Should You Do Yoga Everyday?

Everyday Yoga

There are quite a few ways to answer the question, “Should I do yoga everyday?” The right approach for you depends on your perspective and definition of yoga.
It depends on what your body needs and what kind of yoga practice you're doing.
In the most expansive sense, the answer is “Yes.”

If you think of what yoga is as a whole, it defines how we live. It can guide how you interact with the world, and is a very good guide at that.

Part of yoga is being kind to people, living by ethical guidelines such as ahimsa, or non-violence, and satya, which describes truth and honesty.

When you consider this broad perspective of yoga as a way of living with the highest integrity, then it only makes sense that we practice it everyday.

However, most of the time people ask this question they’re referring to the physical asana practice. Should you go to your mat and practice everyday?

Well, it depends.

What kind of yoga do you do? Is it serving your body in the highest way? Is it aligned both physically and philosophically with your highest good?
Those are the questions you really need to know to decide if you should go to your mat everyday.

And some days it’s more appropriate to rest. When women are on their menstrual cycle, sometimes the body would like a day off. Sometimes when the body is fighting off an illness or injury the kindest thing to do is not to practice.
Then again, sometimes the best thing you can do is to get the breath and circulation moving to assist the body’s natural healing capabilities.

Small Doses of Yoga Delight

But what if you don’t feel you have the time for that kind of consistency?
If you aren’t able to make time for a yoga class, or your own personal practice, don’t despair. Take a few minutes here and there throughout your day.

Here’s an example:
Sit up tall in your chair and connect to your breath.
Let your breath initiate the movements described here.
With an inhale, lift your arms up over your head.
With an exhale, float your hands back down to your sides.
Repeat this a few times and notice the change in your breath and body.
See? Super simple, not at all time consuming, and yet this is a very powerful little exercise to increase circulation and wake up your breath. It can help you have more energy and focus as well.

Meditation is Yoga

Another aspect of yoga that is tremendously helpful to include in your everyday practice of being human is meditation.

Meditation connects you to who you truly are, helps you get clear about your purpose in life, and supports equanimity in this wonderfully crazy world.
Meditation doesn’t have to take a long time; even 5 minutes can make a huge difference! Just be patient with your mind and explore the stillness with wonder and curiosity. Check out the Demystifying Meditation link above if you’re interested in learning more, or if you want a couple of meditations to try.

Your Own Truth

Often we doubt ourselves, or don’t give our intuitions the attention they deserve. It’s great to look for outside sources of information, yet use these to inform your own choices, not to decide for you.
Trusting yourself is so important. No one else can tell you what is right for you in the deepest, truest sense. Sure, sometimes our choices lead to mistakes, but by forgiving, learning, and moving on, we get stronger.
When you’re unsure about your yoga practice, or anything else for that matter, go within and find your own truth.
Listen to your body. Listen to your own wisdom. Listen to your intelligence. Listen to your heart.

Acupressure -Discover the Magic of Fingers in Curing Your Pain and Stress

Acupressure

Acupressure is a traditional Chinese medicine that has become popular and most sought after form of alternative treatment. The treatment is devoid of any medicines and it’s after effect and is also cheaper than the Western medicines.

Acupressure claims to have brought relief to spondylitis, disc prolapsed and vertigo patients. With just 10-15 sessions of treatments, migraine can be cured.

Hyperactivity, autism in children can be also cured through Acupressure. Discomforts and problems arising due to hormone imbalance like early menopause and irregular menstrual cycle in women can be treated with Acupressure.

Acupuncture and Acupressure
In Acupuncture, small needles are inserted into specific acupuncture points in the body. To activate the acupuncture points, turning of these needles or even small amount of electricity may be passed. Experts are needed to carry out Acupuncture; otherwise it can lead to nerve injuries and even strokes. Also, you must ensure that the needles are properly sterilized. While in Acupressure, pressure is applied with hands and fingers in these acupressure points. Any one who has acquired the basic training in Acupressure can carry out this treatment.

Some do’s and don’t while doing Acupressure

• Apply adequate pressure which a patient can only withstand
• Apply only moderate pressure to tired patients
• Patient must be comfortably seated prior to the treatment
• Understand the patient and his illness before the treatment
• Pregnant patients must avoid treatments
• Low blood pressure and sugar patients must be careful
• Heart patients must avoid treatments
• Start treatment at least one hour after eating
• Avoid treatment after consuming alcohol
• Avoid tight dresses and belts during Acupressure
• Physical Exercise only 2 hours after Acupressure

Advantages of Acupressure

• No medicines prescribed
• No side effects
• Simple and effective treatment
• Cost effective
• Holistic approach of treatment
• Effective for migraine, spondylitis and back pains
• Reduces stress
• Increases immunity
• No risks of injures and infections
• A touch therapy
• No need of spacious rooms
• After studying the treatment, you can be an Acupressure therapist for yourself and your family.

