Why You Should Drink Green Tea Every Day

I'm excited about green tea. Ever since I read a research study about two years ago, showing how green tea could fight cancer, I started drinking it every day. Apparently a major component of green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, has been shown to stop the invasion of cancer tumor cells, also known as metastasis, into other parts of the body, and also inhibits angiogenesis, or the production of blood cells by cancer tumors. Both of these are essential to the spread and invasion of cancer, and green tea helps stop this from happening (Khan & Mukhtar, 2010; Fujiki, Watanabe, Sueoka, Rawangkan, & Suganuma, 2018). In one study, combining mushrooms, also known for its cancer-fighting properties, and green tea was found to be many times more potent than either ingredient alone in fighting breast cancer (Zhang, Huang, Xing, & Holman, 2009).  

Green tea is considered by some to be one of the healthiest drinks on the planet. Tea in general is rich in polyphenols, which can reduce inflammation. EGCG, a catechin, is a natural antioxidant, helping to prevent cell damage and reduce the formation of free radicals which cause disease and aging. Caffeine in green tea, a known stimulant, can help keep you awake, but does not have the same quantity as coffee, so it can give the benefits without the jittery effects. Caffeine can help block adenosine, and stimulate dopamine and norepinephrine, making you feel more awake and alert. In general, small doses of caffeine can be beneficial to improve brain function, memory, reaction time, mood, and vigilance. Along those same lines, green tea has been shown to possibly protect the neurons in your brain as you age from developing Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases (Healthline, 2018). 

Green tea also has the amino acid L-theanine, which can reduce anxiety, and works with the lower doses of caffeine to improve brain function, provide stable energy, and increase productivity better than coffee. The increased energy is also associated with an increased metabolism, which helps improve physical performance and activity, helping to burn more fat (Healthline, 2018).

Additional benefits of green tea include improved dental health due to the reduction of bacteria in the mouth, and inhibiting the flu virus and strep infection. In addition to this, green tea has been shown improve the sensitivity of insulin in cells, thus making it more effective in reducing your blood sugar levels and lower your risk of diabetes. Green tea also lowers LDL, or bad cholesterol, and keeps LDL from oxidizing, thus reducing the risk of heart disease. Overall, drinking 5 or more cups of green tea a day may be a key link to longevity in Japanese individuals, as demonstrated in several scientific studies (Healthline, 2018).

Last but not least, studies have shown that ECGC in green tea can also help promote hair regrowth (Esfandiari & Kelly, 2005; Kwon, et al., 2007). 

With all of these health benefits, green tea seems to be one of God’s gifts to us, one of those natural healing remedies that really work to help our bodies. One note of caution: taking supplemental forms of green tea in high concentrations may be harmful. There is evidence that too much green tea as a supplement, as with any supplement, can harm the liver. In addition to this, too much green tea may boost the immune system in a negative way to those who have auto-immune disorders. Thus, drinking a cup or two a day is likely a safer way to consume green tea, and avoiding too much of it for those with auto-immune diseases (Fortune, 2018; Walsh, 2018).

Esfandiari, A., & Kelly, A. P. (2005). The effects of tea polyphenolic compounds on hair loss among rodents. Journal of the National Medical Association, 97(8), 1165-9.

Fortune. (2018). Green tea supplements could be hurting your liver, researchers say. Fortune. Retrieved from http://fortune.com/2018/04/18/are-green-tea-supplements-safe-liver/

Fujiki, H., Watanabe, T., Sueoka, E., Rawangkan, A., & Suganuma, M. (2018). Cancer Prevention with Green Tea and Its Principal Constituent, EGCG: from Early Investigations to Current Focus on Human Cancer Stem Cells. Molecules and cells, 41(2), 73-82. 

Healthline. (2018). 10 proven benefits of green tea. Healthline. Retrieved on 11/23/18 from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-tea 

Khan, N., & Mukhtar, H. (2010). Cancer and metastasis: prevention and treatment by green tea. Cancer metastasis reviews, 29(3), 435-45.  

Kwon, O., Han, Jl, Yoo, H., Chung, J., Cho, K., Eun, H., & Kim, K. (2007). Human hair growth enhancement in vitro by green tea epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Phytomedicine.14(7-8), 551-555. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17092697

Walsh, B. (2018). Green tea health risks. Precision Nutrition. Retrieved from https://www.precisionnutrition.com/rr-green-tea-hazards

Zhang, M., Huang, J., Xing, X., & Holman, C. (2009). Dietary intakes of mushrooms and green tea combine to reduce the risk of breast cancer in Chinese women. International Journal of Cancer, 124(6),1404-1408.

