Tea: 10 Surprising Health Benefits

Tea is well-known for the broad spectrum of medicinal benefits it provides to its daily drinkers. However, this hot cup of delicacy can become a part of your first aid kit owing to its many other benefits. In unusual places and circumstances, tea leaves can be your solution to a number of beauty and health problems. So, take a look at a few unconventional benefits of tea leaves that will definitely surprise you!

Widen your sleepy eyes
Tea leaves can be a perfect solution for your tired and puffy eyes. Just take two tea bags and soak them in some warm water. Place them over your closed eyes for 15 minutes. Tea leaves have a natural astringent known as tannins, which can help to reduce puffiness in your eyes. Tea bags also help you to get rid of dark circles under your eyes.

Takes care of sunburns
Did you forget to apply your sunscreen or cover your face when you stepped out in the harsh sun? Well, tea leaves can provide relief to your sunburned skin. Just put some tea leaves in your bath water and just let your body soak in its goodness. This bath will relieve your itchy and inflamed skin.

Key to healthy relationship: steamy cup of tea, not sex!

Women believe that the secret to a healthy relationship is receiving a hot cup of tea or coffee made by their partners, rather than engaging in hot sex, a new research has found. Report author Dr Jacqui Gabb said that actions speak louder than words and many people consider a loving gesture to be as valuable as hearing 'I love you'.

Shed those excess kilos
Green tea drinkers lose weight faster than those who don’t. Catechins in green tea significantly decrease your body fat. Studies have also revealed that green tea helps to stabilise body weight after a period of weight loss. Not only this, green tea also boosts your metabolism and cures digestion problems.

bAcne treatment
Based on its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; green tea is a powerful solution for your acne. Simply rub moist green tea leaves on your face before going to bed and this will take care of your acne. Even drinking green tea every morning, is known to provide your face a beautiful and natural glow.

Skin protector
Green tea is known for its skin-tightening and anti-ageing properties. The antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds present in green tea make it a perfect skin protector. Just add water and white sugar to some green tea to prepare a scrub. This mix will help to moisturise your skin, improve the hydration levels and exfoliate your facial skin to a smooth silky finish.

Tea goodness for hair
Tea makes a good conditioner for your dry hair as it gives them a natural shine. Just take some freshly brewed tea (unsweetened) and rub it on your hair and allow it to dry before rinsing it off. Tea also works as a natural dye that can take care of your grey hair. Add some rosemary and sage (medicinal herb) in some black tea and let the mixture stay overnight. After that strain it and use it on your hair. 

Deodorant for your smelly feet
Water extracted from green tea leaves is a powerful deodorant. It becomes a great way to get rid of odour from your smelly feet. Just soak your feet in some strongly brewed tea for at least 20 minutes. Tea will close those pores in your feet that emit sweat.

Tea can Speed Up Your Metabolism

Not all teas are created equal - besides the distinct flavors, the levels of caffeine and antioxidants vary. Keep watching to see which teas pack in the most nutritional punch and which will keep you up the longest! 

Controls gum bleeding
Press some moistened tea bags on your bleeding gums and apply pressure for about 20 minutes. This will bring the bleeding and pain under control. The reason why tea bags are used is because of their anti-inflammatory and astringent properties. Tea leaves are known to be a refreshing mouthwash as well.  

De-stress with tea leaves
Tea leaves are known to be therapeutic for your mind. They help to relieve you of your stress. To get best calming benefits of tea leaves, you can put them inside your pillow. Take some sun dried tea leaves then take them and put them inside your pillow and sew it off. The relaxing fragrance of tea leaves will help you not only to relax but also get rid of your body odour.

For the newlyweds
Well, here is a chance for all newly weds to add some charm in their marriage, along with impressing your belove. Green tea contains caffeine, ginseng and L-thiamine which are known to have positive effect on sexual drive, especially of women. So, if you feel like bringing your partner in mood for some lovemaking, just pour some tea for them.

Perk Up Your Afternoon With a Glass of Thai Iced Tea

Whether you need an afternoon pick-me-up or are looking for a beverage to pair with pad thai and other Southeast Asian dishes, the answer is simple: a frosty glass of Thai iced tea. Sweet and aromatic - Thai tea blends black tea leaves with warm spices like vanilla bean - it's nearly impossible not to love. Watch the video to see how chef Jet Tila makes this comforting beverage, and then print out the recipe.

