The Moon Diet

The moon diet is a liquid diet, consistent with the moon phases - new moon, first quarter, full moon and last quarter.

Obtain a full list of the phases of the moon by date and time and the exact phase of the moon at the moment. Here's a good site for that. All times are Universal (GMT) so adjust according to your correct time zone.

The diet starts when the moon enters into one of four phases and ends after 24 hours. During these 24 hours to drink only freshly squeezed juices from fruits and vegetables, tea with honey, mineral water.

Liquids have a multiple and favorable influences on the tone, spirit and health. Liquids stimulate kidney activity, clear the body and strengthen the immune system.

Moon diet relieves the body of water retention and accumulated toxins as a result of unhealthy diets, poor digestion and stress.

Once you pass the 24 hours it is best to eat light meats, more vegetables and fruits. Recommended are foods that are baked, steamed, or stewed rather than fried.

During the moon diet, drinking alcohol is not recommended, but if you have reason, it is acceptable to enjoy a glass of white wine.

The Three-day Moon Diet

What better time of year to post some strange diet menus? Oooo ... how about the moon diets! So appropriate for Blue Moon season!

Three-day moon diet is a liquid diet consistent with the moon phases.

Three-day moon liquid diet is consistent with the moon phases. The diet is followed once a month, beginning the day before the full phase, continuing during the full phase day and finishing the day after the full phase.

In this three days drink as much water -- mineral or spring, herbal teas and freshly squeezed juices -- as possible. Coffee during the diet is not recommended.

During the moon diet you can drink different kinds of herbal tea, mint iced tea or cup of hot water with lemon and honey.

Here example menus for each of the days during the three-day moon diet:

First day

Upon awakening - a glass of water and juice of half orange
Breakfast - yogurt and 1 apple
10 o'clock - juice from orange and lemon
Lunch - a cup of vegetable juice
Afternoon snack - herbal tea with honey
Dinner - a glass of citrus juice
Before bed - tea with honey

Second day

Upon awakening - a glass of water and juice of half orange
Breakfast - herbal tea with a spoonful of honey
10 o'clock - juice from orange and lemon
Lunch - a cup of vegetable juice
Afternoon snack - herbal tea with honey
Dinner - an apple puree
Before bed - tea with honey

Third day

Upon awakening - herbal tea with honey
Breakfast - yogurt and banana puree
10 o'clock - a glass of grapefruit juice
Lunch - vegetable juice and juice of two oranges
Afternoon snack - herbal tea with honey
Dinner - a cup of herbal tea
Before bed - tea with honey

To keep the lost pounds after you finish the moon diet is better to bet on light food menu. It is advisable to cook on steam.
The food should consist mainly of fruits and vegetables, focusing on carrots, cabbage, zucchini, celery, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.
To flavor salads, use olive oil and apple vinegar, no salt.

The Blue Moon sale!

It's the Blue Moon sale!

It's a blue moon month! A blue moon is said to be the second full moon of any given month. This happens every two and a half years, on average. I think the next one is to occur August 2012.

10% off all orders totaling $20.00 or more 12/30/09 through 01/02/10.
20% off all orders totaling $30.00 or more 12/30/09 through 01/02/10.
30% off all orders totaling $50.00 or more 12/30/09 through 01/02/10.
That's for tea, tea accessories and even gift certificates! How crazy is that!?
(Offer not to be combined with other coupons or discounts)

Orders mean your total at the register upon your visit to the shop, or online orders received between 12/30/09 and 01/02/10 (Discount applied to total before shipping costs) Please mention the blog posting to take advantage of this sale.
Code BLUEMOON entered in the online order form for online orders.

Green Tea by Dale Ritterbusch

Cool poem found today:

Green Tea

by Dale Ritterbusch

There is this tea
I have sometimes,
Pan Long Ying Hao,
so tightly curled
it looks like tiny roots
gnarled, a greenish-gray.
When it steeps, it opens
the way you woke this morning,
stretching, your hands behind
your head, back arched,
toes pointing, a smile steeped
in ceremony, a celebration,
the reaching of your arms.

"Green Tea" by Dale Ritterbusch, from Far From the Temple of Heaven. © Black Moss Press, 2005.

A note to my loyal customers...

I haven't forgotten you! Yes, the current campaign seems to be all about getting new customers, but that is, after all, how businesses survive.
Have I anything special for you?

I do ... If you help me grow my business by bringing me a new customer, I will give you a discount card worth 10% of the new customers purchase. Bring 6 friends, 10 friends, a new customer every day for a month ... it doesn't matter. Each time you introduce a new customer to the shop, you receive a discount worth 10% of the new customers purchase.
Local customers: Yes, for accounting purposes it is necessary for you to be with the new customers.
Internet customers: email me and I'll tell you how to take advantage of this offer. I can be reached at teasmith@sensibiliteasonline.com

So ... are you still drinking dust?

If you're still drinking bag tea, you're likely still drinking dust. It's not your fault! It's usually all that's available in a grocery store. The boxes don't say Dust ... you wouldn't buy it if it did! They say ``fine quality Orange Pekoe'' or ``mountain estate grown'' or ``premium pekoe and cut black teas.'' Take one of the tea bags and cut it open ... what do you see?
If it looks like dust, it is likely dust.

Don't know anything about loose leaf tea? That's okay. No one is born with the knowledge to make loose leaf tea. We know plenty about loose leaf tea and we're willing to teach you what you need to know.

