TEAS

Puerh Tea
Pronounced
(Pooh - Air)

The many health benefits of Pu-erh tea has lead it to
being known as the "Wonder Tonic" and the
"Medicinal Tea". Long standing consumers of Pu-erh
tea believe it has anti-aging properties and can
prolong life.

The restorative and medical properties associated
with Pu-erh tea is truly astonishing. Often referred to
as the “Wonder Tonic” and the “Medicinal Tea”, Pu-
erh tea has been hugely popular in China for over
1700 years. For centuries it was given as a tribute to
the Emperor and high ranking officials within the
Imperial Courts of China. Its high value and many
health benefits lead to high demands and the
frequency of the tributes gave it the title “Tribute Tea”.

Accounts on the health benefits and medical use of
Pu-erh tea has been documented in various ancient
scripts and famous books throughout Chinese
history. Pu-erh tea is strongly believed to have wide
ranging health benefits from anti aging, prevention of
heart disease and cancer, diabetic control, removal of
toxins to curing dysentery, inflammation, aiding
digestion and weight loss, improving the eyesight,
blood circulation and reviving those who are overly
intoxicated with alcohol.. Green and black Yunnan
Pu-erh teas were found to have the ability to destroy
cancer cells - Yunnan Natural Medicine Research
Institute

The long term consumption of Pu-erh tea is believed
to help reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol
levels and play an important role in preventing heart
disease and cancer. Pu-erh tea made from wild old
tea trees are reputed to be more potent, containing
strong Qi (translated as "life energy" or "life force")
that boosts the blood flow and helps the body's
circulation. This as a result aids the removal of toxins
and can cure minor aches and pains.

Pu-erh tea is the perfect complement for Chinese food

In many traditional Chinese restaurants especially
those serving dim sum dishes Pu-erh tea is the
customary drink served. Its ability to break down oily
and fatty food and aid digestion makes it an ideal
drink to have alongside delicious Chinese dishes that
are often high in fat. After a heavy meal drinking Pu-
erh tea is said to help clean the intestines and
stomach. In some quarters Pu-erh tea is used as a
slimming tea and consumed to assist with weight
loss. See References

In Yunnan Province, China the hill tribes and villagers
who gather and produce Pu-erh tea for everyday
consumption live long healthy lives.

Dandelion Tea

Suppose your doctor tells you, on your next visit, that
he has just discovered a miracle drug which, when
eaten as a part of your daily diet or taken as a
beverage, could, depending on the peculiarities of
your body chemistry: prevent or cure liver diseases,
such as hepatitis or jaundice; act as a tonic and
gentle diuretic to purify your blood, cleanse your
system, dissolve kidney stones, and otherwise
improve gastro-intestinal health; assist in weight
reduction; cleanse your skin and eliminate acne;
improve your bowel function, working equally well to
relieve both constipation and diarrhea; prevent or
lower high blood pressure; prevent or cure anemia;
lower your serum cholesterol by as much as half;
eliminate or drastically reduce acid indigestion and
gas buildup by cutting the heaviness of fatty foods;
prevent or cure various forms of cancer; prevent or
control diabetes mellitus; and, at the same time, have
no negative side effects and selectively act on only
what ails you. If he gave you a prescription for this
miracle medicine, would you use it religiously at first
to solve whatever the problem is and then
consistently for preventative body maintenance?

All the above curative functions, and more, have been
attributed to one plant known to everyone, Taraxacum
officinale, which means the "Official Remedy for
Disorders." We call it the common dandelion. It is so
well respected, in fact, that it appears in the U.S.
National Formulatory, and in the Pharmacopeias of
Hungary, Poland, Switzerland, and the Soviet Union. It
is one of the top 6 herbs in the Chinese herbal
medicine chest.

According to the USDA Bulletin #8, "Composition of
Foods" (Haytowitz and Matthews 1984), dandelions
rank in the top 4 green vegetables in overall nutritional
value. Minnich, in "Gardening for Better Nutrition"
ranks them, out of all vegetables, including grains,
seeds and greens, as tied for 9th best. According to
these data, dandelions are nature's richest green
vegetable source of beta-carotene, from which
Vitamin A is created, and the third richest source of
Vitamin A of all foods, after cod-liver oil and beef liver!
They also are particularly rich in fiber, potassium, iron,
calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and the B vitamins,
thiamine and riboflavin, and are a good source of
protein.

