Healthy Eating || Becoming a Tea Drinker

I've never been a tea drinker (and, I mean never), but in mid-October, I decided to get to work on some tea I purchased under hypnosis.  (Okay, maybe I wasn't under hypnosis, but I was under something I guess.)  The tea is actually really good quality and tastes exquisite relative to your average store-bought tea.  However, what I also like about it are the health benefits.  For me, the biggest one I am noticing within myself is the stress reduction.

Below is an excerpt of the article on WebMD.  Full article: TEA TYPES AND THEIR HEALTH BENEFITS

• Green tea: Made with steamed tea leaves, it has a high concentration of EGCG and has been widely studied. Green tea’s antioxidants may interfere with the growth of bladder, breast, lung, stomach, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers; prevent clogging of the arteries, burn fat, counteract oxidative stress on the brain, reduce risk of neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, reduce risk of stroke, and improve cholesterol levels.
• Black tea: Made with fermented tea leaves, black tea has the highest caffeine content and forms the basis for flavored teas like chai, along with some instant teas. Studies have shown that black tea may protect lungs from damage caused by exposure to cigarette smoke. It also may reduce the risk of stroke.
• White tea: Uncured and unfermented. One study showed that white tea has the most potent anticancer properties compared to more processed teas.
• Oolong tea: In an animal study, those given antioxidants from oolong tea were found to have lower bad cholesterol levels. One variety of oolong, Wuyi, is heavily marketed as a weight loss supplement, but science hasn’t backed the claims.
• Pu-erh tea: Made from fermented and aged leaves. Considered a black tea, its leaves are pressed into cakes. One animal study showed that animals given pu-erh had less weight gain and reduced LDL cholesterol.

Another article (excerpt below): TEA BENEFITS

Studies of humans, animals, and petri-dish experiments show that tea is high beneficial to our health. Research suggests that regular tea drinkers -- people who drink two cups or more a day -- have less heart disease and stroke, lower total and LDL cholesterol, and recover from heart attacks faster. There's also evidence that tea may help fight ovarian and breast cancers.

Tea also helps soothe stress and keep us relaxed. One British study found that people who drank black tea were able to de-stress faster than those who drank a fake tea substitute. The tea drinkers had lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.

Are You Feeling Stressed?

By Stephanie of Infinite Life Fitness

Are you feeling stressed? Bummed out all the time because of all the crazy things going on in your life? Are you feeling like some days are getting crazier and harder to handle? Well I may have a suggestion that may help you start to handle some of the stress that has been accumulating in your life.

It is that time of year!

I know that I personally know a lot of people who are stressed out with work…with school…with life in general!

There are not only physical benefits to working out! Working out has been proven to have positive emotional effects as well. Yes you may be stressed because you have a lot on your plate or your day is jammed packed with activities already. But the truth is that you need to de-clutter your life and start putting your time management skills to work! Implementing a workout is only 4% of your day!!! That means the other 96% you can spend sleeping…cooking…working…or being busy with all the other things you have going on. If you actively use that 4% of your time in a positive way I can assure you that your overall mood can be drastically improved and those busy hectic days will start to seem less and less stressful!

Looking at the Mayo Clinic ...

Exercise can help diminish your anxiety or depression! This is done by:

• Releasing feel-good brain chemicals that may ease depression (neurotransmitters and endorphins)
• Reducing immune system chemicals that can worsen depression
• Increasing body temperature, which may have calming effects

According to the Association of Applied Sports Psychology (AASP) ...

Here are some PROVEN facts about the positive psychological benefits of exercise:

• Improved mood
• Reduced stress as well as an improved ability to cope with stress
• Improved self-esteem
• Pride in physical accomplishments
• Increased satisfaction with oneself
• Improved body image
• Increased feelings of energy
• Improved in confidence in your physical abilities
• Decreased symptoms associated with depression

It is so important to try to find the correct balance in our lives to help make the days go more smoothly. If you are a happy healthy person, it is suggested that you will be able to get the most out of your days! If you are happy you will see most things in a positive light and if you are healthy you will be able to be active and get more out of your days.

It is suggested to work out about 3 times a week (and if you can find the time you are more than welcome to work out more than 3 times a day!) If you are able to keep up a routine for a long period of time, this will make it easier for you to keep your health and fitness routines and they will become a part of your daily schedule on a long term basis. And you do not have to run 10 miles a day nor do some intense aerobics class for it to be called “exercise”. You can do a wide range of things that will get your heart beat up and gets your blood flowing! You can swim, ride a bike, jog, play sports, brisk walks, or anything that gets you up and moving for about 30 minutes!

So why not try to improve your mood and your health! Try to incorporate a health and fitness routine into your day and see if it is beneficial to you in the end.

This is Stephanie from Infinite Life Fitness. Please feel free to stop by my site for more health and fitness tips!

Shedding Too Much Hair?

THE HAIR CYCLE
Each strand of hair on our head goes through three phases:
--anagen (the strand is actively growing for 2-3+ years)
--catagen (the strand is converted to a club hair for 2-3 weeks)
--telogen (the follicle is at rest for 3-4 months)
Not all strands are in the same phase simultaneously; most strands are in anagen, a few in catagen, and a few in telogen.

WHAT IS SHEDDING?
Shedding is when club hair falls from the scalp.  Unlike broken hairs, shed hairs have a bulb attached at one end.  The process of shedding occurs at the end of the telogen phase (i.e., resting phase).

NORMAL SHEDDING
A normal scalp sheds up to 100 strands of hair daily.  This number is up to 0.1% of the hair on our heads.

EXTREME SHEDDING
Extreme shedding tends to occur when one is under physiological stress.  Under such stress, a disproportionate number of hairs can prematurely enter the telogen phase.  At the end of the phase, those same hairs are shed.  This extreme shedding is what is termed hair loss.

CAUSES OF EXTREME SHEDDING
According to WebMD, the following are stressors that may cause extreme shedding:

• Being on a strict low-calorie diet
• After childbirth when estrogen levels fall
• Severe illness
• Having a high fever
• Having major surgery
• Severe infections
• Certain medications (e.g., blood pressure medications)
• Thyroid disease
• Nutritional deficiencies (e.g., vitamin D)
• Excess vitamin A

WHAT TO DO?
Determining the exact cause of extreme shedding can be difficult because there may be a lag between the stressful event and actual hair fall.  Start by remembering what event occurred 3-6 months prior to hair fall.  Additionally, visit a doctor as soon as possible because he/she can help you better determine and address the stressor.

MORE READS:
WEBMD

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