5th January, 2009: Tea is a Singer’s Best Friend for Anette Olzon
So, when you belt it out several times a week during a concert tour, what’s the best remedy? According to Anette Olzon, the powerful voice and femme fatale of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, it’s a cup of green tea with honey before the start of a show.
Photo Courtesy of Nightwish Website
If anyone would know how to soothe those vocal chords, it would be Olzon. Do you think she goes for the exotic flavors such as mango or pomegranate, or is she a stickler for simplicity? Thoughts?
Posted by Linda at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
31st December, 2008: The Skinny On: Tea
For many, the new year is a time for getting in shape. For over 40 years, Weight Watchers has been helping people get active and lose weight in a healthy way. Recently, it seems that they too have taken an interest in tea and its many benefits. In one section of their site, “The Skinny On…”, they offer some wonderful information about tea.
For starters, it helps to know the basic differences between tea. There are true teas like white and green, coming from the same ‘Camellia Sinensis’ plant, and herbal teas like chamomile, which is an infusion of herbs and tea in hot water. Of course, the possible health benefits of tea are in there as well. Oolong tea has been all the rage lately and has been linked to longevity, and in keeping with the goal of Weight Watchers, green tea has been linked to weight loss.
Another benefit of tea is that it has about half the caffeine as a cup of coffee, so it won’t keep you up at night. However, for some people, any caffeine at all is too much. Check out this great video by Cindi Bigelow, President, on how to decaffeinate your own tea:
The many possible benefits of tea are constantly being discovered. For even more potential New Year Tea-lutions, click here!
Posted by Linda at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
30th December, 2008: What are your favorite holiday Bigelow Teas?
Reflecting back and looking forward…a very common occurrence this week. While doing so, contemplate what Bigelow teas you enjoyed over the holidays this year and let us know. Perhaps it was Eggnogg’n® Tea?
Or Ginger Snappish™ like this blogger, Mostly Risible?
Maybe you’re sipping one now? We want to hear from you!
Posted by Julie at 6:00 am | Comment (1)
29th December, 2008: Rachael Ray Drinks Oolong and Thinks You Should, Too!
It should come as no surprise that Rachael Ray may lose her voice from time to time. After all, the recently turned 40-year-old celebrity has her own talk show. After a doctor’s visit she learned that she had damaged her vocal cords. What’s her cure? In addition to some other treatments, “she has been…downing herbal tea”.
Photo Courtesy of Usmagazine.com
However that’s not the only reason she drinks tea. She has used her talk show as a platform to rave about new research linking oolong tea to weight loss. She admitted to drinking oolong everyday in a successful effort to shed some pounds. According to the Journal of Nutrition, a study performed showed that “oolong tea stimulated energy expenditure and fat oxidation”. They do however note that these results were based on the chronic consumption of tea and a normal diet. Oolong tea has even been associated with possibly increasing longevity. Want to try for yourself? Get your own oolong today!
Posted by Linda at 6:00 am | Comments (2)
22nd December, 2008: Robert DeNiro’s Nobu Hotel Complete with Green Tea
The New York Post reported that Oscar-winning Robert De Niro, Raging Bull star, is expanding his real estate holdings. DeNiro, who already owns several restaurants and hotels, plans to open a Japanese-themed condo-hotel complex in New York’s Financial District. His Nobu Hotel will offer condos as well as hotel rooms, a spa, and of course, a signature Nobu restaurant.
Photo courtesy of robertdeniro.eblogus.com
The hotel will have amenities such as minibars with green tea and sake, as well as room service from its trendy, popular restaurant chain. Now that sounds like a delightful way to spend a holiday!
Posted by Julie at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
17th December, 2008: Hibiscus: More than just a pretty flower
Hibiscus has been used for a long time by many different cultures for various reasons. According to Wikipedia, “Hibiscus, especially white hibiscus, is considered to have medicinal properties in the Indian traditional system of medicine, Ayurveda. Roots make various concoctions believed to cure various ailments” and has been used by the Mexicans for people “with kidney problems [; they] often take it without adding sugar for its beneficial properties and as a natural diuretic.” Natives from Okinawa are known to associate hibiscus tea with longevity and the hibiscus flower is used in nearly all traditional dances in Hawaii.
Beyond simply having a pleasant flavor, teas with added hibiscus can offer a vast array of health benefits. When hibiscus is grouped together with other ingredients blended into the tea itself, it creates a concoction that is beneficial on various different levels, all of them delicious and good for you. For example, green tea has been known to have an incredible array of health benefits as well as black tea. The blending of two or more of these ingredients only serves to make that cup in your hand that much more important.
