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Benefits of Drinking Tea

Enjoy your tea.

It is good for health. In India, tea drinking is a part of our culture, but many of us who are health conscious believe that tea and coffee usage can be actually harmful. Doctors say that moderation needs to be exercised as with everything. 2-3 cups a day is ok but higher consumption may not add much to your health but certainly to your weight.

Research states that while all tea is healthy to drink, green tea contains the highest level of polyphenols (flavonoids), which are known for their antioxidant activity.

Much of the focus of modern research is on the effects of three ingredients found in tea: Antioxidants (polyphenols), nutrients, and caffeine.

Antioxidants

Many of the health benefits of drinking tea come from the high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols or flavonoids. These compounds are most prevalent in green and white teas, but are also present in varying degrees in Oolongs and black teas. In the processing of black teas another antioxidant is formed – theaflavin. This is weaker than the polyphenols in Green teas, but still performs antioxidant activities in laboratory experiments. Polyphenols scavenge cell-damaging free radicals, which are linked with cancer-causing genes and cause LDL cholesterol to form artery-clogging plaque. The polyphenols in tea possess 20 to 30 times the antioxidant potency of vitamins C and E. Antioxidants impair the ability of free radical cells to harm the molecules that make up our bodies.

Nutrients

Tea is a dietary source of important vitamins and minerals. Tea contains Carotene, a precursor to vitamin A; Thiamin (vitamin B1); Riboflavin (vitamin B2); Nicotinic acid, Pantothenic acid, Ascorbic acid (vitamin C), vitamin B6; Folic acid; Manganese, Potassium, and Fluoride.

Caffeine

In moderation caffeine can be a benefit – stimulating the metabolism, increasing brain function and alertness. But too much coffee and caffeinated colas, can lead to caffeine overload. A cup of coffee has approximately 125-185 milligrams of caffeine.Black Teas have a range of about 45-60 milligrams of caffeine , 35-45 milligrams for Oolong teas, and 15-20 milligrams for green teas. Depending upon the type of tea and how it is prepared, caffeine levels can be significantly greater or lower.

Some black teas, depending on how it is brewed , can have as much caffeine as a cup of strong coffee. Because caffeine from tea does not take effect for 10-15 minutes, it provides more of a feeling of relaxed energy boost rather than the quick pick me up of a cup of coffee.

The effect of caffeine is also complemented by another compound found only in tea, theophylline. While caffeine primarily is active in the brain and muscles, theophylline is active in stimulating the respiratory system, heart and kidneys. Tea is helpful in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system.

This is how it the consumption of tea benefits you-

Thinning the blood

Reducing the risk of a heart attack

Lowering the risk of stroke

Reducing the risk of cancer

Boosting longevity

Aiding digestion

Preventing dental cavities and gingivitis

Enhancing immune function

Lowering LDL cholesterol levels

Increasing HDL cholesterol levels

Reducing blood pressure

Contributed by Dr. Madhavi Rao

Posted under Health and Fitness

People who work  usually complain about not finding the time or the inclination to exercise. And it requires a lot of discipline to wake up early for a jog. So, work out while sitting at your desk.

DESK Workouts

The common excuse for not exercising is that you don’t have the time.

Now, workouts at your desk are the solution.

So go ahead use your office time and space to do these quick workouts to stay fit and healthy !

Here are some recommended exercises to be carried out at least twice a day at work, when working at you desk in office.  The exercises should take no longer than 5 to 10 minutes to perform, and needs to be carried out a minimum of twice a day.

(If you have spondulitis or any other medical problem , please consult your doctor before trying out these exercises ).

Hand Squeezes

Contract your hands, then spread out your fingers. Repeat 6 times.

The goal of these exercises is to reduce the risk of developing overuse syndrome and other muscular skeletal symptoms, as a consequence of prolonged sitting in front of a computer or working in an office environment.

Chin Tuck

Sit upright, place your hand under your chin and tuck your chin in without lifting your chin up or away from your hand. Do not push your chin down into your hand.

It should be a straight pull backwards.

Repeat this 6 times.

The Nod

Place your hands around your neck and gently fixate your neck with your arms. Nod with the upper part of your head and look down. Now look straight.

Repeat this small nodding movement 6 times.

Shoulder Blade Tuck

Pull your shoulder blades back and down together (towards the cross indicated on the picture).

Relax and repeat 6 times.

Thoracic Spine Stretch

Sit forward in your chair and cross one leg over the other. Now lean back over the back rest of the chair. Feel a gentle stretch in your upper mid-back. You can change the level of where you feel the stretch, by moving up or down in your chair. Hold for 10-15 seconds, breathing slowly. There should be no pain felt.

Thoracic Spine Rotation

Sit slightly forward in your chair and put your left arm on your right knee and your right hand behind your chair. Pull back so you feel a stretch in your lower back and thoracic spine.

Pull the stretch to where it feels comfortable and hold for 10-15 seconds. Now turn to the opposite side and feel the stretch on the other side of your thoracic spine. Repeat twice.

The Shoulder Shrug

Tense up your shoulders by lifting your shoulders up around your ears. Hold them up for 3 counts and then relax….and smile!! Repeat 6 times.

Range of Motion Exercises for your Neck

1. Gently look up as far as you can to feel a stretch in the front of your neck.

2. Slowly look down and feel a gentle stretch in the back of your neck.

3. Turn your head from side to side and feel the stretch in your neck.

Repeat all of these neck stretches 6 times.

Stretches of the Forearms

Sit upright with the back of your hand pointed up towards the roof. Drop your fingers down to point towards the floor and feel the stretch in your forearm. With the opposite hand, push on the fingers to feel the stretch in the forearm.

Start with a bent arm and slowly straighten your arm out. Feel the stretch in the forearm. Hold for 10 seconds while maintaining your neck in a neutral position and sit upright.

There should not be any pain.

Sit upright with your palms pointing up towards the ceiling. Bend one wrist back and pull with the other hand so you feel a pull in your forearm. Slowly extend your elbow and feel the stretch on the inside of your arm (where the arrow is). Hold the stretch for 10-15 seconds. It should feel like a pull, but not painful.

Back Extension

Place your hands on your lower back and slowly push your hips forward so your upper back extends forward. Feel the stretch in your lower back. There should be no pain, just a stretching feeling in your lower back. If you do feel pain, STOP this exercise.

If you feel up to it, you may look up to the roof, otherwise keep looking straight ahead.

Go back to neutral position and repeat for 6 times.

Stand up, with your arms up. Drop your left hand to your right knee and pull upwards. Now change and drop your right hand to your left knee and pull up. Repeat 10 times in a quick rhythm and smile!!

Stand up against a wall. Bend your knees and gently sit back onto the wall.

Get as much of your spine to touch the wall as possible, lift one hand up and down in a relatively quick rhythm.

Now change hands and repeat both sides 10 times.

Smile

Smile!

You will notice the results immediately. Not only will you feel more alert but more supple with your limbs. We suggest you combine your deskexercises with a 10 minute walk  either by pacing around in your room or within your office .

Start now. Use your desk to stay fit !

Courtesy Jobnet Magazine issue 107
Republication or dissemination of the contents of this article are expressly prohibited without the written consent of the Author

Posted under Health and Fitness