Good morning ...
Well, the good folks at blogger changed their way of doing things I'm sure I'll adjust. However, the emailed version of the blog yesterday was really icky looking.
The problem has always been a blog with a black background and an email with a white background... how to best format the text...
Well, I've alleviated the problem (I hope) by cleaning up the blog a little and giving it a fresher look. Let me know what you think!
Friday, April 27, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Brain Waves Indicate Tea Creates `Relaxed Alertness'
Brain Waves Indicate Tea Creates ‘Relaxed Alertness’
26 Apr 2012
By World Tea News
Brain scans show that compared to water, the L-theanine in tea has a very pronounced calming effect (indicated by red, alpha waves)
Australian researchers at the Center for Human Psychopharmacology measuring brain waves of volunteers found the EGCG in tea has a calming effect producing “relaxed alertness.”
Lead researcher Andrew Scholey sought to discover whether the flavonoid epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) modulates brain activity and self-reported mood in a double-blind, placebo controlled crossover study.
Participants completed baseline assessments of cognitive and cardiovascular functioning, mood and a resting state electroencephalogram (EEG) before and two hours after receiving 300 mg EGCG or matched placebo, according to Scholey.
He writes that “EGCG administration was associated with a significant overall increase in alpha, beta and theta activity, also reflected in overall EEG activity, more dominant in midline frontal and central regions, specifically in the frontal gyrus and medial frontal gyrus. In comparison to placebo the EGCG treatment also increased self-rated calmness and reduced self rated stress. “
“This is in keeping with the widespread consumption of green tea for its purported relaxing/refreshing properties,” he concludes.
EGCG is one of the key flavonoid phytonutrients found in the Camellia sinensis, the plant from which green, white, black, and oolong teas are made, writes Dr. Michael Greger who has written about similar findings with the active ingredient L-Theanine.
Using an electroencephalogram, researchers were able to anatomically match changes in brain wave activity to the feelings of a relaxed alertness that participants reported when consuming the tea phytonutrients, compared to a double-blinded placebo, he writes.
In a report on his website, Care2Make a Difference (www.Care2.com) Dr. Greger an author, physician and founder of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, describes in a video how the introduction of L-theanine (50 mg) has a similar pronounced effecting on brain wave activity (pictured here).
The phytonutrient theanine “offers another neurological basis for humanity’s love affair with tea,” writes Dr. Greger. “Relaxed and aware is where we want to be. How do we get there? Drink tea,” he says.
There are benefits to tea drinking beyond just making us feel good, such as extending our lifespan.
This may explain the so-called Asian Paradox, why people living in Asia have lower heart disease and lung cancer rates despite their high level of smoking.
“How many cups a day of green tea are associated with increased longevity, though?” he asks.
“Five.”
Sources: Appetite, Acute Neurocognitive Effects of Epigallocatechin Gallate
Abstract: Acute neurocognitive effects of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).
Scholey A, Downey LA, Ciorciari J, Pipingas A, Nolidin K, Finn M, Wines M, Catchlove S, Terrens A, Barlow E, Gordon L, Stough C.
Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University, Melbourne, Vic. 3122, Australia
By World Tea News
Brain scans show that compared to water, the L-theanine in tea has a very pronounced calming effect (indicated by red, alpha waves)
Australian researchers at the Center for Human Psychopharmacology measuring brain waves of volunteers found the EGCG in tea has a calming effect producing “relaxed alertness.”
Lead researcher Andrew Scholey sought to discover whether the flavonoid epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) modulates brain activity and self-reported mood in a double-blind, placebo controlled crossover study.
Participants completed baseline assessments of cognitive and cardiovascular functioning, mood and a resting state electroencephalogram (EEG) before and two hours after receiving 300 mg EGCG or matched placebo, according to Scholey.
He writes that “EGCG administration was associated with a significant overall increase in alpha, beta and theta activity, also reflected in overall EEG activity, more dominant in midline frontal and central regions, specifically in the frontal gyrus and medial frontal gyrus. In comparison to placebo the EGCG treatment also increased self-rated calmness and reduced self rated stress. “
“This is in keeping with the widespread consumption of green tea for its purported relaxing/refreshing properties,” he concludes.
EGCG is one of the key flavonoid phytonutrients found in the Camellia sinensis, the plant from which green, white, black, and oolong teas are made, writes Dr. Michael Greger who has written about similar findings with the active ingredient L-Theanine.
Using an electroencephalogram, researchers were able to anatomically match changes in brain wave activity to the feelings of a relaxed alertness that participants reported when consuming the tea phytonutrients, compared to a double-blinded placebo, he writes.
In a report on his website, Care2Make a Difference (www.Care2.com) Dr. Greger an author, physician and founder of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, describes in a video how the introduction of L-theanine (50 mg) has a similar pronounced effecting on brain wave activity (pictured here).
The phytonutrient theanine “offers another neurological basis for humanity’s love affair with tea,” writes Dr. Greger. “Relaxed and aware is where we want to be. How do we get there? Drink tea,” he says.
