Natural Choices — Health Food, Organic Produce, Gluten Free, Vitamins, Supplements — Columbus, Bartholomew County, Indiana

Posts Tagged ‘green tea’

Hot flashes can be so extreme that it almost becomes funny because it is so relentless, and well, what else can you do? At one point, my husband and son were convinced I would wear out the switch on the fan because every three minutes it was going from off to full blast back to off.

The hot flashes have abated (after eight years!) and now I look back and say I should have found some natural way to tolerate them. I kept telling myself, “Oh, it won’t last long. I can tough it out.” Well, I suppose I am a very patient person to have tolerated it that long without relief. You don’t have to tolerate the uncomfortable feeling and flushed and sweaty appearance.

I just love the “Ask the Doctor” series of literature Carolyn Behrman keeps on the shelves at Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana. It’s probably a good thing she doesn’t have an easy chair next to them because she’d think I moved in … anyway, back to what I discovered there. 

Marcus Laux, ND, answers questions in one piece called Menopause — Black Cohosh. He gave some information that surprised me (years ago women didn’t live long enough to experience menopause!!) and some that pleased me (there are safe and effective nutritional supplements that treat most menopause-related symptoms without HRT- (hormone replacement therapy) associated risks).

He provides a chart with menopausal symptoms, the nutritional supplement/herb that can be used to treat it and the clinical evidence found for its use. This is the information:

For hot flashes: Use black cohosh and ginseng to stop or reduce hot flashes

For lack of energy: Use ginseng to increase energy and reduce stress; and green tea to increase alertness

For mood variations: Use black cohosh, ginseng and kava to improve mood, increase energy and calm nerves

For lack of sleep quality: Use valerian to improve quality of sleep and to decrease time to fall asleep and night awakenings; and hops to improve sleep

For inability to relax: Use kava to calm nerves and ease anxiety

Black cohosh, lovely to look at, great for hot flashes!

About black cohosh, he does say,

Since very long-term studies have not been completed, there have been recommendations to limit the use of black cohosh to six months. However, black cohosh has been in continuous use in Germany since 1956 and no evidence of toxicity, side effects, or drug interactions ever has been reported.

About the other herbal supplements, he says,

The other herbal products have been studied long term. Again, no adverse effects have been identified with long-term use of these herbal supplements. However, kava, valerian, and hops may potentiate the use of alcohol and other sedating medications. Avoid alcohol and other sedating medications when using kava, valerian and hops.

There is a lot of great information in this series of literature. You should stop by Natural Choices to see the “Ask the Doctor” brochures that address a wide variety of health and medical issues. After reading them, you can check out the huge selection of nutritional supplements, pure and natural products and organic foods including the fresh organic produce!

There truly is something for everyone at Natural Choices!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

My experiment of drinking hot tea instead of coffee and iced tea instead of soda pop is coming along well. I have to say I feel better. I really notice that I don’t have that acid-y feeling in my throat and stomach so I think this was a good change to make.

But what I wanted to tell  you about today was something I learned while reading more about green tea. It was big news last summer that I didn’t hear about.

MedicalNewsToday.com gave this report in June, 2009:    

According to results of a study published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, men with prostate cancer who consumed the active compounds in green tea demonstrated a significant reduction in serum markers predictive of prostate cancer progression.

Green tea could improve men's health.

I was reading a brochure from the Ask the Doctor series of literature at Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana. It was for senior men (my husband is close to qualifying and I am always looking for ways to make him healthier … ) and Decker Weiss, NMD, was the doctor giving information. He said,

Green tea is the most widely consumed liquid in the world, after water. Men in China and Japan have been drinking it for centuries. They also have very low rates of prostate cancer. Research has discovered that a potent plan substance in green tea called epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, can stop the growth of prostate cancer cells dead in their tracks.

That certainly concurs with the results of the study, doesn’t it? I would say that if I can get my husband to drink green tea more often, since he already drinks tea instead of coffee, it would be good for his health.

My husband does a lot of things for me all the time. He’s a gem and I’d like to keep him around as long as possible, so switching his tea off to green tea may help me do that – and make him feel good knowing I am doing it especially for him!

I know I will be able to find a great selection of green teas at Natural Choices. Plus, I will be able to pick up one of the “Ask the Doctor” pieces of literature to bring home with the tea. As he always tells me, “It’s the little things in life that make him the happiest.” It may be a little thing to him, but keeping him healthy is a big thing to me.

– Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

I am well into my month of no soda pop, drinking only tea and water. I have to admit, I do feel better.

But all this talk about tea has made me realize, even though I have been a tea-drinker for many years, I don’t really know what “tea” is. I mean, coffee comes from the coffee bean. There are so many varieties of tea, so where does it come from?

According to Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, tea is:

1 a: a shrub (Camellia sinensis of the family Theaceae, the tea family) cultivated esp. in China, Japan and the East Indies, 1 b: the leaves, leaf buds, and internodes of the tea plant prepared and cured for the market, classed according to method of manufacture (as green tea, black tea or oolong) and graded according to leaf size (as congou, orange pekoe, pekoe or souchong)

But then, you might ask, what about all the flavored and herbal teas? Well, Webster refers to them, too:

3: any of various plants somewhat resembling tea in properties; also: an infusion of their leaves used medicinally or as a beverage

Alvita is just one of the brands of teas you'll find at Natural Choices.

The idea I take hold of from that is the “medicinal” comment about teas since that has always been the bent when offered a cup of black tea, green tea or an herbal tea. The powerful anti-oxidants in green and white teas can do so many things like lowering the rate of heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s. Not to mention the calming effect and stress reduction that comes from holding a hot cup of tea in your hands and just smelling the aroma – no matter what the type, flavor or brand is, it’s like a little cozy hug.

An added important note about teas: many teas have caffeine. Many herbal teas are caffeine-free and others may be decaffeinated. But you have to read the labels closely. If you monitor or eliminate caffeine in your diet, pay attention to the teas you purchase. The shelves are lined with a tremendous selection of decaffeinated and tasty teas at Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana. You might have trouble just picking one, or two, or even three!

Healthy for you, tasty, and calming. Sounds like time for a cup for me!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team