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| Sunday, 4 December 2005 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Health guide Stretch your life span with tea by D. P. Atukorale For years, studies in China and Japan have shown that the folklore about tea does contain some truth - it does promote longer life. Japanese smokers have only half the living cancer rate as American smokers. In areas of Japan where the most tea is drunk the rate of stomach cancer is the lowest.
Black varieties of tea which are very popular in European countries, some of the Asian countries (such as Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and the Middle-Eastern countries) and the United States are prepared by processing, fermenting and drying tea leaves. Green tea does not undergo fermentation. Instead the leaves are steamed, dried and ready for use and during steaming some of the enzymes present in tea are inactivated and some of the bioflavonoids in tea are destroyed during fermentation process. Therefore green tea process preserves much of the beneficial nutrient content found in fresh tea leaves. Lowers bad cholesterol Consumption of both black and green tea lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and can one day be used to help reduce the chance of heart disease for those at risk. Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture have found that consumers who drank black tea for 3 weeks experienced a decrease of between 7% and 11% in their low density lipoprotein (LDL) or so called bad cholesterol. There was no effect on the level of high density lipoprotein or the good type of cholesterol. 'This may indicate that drinking tea regularly as part of mixed diet for most people have a beneficial effect, said Joseph Judd, a chemist with USDA, who led the study (2003 October issue of the Journal of Nutrition). Cholesterol is distributed in the body attached to protein called lipoprotein and high levels of HDL cholesterol reduce the risk. According to the Tea Association of the USA, total sales of tea in 2002 were $5.03 billion up from $1.84 billion in 1990. Judd and his colleagues placed 15 participants on a six week double blind study. About half received five cups of black tea per day while others were given coloured water that tasted like tea. The 2 groups then switched. LDL levels dropped by an average of 7.5% during the 3 weeks when the individuals consumed tea. The scientists proved that the drop in LDL cholesterol level was not due to caffeine. The study controlled the diet of the participants by supplying them with their daily meals. Green tea has been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides. The potent antioxidant effect of green tea inhibited the oxidation of LDL cholesterol in the arteries. It is the oxidized LDL which is harmful and not the unoxidized cholesterol, and oxidized LDL plays a major role in the formation of atherosclerosis. Prevents blood clots The formation of blood clots (thrombosis) is the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes and green tea has been shown to inhibit abnormal blood clot formation as effectively as aspirin. Green tea specifically inhibits platelet stickiness (aggregation and adhesion) via effects that differ from those of aspirin. Green tea reduces the risk of arterial blood clotting by two known mechanism. First, green tea inhibits thromboxane A2 formation as does aspirin. Second green tea inhibits another clotting agent called platelet-activating factor (P.A.F.). Thromboxane not only causes arterial blood clots but also arterial constriction. The inhibition of thromboxane by tea can prevent a heart attack or a thrombotic strokes.Aspirin has some antithrombotic effects that differ from green tea. If you are taking low dose aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke, you should continue doing so even if you consume green tea. Lowers blood pressure The loss of arterial elasticity is one cause of hypertension (high blood pressure). Youthful arteries contact and expand effortlessly with each heart beat. Ageing causes loss of arterial elasticity. As mentioned earlier green tea inhibits thromboxane production which is one cause of arterial constriction. A more significant cause of hypertension is an enzyme secreted by the kidney called angiotenesin - converting enzyme (ACE) and drugs called ACE inhibitors. Green tea is a natural ACE inhibitor. If you are going to use given tea to treat hypertension do so under the supervision of your physician. Blood sugar levels When we consume starch we need an enzyme called amylase to break it down to simple sugars such as glucose that can be absorbed into the blood stream. Green tea polyphenols inhibit amylase and prevent normal elevation of glucose and insulin when starch is ingested. High blood levels of glucose and insulin predispose people to diabetes and heart disease, strokes, and are associated with ageing. For most of us especially those of middle age and old age, sugar is the primary culprit in the accumulation of body fat. It has been proved that there is a reduction in body fat when you drink green tea. Prevents cancer Researchers in Australia announced that a cup of tea could be the next weapon to fight skin cancer. (Most of the research on tea has been done using green tea) Ability of green tea may be especially protective against lung cancer in former and current cigarette smokers. Green tea catechins have been shown to prevent cancer in the following ways. 1. Green tea catechins help to neutralize dietary carcinogens such as nitrosamines and aflatoxin. 