Want to try loose leaf tea? Bring one or two of your tea bags to us here in the tea shop. We'll do a free taste test. We'll make a cup of yours and we'll make a cup of ours. In five minutes or less, you'll know the difference between bag tea and loose leaf tea and will see how easy loose leaf tea can be to prepare. If you bring a second tea bag, we'll cup it open and we'll show you the difference between your tea and our tea. Our hours are Tues-Fri 2pm-5pm and Sat 10am-5pm. We are NOT a tea room, but rather a retail tea shop selling loose leaf tea and tea making accessories, but we do make the best tea-to-go in town!

Not here in town? Mail me a tea bag of your tea so we know what your drinking, and we'll mail you a tea bag or two of our tea (loose leaf tea in a bag made for loose leaf tea.) similar to what you've been drinking. You'll need no special equipment or knowledge. Just add water and enjoy.
Our address is:
SensibiliTeas
71 Lawrence Street
Glens Falls, NY 12801
Attn: Donnalynn

Not a tea drinker yet? If all we'd ever had to drink was tea bag tea, we wouldn't be tea drinkers either! If all you've ever had was a tea bag, you may have no idea what tea is supposed to taste like! Men didn't sail around the world and risk their lives in war and journey for the taste of a tea bag!

Or perhaps you're trying to get away from coffee a bit, or add tea as part of your healthy new resolution lifestyle. Our huge variety of tea convinces us that we'll certainly fit you to a tea! Visit the tea shop or email us at the teashop at (teasmith@sensibiliteasonline.com) We'll make some suggestions and send a cup or two of tea your way!

Restaurateurs? Want to understand how to increase tea sales? Bring or send us some of the tea you offer and we'll show you what you could be offering. If you're interested, we can even match teas to your meals or desserts. We can make it easy on your staff, and impressive to your clients.

Perhaps it's time to turn over a new leaf!

Does your tea make the grade?

Tea grading remains one of the most confusing of all tea discussions. This stands to reason as the tea grades are not standardized worldwide and tend to vary according to origin. The grading terms below are usually applied to black teas from India, Sri Lanka, Java, Sumatra, and Africa.

Black teas are typically graded according to leaf or particle size of leaf. Harvesting and manufacturing techniques greatly impact the finished size of the leaf, thus the tea grade. There are two main methods of producing black tea. The traditional Orthodox method requires hand-plucking of the buds and the two top leaves. The leaves are then rolled before size and grade of leaf is determined. (beginning of fermentation/oxidation stage) . The Orthodox method yields all of the possible leaf sizes and grades.

The CTC (crush, tear, curl) method of producing black tea has been gaining in popularity because of its convenience. CTC processed teas are either hand-plucked or may be machine harvested. When machine harvested, the CTC process gathers the traditional top two leaves and bud as well as other leaves on the tea bush. The leaves are then processed through the Cut, Tear, Curl machine which renders the leafs in particles cut to a common size. CTC processed teas have a appearance much like that of ground coffee.

Remember sifting sand as a child? The rocks or biggest particles always stayed on the top tray, while only the finest sand sifted all the way to the pail. Tea is processed with a similar technique. A whole leaf that does not pass through a designated sieve size during the sifting process is referred to as Orange Pekoe (OP) (pronounced 'Peck-o', rhymes with gecko). Orange Pekoe has nothing to do with oranges or orange flavor. The reference of Orange likely is a reference to the Dutch House of Orange, who, in founding the Dutch East India Company, played a major role in the spread of tea drinking habits throughout Europe and later the world. These leaves are usually of uniform size and rolled lengthwise. OP teas are categorized into finer definitions.

Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (TGFOP) is the top grade. During harvesting the bud and the top two leaves are hand-plucked. When harvested during slow growth periods, these young buds have a golden tip, hence the grade ``Flowery". Flowery does NOT indicate the teas flavor. When these tips are in found in abundance, the terms ``Tippy and Golden" are also attached. Number ``1'' or ``2'' may be placed at the end of the letters to designate better grades among similar teas. Similarly the letter 'F' may appear before the TGFOP to indicate a ``finer'' grade, while the letters ``SF" indicates a ``super fine'' grade. A tea graded as ``SFTGFOP1'' is a Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - grade 1. Fabulous ... It's not unusual for higher grades of tea to command higher prices.

The next grade below Orange Pekoe is called Broken Orange Pekoe (BOP) which designates a broken leaf that is smaller than those designated as OP. Just as with the OP grades, letters and numbers may be added to further define the grade -- Tippy, golden, and flowery, or a combination of these terms may also be applied. Thus a grade of ``TGBOP'' is a Tippy Golden Broken Orange Pekoe tea. The letter 'I' for Imperial may also appear after BOP and designates a size which is smaller than whole leaf (OP) grade but larger than most of the BOP grades.

The tea grade which is even smaller than BOP is the PF, for Pekoe Fanning if produced by the CTC method of manufacturing, and Fanning if produced by the Orthodox method. This is a broken leaf about the size of a pin head. This grade of tea is often found in tea bags.

The lowest grade of tea available is the PD, Pekoe Dust if produced by CTC method of manufacturing, and Dust if produced by the Orthodox Method. This size is the smallest broken pieces left after siftings. These pieces are sometimes called the ``sweepings'', and it doesn't take much imagination to determine why. Some tea bags will contain fannings, or a combination of fannings and dust. Most tea bags in the United States contain only dust.

But your box of tea says ``fine quality Pekoe tea''? Could be true, but it likely means Pekoe Dust. Be wary of terms like ``fine'' and ``natural''. ``Fine'' is likely an opinion, and there is nothing in this world that is not ``natural'' (that is to say, derived from nature.). And to say a tea is ``mountain estate grown'' ... well, most teas are estate grown. And many estates are on mountains. That isn't anything special as tea goes ... that just where it like to grow best!

