Free Radicals are the main cause of skin aging and indeed body aging. Green Tea (organic only – never tea bags), traps free radicals, removing aggressive substances from the skin, giving it a tighter, younger appearance when used regularly. Green Tea extracts used in skincare products, supply the top layers of skin (namely the dermis and epidermis) with water, thus preventing the skin from drying out. Green Tea also provides natural sun protection – not by filtering UV rays, but by trapping their by-products, the free radicals, as soon as they develop.
Green Tea is particularly good for treating the skin after sunbathing. It cools and assists the skin to store water, traps free radicals and is anti-inflammatory. Use it in lotions, moisturisers, sun products and after sun products, gels, mists, and toners.
To create effective skincare products with a reasonable shelf life – Green Tea needs to be first made into a suitable extract which may then be added back into cream bases, gels, etc, without producing mould. Suggestions are: tincture, glycerite, infused oils or hydrosols. Green Tea in skincare tightens the skin and makes it more resistant to harmful environmental irritations.
Drinking Green Tea daily is highly recommended for a huge range of health conditions. It protects the immune system, assists the body to use Vitamin C, stimulates urination, neutralizes acidity in the body and has anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties. It also reduces appetite and binds animal fat in the intestines, so that less strain is put on the digestive and excretory organs.
Scientists from the German Cancer Research Centre have been analyzing the effectiveness of Green Tea as a form of protection against cancer. The importance of Green Tea in preventing and healing cancer has been known in Japan for some time, but now it is also starting to be accepted in the western world. It contains a unique profile of active substances suitable for cancer prevention. It strengthens the immune system and hinders the development of metastases.
The saponins in Green Tea are particularly potent in reducing the risk of cancer of the large intestines by blocking the development of acids in the gallbladder – the main cause of tumors of the intestines. Its bioflavonoids reduce the risk of cancer of the breast, large intestines and stomach. They smuggle certain enzymes into human metabolism which stops cancer in its preliminary stages. They are also said to be capable of entering the genes directly, where they can block the binding sites for substances that cause cells to become cancerous.
Japanese studies were able to prove that EGCG, which is present in Green Tea, can block the development of lung cancer. It is active in the bloodstream and it also works directly on the pulmonary alveoli during the process of exhaling.
Its high content of Zinc and Vitamin C, strengthens the immune system, traps free radicals and protects cell tissues against aggressive substances.
Remember: Only use ORGANIC loose leaf tea. Drink between 1 – 5 cups per day, depending on your need.
(See recipe section for skincare).
