Forget the Apples, Do Green Tea and Exercise Keep the Doctor Away?

We all know the old saying: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." That trusty old saying is all well and good if you have an apple tree full of apples, but what if you don't?

Fortunately, there is another time-honored, age-old recipe for health: a good cuppa tea and old-fashioned exercise. Nothing else comes close to that combination for keeping your body healthy and strong. Except, of course, possibly apples.

Image Credit: Wikimedia

A Cupful of Prevention is Worth a Prescription Cure

Who likes taking medicine? Listening to prescription advertisements that rattle off side effects as if they were fine print features of a car commercial always makes me feel a little unwell. Avoiding side effects caused by prescriptions is a great reason to stay healthy. By going to the source of where medicine comes from - plants - you can naturally boost your immune system so that it can fight off sickness without ever needing meds.

How can you do this easily? By making green tea.

Brewed from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, green tea is a superfood that offers health benefits galore. While it does provide caffeine, it also contributes a stabilizing factor that can help you get more done than you can by drinking coffee, and it will control those jitters from missing your morning cup o' Joe. What else can green tea do for you? Here are just a few:

• It boosts your metabolism, making it easier for your food to convert to energy instead of fat. This makes you lose weight and enhances your physical stamina
• It can enhance your brain function and prevent Alzheimer's in your golden years
• It can kill bacteria, preventing tooth decay and mouth problems
• It can help reduce blood sugar levels, possibly even reducing your chances of diabetes

To put it simply, green tea just makes you healthier all round. Simply heat your water to boiling, then remove it from heat and wait a full minute to let the temperature drop to about 160°. Any hotter, and you could destroy some of the amazing properties. Then add your tea and let it steep for as long as you like, but at least five minutes. The longer you steep it, the more potent it will be. To sweeten it, add raw honey for maximum health benefits. Maple syrup is also a delicious, healthy sweetener. If you prefer iced tea, you can skip heating the water and simply steep the tea in the refrigerator overnight. Enjoy it in the morning for an extra-healthy shot of green goodness.

Exercise: If You Do It, Health Can Come

Regardless of how unhealthy you may feel, a little exercise is all it takes to get the ball rolling in the right direction. Nobody said you have to go buy the fancy workout kit, although you may be ready for it in a few months as you discover how much fun exercise has become!

Even though apples are great, they really are a bit overrated. By using a little green tea and a little exercise, you can give thanks as you watch your health improve until you can say goodbye to the doctor. You might even save some money on apples.

Bio

This post was contributed by Cherry Creek Medical Weight Loss. The Denver-based clinic specializes in assisting people with weight loss and hormone therapy.