Taking Command of Your Mind

What a tremendous tool the mind is. It has the focus and creativity to conceive the concepts of gravity and rocket science and still remind us to brush our teeth, hit the gym and avoid processed foods. But it can also become difficult to control.

The mind can seem to spin out of control like a car on an icy road. When this happens, it can seem impossible to stay focused on the moment and the important tasks at hand. What’s worse, a condition like this tends to worsen the longer it goes unchecked.

To gain control, many people practice meditation, break out the anti-depressants or test the value of one of the thousands self-help books out there. Often these best efforts can end in frustration and the return to square one more disappointing each time.    

But taking control of the mind is an intuitive process and by learning more about yourself and the way you function as an individual and a human you learn to fine-tune your mind and your capacity to wield it effectively.

Following are six important points on the subject of your mind that can help you better understand it:

●        Notifications

Your mind will frequently bring up important tidbits for your attention. This could be anything from “you left your keys on top of the fridge” to “you will never find love and will probably die alone”. The mind also has a useful feature that allows these notifications to become louder if they are ignored, this has saved human life countless times.

But it can get out of hand and there is a simple solution. Understand that your mind, just like yourself, will feel better and gain a measure of peace if it feels understood and not neglected. So treat it as you would a valuable and fragile piece of equipment. Thank it for its important service and acknowledge the information provided.

“Thank you for bringing up these important concerns. I will make the most of my moment and solve them as the opportunities arise”. By practicing gratitude you will keep positivity as your mode of operations and this always leads to buoyancy and mental resilience.

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●        No Fighting in the War Room

As long as you are struggling with your mind and disputing with the way it seems to work and operate, you will be wasting valuable time and focus that must be placed on the moment. It can be downright crazy how much negativity can be fed to the mind. But you can’t fight it, or you will become entangled it an insane morass of grim possibilities. The more you fight the more time and energy is lost.

So make peace. Accept that the gloom and negativity is just a part of life and you really can’t control them. What you can control is how you react to them. Just smile as these thoughts go by and set your focus to the tasks at hand, your breathing or the awesome fact that you are alive.

●        Mind over Matter

Interfacing with the mind has always been the subject of great debate. We don’t see the mind but rather experience it as an inner monologue being displayed in fascinating and terrifying word pictures, images and a host of other notions to many and too individual to list here.

This leads us to accept what the mind expresses as the inarguable words of our inner soul. When we hear the mind say “I’m a failure, anyone with half a brain would've figured that out”, we tend to echo the sentiment, “yup, maybe I won’t call Cindy, why would she want to talk to a loser like me?”.

But ask yourself this “how many time have those thoughts been spot on? How many time were they were way off?”

The fact is that thoughts are fleeting mental events drifting through the mind's eye, influenced by the time of day, moods swings, sex, cups of coffee, current activity, recent events, that hilariously depressing meme, what dad said when you were young, etc.

What you can remember is that they are old circuits stuck on playback. A mental habit that can be broken by a resolute mind. Of course, habits don’t just break overnight. The cycles of negative thinking must be addressed with consistency and determination but positivity and creativity as well. Even then the hyperactive amygdala will still send out a distress signal, but in time you will have a decisive response

●        The Missing Manual

How ironic? The most complex chemical mechanism in the known universe didn’t come with an instruction manual. Nevertheless, it can be fully understood through interactions. It’s kind of like the way a good leader would take the time to fully understand how his followers work and operate.

Practicing mindfulness is one of the best ways to do this. Have you ever tried to focus your entire mind on a sunset, the rhythm of your breathing or the sound of the wind. Eventually the mind gets restless and rushes back to concerns, memories and other interests.

This lack of control can be very upsetting when trying to focus and taking the time to practice mindfulness can give you a chance to observe where your mind goes and what you need to do to keep it fresh and clean. . Without a manual, observation is the best way to understand the nature of the mind.

●        Reset Your Automatic Tasks

What is a thought? Simply put, It is like an electrical impulse that spins around in a specific pattern of neurons in the brain. As the thought is fortified by repetition the circuit it follows and the conclusions that follow thought become hardwired into the brain as a standard response. This is why we are a product of the way we think and the actions our thoughts cause us to enact.

