What is in your cup?

[astra]

Originally Posted by Iridal

Brazilian Baia. For some reason I really like coconut in tea.

I am not averse to it too. Mate coconut milk is the only tea with additional flavour that I tolerate

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Why do Japanese public employees have to get stomach x-rays each year?

Because the stomach cancer rate is so high. They are trying to catch it before it spreads.

There have been medical studies done that show that people who drink 8-16 ounces (I can't remember which but I think 16 ounces because I am remembering 2 cups) of green tea a day have a decreased risk of developing cancer. The studies I read about most recently have been conducted in the US and UK so they would not have the same possibility of lifestyle differences between Japan and China and the US being the real difference.

Yep, I've seen all the studies. They post them in the newspaper here all the time. And green tea is served at every meal and as a beverage that's always available and free in most offices. Yet this country still has one of the world's highest rates of cancer.
Lots of greed tea.
Lots of cancer.
Something doesn't jive.

Given that both my grandmothers had breast cancer, one grandfather died of lung cancer (Russian immigrant, smoked a ton), and my mother is in her third year fighting lung cancer (So far so good) I am gonna gain whatever edge I can. So tea is a great thing. It tastes good and it might, I get that it is a might, help diminish my risk of developing some nasty cancers.

It certainly is worth the effort. My mother has just a few months more to be with us. I can understand your wish to try anything.

Stitchawl

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by astra

In my opinion, green tea doesn't cure the cancer.
However, it might help the body to develop a better resistance to it.
Maybe not directly, as in: Green tea has elements that resist cancer, but in a subtle way, such as: it makes your general health better, thus creating an environment where it would be more difficult for cancer to take place in the first place? Maybe green tea has elements that amplify parts of body that are supposed to resist development of bad tumours?

I am sorry. I am as far from doctor or biologist as humanly possible, so it is pure speculation on my part./quote]

That sounds to be spot on, as far as what the research leads people to believe. Regardless of the methodology, better health will always be a key factor in resistance to problems.

However, I did read about Lapacho.
It is a proven fact that it helps to fight cancer, not merely prevent it. The research was made in the USA. However, it is not possible to use in real life. For Lapacho to destroy cancer one have to drink so much of it that body develops negative side effects. I don't remember all of them, but one is vomiting. Curing one illness, developing others. Not helpful.

That was a similar result found using vitamin C to 'cure' a cold. In order for it to actually work, the dosage was so large that it had to be injected directly into the blood stream rather than swallowed, and the side effects were worse than the cold symptoms!

This is NOT to say that taking vitamin C doesn't help the body resist a cold.


Stitchawl

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

My understanding is that anti-oxidants help the cells in the body remain healthy and decrease the likelihood that cells begin to mutate. It is the cell mutation that develops into cancer.

I believe that is the idea behind anti-oxidents aiding in good health.

I also have a suspicion that people who drink tea are more likely to have a healthy diet and exercise more. At least, the countries where tea was consumed in the highest amount were also countries that ate a lot of fish and rice and were people walked and biked more.

This 'was' the case 20 years ago in Japan. The diet was VERY healthy and it was rare to see an overweight person. Unfortunately, today is a very different world, with fast food places all over, junk foods being the main-stay of the young folks, and highly processed, easy-to-prepare meals taking the place of the good balanced diets. "Fat" is becoming normal, not to the degree that one sees in the US, but enough so that the sight of a 150lb 10 year old isn't uncommon.

There has been some concern that it is the combination of events that decrease the likelihood of cancer.

Personally, I believe that to be so.

I know that tea will not prevent cancer but anything that increases my odds of not getting cancer while tasting yummy is a something I am willing to try.

I'm right there with you on this one, Prof. Remember, ice cream is mostly milk, chocolate is a natural product, and pizza with pepperoni covers most of the western food groups in one dish! (Asians use a different criteria for food groups.)

Stitchawl

[astra]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

This is NOT to say that taking vitamin C doesn't help the body resist a cold.

