Herbal medicine is rife with “just so” stories. St. John’s Wort is good for rheumatism and Chamomile cures insomnia because Grandma said so. But scientific evidence is emerging that Asia’s favorite leafy tonic, green tea, may in fact be everything Granny said it was. A joint research team from the University of Murica in Spain and the John Innes Centre in England has found that green tea is loaded with a compound, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), that has demonstrable cancer fighting properties.
The conclusions of the study, published in the American medical journal “Cancer Research,” lend weight to previous surveys that found lower cancer rates among populations of heavy green tea drinkers. This may be because EGCG blocks an enzyme that is a catalyst to cancer growth; in fact, it has properties similar to those of Methotrexate, a drug that has been used for decades in the treatment of cancerous breast, head and neck, and lung tumors. “For the first time we have a scientific explanation of why EGCG inhibits the growth of cancer cells at concentrations which are found in the flood of people who drink two to three cups of green tea a day,” says Professor Roger Thorneley, one of the joint research team members.
Scientists hope their findings will lead to EGCG-based drugs that have fewer side effects that Methotrexate, which can cause vomiting and hair loss, among other ills. But as is often the case with promising medical discoveries, there are caveats. Excessive drinking of green tea by pregnant women has been linked to birth defects. And Thorneley warns that it could take up to 10 years to develop and start to test new treatments. In the meantime, a couple of daily cups of “Cha” can’t hurt. “I usually only have a sip of my wife’s green tea,” says Throneley, “I might start drinking it now. –By Hanna Kit/Time magazine/Hong Kong
Greetings and Salutations,
This is the story that we would like to put in “Pattaya Info” newspaper. Please read and edit and e-mail back any changes, additions, deletions or suggestions to this story.
Also, I called Mr. Preben Hansen, one of the founders of the expats club, and asked when would be a good date for you to come to the expats club meeting. The best dates are any Sunday starting July 14th and after because the club would like to advertise your coming to the meeting on the web site www.pattayaexpatsclub.com. July 7th will be health insurance companies and brokers speaking to the club and answering questions from the members of the expats club. You are invited to come to the meeting this Sunday July 7 at 11am at the Astoria resort to observe and answer any questions that might be asked about the need for a lawyer in the event of a car accident or something similar that you can think of that involves the need for legal counseling and medical insurance. You might want to bring business cards or brochures to place on the table with other handouts from other companies that are advertising to the expats club members. The companies that will have business cards and brochures include health insurance, tours, restaurants, rental cars and shops etc. I will be there.
Call me, if you have any questions Mr. John Langan at 09 063 8111. I would be glad to place the business cards or brochures on the table so you would not need to come to the meeting this Sunday and if I had a supply of business cards or brochures then I could place them on the table every Sunday.
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