These figures represent only those published by the
USDA. Studies in Russia and Eastern Europe by
Gerasimova, Racz, Vogel, and Marei (Hobbs 1985)
indicate that dandelion is also rich in micronutrients
such as copper, cobalt, zinc, boron, and
molybdenum, as well as Vitamin D.

Much of what dandelions purportedly do in promoting
good health could result from nutritional richness
alone. Vogel considers the sodium in dandelions
important in reducing inflammations of the liver.
Gerasimova, the Russian chemist who analyzed the
dandelion for, among other things, trace minerals,
stated that "dandelion [is] an example of a
harmonious combination of trace elements, vitamins
and other biologically active substances in ratios
optimal for a human organism" (Hobbs 1985).

Recent research, reported in the Natural Healing and
Nutritional Annual, 1989 (Bricklin and Ferguson 1989)
on the value of vitamins and minerals indicates that:

* Vitamin A is important in fighting cancers of
epithelial tissue, including mouth and lung;

* Potassium rich foods, in adequate quantities, and
particularly in balance with magnesium, helps keep
blood pressure down and reduces risks of strokes;

* Fiber fights diabetes, lowers cholesterol, reduces
cancer and heart disease

risks, and assists in weight loss. High fiber vegetables
take up lots of room, are low in calories, and slow
down digestion so the food stays in the stomach
longer and you feel full longer;

* Calcium in high concentrations can build strong
bones and can lower blood pressure;

* B vitamins help reduce stress.

Throughout history, dandelions have had a reputation
as being effective in promoting weight loss and
laboratory research indicates that there is some
support for this reputation. Controlled tests on
laboratory mice and rats by the same Romanians
indicated that a loss of up to 30% of body weight in 30
days was possible when the animals were fed
dandelion extract with their food. Those on grass
extract lost much less. The control group on plain
water actually gained weight.

Beyond nutritional richness, however, are the active
chemical constituents contained in dandelions which
may have specific therapeutic effects on the body.
These include, as reported by Hobbs (1985):

* Inulin, which converts to fructose in the presence of
cold or hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Fructose
forms glycogen in the liver without requiring insulin,
resulting in a slower blood sugar rise, which makes it
good for diabetics and hypoglycemics;

* Tof-CFr, a glucose polymer similar to lentinan, which
Japanese researchers have found to act against
cancer cells in laboratory mice; Lentinan is a yeast
glucan (glucose polymer) that increases resistance
against protozoal and viral infections.;

* Pectin, which is anti-diarrheal and also forms ionic
complexes with metal ions, which probably
contributes to dandelion's reputation as a blood and
gastrointestinal detoxifying herb. Pectin is prescribed
regularly in Russia to remove heavy metals and
radioactive elements from body tissues. Pectin can
also lower cholesterol and, combined with Vitamin C,
can lower it even more. Dandelion is a good source of
both Pectin and Vitamin C;

* Coumestrol, an estrogen mimic which possibly is
responsible, at least in part, for stimulating milk flow
and altering hormones;

* Apigenin and Luteolin, two flavonoid glycosides
which have been demonstrated to have diuretic,
anti-spasmodic, anti-oxidant and liver protecting
actions and properties, and also to strengthen the
heart and blood vessels. They also have anti-bacterial
and anti-hypoglycemic properties, and, as estrogen
mimics, may also stimulate milk production and alter
hormones;

* Gallic Acid, which is anti-diarrheal and anti-bacterial;

* Linoleic and Linolenic Acid, which are essential fatty
acids required by the body to produce prostaglandin
which regulate blood pressure and such body
processes as immune responses which suppress
inflammation. These fatty acids can lower chronic
inflammation, such as proliferative arthritis, regulate
blood pressure and the menstrual cycle, and prevent
platelet aggregation;

* Choline, which has been shown to help improve
memory;

*Several Sesquiterpene compounds which are what
make dandelions bitter. These may partly account for
dandelions tonic effects on digestion, liver, spleen
and gall bladder, and are highly anti-fungal;

* Several Triterpenes, which may contribute to bile or
liver stimulation;

* Taraxasterol, which may contribute to liver and gall
bladder health or to hormone altering.