Bigelow offers many different teas with hibiscus added. Can you guess which ones they are?
Cinnamon Apple Herbal Tea — which is a great choice for the holidays — All Natural Organic Moroccan Mint, and Organic Green Tea with Pomegranate are just a few.
For more answers to this frequently asked question: Which Bigelow herbal teas include hibiscus? go here.
Posted by Ross at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
11th December, 2008: The Kettle is Starting to Whistle
Yes, it is cold outside…that is very good. I can hear the kettles starting to buzz all around the country. Today I am sipping on one of our new organic teas, Rooibus kissed with sweet Asian pear. It is delightful and to me having a warm cup of tea is what makes winter truly winter! I love the snow; I love the cold and I love to hear the kettle start to whistle….I am looking forward to a great season….cheers
Cindi Bigelow
Posted by Cindi at 6:15 am | Comment (0)
9th December, 2008: How My Mother Dealt With Cancer Treatment Through a Healthy Diet
A little over a year ago, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. With the help of quick-working surgeons and a wonderful oncologist, she was able to have a lumpectomy 30 days after her original diagnosis and began her chemotherapy a few days before Christmas.
My mother is a very intelligent and strong woman. She knew that she was heading into some tougher times, but she knew those times would be dealt with much easier if she had the proper tools. Her massive support system was a huge aid, but she also found some helpful hints in A Dietitian’s Cancer Story. She had done a ton of reading, and had listened carefully to her oncologist regarding her diet and some things that she could do to keep her immune system strong and energy levels high. As it is constantly mentioned on this site, green tea is incredible (it’s even better when accompanied by a great antioxidant). The book seconded this and gave her a great recipe for a green tea shake, which she tried and loved. Throughout her chemotherapy, she drank a lot of tea to help boost her immune system. I can personally attest to the fact that it worked wonders.
After her chemotherapy, she had to go through radiation treatments. These treatments are notorious for draining your energy and producing a lot of fatigue if you don’t preemptively strike against that. Her doctor told her that ginseng works wonders for people going through radiation treatment. My mother took ginseng pills and drank ginseng tea a few times a week in an effort to counteract the fatigue she would get from her daily treatments. Very rarely did she ever experience any drop in energy due to her treatments and she was able to easily maintain her happy demeanor.
Overall, a combination of great doctors, great attitude, and a great diet helped her go through the invasive stage of her treatment fairly easy. She went into it scared, but very prepared and ready to take whatever came at her head on. Now that she has moved on past the extreme treatments and into the less invasive, she still continues her healthy diet and drinks a lot of tea to continue to boost her immune system as the cold season bears down on us. It also helps to have a son who writes for a tea blog and provides her with the wealth of knowledge this place has to offer.
Ross Hammond, Bigelow Tea supporter and blog writer
Posted by Ross at 6:00 am | Comment (1)
2nd December, 2008: Green Tea Helps Battle Leukemia
Science Daily reported Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered that a component in green tea helps kill cells of the most common leukemia in the United States. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or CLL is a type of Leukemia in which lymphocytes in the bone marrow generate too many white blood cells invading the blood stream. It is a progressive cancer affecting older adults. The research using laboratory cell cultures showed that a component of green tea known as EGCG helped eliminate leukemia cells by blocking the communication signals they need to survive.
Leukemia cells beware…green tea is here!
Last month, we talked about tea’s positive effects on two other types of cancer: breast cancer and prostate cancer. And don’t forget about the many more reasons to drink tea.
Posted by Julie at 6:00 am | Comment (1)
1st December, 2008: A Frosty Green Tea for Nick Jonas
Music isn’t the only thing Nick Jonas of The Jonas Brothers is passionate about, he also favors Green Tea Frappuccinos. Nick and his brothers topped the charts with their self-titled 2007 album that ended up going platinum and have carved out their niche in pop culture as a force to be reckoned with.
The catalyst to the entire Jonas Brothers phenomenon lies with Nick, who knowing that show business was his path in life, began performing on Broadway at age 7. After many years of performing, the three Jonas brothers released their first complete album in 2006, aptly named “It’s about time.”
Photo Courtesy of Nick J Online
Like green tea’s longevity, the Jonas Brothers will undoubtedly be ringing in the ears of many for some time to come.
What is your favorite frosty green tea of choice? For some tea beverage ideas, look here.
Posted by Ross at 6:00 am | Comment (0)