Health and Self Hypnosis: How To Improve Your Health

Hypnosis can be quite useful to deal with health issues. PsychoNeuroImmunology has already demonstrated that our mind has a lot to do with our health, happy people as an example usually are pretty safe from diseases while stressed people instead are almost always ill, going from flu to headache, or constipation or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and so on.

Now, there are a lot of factors involved with health: Genetic, Pollution, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Emotions/Feelings.... Yet our mind plays the greater role in keeping us in good health. As a matter of fact you can do everything right but if you are almost always in a bad/low mood sooner of later your health will go bad.

So if our mind can affect positively our health and our greatest friend, our Subconscious Mind, knows everything that's going on within us than with the right approach we can use our mind to regain or maintain our health..

Our Body Changes

We are used to think of our body as a kind of static thing, growing older but remaining the same. This is wrong. Reality is that every given moment cells die and cells are born, changing and renovating our tissues. I could say that today very little of my body is what I had twenty years ago; well probably just one year ago I was almost completely different.

What does this means for us? That if all those cells get substituted every day than somewhere within us there should be the "Instructions" for all this activity; and since this instructions lie in the subconscious part of our mind than there is a great chance that we can modify these instructions to achieve a better health, to improve our Immune System and even become healthy again. Does it sound possible?

Probably someone is thinking:"Yes these instructions are in our DNA". This is pretty right, our DNA is full of instructions, and we all know that damages to our DNA usually have very bad effects on our health. I agree completely with this idea; but, why do we have scars?

Seems a stupid question, yet if the instructions about our body are coded only in our DNA why if I cut myself it remains a scar which is surely not in my DNA? If I cut one of my fingers since in my DNA there are the instructions to have ten fingers why doesn't the cut finger grow again? Do you see what I mean? There are instructions in our DNA and other instructions coded and stored somewhere else, where if I've cut myself even if my cells change everyday there is the order to have the scar appearing again and again. Can this make sense? That there are instructions about how our body is stored in our mind? And can make sense that if we can access these informations we can have the chance to modify them? And maybe regain our health?

Does it makes sense that if our Subconscious Mind knows everything about our body than it also knows what needs to be done to be healthy again?

Maybe I'm a little strange but to me it makes a lot of sense.

Before going on with the Self Hypnosis Suggestion as usual remember to read at least my hubs on Induction and Suggestion of the category Learn Self Hypnosis.

Obviously you are very strongly advised to follow your doctor's directives, this suggestion is an addition to them. Yet you'll see that it's quite effective.

General Health Suggestion

Desired Outcome: to be able to improve our health.

Say to your subconscious: Dear Subconscious, I know that you are aware of everything that happens both inside and outside myself. I know that you are aware of every need of every cell of my body. You know perfectly what needs to be done to maintain me in perfect health as much as what doesn't work well and needs to be repaired and I know that you can fix anything that needs to be fixed. You know what foods I need for this and I deeply TRUST your ability to help me to maintain or regain my health.

NOW, I KNOW I CAN FIX AND REGENERATE TO PERFECTION EVERY PART OF MY BODY.

I WANT TO BE ABLE TO FIX AND REGENERATE TO PERFECTION EVERY PART OF MY BODY.

Repeat the above sentences three times.

FROM NOW ON I CAN FIX AND REGENERATE TO PERFECTION EVERY PART OF MY BODY.

Repeat three times.

IMAGINE THE ACHIEVED OUTCOME AND FEEL HOW YOUR LIFE WILL CHANGE FOR THE BETTER.

DAILY REPETITION: I CAN FIX AND REGENERATE TO PERFECTION EVERY PART OF MY BODY.
DAILY REPETITION: I CAN FIX AND REGENERATE TO PERFECTION EVERY PART OF MY BODY.

Bach Flower Remedies: Heather And Self-Obsession

The Bach flower remedy Heather is the essence of sympathy and concern for others so you know that when a person is completely the opposite of this, he needs Heather and he needs it badly. You’ll know when this flower essence is needed because the self obsession is so obvious. I, me and myself in thought, word and deed is what characterizes these people. Most of us know people like this and they are usually never counted as belonging to one’s friends circle.

