Does The Iced Green Tea Provide The Same Health Benefits as Hot One?

Many people all over the world enjoy the benefits of green tea these days. Loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that aid in preventing the onset of a wide range of ailments, the options for loose tea, green tea bags, and various sorts of green tea powders and supplements have never been more plentiful. In the midst of all this consumption of green tea products, there is the question of whether or not iced green tea is as healthy as hot green tea. The answer to that question has a lot to do with the type of product used, and the method of brewing.
With commercially brewed green tea beverages, the issue is not so much whether the iced green tea is healthier than a commercial beverage that is warmed before consumption. Rather, the focus is on what ingredients other than green tea is found in the beverage. In some cases, the product has very little tea, but is heavy on carbonated water and artificial flavors that provide no nutritional value whatsoever. In this scenario, it makes little difference whether the beverage is served hot or cold, since the nutritional content of the beverage itself is quite low.

When the hot or iced green tea is prepared using loose tea or even pre-packaged teabags, there is often a concern about the role of oxidation in the preparation of the tea. One school of thought holds that subjecting the tea to excessively hot temperatures decreases the presence of antioxidants in the brewed tea. According to this concept, tea that is brewed using water near body temperature is a better option, and has the added benefit of preventing the tea from becoming bitter. After the steeping is complete, the tea should be consumed either by drinking at room temperature or allowing it to chill in a refrigerator for a short time. In either case, drinking the tea soon after brewing is considered the best way to get the most nutrition from the drink.

Others believe that iced green tea does not lose its nutritional value, and has just as many benefits as hot green tea. Here again, the method of brewing is considered important. One approach calls for pouring cold water into a clear glass container, and adding either green tea bags of loose green tea contained in a tea ball to the water. The container is placed in the sun for a couple of hours, allowing the tea to steep as the sun’s rays gradually increase the temperature of the water. From there, the tea can be poured over ice and enjoyed as a refreshing beverage on a hot summer day, with no fears of losing any of the health benefits.

There is some support for the idea that while iced green tea and hot green tea both contain a substantial amount of nutrients and antioxidants, those nutrients are more readily absorbed when the tea is hot. Cold beverages must be warmed within the body to a certain temperature before they begin to break down and allow absorption into the bloodstream. By drinking hot tea instead, the nutrients spread throughout the body faster, providing nourishment at a more efficient pace.

Since both iced green tea and hot green tea are consumed in both Eastern and Western cultures, supporters for both approaches are readily found in just about any setting. The difference of opinion tends to settle on the use of fresh tea leaves, versus commercial products such as lattes made with green tea powder, or various forms of diet supplements. Research that indicates that hot wins out over iced green tea, or vice versa, is not universally accepted, with critics usually pointing out flaws in the testing methods or the selection of the tea used for the research. At present, green tea lovers should choose iced or hot tea based on personal preference, making sure to use tea products that are not loaded with a lot of extra ingredients.

Have a nice weekend! :)

Does Walking Really Help You Lose Weight?

In this post I want to talk about walking as a form of exercise and whether it will really help you to lose weight.

Does walking really burn fat?

I understand that this issue is going to be close to many readers’ hearts. For a lot of us, walking has formed the basis of our weight loss program and as such we have become quite attached. However, I feel it is important to write honestly as there are a lot of women out there placing all their hope in a morning walk.
The truth is that walking does work. It will help you burn enough calories to lose weight.
However. There are things you need to do in order to make sure your walks are effective. These factors are so crucial to your progress it is vital that you know them.

How to ensure your walks are burning fat?!

1. Walking needs to be done before breakfast
Walking is a very low intensity exercise. It gets your heart rate up but not enough that you will burn many calories after the session is finished. For this reason you need to make sure it is done before breakfast. Why? Because as soon as you give your body some fuel (food) it will use that instead of your fat stores for energy.

2. Walking needs to be done for at least 45 minutes
Science has shown that you don’t start tapping into your fat stores until around the 30 minute mark. That means that for the first half an hour your body is relying on mostly calories for its energy. Sure, some fat is getting burned but not very much. Try and make sure your walks are at least 45 minutes long if you want to tap into the annoying fat stores on your butt, thighs, legs, abs and love handles.

