A Guide to Tea

Black tea
It is created by rolling the leaves and allowing them to oxidize. The resulting flavor is bold, hearty and slightly bitter. Black tea has the most caffeine of all the tea types with 40-60 mg, about half as much as a cup of coffee.

White tea
White tea has mild, subtly sweet and delicate flavor. With a small caffeine content (10-15 mg), it can be enjoyed throughout the day.

Green tea
Green tea is produced mostly in China and Japan today, but it is enjoyed by people around the world for its smooth and fresh taste as well as its many health benefits, for example, assisting in weight loss goals and maintaining stable energy levels.

Herbal tea
Herbal teas are made today with dried fruits, herbs and flowers. They are preferred by many for being caffeine free. Rooibos and mate are two of the popular types of herbal tea.

Oolong
While only 2 percent of all tea consumption worldwide is from oolong tea, oolong has been linked to benefits such as increasing metabolism. This delicate, sweet and smooth tea has been around since the 16^th century. The fermentation and oxidation processes of oolong tea give the leaves a yellow surface with a reddish edge.

Pu’erh (Pu’er)
Pu’erh (pu’er) tea has been cultivated in China since the Han Dynasty (25-220 CE). This aged tea can be made black or green depending on the leaves. It offers a rich and earthy flavor. It contains one-third the amount of caffeine as coffee.

Yerba Maté  With just 35 mg of caffeine (one-third the amount in coffee), yerba maté has bold, coffee-like flavor. Most of this unique tea comes from Argentina today where it is harvest, blanched, dried, aged and milled or cut.

Rooibos
A form of herbal tea, rooibos tea is caffeine free and has a lighter flavor due to a lack of fermentation. Try it with fruit or cinnamon.

Loose-Leaf vs. Tea Bags 
Loose-leaf tea generally offers a fuller, richer flavor with the best possible benefit. Each 8 ounce cup needs 1-2 teaspoons of leaves. Some tea bags are also made with bleached paper material that can damage tea quality and so it depends on how bagged teas are made and the type of paper being used.

Preparation
When preparing tea, make sure to use cold, fresh water when beginning to brew the tea. Also, never re-boil old water.

Some teas require being brewed/steeped at a boiling temperature while other flavors would be ruined at such high temperatures. Black, herbal, oolong, pu’erh, yerba maté and rooibos teas should be brought to a boil whereas green and white teas should not. And most teas need at least three minutes to obtain the right flavor. Over-steeping can cause some teas to taste bitter and undesirable. Herbal and rooibos teas steep the longest.

The Best Herbs for Sexual Health

Herbal tonics and natural aphrodisiacs have been used to support sexual well-being throughout history. Generations of men and women alike have turned to these natural solutions to ignite their passions, heighten senses and invigorate sexual experiences.

Tongkat Ali
Tongkat Ali is from the Eurycoma Longifolia plant, which is native to Southeast Asia. Both the root and bark of this plant are traditionally used to enhance sexual stimulation. Studies suggest that chemicals in the root of the plant may help encourage physical arousal and it may provide other sexual-support benefits as well.

Maca
Maca is a plant native to the Andes Mountains in Central Peru. Locals there have cultivated it for thousands of years as a vegetable. The roots contain essential fatty acids and amino acids, among other nutrients. Both men and women use Maca to enhance sexual desire and encourage reproductive health, as well as to promote physical stamina.

Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is used traditionally in Ayurvedic, Indian, Unami and African practices for a variety of benefits, including its potential ability to calm the mind. Reduced stress and anxiousness is a plus for everyone looking to relax after a long day and connect with a partner.

Tribulus 
Tribulus is a plant native to many warm climates. It produces spine-covered fruit, which is used along with the root and leaves. Tribulus is used by both women and men to support sexual function and reproductive health.This herb is a time-honored libido enhancer and provides testosterone support.

Yohimbe
Herbalists use the bark of this African-native plant for both male and female sexual excitement and health. A chemical in Yohimbe may increase blood flow and nerve impulses, encouraging arousal.

Testofen 
Testofen is also known as Trigonella foenum-graecum seed extract or fenugreek and it comes from a plant in the clover family and is native to the Mediterranean region.Traditionally, it’s been used to support reproductive health.

Horny Goat Weed 
Horny goat weed offers powerful sexual support for men. It contains substances that may help increase blood flow and boost arousal and sexual function. 