While some of these automatic responses are great for perfecting desirable habits, it is important to identify and reevaluate outdated thought patterns. Those who were mistreated as a child often develop very deep rooted responses to aggression, ridicule or even affection, which must be abandoned to adopt a more intuitive response to the moment.

●        Be Your Biggest Fan, Coach, Butler, Bodyguard, Confidant and More

Don’t Judge yourself for the things that happen in your head, learn to appreciate them and understand them. When you learn that your feelings, emotions and thoughts are natural reactions to the things you encounter in your life, you can find positive responses and solutions.

Cravings for food, for example, can be better understood as the need for company or something better to do. This could be the start of a whole new passion, hobby or relationship. By finding the most positive responses to our thought processes we can begin a healthier happier life and better enjoy the company and individual personalities of others.

How Does Sleeping Cause Your Brain to Shrink?

As it turns out, sleeping isn’t just for resting our tired bodies. A full night’s sleep is essential for many of the recharging processes, both in the body and in the brain. Just as we thought that we already know all about the benefits of getting eight hours of sleep, a new research study has revealed that our brains actually shrink when we sleep, and that this helps us prepare to learn new information.

The brain is an incredibly complex organ, and its capabilities are truly astounding. While we are awake, our brains constantly process the information from our environment, make new memories and direct our actions. There are billions of cells in the brain, otherwise known as neurons.Many previous scientific studies have already shown us that sleep plays a crucial role in memory consolidation, and that lack of sleep can cause memory impairments. But how exactly does sleep help us retain information?

In a recent study published in the journal Scienceby researchers of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Sleep and Consciousness, scientists used a new, cutting edge technique called serial block-face scanning electron microscopy to take high resolution images of brain cells. The researchers made a surprising discovery: the synapses, or the connections between our brain cells, shrink by up to 20% during sleep [1].

During the day, we learn and makenew memories. In order for us to keep these memories, we have to make more connections in the brainand to increase the number of our synapses. According tobrain researchers, it is also necessary for the brain connections to shrink during sleep in order to reset, and to prevent overloading.Scientists call this theory “synaptic homeostasis hypothesis”. In addition, researchers believe that this type of scaling down of the brain connections helps to make room for new memories.

“Sleep is the perfect time to allow the synaptic renormalization to occur… because when we are awake, we are ‘slaves’ of the here and now, always attending some stimuli and learning something,” explained Dr. Chiara Cirelli, one of the study co-authors, in her interview with the science news website LiveScience [2]. “During sleep, we are much less preoccupied by the external world… and the brain can sample all of our synapses, and renormalize them in a smart way,” she added.

According to the synaptic homeostasis hypothesis, without synaptic downsizing, the synapses would reach their maximum size and capacity and we would not be able to continue to learn and consolidate our memories to retain them.

Interestingly, it was found that only the smaller connections were decreased in size, while the bigger synapses were not affected and stayed the same. The study authors suggest that the bigger synapses are more stable and contain important memories that the brain does not want to lose.

Another study recently published in Science provided some insight into the molecular process behind the synaptic downscaling. According to the findings, the shrinking of synapses is driven by the gene called Homer1a, and that this process is important for memory consolidation [3]. In this study, researchers found that sleepiness prompts brain cells to make Homer1A protein and to send it to their synapses. Then, during sleep, Homer1A activates the mechanisms responsible for “synaptic pruning”.

So does that mean that the main purpose of sleep is to “reset” our brains and prepare them for the next day? According to scientific studies, there are many important changes that take place both in our bodies and in our brains that occur during sleep.For example, people who are chronically sleep deprived are more likely to suffer from elevated blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and depression; moreover, they have a higher risk for heart disease and stroke [4].

In his interview with New York Times, Dr. Markus H. Schmidt, another sleep researcher at the Ohio Sleep Medicine Institute, proposed that the shrinking of synapses is not necessarily the main reason that sleep exists. Referring to the new studies on synaptic downscaling, he said: “This work is great, but the question is, is this a function of sleep or is it the function?” [5].

