Welcome to Your Natural Health Reporter! My name is Mary Franz and I’m the new writer for this blog after Caitlin Ryan left. I’m very excited to be here, writing for this site. I have so much to share with you all! First, just a bit about me…

I’m a 38-year-old wife and mom to two fantastic kids, an 11-year-old daughter and a 7-year-old son. I earned my bachelor’s degree in dietetics, which is a fancy name for clinical nutrition, in 1998 from the University of Northern Colorado. I wanted to be at home with my kids rather than running around following doctors’ orders at the hospital, so I began using my degree and love for writing as a freelance health and wellness writer for clients all over the globe.

The great thing about writing to a global audience is that I’m able to share my knowledge and help so many more people than I could working with patients or clients on a one-to-one basis. In addition, I’m always up-to-date on the latest studies and findings in the ever-changing world of health & wellness.

I’m a big proponent of natural health, but I must admit, I’m fascinated by all aspects of medicine: conventional, alternative and complementary. I’ve been at the head of a patient during open-heart surgery and have a great deal of respect and admiration for the life-saving, delicate work of a surgeon’s hands. At the same time, I feel there’s SOOO much we can do to avoid surgery or expensive prescriptions and there’s never enough emphasis placed on preventative measures!

So, this is my “just because” as Noah St. John calls it… my reason for doing what I do… I want to help you find better health by sharing the latest research-based health & wellness knowledge.

However, knowledge isn’t the only key. And this is where my experience will help you… not as a writer or nutrition expert, but as a 38-year-old busy mom who knows how to apply this knowledge in a doable manner… MIND, BODY, SOUL… They are inseparable and all of them need to be healthy in order for YOU to be healthy…

My blogs, with all of their advice and action plans are meant to help you find better health, but to be more clear, they are designed to help you:

* Lose weight
* Tone muscles
* Slow aging (inside & out!)
* Prevent disease
* Find peace of mind in a chaotic world…

We’ll talk about how to cook healthfully without breaking the bank or taking all day in the kitchen. By the way, healthy tastes great if you know what you’re doing in the kitchen… I’ll help you get there! We’ll toss out some myths and you’ll learn what really works for weight loss and achieving that killer body everyone wants!

I’ll tell you how to slow the signs of aging and even fix up some of the damage that’s already been done. And in doing all of this, your body will be in a much healthier state, which means you’ll have lowered your risk factors for developing heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other top killers such as Alzheimer’s.

And guess what? By following my advice, you’ll also be giving all of this to your family as well!

So stay tuned and check back often for the latest news!

Laters!

Mary

P.S. Hey! Do you like FREE stuff? I do! Opt-in to my newsletter and receive a FREE ebook, Lessons from Miracle Doctors, that some would rather you didn’t read… My newsletter will keep you updated with the latest health & wellness advice, beauty tips & tricks, weight loss plans, supplement and herbal advice, easy, healthy flavorful recipes, exercises to flatten abs, tighten bums & thighs and develop sexy, toned arms… I know I’m forgetting some stuff… Anyway… Check it out and receive your free ebook! You can opt out any time… (but you won’t want to!

Filed under: New Writer on March 3rd, 2010 | No Comments »

Are you looking for ways to improve your health through nutrition? Have you thought about looking in the Brazilian rainforest for the answer? You do not have to book a flight because a miracle fruit from this mystical region is now available to all of us in various acai berry products. You are going to love what this super fruit can do for your health!

Acai (pronounced Ah-SIGH-ee) berries have become quite popular in the past few years, but the people of the Brazilian rainforest have long revered this gorgeous purple fruit that grows on a palm tree.

There is a story told about the discovery of the acai berry. An Amazon Indian girl was the daughter of the tribal chief. The tribe had grown so large that they did not have enough food, and the chief was forced to create a rule that made it necessary to kill any newborn babies. He was unable to spare even his grandchild when his daughter, Iaca, gave birth.

Desperate and incredibly sad, Iaca mourned her child for days, weeping in her hut. Finally, she heard the cries of a newborn in the forest and raced to find what she hoped was her precious child. What she found was a palm tree that bore bright purple berries. She lay down at the base of the palm tree and died.