Besides herbs, we may also need other things to have sexual health:

Oysters
Although they are not herbs, oysters have long been lauded as a natural aphrodisiac. Oysters are highly nutritious and unusually high in zinc. Zinc has a unique relationship with testosterone production and may positively influence male sexual health.

Hydrate for Health
Our body needs water, and lots of it, to stay healthy and function properly. It may sound basic, but hydration really matters. It can have a significant impact on our well-being and sexual health.

Get Enough Sleep 
No one performs their best on too little sleep, sexually or otherwise. Sleep gives our body and mind a chance to rest, recover and prepare for the new day ahead.

Can we eat to starve cancer?

Renowned researcher and practicing physician William Li, MD, shares his breakthrough research on how we can eat to fight cancer. The crucial step is: Eating cancer-fighting foods that cut off the supply lines and beat cancer at its own game.

Why Low-fat Diets harmful?

Low-fat diets saw a real upswing in 1977. But according to research published in the Open Heart journal, there was no scientific basis for the recommendations to cut fat from our diet in the first place. What is worse, the processed food industry replaced fat with large amounts of sugar (fructose). And this has led to a massive increase in obesity, diabetes, heart disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This is because unlike glucose, which can be used by virtually every cell in our body, fructose can only be metabolized by liver. Since nearly all fructose get shuttled to liver, it ends up taxing and damaging our liver in the same way alcohol and other toxins do.

As the cholesterol hypothesis (we should not eat foods with high cholesterol content) is false, this also means that the recommended therapies—low-fat, low-cholesterol diet and cholesterol lowering medications—are doing more harm than good. Statin (a cholesterol-lowering drug) treatment, for example, is largely harmful, costly and has transformed millions of people into patients whose health is being adversely impacted by the drug.

Part of the reason why cholesterol-lowering drugs are ineffective for heart disease prevention is that drugs cannot address the real cause of heart disease, which is insulin and leptin resistance, which in turn increase our LDL particle number. While some genetic predisposition can play a role, insulin and leptin resistance is primarily caused by a combination of factors that are epidemic in our modern lifestyle:

·         A diet high in processed and refined carbohydrates, sugars/fructose, refined flours and industrial seed oils.

·         Insufficient everyday physical activity. Chronic sitting is also an independent risk factor that causes biochemical changes that predispose us to insulin and leptin resistance, even if we are very fit and exercise regularly.

·         Chronic sleep deprivation. Studies have shown that even one night of disturbed sleep can decrease our insulin sensitivity the next day and cause cravings and overeating.

          Environmental toxins. Exposure to BPA, for example, can disrupt weight regulation.

·         Poor gut health. Studies indicate that imbalances in our gut flora (the bacteria that live in our gut) can predispose us to obesity and insulin and leptin resistance. Processed foods high in sugar effectively feed harmful bacteria, allowing them to take over.

Overall, a healthy diet is foundation for optimal health.

How much Cholesterol should we consume from food?

In the past, doctors used to recommend that we should consume no more than 300 milligrams (mg) of dietary cholesterol per day or 200 mg per day if we had a high risk of heart disease. But research now showed that dietary cholesterol itself is not harmful. Cholesterol consumed in food is thought to play a relatively insignificant role in determining blood levels of cholesterol. 

Cholesterol is a natural substance and it is indispensable for the building of cells and for producing stress and sex hormones, as well as vitamin D.

In addition, cholesterol is also important for brain health and helps with the formation of our memories. Low levels of HDL cholesterol have been linked to memory loss and Alzheimer's disease and may also increase our risk of depression, stroke, violent behavior and even suicide. Our body produces all the cholesterol it needs in the liver and intestines from fats, sugars and proteins.

And so the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans do not lay out the limit for consuming dietary cholesterol from food.

Doctors now recommend that we limit the amount of harmful saturated fats, trans fats and added sugars instead in our diet. This is because when we eat too many saturated and trans fats, it causes our liver to produce too much LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, which winds up in artery-clogging deposits. For this reason, experts generally recommend avoiding trans fats altogether and limiting saturated fats to 10 percent or less of our total calorie intake.

The most recent recommendation by the American Heart Association (AHA) is to further limit saturated fats to only 5 or 6 percent of our total daily calories

Studies have also shown the negative impact the added sugars have on cholesterol and they increase our risk for cardiovascular disease. The AHA recommends no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar for women and 9 teaspoons for men.

Look for beauty for hair, skin and nails ? Try Biotin

Also known as vitamin B-7, or vitamin H (from the German words Haar and Haut, which translate to “hair and skin”), biotin is famous for its external benefits. But more benefits of biotin come from the work it does on the inside.

Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin and a member of the B-complex family of vitamins. It is an essential nutrient involved in energy metabolism. More specifically, biotin is a cofactor to five different enzymes that metabolize fat, protein and carbohydrates. Biotin works with our body to produce energy by helping to break down the proteins and fatty acids in our diet. It also plays roles in cellular signaling and gene regulation.

Biotin is best known for providing nutritional support for hair, skin and nails. It is used to make hair less brittle, nails thicker and skin healthier. It may do so by improving our body’s keratin structures. Keratin forms the framework of epithelial cells, which line the surfaces and cavities of the body. It is also the basic protein that makes up our hair, skin and nails and it is responsible for giving them strength and resilience.

While biotin is most often taken to support the health of hair, skin and nails, it may also support energy and cognitive health as well as healthy nerves and muscles.

Biotin for Hair

Research results suggest that biotin may help significantly boost the thickness and growth of hair.

Biotin for Skin

Biotin may help promote skin health due to its part in fat metabolism. Our skin cells need access to fatty acids to stay supple and produce the natural oil barrier that helps keep skin hydrated and healthy-looking.

Biotin for Nails

Several scientific studies have shown positive results from using biotin to strengthen nails.

Biotin for Energy

Biotin plays important roles in energy production and macronutrient metabolism. Several metabolic enzymes need biotin to function properly and convert the foods we eat into energy which our body can use and to initiate processing of macronutrients. Biotin plays a role in the production of glucose from noncarbohydrate sources, fatty acid synthesis and the breakdown of amino acids, all of which are related to energy production.

Biotin for Cognitive Health

Glucose is one of our brain’s basic needs for cognitive performance. And biotin is required for an essential enzyme in the gluconeogenic pathway. Our brain also needs many other B-complex vitamins for glucose oxidation.

Biotin for Men

Biotin is used by many men to help promote hair growth and thickness, including taking biotin for beard and mustache growth. It may also help men keep their nails strong and skin healthy.

Food Sources of Biotin

There are plenty of food sources of biotin. Biotin-rich foods include organ meats, eggs, fish, seeds, nuts and some vegetables. For example: 

• Beef liver (30.8 mcg per 3 ounces)
• Egg (10 mcg per egg)
• Salmon (5 mcg per 3 ounces)
• Pork chop (3.8 mcg per 3 ounces)
• Sunflower seeds (2.6 mcg per ¼ cup)
• Almonds (1.5 mcg per ¼ cup)
• Tuna (0.6 mcg per 3 ounces)
• Spinach (0.5 mcg per ½ cup)
• Broccoli (0.4 mcg per ½ cup)

Vitamin C Benefits

While most people think of vitamin C as immune support, it has other benefits as well.

Vitamin C acts as a potent antioxidant that promotes cardiovascular health and it supports the formation of collagen and L-carnitine, as well as certain neurotransmitters.Vitamin C is also involved in protein metabolism and it may help boost absorption of nonheme iron.

As an Antioxidant
Vitamin C provides important antioxidant support, helping protect cells from oxidative stress and the effects of free radicals. It may also help regenerate other antioxidants within the body.

For Heart Health
Research suggests that high intakes of foods rich in vitamin C may help support heart health. The cardiovascular benefits of vitamin C may be linked to its role as an antioxidant.

For Weight Loss
There is some correlation between vitamin C levels and body mass. People with adequate levels of vitamin C oxidize 30% more fat during moderate exercise than those with low vitamin C levels. Some researchers believe that low levels of vitamin C may cause us to be more resistant to losing fat.

For Skin Health
Higher intakes of vitamin C may be associated with anti-aging benefits, including reduced wrinkle formation and reduced dryness.These benefits may be due, in part, to the role of vitamin C in healthy collagen synthesis.

For Production of L-Carnitine
L-Carnitine is an amino acid that plays a role in energy production. Our bodies produce it naturally, but low vitamin C levels have been linked to lower production of this important amino acid.

For Synthesizing Neurotransmitters
Vitamin C is required for our body to carry out the enzymatic reaction that synthesizes the neurotransmitter norepinephrine from dopamine. Low vitamin C levels may increase tissue vulnerability due to free radicals and the effects of oxidative damage.

Protein Metabolism
Vitamin C plays a role in breaking down proteins in the body.

For Men
A study suggests that vitamin C may positively impact sexual health.