Stressed? Drink more Tea

Stressed? Drink more Tea

Posted by veritas October 8, 2008



In today’s world, stress seems the norm, rather than the exception. From financial crises to the upcoming Presidential election, our lives are full of busyness and stress on a regular basis. But science has shown that there is a way to help reduce the negative effects of stress on our bodies.



The Problem of Stress

Why should you stress about stress? Well, you shouldn’t. However reducing stress – or at least the effects of stress – can help prevent numerous medical problems down the road. In the short term, consistent states of stress can result in fatigue, headaches, inability to concentrate and depression. But in the long run the real problems of stress come from the medical problems that can arise: ulcers, a weakened immune system, cardiovascular problems and even mental issues.



So reducing the stress in your life should be a priority. And there are great ways to reduce you personal stress including exercise, getting enough sleep, practicing yoga, slowing down your life, even having sex or laughing more. But there’s also a very easy way to reduce the effects of stress on your life that everyone can do: drink more tea!



Tea and Stress

How does tea reduce the effects of stress on your body? There may be more than one answer, but clearly one of the ways is by reducing the stress hormone cortisol in the body after a stressful event or day. A recent study on black tea explains why this matters:



“Our study suggests that drinking black tea may speed up our recovery from the daily stresses in life. Although it does not appear to reduce the actual levels of stress we experience, tea does seem to have a greater effect in bringing stress hormone levels back to normal,” says researcher Andrew Steptoe, of the University College London, in a news release. “This has important health implications, because slow recovery following acute stress has been associated with a greater risk of chronic illnesses such as coronary heart disease.”



Traditionally, green tea has been recommended for helping reduce the effects of stress, but this particular study focused on black tea. Another study shows that Oolong teas can help reduce the affects of stress. This one focused on the physical (and immediate) effects of stress on the body:

The results of the study concluded that the women who consumed tea showed reduced signs of physical stress related symptoms like headaches, stiffness in the neck and back and eye fatigue. Those participants receiving oolong tea showed greater benefit than those receiving barley tea. However, participants receiving barley tea showed greater benefit than the participants receiving water.

Barley tea is a herbal tea that is popular in Asia. Both the herbal tea and the Oolong had positive effects, but teas made from the Camellia sinensis plant seem to have the most positive effect. This would include Black teas, Oolong teas, Green teas and White teas. It’s still not clear exactly what ingredient in tea has this positive effect:



“We do not know what ingredients of tea were responsible for these effects on stress recovery and relaxation. Tea is chemically very complex, with many different ingredients. Ingredients such as catechins, polyphenols, flavonoids and amino acids have been found to have effects on neurotransmitters in the brain, but we cannot tell from this research which ones produced the differences.



So which teas work best for stress?



Best Teas to Reduce Stress



There are a few teas that stand out from the others in terms of reducing stress. The differences are primarily because of the other ingredients added to the teas, which give it an improved ability to fight stress and the effects of stress.



I would recommend starting with Earl Grey or Earl Grey Creme. Both are black teas, which means they help the heart and circulatory system in addition to helping reducing the effects of stress. But the also contain Bergamot Oil, which has been shown to reduce depression. Depression is another side-effect of stress, so these two teas in particular can be very effective at offsetting the effects of stress.

Next, I would consider Jasmine Oolong tea. Jasmine is commonly used in aroma therapy to help reduce anxiety and stress. As soon as the scent of this steaming cup of tea hits you, you’ll understand why. And Oolong also helps the circulatory system and blocks the abosorption of some cholesterol into the body. Although it contains a bit of caffeine, this tea is actually very relaxing and soothing.

Another tea to consider is Moroccan Mint Green tea. Mint, like Jasmine, has been used for centuries to relax the body and mind. It is especially effective at fighting headaches. The aroma of this tea alone helps to relax you immediately. And green tea also helps regulate your blood sugar and includes EGCG, which helps prevent oxidation damage that can become cancer.



Finally, I recommend Tranquil Dream herbal tea at night to help you relax. Although this isn’t strictly a tea (it’s a herbal tisane), it does include chamomile. Chamomile helps to relax and calm the body, but also reduces stress and acts as a natural anti-depressant. Drinking a cup of Tranquil Dream before bed helps relax your body and mind before bed, so that you get more sleep as well.



These teas are all exceptional at reducing the effects of stress on your body. The studies I mentioned seem to recommend around 4 cups of tea a day to see the best effects. Why not add one of these great teas to your regular schedule? It can only help with reducing stress in your life!



http://www.heavenoftea.com/typesoftea/greenteas/stressed-drink-more-tea/