Fannings and dust have their place in this world. Fannings and dust are popularly used in tea bags because they steep so much faster than full leaf teas. Loose leaf teas, do though, have other advantages:
1) Loose leaf teas come in a far larger variety.
2) Tea bags may have environmental implications. Regular tea bags take about seven years to break down in the environment under perfect conditions for biodegradation. Pyramid tea bags, if not made from polylactic acid (a corn product), may last in the environment for over 120 years.
3) Studies have shown greater health benefits exist in loose leaf teas than tea bags.
4) You can control the strength of your own brew when using loose leaf teas.
5) Far better flavor

As SensibiliTeas, we do not carry dust. We do have a few teas that are the result of the CTC process, and are granular in nature, but they have been brought in by popular demand. Our standard at SensibiliTeas is to bring in as many hand-plucked, hand-processed first grade teas as possible and we are leaning toward a majority of teas produced through organic, fair-trade and/or bio-dynamic means.

We have also huge variety of caffeine-free herbal tisanes, and would be happy to teach you how to decaffeinate any of our other teas.

Fireworks in a cup!

What do you think about giving flowers for Christmas?
What if it could be a surprise right up until the moment of delivery?
What do you think about fireworks in a cup!?
Artisanal teas might just be your cup of tea!

What's an artisanal tea? It is tea leaves carefully selected, often placed around flowers and hand molded and hand tied into adorable little unassuming balls of tea that magically bloom in minutes when added to hot water. The tea used is typically a low tannin tea (won't get bitter), which allows the tea to remain in the pot while you enjoy cup after cup.
With nearly 30 different Artisanal teas on hand (and six brand-new-never-been-seen artisanal teas arriving tomorrow) we certainly have a selection that can turn any Christmas stocking into a mysterious, luxurious trip around the world.

Don't forget! As gift giving goes, we offer tea of the month plans, gift certificates, sampler packs and expert gift giving guidance. Visit the Shirt Factory Open House this coming weekend! Saturday Dec. 12 and Sunday Dec. 13 10am-5pm both days!

Let's Do It Again!

Let's do it again!

By overwhelming requests, the Shirt Factory Artist's Association is hosting a Second Open House and Holiday Showcase on Saturday December 12 and Sunday December 13, from 10 - 5 pm each day.
The Open House and Holiday Showcase at The Shirt Factory invites you to tour the building, visit the studios, shops, and galleries, and shop for original works of art, fine crafts, services and items for your Holiday gift giving. The exhibition and sale features over 30 in house and guest artists and craftsmen offering locally made, finely produced, original art and fine handcrafts, as well as personal services. Did I mention I'm making scones again?
The Shirt Factory is located on the corner of Lawrence and Cooper Streets in Glens Falls, NY.
For directions visit www.shirtfactorygf.com
For more information please contact Dolores Thomson at 744-2002 or clayconcepts@yahoo.com, Bev Saunders at 793-9350 or bjsartworks@aol.com, or me Donnalynn Milford at SensibiliTeas (518) 824-1290 teasmith@sensibiliteasonline.com.

It's never too late to mark your calendar!

It's never too late to mark your calendar for an outstanding event!

The Shirt Factory that houses this tea shop is hosting our 8th annual Holiday Showcase Open House. Such a great opportunity to do some holiday shopping away from the hustle and bustle of the mall, and find some first rate handcrafted items! In addition to the great shops and studios in the building we also set up outside vendors in the hallways -- a chandler (candlemaker), weaver, beadweaver, stained glass, pottery, wire- wrapped stones, polymer clay crafts, fresh pine wreaths and boughs, and so much more! This is Thanksgiving weekend 10am-5pm on both Saturday and Sunday, with a preview (not so many hallway vendors) on black Friday 5pm-8pm. Hope you'll be able to join us! If you wish, click on the image for a clearer picture.

This year we will also be having a Shoppers Advantage drawing (we'd like to call it a basket, but there's just too much stuff in there!). Have your daily Open House receipts from any of the shop or vendors in the Shirt Factory verified (you keep the receipts of course). Each $25 worth of receipts gains you a entry for the Shoppers Advantage drawing (one on Saturday, one on Sunday) The prize is a variety of goods from the Shirt Factory vendors, such as a $50 gift certificate from SensibiliTeas, a gift certificate from Adirondack Quilts, a Thaddeus Powers mug, a Kate E. Austin giclee print, gift certificates for classes (painting, textile art, yoga) ... just too much to list! Each drawing is valued at about $500. To win the basket would mean your holiday shopping is done!

Lemon Myrtle ... I've learned more!

Lemon Myrtle is an Australian rainforest tree growing to 25 feet in height, although if regularly pruned it can be kept to bush size suitable for home gardens. The leaves, growing to 4 inches in length, are rich in lemon oil. Citral accounts for over 90% of the plants essential oil (note: lemons have approximately 3% citral).

The high levels of citral in the leaves is noteworthy, as citral is a component that has been found to relieve cramps, spasms, rheumatism, headaches, fevers and have an anti-cancer effect. Studies have shown that the citral can inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori, the pathogen that has been found to be a cause of ulcers and other gastroduodenal diseases. Lemon myrtle also has been found to be beneficial to muscles and connective tissue, for reducing cellulite, and to strengthen the immune system. Additionally, lemon myrtle is anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal (That's what I already knew ...)