A groundbreaking study published in 2013 has already shown us that as we sleep, the brain washes away waste and toxins that are built up during the day [6]. In this study, scientists found that some types of cells in the brain also shrink during sleep, allowing the spaces between cells to grow bigger. This allows more fluid to be pumped between brain cells, and to wash away more toxins.

In any case, we can conclude that sleep is an essential process that is important for learning and memory. In addition, the new studies help to explain why a lack of sleep can impair our memory and cognitive processes the next day: without shrinking during sleep, the synapses could not make room for new information

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8 Ways to Improve your Fat Burning Capacity By Raising Your Metabolism

Banishing that belly-belly is a good idea for many more reasons that looking stunning in a pair of jeans. There are some serious health reasons that say burning belly fat is a healthier way to live. White fat begins to expand through the abdomen and makes a home right next to your vital organs.

This is the beginning of a whole world of trouble. This type of white belly fat, better known as visceral fat, is responsible for sending out stress hormones that contribute to the fatty build up. Cytokines are inflammatory substances released by visceral fat as well and can adversely affect the body's insulin production.

The end result of this condition can be nothing less than increased body weight as well as the increased risk of type II diabetes. The problem is belly fat can be an especially difficult issue to be rid of, if you don’t know how to fight it.

This following article will illustrate some of the best practices for facing and being rid of the belly-belly, so you can get back to living healthy and free from some major health risks. Remember that an intuitive approach will show you how to best apply these suggestions in a healthy and balanced manner.

●        Skip the Diet

It seems like the first thing many people do when they want to lose weight, is make sudden alterations to their eating habits. While healthy eating is a good way to improve one’s health, the sudden commitment to a diet can actually be counterproductive to your belly banishing goals.

What we are trying to do is raise the body's metabolism so that it will begin to process this excess belly fat all by itself. When you suddenly stop eating, your body reacts on primordial responses and immediately understands that there must be a famine or something because “I’m Really Hungry”. In the face of starvation, the body reacts by slowing the metabolism and gaining more weight.

Even worse, as your food shortage (diet) continues, things get worse. Your body begins to burn your vital muscle mass for fuel. The fat continues to grow, and your condition gets steadily worse.

●        Get Better Sleep

Sleep cycles are essential for balancing your body's chemical functions like metabolism. Without a proper sleep cycle, levels of stress are raised and this has similar a response to not getting enough to eat; the metabolism is slowed and fat is stored. By improving your rest and getting the same amount of sleep every night, your body feels safe enough to release its stored fats and raises the metabolism.

●        Eat More...Protein

Protein is what your body needs to maintain its muscle mass. While it was the commonly accepted notion that 0.36 grams of protein for each pound of body weight was ideal, recent studies have found this figure to be below what is needed. Today, nutritionist agree that a women should get a minimum of 0.54 grams of protein for every pound of body weight. If you are trying to lose weight, make the target weight your guide in this equation.

This is actually very easy to do by adding extra protein to each meal or snack you consume. Just 3 ounces of lean beef, 8 oz. of Yogurt or a couple tablespoons of nuts and there you go, extra protein. 

●        Choose Organic Foods

A report from Canadian researchers has found that organochlorines are very bad for building up a strong flab-burning metabolism. These toxins are found in chemical pesticides and are stored in body fat when ingested. From there they go on to interfere with the way our bodies process energy and effectively hamper your best efforts for weight loss.

Now going completely organic is a costly affair. But you can remember that peeled fruits like bananas, mangoes and grapefruit are generally ok because pesticides are peeled away. It is the celery, lettuce, blueberries, kale spinach and other leafy produce that need to be chosen from organic growers. 

●        Take a Commanding Approach

It is easy to sink into our lives and responsibilities with a lethargic reluctance. This penchant for inactivity is the largest reason for an expanding waistline this is because after a few hours of inactivity, the body stops producing an important compound in the metabolic process. After all, your body will figure, you aren’t using this powerful enzyme. 

To keep this enzyme functioning and in production, stand up. Get up and walk about when talking to a visitor, handling a phone call or getting a cup of tea. (That’s right get up and get it yourself instead of asking a coworker to bring back two cups!) By taking a commanding approach to your life you will gain a positive control over your metabolic rate.

