Women articles online

By: tk

Breast augmentation had never been a top concern for me. Ditto for cosmetic surgery. It had always seemed like a cop out. As if the people who went under the knife for it did it because they were insecure. Not only that, but they thought it would be the “be all and end all” for them. In other words, they’d still feel insecure after the fact because they hadn’t dealt with the real problem. Their own self-image.

Then one day, I saw some interviews with women who had done it. It really blew me away. They weren’t insecure. They were happy for having done it. It wasn’t like they felt they HAD to. They wanted to regardless of what other people thought or said. So, it was their OWN decision. They knew the risks, had heard all the stuff in the past in the news about the safety of implants.

It’s hard to describe how it felt to hear them. It felt… Well, it was kind of empowering. Their bodies, their choice. That’s what I got out of it. And so, that’s when I realized that all my negative obsessing about breast augmentation was wrong, a cover up. I was trying avoid my own interest in the procedure by putting it down.

This isn’t to say that it’s the same for everyone. Nor do I want anyone to think that they SHOULD do it just because they’re “interested”. I had to think a long time about this, and feel comfortable knowing that it was what I wanted.

After preparing myself, I then went on the mythical quest for the perfect surgeon. What I found was a lot of information about all the different ways breast augmentation could be done. On top of that, the different kinds of implants. As well, the legal restrictions around certain types of implants - namely the silicone-filled variety.

The other thing I found was how different the surgeons and/or clinics marketed themselves. There were a lot of ads that would reaffirm everything I thought was wrong about it. Fortunately, there were some that actually sounded intelligent, i.e. not some turn-of-the-century hawker selling snake oil.

Talking with these people, who actually sounded like they cared, I was finally able to make a decision. They also answered the endless questions and concerns I had about the different kinds of breast augmentation. Not only the pros and cons of each technique but what had to be done afterwards to make sure that the implants wouldn’t rupture.

Although it took a while, in the end I was glad I did my homework first. But more importantly, I’m glad for having seen those women talk about their own experiences with breast augmentation.

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By: Wayne McDonald

Study Shows Some Americans Would Choose Divorce, Depression and Alcoholism Over Obesity

May 23, 2006 — What would you be willing to sacrifice if it ensured you would never be fat?

Would you give up a year of your life? Or 10 years?

Would you rather be divorced, unable to have children, depressed, alcoholic?

A disturbing new study out of Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity found that nearly half — 46 percent — of 4,283 participants would rather give up a year of their life than be obese. Fifteen percent were willing to give up 10 years.

In fact, a surprisingly large number of participants were willing to make extreme sacrifices if they could be sure they would never be obese.

These are hypothetical questions, of course, and the answers are not set in stone. Obesity is a killer, so some participants probably figured that they were going to die earlier anyway if they were obese, but what surprised the researchers was the number of people who were willing to make extreme sacrifices.

“The percentages of people willing to make extreme sacrifices were much lower,” said psychologist Marlene Schwartz, associate director of the center and lead author in a report in the journal Obesity. “But what struck me was given how big our sample size was, there’s still a significant number of people who would give up a lot in order not to be obese.”

More than 600 persons, for example, were willing to give up 10 years of their life. And, 342 said they would rather have a learning-disabled child than an obese child.

The findings show the enormous stigma placed on being fat, and that, Schwartz says, is one of the major reasons why some people just can’t take it off.

One part of the online study examined subconscious attitudes toward obesity and found that across the board, regardless of age or body weight of the participants, “individuals more strongly associated fat people with bad and thin people with good,” the report said.

Fat people are seen as lazy and unwilling to try hard enough to lose weight.

That, Schwartz says, is a big part of the problem. Even overweight participants in the study thought poorly of themselves, and once that level of self-condemnation is reached, it becomes nearly impossible to lose weight.

“Children are constantly given the message, ‘You’re fat because you’re lazy,’ ” Schwartz said, ‘and you’re not trying hard enough.’ That child is going to internalize that message. And once somebody believes that about themselves, it’s going to get harder rather than easier for them to do the hard work that it takes to really fight obesity and be healthy.”

It’s not that all those fat people out there aren’t trying.

“I think people do try, but it’s extremely difficult to lose weight and keep it off,” she said.