3. Walking needs to be fast
A walk is not a walk. All walks are not created equal. If you are doing walking as a form of exercise you need to be going at it a lot harder than if you were going for a leisurely walk in the park. A slow plodded walk will not do anything. However, a fast paced, arm pumping, lung burning race walk will burn a lot of calories.

4. Your walks need to progress
If you walk the same distance and the same pace for the same amount of time everyday for a year you are going to stop making progress. This is one of the biggest mistakes that women make when using walking as a form of weight loss. As walking is quite low in intensity you need to make sure you are making it harder all the time. If you don’t, it will soon start to plateau and you won’t make any new progress.

5. A post-dinner walk is a giant advantage
Going for a walk after dinner is one of the best things you can do for your weight. Why? Because you will use up some of your dinner calories that would otherwise get stored as fat while you sleep. Many women have lost a tonne of weight by going for a walk before bedtime. I highly recommend it.

Conclusion

Walking does burn fat and it will help you lose weight. However, it is important to take on board the tips I have given as these make the process a lot faster and more effective. And remember, not all walks are created equal. Make sure yours count.

Have a peaceful night! ^_^

Do Tanning Beds Cause Skin Cancer and Other Harmful Effects?

Before one can discuss harmful effects of tanning equipment and increased sun exposure, one must be familiar with the components of ultraviolet light and how affects the skin.

What is UV radiation?
Sunlight contains two types of ultraviolet (UV) light: UVA and UVB. UVA rays consist of longer wavelengths that penetrate deep into the dermal layer of skin. Limited exposure to UVA rays causes skin to tan; however, most experts agree that overexposure to UVA can lead to other long-term skin damage. UVB rays wavelengths are much shorter, affecting the outermost layers of skin. UVB rays are known as the "burning rays" and are considered more dangerous. Tanning beds and sun lamps generally emit 93% to 99% UVA radiation increasing the benefits of a tan This is three times the UVA radiation given off by the sun

What is the difference between a tan and sunburn?

It is also important to know what happens to the skin as it is tanned or burned and what the long-term, harmful effects may be. UVB rays are most responsible for a skin's burning. The rays actually pop the capillaries just beneath the surface of the skin .Long-wavelength; UVA rays have totally different results on the skin. As UVA rays penetrate into the skin, melanin granules are oxidized and tan, or, turn golden brown. However, UVB rays are required to stimulate these melanin granules to rise to the skin's surface, especially in skin that possesses small amounts of the pigment, melanin.

What makes tanning beds safer?

Most tanning bed industries agree that indoor tanning is much safer than receiving outdoor exposure to the sun. Light emitted from tanning equipment contains approximately 40% less UVB rays, the most harmful type of radiation, than does light from the sun. Tanning beds, therefore, have the power to control exposure time and the ratio of UVA to UVB rays for a "perfect balance" .Since tanning beds filter out most of the burning UVB rays, chances of getting burned decrease dramatically. Therefore, the companies can claim that the tanning beds cannot be any more harmful than the sun.

Tanning salons also state that some UV radiation is needed for the manufacturing of vitamin D. Vitamin D certifies that a constant level of calcium remains in the blood and controls its absorption. In an advertisement for tanning equipment, one tanning bed company, The Beach House Tanning, claims that the sun is the only source of Vitamin D. However, vitamin D is also found in foods such as dairy products, cereal

In addition, tanning industries claim that UVA radiation has no harmful effects on the skin. They say that only UVB radiation can harm the outermost layer of the skin. Since UVA rays penetrate deep into the skin, then they say that tanning beds cannot cause any type of premature aging, burn the skin, or thicken the skin, revealing a leathery type appearance.

In fact, The Beach House Tanning states that it isn't safe not to tan. They report that avoiding the sun highly increases the risks for many cancers including skin cancer and that most studies prove that people who are not exposed to the sun on a regular basis have a greater chance of acquiring some forms of cancer. One study that was conducted showed that malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is actually more common in people who do not receive regular sun exposure and develops on areas that are not usually exposed to the sun.

Also, some sun exposure abates or retards the development of breast, colon, prostate, and ovarian cancers. Actually, many studies have shown that heredity and repeated sunburn, which are not caused by tanning beds, are the most prominent factors for skin cancer. Since tanning is, "your body's natural defense against sunburn," as stated by Beach House, and since, "tanning beds are a responsible way to get a base tan," as claimed by them, then it is safe to say that tanning beds are a reliable source of UV exposure.