Physical
He can talk and talk and then talk some more. He never stops and it is always about himself. He’ll come into a group at a party or get together and he’ll very quickly hijack the conversation and steer it towards himself. He hates being alone and he loves company basically because he wants a listening ear. He loves being the centre of attention and if people quietly slip away from the group he is monopolizing, he’ll look around for a new group to bore. They tend to make a nuisance of themselves and have been known to physically hold on to you to make a point and you need to be really rude before they let go. Heather makes listeners out of these compulsive talkers.

Mental
His mind revolves around himself. He judges and sees everything from that perspective. He likes to dominate with words and he cannot think that everyone around him will not be interested in him and everything that concerns him. The gamut of his interests is himself, his work, his possessions and he just can’t see beyond that. All that he reads and thinks has something to do with him and this makes him exaggerate his successes as well as his failures. This self-obsession also makes him stretch the truth a bit, not really in a willful, lying manner but because he always makes himself to be more important than he is and this can change his memories.

Emotional
He gets terribly upset and hurt when he finds that people shun him and he honestly cannot understand why. There is something rather simple and child like about him even when he is so self centred. In all fairness, he will help someone who needs help but he will also talk about it to everyone making it out that he is a hero. This makes him an emotional drain for anyone he comes into contact with. Heather takes away this ‘I’ factor and makes him empathise more with people.

Spiritual
He is too self-obsessed to ever give himself over to a higher power. He sees himself as the centre of the universe not as one of its creatures and this makes it hard for him to be very spiritual in the true sense of the word. His universe is small and comprises everything around with him as the centre. Heather makes him relax and see the beauty of everything around, feel the beauty within his soul apart from himself.

Acupuncture and Electro Acupuncture

The Origins of Acupuncture

Acupuncture and its newer variant electro acupuncture are both methods of treatment used in traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture is an ancient method of treatment which was believed until fairly recently to have had its origin in China several thousand years ago. This link to China was due to the fact that it has been a recognised part of Chinese medicine for several thousand years and because the earliest written evidence of the existence of acupuncture is in a three thousand year old book also originating from China which refers to acupuncture at that time as being an ancient method of treatment with unknown origins.

Acupuncture and Otzi the Ice Man

However the discovery of Otzi the 5000 year old mummified man in the Otz valley in the mountainous border area between Italy and Austria in 1991 has put this theory in doubt. You may be fascinated like I was to find out that it was the tattoos on Otzi‘s body which prompted this revelation. Tattoos are usually ornamental yet some of the tattoos found on his body were in areas which would normally be covered up and they were in the form of simple stripes and crosses. Experts from three acupuncture societies have examined the locations of his tattoos and there was an amazing degree of correlation between the tattoos and the acupuncture points.

Principles of Acupuncture

Before an acupuncturist can begin any treatment they first have to make a diagnosis and this is done by interviewing the patient and examining their pulse and tongue. Acupuncture is administered to balance and improve the flow of chi through the body’s meridians as illness is caused when the chi does not flow as it should. An acupuncturist works out where the chi is weak, out of balance or stagnated and then uses this information to decide on which acupuncture points should be stimulated. Electro acupuncture is often used to dissipate an accumulation of chi in an area, which can result from chronic pain or in cases where chi is difficult to stimulate.

The Treatment

Patients more usually lie down for their session of treatment. The area of skin into which the sterilised needles will be placed is sanitised. One advantage of electro acupuncture is that needle placement is not so critical because the electrical current treats a larger area. Electro acupuncture needs two needles to be inserted so that the current can pass from one needle to the other. The current is applied by attaching a clip from a small machine to the needles and the charge used is very small. The current is used to remove the need for continual manual stimulation and can reduce the amount of treatment time needed as it produces a strong effect without the tissue damage which can sometimes arise from the twisting and movement of the needle up and down.

Acupoints

The acupuncture points or acupoints are located by the practitioner using a measurement unit called a cun and it is a proportional measurement computed using the distances between key anatomical landmarks which is calculated differently on different parts of the body. The distance between the two nipples is 8 cun and this cun can then be used to located acupoints on the chest whereas the distance between the centre of the patella to the lateral malleous is 16 cun and measurement is used to find acupoint this on the legs. There are over 350 recognised acupoints but many of the points are rarely used and some points are considered to be particularly potent and are utilised to treat a large number of different conditions.