Obesity, of course, can have many causes. Medical conditions,
genetics and lifestyle all play a part, but researchers contend that in many cases the remedy may be beyond the victim’s reach.

“Part of the problem is we view obesity as something that’s under the person’s control, and we blame the individual for having the problem,” she said. “But I think people overestimate how much control we have over our body’s shape and weight. Therefore when someone is fat, we immediately assume they don’t care enough to try to lose weight. They are to blame for being overweight.”

Of course, sometimes that’s true, and sometimes it’s not.

In our current environment, she notes, it’s particularly difficult to keep those extra pounds off. Junk food is everywhere, urban sprawl forces us to drive instead of walk, diets fail, and we get discouraged. So we settle down to watch a ball game on television, surrounded by comfort food.

It’s enough to make a body give up, and that, Schwartz says, is exactly what is happening. That doesn’t mean there’s nothing that can help. Lifestyle changes make a difference, she says, and if people can take steps to become more physically active, and more careful about what they eat, then some of those pounds can probably come off.

First, she insists, we’ve got to change our attitudes about obesity.

“For there to be a change, we have to stop blaming the individual,” Schwartz said. “We’ve been blaming people for a long time and it’s not working. So we need to do something else, and what I would suggest is focus on the environment, clean up the environment and make it so that every time you turn around there’s a healthy food option and it’s hard to find junk food. Change our environment so that it’s easy to walk and it’s easy to get physical activity in your everyday life.”

“I just don’t think yelling more at people is going to get us anywhere,” she said.

Given prevailing attitudes about being overweight, though, change is not likely to come quickly or easily.

The study, also by Lenny R. Vartanian and Kelly D. Brownell of Yale and Brian A. Nosek of the University of Virginia, reveals strong bias against people who are fat, and that occurs across all ages and body shapes.

Of the 4,283 participants, 30 percent (1,285) said they would rather be divorced than obese, 25 percent (1,070) said they would rather be unable to have children, 15 percent (642) said they would rather be severely depressed, and 14 percent (600) said they would rather be alcoholic.

Most drew the line at some sacrifices, but 10 percent (428) said they would rather have an anorexic child than an obese child, and 8 percent (342) said they would rather have a learning-disabled child than an obese child.

That level of stigmatism drives some toward depression, which can lead to eating disorders, which only worsens the problem.

Copyright 2006 OurFamilysHealth.com

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By: Allison Preston

Now that the low carb diet craze has started to fizzle out many are looking for a diet plan that is more compatible with their lifestyle. One of the most common complaints of people who are following diets is the bland taste of approved foods. To give people a safe and effective way to lose weight, eat healthy foods that taste great and are packed with flavor Dr. Connie Guttersen developed the Sonoma Diet.

The Sonoma Diet is loosely based on the Mediterranean Diet with some modifications and an emphasis on 10 foods known as the power foods. These foods include a select group of fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains. These foods are not only good for you but taste great, and according to the diet plans creator they give you a lot nutritional value per calorie. In addition to teaching about healthy food choices the Sonoma Diet discusses portion management with a variety of techniques.

Similar to other modern diet plans the Sonoma Diet Plan has three phases which are known as waves. Wave one is the most nutritionally restrictive phase with the smallest amount of food groups allowed. Sugar intake during this stage is dramatically reduced to wean the body off of it’s sugar dependency. Wave one lasts for 10 days. Wave two has more food options available including dairy, and sugar free sweets. People following wave two will have much less dramatic weight loss than during wave one. They will stay on this wave until they reach their target weight. Once the target weight is reached you will start wave three or the maintenance wave. This wave has the largest group of allowable foods including the occasional sweet indulgent dessert.

For people who were turned off by the low carbohydrate approach of the Atkins Diet the Sonoma Diet offers an attractive alternative. During the most restrictive part of the diet you are allowed to eat whole grains, cereals and breads. The plan does however recommend avoiding white or refined flour foods. For people who enjoy cooking the Sonoma Diet offers lots of choices with new recipes being continually added. For people who enjoy eating out a special section was added to help them make healthy food choices.

© Copyright Fitness-Web.com, All Rights Reserved.

