Anxiety and Tea
I feel like so many people (myself included) are dealing with chronic and sometimes debilitating anxiety. More so now than ever before. We are navigating a pandemic, war and uncertain political and economic times. It's tough out there and the news is not afraid to remind you of exactly how bad things are.
Furthermore, Americans are busier and more stressed than ever. We pride ourselves on our "Type A" personalities and excessive work habits. We proudly chug 16oz cold brews twice a day. Our kids do 5000 activities plus summer camp. Our houses are larger and cleaner than ever. We hustle.
We need to start protecting our bodies and minds from the craziness of today because we are all one cold brew away from a nervous breakdown. I can feel the energy out there.
Enter Tea.
Tea, especially Matcha, contains L-theanine an amino acid that everyone should be OBSESSED with right now. L-theanine promotes a general sense of well-being, calmness and focus. A small study conducted in 2019 showed that participants reported lower levels of stress & anxiety after taking L-theanine for four weeks. Like Matcha, green tea is especially effective in reducing anxiety and improving brain function.
Herbals teas, not to be overlooked, also lower anxiety levels by directly targeting stress-related hormones.
Turmeric, ginger and green tea are all shown to lower cortisol levels. Cortisol is a steroid produced by your body and is responsible for the fight or flight response. Too much cortisol is responsible for weight gain, increased blood sugar, and inflammation A study published by Michigan state university found that just smelling peppermint can decrease anxiety levels and improve focus.
Just the act of sitting down in a quiet place with a cup of tea can lower cortisol levels.
The thing that I love the most about tea is that it can easily be worked into your everyday life. Pick tea, fill up your cup, go sit someplace quiet, and lower your cortisol level. Oh, and put down the cold brew.
*While tea has been around for centuries, research studies on the medicinal effects of tea are limited. I highly recommend the citations below if you are interested in learning more.
Hidese, S., Ogawa, S., Ota, M., Ishida, I., Yasukawa, Z., Ozeki, M., & Kunugi, H. (2019). Effects of L-Theanine Administration on Stress-Related Symptoms and Cognitive Functions in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 11(10), 2362. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11102362
Mancini E, Beglinger C, Drewe J, Zanchi D, Lang UE, Borgwardt S. Green tea effects on cognition, mood and human brain function: A systematic review. Phytomedicine. 2017 Oct 15;34:26-37. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2017.07.008. Epub 2017 Jul 27. PMID: 28899506.