A cup of green tea 一杯綠茶

“Every medicine is the only medicine for a specific disease, but tea is the medicine for all causes,” – Chen Zang

Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as green tea? The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression.

Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.

To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:

• cancer
• rheumatoid arthritis
• high cholesterol levels
• cariovascular disease
• infection
• impaired immune function

WHY AND WHAT MAKES GREEN TEA SO SPECIAL ???

The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Why don’t other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.

If you have tooth decay then green tea is definitely for you. Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque. Meanwhile, skin preparations containing green tea – from deodorants to creams – are starting to appear on the market.

As far as caffeine goes, green tea has about the same or less caffeine as the average cup of tea – and that’s still less than the average cup of coffee. Still, producers have come up with decaffeinated green tea for the discriminating drinker who worries about their nerves and wish to control their intake.

There are many varieties of green tea out there for you to try and sample; almost as many as there are types of coffee at your local store. Many major coffee and tea makers have now decided to package and sell green tea alongside their usual brands, offering the consumer a choice for their daily commute. The different types include flavored green teas such as plum and cherry, catering to your different tastes and likes.

To resume:

• CUT YOUR CANCER RISK

Several polyphenols – the potent antioxidants green tea’s famous for – seem to help keep cancer cells from gaining a foothold in the body, by discouraging their growth and then squelching the creation of new blood vessels that tumors need to thrive. Study after study has found that people who regularly drink green tea reduce their risk of breast, stomach, esophagus, colon, and/or prostate cancer.

• SOOTHE YOUR SKIN

Got a cut, scrape, or bite, and a little leftover green tea? Soak a cotton pad in it. The tea is a natural antiseptic that relieves itching and swelling. Try it on inflamed breakouts and blemishes, sunburns, even puffy eyelids.

• PROTECT YOUR SKIN

In the lab, green tea applied directly to the skin (or consumed) helps block sun-triggered skin cancer, which is why you’re seeing green tea in more and more sunscreens and moisturizers.

• STEADY YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE

Having healthy blood pressure – meaning below 120/80 – is one thing. Keeping it that way is quite another. But people who sip just half a cup a day are almost 50 percent less likely to wind up with hypertension than non-drinkers. Credit goes to the polyphenols again (especially one known as ECGC). They help keep blood vessels from contracting and raising blood pressure.

• PROTECT YOUR MEMORY

Green tea may also keep the brain from turning fuzzy. Getting-up-there adults who drink at least two cups a day are half as likely to develop cognitive problems as those who drink less. Why? It appears that the tea’s big dose of antioxidants fights the free-radical damage to brain nerves seen in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

• STAY YOUNG

The younger and healthier your arteries are, the younger and healthier you are. So fight plaque build-up in your blood vessels, which ups the risk of heart disease and stroke, adds years to your biological age (or RealAge), and saps your energy too. How much green tea does this vital job take? About 10 ounces a day, which also deters your body from absorbing artery-clogging fat and cholesterol.

• LOSE WEIGHT

Green tea speeds up your body’s calorie-burning process. In the every-little-bit-counts department, this is good news for everyone trying to lose weight. It will speed up your metabolism

To sum up,  green tea is pretty much the only fat burner you need or that has proven truly effective, it will also act as a powerful anti-oxidant detoxifying your body. The other main advantage is the calming effect it has there is nothing better than a peaceful mind and good green tea will get you on the right track!

Staying fit without even knowing

1- Get a bike

With the prices of the fuel rising and streets getting more and more hectic what better way to get in the habit of using a bike to get to places or commute instead of the bus, subway or car. Cycling is a great way to get  fit without burning out like jogging or running does. This is thanks to its low impact on both your body and mind. Its also a great feeling and definitely gives a sense of freedom that cannot be found anywhere else.

Beginners Guide to Cycling

6 Tips for Commuting by Bike

2- Walk for 20 Minutes

Everyday try to get in at least 20 minutes of walking this isn’t a tall order by any means and could simply be 10 minutes before breakfast and 10 minutes after dinner.  Walking for 20 minutes a day will have a profound effect on your mood and well being as well as making your body work more efficiently. After dinner, it is also an effective way to help with the food digestion.

3- Get a Fruit Bowl

You can’t have an empty fruit bowl! Filling it up means you will always have fruit on hand making you snack well……Fill it up with fruits that last a few days like apple’s, orange’s and pears and grab a piece on your way out the door in the morning if you’re in a rush. All fruits are packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber ensuring a prolonged energy release to keep you going throughout the day….On top of this having an appealing looking fruit bowl will encourage healthy snacking and eating for everyone in your household.