When the tribe found her, they also found the berries. The berries were so nutritious and plentiful, that the tribe never had to worry about food again. The chief banned the law and all newborns were now safe. He named the berries Acai after his daughter (acai is Iaca spelled backward).

Folklore aside, modern science has discovered some truly magical qualities about the acai berry. Acai berries contain super antioxidants, essential amino acids and omega 3 fatty acids.

Antioxidants are all capable of fighting cancer by fighting free radicals that damage cells and are the prelude to cancer and the aging process. The super antioxidant in acai berries that gives the berries their royal purple color is called anthocyanin. This super antioxidant has been found to slow and stop the growth of tumors. Antioxidants are also necessary for repairing damaged cells and replenishing tissue.

Free radical damage is also responsible for the aging process, so acai berries are capable of fighting premature aging at the cellular level.      

                          ==>> Check out our favorite Acai Berry brand                                                                                                                              

Animal protein contains a complete balance of essential amino acids, but plants do not. Acai berries, however, contain a nearly complete blend of essential amino acids making them a potent protein source without the saturated fat contained in animal protein.

Speaking of fat, acai berries contain good fat called omega 3 fatty acids, which are capable of lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) and raising good cholesterol (HDL). You may have heard of omega 3 fatty acids in regard to the benefits of eating fish or taking fish oil supplements.

Fox News coverage on Acai Berry:

If you are searching for ways to optimize your health, prevent disease and slow the aging process, there are many ways to incorporate acai berries into your diet. There are supplements made from natural acai berry extract, powders that can be blended in smoothies and pre-made smoothies.

Read labels carefully and make sure that you are not purchasing an acai berry that is not pure or a juice that is mostly corn syrup with very little acai berries. 

                  ==>> Check out our favorite Acai Berry brand 

Cheers                               

Caitlin

Filed under: Acai Berry, Weight Loss on April 15th, 2009 | No Comments »

It’s in my nature to bore easily, so I’m always on the look out for new workout techniques and exercises. I feel that it’s important to keep your exercise program fresh and fun so that you continue to be motivated to work out and achieve a gorgeous, slim, healthy figure.

As well, muscle design is such that if you want to continue to mold a work of art, you need to change your exercise program often to continue to challenge your muscles or you will hit an exercise plateau. Craig Ballantyne feels the same and has developed an awesome fitness program called Turbulence Training.

The Turbulence Training program by Craig Ballantyne is designed around some core concepts. He offers sound nutritional advice that will support your workouts adequately so that you may lose body fat and build lean body mass at the same time.

Another core concept of Turbulence Training is that it can be done in less time than many exercise programs. This has always been important to me because we all live busy lives and not many of us have a lot of time to devote to physical fitness.

The most effective concept, however, is the constant changing of exercises coupled with adequate rest in between workouts. This is important for two reasons.

For one, when we do not continue to challenge our muscles, we reach an exercise plateau that keeps us at the same fitness level rather than moving us forward to a better body and better health. This is just basic physiology that most of us do not completely understand.

Craig has taken the guesswork out of this and designed plenty of exercises that are clearly explained. He even includes charts that you can print out to keep track of your workouts. A photograph is included to help you remember how to perform the exercise.  

                        ==>> Check out Turbulence Training  

Secondly, you may not realize the importance of resting your body to support your fitness regime. If you work out too often, you are doing more harm than good to your body. It’s important that you follow the turbulence training guide and do the strength training 3 times a week and the interval training 4 times a week.

By doing this, you allow your muscles to rest so that they will be more responsive to the next work out. You also avoid the risk of injury and toxicity to the body by accumulating too much lactic acid. Finally, you avoid the problem that results from working out too much on too little whereby the body robs energy from lean body mass and begins to store fat resulting in a “skinny” yet “flabby” physique.

Check out Craig Ballantyne explaining Turbulence Training:

If you want a “spark” added to your workout routine OR if you are just beginning to work out, you can benefit from Craig’s Turbulence Training Program! He has designed the program for the beginner looking to lose weight and learn how to strength train all the way to the advanced fitness person or athlete. The program is fantastic and affordable! Click on the link below to begin down the path to optimum health and the body of your dreams!

Cheers!