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By: Martin Stanwyck

Searching for a new diet that works? If you’re a habitual dieter, wouldn’t it be nice to stop changing diets? Is there a diet that actually works?

Everyone has a habit or a vice. Some people smoke. Some people bite their fingernails. Some people can’t resist having a piece of chocolate before bed time, and others snore when they sleep. Others are habitual dieters, always looking for a new diet that promises astonishing results.

How many new diet plans have you tried? Some people can tick off a list of new diet after diet that they have tried. They yo-yo back and forth. Atkins, weight watchers, the grapefruit diet, the soup diet, the salad diet, the low-fat diet… some people can’t even count every new diet they have tried.

Often, each new diet is punctuated by a day of binge eating. Sure, you lost weight on that latest low-carbohydrate new diet, but now you’re craving a baked potato, French fries, and a big piece of garlic bread. Wouldn’t it be great to find a new diet that allows you to eat all the foods you want while still losing weight?

The bottom line is that the best option isn’t actually a new diet. It’s a concept that has been around for ages, but people fail to overlook it with so many new diet choices on the market. If you talk to most doctors, however, they will agree that fad dieting is not the smartest choice to lose weight.

However bombarded we may be with new diet choices; there is one fact that can’t be ignored. We lose weight when we limit our caloric intake. This isn’t about grapefruit, carbohydrates, fat-free products, or even following a strict new diet plan. It’s about eating in moderation. You don’t have to go hungry, but you need to use willpower to make sure you don’t overeat. Limiting your calories means shedding those unwanted pounds.

What happens when you don’t have willpower? Face it; some of us just don’t have that extra willpower that we need to turn down a second serving of our favorite food. It’s hard to do, especially when your new diet has left you hungry.

Willpower can’t be bottled and sold, but there is a new diet concept that will give you the willpower you need to follow through with your weight loss goals. I’m not talking about appetite suppressants. Many of these products still leave you hungry and leave you feeling jittery or overheated.

If you missed the expose on 60 Minutes or Today show, then you probably haven’t heard about a new vegetable that could jumpstart your diet. This means no more signing on for a new diet every month because you’ll finally have found something that works safely and long term. I’m talking about Hoodia Gordonii. This cactus like plant was introduced to the market recently, but it has been around for centuries. Bushmen in Africa used it for warding off hunger during long expositions.

What does this mean for you today? It means you can limit your calories while not being at all hungry. You’ll feel as if you have already eaten. I know, it sounds almost too good to be true, but it actually works. The best news is that Hoodia is all natural, making it totally safe to incorporate this as a part of your daily diet. Stop stressing over food, the latest new diet, or losing that unwanted weight. Watch those pounds melt off safely and quickly.

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By: Nelson Carrasco

This is a very interesting diet concept that I think may work for many people. It is known as the “food theme” diet and allows you to eat the foods you like, while losing a good amount of weight naturally. The diet is centered on eating less overall rather than eating the healthiest and natural foods you can find, although this does help as well.

The basic concept of the diet is to choose a theme of food and to stick to that particular theme for a day. For example if you choose a theme of lemon, you should only eat foods with lemon in them for that day. Why? The concept behind this new diet is actually quite simple. Many people eat a lot because they are not completely full, even if they are not hungry. The body naturally likes to eat many different types of foods. This is one of the main causes of overeating. Even though you have eaten enough of a certain type of food and are no longer hungry, you still want to eat more of a different type of food. This new diet forces you to stick to a certain group of foods so that you cannot eat different types of foods and thus, you eat less and lose weight. This diet has been tried in many scientific case studies and has proven to be effective.

Now, if you choose this diet, just because you eat less, you still have to be aware of what you are eating and keep track of the amount of calories you are consuming daily. If you choose food categories such as “chocolate” or “cake”, this diet is obviously not going to be effective.

The Bottom Line of this Diet : Choose healthy foods that you like to eat as your daily “food theme” and make sure that you alternate your theme daily to get some variety in your diet. If you choose the same food group day after day, the diet will get very bland and mundane, and chances are you will not continue with it and it will not help you lose weight. Also, every now and then, you may want to take a break from your diet to eat some desert or a somewhat unhealthy food, but still try to make it correlate with your theme for the day. For example, on a day when you want to eat pizza, make your food theme “tomatoes”.