Lemon myrtle makes a fantastic herbal infusion on its own, or you can blend it with so many other herbs and teas. We love it with black tea (Raven’s Zest), green tea (Pacific Spring), white tea (myrtle white), peppermint (Myrtle Mint), rooibos (African Outback), and tulsi (Lemon Tulsi), and can be found in many more of our blends (Holy Detox, Lady Myrtle Grey, Citrus Mate, Sea of Love, Waves of Joy, Citron Green Iced tea blend, Lemon Ginger Green, Serenitea, Blueberry Lemon Rooibos, and Aussie Spiced Chai.

Lemon myrtle leaves may also be used fresh, dried, and ground, and used in bread, stuffing, with chicken, beef, fish and rice dishes, sauces, noodles, vegetables, barbecues, cheesecakes, biscuits – you name it! The lemon myrtle aroma combines well with basil, chili, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, coconut milk, garlic, ginger and turmeric.

If you haven't tried it you really should ... you'd be amazed how something so good for you could taste so outstanding!

Whatt are soft drinks doing to your body?

This is an article posted
on 10/30/09 to Yahoo! Health
by columnist Dr. Maoshing Ni

The article:

What Soft Drinks are Doing to Your Body

Soda, pop, cola, soft drink — whatever you call it, it is one of the worst beverages that you could be drinking for your health. As the debate for whether to put a tax on the sale of soft drinks continues, you should know how they affect your body so that you can make an informed choice on your own.

Soft drinks are hard on your health
Soft drinks contain little to no vitamins or other essential nutrients. However, it is what they do contain that is the problem: caffeine, carbonation, simple sugars — or worse, sugar substitutes — and often food additives such as artificial coloring, flavoring, and preservatives.

A lot of research has found that consumption of soft drinks in high quantity, especially by children, is responsible for many health problems that include tooth decay, nutritional depletion, obesity, type-2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Why the sugar in soft drinks isn’t so sweet
Most soft drinks contain a high amount of simple sugars. The USDA recommendation of sugar consumption for a 2,000-calorie diet is a daily allotment of 10 teaspoons of added sugars. Many soft drinks contain more than this amount!

Just why is too much sugar so unhealthy? Well, to start, let's talk about what happens to you as sugar enters your body. When you drink sodas that are packed with simple sugars, the pancreas is called upon to produce and release insulin, a hormone that empties the sugar in your blood stream into all the tissues and cells for usage. The result of overindulging in simple sugar is raised insulin levels. Raised blood insulin levels beyond the norm can lead to depression of the immune system, which in turn weakens your ability to fight disease.

Something else to consider is that most of the excess sugar ends up being stored as fat in your body, which results in weight gain and elevates risk for heart disease and cancer. One study found that when subjects were given refined sugar, their white blood cell count decreased significantly for several hours afterwards. Another study discovered that rats fed a high-sugar diet had a substantially elevated rate of breast cancer when compared to rats on a regular diet.

The health effects of diet soda
You may come to the conclusion that diet or sugar-free soda is a better choice. However, one study discovered that drinking one or more soft drinks a day — and it didn’t matter whether it was diet or regular — led to a 30% greater chance of weight gain around the belly.

Diet soda is filled with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin. These artificial sweeteners pose a threat to your health. Saccharin, for instance, has been found to be carcinogenic, and studies have found that it produced bladder cancer in rats.

Aspartame, commonly known as nutrasweet, is a chemical that stimulates the brain to think the food is sweet. It breaks down into acpartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol at a temperature of 86 degrees. (Remember, your stomach is somewhere around 98 degrees.) An article put out by the University of Texas found that aspartame has been linked to obesity. The process of stimulating the brain causes more cravings for sweets and leads to carbohydrate loading.

Carbonation depletes calcium
Beverages with bubbles contain phosphoric acid, which can severely deplete the blood calcium levels; calcium is a key component of the bone matrix. With less concentration of calcium over a long time, it can lower deposition rates so that bone mass and density suffer. This means that drinking sodas and carbonated water increases your risk of osteoporosis.

Add in the caffeine usually present in soft drinks, and you are in for even more trouble. Caffeine can deplete the body’s calcium, in addition to stimulating your central nervous system and contributing to stress, a racing mind, and insomnia.

Skip the soda and go for:

• Fresh water
Water is a vital beverage for good health. Each and every cell needs water to perform its essential functions. Since studies show that tap water is filled with contaminants, antibiotics, and a number of other unhealthy substances, consider investing in a quality carbon-based filter for your tap water.

On the go? Try using a stainless steel thermos or glass bottle, filled with filtered water. Enhance the flavor of your water with a refreshing infusion of basil, mint leaves, and a drop of honey.

• Fruit Juice
If you are a juice drinker, try watering down your juice to cut back on the sugar content. Buy a jar of organic 100% juice, especially cranberry, acai, pomegranate, and then dilute three parts filtered water to one part juice. You will get a subtle sweet taste and the benefit of antioxidants. After a couple of weeks, you will no longer miss the sweetness of sugary concentrated juices.

• Tea
Tea gently lifts your energy and has numerous health benefits. Black, green, white, and oolong teas all contain antioxidant polyphenols. In fact, tea ranks as high or higher than many fruits and vegetables on the ORAC scale, the score that measures antioxidant potential of plant-based foods.

Herbal tea does not have the same antioxidant properties, though it is still a great beverage choice with other health benefits, such as inducing calming and relaxing effects.

If tea doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, try adding cinnamon or a little honey, which has important health benefits that refined sugar lacks. For a selection of healthy teas that promote total body wellness, click here. Drink up!