Caitlin                                                                                                                                             

P.S. For a hot summer body that is ripped and toned check out Craig Ballantyne’s Turbulence Training Program today! ==>>

Filed under: Build Muscle, Craig Ballantyne, Fitness, Turbulence Training on April 6th, 2009 | No Comments »

Tan fat looks better than white fat. True? Perhaps, but if you’re like me, you don’t exactly want the wrinkles and potential for skin cancer that baking in the sun has to offer. Why not lose the weight and the fat and build rock hard muscle? Don’t think you can? I did, and I think you can too with Craig Ballantyne’s Turbulence Training Program and work out advice.

Only you can truly decide whether a muscle-building, fat loss program is right for you, but I do know that Craig Ballantyne’s exercises and training are great for a few different reasons.

For one, Craig Ballantyne is a renowned trainer with a stellar bod who uses his own methods, workouts and training to maintain his physique. He is known as the “trainer to the trainers,” and his expertise to help you lose weight can be trusted.

Secondly, you can use Craig’s methods in a reasonable amount of time. There are hundreds of exercise programs designed for weight loss, fat loss and fat burning, but how many of them are actually doable? You and I are busy folks! We don’t have hours to spend at the gym working out. Many of us can’t even afford a gym for our weight loss/fat loss exercises.

Craig Ballantyne uses methods that take less time and minimal equipment. His interval training is proven to burn fat far more efficiently than boring cardio and lengthy workouts. If you really want to spend hours and hours working out with little results, then don’t order Craig’s program! He’ll whip you into shape with minimal commitment.                                                                             

==>> Click here to check out Turbulence Training:           

Check out Craig Ballantyne Explaining Fat Loss Interval Training:

Third, Craig Ballantyne promotes a nutrition program that I, with a degree in clinical nutrition, can agree with! You cannot burn fat and build muscle without proper nutrition. It simply cannot be done!

Craig offers 25 fabulous tips on proper nutrition that are super easy to incorporate in your life. He talks about the importance of offering your body enough in order to build muscle, but he lets you know the importance of consuming nutritionally dense foods that still allow to to burn fat and achieve your weight loss goals.

Listen, there are hundreds of ways to lose weight, and I know plenty of people who do achieve weight loss, but fail to strengthen their bodies. Have I ever mentioned my sister? She’s a lovely gal who is quite thin. She works out like a dog and eats very little to maintain her teeny tiny figure.

Unfortunately, she has very little muscle tone, and she spends a great deal of her time and money at the chiropractor for back and knee problems stemming from strenuous cardio workouts with little or no nutritional support. As well, every other time I phone her, she reports that she has yet another illness, and she’s currently taking about 5 prescriptions for her conditions.

This is not the way to achieve a great body! Craig Ballantyne has the right plan.

Craig also explains the myths of weight loss, fat loss and muscle building making this the ultimate way to lose body fat and gain a chiseled, toned physique!

Cheers

 P.S. Little time? Big weight loss goals? Are washboard abs on your to-do list? Check it out! ==>>

Caitlin

Filed under: Craig Ballantyne, Fitness, Turbulence Training, Weight Loss on March 23rd, 2009 | No Comments »

I’m really excited to share one of my favorite health secrets so that you all can begin to benefit from this wonderful, easy and amazing health tip! I’ve been drinking green tea for its wonderful benefits to my health for years now. I also drink other teas such as oolong, wu yi and wu long. So, if you’re ready to improve your health, fight premature aging, drop some weight and increase your energy levels, then read on!

Green tea and green tea extract have been proven to have a number of health benefits such as cancer prevention, weight loss and fighting premature aging. Though green tea has been the focus, wu yi, wu long and oolong teas are also highly beneficial because they contain some of the same components that make green tea so beneficial!

Tea is full of catechins, which are highly powerful antioxidants. One of these is called EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), which has been studied extensively and is capable of blocking starch, aids in burning fat and increases metabolism, so green tea is capable of aiding in weight loss.

Antioxidants fight free radicals and repair the damage that they cause at the cellular level. Because of this, green tea promotes cellular health, which improves your overall tissue health. This helps improve the radiance of your skin and brain function. More importantly, green tea protects your body and helps prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Check out Dr. Webster explaining the health benefits of green tea:

I’ve always been a tea lover, mostly iced tea, so I knew that it would be easy for me to switch my black tea for green tea, oolong, wu yi or wu long. Many people who do not appreciate the flavor of green tea may enjoy oolong, wu yi or wu long because the flavor is milder.