Foods that help you get better scores

What you eat goes a long way in maximizing your exam performance say experts

For all those teens who've been told by sceptics, "Nothing will help you at the nth hour", here's some good news. What you put into your mouth in fact, can. Experts trained in nutrition and memory enhancement vouch for the connection between diet and brain performance. Mirror gets those in the know to tell you how to go from 'sailing through' to 'maxing' by making gentle changes in what you eat.

Eat eggs, cottage cheese for choline
Eggs, beans, seeds and nuts are protein-rich foods that your body uses to manufacture amino acids. Amino acids are precursors to neurotransmitters (specialized brain cells) that help you maintain mental acuity and motivation.

Eat at regular intervals to keep nutrient and energy levels stable. Fruits and vegetables help rehydrate and replenish the body, thus ensuring that you don't feel sleepy after a meal.

Never go for an exam on an empty stomach. Quench your thirst with water, coconut water, fresh fruit juices, milk and anti-oxidant-rich green tea. Avoid caffeine and sugar. Before and during exams, make breakfast your most important meal of the day. Energy-giving oats, cottage cheese, brown rice poha, eggs etc. make perfect breakfast eats because they contain a nutrient called choline, which helps cognitive performance and improves memory.

For lunch have foods with a low glycemic index — steamed green moong sprouts, namkeen oats with vegetables, chicken soup, curd, multigrain chapatis (soya flour, chana flour, oats, barley and normal atta) or brown rice pulao.

For a healthy evening snack, have a bowl of fruit chaat, murmura chaat, roasted chana, roasted moong, almonds and walnuts with two dried figs. Avoid starchy vegetables (potatoes, yam) because they'll make you lethargic and cause bloating. Your best options are bottle gourd, carrots or methi with chapati. Vegetable/ fruit raita gives you calcium, water and protein.

Sip lime juice to keep neurons running
When studying, the brain craves high fat and high sugar foods, which is why when stressed, students tend to eat processed snacks. They must make an effort to structure what they eat. Complex carbs like ragi, brown rice, whole wheat should become part of lunch and dinner. Glucose is the main fuel of the brain. But providing it slowly into the bloodstream through complex carbs is key. You can also try sipping on a tall glass of lime juice with 1 tbsp (no more) of glucose and a pinch of salt every three hours. This hydrates the brain and keeps your neurons running. Eat a fruit every four hours (pomegranate, sweet lime, guava, watermelon and banana). I'd also recommend two cups of mild green tea with honey (11 am and 4 pm) because it increases alpha wave thinking and calms stressed nerves. Milk (or curd) for its calcium content is a must-include. The best inbetween study snack is five almonds, five pistas and five raisins, had every two hours.

Blood Pressure medications not beneficial after stroke: Study

NEW YORK: Lowering blood pressure during the first 48 hours after a stroke does not reduce the likelihood of death or major disability, claims research.

Blood pressure often is elevated following a stroke.

"In most cases, treatment is unnecessary because the blood pressure declines naturally over time and lowering blood pressure may be contra-indicated," warned stroke specialist Jose Biller at Loyola University Medical Centre.

It is important not to overtreat and cause low blood pressure, because the most important objective is to maintain adequate blood flow to the brain, Biller advised.

Lowering blood pressure has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke. The study investigated whether there also would be a benefit to lowering blood pressure immediately after a stroke.

The study included more than 4,000 stroke patients in 26 hospitals across China who were randomly assigned to receive blood pressure medications or to discontinue blood pressure medications.

At 14 days or hospital discharge, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in mortality or disability, said the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

It involved patients who had suffered ischemic strokes, which account for about 85 percent of all strokes.

Such strokes are caused by blood clots that block blood flow to a part of the brain.

Are your Shoes silently causing health problems for you

If stilettos harm feet, flat shoes can also be dangerous. Find out how these pretty shoes can be hazardous to health.

Jacqueline Sutera, a doctor of podiatric medicine and surgery, and Neal Blitz, Chief of Foot Surgery and Associate Chairman of Orthopedics at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, share the dangers of our favourite shoes, reports a website.

Running sneakers
Too much cushion is not the best thing. When you have a lot of cushion, you're not getting the foot-brain feedback that allows you to sense the ground. These shoes are ideal for forward motion like running, walking, jogging (not hiking, dancing, cycling, etc). Wearing these shoes can cause chronic stress injuries, particularly to the heel.