I hope you find the ways and means to avoid soft drinks. I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

I have also read studies that link daytime soda drinking to GERD and acid reflux. Other studies link soda consumption to childhood obesity, type 2 diabetes, pancreatic cancer, heart disease, bowel cancer, increased risk of kidney stones and nerve damage. Doesn't sound like it should be anyone's first choice for a beverage!

Think before you drink!

Tulsi vs. Swine Flu ... We Have a Winner!

This is a repost, but I was asked to repost this by many people.
I apologize for anyone disappointed with the duplication in postings.

This is excerpted from an article found in The New Nation in Bangladesh:

Tulsi is a medicinal plant of local origins that has abundant medicinal benefits. Tulsi has much of a cultural significance in India as well, where it is considered divine and its presence in households, auspicious. The latest revelation about the medicinal properties of Tulsi comes in the wake of pandemic alerts world over. Tulsi helps in countering the deadly H1N1 virus! Tulsi is found to improve the body's defence mechanisms against viruses in general and its effectiveness has been vouched for in its ability to act against the virus causing flu. It has been revealed that Tulsi could ward off the Swine Flu virus as well as could cure people who have been infected with Swine flu. The treatment for Swine flu involves consumption of 20 to 25 leaves of Tulsi in its fresh form or as liquid and to be taken in empty stomach twice a day. The revelation assumes significance as other medicines are found lacking in their ability to tackle H1N1 virus, with Swine Flu sweeping across the world, spreading panic among people and offices and schools being shut down to control the spread of the epidemic. Tulsi's effectiveness against Swine Flu may have come as news to people who are unaware of the wealth of benefits that the humble herb has to offer. Traditionally, Hindu temples provide water that has Tulsi leaves soaked in it to devotees. Tulsi leaves are boiled in water and the essence is given to children and adults who suffer from flu and common cold. Tulsi plant is a repellent against mosquitoes and other insects and Tulsi leaves and juice extracted from the leaves are found to be cures against malaria. Tulsi is also a remedy against constipation, indigestion, poor appetite and acidity. Tulsi is known to help solve health problems in women that are associated with menstruation and pregnancy. Tulsi strengthens the body's immune system in children and protects them from common infections. The effectiveness of the medicinal plant in preventing and curing swine flu only vouches for the host of other health benefits that the plant is traditionally known to offer.

While not on the website, Tulsi is available at SensibiliTeas. The cost is $3.00 for a 1 oz package, which would make about 15 cups of tea. In order to get the full benefits of Tulsi it is recommended that you drink 3 cups (2 mugs) of Tulsi per day. Wow ... all those benefits for about 43 cents a day? Nice!

Hot Spiced Cider

Wouldn't this be nice after a day of raking?

HOT SPICED CIDER

• 1 quart water
• 1-2 TBSP Constant Compliment
  
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 cups apple cider
• 1 1/2 cups light rum
• 8 cinnamon sticks
• 1TBSP butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Steep the Constant Compliment for five minutes using your favorite method. To the prepared tea, stir in the sugar, apple cider and rum. Add 2 of the cinnamon sticks. Heat just to steaming -- do not boil. (Mmmm ... doesn't that smell amazing!?)
   
2. Drop 1/6 TBSP (1/2 teaspoon) butter into each of 6 mugs. Ladle the steamy cider blend over the butter and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Trick or Tea!

On Friday, October 30th and Saturday, October 31st, SensibiliTeas is offering a free sample of any tea of your choice to anyone visiting the shop or placing an order during those two days.
Friday 2pm-5pm and Saturday 10pm-5pm. Happy Halloween!
30% off Pumpkin Pie Honeybush or Pumpkin Spice black tea!

Just a quick note ...

SensibiliTeas will be opening late on Saturday, September 19, as I must attend the burial of a family member. Our hours on that day are expected to be 2pm-5pm.

SensibiliTeas will also be closed much of the following week. Closed Wednesday, September 23-Friday September 25 opening, reopening Saturday, September 26 at 1pm or so.

I apologize for any inconvenience these closures may cause.

Back to school tea

Our bodies and immune systems are constantly fighting off foreign things such as pollution, bacteria and viruses. Our fast paced lives create stress which further weakens of our body's ability to combat illnesses. Using antibiotics can actually weaken our immune systems and it is predicted by medical experts, that super viruses will soon occur for which there will be no drug cure. Because we want to do what's best for our body, we desire to put only natural substances into it.

Olive leaf, from both the Mission and Manzanillo olive trees, dates back to around 1000 B.C. It was first used in the Mediterranean area of the world and was became known for its ability to promote good health and wellness. In the past decade, it has also become well known in the United States and other places of the world. Olive leaves can provide a natural way to produce energy, fight infection, help with managing chronic fatigue syndrome, and work with controlling your cholesterol. It is said that the olive leaf also boosts our immune systems, helps with viruses, shingles and herpes and increases skin health, and it is a wonderful aid in detoxifying our bodies. It's the toxic build up of free radicals that make our bodies sick.

Olive leaf can be used as a tea or in capsule form, both of which are now available at SensibiliTeas. The olive leaf can also be found in Holy Detox, a SensibiliTeas proprietary blend of olive leaf, tulsi and lemon myrtle. The olive leaf produces what is called oleuropein. It has been proven to fight colds and flu. In fact, recent studies have shown to be effective against the H1N1 virus, better known as swine flu. Research suggests that olive leaf may be a true anti-viral compound because it appears to selectively block an entire virus-specific system in the infected host. Olive leaf's broad killing power includes an ability to interfere with critical amino acid production for viruses; to contain viral infection and/or spread by inactivating viruses by preventing virus shredding, budding or assembly at the cell membrane; and to directly penetrate infected cells and stop viral replication.