My “flavor” secret with green tea or the others is that I combine them with herbal teas! You can find many different herbal teas such as blueberry, black cherry, mango, peach or even cinnamon teas if you enjoy a spicier concoction. Make sure that the flavoring is natural. Herbal teas that are natural will not contain ANY calories!

Awhile ago, I started to notice that my morning coffee was making me feel jittery and anxious. This was disappointing because I’ve always enjoyed my morning cuppa’ Joe and it never used to bother me, even if I drank a whole pot! I decided to experiment with drinking green tea or wu yi tea in the morning, but I still wanted that rich flavor that coffee has, so I found a caramel truffle herbal tea to add to the green tea or wu yi tea. Beneficial to my health AND delicious!

You may be wondering why tea doesn’t produce the jittery effects that coffee does because of course tea contains caffeine.  Well, among all the other healthy components of tea, it also contains L-theanine. L-theanine makes the brain release serotonin, which produces a calming feeling in the body. So, while you get the “wake-up” you need in the morning, you don’t have the anxiety that comes with coffee.

If you want all of the health benefits that green tea and wu yi tea have to offer, you need 100% pure, organic tea! For amazing hair, skin and health, click on the link below to order YOUR wu yi tea TODAY!

Cheers!

P.S. If you want to feel better than you have in years with an easy and delicious wu yi tea, go to:

                                          ==>  <==

Caitlin

Filed under: Green Tea, Weight Loss, Wu Yi Source, Wu Yi Tea, Wu-Long on March 16th, 2009 | No Comments »

The short shorts and teeny bikinis are hanging on the store racks. Are you hoping you’ll be “hot” when the weather turns hot? Maybe you are perusing the internet for a weight loss product. Chances are you’ve stumbled across wu yi tea reviews and are wondering whether this is the right weight loss aid for you.

Wu yi (oolong) tea is fabulous as a weight loss aid, AND it will improve your overall health because just like green tea, it’s loaded in antioxidants. However, there are some wu yi scams being reported in wu yi tea reviews that may steer you away from this amazing weight loss product.

Which wu yi tea reviews you can trust? Which wu yi companies are honest? You want to benefit from this ancient Chinese slimming secret as I did and be ready for summer’s revealing clothing. I’ve had great results with wu yi tea, and I want you to understand the reviews so you can make an informed decision.

One of the most compelling wu yi tea reviews that will alert you to a current scam is about a company that offers a “free trial” while hiding the fact that you are signing up for an auto shipment and authorizing them to charge your credit card for the very next shipment. They claim you’ll only be charged shipping on your credit card, but you end up being charged more than $50 on your credit card. 

There are wu yi tea reviews written by people who weren’t able to lose weight and feel as though they were scammed. Maybe, maybe not. There are certainly wu yi tea companies who sell poor quality tea that ends up containing very little pure wu yi tea. This is why it is very important to make sure that the company sells USDA CERTIFIED organic tea, and they are members of the BBB Online Reliability Program.

Unfortunately, you will always find misguided consumers who thought they could drink tea and continue eating whatever they wanted and do nothing in the way of exercise. You have to read into these reviews and determine whether the person made a reasonable effort to lose weight. 

Wu yi tea is a FABULOUS addition to your weight loss plan that includes proper diet and exercise. Oolong (wu yi) tea helps you burn more fat and boosts your exercise efforts. It helps block starch so those occasional eating mistakes are forgiven.

Let’s not forget that oolong tea has ZERO calories. If you simply replace sodas and lattes with oolong (wu yi) tea, you’ll lose weight because you’ll be cutting nearly 500 calories per day! That alone sets you up for losing a pound a week and getting you into those summer outfits.

The Wu Yi Tea Company also makes a product called Wu Yi Cleanse. The product uses green tea among other ingredients to cleanse your system. The internet is loaded with wu yi companies and reviews. Very few have wonderful products such as Wu Yi Cleanse and 100% pure, organic wu yi tea. Click on the link below to make sure YOU are getting the right product to meet your weight loss goals for summer!

