Happy National Iced Tea Day – 2013

By Terry Orr

With the official start of summer just a few days away, the timing is perfect for National Iced Tea Day.

Chances are, it is already hot in your area. Today may serve as a good reminder to make and enjoy your first (of many) Iced Tea drink of the season. Have it plain, add a little lemon, or sweeten it with sugar. Iced Tea is certainly a favorite summer cooler of millions of Americans. And best of all, tea is good for your health!

It takes no imagination to decide how to enjoy this great day: Grab an Iced Tea and head out to the hammock strung under a shady tree.

Medicinal value:

Since ancient times, people have believed that tea has a wide range of medicinal uses. Modern research has given credibility to many of these beliefs and identified more in some cases research is not conclusive. Regardless of the final determination as to it's value over time, drink and enjoy because there is no research to suggest that it can hurt you and it just tastes good.

Here are some of the known or suspected medicinal applications:

Avoidance of heart disease

Cancer and tumors

Stomach ailments

Sore throats and colds (often flavored with honey)

Soothing, relaxing

The Origin of Iced Tea:

In 1904, English tea plantation owner Richard Blechynden set up a booth to sell hot tea at the St. Louis World Fair. It was a sizzler of a day, and fair visitors didn't want anything hot. Rather, they needed something to quench their thirst... something cold. He dumped some of his hot tea into ice and served it cold. It was an immediate hit. This was the first known use of iced tea. (Source: http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/June/icedteaday.htm)

Did you know?

Today iced tea accounts for about eight-five per cent of all tea consumed in the U.S, and that it is served in stores, vending machines, and restaurants across the country. With a wide range of varieties including bottled, boxed, sweetened, unsweetened, spiced, Thai, and chai brands, there is a flavor out there for just about ever tea lover. (Source: http://theyearoflivingunofficially.com/06/10/national-iced-tea-day/)

Sweetened or unsweetened, flavored or unflavored, celebrate Iced Tea Day with a nice, tall glass of your favorite iced tea!

 (Images from Google) 

Caffeine Awareness

By Nurse Diane

On March 5th, Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela passed away from cancer.  Although they didn't specify what type of cancer he suffered from, there was mention that he drank 40 cups of coffee every day.  When I mentioned this tidbit to a friend of mine, he said he also drank that much a day, but now only drinks 2 or 3 cups.  While doing my clinical rotation through psychology nursing, I was required to attend an AA meeting.  One of the first things I noticed was the coffee. everyone was downing coffee like there was no tomorrow.  While doing my research on caffeine, I learned that the effects of caffeine on the body closely resemble the effects of cocaine.  Many people who are addicted to one substance will usually transfer that addiction to something else, whether it be drugs, alcohol, smoking or caffeine.

Some folks think that since there is no government regulation on caffeine, that any amount is safe for you.  Most people can drink about three 8 oz servings without any problems.  According to livestrong.com, ingesting more than 500 to 600 mg of caffeine per day is considered heavy use and may lead to physical side effects caused by both the addictive potential and stimulating effects of caffeine. Heavy use and abuse may result in restlessness, rapid heart rate, nausea, muscle tremors and insomnia. Lack of sleep from caffeine use can lead to ongoing sleep disturbances, fatigue, and a decline in physical performance and energy levels. Caffeine abuse can eventually lead to addiction, and you will need to ingest caffeine on a regular basis to avoid unpleasant withdrawal symptoms and mood changes. Caffeine abuse can lead to psychological symptoms such as anxiety and irritability, and withdrawal from caffeine causes marked nervousness and depression leading to reduced motivation and sleeplessness.

Caffeine is found in coffee, tea and chocolate. To calculate how much you drink, check out the chart here: http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000131000000000000000-1.html?

You can also test your caffeine knowledge here to see if you have a problem drinking too much: http://www.caffeineawareness.org/quiz.htm   I have never been a big coffee drinker, I may have 2 or 3 cups a week if its cold outside, I don't drink any soft drinks, and I just have a glass of tea for Sunday lunch.  I do like chocolate, but I also limit that to a small piece a day.  

March is National Caffeine Awareness Month and if you need help decreasing the amount of caffeine you have or would just like to talk to someone about it, click on this site for more information. http://www.caffeineawareness.org/

(All images from Google)

Boston Tea Party Day

(Google Image)

By Diane Forrest

In the 1700's the Europeans discovered a fondness for tea, however, it was not grown in Europe, and had to be imported from India.  England began to run low of their supply of tea because of the 7 years’ war, so King George decided that in order to replenish the supply, and to cover additional costs, he would place a tax on the American Colonies.  Well, Parliament didn't appreciate the tax on their tea, which was being obtained through England, then sold to the colonies.  So they decided to find their tea elsewhere, which was illegal at the time.