2. They interfere with the binding of cancer causing agents to cellular DNA, thereby protecting cells against mutations that can eventually cause cancer. 3. They protect against free radical DNA damage that causes some cancers. They inhibit bacteria induced mutations that also can lead to certain cancers. 5. They work with enzymes and other antioxidants in the intestine, liver and lungs to prevent the activation of certain carcinogens before they damage D.N.A. 6. They protect against the effects of ionizing, radiation and ultraviolet irradiation. Some studies have shown that green tea blocks the formation of certain tumours. Green tea has been shown to counteract both initiation and promotion of carcinogens. Therefore it would be well worth taking tea as a beverage or supplement with a view to prevent cancer. Green tea may help to lower the prevalence of oesophageal adenocarcinoma, one of the fastest growing cancers in Western countries. Barrets oesophagus A team from the Harvard Medical School reported that a substance called E.G.C.G. present in green tea inhibits the growth and reproduction of cancer cells associated with Barrets oesophagus which is caused by stomach acid (HCL) creeping back up from the stomach to gullet (oesophagus). Acid damage causes the cells lining the oesophagus to change and raises the risk of oesophageal cancer by 30 to 40%. Other beneficial effects Recent scientific research suggests that green tea has potent fat burning properties. Dr. Abdull Dulloo led research into weight loss which was conducted at University of Geneva and proved that catechin polyphenols in green tea promotes fat oxidation beyond that explained by its caffeine content and helps weight loss (Dulloo A et al, Amer J. Clini, Nutrition, 1999, 70 1040-45) Rheumatoid arthritis Antioxidants in green tea may prevent and reduce the severity of rheumatoid arthritis (April 13 issue of The Proceedings of National Academy of Science). Pelvic pain syndrome Known as pelvic pain syndrome, prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostrate gland that affects about 30 million men is U.S. The condition causes severe urogenital pain and standard treatment schedules of antibiotics offer little or no success. It was proved by Daniel Shoskes, head of Urology in Encino, California that there is improvement in symptoms when they are treated using bioflavonoids quercetin found in tea. It is noteworthy that in middle aged and elderly men with prostatic symptoms cancer of the prostrate should be excluded by referring the patient to a urologist or a general surgeon who will do all the investigations such as P.S.A., urine culture, US scan of abdomen etc., before diagnosing pelvic pain syndrome. Allergic reaction to kissing preventable A 15-year-old girl from Canada, Christina Desforges, died last week after kissing her boyfriend. He had eaten a peanut butter sandwich nine hours earlier and she was allergic to peanuts. Having an allergic reaction from kissing is actually not uncommon, The Early Show medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay explains, a study of nut allergies a few years ago found about 5 percent of people in the study had an allergic reaction through kissing. If you have a food allergy it can happen easily. A food allergy is when the body's immune system reacts against a specific component in a food that is not normally harmful to the body. It doesn't take very much at all to provoke a reaction from the immune system, so even a tiny trace of food on a person's lips or mouth could be risky. Peanut allergies specifically can be easily triggered. About 1.5 million people in the United States are severely allergic to peanuts and 50 to 100 people die every year because of a peanut allergy. Common symptoms of a food allergy include flushing, wheezing, hives or a skin rash. More severe reactions can include vomiting, difficulty in breathing, a drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness, and even a very severe reaction called anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock, which can result in death. That's what happened to Desforges. Many people with peanut allergies do tend to have severe cases, but you can have an allergic reaction from a kiss with any severe food allergy. Peanuts and shellfish are very common