The Yoga of Sound: Yoga Chants

Chanting mantras is the yoga of sound. Chanting has been used for centuries as an aid to humans who seek to communicate with the divine spirit within themselves and the universe. Chanting has the effect of raising the level of vibration of the individual practicing the chant, and it can help the practitioner to be filled with peace, and feel calm and centered.

There have been medical studies that have shown that performing yoga chants can have positive benefits for the body. These studies have shown that when a person chants it can stabilize their heart rate, lower blood pressure, produce beneficial endorphins in the body and boost metabolic processes. Chanting causes the body and mind to relax which helps us both physically, mentally and emotionally in countless ways.

An opening chant can be used at the start of a yoga class, or the beginning of a meditation session. Using an opening chant is an effective way to help participants lower their stress and set the proper spiritual tone for the yoga class. Chanting can be practiced at any time of the day. You can chant quietly to yourself, chant out loud, or listen to recorded chants on CD or on a portable .mp3 player as you go about your day. Listening to chants can help to soothe your spirit and energize you as you face the challenges of the day.

Closing chants are used to bring a meditation session or a yoga class to a peaceful end. A chant can be the thread that ties the positive benefits of the work done on the yoga mat, or the meditation session to the rest of the practitioner’s life.

This is an example of a closing chant taken from the ancient Sanskrit text, the Yoga Sutras:

Om Om Om
Asatho Maa Sath Gamaya
Thamaso Maa Jyothir Gamaya
Mruthyor Maa Amrutham Gamaya.
Om Shanthi. Shanthi. Shanthi.
Now stay in complete silence for a minute.
Lokaa Samastaa Shukino Bhavanthu.
Jai Shree Sat Guru Maharaj Ki!
OM TAT SAT
The English translation is:
Om Om Om
Lead me from unreal to Real
Lead me from darkness to Light
Lead me from death to Immortality.
Om Shanthi. Shanthi. Shanthi. (Peace, peace, peace be to all.)
(This may be followed by a minute of silence.)
May the entire world be happy.
Jai Shree Sat Guru Maharaj Ki!
OM TAT SAT

You can buy recorded Yoga chants online, and there are many web sites where you can download sample yoga chants to listen before you buy.

Because of Yoga's ancient Sanskrit roots, chants are usually written and performed in Sanskrit, however their meaning is said to be universal, as Sanskrit is the language of the heart.

Chanting or listening to chants while performing yoga poses can help to bring a sense of calm to your mind and it can open your heart which will enhance your enjoyment of your yoga poses. Chanting is invigorating and energizing to the mind, body and spirit, and it reminds us of our deep and abiding connection to the divine and to our fellow human beings when it’s done in unison.

Chinese Medicine - The History of Chinese Herbalism

Mention Chinese medicine to anyone today, especially in Western countries, and visions of acupuncture are the first thing that springs to mind for most people.
The truth is, Chinese medicine is so much more. Even more true, is the fact that Chinese medicine very often surpasses and is the foundation for Western medical practices.

Since practically the beginning of time, if it could be said that one culture literally wrote the book on herbalism -- only the Chinese could claim the prize of having the longest unbroken belief and traditions in herbal medicine.

It has always seems odd to me that the herbal medicine practices of Asian cultures, should be considered alternative medicine,while today's science of synthetic drugs (Western medicine) should be the standard.

Chinese Medicine

Roughly three thousand years ago, it is recorded history that the Chinese knew about three hundred different plants for herbal medicine. By then, they had already recorded descriptions of the plants, how to preserve them, and how to administer them correctly, all according to Chinese medicine practices of the time.
The wondrous thing is that many of these practices are still in use today and make up the foundation of herbal medicine as we now know it.

Let's Take A Look At How Chinese Medicine Came About

The Emperor Shen Nung (2698 B.C.)
The Emperor Shen Nung was a big fan or perhaps the "father" of Chinese medicine. He had the Canon of Herbs written, recording in precise detail three hundred and sixty-five plants, minerals, and animals. He further described how to preserve them for medicinal use, along with details on how to administer them.
The Canon of Herbs, is also known as the Shen-nung pen ts'ao ching (Divine Husbandman's Materia Medica), Legend has it, that he wrote it, but who actually penned his body of work is unknown.
One thing is certain, this Father of Chinese medicine is who introduce the technique of acupuncture to the common people of China.
He didn't just trust his theories and beliefs and the testing of them to others, he personally is said to have tasted at least one hundred of these traditional Chinese medicines.
He was quite a busy Emperor, because he additionally taught his people how to cultivate grains as food, solely for the purpose of killing less animals.