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By: Anastasia Phocas

Eat less fat, that’s the master key to have control on your weight. You have heard this a thousand times from all your well wishers. But it might be a fistful of those who have actually helped you out with the right diet for checking your weight.

Even you are aware that weight loss and diet go hand in hand. But this universal truth should be framed out tactfully in every particular case and then can you see a successful change in your story of weight and shaking it off.

Fat does carry excess calories that must be burnt and nullified to reduce the chances of its accumulation in your body. But at the same time it is this fat, an essential source of energy to keep your body active. What’s important is basically an awareness of calories present in the fat food in facts and figures. A general comparative study has shown that fatty substances carry 9 calories per gram in respect to proteins which is just 4 calories per gram. Similar is in case of the carbohydrates.

Just by cutting out fatty foods on your diet will not create weight loss alone, you need to consider your overall calorific intake. So frame your diet with not just fat free stuffs but with the exact amount of calories you require for a healthy living. Instead of depriving yourself from an entire universe of delicious items, go by the simple rule that is eat as much as you require and not give up on your favourite things.

Your weight loss should be on par with your health. Don’t go by the instant being slim and thin magic, but pay a heed to your health which will keep you fit and add a stream of happiness to your life. Stop worrying unnecessary about your weight. Try to maintain a record of what you are eating and when you are eating those.

The routine should be such that at regular intervals of time you do have something to eat. Don’t ever skip your meals. The breakfast should be heavier than the supper. There’s a common tendency among those who start to practice dieting that they often keep themselves starving and fasting. Actually an empty stomach is a bigger source of further damage to you health. You can develop gastric problems and ulcers in the stomach. So why pay for such damage in the race of making yourself skinny like a Hollywood glam doll? Eat healthy and keep fit! Just enjoy the life you already have for once.

Find more info at http://www.diet-resource-online.info

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By: Beverly Taylor

Women have special health needs at different stages of our lives. We may need a specific vitamin supplement for a woman at one stage of our life and need something completely different at another period. Doctors often prescribe vitamin and iron supplements for a woman who is expecting. If she does, take them as directed and do not alter the dose. While a lack of a particular vitamin can cause deficiencies, too much can result in toxicity.

When a vitamin supplement for a woman is recommended or prescribed it is because it contains the specific vitamin or vitamins a woman’s body needs. Your doctor will take into the account the amount of calcium and other nutrients that you need on a daily basis and make his recommendation.

You should familiarize yourself with the different vitamins and their role in your health. You want to know in what foods you can get certain vitamins and how much of each of the vitamins that your body needs. If you are taking a vitamin supplement for a woman because you are pregnant, you’ll want to investigate whether or not you’ll need one after you give birth.

If you have a disease or a condition that dictates you take a special vitamin supplement for a woman it may be something you always have to deal with. Your doctor can certainly advise you on this. However, in most cases, pregnancy notwithstanding, you should be able to get all the vitamins and minerals you need from a balanced diet. Your doctor can do a simple blood test to check the levels of certain vitamins in your system and whether or not you are deficient.

It is important to note that vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble. An excess amount of these vitamins are stored either in fatty tissue or the liver until needed. Because of this, toxicity can occur if too many vitamins are taken. While that rarely happens when we get our vitamins solely from the foods we eat, it can and does happen when we combine too many vitamin supplements with our diets. Discuss this with your doctor if you think you need a vitamin supplement for a woman.

Once you realize the different roles vitamins and minerals play in our overall health, it’s actually fun to keep up with the amount we are ingesting, either through the foods we eat or through supplements. In doing so, you will most likely find that your overall diet improves and the need for any additional supplements will be minimal.

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By: Karen Peralta

The biggest problem we face in America today is not terrorism – it is obesity. This is according to Dr. Julie Gerberding, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in America. And it seems much of this problem is happening in a slow and creeping way, through gradual young and middle-aged adult weight gain, over very long periods of time.

On the average, a typical American adult gains at least two pounds per year over his or her lifetime. That probably means that approximately 100 extra calories are being consumed each day, according to Dr. James Hill of the University of Colorado’s nutrition center. If you simply burn off those 100 extra calories, or don’t consume them to begin with, you will then not gain that yearly extra weight.

