In a recent study by the Department of Dermatology at the Mount Sinai-NYU Medical Center in New York, NY, aqueous extracts of green and black teas were revealed to ward off experimentally induced animal tumors, particularly those caused by ultraviolet (UV) light-induced skin carcinogenesis. The study compared the impact of variable extractable fractions of green and black teas on scavenging hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and UV irradiation-induced formation of 8-hydroxy 2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in vitro.
These samples were extracted via serial chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol. The extracts were then divided into four subfractions. Upon their division, they were designated as GT1-4 for green tea and BT1-4 for black tea. The team then monitored their affect on various controlled tumor growths.
The study’s results showed that both green and black tea exhibited a very strong scavenging capacity of exogenous H2O2 in a dose-dependent manner. Black tea appeared to scavenge H202 in a more effective manner than green tea. Specifically, when tested individually, the results for green tea’s potency as a scavenging agent for H202 were as follows: GT2 > GT3 > GT1 > GT4. The order for the potency as a scavenging agent for black tea was: BT2 > BT3 > BT4 > BT1.
The study also showed that the total fractions of green and black teas possessed the ability to dramatically inhibit the induction of 8-OHdG in a calf’s thymus by all three portions of UV spectrum (UVA, B, and C). Like the results found in the study of the scavenging ability of green and black tea in regards to H202, the subfractions from black tea showed a greater ability to thwart UV-induced 8-OHdG than those from green tea. The final results of both the green and black teas’ effectiveness were remarkably similar.
At lower concentrations, the order of potency most effective at thwarting 8-OHdG by green tea was GT2 > GT3 > GT4 > GT1. Black tea seemed to thwart 8OHdG at all levels, and the order of potency was BT2 > BT3 > BT4 > BT1. The effectiveness of all subfractions evened out when the dosage amounts were raised to the levels of what would be considered a high concentration.
When Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), an ingredient found in green tea extract, was added to low concentrations of green and black tea extracts, the scavenging of H202 and the quenching of 8-OHdG was increased dramatically. This provided compelling evidence that the role of EGCG in both thwarting 8-OHdG and scavenging H202 is significant in both green and black teas. These findings also indicated that if EGCG is extracted and used as a bolstering agent to green and black tea, this might hold scientific and medical significance in the future. Further study is definitely warranted.
Overall, the results of this test were powerful indicators of the role teas might play in being able to scavenge oxygen species and blocking UV-induced oxidative DNA damage. These results could play a major role, or at the very least, be used as a weapon against future exposure. More study is needed, but the results were both compelling and promising.
Additionally, the EGCG addition and the subsequent results provide a very good indicator of its role in the antioxidant activities of tea extracts. The ability to scavenge oxygen species and block UV-induced oxidative DNA damage is a likely explanation, at least in demonstrating how green and black teas inhibit photocarcinogenesis.
These results possess great promise both in terms of regular use of teas as a scavenging agent and inhibitor. The study also suggests the benefits of using both in higher concentrated dosages. Their impact as a regular mechanism for avoiding exposure or warding off contamination has yet to be determined.
Jon M. Stout is Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. For more information about tea, green tea and wu long tea go to http://www.goldenmoontea.com
Trimming Down Your Health-Related Expenses
Health care costs are at an all-time high and there seems to be
no end in sight. Unhealthy practices lead to unhealthy people
seeking more (and more expensive) medical care. And as the
general population ages, the costs of health care will continue
to spiral upwards. This article will discuss four areas in which
you can trim down your health-related expenses: prescription
drugs, habits, eating, and exercise.
Prescription Drugs
Since name-brand drugs are usually much more expensive than
their generic equivalents, ask your physician and pharmacist for
generic drugs whenever appropriate. Generic drugs are
federally regulated and must maintain the same standards as
the name-brand ones, so there is no need to worry about a
difference in quality.
Since pharmacies may charge widely different prices for the
same medicine, call several. When taking a drug for an
extended period of time (such as blood pressure or diabetic
medications), consider utilizing mail-order pharmacies, which
often charge lower prices and can ship several months' supplies
at one time, so you're less likely to run out of a medication.
Don't ask your doctor for medications you don't need (such as
widely overused antibiotics). Remember that you are not the
one who went through medical training. However, if your doctor
refuses a prescription that you feel you really need, seek out a
second opinion.
Habits
Quit smoking. Do you have a pack-a-day habit? In some states,
that's a daily expense of about $5 - or about $1,800 a year. Add
that to your savings! Also, by quitting smoking you can apply for
lower insurance rates on health, life and disability insurance.
Plus you'll be saving yourself smoking-related health expenses
down the road.
Quit or cut back on alcohol consumption. Even that occasional
drink costs a pretty penny these days. Order a less expensive
alternative when eating out or on the town with friends.
Eat Healthy
Cut out or drastically reduce fast food. Most fast food is high in
calories and fat and can be expensive when consumed on a
regular basis. When eating out, choose healthy alternatives;
many restaurants now specially note their healthier items on
their menus.
Brown bag your lunch and include plenty of healthy snacks.
Often you can eat twice as much if you choose healthier
alternatives. No need to go hungry, just pick the right types of
low fat foods. Get educated about eating right.
Become a part-time vegetarian. Try to have two or three
meatless days a week (avoid even fish, if it's expensive in your
area). Or go vegetarian for several meals each day. You will
save money and be eating healthier.
Exercise
Exercise is the inseparable companion to all of the areas
discussed above. Exercise does more than just occupy a few
minutes of your time. Exercise is linked to lower rates of
depression, heart disease, diabetes, and other "plagues" of our
modern age. Make sure you clear your exercise program with
your doctor before beginning.