●        Drink Cold Water

A study done by German researchers showed that a person drinking 6 cups of water each day can successfully raise their metabolism by about 50 calories each day.  That's enough to drop around 5 pounds in a year. It could be that the body uses this energy to increase core body temperatures, how intuitive.

●        Eat a Healthy Chili Pepper

Capsaicin is an important compound that makes the chili pepper so spicy. Research shows they can be used to boost metabolism too. By eating a tablespoon of chopped hot chilies you can boost your sympathetic nervous system. The one that prepares the body to fight or flee from an opponent. This will cause an immediate spike in your metabolic rates as much as 23 %.

Of course, a tablespoon of even milder chili peppers is enough to take your head clean off.  So keep some in your kitchen and add just a bit to your salsas, scrambled eggs, pastas and stir fries for an invigorating zing. 

●        Don’t Skip Out on Breakfast

Eating breakfast is the single most important way to jumpstart the metabolism each day. This is why those who skip breakfast are 25% more likely to become obese. The bigger and healthier your breakfast is the higher your metabolic spike will be. In a study posted in the American journal of Epidemiology, subjects that consumed 22% to 55% of their daily calorie intake at breakfast gained an average of 1.7 lbs. in a year. Those that ate below 11% gained an average of 3lbs in the same time.  

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7 Best High Protein Diets for Weight Loss

High protein diets are important to those looking to improve their physical condition, lose weight and increase strength.  Foods that are high in protein give a feeling of being full and well-nourished which can keep you from snacking between meals. Finally, high protein diets are absolutely essential to building and maintaining muscle mass.

High protein diets are important to a variety of health and fitness routines, but picking the best option for you should be done with plenty of consideration for personal needs. This article will provide an overview of some of the most popular high protein diets as well as the advantages each can provide to your fitness goals.

It will be very important to remember the vast majority of high protein diets feature very low amounts of carbohydrates and therefore can be scant in the fiber, vitamins and minerals that carbs provide.  Furthermore, some of these high protein foods contain a large quantity of fats that can be very unhealthy if not derived from pasture-fed or “organic” food products.

With this caveat in mind, it will be important that you seek out the healthiest way of applying a high protein diet to your life. Consulting with a health care provider or qualified nutritionist is the best way to be sure you are getting all the nutrients you need to live a healthy lifestyle. Careful selection is essential for best results. Once you understand how important this is, we can begin looking at the most common high protein diets and choosing the best one for your situation.

●        The Paleo Diet

Avoiding refined foods, grains and legumes that have entered the human diet after the advent of the agricultural revolution, back in the late Neolithic age, is the first Paleo rule. You will only consume foods that have been fully integrated as part of the human diet and avoid the inflammation and weight gain problems that were unheard of in the Stone Age.

You will be sticking to a diet primarily consisting of red meats, pork, eggs, poultry, game fish and shellfish. Fatty cuts are very good for you — if they are not loaded with insecticides, growth hormones or GMOs. Furthermore, feel free to eat all the clarified butter, coconut oils or bacon grease you want. Steer clear of these vegetable oils or partially hydrogenated oils in margarine, soft ice cream and many other imitation dairy products.

Being hunters and gatherers means that there were plenty of fruits and vegetables included in the Paleo diet. So visit the produce section or farmers market and avail yourself of the organic fruits and veggies found there. While organic eating is a good idea, it can also be pricey and looking for the most economical way to practice Paleo-tology is the only way to make lasting choices.

Final Word

The great thing about going Paleo is simplicity. There is no need to count or weigh any amounts or portion sizes. The downside is how restrictive it can really be. This is especially true for those who count on large carb intake to fuel their high-intensity exercise routines. It is a known fact that protein is not an effective muscle fuel like carbs are, but if losing weight and gaining muscle mass is what you are looking to do, this could be a great way to go.

●        The ZONE

The ZONE diet operates off a special balance between the major nutrient groups that will keep your body at its peak fat burning state. It is the finely-tuned ratios between carbs and proteins that maintain optimal insulin ratios and this allows you to pretty much eat whatever you’d like.

