| One of the biggest health concerns most | | | | Each day, as we convert the foods we eat |
| people have today is preventing cancer. | | | | into energy, we create free radicals in |
| Incidences of cancer and in the cancer | | | | our body. These free radicals are oxygen |
| mortality rate in the United States have | | | | containing molecules that can damage our |
| risen each year for the last fifty. The | | | | cells and our DNA if we dont combat |
| age-adjusted cancer mortality rate in | | | | them. It is believed that unchecked free |
| 1930 was 143 per 100,000 members of the | | | | radicals contribute to the development |
| population, but by 1990, it had risen to | | | | of cancer. |
| 174 per 100,000 in 1990. | | | | Anti-oxidants are powerful free radical |
| Medical technology has come along way in | | | | combatants. Fruits and vegetables are |
| treating this insidious disease, but we | | | | also high in anti-oxidants. |
| still dont appear to know a great deal | | | | Anti-oxidants are linked with preventing |
| about preventing many types of cancer. | | | | cancer, and a decreased risk of stroke, |
| And, even with the treatments that we do | | | | heart disease and lower blood |
| have, 300 people in the United States | | | | cholesterol. |
| die from cancer every single day. | | | | In addition to these anti-oxidants, all |
| Many of our countrys deaths from cancer | | | | teas, whether black, white or green |
| are completely preventable. For example, | | | | contain calcium, magnesium, potassium |
| about 90 percent of the one million skin | | | | and vitamins C and K. Green tea is also |
| cancers in the United States that were | | | | appears to be very good for your teeth. |
| diagnosed in 2005 could have been | | | | As exciting as it is to think that green |
| prevented by protection from sun. The | | | | tea may be helpful in preventing cancer; |
| American Cancer Society estimates that | | | | whats even more exciting is that it may |
| in 2006 about 170,000 lives will be lost | | | | also be a powerful treatment for cancer. |
| to cancer because of tobacco use, so | | | | In one recent study by the School of |
| these too are completely preventable. | | | | Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of |
| However, there are many other cancers | | | | Shizuoka, Japan*, research showed that |
| that we cannot prevent, in part because | | | | green tea, when combined with the drug |
| we dont know what causes them. But, | | | | Adriamycin, was more effective in |
| there may be a product already in your | | | | treating a certain kind of ovarian |
| cupboard that can help prevent, or even | | | | sarcoma (cancer of the ovaries) than |
| treat, cancer. Over the past several | | | | using the adriamycin alone. |
| years, medical science has begun to | | | | In fact, the cancer cells in the rats in |
| scientifically prove out what Asian | | | | the study were not very responsive at |
| culture seems to have known for years; | | | | all to the drug when it was administered |
| tea, particularly green tea is effective | | | | alone; but when administered along with |
| in preserving health. | | | | the substance in tea called theanine, |
| The Chinese have used green tea for | | | | the rats became extremely responsive to |
| centuries to treat everything from | | | | the treatment. The rats showed a much |
| headaches to depression. One of the most | | | | higher concentration of the drug in |
| significant health benefits that green | | | | their cancer cells when the drug was |
| tea appears to provide is prevention | | | | administered along with the theanine. |
| against certain types of cancer. But, | | | | This combination of andriamycin and |
| the studies are getting even more | | | | theanine appears to inhibit the growth |
| promising. It looks as though green tea | | | | of tumors; suggesting that cancer |
| can be an effective treatment for | | | | patients might be able to avoid |
| certain types of cancer, too. | | | | progression of their tumors and might be |
| Tea comes from the Camellia sinensis | | | | less susceptible to developing new |
| plant. Therefore, what we refer to as | | | | tumors, when green tea substances are |
| herb tea is not really tea at all, but | | | | used in conjunction with cancer drugs. |
| rather an herbal infusion. There are | | | | This is, of course, very exciting news. |
| many different types of tea; most of the | | | | Cancer treatment typically has two |
| differences come from the way the tea is | | | | facets. The first is killing the |
| processed. | | | | cancerous cells that already exist in |
| Tea leaves naturally contain catechins. | | | | the body. The second is preventing new |
| Catechins belong to the flavan-3-ol | | | | cancer cells from growing, both in the |
| class of flavonoids. EGCG is one of the | | | | organ where the cancer originated, and |
| many catechins contained in tea, and is | | | | in other organs (metastasis). |
| considered to be the most powerful | | | | If green tea can help with both aspects |
| anti-oxidant in tea leaves. | | | | of cancer treatment, as well as |
| Fermenting the tea leaves, which is part | | | | preventing cancer in the first place, we |
| of processing tea leaves for black tea, | | | | may be closer than ever to dramatically |
| converts these catechins to other | | | | reducing the incidence of or even |
| compounds and reduces their health | | | | eradicating this disease. Of course, far |
| benefits. Therefore, green tea, because | | | | more research is needed, but these |
| it is not fermented, retains more of its | | | | results are promising, indeed. |
| original anti-oxidants than black tea. | | | | School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, |
| Scientists have discovered that tea is | | | | University of Shizuoka, Japan. |
| healthy primarily because of these | | | | d7210@mail.p.u-shizuoka-ken.ac. |
| anti-oxidants. | | | | |