Great idea for back-to-school!

Closed for vacation

SensibiliTeas is closed for vacation until August 11.

Would you like some lemon with that?

New research (though I don't know by whom) suggests that a squeeze of lemon juice in your tea helps with the absorption of catechins into the blood stream. Catechins are the class of powerful antioxidants found in abundance in green tea, as well as in wine and cocoa. Read the full story about the lemon juice here

Green Tea Has Role in Prostate Cancer Prevention

A clinical trial whose results were published this month concluded that green tea has a potential role in the treatment or prevention of prostate cancer.

A team of researchers from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport, La., conducted the study, which sought to determine whether high doses of the polyphenol found in green tea could reduce the levels of serum biomarkers associated with poor prognosis in prostate cancer patients.

The study was based on previous work indicating that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the polyphenol in green tea, has possible benefits for patients with prostate cancer, which leads to the death of some 27,000 men in the United States each year.

Twenty-six men ages 18 to 75 took 800 milligrams of EGCG daily over an average of six weeks. The EGCG was contained in Polyphenon E pills, and the patients all were scheduled to have their prostates removed.

Before and after the surgery, researchers measured the levels of several tissue markers that have been shown to indicate the worsening of prostate cancer. They found that, "men diagnosed with prostate cancer who take 1.3 grams daily of green tea catechins (800 milligrams EGCG) show a significant reduction in" several of these markers, stated a report published in the June 19 issue of Cancer Prevention Research.

Further in vitro study of cells also indicated that EGCG blocked the production of two of the biomarkers – hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) – in "at least two different prostate cancer-associated fibroblast cell lines." This is significant because HGF has been demonstrated in other research to promote cancer progression, the report noted, and lower levels of VEGF is predicted to increase a patient's overall survival time.

The study also looked at the possible detrimental effects on the liver of the high doses of EGCG, and found none.

The report concluded, "These data support a potential role for Polyphenon E in the treatment or prevention of prostate cancer and suggest that these findings should be verified by larger, placebo-controlled clinical trials."

Dr. James Cardelli, professor of microbiology and immunology and co-director of the LSU Cancer Center said, "The work will continue, and in fact we have opened a clinical trial to begin to determine if tea extracts can increase overall survival of lung cancer patients when combined with the targeted agent Tarceva. A lot of work still needs to be done."

Friday, 26 June 2009
by Heidi Kyser

Sad News regarding the Makaibari Tea Estate

The Makaibari Tea Estate in the Darjeeling region of India is home to some of our most popular teas -- Makaibari Green (also with ginger or mint added) , Makaibari Silver Tips, Ooooh Darjeelong. These teas may be in short supply in the coming months sue to a devastating cyclone that hit the estate last week. Below is the full story:

Makaibari Recovering From Cyclone Aila
by Heidi Kyser
Friday, 19 June 2009

Makaibari Estate suffered great damage from Cyclone Aila (photo courtesy Eco Prima)

A relief effort is underway to help the managers and workers at the Makaibari Tea estate who were affected by Cyclone Aila.

According to national weather reports, Aila (sometimes called a cyclone and sometimes a tropical storm) made landfall in southern Bangladesh and eastern India on May 25, 2009. The Times of India reported that the storm took an unusual turn directly to the north, causing it to rip through areas rarely affected by tropical storms. Various media have estimated the death toll so far to be as high as 275.

Rajah Banerjee, CEO of Makaibari described the cyclone as "devastating":

"On the night of 25th May , a fierce cyclone hit us with all its fury. It sped across the vast plains of Bengal, and winds, which were 139 miles an hour, increased its intensity once it was funneled into crevasses of the Himalayan foothills. Makaibari, in the Darjeeling sub-district of Kurseong was the first on its deadly path of mayhem , death and destruction."

"The ferocity of the wind-lashed rain was so great that the window panes turned to dust on impact – there were scarcely any shards. To see it happen in front of one's eyes is an absolute trauma. Branches of trees snapped off easily. Thousands of them swirled around throughout the night of the storm like unguided missiles, impaling and destroying. It was a night of terror, the likes of which has never been experienced before."

Damage to Makaibari Estate caused by Cyclone Aila (photo courtesy Eco Prima)Anupa Mueller, owner and CEO of Eco-Prima Tea, a close partner of Makaibari, reported that the cyclone damaged the roof of the tea factory, the manager's complex and 150 workers' homes. Banerjee added that he had lost 12 acres of tea in the rains that accompanied the storm.

Mueller received a letter from the Office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Darjeeling, which summarized the disaster and stated, "We are distributing relief from our end, but it would be desirable if NGOs (non-government organizations) are also involved in this relief and reconstruction."

According to the letter, a total of 3,322 houses were destroyed and another 5,346 were partially damaged. Mueller said Makaibari's estimated losses will be $1.5 million to $2 million.

In response, Eco-Prima plans to allocate a percentage of all Makaibari sales for relief funds. The company has set up a Web page where donations can be made.

Hampstead Tea London, another company that works closely with Makaibari, has also set up a special page on its Web site where donors can make contributions. Kiran Tawadey, director of Hampstead, said the effort has received support from Fairtrade as well as customers.

A tea tasting scheduled

On Friday, June 12 6pm-8pm there will be an Artist's Reception entitled ``Inspired by the Teapot'' held at Aimie's Lobby Gallery at Aimie's Dinner and a Movie on Glen Street in downtown Glens Falls. The artists are students of Chris Walton, of Studio Art in Glens Falls.
This is an exhibition of pottery and painting that is inspired by tea. Especially unique to this evening, each visitor will receive a gift of tea bowl made by the students. As well, there will be a tea tasting provided by SensibiliTeas. Though I've no idea yet precisely which tea to serve, it's sure to be a wonderful show. I hope that if you are in our area, you'll be able to join us!