8 Natural Foods and Supplements You Should Have on Hand for Cold & Flu Season

Here are some natural foods and supplements that our family keeps on hand every cold and flu season, which has dramatically reduced the incidence and severity of viral illnesses in our household for the past few years. All of these are based on evidence-based scientific research studies.

The first item we started using was vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D is normally absorbed in the skin during sun exposure, and helps to boost the immune system. In colder climates where there is less sun exposure and people tend to stay indoors, people tend to have lower vitamin D levels, which reduces the efficiency of the body’s immune system. Multiple studies have revealed that daily or weekly supplementation of vitamin D can cut the risk of developing respiratory infections in half (McGreevey & Morrison, 2017).

Before taking Vitamin D supplements, I typically suffered severe bronchitis symptoms that would last for months every winter. After reading studies about how effective vitamin D supplements were in a regional study in Canada as an alternative to the influenza shot in combatting the flu, I began taking this supplement at a dose of 1000 IU per day. For the next three years I did not contract a cold or any other respiratory infection at all. As I have gotten older, I have upped the dose to 2000 IU/day.

Scientific studies have also shown Vitamin C taken on a regular basis to slightly reduce the length and severity of colds. Oral zinc has been shown to reduce the length and severity of illnesses caused by the cold virus. Our family takes these lozenges at the first sign of a tickle in the throat. We also start taking an oral probiotic or eat yogurt at the first sign of a sore throat. Probiotics were found better than placebo in reducing how often individuals contracted upper respiratory tract infections. Probiotics that come in direct contact with the throat, like yogurt or probiotic gargles, are effective in reducing sore throat, which is where infections often start. Other supplements shown to be effective against colds and flu were licorice root, maoto, antiwei, North American ginseng berries, pomegranate, Echinacea, guava tea, carnosic acid, Bai Shao, and alkaline drinks (Mousa, 2017). 

Once a cough develops, several natural substances have been shown in scientific placebo studies to be effective. In multiple studies honey was shown to relieve cough symptoms in children to a greater extent than no treatment, diphenhydramine, and placebo, and possibly slightly more than dextromethorphan (Oduwole, Udoh, Oya-Ita, & Meremikwu, 2018). Studies have also shown that pineapple, which naturally contains a substance called bromeline, can help suppress coughs (Peixoto et al., 2016). 

Our family discovered oregano oil about 7 years ago, and have noticed a recognizable reduction in the length of respiratory illnesses since taking it. Oregano oil has been shown to be effective against bacteria, fungi, and viruses, including the stomach flu virus (Brochot, Guilbot, Haddioui, & Roques, 2017; Gilling, Kitajima, Torrey, & Bright, 2014). Our family typically fills several drops of the oil into a cellulose capsule and we take it at the first sign of a cold. Usually the next morning the cold is gone or significantly improved. A few extra doses helps to finish the cold off once and for all. 

Our latest discovery is elderberry concentrate. Elderberries have been shown to significantly improve flu-like symptoms (Kong, 2009). Our family adds about 2 Tbsp. twice a day to a cup of warm green tea with honey, and have noticed symptoms resolve in hours. 

Combining all of these remedies, cold & flu season has become much more manageable for our family without having to take over-the-counter cold medicines.

References:

Brochot, A., Guilbot, A., Haddioui, L., & Roques, C. (2017). Antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects of three essential oil blends. Microbiologyopen, 6(4). doi: 10.1002/mbo3.459. Epub 2017 Mar 14.

Gilling, D., Kitajima, M., Torrey, J., & Bright, K. (2014). Antiviral efficacy and mechanism of action of oregano essential oil and its primary component carvacrol against murine norovirus. Applied Microbiology, 116(5). 1149-1163.  doi: 10.1111/jam.12453. Epub 2014 Feb 12.

Kong, F. (2009). Pilot clinical study on a proprietary elderberry extract: efficacy in addressing influenza symptoms. Online Journal of Pharmacology and PharmacoKinetics, 5(32-43). http://omicron-pharma.com/pdfs/ElderberryClinicalOJPK_Published.pdf

McGreevey, S., & Morrison, M. (2017). Study confirms vitamin D protects against colds and flu. The Harvard Gazette. Retrieved from https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/02/study-confirms-vitamin-d-protects-against-cold-and-flu/ 

Mousa, H. (2017). Prevention and treatment of influenza, influenza-like illness, and common cold by herbal, complementary, and natural therapies. Evidence Based Complementary Alternative Medicine, Jan;22(1):166-174. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27055821 

Oduwole, O., Udoh, E., Oyo-Ita, A., Meremikwu, M. (2018). Honey for acute cough in children. Cochrane Database Systematic Review. 2018 Apr 10;4:CD007094. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD007094.pub5.