allergies. Other foods that make up most food allergies are: milk, eggs, wheat, soy, and other tree nuts such as walnuts, pecans and almonds. The best way to avoid a food allergy is to avoid the food that causes it. So when it comes to kissing, you should remind loved ones to wash their faces and brush their teeth if they know they've been eating something you're allergic to. And don't forget to read ingredients - a food you think is perfectly safe might not be. Desforges was given a shot of adrenaline almost immediately, but it didn't save her. That's an unusually severe reaction, but it can happen. If you think you have a food allergy but aren't sure, talk to a doctor who can help you be prepared by having an EpiPen on hand or other medications in case of an emergency. Helping those with epilepsy The Epilepsy Association founded in 1989 wishes to expand its membership among parents who have a child with epilepsy and among the adults with epilepsy. The Association is a self-help group which aims to provide support, advice and assist in helping those with epilepsy to adjust to the community and help educate their parents how they should handle the lack of self-esteem often seen in those with epilepsy, as also help them in their relationships with others, in school, in the work place, or even at home. We also seek to inform parents and those with epilepsy about the latest anti-epilepsy drugs (AEDS) and procedures to deal with symptoms of the illness since there are many myths still prevailing among people, particularly in our country, about the illness. The Association has contacts with leading neurologists and psychiatrists to whom the patients can be introduced to seek medical advice. The current President of the Association is Dr. Sarath Panduwawala, MD, Consultant Psychiatrist. The Association publishes a trilingual newsletter 'Epinews' twice a year which gives useful information and reports on activities connected with Epilepsy Associations here and abroad and organizes lecture programmes on Epilepsy. Copies of the newsletter are sent to all members free of charge. Members also have access to drug level blood tests at reduced charge. The membership fee is a nominal Rs. 50 per year for individuals and Rs. 100 for the family. Life Membership is Rs. 1,000 (inclusive of the spouse) As the EASL is essentially a self-help group its success depends largely on the voluntary support extended by our members - both doctors and laymen - to help those with epilepsy in this land. For more information, and to obtain a copy of the membership application forms, please contact Mrs. M. Samarawickrama, Hony. Secy. (No 2867387) or Mr. R. M. B. Senanayake, Vice President & Hony. Editor (No 2696858) or Mr. Hemal Pieris Hony. Tresurer (No 2696283) or write C/o 10, Austin Place, Colombo 8. Injection: Hardy task with fat-bottomed women The expanding size of the average bottom is presenting doctors with a new medical challenge: how to get injectable drugs to where they are needed. Injections given in the buttocks are unlikely to work because patients' bottoms are too fat, researchers said on Monday. In order for drugs to be effective, injections must be delivered into muscle tissue that is supplied with microscopic blood vessels to maximise absorption of the medicine. But the larger size of the average behind means the muscle is now covered with a layer of fat and the standard needles fitted to syringes are not long enough to penetrate it. Researchers who gave injections to a group of 50 men and women, and then observed what happened using a CT scanner, found that only 32 per cent of the injections reached the muscle tissue. In men just over half the injections were successful but in women only 8 percent were. In 23 out of the 25 women in the study the injection did not reach the muscle. Injectable drugs, including painkillers, contraceptives and anti-nausea medication, have traditionally been given into the bottom because it offers a substantial pad of soft tissue to accommodate them. Victoria Chan from the Adelaide and Meath Hospital in Dublin, Ireland, said: "Our study has demonstrated that a majority of people, especially women, are not getting the proper dosage from injections to the buttocks. There is no question that obesity is the underlying cause. We have identified a new problem related, in part, to the increasing amount of fat in the patient's buttocks." "The answer was to use longer needles when injecting into the buttocks", said Dr Chan. - The Independent Holistic Healing Asthma and its causes Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by recurrent breathing problems, breathlessness, wheezing, chest tightness, coughing. Asthmatic symptoms vary over time, and also differ in severity from one individual to another. When it is not effectively treated, asthma often leads to hospitalization, missed work and school, limitations on physical activity, sleepless nights and in some cases death.