Haung Ti - The Yellow Emperor (2550 B.C.)
One hundred years after Emperor Shen Nung, Emperor Huang Ti (aka the Yellow Emperor) developed a central theory that in Chinese medicine that really understood human disease far better than any other culture during that time.
This one quote from his Nei Ching says it all:
"In treating illness, it is necessary to examine the entire context, scrutinize the symptoms, observe the emotions, and attitudes. If one insists on the presence of ghosts and spirits one cannot speak of therapeutics."
This optimistic viewpoint in his book, shows what today we know as, holistic medicine, being a concept a few thousand years old. The book was popular, even being updated in the 6th century, and then again in the 7th century.
The works also went into introduction to the then known concepts about living matter, medical physiology, known anatomy, and developments in acupuncture.

Su Jing
In the 7th century, a young man named Su Jing, went to the Tang Dynasty and asked for sponsorship to revised and update Emperor Huang Ti's Nei Ching. The court was so intrigued that it provided him with twenty experts to give him input, documentation, and even illustrations of useful herbs that they knew.
Two years later, the result was A Revised Canon of Herbs being published. When you think about it, this was an amazing feat because this was over eight hundred years beforethe Western printing press was invented -- the Tang Dynasty, not only printed it, they distributed it throughout China.

Li Shizhen (Li Shih-chen) - 1518 to 1593
The well known Ming Dynasty (1368 AD to 1644 AD) produced another great Chinese medicine work, written by Li Shih-chen. It was titled, Pen ts'ao kang mu (The Great Herbal). It took him twenty-seven years to write this book. It is a practical and scientific manual with over eleven thousand recipes or compounds.
Here was a man who was very determined from childhood as he helped his father collect herbs and copy prescriptions.
Inside it, is pretty much the sum total of herbal medicine known at the time. It contains descriptions of over eighteen hundred plants, animal parts, minerals, and metals that made up Chinese medicine for the time. The best part of Li Shih-chen's body of work in Chinese medicine is the fact that it is so revered, that it is updated and revised still to this day.

Chang Chung-ching - The Physician
During the time of the Han Dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD) one practitioner of Chinese medicine, stands far above the rest -- Chang Chung-ching. He was considered the greatest physician of his era. He would forever go down in Chinese history as the Hippocrates of China.
He wrote Shang han lun (Treatise on Colds and Fevers), which profoundly affected Chinese medicine

Acupressure Sandals For Overall Health

The Foot Is Important !

Did you know that your feet hold the key to your overall energy and well being? Absolutely! Apart from providing you balance as you walk or run, the feet can be the right place to bring relief to most ailments you may have. True, we all love beautifying our feet with an excellent pedicure. But, giving yourself a foot massage applying pressure to certain points on the foot makes you stressfree and improves blood circulation. You might wonder at this. But, this works on the reflexology principle since the feet are connected to all the organs in the body. A Foot Chart such as the one in the picture below shows you which area of your foot is connected to which part of your body.

Foot reflexology or acupressure for the feet or foot massage can be done as part of your daily exercise routine or you could choose to wear the readily available sandals made for the purpose. These can be worn for a few minutes a day and slowly you could increase the amount of time you wear it for best results.

Benefits Gained From Foot Reflexology
1. Improved circulation
2. Relaxes and energizes you
3. Stimulates internal organs and major energy medians that end in the feet
4. Improves sleep
5. Maintains your overall health
6. Prevents sickness

In China, self therapy measures such as foot massages are part of the daily regimen and help take control of one's overall health effectively. Therapeutically used, foot massages can be helpful in healing of specific diseases or used to maintain one's health.

Acupressure Sandals

Acupressure is generally associated with sharp needles that are thrust into the skin to pinpoint the exact pressure points that are connected to particular organs to relieve troublesome conditions. One need not be bothered about needles if using the acupressure sandals giving you the same effective results.

Acupressure sandals are footwear, based on acupressure and magnetic treatment therapy with foot reflexology. The pair consist of pressure points and magnets for powerful results. Based on the principle that the pressure points in the soles of our feet influence every part of our body, these sandals are a great way to relieve any pain or simply to destress, while rejuvenating every part of your anatomy. They can be used by anyone and are available in various sizes to fit correctly for maximum benefit. If you cannot give yourself a foot massage or do not have the time to find the correct reflexology points from a foot chart before pressing on, and yet want a short cut method to the benefits, these acupressure sandals are for you. You will soon find yourself to be a more relaxed, energized individual with great improvement in overall health.

