Spring is on the way, thoughts are now turning to summer and of being out in the sunshine. Given that the UV levels in the atmosphere are higher now than before the advent of the widespread use of cfcs, you need to protect youself against harm. Pollution from escaped cfcs led to a thinning of the ozone layer, creating the well-documented holes. The high level ozone is our safety screen against the effects of harmful ultra-violet (UV) rays from our Sun. The ozone layer does not cut these out completely, it is in fact UV rays that create your sun tan. Exposure to the harmful UVB and UVC wavelengths of radiation can lead to cancer With the thinning of the ozone layer more UVB now reaches the surface of the Earth (UVC is pretty much blocked anyway) and skin cancer is on the rise. This is a particular problem in the sunny southern hemisphere countries as the thinning of the ozone is greatest over the south polar region.

For more information on UV click here

If caught early, skin cancer is often curable. Prevention however is better than cure, the most effective is to keep your skin from exposure to any type of UV. Second best are sun creams. But do suncreams do more harm than good - the chemicals in them are artificial and created from benzene based compounds - a known carcinogen. I have seen no research into whether these break down under the influence of UV creating the very problem that they are supposed to cure; maybe that is because they don't or maybe it is because they do ... but the sun cream industry is big business so such findings are likely to be suppressed.

One of the consequences of our modern day living is pollution. Pollution of our atmosphere has 

Happily, for those of us who are reluctant to use artificially created chemicals on our bodies there is a possible alternative - green tea!

As I have already said, there are several different ways to help your skin stay safe from the effects of UV but did you know that green tea may help? Green tea contains antioxidants (called polyphenols) that are believed to protect against some cancers by fighting the effects of harmful free radicals. Free radicals are undesirable chemicals in the body which can damage cell DNA and, as a result, start the process of turning a cell cancerous.

Researchers in the US have noticed from other reports that regular use of green tea may well protect against skin cancer. In some of the studies they have scrutinised, it has been found that green tea taken orally or applied to the skin has prevented damage from UV. It appears more beneficial to drink the green tea, however, supplementing this with external application of teas containing green tea extract may increase the efficacy of this natural protection. Evidence for the latter comes from the Archives of Dermatology 2000;136:989-994, 1051 - mice exposed to a chemical that causes skin cancer were less likely to develop tumours if they had green tea ointment applied for 1 week prior to exposure.

So there you go, a very good reason to buy green tea, the miracle drink!

Frozen Leaves ...

Beijing 22.03.10

 

 

GREEN TEA UP DATE : Fresh Green - Long Jin 

 

In the beginning of the 2010 spring harvest, one unexpected snow storm has frozen most of the tea trees in the Zheijian region, where the Fresh Green, Long Jin is planted. Therefore they will not be available for a few weeks. Green teas must be consumed fresh, so we ship them weekly. We will resume the shipments shortly.

 

Nevertheless you have now a great alternative of Green Teas from In Nature; the Spring Green, Bilo Chun from Jiansu or the Mountain Green, the exceptional fresh Mao Feng from Anhui. Pure  Green Teas with the same exceptional quality, taste and aroma, available only from In Nature.

 

For more details please contact your supplier or our sales department at: + 44 5588609 or sales@innteas.com. 

 

Alternatively, buy your green tea on line at www.innteas.com

 

 

 

Arthritis and Green Tea - Can it Really Help?

Arthritis has been a recognized medical condition since ancient times, and the Chinese had developed numerous formulas for its treatment. Chinese herbal formulas were not specifically designed for either of the two major types of arthritis defined today. The basis for Chinese doctors differentiating arthritis into subgroups was not the microscopic details of the pathology. Instead, arthritis was divided into traditional medicine categories: hot and cold types, upper and lower body involvement, deficiency or excess syndrome, pain characteristics (such as variability and severity), and whether the site of the arthritis was fixed or "moving."

In China, syndromes similar to rheumatoid arthritis were an area of special concern, generating considerable literature on the subject, since the condition could arise suddenly and could rapidly become severely debilitating. Osteoarthritis, on the other hand, tended to be lumped together with other disorders of aging, in which stiffness and pain, especially of the legs, was considered just one part of the gradual deterioration of body functions that occurs with old age.

One of the methods that Traditional Chinese Medicine uses against arthritis is acupuncture - the insertion of superfine, disposable, sterilised needles to stimulate vital energy, promoting pain relief and restoring essential balance allowing a feeling of well-being.

To help keep your body's nutrients in balance we recommend at least three cups of a good quality, pure organic green tea or oolong Tea a day. Drink the tea without milk, cream or sugar. Studies in Japan suggest that 7 or more cups of green tea per day could supply the body with antioxidants and other nutrients that may help to stave off diseases of old age - hear disease, arthritis etc.

Arthritis sufferers can often improve their situation by changing their eating habits. Seek advice from a qualified nutritionist for your own specific situation but as a rule, if you suffer from any form of arthritis you should cut down on all cheese and dairy. Smoking and black coffee is a dire combination and if this describes you, you must quickly look for better and healthier alternatives such as green tea.