Dr. Gerberding says that fixing the problem will involve changing most Americans’ daily social norms. This will have to start in our early childhood, she says. People will have to begin performing more physical activity and eating less every day. And Dr. Hill has examined government figures showing that about 40 million adults are currently obese. He has also noted that Americans are steadily gaining more weight than usual in recent years. But what can be done about this socially and personally significant health problem?

“The future is not hopeful unless we act now,” Dr. Hill says. He estimates that if current trends continue, the obesity rate for American adults in 2008 will be 39%, which compares unfavorably with 31% in the year 2000.

Middle age shows a great increase in the amount of weight gained. There is a doubling of body fat in this time period in both men and women living in the developed countries. Such weight gain is strongly associated with increased morbidity and mortality. But there is ample evidence to conclude that moderate physical activity combined with a steady and healthy diet slows down or stops middle-aged adult weight gain.

Young adults are also at a high risk for weight gain. In America, for adults ages 25-74, the major weight gain was shown to be highest between ages 25-34. This was found by recent US government studies. And in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study, even though trends were constant across ten years of follow-up studies, age-related weight gain was larger in the early to mid-20s than it was for older age groups.

It may not be wisest to wait until middle age, even though that may be when obesity becomes a more significant health threat, to lose weight. Irreversible health damage from weight being above optimal levels may occur prior to the beginning of a health-related diet and exercise program. But modest weight loss can reduce cardiovascular risk factors, and in high-risk individuals, it also prevents the development of diabetes and hypertension.

The American College of Preventative Medicine endorses the guidelines of the National Institutes of Health when it comes to advising obese and overweight patients on how to go about both losing excess weight and keeping it off. They encourage moderate physical activity for 30 to 45 minutes for at least 3 to 5 days per week for clinically obese or overweight persons, whenever such a program is not contraindicated by any current health problems. They also advise counseling regarding an energy-reduced or low-calorie diet of 800 to 1500 calories per day for an obese or overweight adult until optimal weight is attained. Then it is suggested that the patient should remain on a healthy, normal diet that is not higher in calories than the amount burned by ordinary activities and exercise each day.

It is felt by many experts that simply avoiding excess weight gain during the early adult years may be very important. It may ensure the prevention of adverse health reactions and establish an early foundation for the maintenance of lifelong healthy habits in later adulthood. It is also felt that interventions such as simple changes in diet and the maintenance of a regular exercise program will help parents establish lifelong role models for their children. This would greatly help to prevent America’s steady increase in obesity over the oncoming decade, and its accompanying morbidity and mortality over the next several generations of aging adult Americans.

Information in this article was obtained from the four sources listed below:

The “Cutting 100 Calories/day Might Prevent Weight Gain & Obesity” page at Weight Control and Obesity;

The “Symposium: Adult Weight Gain: Causes and Implications” page at Nutrition.org;

The “Weight management counseling of overweight adults” page at National Guideline Clearinghouse;

The “NHLBI Working Group Report Preventing Weight Gain in Young Adults” page at National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

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By: P. Wolbers

Are you feeling tired, stressed, or apathetic? Did you know these are all common signs of a diet lacking nutritional value? If you are dieting, ill, or eating a fast-food diet, you should you be concerned that you and your family are getting proper nutrition from your food.

- How can you know that you are getting enough nutrition?

If you find that a day goes by and the only thing you’ve had to eat is a bagel and coffee or maybe some fast-food you will no doubt be feeling the physical effects of a lack of nutrition. Lack of mental clarity, weakness and irritability are all signs you haven’t given your body enough good food to eat.

On the other hand, if you or your children indulge in high calorie diets on a regular basis you will notice the effects of over nutrition. Weight gain and related symptoms will also zap your energy and put a strain on your body.

- Under and over nutrition. Finding balance.

Your diet is a crucial element to feeling good, strong and alert. If you’ve been suffering from a diet lacking in nutrition, or an over indulgence in nutrition, you’ll certainly be feeling the effects on your overall health - and even worse - you may be setting yourself up for more serious disease.