In Ayurveda, Bronchial Asthma is named `tamaka shvasa' and its seat of manifestation is the lungs. During an attack of Bronchial Asthma you have to literally gasp for every breath - breathing out being more difficult than breathing in, since the air cannot be properly driven out of the lungs before you have to take another breath. For chronic patients these frequent attacks, specially in the night or early morning, are often preceded by nasal congestion and sneezing. Root causes are either allergy inducing factors as weather conditions, dust, food, drugs, perfumes, pollution etc. or psychological factors as deep-seated emotional insecurity, an intense need for parental love etc. or hereditary/genetic factors. Ayurveda states that there are five types of asthma determined by their range in difficulty to treat dry type asthma usually found in people who are thin, frail and who have dry skin and constipation and are sensitive to cold climates. Infection type asthma is usually found in those who are hot, who are prone to infection in general, who have red rashes on the skin or psoriasis and who are prone to bronchitis. Congestive type asthma is usually found in those who are heavier in body weight, big boned, prone to colds and sinus congestion or chest congestion and water retention and are sensitive to cold and humid climates. Ayurveda has a very broad idea about the different stages of asthma, and indicate 5 types of Asthma in the classical texts. Asthma can be related to any of the three primary factors - Vata, Pitta or Kapha - that govern all of the functions of the mind and body. When a Vata imbalance is dominant the throat is aggravated. There is dryness, which shrinks the bronchial trees and leads to poor air circulation. When a Pitta imbalance is dominant, the bronchia are more reactive which creates toxins (Amavisha), clogs the bronchia and generates excessive thirst and interior body heat. Breathing can be difficult. When a Kapha imbalance is dominant, lubrication and moisture balance (Shleshaka Kapha) are disturbed and interact with impurities (Ama) that clog the system and generate too much mucus, allergic bronchitis is likely. Each of these three kinds of asthma requires different treatment. A bronchial dilator, from the Ayurvedic perspective, only treats the superficial symptoms. Modern medicine understands the physiological changes involved in bronchial constriction and fluid retention in lung tissues that create asthma symptoms. Describing the mental, physical and behavioral factors that contribute to bronchial constriction and fluid retention, according to modern medicine the physiological changes at the basis of asthma include a hyperactive bronchial constrictor response to a stimulus that creates broncho-spasm and constriction of airways, an inflammatory reaction that leads to build-up of mucous and liquids in lung tissue. Various material and structural changes in airway passages including poor digestion lead to the build-up of toxins and impurities in lung and airway tissues. When impurities accumulate in tissues they contribute to many chronic conditions, including asthma. This is especially true of most types of allergic and hypersensitive responses in the physiology. Impure or toxic food sources, cause poor digestion, poor elimination, improper metabolism, mental and physical stress. According to Ayurveda, accumulation of impurities lead to the debilitating changes at the basis of asthma through the following mechanisms: Ayurveda theory says the cause of asthma is in the stomach. It describes how toxins created by improperly digested food are carried through channels directly into the chest and lung area. The resulting toxin accumulation imbalances the lung and airway tissues through several mechanisms. First, the toxins themselves can irritate the linings of airways and often trigger an inflammatory response to foreign bodies that also can harm the epithelial lining of airways. Secondly, modern medicine describes the damage of epithelial lining of airways as one of the major contributing factors to asthma as the epithelium creates chemicals that help inhibit broncho-constriction. This inhibitory effect is lost when epithelial lining is destroyed by toxins and the body's reaction to them. Impurities start to clog the channels of circulation to the tissues and the channels that take nutrients into cells and waste, out of cells. The end result is that the cells are not nourished properly and waste starts to accumulate in them. When toxins accumulate in tissues, and circulation becomes blocked, often the body's natural defenses against foreign material become activated against the accumulating impurities. When natural defense mechanisms become over-activated the result can create the conditions of asthma. For example, inflammation and excess fluid secretion is really a natural body defense mechanism to help dilute and wash away impurities in tissues. When impurity build-up becomes so great as to make this process hyperactive, then the lungs fill up with fluid, airwaves are constricted and asthma results. The level of nervous system stability and the level of activation play a major role in the asthma condition. Nervous system function becomes involved in the many neuro-chemical changes that lead to the heightened bronchconstriction response as the basis of asthma. According to Ayurveda theory, the functioning mode in the physiology called Vata controls the overall level of balance and activation of the nervous system. From this perspective, Vata imbalance can play a major role in asthmatic symptoms and therefore needs to be addressed. Because Vata is the most easily disturbed physiological principle in the body, there are a wide variety of time-tested Ayurveda recommendations available to help balance Vata and remove the symptoms caused by its aggravation. Experiences of high mental and physical stress are often associated with a relapse of the condition and worsening of asthma symptoms. Stress reduction therapies are an important component of the Ayurveda approach to managing asthma. Every health professional must ultimately depend on the body's natural healing, balancing and self-repair ability in order to cure disease. The main approach of Ayurveda is to enliven the natural healing ability of the body. Since the real problem in asthma is not the external allergen but the internal imbalance, any increase in the balancing ability of the body could potentially help alleviate symptoms of asthma. |
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Tea (Camellia sinensis) refer to Black, Green and Oolong teas. Teas
differ by levels of fermentation processing. Black tea is fully fermented;
Oolong is partially fermented, and green is unfermented. The health
properties are similar due to similar bioactive health substances like
bioflavonoids. 
Asthma is often treated with steroids that actually weaken the lungs when
used long term and come with many side-effects such as: dryness, lowered
immunity, thinning of bronchioles, rashes, psoriasis and many more. 