Cheers!                                                                                                                                                                                                        

P.S. Are YOU ready for summer’s skimpy wardrobe? Trust the Wu Yi Tea Company to help you lose weight and look AWESOME!

Caitlin

Filed under: Green Tea, Weight Loss, Wu Yi Source, Wu Yi Tea, Wu-Long on March 10th, 2009 | No Comments »

Ready to look and feel fantastic with a wu yi (oolong) tea weight loss plan? I have some fabulous ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and even dessert that will help you achieve your weight loss goals while maintaining a healthy diet.

Okay, let’s go over a basic meal plan using wu yi tea, lean proteins, whole grains, veggies, fruit and nonfat dairy. You will lose weight on a very satisfying meal plan that is healthy and delicious, AND you will be able to follow this way of eating for life to maintain your weight.

Ideas for breakfast: one poached egg on a piece of wholegrain toast (no spread) with diced tomatoes, herbs and/or pepper sauce OR ¼ cup whole grain cereal with strawberries, bananas and ½ cup nonfat milk.  Eat either breakfast choice alongside a mug of wu yi tea with fresh lemon juice.

Not a big egg fan? How about a few pieces of lean deli turkey on the toast with a thin layer of Dijon mustard, fresh tomatoes and marinated mushrooms? The idea is that you have a lean protein source with a whole grain carbohydrate. Flavoring the meal with veggies adds nutrients and more fiber, which will help you lose weight.

You won’t go hungry while following this wu yi diet plan because you’ll have a snack about two hours after breakfast and another two hours after lunch. Always include a lean protein with fruit or veggies. One of my favorites is a small, nonfat yogurt with a teaspoon of flaxseed mixed in the yogurt.

You can have a handful of almonds with a bowl of fresh berries. A bowl of fresh strawberries with a dab of nonfat vanilla yogurt is fantastic. Remember to drink your wu yi (oolong) tea throughout the day either hot or iced. 

Lunchtime! Grab a handful of those pre washed spring greens or baby lettuces that I mentioned in the last blog post. Place them in a bowl and then add some lean protein. Try turkey, tuna, chicken, kidney beans or whatever you have handy. Use about 2 ounces which is a little less than the size of a deck of cards.

It’s a good idea to plan ahead and cook an extra piece of lean protein at your dinner the night before. Planning is key in any weight loss plan! Use more veggies adding as much color and flavor as possible.

Drizzle the salad with balsamic vinegar, lemon juice or pepper sauce and enjoy it with a glass of iced wu yi tea. Stay away from “creamy” dressings. Many people drench salads in creamy dressings that add 300 calories or more and wonder why they don’t lose weight.

Dinnertime is the same principal as lunch. You can have the veggies as a side salad or mix it with your lean protein source. Add a small side of such as couscous, sweet potato, quinoa or brown rice. You can marinate any lean protein in olive oil, lemon juice, pepper sauce, herbs, garlic and onion. And don’t forget the mug of wu yi tea!

Check out the Wu Yi tea harvest:

Am I forgetting anything? Oh yes! Dessert! Whether you are a “salty” or “sweet” (or both) type person, you should allow your taste buds a little treat now and again to stave off that binge monster.

Salty ideas: one cup popcorn flavored with pepper flakes or sea salt; toasted seasoned pumpkin seeds. Sweet treats: berries and nondairy, sugar-free topping; or my favorite, one mug of oolong and vanilla tea (use a bag of vanilla tea with your wu yi tea) and 1 square of dark chocolate!

Losing weight is easy if you drink wu yi tea and flavor healthy foods the right way. The good news is that wu yi tea already has a lovely, wonderful flavor and aroma! It truly complements every meal and you can add other teas to wu yi (oolong) tea to create fruity, spicy or sweet wu yi tea drinks! Purchase 100% pure wu yi tea that is very high quality from the link below and ENJOY!

Cheers!                                                                                                                             

P.S. Wu yi tea has a lovely, mild flavor and aroma! Enjoy losing weight with wu yi tea  

Caitlin

Filed under: Green Tea, Weight Loss, Wu Yi Source, Wu Yi Tea, Wu-Long on March 6th, 2009 | No Comments »

I’ve been telling you all about wu yi tea and its remarkable health benefits and weight loss capabilities. Wu yi (also known as oolong) tea can help, and I highly recommend it, but you need diet and exercise if you want to look and feel fantastic. I’m excited to share with you a diet meal plan that I follow regularly to stay fit and healthy.