(Google Image)

The Whigs, the political party at the time...decided to hold a strike, and stop drinking tea all together.  Then the King passed the Tea Act.  This made the patriots furious, because it was done in secret, so they took a stand.  On December 16, three ships entered the Boston Harbor and the Boston officials refused to return it.  That night, colonists boarded the ships, and began to throw the tea in the harbor.  Some of them even dressed as Indians to prevent being recognized.   This angered Parliament, and they issued more acts against the colonies.

The colonies rebelled, and in 1775 the Revolutionary War began near Boston.  Historians suggest that had it not been for the event of the Boston Tea Party, the America's would have remained under British rule for quite some time. The uprising was caused by a series of unfortunate events on the side of Bostonian s caused by British oppressors. It all started from the love of tea.

(Google Image)

Today, we recognize the men who took part in this historic event that changed the course of history and our country as we know it.  I think it is amazing that a cup of tea would start a war and free us from British rule, so today, have a nice cup of tea, or some iced tea, and remember those Patriots to fought for our freedom,

National Hot Tea Month

(Google Image) 

By Diane Forrest,

Tea is a drink made by infusing hot water through tea leaves.  This practice began as early at the 10th century B.C.  Tea plants are native to East and South Asia and are a common drink in those areas.  In the 16th century tea was imported to Europe, but it was not until the 19th century Britain that tea became as widely consumed as it is today. Legend has it that afternoon tea was started in the mid-1800s by the Duchess of Bedford. Around this time, gas or oil light was introduced in wealthier homes, and eating a late dinner (around eight or nine PM) became fashionable. At the time, there were only two meals each day -- a mid-morning, breakfast-like meal and the other was an increasingly late dinner-like meal.

The story goes that the Duchess found herself with a "sinking feeling" (likely fatigue from hunger during the long wait between meals) and decided to have some friends over for assorted snacks and tea (a very fashionable drink at the time). The idea of an afternoon tea gathering spread across high society and became a favorite pastime of ladies of leisure. Later, it spread beyond the highest elites and became more accessible for some other socioeconomic groups.

(Google Image) 

Having tea parties was a favorite past time game for many young girls in America, many had their own little plastic tea sets and drink imaginary tea with their dolls and stuffed toys.  Today the trend is growing and these young girls are now having fancy teas for birthday parties or just social gatherings.

(Google Image) 

Hot tea also has many medical benefits.  It has been known to:

• Prevent development of Arthritis
• Increase bone density
• Inhibit growth of certain cancers
• Reduce the risk of high blood pressure
• Aid in Oral health

It is also soothing if you have a cough or sore throat when mixed with honey and lemon.  For more medical benefits check here: http://www.farsinet.com/hottea/medicalbenefits.html

(Google Image) 

Spiced tea is a Southern favorite during the winter months.  As a wedding favor for my son's December wedding I purchased cups with the name of the place where the wedding was held and filled them with bags of spiced tea.  It makes a great gift for any occasion, and it really enjoyed during the cold winter days.

(Google Image) 

January is National Hot Tea Month, so instead of drinking as much coffee, why not try a nice cup of hot tea, or even make some spiced tea to fight the winter blues.  Here is the recipe I used:

Spice Tea Mix

Ingredients

• 1 (3 ounce) package lemon-flavored ice tea mix
• 2 (1.8 ounce) packages orange-flavored drink mix (e.g. Tang)
• 1 1/3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves

Directions

1. Combine iced tea mix, orange flavored drink mix, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves. Store in an airtight container.
2. To serve, stir 1 1/2 teaspoon mix into 1 cup hot water.

Hot Toddy

(Google Image) 

By Diane Forrest,

Hotty Toddy, Gosh almighty

Who the hell are we, Hey!

Flim Flam, Bim Bam

OLE MISS BY DAMN!

If you are from Mississippi you will immediately recognize that chant as the famous Ole Miss cheer.  If you are alumni these are probably the first words your children say.  But what is a Hot Toddy?  A hot toddy is a mixed drink that usually contains alcohol and it is served warm, and usually includes hot tea or apple cider.  They are usually drunk at night before bedtime in wet or cold weather.  They were believed to cure the cold or flu.   However, the American Lung Association frowns on alcohol as a cure for colds because it causes dehydration.

(Google Image) 

Hot toddy’s are a cure for a cold night, and since today is Hot Toddy Day, why not try this recipe to fight those winter chills!