If you require additional detail, please feel free to contact SensibiliTeas at
teasmith@sensibiliteasonline.com or contact Chris Walton at 518-743-1493.

Leukemia Patients Benefit From EGCG in Clinical Trial

A research team from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., last week released results of a clinical trial suggesting that an antioxidant found in green tea can benefit patients with a common type of leukemia.

A Mayo Clinic team led by Drs. Tait Shanafelt and Neil Kay were following up on previous, promising research in laboratories, on animal tissue and then on human cells. They administered capsules containing high doses (400 to 2,000 milligrams each) of epigallocatechin gallate, an antioxidant in green tea, to 33 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), which a news release described as "the most common subtype of leukemia in the United States."

One-third of participants experienced a reduced lymphocyte count, and the majority of individuals who entered the study with enlarged lymph nodes saw a 50-percent or greater decline in their lymph node size, the release stated.

Shanafelt said, "We found not only that patients tolerated the green tea extract at very high doses, but that many of them saw regression to some degree of their chronic lymphocytic leukemia."

Although blood tests can help diagnose CLL early on, there is no cure for the disease, and treatment requires letting it progress. About half of CLL patients have an aggressive form of it that leads to early death. According to the release, "Researchers hope that EGCG can stabilize CLL for early stage patients or perhaps improve the effectiveness of treatment when combined with other therapies."

A follow-up study to this one is already underway. A video interview with Shanafelt can be seen here.

June is National Iced Tea Month

June is National Iced Tea Month!

There are numerous stories about various food and drink products being introduced at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Such lists typically include iced tea as being "invented" at the 1904 Fair. Iced tea is often attributed to tea merchant Richard Blechynden, a tea plantation owner. The story goes that he had planned to give away free samples of his hot tea to fair visitors. However, the St. Louis summer was so hot that few fair visitors seemed interested. It is said that Blechynden dumped some ice into his tea creating a drink that was a "hit" at the fair.
Great story ... however ... fourteen years earlier ...

On September 20 and 21, 1890, the Missouri State Reunion of Ex-Confederate Veterans was held in Nevada, Missouri. Fifteen thousand veterans converged on the city of Nevada including several hundred from St. Louis. This event was held at the Artesian Park where an encampment was set up with rows upon rows of tents. The encampment was called Camp Jackson.

On the first day, a huge meal was served. The magnitude of this large barbecue is absolutely amazing even by today's standards -- over 11,000 pounds of beef was cooked. The biggest surprise however, is that the meal included iced tea - 880 gallons of it. Below is a clipping about that meal that appeared as a part of the write-up about the Confederate reunion that appeared in the September 28, 1890 issue of the Nevada Noticer newspaper.

This article was published fourteen years before the World's Fair. It also seems notable that the article is written in a style that infers that the newspaper assumed its readers knew what iced tea was. There can be no doubt that this clipping proves that iced tea was not "invented" at the St. Louis World's Fair and it inference is that iced tea had been around prior to 1890. This causes one to wonder if one of the St. Louis delegates remembered this drink and "re-invented" it at the fair. Or maybe the 1904 iced tea invention was just one of the many myths surrounding the World's Fair.

Pat Villmer of the St. Louis World's Fair Society wrote that tea, " wasn't 'invented' at the World's Fair. The good people of the South were serving iced tea in their homes long before the 1904 World's Fair. It was just popularized at the World's Fair. It was called sweet tea served cool not hot in the summer in the South. Ice, when available, was used. Remember, ice was the premium in the early days before refrigeration, not tea."

Even though it appears that not everyone believes that Iced Tea was "invented" at the fair, there are still numerous web sites and World's Fair references which declare that that is exactly what happened. It may have been popularized there, but this clipping definitely proves that Iced Tea was not a new drink in 1904.

Reference: Nevada Noticer, September 28, 1890. Nevada, MO.

Skip the Latte!

In the past few weeks, I guess as bathing suit season approaches more aggressively, the shop has been inundated with requests to help folks lose weight. Sure, there are tea's that can help boost your metabolism, help increase your energy level, curb your craving for sweets ... but do you know how many folks are telling me they stop by Starbucks for their morning latte? Maybe it's not just what you start drinking ... but also what you stop drinking!

Did you know that

...most of Starbucks' lattes pack more sugar than a two-scoop ice cream sundae? The Starbucks nutrition website boasts that one Grande Latte provides half of your recommended calcium intake for an entire day. What it doesn’t say is that some of those calcium-packed beverages also provides almost your entire day’s worth of sugars. Check it out: a no-whip Grande Gingersnap Latte packs 34 grams of the sweet stuff, a no-whip Grande Cinnamon Dolce Latte offers 37 grams. And the healthy-sounding Grande Black Tea Latte includes 31 grams. Add whipped cream, add sugar. And cutting back from 2 percent milk to skim doesn’t help, either—in fact, the fat-free versions are even sweeter.

If the RDA for sugar intake is 40g, how nice is the menu for the rest of your day really going to be? Let me suggest that you replace the daily latte with a cup of something TASTY AND GOOD FOR YOU that you can create in your own home? Save yourself the fat, the sugars, the calories, the gasoline and the money!

2009 Tea Expo Award Winners

We are pleased to announced that we have some of the 2009 Tea Expo Award Winners in stock!

