Green Tea and Heart Health: What You Should Know
Green tea is one of the world’s most popular hot drinks. It is most popular in Japan, where it is used in religious rites and consumed by millions of people on an almost daily basis. Japan, as you may already know, has a very high life expectancy. In fact, Okinawa, a Japanese island, has been called ‘the land of the immortals.’
One of the main reasons that Japanese people have such a long life expectancy, experts claim, is because they consume so much green tea.
This post will explore this topic in more detail, telling you what you should know about green tea.
Drinking Green Tea
Green tea’s health benefits are many. However, if you are going to drink green tea, then it is a very good idea to buy organic decaffeinated green tea so that you can ensure you aren’t consuming any unwanted and potentially harmful chemicals. Various studies have shown that caffeine is bad for health. Non-organic food often contains trace amounts of pesticides, which can also be very bad for you. Eliminating these things will allow you to experience green tea’s health benefits.
The Benefits of Green Tea
So what are the benefits of green tea? Some of them are:
- It can improve your cognitive performance and function.
- Green tea contains antioxidants that lower the risk of some cancers.
- Healthy, bioactive compounds can be found in green tea.
- It’s great for burning fat and losing weight.
- Regular consumption may reduce bad breath.
- It can aid in the treatment of type-2 diabetes.
One of the main advantages of consuming green tea is that it’s good for your heart. If you want to live a long, healthy life, then you need to keep your heart in good condition.
Benefits of Green Tea for Your Heart
Studies have found that green tea can lower your chances of developing cardiovascular diseases and other problems that could damage your heart. As mentioned previously, if you care about your heart then it is a good idea to cut out caffeine, which can wreak havoc on it. Green tea can lower LDL cholesterol, in addition to triglycerides, which can contribute to heart disease and stroke if not controlled. Experts claim that it is because of this that green tea is so good for your health, and in particular, your heart
Adopting Healthy Practices
Green tea isn’t the only thing that you need to consider if you want to keep your heart functioning properly and reduce your chances of dying young. You also need to adopt other healthy practices. Unfortunately, most people who haven’t ever led a healthy lifestyle before have absolutely no idea how they can begin living well. A healthy lifestyle isn’t hard to achieve. Obviously, one of the first things that you can do to achieve a healthy lifestyle is to drink more decaffeinated green tea, ideally organic in origin. You can also do the following:
Eating Well
Your diet is the first thing that you need to correct if you want to lead a healthier lifestyle. A lot of people today eat diets rich in salt, fat, and sugar. It’s very hard to avoid unhealthy foods since they are sold in every shop and supermarket in the nation. Fortunately, you can correct your diet by cutting out processed foods and only eating things that you have cooked yourself. Learning to cook will also make you a more competent, independent person. There are lots of cooking videos and guides that you can follow if you aren’t confident in cooking.
Exercising Regularly
Regular exercise is just as important as a healthy diet. No matter how healthy your diet is, if you live a sedentary lifestyle, then you are significantly more at risk of developing heart disease and other problems than a person who lives an active one. The best thing about regular exercise is that it’s also a lot of fun. There are many different types and styles of exercise that you can take up. You don’t have to go to the gym if you don’t want to, because you can perform calisthenic exercises at home, totally unsupervised.
Doctor Check-ups
Make sure that you go and see your doctor regularly. If you ever notice any health problems or you are concerned about your health, make an appointment. While doctors’ appointments in the U.S. can be expensive, it’s worth it so that you can allay any fears that you have and get your health sorted out if problems do arise. Most people see their physician for a check-up once a year. You may want to see yours more if you have existing health problems, diseases, and conditions. You should also focus on your mental well-being too, so see a psychiatrist if you experience any issues with your mental health.
De-stressing
Stress is one of the world’s leading killers. It can definitely contribute to high blood pressure, which can increase your chances of having a stroke or developing heart disease. Because of our busy, work-centered society, high blood pressure is on the rise. If you have a very stressful life, then eating an unhealthy diet is an extremely bad idea. One way to de-stress is to meditate. Meditation is an ancient art that has been practiced for thousands of years. Mindfulness meditation in particular is a very good way of combatting mental health issues and stress.
Getting Sleep
Lastly, make sure that you get enough sleep. A lot of people drink green tea before bed, but the caffeine that’s found in most commercial green teas can impact the quality of your sleep. If you are going to begin drinking it, then make sure that you buy a version that is decaffeinated. If you do struggle to sleep, then it is a very good idea to visit your doctor and try to identify what’s causing your restlessness. Sometimes, insomnia and sleep problems are caused by underlying health problems. A doctor will be able to screen you, diagnose issues, and then prescribe medicine or recommend a course of treatment.
Green tea is a drink with many health benefits. If you care about the health and condition of your heart and body, then it’s worth incorporating into your diet. However, there are many more things that you need to do other than drinking green tea if you want to improve your health, which this post has covered.