Drinking Water On Empty Stomach Can Do Miracle!

DRINK WARM WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH:

It is hard to believe that without any medicine any disease can be cured. When I first heard it from my friend I didn’t believe also. Then I decided to give a try. Now it is only a few days I am following it and believe me, I am getting relieved from acidity problem I was suffering for years! Now I decided to share it so that others can also be benefited with.

Is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value.

For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure
for the following diseases:

1. Headache
2. body ache
3. heart system
4. arthritis
5. fast heart beat
6. epilepsy
7. excess fatness
8. bronchitis asthma
9. TB
10.meningitis
11.kidney and urine diseases
12.vomiting
13.gastritis
14.diarrhea
15.piles
16.diabetes
17.constipation
18.all eye diseases
19.womb
20.cancer
21.menstrual disorders
22.ear nose and throat diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT

1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth,
drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water
2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minute
3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.
4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours
5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water
and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.
6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.

The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases:

1. High Blood Pressure (30 days)
2. Gastric (10 days)
3. Diabetes (30 days)
4. Constipation (10 days)
5. Cancer (180 days)6. TB (90 days)
7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards daily.

This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.

It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life. Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active. This makes sense. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals..

not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose everything to gain.

For those who like to drink cold water this article is applicable to you.
It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks:

We should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let’s be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive.

Green Tea Weight Loss

Anyone who has looked into herbs and teas for health problems may have stumbled across green tea at one point or another. Green tea comes from the Camellia sinensis family, the same family as black and oolong tea. The only difference is how the teas are processed. Green tea originated in China where it has been used for hundreds of years and touted for its health benefits.

Clinical studies have backed up many of the health benefit claims including a study showing that green tea does in fact increase weight loss. While it is not the end all for weight loss, adding green tea to your diet can aid in reducing weight and can be incorporated into most diets.

Green Tea Weight Loss Studies

According to a study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
"Green tea has thermogenic properties and promotes fat oxidation beyond that explained by its caffeine content per se. The green tea extract may play a role in the control of body composition via sympathetic activation of thermogenesis,fat oxidation, or both."

In layman's term, the above study's conclusion is saying green tea can help you lose weight and caffeine is only part of the story. While caffeine can speed up the metabolism and green tea has about half the caffeine of coffee, researchers now believe that the catechin polyphenols, mainly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), is the trigger mechanism for the health benefits. EGCG is a powerful antioxidant that makes up a large part of green tea leaves and works on the body in preventing cancer and other conditions as well as weight loss.

Other studies have added weight to the benefits of green tea and shown that weight loss is possible from drinking a couple cups of green tea daily or incorporating a green tea extract. Even so, green tea is not the end all for weight control. It still takes exercise and a more balanced diet to create lasting body change. Green tea merely helps increase the body's ability to burn weight during these other activities.

Green Tea and Your Diet

Green tea and green tea extracts can both contribute positively to your health and can be added to a diet easily. However, green tea as a drink is believed by many more beneficial than extracts. When I say green tea, however, I do not mean refrigerated drinks labeled green tea that are available in your local grocery store. While the drinks may be better than nothing most of the benefits are minimized due to processing and refrigeration. What you really need is tea you brew yourself from tea packets.

The amount of green tea to drink a day is subject to debate, but effects can be seen after as little as one or two cups. Others have recommended that you drink up to ten cups daily to see maximum results. One or two cups a day can easily be introduced into your routine by replacing coffee with green tea. Instead of bringing a thermos of coffee to work, bring a thermos of green tea. Green tea has about half the caffeine of coffee without the side effects.It also goes well with meals.

Taking a green tea extract will give you a concentrated dose of ECGC and health benefits but drinking and brewing green tea offers the added benefit of being more filling than a supplement pill. Tea takes more time and can be used if you're changing a diet to try and help yourself cut back on the amount of food you eat.
Whether a cup of hot tea or taking an extract capsule or tablet, the health benefits of green tea have been proven. The aid in losing weight coupled with the added health benefits make it a wonderful addition to any diet program you may be following.

Other Health Benefits of Green Tea

Here is a short but not all-inclusive list of many health benefits people have seen from drinking green tea or extracts:
• Increased metabolism
• Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
• Reduced risk of various forms of cancer
• Improved ability to fight infection
• May help prevent bad breath