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I do a great deal of reading about nutrition, heart health, mental health, and living longer (and better!). While I do a great deal of research on these subjects for my self help blog and mental fitness blog, the main reason I do so much “healthy reading” is to keep my loved ones, and myself, as healthy as possible.
This morning, I read a great article on Prevention.com called “How Long Will I Live: Surprising Signs You’ll Live to Be 100?” The gist of the article was for the reader to learn what things he/she was doing right and what things they might want to consider doing. If, that is, they want to live as long and as healthy as possible.
As I was reading along, I’d think things like, “Good, I do that…” or “Ooops, I’m dropping the ball there.” When I came to the tip below, I thought, “I’m all over this one!”
Surprising Signs You’ll Live to be 100: You’re a Tea Lover
Both green and black teas contain a concentrated dose of catechins, substances that help blood vessels relax and protect your heart. In a study of more than 40,500 Japanese men and women, those who drank 5 or more cups of green tea every day had the lowest risk of dying from heart disease and stroke. Other studies involving black tea showed similar results.
You really need only 1 or 2 cups of tea daily to start doing your heart some good—just make sure it’s a fresh brew. Ready-to-drink teas (the kind you find in the supermarket beverage section) don’t offer the same health benefits. “Once water is added to tea leaves, their catechins degrade within a few days,” says Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, a professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University. Also, some studies show that adding milk may eliminate tea’s protective effects on the cardiovascular system, so stick to just lemon or honey.
I’ve always loved tea and tend to drink, not only my own share, but a family of eight’s share as well. I started drinking EVEN more tea when I reluctantly kicked my diet soft drink habit a short while back. Giving up drinks that were filled with things that were BAD for me and replacing them with drinks filled with things that were GREAT for me was one of the smartest things I ever did.
If you’re trying to give up soft drinks or diet soft drinks, stick with it. It’s tough, I know that as well as anyone. However, tea is a fantastic replacement. It’s delicious, healthy, refreshing, and has no downside. I found that, for some reason, while trying to kick the soft drink habit, it helped if my black tea was extra strong. You may also find that adding lemon and/or honey will make it even more enjoyable as well.
Read the great article in its entirety: How Long Will I Live: Surprising Signs You’ll Live to Be 100
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