Your meals will be decided by balancing “blocks”. A block of protein is about 7g, or the equivalent of an egg. Another is the 9g block of carbs and finally, the fat block is 1.5gs of fat. Your specific needs band diet guidelines will determine how many blocks you will eat for a meal.

Those with high-intensity workout routines will need to eat many more “blocks” than a smaller person or someone who is not actively participating in an intensive workout routine. Ratios are pretty consistent though, a meal can consist of an equal amount of blocks from each major food source. At the beginning, it is recommended to weigh out the foods being eaten but after a while you can eyeball the serving for portion sizes with satisfactory precision.

Final Word

In case you haven’t spoken to a die-hard cross fitter fanatic recently, this is the diet of the Greek Olympian gods — enough to turn Dionysus into Adonis in a Peloponnesian minute. You can expect considerably more organization and measuring, but you can’t argue with the results. Here you will find lots of proteins to build muscle and carbs to burn energy, plus some fats and oils to facilitate the metabolism.  

●       The Slow-Carb Diet

The Slow Carb Diet was originally conceptualized by Tim Ferriss who claims this diet can help you drop 10kg in only 30 Days. Furthermore, you get to enjoy some cheat days and increase food intake to keep the metabolism high.

Here you will try to avoid the scratches from bread, rice, pasta and potatoes, this includes both brown and white varieties. That is unless you are eating within 30 minutes of an intense physical workout. On the other hand, you can eat all the proteins from meat and legumes that you’d like. Actually four meals a day is the recommended average.

It is also recommended to keep high calorie beverages off limits. You can drink coffee and tea but leave off the sugar and creamer. Beer is also a no-no but you can drink wine in moderation.

Final Word

The Slow-Carb Diet can be considered a less restrictive version of the Paleo diet with plenty more carbs for fuel. There have been some doubts at how effective the “cheat days” really are at raising the metabolism. It will be important to balance out this diet with plenty of high-intensity training if the carbs and cheat days are to have their ideal effect.

In Conclusion

The aforementioned diets represent the most effective high protein diets being popularized at the moment. Other high protein diets include the “Biggest Loser” and “South Beach” diets that consist of 30% protein intake plus plenty of veggies and minimal carb consumption.

Remember that whichever diet you choose must be built around your specific needs and eating habits as an individual. If you are unsure of how to incorporate so many proteins or few carbs into your diet, a nutritionist can provide insights into a gradual transition. This will ensure the best possible results from your new diet plan.

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5 Can’t-Miss Reasons You Have Stopped Losing Weight

Losing weight can be a difficult challenge. It takes determination, focus, motivation and plenty of fight. Just like any fight worth fighting, you can’t expect to constantly be victorious. It can often seem like at the beginning there was a noteworthy difference each time you stepped on the scale, but now it seems progress is harder and harder to come by, and sometime it feel like you’re just spinning your wheels. 

Then you hit the inevitable weight loss plateau, which can be very discouraging to your determined efforts. The encouraging thing to remember is that a weight loss plateau is a part of every successful weight loss routine that has attained its goal.

As you get leaner and improve your metabolism, you will see that it gets harder and harder to lose those final few pounds. This is because your metabolism will naturally begin to slow down and you will either need to burn more calories than before or consume less to make similar efforts as you had done. 

Still this is not the end of your adventures in weight loss, and the weight you seem stuck at is not a death sentence. Nevertheless, you may have to approach your fitness routine from a different angle if you hope to continue across the plateau.

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Following are 5 can’t-miss reasons you seem to have stopped losing weight and some helpful advice on getting going again:
 
● Portion Control

It is easy to underestimate the importance of portion control. You may think that taking a good look at your portions and making visual calculations is not going to affect your overall goals, but you’d be wrong.

When it comes time to shed those last few pounds, the devil is hiding in the details. The closer you get to your weight goals the more important it is to get very specific with portions and serving sizes.

Go back to those careful calculations you were making at the beginning of your routine. Carefully measure out your necessary portions exactly at first and when you know exactly what your serving size looks like you can get back to visual measurements. The smallest additions can tip the scale in a frustrating direction.

●  Too Many Cheat Days

“There is nothing wrong with me having this brownie, if I just went through this exhausting exercise routine, right?” Nothing inherently “wrong, but having these little cheats at the ready every time you exert yourself is cancelling out the advances you could be making toward your weight goals.

