and infusing ourselves with her soothing, healing spirit. It stimulates our senses and signals our minds to refocus. Making myself a cup of tea has become a port key to an alternate state of mind and a conditioned reflex for letting go of life’s worries.

In my late teens and early twenties, I enjoyed exploring the wide range of new and popular tea blends. I felt somehow elegant, taking time out for tea and giving myself permission to do nothing else but sit and experience my sensory responses. It seemed I had a special secret, and an interest that separated me from my peers. I felt I had found a mystical pathway to self knowledge and a unique niche of my own.

As I grew older, stopping for tea became the necessary reprieve at the end of the day; A time to relax after my many chores and errands, time after the children were fed and bathed and sleeping sweetly in their beds. I remember my pleasure at the feel of the cup, the smooth roundness of the porcelain filling my palms and warming my tired hands. I would sit for a moment, taking in the aroma of my warm cup of indulgence, and then slowly take the first sip; the warmth spreading over my body like a comforting blanket. Almost immediately, the concerns of my day seemed less and my mental load lighter. I found myself able to slow my spinning thoughts and let go of my body’s tension, and from this perspective, see the circumstances of my life more clearly. I found that I was able to step back from problems and see them with less emotional attachment, and therefore make better, more rational decisions about them.

Stopping for tea has kept me sane, or at least mostly sane, throughout the difficulties and trials of my life. It has been my prompt to step back when I feel overwhelmed and to think through my life’s situations before I acted rashly. It has been my passageway to a private peace that has allowed me to reset my brain and refresh my body, and to begin again with a new perspective. It has healed my physical ailments and those of my children without the side effects of many drugs. Tea has been a lifelong companion and is responsible for one of my most valuable gifts; the numerous friendships developed and strengthened over many a shared cup.

As a fan of Art of Tea, I have always enjoyed the taste of green tea, both warm in the morning and evening, and iced during the day. I began drinking 8 to 10 cups a day after New Years, 2007 when I had resolved myself to promoting better health practices for me and my family.
I increased my green tea intake as a result of an article I had read that linked green tea consumption to a boost in weight loss and I figured it couldn’t hurt to try it, especially since I like green tea anyway and normally drink a lot of it. My children enjoy the taste of iced tea, and so increasing their intake was simple. I knew that there were other health benefits from drinking green tea, and had heard about its antioxidant properties, but I wasn’t aware of all of the amazing ways that it increases health until I started doing some research.
I learned that white tea, green tea, oolong tea and black tea all come from the leaves of the same plant, the Camellia sinensis. Green tea is often baked or steamed immediately after harvesting, Oolong tea is from partially oxidized leaves, and black tea is fully oxidized and cooked. I also learned that the majority of green tea is grown in Japan and China and from what I have experienced so far there is a difference between the two country’s teas. When processed, high quality Chinese Green Tea is generally pan fired while Japanese Green Tea is quickly deep steamed, giving them very different tastes and qualities. Chinese green tea is most often brewed by placing the leaves in my favorite teapot, mesh bag or just letting them float in cup and placing it into freshly drawn hot water. We also explored matcha Japanese green tea, the leaves are most often ground into a powder and whisked with a small amount of hot water.
Green tea achieves superfood status because of its polyphenols. Polyphenols are stronger antioxidants than vitamin C. Antioxidants travel through the body and clean up free radicals, which are charged particles that damage cells and DNA. These free radicals are a result of normal metabolism, but are also accrued from environmental toxins, like ultraviolet rays from the sun, air pollution, radiation and cigarette smoke. Polyphenols in green tea have been found to reduce the occurrence of diseases caused by free radicals, including heart disease and cancer, and to reverse the aging process.
Green tea has been found to assist diabetics by helping to regulate glucose in the bloodstream and stimulate the proper function of the pancreas. The pancreas is responsible for releasing the hormone, insulin, which is underproduced in diabeties. Green tea has also been found to assist in the treatment of arteriosclerosis by helping to flush plaque attached to veinous walls.
This information was enough to make me feel great about drinking green tea. Then yesterday, I read an article about the results of some research conducted in Egypt from the University of Alexandria where they tested green tea in combination with antibiotics against 28 disease causing microbes. In every case, they found that the green tea decreased the drug resistance of the microbes and increased the drug’s effectiveness. They found that this was true for even antibiotic resistant microbes.
Accordiing to this research, longevity is greater in countries where green tea is regularly consumed, yet we are only now considering that the consumption of tea may be one of the explanations. As my family and I enjoy the light, fresh flavor of our now favorite beverage, it makes me feel good to know that we are also taking care of our health.