4- Use more of the Following

1. Cinnamon, it will help you keep your blood sugar in check add a small spoon to tea or coffee to reap the benefits. On top of being a potent antioxidant, it is calories-free and high in fiber. I

2. Apple Cider Vinegar, it has long been renowned for its health benefits including its ability to help digestion and control blood sugar levels. Its great to add to salads or just have a shot once or twice a day to reap the full benefits.  Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits

5- Go Shopping

Here’s some good news for shopaholics – festive shopping can give you bags of exercise. According to a leading retailer, the seasonal ‘running’ stuff offers a workout as intensive as a visit to the gym, reports The Daily Express. “On average, you burn 200 to 300 calories an hour when walking, which increases to 300 to 350 calories when combined with walking up and down steps. “If you’re exercising for more than 45 minutes calorie burn increases, so planning a minimum of an hour shopping trip is a good idea.” Shopping used to be a dangerous sport ( especially for your wallet ) but following these studies, it is obvious that shopping actually contributes to a better health.

5- Play Wii

Ever since Wii started infusing fun and exercises into its games, it did revolutionize the way we exercise. This unique innovation in gaming and exercise from Nintendo proves a hit with millions of health-conscious people all over the world and gamers alike. And now, with Wii Fit Workout Kit, there is no excuse for lack of exercises. It can be done virtually even in your living room.

Add challenge and fun to your workouts

Plyometrics comes from the Greek word “pleythyein” (i.e. to augment or increase).  However, the actual word plyometrics was first coined in 1975 by American track coach, Fred Wilt.   Based from the Latin root words “plio” (i.e. more) and “metric” (i.e. to measure).

Plyometrics can best be described as “explosive-reactive” power training.  This type of training involves powerful muscular contractions in response to a rapid stretching of the involved musculature.  These powerful contractions are not a pure muscular event; they have an extremely high degree of central nervous system involvement.  The event is a neuromuscular event!  It is a combination of an involuntary reflex (i.e. a neural event), which is then followed by a fast muscular contraction (i.e. voluntary muscular event).  It sounds complicated but it’s really not.  These muscular contractions are achieved mainly through a variety of jumping, bounding and hopping exercises. This training relies on basic equipment such as steps, hurdles, medicine balls and jump ropes and your own body.

Many atheletes are always improving their physical capabilities through numerous types of training. The most common areas where atheletes seek improvement are in the areas of power and speed. Building explosive power and speed can be achieved through the use of plyometrics. For example, if you are a basketball player or volleyball player, then a box jumping exercise would help in improving your vertical jump height. But even water sports such as swimming and water polo have their favorite plyometric exercises that will allow athletes to build power and explosive speed in each respective sport.

Since i played water polo during my years as a University student, i was in direct contact with these type of exercises almost at every training sessions. A typical plyometric workout would consist of: ( click under each exercise to watch an animated version of the exercise )

Note:  Only the tuck jumps and push-ups are considered part of plyometric training, the other exercises, like the press and raises are part of a special method of training called functional training, which i’ll talk about in a future article.

• Stability ball chest press – 3-5 sets of 8-15 repetitions
• Lateral Obstacle tuck jumps – 3-5 sets of 4-10 repetitions
• Stability ball lateral raises – 3-5 sets of 8-15 repetitions
• Clap hand push-ups – 3 sets of 5-8 repetitions

The following are some common exercises for developing power and speed:

Upper Body Plyometric Exercises

• Clap Push-Ups: This is perfromed liked a regular push-up except as you push up off of your hands, you clap your hands together, and then quickly put your hands out to catch yourself.

• Medicine Ball Twists: This exericise is great for developing core strength (abdominals, lower back.) You need two people to perform this exercise. You both stand back to back and pass the medicine ball to each other in one direction and then reverse directions after about 10 or so revolutions. ( click here  to watch how the exercise should be performed )

Lower Body Plyometric Exercises

• Lateral obstacle tuck Jumps: Begin on one side of a box or bench in the squat position. As you jump over the box, your knees should be tucked into your chest, and you land with two feet on the other side of the box.