In the Breakfast Blend category: 1st place! Chinese Breakfast
In the Ceylon category: 2nd place! Ceylon Vithanakande FBOPF EX
In the Darjeeling category: 2nd place! Darjeeling Risheehat Summer
In the Yunnan category: 2nd place! Golden Monkey
In the Black tea category: 3rd place! Ceylon Vithanakande
In the Iced Tea category: 2nd place! Citron Green Iced Tea Blend
3rd place! Blueberry Rooibos

Woohoo! Nice to have these winners on our shelves!

German Researchers: White Tea Can Affect Fat Life Cycle

Friday, 15 May 2009

Concern over increases in obesity-related diseases prompted research into the effects of white tea on the human body. Researchers in Germany conducted in-vitro studies to explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying fat metabolism, more specifically the effect of white tea on cultured human subcutaneous preadipocytes and adiopocytes (fat cells).

The findings, published this month in Nutrition & Metabolism, found that white tea effectively inhibits adipogenesis (the production of fat) and stimulates lipolysis activity (the destruction of fats). According to the abstract, this means white tea “can be utilized to modulate different levels of the adipocyte life cycle.”

If you'd like to see the full study and abstract please let me know and I'll provide that info to you!

World Asthma Day -- May 4

World Asthma Day reminds us of the plight that millions of sufferers of this lung disease face on an ongoing basis. An attack can be caused by allergy, infection or even stress, and can cause shortness of breath and struggling for air. If you want to keep the onset of an attack at bay by using holistic means, then visit a green grocer and grab some carrots and fresh ginger root. Grate and strain the ginger until you get about a tablespoon of juice. Add this to approximately six ounces of fresh carrot juice and drink each morning or anytime you feel congested. Helping to ease or prevent the next attack is the goal of this drink.

It's also been reported by customers of SensibiliTeas who are asthma sufferers, that the addition of African Outback (lemon myrtle and rooibos) in their daily routine (2-3 cups daily) has significantly reduced asthma symptoms in child and adult alike.

Swine Flu

Though news reports can seem really scary, I’m trying to keep this all in perspective. There are plenty of other illnesses out there that are responsible for far more deaths than swine flu. That’s not necessarily a good thing, but the regular flu kills over 10,000 people annually. Most of the folks hardest hit by influenza are older adults, very young children, and those who already tend to be sickly. Did you know that those are also the people who show the greatest vitamin D deficiencies?

Keep your Vitamin D levels up! We’re all taught that vitamin D is necessary for the development of healthy bones and teeth. But did you know that vitamin D is also great for your immune system? Sure, we all know milk is a great source of vitamin D, but remember that vitamin D can also be found in fish, eggs or fortified cereals. Vitamin D supplements are advised for those not getting enough vitamin D in their diet. Exposure to the sun is also important to keeping your vitamin D levels up. As contrary as it seems, this means exposure to the sun WITHOUT sunscreen. Sunscreens that block UV rays prevent the synthesis of vitamin D in the skin. No one is saying go out and lay in the sun unprotected for hours on end, but a few minutes a couple of times a day could be enough to help keep your vitamin D levels in check.

Hydrate! Our bodies are 80% water. It's important to stay hydrated and to allow the body to flush toxins from the blood and the liver.

Avoid stress. Every time we allow ourselves to become overcome with stress (often things we cannot control or change) we weaken our immune systems. Learn to cope with stress more effectively. Write down everything that worries you. Put that paper away. Read it again 2 months from now. How many of those fears were valid?

Avoid sugar and processed foods. Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately, and as you likely know, a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness. Be aware that sugar is present in foods you may not suspect, like ketchup and fruit juice. This is a good rule even outside the times of a swine flu outbreak.

Get Enough Rest. Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you're tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu. Perhaps some of our relaxation teas could help if you have a problem getting enough rest.

Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads.

Take a good source of animal based omega-3 fats like Krill Oil. Increase your intake of healthy and essential fats like the omega-3 found in krill oil, which is crucial for maintaining health. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils that are trans-fats and in processed foods as it will seriously damage your immune response.

Wash Your Hands. Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure you don't use antibacterial soap for this -- antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, as the flu is spread through a virus, not bacteria. A chemical free soap is the safest option for your family.

Avoid Hospitals and Vaccines. Personally, I opt for avoiding hospitals and vaccines unless there is some kind of emergency. Hospitals are breeding grounds for infections of all kinds, and could be one of the likeliest places you could be exposed to this virus. Vaccines cannot be available for at least six months and may be completely ineffective or even dangerous when they do become available.

Boost your immune system with teas. Of course, I will recommend boosting your immune system with teas. Rooibos is a tremendous aid in boosting your immune system, and a completely delicious way of doing so.

Introduce antiviral teas into your life. Herbal teas like Tulsi, Lemon Myrtle and Olive Leaf have antiviral properties to which I personally attribute my well-being. (In the shop we have a popular blend selling called Holy Detox ... it is Tulsi, Lemon Myrtle and Olive Leaf ... the perfect trio! Tulsi and Olive Leaf are not listed on the website at this time) I haven’t had a flu or even much of a cold in over 9 years. While my husband and others around me seem to be under the weather quite often, I continue to go on unaffected, even though I work with the public (at the tea shop) and with 900+ co-workers at my other job. (I’m a quality control technician for a medical device manufacturer). I attribute this success to a couple of factors. I drink lemon myrtle and tulsi on a regular basis. (African Outback is a longtime favorite!)

I try not to worry about the things I cannot control. Do you remember the horrible commercials they showed on TV when the swine flu threatened us in 1976?
1976 swine flu commercials

I wish each and every one of you the very best of health, and sincerely hope this flu does not impact your family.