Today, I’m going to talk about the basics of a wu yi diet plan. By doing this, you’ll be able to play around with the actual diet meal plan that I’ll explain in the next blog post. This is important because in order to lose weight and keep it off for good, you need to be able to make the right weight loss choices on your own.

I try to stick with eating foods that are nutritionally dense, satisfying and practical. I choose those items that will offer me an abundance of nutrients, yet with less cost to the daily calorie budget. In addition, I incorporate my wu yi tea in a number of ways including a lovely mid afternoon sweet treat!

You might be thinking, “Yuck, Caitlin! I don’t want to eat healthy foods all day. They don’t have any flavor!” That’s only because nobody has told you how to flavor healthy foods like whole grains and veggies!

The following flavorings are virtually zero calorie natural alternatives for flavoring food: pepper sauces, vinegars, Dijon mustards (no honey Dijon’s!), onions, garlic, and tomatoes. In order to lose weight, it’s highly important that you consume plenty of fiber found in grains and veggies. Fiber is very important for weight loss.

Never, ever skip breakfast! It’s been proven repeatedly that people who eat a healthy breakfast within an hour of waking are generally more fit and healthy. I used to skip breakfast because I thought I didn’t have time. Make time! 

I dropped 5 pounds the first week that I began eating breakfast and drinking a mug of oolong tea in the morning. My energy levels soared and diet and exercise was a cinch! Eating breakfast and adding a mug of oolong tea will kick off your metabolism for the day, which will raise the rate at which you burn calories!

Check out how to prepare Wu Yi Tea:

Throughout the day, you can drink wu yi tea either hot or iced. I like to brew a big pitcher of wu yi tea in the morning. (Secret! Throw in a few bags of flavored herbal teas such as blueberry or peach!) Take the wu yi tea with you in a portable mug.

The tea counts as part of your daily water intake and staying hydrated is important if you want to lose weight, so drink up! If you are sensitive to caffeine, switch to decaf oolong tea in the afternoon.

Losing weight isn’t about starving yourself. In fact, you need to start eating more often. Rather than eating three large meals a day, eat six times a day and have smaller meals. By doing this, you boost your metabolism and you will lose body fat rather than lean body mass!

Planning is everything for a good weight loss meal plan. Keep a few things handy: washed spring greens, chopped veggies (anything, the more the merrier!), zero-calorie flavorings, and lean protein such as chicken breast, canned tuna, fish, turkey breast or even lean beef or protein.

The planning for this weight loss plan begins with ordering your wu yi tea! If you want to be fit and healthy, boost your efforts by ordering wu yi tea today!

Cheers!

P.S. Speaking of planning, have you stocked up on your wu yi tea? Don’t run out! 

Caitlin    

Filed under: Green Tea, Oolong, Weight Loss, Wu Yi Source, Wu Yi Tea, Wu-Long on March 4th, 2009 | No Comments »

Did you know that merely drinking a few delicious mugs of tea per day can boost the quality of your skin and fight premature aging? Wu yi tea has been drunk for centuries in the Asian world and thankfully, it’s finally catching on in the Western world. Its age-fighting capabilities are remarkable! It may be YOUR answer to maintaining youthful skin!

Wu long and wu yi tea varietals have become all the rage in both the weight loss and age-fighting arenas. Both teas are highly beneficial in improving overall health, but is one better than the other? To answer this question, let’s look at the origin of tea.

All tea comes from the plant Camellia sinensis, but the time that the leaves are picked and then the way in which the tea is fermented determines the tea variety. Black tea, green tea, white tea and oolong tea are the four main varieties of tea.

White tea and green tea are unfermented and considered highly nutritious, yet they have a bit of a bitter, grassy flavor. White tealeaves are picked prior to the opening of the bud making it a bit milder. Black tea is fermented for a long time and thus, it is not as nutritious as green tea; however, the flavor is more agreeable to our Western palates.