Fitness enthusiasts who reward themselves into pushing harder could be off-setting the results of their extra efforts. It’s terrific to run an extra five miles, but if you reward yourself with a 500 calorie treat at the end, what was the purpose?

Reward systems are great motivators, but they must be precision-tuned to your current health efforts if they will be effective in the long term as well. Instead of taking on a full banana split because you did such a great routine, increase the value of your treat while reducing your calories. Have a single scoop of top-quality ice cream or a sliver of really decadent chocolate cake.

As a rule of thumb, your daily calories from junk food can’t be more than 10 or 20 percent of your total calorie intake. So really active people burning over 2000 calories a day, should limit their goodies to a mere 200 - 400 calories tops.

● Less Exercise than Necessary

At the beginning of your fitness program you may remember exercising so much that the rest of the day was spent in inactivity, this has been referred to as “compensatory inactivity”. The problem is when this habit becomes a norm.

It is easy to give it all you got in your daily exercise routine and then fall into intense inactivity for the remainder of the day. People “keep score” by assuming that an hour or two of intense training can be followed by a few hours of inactivity.

This will only accomplish one thing, dropping the metabolism back down after you worked so hard to bring it up. The only way to consolidate the metabolism raising benefits of an active lifestyle is to stay active as much as possible. It is those small differences that make all the difference in the end.

Even better is the way these small differences keep you strong and feeling motivated. So take the dog to the park or play some catch with the kids you will feel stronger and perfect your results in the end.

● Lack of Proper Fueling

You can expect your appetite to increase considerably if you are involved in a high-intensity exercise program. It is quite common to end your exercise routine with the urge to eat everything you find in the kitchen. This can lead to overeating and all its counterproductive consequences.

The plan to counter this attack is preparation. If you are feeling hungry before you begin the routine, there is a good chance you will be even more famished when it's finished. Having a snack before beginning your routine will keep you energized during exercise. Then you can easily continue with your healthy diet plan.

●  Inconsistent Efforts

As you get closer to your ideal weight goals you will find consistent efforts make all the difference. The first reason is because if you skip one day of exercise, studies show you are 61% more likely to skip another one too. But consistency maximizes your efforts as a whole too.

It takes thousands of repetitions to master the routines you will perform to lose weight. When it comes down to the really fine differences, the way you perform your squats, bench presses and deadlifts will make all the difference in the world. When you have mastered these techniques you will have the capacity to effect more precise weight adjustments.

In Conclusion

The only way to get to the final goal of a fat burning routine is by paying full attention to the finer points and committing to the process day in and day out. Weight loss plateaus will happen and will be easily overcome the more patience and continuity you apply to your efforts.

6 Reasons Why You Need Green Tea in Your Life

The color green implies natural, healthy, and also calm. It’s why green is the firm favorite for natural health company branding… and mental hospital cell walls (so I’ve heard). There is definitely something about green that makes a person feel safe, and green products are among the most popular on the market, if the booming wellness industry is anything to go by.

That green tea is a wonder product is not news; still, its impressive range of benefits (both anecdotal and scientifically proven) could not yet be classed as common knowledge. It’s probably another of those products that you’ve heard is good for you, but you can’t quite remember why. Let me enlighten you. 

Green tea is processed differently to black tea; i.e. it is less processed and not allowed to ferment, so it can retain its health-inducing flavonoid antioxidants, its polyphenols and its high number of catechins (antibacterial and antiviral agents). Green tea is an Energy Gum, meaning that it can enhance your mental functions, leading to better attention, alertness and memory.  As I mentioned, some of the benefits are anecdotal but there is scientific data to back up many of green tea’s benefits.

Green tea is old news…

China (and Asia in general) has been in on the green tea secret for thousands of years. Asia knows well that green tea is a kitchen cupboard staple; it’s not just a refreshing drink, but a medicine in its own right. Green tea contains a unique amino acid, L-theanine. L-theanine positively impacts some of the health conditions mentioned below, but also increases your state of mental alertness significantly.