These chemicals, individually, are not unique to
dandelions, but the combination of them all in one
plant, along with high levels of vitamins, minerals,
carbohydrates, proteins and fiber account for the
many claims made regarding the plant.

These claims include the following results of clinical
and laboratory research, again as reported in Hobbs
(1985):

* A doubling of bile output with leaf extracts, and a
quadrupling of bile output with root extract. Bile
assists with the emulsification, digestion and
absorption of fats, in alkalinizing the intestines and in
the prevention of putrefaction. This could explain the
effectiveness of dandelion in reducing the effects of
fatty foods (heartburn and acid indigestion);

* A reduction in serum cholesterol and urine bilirubin
levels by as much as half in humans with severe liver
imbalances has been demonstrated by Italian
researchers;

* Diuretic effects with a strength approaching that of
the potent diuretics Furosemide and Lasix, used for
congestive heart failure and cirrhosis of the liver, with
none of the serious side effects, were found by
Romanian scientists. They found that water extract of
dandelion leaves, administered orally, because of its
high potassium content, replaced serum potassium
electrolytes lost in the urine, eliminating such side
effects common with the synthetics as severe
potassium depletion, hepatic coma in liver patients,
circulatory collapse, and transmission through
mothers' milk;

* In 1979 a Japanese patent was filed for a freeze-dried
warm water extract of dandelion root for anti-tumor
use. It was found that administration of the extract
markedly inhibited growth of particular carcinoma
cells within one week after treatment;

* Dental researchers at Indiana University in 1982
used dandelion extracts in antiplaque preparations;

* In studies from 1941 to 1952, the French scientist
Henri Leclerc demonstrated the effectiveness of
dandelion on chronic liver problems related to bile
stones. He found that roots gathered in late summer
to fall, when they are rich in bitter, white milky latex,
should be used for all liver treatments;

* In 1956, Chauvin demonstrated the antibacterial
effects of dandelion pollen, which may validate the
centuries old use of dandelion flowers in Korean folk
medicine to prevent furuncles (boils, skin infections),
tuberculosis, and edema and promote blood
circulation.

Also, Witt (1983) recommends dandelion tea to
alleviate the water buildup in PMS (pre-menstrual
syndrome).

There are many testimonials from those who have
benefited from the use of dandelions in the treatment
of what ailed them.

Robert Stickle, an internationally famous architect,
was diagnosed as having a malignant melanoma 21
years ago, and was given, after radical surgery had
not halted its spread, less than 2 years to live. He said,
in a letter to Jeff Zullo, president of the Society for the
Promotion of Dandelions, (June 23, 1986):

" I went on a search for the answer to my mortal
problem, and [discovered] that perhaps it was a
nutritional dilemma.... To me, cancer is primarily a liver
failure manifestation. {Italians are very concerned
about problems of the 'fegato']. [I discovered that] the
cancer rate in native Italians is very low among the
farming population (paesanos). When they get affluent
and move to the city, its the same as the rest of
civilized man. Paesanos eat dandelions, make brew
from the roots, and are healthy, often living to over
100 years."

He states that he began eating dandelion salad every
day, and his improvement confounded the doctors.
When he wrote the letter in 1986, 18 years had passed
and there had been no recurrence of the melanoma.

A benefit which comes from writing articles for
national media is that you hear from people who have
interesting stories to tell. I recently received a call from
Peter Gruchawka, a 70 year old gentleman from
Manorville, NY, who reported that he had been
diagnosed with diabetes melitis 3 months before and
was put on 5 grams of Micronase. At the time, he had
a 5+ sugar spillover in his urine. He took Micronase for
about a month before he learned, from his wife who is
a nurse, that Micronase can do damage to the liver. He
had read in "Herbal Medicine" by Diane Buchanan
and "Back to Eden" by Jethro Kloss about the
effectiveness of dandelions in controlling diabetes.
Without saying anything to his doctors, he stopped
taking Micronase and began drinking dandelion
coffee each day. During the first week, his urinary
sugar, measured night and morning, was erratic and
unstable, but after a week, his sugar stabilized and
when he called, he had been getting negative urine
sugar readings for over a month. The doctors are
amazed and can't explain it. An interesting side
benefit to replacing Micronase with dandelion coffee
is that, while Micronase damages the liver as a side
effect, dandelions are particularly known for
strengthening the liver.

