SUPER FOOD

Green tea By Kristy Podruchny

Green tea has been an important part of Chinese and Japanese culture for a few thousand years and is highly coveted for its health benefits. Western medicine started investigating these benefits and is exploring green tea to see what it does to help human health.

Wondering what makes green tea a super food? Green tea is a super food because of its high levels of antioxidants. Catechins are polyphenols (a type of antioxidant) present in green tea that are responsible for its antimicrobial and antiinflammatory properties. Caffeine also plays an important role in the health benefits found in green tea.

Get ready for it—this is a mouthful. Green tea contains a catechin called epigallocatechin-3gallate (EGCG) that has been studied for its antiinflammatory properties. A study conducted by the University of Shizuoka has shown that green tea and EGCG suppress inflammatory reactions in our bodies.

Let’s not forget the magic green tea provides for heart health. A study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry shows that EGCG’s also help break down the plaque that can form in arteries. As you can imagine, our blood needs to circulate efficiently and plaques can lead to coronary heart disease. Combined with green tea’s LDL cholesterol and triglyceride lowering benefits, this tea has proven itself to be an ally to your heart.

Though its caffeine content is minimal, be mindful about how much you consume—especially if you know you’re sensitive to caffeine. Conflicting studies have the scientific community rethinking its stance on caffeine. A 2008 study published in the Journal of Psychological Anthropology showed that caffeine and an amino acid called l-theanine, present in green tea, improve cognition and reduce anxiety.

Coffee shops have made matcha a household name. Matcha is made from ground up green tea leaves and is known for its beautiful bright green color. It’s often made into lattes because the taste is less bitter than other types of green tea. Matcha contains high levels of chlorophyll, which helps transport oxygen and has been studied for its potential anticancer effects.

There are many ways to enjoy this super food. Sip a cup of hot tea, enjoy it iced, try it in ice cream and lattes. When you buy powdered tea like matcha, you can sprinkle green tea and all of its benefits into any food including salad dressings and baked goods. Tea connoisseurs know there’s a difference in taste and texture depending on how the leaves were harvested, where they were grown and how it’s ground. Take care not to over cook your green tea—water temperature and steep time makes a difference in whether or not the polyphenols are available to do their job in your body!

Green tea and EGCG suppress inflammatory reactions in our bodies.

C J Ladner Insurance Agcy Inc C J Ladner, Agent 1972 N. Hwy 190 Covington, LA 70433 Bus: 985-892-5030

Anytime. Anywhere. Any day...

That’s when you can count on State Farm® . I know life doesn’t come with a schedule. That’s why at State Farm you can always count on me for whatever you need – 24/7, 365. GET TO A BETTER STATE™ . CALL ME TODAY.

Cheers for a New Year and another chance for us to get it right.

Let’s not dwell on the past, instead let’s look toward our future with passion, understanding and humility. January is a time for wiping the slate clean. Not only for making resolutions, but reinventing the way we make resolutions. Dr. Bradley Nelson introduces five ways to help us keep our resolutions without sabotaging our goals.

We all know what works best for us. Going back to the basics of what we know works is the first step in achieving our goals. Have you tried a diet and lost 15 or 20 pounds, only to gain it back, plus a few extra? I hear this all the time. It happens to me too.

One thing I love about meeting our inspirational covers is hearing their stories of determination and change. I have learned a lot about myself as I’ve published Inspire Health Magazine. One thing is, there’s nothing constant but change. Every diet is not made for every person. What works for me may cause distress in someone else. That’s why you will see different ideas and different points of view from many diets and food in our magazine. Coming from an educational publishing background, we felt like a magazine that doesn’t teach you anything new is just fire starter.

We want to hear from you. We want your feedback. We want to know what you want to know about and what issues you are having so we can research them and offer help. That’s what we are all about.

We are always looking for inspiring topics and empowering people to write about.

I hope you enjoy reading and learning from this issue. You Are Stronger Than You Think.

Suzanne Fox

MA GAZINE

executive publishers Hal G. Fox & Suzanne Polk Fox

managing editor Suzanne Polk Fox

copy editor Chad Ruiz

contributing writers Amber Marie Arevalos Patricia F. Danflous Ann Jarema Shirin Mehdi Crissie Mergogey Juliane Morris Dr. Bradley Nelson Kristy Podruchny

art

design Tra Pham Claire Thomas Suzanne Polk Fox

production Claire Thomas Suzanne Polk Fox

Contact Suzanne Fox at editor@inspirehealthmag.com

The information contained in Inspire Health is intended for educational purposes only. A reader should never substitute information contained in Inspire Health for the advice of a health care professional. Jumpstart Publishing, LLC and publishers of Inspire Health, do not endorse or promote any of the products or services described in the pages of Inspire Health and the publishers do not verify the accuracy of any claims made in the editorial or advertisements contained in Inspire Health. Readers should not use the information in Inspire Health for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. Readers should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or have or suspect they have a health problem. V7

© 2020 Fox Printing & Creative Publishing, LLC, New Orleans, LA All rights reserved Printed in the USA by Fox Print Services (igofox.com) Find us online! www.inspirehealthmag.com