There are benefits to tea drinking beyond just making us feel good, such as extending our lifespan.
This may explain the so-called Asian Paradox, why people living in Asia have lower heart disease and lung cancer rates despite their high level of smoking.
“How many cups a day of green tea are associated with increased longevity, though?” he asks.
“Five.”
Sources: Appetite, Acute Neurocognitive Effects of Epigallocatechin Gallate
Abstract: Acute neurocognitive effects of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).
Scholey A, Downey LA, Ciorciari J, Pipingas A, Nolidin K, Finn M, Wines M, Catchlove S, Terrens A, Barlow E, Gordon L, Stough C.
Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University, Melbourne, Vic. 3122, Australia
Monday, April 16, 2012
Good morning folks! Some major changes going on at SensibiliTeas these days ...
Over the next month or so, I will be working on modifying the SensibiliTeas pricing structure. This will include a tiny price increase. I figure it's time, in that I haven't increased prices since opening on 04/25/2006 (that's right! SensibiliTeas birthday is just around the corner!) during a time when the world has seen skyrocketing shipping charges, global climatic changes and meterological problems and significant global unrest ... all things that contribute to higher tea prices.
Anyway ... I'm doing it in such a way that though some will pay a little more, some people may even benefit! Instead of offering firm price breaks at 4oz, 8oz and 1lb, there will be a 10% discount for purchases of 4-7 oz of tea, 8-15 oz of tea will see a 15% discount, and those purchasing 16oz or more will see a 25% discount.
Here's a price comparison:
Now:
Lime Ginger Green Rooibos
1 oz. = $3.00 (.30 per cup)
4 oz. = 10.00 (.20-.25 per cup)
8 oz = 19.00 (.19-.24 per cup)
16oz = 32.00 (.16-.17 per cup)
Coming :
1oz = $3.00 (about .30 per cup)
4oz = 12.00-1.20 = 10.80 (.22-.27 per cup)
8oz = 24.00-4.80 = 20.40 (.20-.26 per cup)
16oz =48.00-12.00=36.00 (.18 per cup)
As well, we are discontinuing the sample size. The price of the packaging has become far too expensive, so minimum prices begin at 1oz. Hope you understand.
While researching more affordable packaging, we have found the need to change our packaging. Most tea purchases will now be packaged in rice paper bags. All of them will be light green, so it will be difficult for you to come into the shop and tell us you need a gold bag of tea when we no longer have them. If you are unsure how much tea you usually, please bring your old bag with you, and we'll help you figure it out. I expect the packaging changes to happen sometime in the coming week.
Even though prices are going up a little, many people will benefit!
The price breaks will no longer be limited to the purchase of a single kind of tea, but will apply to your entire purchase. So where
currently you'd buy
Apricot Allure 1oz = $3.00
Lemon Tulsi 1oz. = $3.00
Assam 1947 1oz. = $3.00
Mayan Chai 1oz. = $3.00
And your bill would be $12.00.
With the pricing structure change you'd get at 10% discount and pay $10.80!
Changing prices on 600+ different teas is a time consuming task -- even more so when considering how carefully it must be done to make sure the bookkeeping system, the website and the new brochure we're working on all say the same, so I'm begging for your patience as we move through this crazy project.
All in all, we promise to keep our prices lower and practices more fair than our mall-residing competitors. ;0)
Thanks for your continued loyaltea!
donnalynn
Friday, April 06, 2012
Female Tea Drinkers Appear to Have Fewer Bouts of Gastric Cancer
Tea Drinkers Appear to Have Fewer Bouts of Gastric Cancer
04 Apr 2012
By World Tea News
TOKYO, Japan
Researchers at the National Cancer Center in Tokyo report that women who drank five or more cups of tea a day were 21 percent less likely to be diagnosed with gastric cancer.
There were is no similar association observe for men.
The study is compiled from results of eight separate research papers and three case-controlled studies as analyzed by the Shizuka Sasazuki research team and published in the Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Gastric or stomach cancer has a high mortality rate, killing 800,000 people worldwide each year. This disease most often occurs in men and women aged 40 or older.
Authors of this study said previous epidemiological studies resulted in inconsistent conclusions and they would like to combine all data from quality studies to see if there is an inverse association between drinking green tea and risk of gastric cancer in men and women.
In a report on the findings by David Liu, Ph.D. for Food Consumer(foodconsumer.org), writes “the study results did not mean that drinking green tea would definitely reduce the risk of stomach cancer even though that possibility cannot be excluded either.”
“Case-control studies, however, consistently showed an inverse correlation between green tea consumption and stomach cancer risk. But the association was weak or moderate,” writes Liu.
“Although this study did not establish any inverse association between green tea intake and risk of gastric cancer in men, it did not exclude the possibility either. It is possible that some other factors outweighed the effect of green tea on the risk of gastric cancer, making the protective effect of green tea insignificant,” according to Liu.
Source: FoodConsumer.org
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