According to Mr. Gruchawka, he changed nothing but
the medication. He had cut out pastries and other
sugars when he was diagnosed and started on
Micronase, and has continued to do without those
things while taking dandelion coffee.

In reporting these claims, however, I must add three
qualifiers:

1. First, unfortunately, neither herbs nor synthetic
remedies work for everyone in the same way. Different
bodies respond differently to medicines, and what
works incredibly well for one person may not work at
all, or work less well, for someone else.

2. Second, good health results from a combination of
healthy diet and enough exercise to keep the body
toned. Bob Stickle, for all his insistence that
dandelions cured him, changed, according to a
mutual friend, his entire lifestyle. He didn't just add
dandelion salad to what he was already doing.

3. People with health problems need to seek the
advice and care of a competent physician, with whom
this information can be shared. It is important to
reemphasize that it is presented as information only. I
am not a medical doctor, and neither advocate nor
prescribe dandelions or dandelion products for use
by anyone or for any ailment. Only your doctor can do
that.

Because there are so many variables, it is hard to
attribute Mr. Stickle's cure to any one of them directly.
Likewise, Italian farmers live a lifestyle which
combines a healthy diet, lots of work and clean air.
They heat and cook with wood, which they have to
cut and split. They haul water for household use.
When they move to the city, diet, exercise, and
environmental conditions change. Stress and
sedentary habits increase.

And there is the importance of faith in the healing
process, whether it be faith in God or faith in the
curative properties of the herb being taken.

While dandelions, given all these variables, may never
be proved to cure any specific ill, they are an
extremely healthy green which cannot in any way hurt
you. Research on how much you would have to eat to
cause harm indicates that eating grass is more
dangerous than eating dandelions (Hobbs 1985).
Therefore, with everything going for dandelions, it is
highly probable that everyone can derive at least
some nutritional benefit from them by eating or
drinking them regularly.

The medical and pharmacological establishment is
generally critical of claims regarding the use of herbs
on disease, and their concerns need to be put in
perspective.

Herbal medicines have been used very effectively far
longer than synthetics, and many current
pharmaceutical products have been derived from
research on plants used as medicine by many
cultures. The problem with plants, however, is that
they are available to anyone. It is impossible to patent
a plant, and thereby gain proprietary rights to it. As a
consequence, pharmaceutical companies attempt to
isolate the active properties from medicinal plants and
synthesize them so that they can patent them. Many
of the synthetics have serious side-effects which were
not present in the natural plant product, often
because other chemicals in the plant offset them (i.e.
the large quantities of potassium in dandelions which
allows for potassium replenishment when dandelion
is used as a diuretic).

USDA botanist Dr. James Duke (1989) suggests that a
proper and appropriate "herbal soup", filled with
"vitamins, minerals, fibers and a whole host of
bioactive compounds," from which the body can
selectively strain the compounds it needs to restore
itself to health, will be more effective than synthetic
medicines containing a "very select and specialized
compound or two plus filler, usually non-nutritive."
This is especially true if the "herbal soup", in the form
of a potent potherb like dandelion, is a regular part of
the diet so that the appropriate bioactive substances
are present in the right amounts when the body needs
them.

NB: The book that this reprint was taken from "The
Dandelion Celebration-The Guide to Unexpected
Cuisine" is recommended to anyone who would like
to know more about this remarkable plant. It covers
everything you could want to know about dandelions
and more, including recipes, planting, picking and
preparing, along with the wonderful history of this
"Official Remedy for Disorders", Taraxacum officinale,
the common dandelion

White Tea

White Tea Varieties
There are four main varieties of white tea: Silver Needle,
White Peony, Long Life Eyebrow, and Tribute Eyebrow.

Silver Needle (Baihao Yinzhen)

The finest white tea, made only of silvery white buds.
Beautiful to behold and delightful to drink. It is the most
famous white tea, with a delicate, light, and slightly sweet
flavor. Our personal favorite.

White Peony (Bai Mudan)

Next highest in quality, White Peony consists of buds and
leaves. The best White Peony has both bud and leaf
covered in silvery white hair. It tends to have a stronger
taste and darker color than Silver Needle.

Long Life Eyebrow (Shou Mei)
A lower rank white tea, Long Life Eyebrow is made from
leaves left over after the Silver Needle and White Peony
harvest.