Nearly every single article that was researched concluded that indoor tanning is directly linked to skin cancer, specifically malignant melanoma, and other numerous health problems. Although tanning industries claim that UVA radiation is safe, medical research disproves this theory.

Researchers say that because UVA rays penetrate deep into the skin, they destroy skin fibers and damage elasticity. Long-term effects of UVA rays include premature aging and wrinkles. Scientists agree that UVA rays are less likely to cause burns, but that they are still linked to malignant melanoma, damage to the immune system, weakening of the skin's inner tissue, and other types of skin cancers. In fact, studies show that large doses of UVA lead to an increased risk of developing skin cancer.

From his research, Dr. David Sidransky concluded that UVA radiation causes the same damage as UVB radiation to skin cells which leading to cancer. In cases where exposure to light was increased, it was more likely that the damage would exceed the constructive, cellular-repair mechanisms, and a tumor would be more likely to develop.

A study conducted in Sweden helps to prove that tanning beds are a major factor in the development of malignant melanoma. Different people, all under the age of 30, were included in the study. The data concluded that the people who used tanning beds more than 10 times a year were seven times more likely to develop malignant melanoma than those who did not use tanning beds as often. Researchers estimated that by the year 2000, the risk of developing skin cancer for those who did not use tanning beds would be one out of every 97 persons, and that the chances for those who did use tanning beds would be one out of every 13 persons. The study also concluded that melanoma risks are increased by 300% for those using tanning beds occasionally, and that the risks increase by 800% for those who use tanning beds more than 10 times a year.

Dr. Douglas Reintgen believed that as long as tanning devices were not used in excess and the customer avoided burns, then the equipment could be considered safe.

However, it has been proven that tanning beds do cause sunburns, and are, therefore, dangerous. Actually,one sunburn doubles the risk of developing skin cancer.

Tanning is also skin damage. Although skin cancer has been associated with UVB radiation and sunburns, scientists say that even tanning in moderation produces the same harmful effects, as would a burn. Tanning causes premature aging, causing the skin to appear leathery and wrinkled, and also damages the immune system. Other sources reveal that tanning always damages the skin. Plastic surgeon Dr. Dean Johnson who treats skin cancer patients in 25% of his surgeries, declares, "There is no safe tan"

A number of various authorities warn the public of the dangers of tanning devices:

Dermatologists believe that tanning beds are a leading factor in skin cancer cases. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists tanning beds as possible health hazards and the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) encourage people to avoid using tanning and sun lamps Even the American Medical Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) are fighting to ban the use of tanning equipment for non-medical purposes.

Both types of UV radiation can cause damage to blood vessels, photosensitivity (allergic) reactions, or even eye damage). According to the CDC, tanning beds create problems in the eyes such as conjunctivitis and corneal infections. Ultraviolet rays can cause serious damage to the cornea and retina.

What are people's motives for tanning?

Why do people desire a tan? In general, most people are concerned about their appearance. It can be assumed that people desire to be considered beautiful by others and to have more pleasant features. The stereotypical good-looking person is usually a thin female or muscularly built male with nice, clean hair and bronze or tan skin.

In recent years there has been a tremendous amount of pressure placed upon females, especially teenagers, to become what the media considers to be a beautiful person. All this explains why more white female teens are using tanning equipment with disregard to medical warnings.

Why won't people listen?

Because of exposure to sun, tanning beds, and sun lamps, the number of skin cancer cases has increased dramatically. It has been predicted that this year, more than one million new skin cancer cases will be diagnosed. Also, malignant melanoma can be fatal if it is not detected early. This year in the United States, 38,000 cases and 7,300 deaths are being anticipated So, why are people not complying with the warnings? Why are people not changing poor skin care treatment?
Perhaps the public is not fully aware of the harmful effects of UV radiation. Most of skin cancer patients are over 50, but lately more teenagers have become victims, and this was probably due to the fact that now more than 2.5 million people are using tanning bed equipment daily (mostly teens).

Which group is right?

Although benefits do exist from choosing to use tanning beds over bathing outdoors in the sun, tanning bed industries have failed to mention many important and harmful risk factors of tanning equipment. The long-term effects of UVA radiation far exceed the short-term, ephemeral benefits, and trust should be placed into the hands of scientists, researchers, and doctors.

Have a beautiful Friday! ^_^