Anaemia Hair Loss and Chinese Medicine

Hair loss, when brought on by anaemia and allergies can be cured with Chinese herbal medicine. There is no known genuine remedy for natural alopecia.

In traditional Chinese medicine hair loss is connected with the weakness of blood circulation and kidney function. There are internal and external remedies can be effective to reduce hair loss.

Internal Remedies

Shen Ying Yang Zhen Dan

Tong Qiao Hou Xue Tang + Xiao Yao San

Ba Zhen Tang

Qi Bao Mei Fa Dan + Chuan Xiong

External Remedies

Sheng Jiang or Chuan Xiong is applied directly to effected area to stimulate circulation.

Anaemia is a widely used term to cover blood disorders involving problems with the red blood cells. The causes vary from environmental (e.g. poor diet, heavy bleeding after an accident) to genetic (e.g. sickle cell anaemia). Thus there are no quick-fix general solutions. The solution depends upon the individual's specific situation. Both western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine acknowledge this, with the latter taking an holistic approach to try to solve the underlying causes where possible.

Chinese Teas are excellent to help to balance your general health condition. They can improve the circulation and have many nutrients that can be of assistance to your immune system in particular. You should try them and see the effects. However there are studies that suggest that teas can inhibit the absorption of iron in the body, which is clearly not good during the treatment of anaemia. So seek medical advice concerning your specific situation. Green tea is the least processed tea and is therefore more likely to contain the highest level of these beneficial nutrients.

And finally a good healthy diet including the important vegetables spinach, broccoli and tomatoes, low in fats and high on iron and vitamins. Eat plenty of garlic

Yours sincerely

Doctor Wei
In Nature

DISCLAIMER: This is not medical advice, this is for information only. Should you have this condition, we strongly recommend that you consult a qualified physician.

Can You Afford to Ignore 5000 Years of Wisdom?

At school, we had a saying for those occasions where someone did something stupid and got into trouble ... "Confucious he say" followed by some related pearl of wisdom such as "not to drop water bombs when the headmaster is near". OK, it wasn't original and I think it had been picked up by one of the 'in-crowd' whilst watching one of the martial arts programmes on TV. We did not really appreciate who Confucious was or why it was appropriate to invoke him in these situations, it was just amusing and universal amongst our friendship group.

40 years down the line, a little more aware of the world, and the saying is now much more appreciated. Many pearls of wisdom have reached the 'West' from China, not least of all an increasing awareness of the role of natural products in the context of health and healing.

I first drank green tea in my 20s, but it was just bought from the local health shop as tea bags. It didn't taste any different to ordinary tea but it felt good to say "Actually, I drink green tea" - all rather pretentious (it was the 70s after all). It was not until much later in life that I came to realise that what I was drinking was the fannings (dust from processing tea) and no wonder there was little taste.

Next came Gunpowder green tea which seemed to have more flavour and I rather liked the rolled up pellets; it tasted perhaps slightly smoky and had more of an aroma that the health shop green tea.

Then I discovered real green tea. Gourmet quality green tea. That was an eye opener indeed, or rather a taste bud opener. The freshness, aroma and flavour of a quality green tea that hand picked and packed in China by small growers working organically and in a traditional way absolutely stunned me. I was hooked.

Then, as I started to look into it in more detail, I realised that not only was the flavour something else but it held so much more goodness. It contains antioxidant chemicals which can help your body combat the onset of cancer or heart disease for example. There are many other health benefits too because green tea is essentially unprocessed. Exactly as nature 'intended'.

Confucious probably would have had something to say about the stupidity that was drinking green tea from tea bags and feeling smug about it ... "Confucious he say not to drink tea bag tea when there is loose green tea available".

Why Are Pure High Grade Teas Better For You?

Simply because they have nothing added and they taste better with all the natural properties preserved pure, just as Mother Nature intended; from the high mountains of China, directly to your cup. This is the philosophy of In Nature - the respect and integrity of the natural purity of Teas. We believe you will taste and feel the difference. Take a look around our web site about loose green teas and perhaps discover your path to a healthier way of life.

Mountain Green - Mao Feng ( Alpine Tea )

Alpine Mao Feng is our premium grade green tea. Only the finest and freshest buds find their way into this outstanding product.

This tea brews to give a pale yellow-green colour with a characteristic aroma and rich flavour with a clean and refreshing aftertaste. Words are insufficient to describe its taste, the only way to truly know it is to taste it.

Pack size: 50g

Servings: 50 cups or more. Full instructions on how to prepare the perfect cup of tea inside each box

Prices:
     
UK - £8.53     

US - $13.65    

Euro zone - €10.66

Health Benefits of Green Tea

• Digestion
• Anti-bacterial
• Slimming
• Cancer prevention
• Heart (blood vessels)
• Tooth care
• Longevity/anti-aging

So ... enjoy a better and healthier living ... drink pure teas.