Oolong tea is fermented for a short time. Because the process is shorter, oolong tea is still highly nutritious, but the fermenting process makes the tea milder in aroma and flavor.  Wu long and wu yi tea are both oolong teas. Wu long tealeaves are harvested during the first cycle of leaf growth on the tea plant. The plant is then allowed to regenerate for more cycles of growth and harvest.

Check out how Oolong Tea is prepared Chinese style:

For this reason, many tea connoisseurs believe that wu long tea is superior. The tea is higher in price (usually) then wu yi tea, but wu yi tea has the same age-fighting, health-boosting capabilities than wu long tea has, and the flavor differences are so subtle that most people wouldn’t really notice. I say, save a few dollars!

As well, the antioxidants in wu yi tea can help restore a healthy complexion because they are key in skin cell regeneration and repair of damaged cells. Just a few wonderfully flavored mugs of wu yi tea a day can boost your health, help you lose weight and improve your appearance! It’s easy, it’s inexpensive and only a few clicks away! Check out the link below! 

Cheers!

            ==>> Click here to check out our favorite Oolong Tea

Caitlin

Filed under: Green Tea, Oolong, Weight Loss, Wu Yi Source, Wu Yi Tea, Wu-Long on February 28th, 2009 | No Comments »

Asian women tend to have beautiful, flawless skin for many years. Aging seems to be on hold in many Asian regions. How do they achieve this? Wouldn’t you love to know about their many secrets such as oolong tea?

There are a plethora of reasons behind their youthful appearance. They tend to live more cleanly than we do in the Western world consuming cleaner diets and being exposed to less environmental toxins.

We should all strive for a better diet full of fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean proteins; however, we can’t do much to escape environmental toxins from industrial facilities, car exhaust and chemicals. This is where oolong tea can help fight the damage, prevent premature aging and improve the youthful appearance of your skin!

Real tea is all derived from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis. The differences in tea varietals stem from when the leaves are picked and how they are treated afterwards (fermentation).

The fermentation process involves oxidation and crushing the leaves, which darkens the leaves and alters the flavor. Black tea leaves are crushed and bruised and left exposed to oxygen for a long period of time. They are highly fermented. Green tea is not fermented at all, and oolong tea is semi-fermented.

Legend tells that oolong tea was created purely by accident. A man named Wu Liang was harvesting tea leaves and was interrupted by a passing deer. Wanting the deer for his family, he abandoned his freshly picked tea leaves to hunt the deer.

He returned a few days later and found the tea leaves partially oxidized by the sun. He proceeded to prepare the tea anyway and found that this oxidation process had made the tea more delicate than green tea. It no longer had a bitter grassy taste!

Oolong tea, green tea and white tea are the most beneficial teas to fight the signs of aging, but oolong tea has a nicer flavor because of the semi-fermentation process. Tea is capable of fighting aging and restoring more youthful skin due to its phytochemicals, which is a fancy name for “antioxidants.”

Check out Oolong tea production in Taiwan:

At the heart of aging lie free radicals. We are exposed to free radicals on a daily basis through UV rays and all of the chemicals and pollutants previously mentioned. Free radical molecules damage our skin (and all tissue) at the cellular level.

They destroy cellular membranes and alter genetic material. As we age, it becomes more and more difficult to fight free radicals and repair the damage. As well, we stop regenerating cells as much as we did when we were younger.

This has many affects on the body such as decreased cardiovascular health. In terms of our skin health, this is exactly why we end up with wrinkled, sagging, fragile skin.

The antioxidants in oolong tea can fight free radicals by stopping the oxidation process that takes place when free radicals steal the electron from healthy molecules in our bodies. Antioxidants are also imperative for repairing the damage already incurred and regenerating cells. Drinking oolong tea on a daily basis can improve you skin health. Healthy skin is beautiful skin!

Oolong tea is available in many forms, but wu yi is one of the best tasting at a moderate price. A few peaceful mugs of tea a day to improve your overall health and produce gorgeous, youthful skin! It doesn’t get much easier than that! Why wait? Click on the link below and fight premature aging today!!

Cheers!

 ==>> Click here to check out our favorite Oolong Tea

Caitlin

Filed under: Green Tea, Oolong, Weight Loss, Wu Yi Tea on February 27th, 2009 | No Comments »