Make exercise a regular part of your routine. Exercise for
entertainment. A walk in the park or around the block with
friends or even by yourself can be an entertaining diversion
(and it's free!). Exercise as a family for an extra dose of fun.
You don't need a gym membership to exercise. Find ways to
perform the same exercises at home or in the park. A set of
dumbbells is much cheaper than a yearly gym fee. The #1
exercise activity of choice is walking. It's cheap and enjoyable.
Remember, you've only got one body! Taking care of it should
be a priority for all of us. Take those prescriptions that you do
need and not those you don't (under your doctor's advisement,
of course). Eliminate unhealthy habits and replace them with
new ones. Put good, healthy food into your body; it's cheaper
than the low-grade fuel you may have been feeding it! Exercise
for your mind and body. A healthy body is a lot less expensive to
maintain!
Chemain Evans is a quality control expert for Simple Joe, makers of the popular Income & Expenses PC software which provides a quick and simple way to keep track of your expenses and stay within your budget. Learn more at http://www.simplejoe.com.
The Fight Against Breast Cancer: Going Green
In the past few years, a number of women have turned to green vegetables in an effort to attempt to lower their risk of breast cancer. With the disease affecting as many as one in eight American women, it is only natural that women look to natural remedies in an attempt to improve their odds in the fight against this all-too-prevalent kind of cancer.
Increasingly, though, researchers are looking to another green food in an effort to cut breast cancer risk—green tea. While black tea and chamomile tea have long been thought to soothe nerves and combat depression, it is green tea which is making headlines in the world of cancer research.
A number of animal and laboratory studies have shown that green tea can be highly effective in fighting tumors in the mammary tissues. But only recently has the scientific community been able to address the effect of green tea on breast cancer in human beings.
A Case in Point
One significant study indicated that green tea extract prevents breast cancer cells from producing a chemical that leads to tumors. University of Southern California researcher Anna H. Wu and her team noted the dietary and lifestyle choices of more than 500 women with breast cancer and nearly 600 women without cancer in Los Angeles. The women were of Asian descent and ranged in age from 25 to 74.
The researchers found that the healthy women were far more likely to consume green tea. And those breast cancer patients who did drink green tea were likely to consume less of it than the healthy women were. In fact, drinking less than six tablespoons of green tea a day appeared to cut a woman’s risk for breast cancer by as much as 30 percent.
Unfortunately, women who consume a great deal of black tea do not appear to be protected from the onset of breast cancer. Since black tea is more popular in Western nations than green tea, such news can be disappointing.
But the fact that green tea’s popularity is gaining strength in the West means that Western women could enjoy the same breast cancer protection that green tea drinkers in the Far East have enjoyed for years.
Green Tea and Breast Cancer Recurrence
But what about women who have already experienced breast cancer? Is it possible for them to reduce their chances of a recurrence by downing cups of green tea?
As you might expect, scientific researchers have been asking the same questions. For instance, a Japanese research team addressed those issues in their article, “Regular Consumption of Green Tea and the Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence: Follow-up Study from the Hospital-based Epidemiologic Research Program at Aichi Cancer Center (HERPACC), Japan.”
As the Asian researchers noted, various studies indicate that green tea can inhibit the development and growth of tumors. Given that fact, they thought it helpful to examine the link between regular green tea consumption and the risk of a recurrence of breast cancer.
The researchers studied 1160 new surgical cases of female breast cancers between June of 1990 and August of 1998. About 12 percent, or 133 of the subjects, appeared to experience a cancer recurrence. But those women who consumed three or more cups of green tea each day were less likely to see their breast cancer make a comeback.
The reduced rate of recurrence was most likely among those women with stage 1 and stage 2 breast cancer. However, the link was not apparent for those women with more advanced stages of the cancer.
Cautiously Optimistic
The researchers cautioned that these results need to be interpreted carefully. However, they do suggest that breast cancer patients who drink green tea daily may be able to prevent their cancer from returning—especially if their cancer was diagnosed in the early stages. Therefore, the research team has reason to be cautiously optimistic about the cancer-fighting capabilities of green tea.
A Closer Look at Green Tea
In order to fully understand the potential of green tea as a cancer prevention method, it is first necessary to examine the composition of the beverage. There are a number of compounds that make up green tea, including polyphenols and flavonoids, caffeine, carbohydrates, tannins, fluoride, and aluminum.
As far as cancer prevention is concerned, the most critical substance is the polyphenols—chemicals which act as antioxidants. These substances block cell replication enzymes and therefore prevent the growth of cancer in the process.
In a number of studies, researchers gave rats with breast tumors green tea to consume. These rats were then compared with rats which drank water alone. Interestingly enough, the rats which had been drinking green tea saw their tumor size reduced considerably. In addition, the studies indicated that new tumors were less likely to develop in rats which drank green tea.
How Much is Enough?
Still, you might be wondering how much green tea you would need to consume in order to significantly reduce your risk of developing breast cancer. Generally, doctors say that you need to consume at least three to four cups of green tea each day—without additives such as milk or sugar—in order to see an impact.
Does decaffeinated green tea offer the same health benefits? Actually, that depends upon the manner in which the caffeine has been removed from the tea. If a solvent has been used to decaffeinate the tea, it will contain reduced levels of EGCG, lessening its effectiveness as a cancer prevention tool.
You might also consider taking your green tea in capsule form, although there is little hard evidence to indicate that the capsules are as effective as the beverage in cutting cancer risk.
A Final Note
A woman who has experienced breast cancer has no guarantees that her cancer will never reappear. Even if she begins drinking green tea, she might still undergo a recurrence. However, the available evidence suggests that her risk of facing a second bout of breast cancer decreases significantly when she becomes a green tea drinker.
Jon M. Stout is Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. For more information about tea, green tea and wu long tea go to http://www.goldenmoontea.com