The amazing effects of Green Tea

A cup of green tea has powerful healing properties and is a soothing accompaniment to any meal. Look at the magic it can do.
The buzz around this ancient beverage has been doing the rounds for quite a while now. At first sip, green tea definitely cleanses the palate, but it’s true power comes from the antioxidants it contains. In fact, you could call it the King Kong of antioxidants.
Green tea is chock-full of cathechin polyphenols, mainly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is its main fighting ingredient. It’s believed that EGCG prevents cancer by targeting cancerous cells. It also lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, prevents the formation of abnormal blood clots that cause heart attacks or strokes, prevents inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, builds up the immune system and provides resistance to various infections. Whew! That’s one powerful ingredient.
Here’s a simple iced green tea preparation to get you started in your fight to stay healthy.
Green Gingerina
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients
2 cups of water
low-calorie sweetener to taste
1 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
6 green tea bags
4 tsp fresh lemon juice club soda
12 ice cubes
a handful of mint leaves for garnish
1. Put the water, sweetener, ground ginger and lemon peel in a medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat for about seven to eight minutes.
2. Remove from heat and add the green tea bags. Leave the bags undisturbed for 10 minutes.
3. Stir and add the lemon juice. Refrigerate for one to two hours.
4. To make a cup of iced tea, pour the concentrate into a glass till it is one-fourth full. Then top it up with club soda. Add ice cubes and garnish with mint leaves.

How to control mood disorders

(Taken from an article published in Times of India dated 16/9/2009)
Mood disorders are a group of illnesses that have as their distinguishing characteristic an experience of mood that is unusual for the

Control disorderly moods! (Getty Images)

circumstances. It is a very common cause of behavioural pattern in human beings.
Mood variations in accordance with the environment proportionally are normal but when behavioural patterns are disproportionate, they are called abnormal mood disorder.
“When a mood is too low, it is known as depression and when it is too high it is called mania. The fluctuation between too high and too low is called bipolar disorder. Exposure to exogenous individual factors such as negative stress, hostility, arrogance, vindictiveness, bigotry, anger, etc, may lead to exhaustion or low levels of serotonin, which is associated with depression. While the high levels of mood behaviour may lead to mania, a significant fluctuation in the level of serotonin may fluctuate the mood, depending on the chemical imbalance,” says Dr H K Chopra, senior consultant, medicine and cardiology, Moolchand Heart Hospital, New Delhi.
Types
Mood disorders can be classified into unipolar and bipolar disorders. Where the fluctuation between too high and too low, it is called bipolar disorder. Unipolar mood disorder can be divided into:
Major disorder: This type of disorder results in acute depression, which leads to lack on enthusiasm, sadness, feeling of self worthlessness and guilt, insomnia, fatigue, etc. In extreme cases, a tendency of committing suicide is seen.
Dysthymia: It is characterised by a constant depressed mood for about two years. It is accompanied by some other symptoms such as an increase or decrease in eating, low self-esteem, fatigue or low energy, insomnia or increase in sleeping, feeling hopeless and difficulty in making decisions or concentrating. These symptoms are persistent, but less severe.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): It is a type of mood disorder that is characterised by the episodes of major depression, occurring at a particular time of the year (winter).
Postpartum depression: It is a major depressive episode, which occurs after having a baby. The depressive symptoms generally start within four weeks after giving birth to a baby. Some of the common symptoms are headache, exhaustion, a sense of inadequacy and crying. These symptoms may be accompanied by a constant fatigue, less interest in sex, a lack of joy in the life, severe mood swings, withdrawal from family and friends, insomnia and impaired concentration or thinking. The symptoms can vary in duration and intensity.
Treatment
The balance in the behavioural pattern is possible by optimising of lifestyle with self-discipline, regulated daily routine such as exercise, daily walks, sports, meditation and practising of all eight limbs of yoga — yama, niyama, asanas, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi — meticulously may help in balancing the mood. Eating the right food at the right time and in right dosage and consumption of satvik food enhance mood balance. Tamsik food may distort the mood. Excessive smoking, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse may also be responsible for mood disorders. Therefore, perfection in the mindset is the key to have perfection in the mood. Following a meticulous lifestyle may reduce the requirement for mood stabilisation medication.