Peixoto, D., Rizzo, J., Schor, D., Silva, A., Oliveira, D., Solé, D., & Sarinho, E. (2016). Use of honey associated with ananas comosus (bromelin) in the treatment of acute irritative cough. São Paulo Pediatrics. 2016 Dec;34(4):412-417. doi: 10.1016/j.rpped.2016.03.006.

Turkey-Tail Mushrooms for Breast Cancer

This is one of the most exciting breakthrough's in breast cancer treatment that I have seen lately. Research funded by the NIH has shown very promising results. Here's a video from Paul Stamets who was involved in the research. His compound is now manufactured by Host Defense (http://hostdefense.com/) and is available through a variety of vendors including Amazon.

Video retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWT09ZDqFlE

Breakthrough in T-cell Therapy

Great news from MIT Technology Review about a breakthrough in T-cell therapy against cancer. This is a copy of an article written by Antonio Regalado, January 25, 2017 (link provided below):

Doctors in London say they have cured two babies of leukemia in the world’s first attempt to treat cancer with genetically engineered immune cells from a donor.

The experiments, which took place at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital, raise the possibility of off-the-shelf cellular therapy using inexpensive supplies of universal cells that could be dripped into patients' veins on a moment’s notice.

The ready-made approach could pose a challenge to companies including Juno Therapeutics and Novartis, each of which has spent tens of millions of dollars pioneering treatments that require collecting a patient’s own blood cells, engineering them, and then re-infusing them.

Both methods rely on engineering T cells—the hungry predator cells of the immune system—so they attack leukemic cells.

The British infants, ages 11 and 16 months, each had leukemia and had undergone previous treatments that failed, according to a description of their cases published Wednesday in Science Translational Medicine. Waseem Qasim, a physician and gene-therapy expert who led the tests, reported that both children remain in remission.

Although the cases drew wide media attention in Britain, some researchers said that because the London team also gave the children standard chemotherapy, they failed to show the cell treatment actually cured the kids. “There is a hint of efficacy but no proof,” says Stephan Grupp, director of cancer immunotherapy at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, who collaborates with Novartis. “It would be great if it works, but that just hasn’t been shown yet.”

Rights to the London treatment were sold to the biotech company Cellectis, and the treatment is now being further developed by the drug companies Servier and Pfizer.

Treatments using engineered T-cells, commonly known as CAR-T, are new and not yet sold commercially. But they have shown stunning success against blood cancers. In studies so far by Novartis and Juno, about half of patients are permanently cured after receiving altered versions of their own blood cells.

But commercializing such personalized treatments raises unprecedented logistical headaches. Grupp says Novartis has outfitted a manufacturing center in New Jersey and that patient cells have been flown in from 25 hospitals in 11 countries, modified, then quickly shipped back. Novartis has said it will seek U.S. approval to sell its T-cell treatment for children this year.

The promise of immunotherapy has drawn huge investments, yet many newer entrants are betting instead on the off-the-shelf approach. Among them are biotech giant Regeneron, Kite Therapeutics, Fate Therapeutics, and Cell Medica.

“The patient could be treated immediately, as opposed to taking cells from a patient and manufacturing them,” says Julianne Smith, vice president of CAR-T development for Cellectis, which specializes in supplying universal cells.

In the off-the-shelf approach, blood is collected from a donor and then turned into “hundreds” of doses that can then be stored frozen, says Smith. “We estimate the cost to manufacture a dose would be about $4,000,” she says. That’s compared to a cost of around $50,000 to alter a patient’s cells and return them.

Either type of treatment is likely to cost insurers half a million dollars or more if they reach the market.

Robert Nelsen, a venture capitalist and a founder of Juno Therapeutics, which raised hundreds of millions for the custom approach, says he’s not worried about companies developing universal alternatives. “What they can do in the future is what we can do today,” Nelsen said in an interview last year. “And I guarantee you even if things were equal, which they are not, you would want your own stuff, not someone else’s cells.”

The London treatment is notable for involving the most extensively engineered cells ever given to a patient, with a total of four genetic changes, two of them introduced by gene editing using a method called TALENs. One alteration was to strip the donor cells of their propensity to attack the body of another person. Another directs them to attack cancer cells.

In the U.S. and China, scientists are also racing to apply gene editing to make improved treatments for cancer and other diseases.

Article retrieved from: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603502/two-infants-treated-with-universal-immune-cells-have-their-cancer-vanish/?utm_campaign=add_this&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post