• Double Knee Jumps: Start off in the squat position and jump up while tucking your knees into your chest and returning to the squat position. ( Click here to watch how the exercise should be performed )

Plyometric exercises will train your muscles to react quickly, and also teach the nervous system  how to relay the message to your muscles quickly too. It will definitely give you the edge you need to beat an opposing force. Even if you aren’t training for any sport, plyometrics can give a much-needed variety to your weekly workout routine. Many times workouts can get boring and repetitive, if you add plyometrics training to your workout routines, it can help add an element of fun to your exercises.

How to get six pack abs??

How to get six pack abs?

This is a question which a lot of men and women are asking nowadays. It is possible to get a beautiful body, a perfect body. Six pack abs are the ultimate craze but something not easy to achieve. Only with the right amount of patience and dedication, you can get that ultimate lean stomach and washboard abs.

There are a lot of machines available in the market that help to get six pack abs. But though these machines exist, the truth is you have to do the real job by yourself.   Here are a few of these techniques:

Crunches and leg lifts work just fine when it comes to getting six pack abs. But the real difference is in their process. For instance, in case of crunches, it is the breathing and the flexing that can make the difference. You inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Inhaling and exhaling plays a very important role with the stretching of muscles in a crunch exercise. You stretch specifically along with the inhaling and exhaling of limbs. This plays a vital role in muscle flexibility and helps you to get stronger abs.

Leg lifts are another very prominent way of doing ab workouts. There are a lot of ways in which you can do leg lifts. But in a gym, there are a lot of options available by which you can do leg lifts. Through this you can raise yourself. You can use your arms as support and at the same time dangle your legs. Equipments make it easier to raise your knees to the chest but there are other options available also.

For instance, you can also do jackknife sit ups. This is done by lying down on the floor. Then you try to get up and take both your legs and head up. You should try to make your head and leg come up in the same position. This will help you to achieve a good balance which is important to get six pack abs.

These are some things which you can do to achieve six pack abs. But you need to have lots of patience and dedication. It is not easy to get a six pack abs. It is a long term commitment. So whatever you do it with a purposeful determination.  The next article will cover some of the best exercises utilized to chisel the midsection, as well as some nutrition and cardio training tips used to work the abdominal region.

5 Exercises you should be doing…

When it comes to working out, it’s easy to get in a fixed and boring routine, if we keep continuously doing the same exercises over and over. Routine workouts might produce some results for a while, but you’re going to hit a plateau sooner or later and progress will stop. If you want to know more about how to fight against a fitness/weight loss plateau, you can find more information about this topic in one of my articles here in this blog. It is divided into two parts ( 1, 2 ).

Here are 5 exercises you can add to your routine to shake things up…

1. Burpees (video)

The burpee is an amazing full body exercise that tests your jumping, squatting and pushing muscles. Burpess should be done at a fast pace with small breaks in between sets. This will provide the greatest boost to your metabolism which will help you burn calories.

2. Turkish Get Up (video)

The turkish get up is another full body movement that will also really help with your core strength. You can do this with a kettlebell, dumbbell, barbell or a medicine ball. I like to do these at the end of my workout when Im already torched and ready to give up…This is a very powerful exercise to any MMA athlete and also beneficial in sports such as Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Russian Sambo. When i was doing MMA, we often did this exercise for core power, especially when you need to apply sudden bursts of energy with the least amount of movement.

3. Overhead squats (video)

Are you noticing a pattern here? The overhead squat is another full body movement that will really test your flexibility, balance and strength. Overhead squats force you to use your stabilizing muscles, which are often neglected in a number of exercises.

If you want a great ab/core exercises, the overhead squat might be the best out there…

4. Pistols (video)

Pistols (aka the one legged squat) will help improve your balance, coordination and strength. It’s a great exercise that forces you to have knee, hip, ankle, hamstring and glute flexibility.

Some people find it easier to hold a medicine ball in their hands while doing the pistol. This helps them stay balanced throughout the movement. If you have problems finding your balance when doing this exercise, you can hold on to something like a chair or door knob as long as it helps you with the necessary balance.

5. Mountain Climbers (video)

This is a tough exercise that challenges the legs, core and the heart rate. I learned while i was still on high-school during PE lessons. It’s a very popular conditioning movement for grappling sports, such as Wrestling.

Conclusion

Watch the videos we linked to above and learn the proper form for the exercises before trying them. Lifts like the overhead squat will take some time to develop before you can add a decent amount of weight on the bar, or even the initial balance you’ll need to perform the pistols, but with practice it’ll come.

Keep mixing up your workouts and keep it fun!

Train hard!