Up until about one year ago I believed in taking vitamin C pills to help my body to resist cold. 1000mg. long lasting. Sometimes even 2 per day. Then I spoke to a new lecturer. He is an ex- scientist, chemist. He practically said it is BS. Yes, vitamin C helps, but not the one that is being administered in such way. What is funny is that I stopped taking the pills about 2 months prior to talking with the lecturer. I lost my faith into the pills because I didn't notice any help. Coincidence?

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

"reformed academic" *snicker snort*

Hey! You be nice. I'm one too. 25 years behind the podium. The advantage of a classical education is that it enables you to despise the wealth which it prevents you from achieving.


Stitchawl

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

oh, no, sorry, I didn't mean to say that the Japanese are cheap on the contrary, but when I started out with Green tea they were to sharp for my tastes so I stuck with China and a rare Himalayan one. Sometimes Oolong. Black tea is possible in the evening, a very dark and strong one with a nutty aroma at best.

There is some 2008 Sakura here...

http://www.mariagefreres.com/boutiqu...E8688-V40.html

There is a MariageFreres shop in downtown Kyoto that is a joy to stroll. (Not to buy... prices are waaaaaay too high here) They have a European style tea room associated with it so you can pick your tea from any of 200-300 canisters and they will brew it up for you and serve with tea cakes. Very continental!

Stitchawl

[astra]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

they will brew it up for you and serve with tea cakes

Is it called High Tea?

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by astra

Up until about one year ago I believed in taking vitamin C pills to help my body to resist cold. 1000mg. long lasting. Sometimes even 2 per day. Then I spoke to a new lecturer. He is an ex- scientist, chemist. He practically said it is BS. Yes, vitamin C helps, but not the one that is being administered in such way. What is funny is that I stopped taking the pills about 2 months prior to talking with the lecturer. I lost my faith into the pills because I didn't notice any help. Coincidence?

Interesting coincidence! (If one believes in coincidence ) Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin and the body will excrete any extra that it doesn't immediately use. And as the body's need for vitamin C is actually quite small (but necessary) perhaps 1mg of that 1000 was actually taken in by your system, and even then, probably only once every few days. The 'Recommended Daily' needs don't actually reflect the body's actual requirements. If you think about the deficiency disorder, Scurvy,' it's takes several months of NO vitamin C to bring it on, and only a day or two of vitimin C intake to reduce it and bring the body back to normal if it hasn't progressed too far.

Stitchawl

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

There is a MariageFreres shop in downtown Kyoto that is a joy to stroll. (Not to buy... prices are waaaaaay too high here) They have a European style tea room associated with it so you can pick your tea from any of 200-300 canisters and they will brew it up for you and serve with tea cakes. Very continental!

Stitchawl

Yeah, they are really expensive. There is a MariageFreres in Galeries Lafayette, Berlin, also. The tea was a gift from a customer. I wouldn't have bought it. But it is great stuff.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by astra

Is it called High Tea?

No. Normally "High Tea" is a very different event, although 'High Tea' as served at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore IS quite like that. Formal "High Tea" was considered more of a light meal, with finger sandwiches served.

This place is just a European style restaurant, mostly filled with middle aged and older ladies, sipping tea and eating sponge cakes. And then there is me.


Stitchawl

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

Yeah, they are really expensive. There is a MariageFreres in Galeries Lafayette, Berlin, also. The tea was a gift from a customer. I wouldn't have bought it. But it is great stuff.

I like their Keemun, but I have to sell body parts to be able to afford it regularly. When someone asks me what sort of gift they can buy for me, MariageFreres often comes to mind.


Stitchawl

[Stitchawl]

... and now... to my breakfast, complete with East India Company's 'Assam' tea!


Stitchawl

[poohbear_nc]

The good news: my box of tea stuff arrived.

The bad news: I'm too exhausted from work to care.

Oh well ... when I've recovered enough to give a damn I'll open it and brew up some happiness. Or at least a pleasant cuppa.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

The good news: my box of tea stuff arrived.

The bad news: I'm too exhausted from work to care.

Oh well ... when I've recovered enough to give a damn I'll open it and brew up some happiness. Or at least a pleasant cuppa.

When you get the energy you will be able to enjoy your tea. Let us know how it goes.