Tribute Eyebrow (Gong Mei)
Another lesser white tea, Tribute Eyebrow is made from a
special tea bush and is processed in a slightly different
way than other white teas.

Other Varieties

There are a number of other white tea varieties, some
named after the region of origin, others for special
ingredients added to the leaves and buds. Fruits are a
popular addition and add extra sweetness to the flavor.
Every variety has something to offer, and we encourage
you to experiment and find your own favorites.

Tea has been used as medicine for centuries. Now
modern science is discovering what people in China and
throughout the world have long known: tea is good for
you. While green and black tea are very healthy, white tea
is the least processed tea and has the highest antioxidant
levels. It may be the supreme Drink of Health.

White Tea Antioxidants
Antioxidants are nutrients that protect the body from
damage by free radicals. Free radicals are nasty things
that go around wreaking havoc on your body, damaging
DNA and accelerating aging. Antioxidants scoop them up
and neutralize them. White tea is loaded with these
protective nutrients.

Cancer Prevention
White tea may have profound power against
cancer-causing cells and against many different types of
cancer, such as colon, prostate, and stomach cancers.
Flavonoids, a class of antioxidants, inhibit the growth of
cancer cells and prevent the development of new ones.
In some cases, white tea has been found to work as well
as prescription drugs, but without the side effects.

Lower Blood Pressure
Studies show that white tea can thin the blood and
improve artery function. It helps lower high blood
pressure and maintain a healthy one. By promoting strong
and healthy blood vessels, white tea guards against the
ravages of stroke.

Lower Cholesterol
Catechins, another group of antioxidants, have been
found to reduce cholesterol, and white tea is teeming
with them. Cholesterol is a special type of fat and is
necessary for health. There is good cholesterol and bad
cholesterol, and white tea increases the good while
decreasing the bad. This helps prevent hardening of the
arteries and blockage of blood flow.

Heart Protection
By thinning the blood, lowering blood pressure, and
reducing cholesterol, white tea protects the heart and the
entire circulatory system. Researchers have also
discovered that people who drink 2 or more cups of tea a
day are almost 50% less likely to die after suffering a heart
attack. White tea is truly a remarkable heart tonic.

Stronger Bones
Studies have found that people who drank tea regularly
had greater bone density and strength than non-drinkers.
White tea may also have beneficial effects for sufferers of
arthritis and osteoporosis.

Antibacterial & Antiviral
White tea is a natural killer of bacteria and viruses. The
antioxidants so abundant in white tea tone the entire
immune system, providing protection against a variety of
invaders and a wide range of diseases. Its helps guard
against the common cold and flu, and can ease the
symptoms of HIV.

Healthy Teeth and Gums
White tea contains small amounts of fluoride and other
nutrients which keeps the teeth strong and healthy. It
also kills the bacteria which causes plaque, tooth decay,
and bad breath.

Healthy Skin
Free radicals from staying out in the sun too long, stress,
and a poor diet can damage the skin and cause it to
prematurely age. By scavenging these free radicals, white
tea protects the skin and helps to reverse some of the
damage. Drinking white tea promotes healthy and radiant
skin.

Other Health Benefits
White tea has many other benefits to offer. It may reduce
blood sugar and help prevent and alleviate the symptoms
of diabetes. It reduces stress and increases energy.

White tea may or may not aid in weight-loss. Studies
suggest tea may increase metabolism and encourage the
body to burn more fat, but a balanced diet and regular
exercise are more likely to produce results. Still, adding
white tea to your weight-loss plan can't hurt.

Review Of Health Benefits
By now you can see that white tea has a great range of
effects on the body and a tremendous number of benefits
to your health. Its supreme power is in preventing
disease and disorder.

White tea protects against cancer, heart disease, and
stroke, the leading causes of death in the industrial
world, as well as numerous other conditions. It eases the
symptoms of illness and promotes recovery. White tea
strengthens the circulatory and immune systems as well
as bones and teeth, and builds healthy skin.

It is a superb tonic and one of Nature's great gifts. We
encourage you to add it to your life. To your good health!

Remember the tea kettle - it is always up to its
neck in hot water, yet it still sings!
~Author Unknown

Tea is liquid wisdom.
~Anonymous