health of our body, on the inside and the outside.
The skin is our largest organ and the skin is our
cold and allergies lead to people coughing and sneezing
all around us. Two of my secret weapons to stay healthy
also make my skin stay healthy and look fabulous. They
are green tea and mushrooms. These two foods enhance
the immune system and have healthy skin benefits.
of skin care products, including cleansers, serums,
moisturizers, exfoliants and masks. They can also be
found in supplements. Green tea and mushrooms can
yield powerful results when used internally and externally.
Both ingredients can be found in Chinese medicine.
of years for their immune-enhancing and energy supplying
effects. In the last 30 years, researchers have confirmed the
antiviral, antimicrobial and anti-cancer properties of many
varieties of mushrooms. These include Shiitake, Oyster,
Reishi and Cordyceps mushrooms. My favorite for immune
boosting properties is the Reishi mushroom because it
contains polysaccharides that have been shown to enhance
our immune system by suppressing the growth of tumor
cells and increasing T-cell and macrophage counts. The
Cordeceps mushroom is great for increasing energy.
The amount of steaming and
fermenting processing the harvested
tea goes through determines
whether it becomes black, green
or white tea. Most studies have
been on green tea, but all teas have
therapeutic benefits.
inflammation. In clinical studies,
green tea has demonstrated the
ability to prevent, or at least postpone, the onset of cancer
and heart disease. I drink cold-processed green tea from
Kyoto, Japan and take supplements made from the potent
management. I also chew green tea "pearls" throughout the
day for energy. My daily skincare regimen includes using
serums and moisturizers with green tea ingredients, which
have been scientifically proven to stop the signs of aging
and restore skin to a healthy state. The reason they are so
effective is because they are packed full of anti-oxidants
called catechins. The most powerful is the epigallocatechin
(EGCG), which is found in green tea, not black tea. Green
tea catechins are synergistic with other anti-oxidants like
vitamin E and vitamin C. The epigallocatechin (EGCG)
has been found to be much more effective than vitamin
E in neutralizing pro-oxidants and free radicals that
and extrinsically.
thy health". So have a cup of tea and
put some mushrooms in your next
meal. Enjoy good for you foods. The
best therapeutic benefits green tea
and mushrooms are when they are
used in supplements to your regular
diet. I prefer pharmaceutical grade
nutraceuticals made from natural
your research. I enjoy the benefits of looking and feeling
fabulous in my 50s. So can you, at any age.