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