Flip-flops
Most flip-flops are too flat, too thin and too open. This exposes the foot to the environment and doesn't provide arch support or cushioning. The thong between your toes is also dangerous as it forces your toe muscles to over-grip. Wearing these shoes can cause inflammation, heel pain, strains and fractures.

Stilettos
Wearing heels for long hours shifts your weight to the balls of your feet, which puts pressure on your foot. The sky-high heels can cause ankle sprains, midfoot fractures, neuromas (benign nerve tumours).

Platform wedges
Wedges also have heels, which puts pressure on the foot. But the heels generally have more cushion. They often have platforms, which protect the ball of your foot and reduce the incline. But you can suffer similar ailments due to heels.

Natural hair rinse for great hair

What do you do when you get a rash on skin? Apply a soothing cream. And when your skin flakes?

A moisturiser, isn't it? But what would you do if the same problem happens in scalp? Use a shampoo or conditioner? Unfortunately the small contact time as well as high use of chemicals in these products does not make it so effective. "Also frequent shampooing leads to fading away if hair colour easily. Hence naturally prepared out the ones available, hair rinses are perfect answer to problems like itching, dryness flaking of scalp, retaining hair color and shine and also boosting hair growth," says dermatologist Dr Apratim Goel. These hair rinses have been known to naturally soften hair, add shine and increase luster. While some rinses need to be washed after 15 to 20 minutes, other hair rinses like the ones made from natural flowers like marigold, rose etc, can be left on for longer.

Dr Goel gives some examples...

Egg yolk rinse: This is the age old remedy for dull, damaged, dry hair. Egg yolk is mixed with olive oil and applied on wet scalp and kept for some time. When rinsed off, hair feels smooth and well moisturised.

Beer rinse: Beer is a great conditioner for the hair and acts as a setting lotion. It adds vitality to hair and makes them voluminous.

Lemon hair rinse: Lemon works great for getting rid of the oily scalp and dandruff. But one has to be careful while using it as it can make the scalp very dry when overused.

Apple cider vinegar rinse: It works by balancing the scalp and hair pH, removing product build up and treating dry hair and dandruff. It also seals the hair cuticle, helping hair to retain moisture.

Herbal hair rinses: There are several herbal products which work wonders for the hair. Rosemary, tea tree help in clearing dandruff, peppermint, basil promote hair growth, Sage, marshmallow are used for dry hair and rosemary for oily hair.

Avoid dating these guys

An expert has advised women to scrutinise the men they choose to date — to avoid ending up in a bad relationship. Some men may seem perfect on the first few dates, but it does not take long for them to change from a prince to a frog. Hence, it's important to look out for the warning signs.

The set-in-his-ways guy
Dating someone who refuses to do anything new will lead to a relationship that is both boring and one-sided. Stop thinking that he will eventually change and open up to your hobbies. These men will only become more rigid over time.

The pick-up-after-me guy
These are men who expect you to clean their dishes, pick up their clothes and take care of them as if they are little children. Beware of these men because they may behave as if you are their mother for the rest of their — and your — lives.

The always-looking-for-a-deal guy 
They are the ones who constantly look for deals and comment on prices early on in the dating process. These are signs that he will be very stingy throughout the duration of the relationship.

I-need-to-watch-sports-all-the-time guy
Many guys like watching sports, but this should never trump the responsibilities of a relationship or take precedence over family obligations. Women are advised to avoid a man who has a childish obsession with sports.

What's-for-dinner guy
These men expect a home-cooked meal every single night. Don't end up being a maid to such men.

The I-had-sex-and-now-I-don't-have-to-try-anymore guy
Men who back away and start getting lazier after having sex for the first time were probably only after one thing to begin with.

The I-will-let-you-pay-for-some-of-my-bills guy
If a guy asks for help while paying bills early on in a relationship, it is a warning sign that you should avoid a relationship with this person. By paying for him early on, you are accepting that it will be this way in the future.

The over-controlling guy
This guy makes a check on 'his woman' every second of the day and inquires about who she is hanging out with.

The I-don't-know-what-I'm-looking-for guy
He is a confused person. One day, he wants a relationship. The next day, he wants kids. Two months later, he's not sure about either. This type of man may ditch you anytime.