In Asia it’s accepted that green tea has anti-cancer properties, which is no small thing. It is considered to be an effectivecure for hypertension (high blood pressure), a preventative measure against diabetes, and an aid to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s sufferers. But that’s not all:

1. Green tea boosts your metabolism and burns fat

Green tea has acquired a veritable reputation among aspiring fat burners. This is down to the polyphenols, which promote a higher metabolic rate and the oxidization of that pesky excess fat. Because green tea can also regulate glucose levels, your blood sugar is less likely to rise after you’ve eaten, meaning less insulin spikes and ultimately less diabetes!

This is not an excuse to let the devil on your shoulder win… step away from the Krispy Kreme if you want green tea to stand a chance at proving itself. Althletes (who wouldn’t dream of a Krispy Kreme-fest) apparently appreciate a spot of green tea too; they love it for its regenerative qualities, as well as its ability to rehydrate. Green tea boosts physical performance as well as mental performance.

2. Green tea prevents heart problems

Green tea has a reputation for preventing heart disease, due to its ability to both relax and strengthen your blood vessels; so in the event that your blood pressure spikes, they can handle that pressure. It also works to keep your blood pressure low, and it is said that green tea can prevent blood clots from forming. What’s more, green tea lowers bad cholesterol in your blood, while boosting good cholesterol levels.

I doubt you’d argue that it’s not wise to mess around with your heart in any sense. In short, green tea is your ally; it wards off an early visit from the Grim Reaper.

3. Green tea prevents chronic diseases

A carcinogen is a cancer-causing agent; something you’ll want to steer well clear of. Green tea has been shown to destroy cancer cells while causing no damage to surrounding tissues; it is said to reduce the risk of esophageal cancer in particular. There is also evidence to suggest that green tea makes cancer drugs more effective.

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s may be held at bay thanks to green tea’s ability to restore brain cells that are passed their use-by date. No mean feat! It also fortifies the healthy brain cells, making them less likely to succumb to disease or death.

4. Green tea boosts your mental health

If you’re planning to avoid those green cell walls, green tea is your friend. It can literally regulate your brain function. This is down to the L-theanine content, which blocks the binding of L-glutamic acid to glutamate receptors in the brain. This reduces your stress response and (as demonstrated in EEG test study results) increases activity within the alpha frequency band, meaning you’ll feel both alert and relaxed at the same time. The alpha state is associated with improvedfaculties, such as attention span.

This is why green tea’s buzz has a reputation as being less ‘manic’ than coffee’s can be for some; coffee lacks the L-theanine. Essentially, green tea prevents anxiety by relaxing you – it feels like a tranquilizer. It might be time to bin the Valium and stick the kettle on! 

5. Green tea is great for your skin and teeth

The catechins in green tea kill bacteria and viruses, so green tea can be considered an immune-booster. It’s also anti-inflammatory, which is a mega benefit in itself.As it washes over your teeth and down your throat, it puts paid to any insidious invaders waiting to assault your immune system. Instances of tooth decay, colds and flu are said to be less amongst regular green tea drinkers.

Thanks to its antioxidant content, this green wonder drink is considered to be anti-aging. It’s a worthy addition to your armory if you’ve embarked on that inevitable war on wrinkles. Another thing that will win green tea your vote is its capacity to negate the effects of sun damage. You need to smear it on your skin for this to work, but time it well… rubbing tea bags on your face in the office may not be the smartest social move.

6. Green tea isn’t only present in a tea bag

As with any other drink, guzzling green tea all day long could get boring, or time consuming. Fortunately there are other ways to get the benefits of green tea - even better, you can get the benefits of other nootropic substances like caffeine while you’re at it. The combination of the L-theanine and caffeine is thought to improve cognitive performance substantially; you get the caffeine’s ‘alert’ and the L-theanine’s ‘calm’… win-win. In case you didn’t know it, chewing a gum from best nootropic stack which is made from natural ingredients is a quick-fix way to get your perfectly-measured L-theanine and caffeine buzz.

So to sum it all up: green tea is an anti-cancerous, immunity-boosting, anti-ageing, anti-depressant, fat-burning, heart-protecting, Nootropic wonder product… and you can get all that in a tiny piece of gum. 

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