| One of the biggest health concerns most people | | | | these anti-oxidants. |
| have today is preventing cancer. Incidences of | | | | Each day, as we convert the foods we eat into |
| cancer and in the cancer mortality rate in the | | | | energy, we create free radicals in our body. |
| United States have risen each year for the last | | | | These free radicals are oxygen containing |
| fifty. The age-adjusted cancer mortality rate in | | | | molecules that can damage our cells and our DNA |
| 1930 was 143 per 100,000 members of the | | | | if we don't combat them. It is believed that |
| population, but by 1990, it had risen to 174 per | | | | unchecked free radicals contribute to the |
| 100,000 in 1990. | | | | development of cancer. |
| Medical technology has come along way in treating | | | | Anti-oxidants are powerful free radical |
| this insidious disease, but we still don't appear to | | | | combatants. Fruits and vegetables are also high in |
| know a great deal about preventing many types | | | | anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are linked with |
| of cancer. And, even with the treatments that | | | | preventing cancer, and a decreased risk of |
| we do have, 300 people in the United States die | | | | stroke, heart disease and lower blood cholesterol. |
| from cancer every single day. | | | | In addition to these anti-oxidants, all teas, whether |
| Many of our country's deaths from cancer are | | | | black, white or green contain calcium, magnesium, |
| completely preventable. For example, about 90 | | | | potassium and vitamins C and K. Green tea is also |
| percent of the one million skin cancers in the | | | | appears to be very good for your teeth. |
| United States that were diagnosed in 2005 could | | | | As exciting as it is to think that green tea may |
| have been prevented by protection from sun. | | | | be helpful in preventing cancer; what's even more |
| The American Cancer Society estimates that in | | | | exciting is that it may also be a powerful |
| 2006 about 170,000 lives will be lost to cancer | | | | treatment for cancer. In one recent study by the |
| because of tobacco use, so these too are | | | | School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of |
| completely preventable. | | | | Shizuoka, Japan*, research showed that green |
| However, there are many other cancers that we | | | | tea, when combined with the drug Adriamycin, |
| cannot prevent, in part because we don't know | | | | was more effective in treating a certain kind of |
| what causes them. But, there may be a product | | | | ovarian sarcoma (cancer of the ovaries) than |
| already in your cupboard that can help prevent, or | | | | using the adriamycin alone. |
| even treat, cancer. Over the past several years, | | | | In fact, the cancer cells in the rats in the study |
| medical science has begun to scientifically prove | | | | were not very responsive at all to the drug when |
| out what Asian culture seems to have known for | | | | it was administered alone; but when administered |
| years; tea, particularly green tea is effective in | | | | along with the substance in tea called theanine, |
| preserving health. | | | | the rats became extremely responsive to the |
| The Chinese have used green tea for centuries to | | | | treatment. The rats showed a much higher |
| treat everything from headaches to depression. | | | | concentration of the drug in their cancer cells |
| One of the most significant health benefits that | | | | when the drug was administered along with the |
| green tea appears to provide is prevention against | | | | theanine. |
| certain types of cancer. But, the studies are | | | | This combination of andriamycin and theanine |
| getting even more promising. It looks as though | | | | appears to inhibit the growth of tumors; |
| green tea can be an effective treatment for | | | | suggesting that cancer patients might be able to |
| certain types of cancer, too. | | | | avoid progression of their tumors and might be |
| Tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. | | | | less susceptible to developing new tumors, when |
| Therefore, what we refer to as "herb tea" is not | | | | green tea substances are used in conjunction with |
| really tea at all, but rather an herbal infusion. | | | | cancer drugs. |
| There are many different types of tea; most of | | | | This is, of course, very exciting news. Cancer |
| the differences come from the way the tea is | | | | treatment typically has two facets. The first is |
| processed. | | | | killing the cancerous cells that already exist in the |
| Tea leaves naturally contain catechins. Catechins | | | | body. The second is preventing new cancer cells |
| belong to the flavan-3-ol class of flavonoids. EGCG | | | | from growing, both in the organ where the |
| is one of the many catechins contained in tea, and | | | | cancer originated, and in other organs |
| is considered to be the most powerful anti-oxidant | | | | (metastasis). |
| in tea leaves. | | | | If green tea can help with both aspects of cancer |
| Fermenting the tea leaves, which is part of | | | | treatment, as well as preventing cancer in the |
| processing tea leaves for black tea, converts | | | | first place, we may be closer than ever to |
| these catechins to other compounds and reduces | | | | dramatically reducing the incidence of or even |
| their health benefits. Therefore, green tea, | | | | eradicating this disease. Of course, far more |
| because it is not fermented, retains more of its | | | | research is needed, but these results are |
| original anti-oxidants than black tea. Scientists have | | | | promising, indeed. |
| discovered that tea is healthy primarily because of | | | | |