Coffee, Tea, and Me

I am a coffee lover. For sure. But because since I have gotten older and have developed mild hypertension (that's high blood pressure) I have had to cut down on how much coffee I drink in a day. Believe it when I tell you I could down a whole pot of coffee a day in past years.

And, I am a tea-totaler, as they say.

Anyways, these days I limit myself to only two cups of coffee per day. If I crave more I allow myself decaf. But for the most part I drink tea. All kinds of tea. My favorite is Lady Grey, but it does have some caffeine so I limit that to one cup a day and then go to herbal drinks.

Most people call herbal tinctures and elixirs, tea, so I will call it tea to avoid confusion.

Rooibos Tea (I know how it is pronounced but my left brain insists on calling it rubyohs). hee hee. I don't drink much of this herbal, tea, but it's good for you so I do drink it.

Rooibos is a fragrant, caffeine-free tea made from the leaves and stems of a shrub called Aspalathus linearis. It's the national drink of South Africa. 

Rooibos contains chemicals that might protect the heart and might also prevent age-related changes in the brain. 

People use rooibos for hay fever, age-related decline in memory and thinking skills, anxiety, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Green tea is touted as having a side effect of weight loss. I stayed away from green tea for a long time because a gastroenterologist told me it would cause frequent fluid type bowel movements. (aka diarrhea). Did not want that. Maybe that's why people say it causes weight loss?

Well anyhow, Green tea is a type of tea made from the leaves and buds of the Camellia sinensis that have not undergone the withering and oxidation process that creates oolong teas and black teas. It is actually a tea, btw.

They say that the Catechins (antioxidants) in green tea help fight inflammation and diabetes, while improving memory and heart health. That includes reducing anxiety, lowering cholesterol, protecting brain health, keeping bones healthy and even helping you live longer. It is also supposed to strengthen bones and lower blood sugars. Some say it is the healthiest tea you can drink.

So I have decided I will start drinking green tea on a regular basis.

If it has the side effect I was previously warned about this decision will be reversed in a hurry.

Ginger tea helps an upset tummy. I think everyone knows it can help a lot with air sickness, or car sickness, that sort of thing. It also aids in digestion. I know this personally to be the case.

White tea, a tea many people have never even heard of is good for your skin. A standout feature of white tea is its high antioxidant content. These compounds can help combat oxidative stress and may support overall health by reducing the risk of chronic diseases.

There are all kinds of teas out there including dandelion tea that have been reported to be great for health.

With the price of coffee doubling I am thinking tea drinking is going to get more popular.

Why did the bicycle fall over? Because it was two-tired!