You obviously need calories for energy. It is vital to obtain the necessary amount of calories every day to maintain your optimum health. Individuals who do not take in the proper amount of calories because of ill health, physical disability, dieting or problems with absorption, usually begin to loose weight, lack concentration and as time passes they begin to loose the function of organs such as the reproductive system and eventually major functions of the heart and lungs.

A diet too high in calories will also put your health at risk. More common than under nutrition in developed countries like the United States, obesity puts a strain on the organs and increases the risk for health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.

Knowing what a typical serving size of food is can help you determine if you (or a family member) are taking in the appropriate amount of calories. It is important for parents to teach children moderate eating habits to ensure good eating for life. I cannot stress this point enough!

- How nutritious is your food?

Aside from merely watching caloric intake it is important that your diet has strong nutritional value as well. You could eat an entire box of doughnuts to meet your calorie needs without having met your daily requirements for vitamins, protein, calcium and other minerals.

Choosing a diet that lacks nutrition on a regular basis will lead to a lowered resistance to illness, general weakness, and irritability. Other diet deficiencies, such as a lack of calcium, can lead to more serious disorders like osteoporosis.

While pregnant and/or lactating women, the elderly and ill individuals may have no choice but to to supplement their diet with multi vitamins, the average healthy person should attempt to get most of the nutrition they need in a normal diet that includes fruit, vegetables, protein (meat and lentils), dairy and fibre bread and cereals).

- So what about the occasional burger?

Fast-food in the diet is not harmful if it is only an occasional treat, but may show its negative effects if consumed as a major part of the diet. Educating yourself and your family on what a healthy diet is will help you and your family feel great and enjoy good health for years to come.

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By: Sarah Williams

Did you know that during the Boston Tea Party, the tea that was dumped into the harbor was mostly Chinese green tea? Well, this delightful beverage has been around for thousands of years and has been part of the Chinese diet since the ancient times. Today, it is highly appreciated for its advantages. As numerous studies have found out, the Chinese diet green tea has a significant number of health benefits.

Origin and Background

As noted, Chinese green tea has been around for thousands of year, approximately 4,000 years. Legend has it that this delightful brew was discovered accidentally by a Chinese emperor. It comes from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis, as traditional black tea and oolong tea. And, for centuries, Chinese medicine has used it to treat headaches, digestive problems, lack of energy, and immune enhancement.

The Chinese diet green tea is actually produced by steaming the fresh tea leaves at high temperatures, leaving a significant part of the nutritional enzyme content intact. Unlike the black and oolong tea, the green tea is never fermented. Instead, its leaves bypass the fermenting process and steamed, baked or pan heated. The leaves are rolled and those tightly rolled leaves have long been considered as a sign of quality.

Chinese Diet Green Tea for Weight Loss

One particular claim that linked the Chinese green tea to diet is its being a miracle tea for weight loss. Well, there is no such thing as a “miracle” weight loss food or drug though, but several indications were revealed that Chinese green tea brings a number of benefits to those trying to lose weight.

It was revealed that green tea extracts are capable of reducing fat digestion by inhibiting digestive enzymes. Other studies have shown that green tea has thermogenic properties, which are probably brought on by the interaction between its caffeine content and catechin polyphenols. As you may know, thermogenesis is the process of the body burning fuel without making chemical energy.

Experts have said that of combined with the other weight loss supplements or techniques, the Chinese green tea could be an excellent addition to your diet.

Other Benefits

There are also other benefits connected with the intake of Chinese diet green tea. One of those is the claim that the polyphenols found in green tea have been shown to inhibit growth of cancer cells. The polyphenols appear to block the formation of cancer-causing compounds, and it is believed that the Chinese diet green tea has the greatest benefit on cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

The Chinese diet green tea polyphenols are also powerful anti-oxidants. They are even more powerful than vitamin C and vitamin E, and more powerful than that found in many fruits and vegetables. The green tea itself contains vitamin C.

Further researches even found out that the compounds in green tea stimulate immune system cells. In recent years, research has shown that green tea may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. It is even good for the teeth as it contain fluoride that helps fight tooth decay.

Having said all these, I think that now is the right time to brew up a bit of Chinese diet green teas for a beneficial break in your day.

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