(Google Image) 

Hot Toddy

Ingredients:

1 oz brandy, whiskey or rum

1 Tbsp honey

1/4 lemon

1 cup hot water

1 tea bag

Preparation:

Coat the bottom of a mug or an Irish coffee glass with honey.

Add the liquor and the juice of the lemon quarter.

On the side, heat water in a tea kettle and add the tea bag to make hot tea.

Pour the steaming tea into the glass and stir.

Healthy Habit No. 11: Drink Tea

Benefits of drinking tea:

·         “Decaffeinated tea is better”, says my doctor and does not affect my medication. So now I am reducing my caffeinated tea, drinking more water and decaffeinated tea when I can.

·         Tea contains antioxidants. Like the Rust-Oleum paint that keeps your outdoor furniture from rusting, tea's antioxidants protect your body from the ravages of aging and the effects of pollution.

·         Tea has less caffeine than coffee. Coffee usually has two to three times the caffeine of tea (unless you're a fan of Morning Thunder, which combines caffeine with mate, an herb that acts like caffeine in our body). An eight-ounce cup of coffee contains around 135 mg caffeine; tea contains only 30 to 40 mg per cup. If drinking coffee gives you the jitters, causes indigestion or headaches or interferes with sleep -- switch to tea.

·         Tea may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Unwanted blood clots formed from cholesterol and blood platelets cause heart attack and stroke. Drinking tea may help keep your arteries smooth and clog-free, the same way a drain keeps your bathroom pipes clear. A 5.6-year study from the Netherlands found a 70 percent lower risk of fatal heart attack in people who drank at least two to three cups of black tea daily compared to non-tea drinkers.

·         Tea protects your bones. It's not just the milk added to tea that builds strong bones. One study that compared tea drinkers with non-drinkers, found that people who drank tea for 10 or more years had the strongest bones, even after adjusting for age, body weight, exercise, smoking and other risk factors. The authors suggest that this may be the work of tea's many beneficial phytochemicals.

·         Tea gives you a sweet smile. One look at the grimy grin of Austin Powers and you may not think drinking tea is good for your teeth, but think again. It's the sugar added to it that's likely to blame for England's bad dental record. Tea itself actually contains fluoride and tannins that may keep plaque at bay. So add unsweetened tea drinking to your daily dental routine of brushing and flossing for healthier teeth and gums.

·         Tea bolsters your immune defenses. Drinking tea may help your body's immune system fight off infection. When 21 volunteers drank either five cups of tea or coffee each day for four weeks, researchers saw higher immune system activity in the blood of the tea drinkers.

·         Tea protects against cancer. Thank the polyphenols, the antioxidants found in tea, once again for their cancer-fighting effects. While the overall research is inconclusive, there are enough studies that show the potential protective effects of drinking tea to make adding tea to your list of daily beverages.

·         Tea helps keep you hydrated. Caffeinated beverages, including tea, used to be on the list of beverages that didn't contribute to our daily fluid needs. Since caffeine is a diuretic and makes us pee more, the thought was that caffeinated beverages couldn't contribute to our overall fluid requirement. However, recent research has shown that the caffeine really doesn't matter -- tea and other caffeinated beverages definitely contribute to our fluid needs. The only time the caffeine becomes a problem as far as fluid is concerned is when you drink more than five or six cups of a caffeinated beverage at one time.

·         Tea is calorie-free. Tea doesn't have any calories, unless you add sweetener or milk. Consuming even 250 fewer calories per day can result in losing one pound per week. If you're looking for a satisfying, calorie-free beverage, tea is a top choice.

·         Tea increases your metabolism. Lots of people complain about a slow metabolic rate and their inability to lose weight. Green tea has been shown to actually increase metabolic rate so that you can burn 70 to 80 additional calories by drinking just five cups of green tea per day. Over a year's time you could lose eight pounds just by drinking green tea. Of course, taking a 15-minute walk every day will also burn calories.

·         Tea fights cavities and reduces plaque. Compounds in tea are capable of killing or suppressing growth and acid production of cavity causing bacteria in our mouths.

·         Tea can help lower blood pressure. Drinking green tea daily can reduce your risk of hypertension by up to 50%.

·         Tea aids your body in digestion. Tea has been used for thousands of years as an after-meal digestive aid.  It can also help relieve stomach cramps.

·         Tea may help prevent diabetes. There is some evidence to suggest that green tea might help to lower the risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes.

·         Tea can help beat bacteria. An Egyptian study testing the effects of green tea on antibiotics found the tea to enhance the bacteria killing effects of the drugs.