Gargling green tea can fight flu

[auhckw]

Gargling green tea can fight flu
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artic ... ds-newsxml

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 12:14 AM on 30th November 2010

Gargle green tea to fight off flu bugs

Could gargling with green tea prevent flu? It contains compounds called catechins, which have been shown, in lab research, to prevent the ­infection.

One small Japanese study at the University of Shizuoka showed that nursing home residents who gargled with green tea three times a day for three months were less likely to get flu than those who did not.

Larger clinical trials are now under way, involving more than 600 teenagers. Young people were chosen because flu spreads quickly and easily among students.

Researchers have yet to discover exactly how catechins work, but it is believed they have a general anti-viral effect. Gargling is thought to be a more ­effective way to tackle viruses than drinking, because this way the bugs are exposed to the liquid for longer.

[auhckw]

This is going to look weird soon... Ppl will start gargling green tea before going down the throat.

[Chip]

Mouth brewing will work better yet.

[skilfautdire]

Gargling green tea can fight flu
By Daily Mail Reporter
[...] is believed they have a general anti-viral effect. Gargling is thought to be a more ­effective way to tackle viruses than drinking, because this way the bugs are exposed to the liquid for longer.

"Flu bugs" ? Might be a common way to call them bugs, never heard them being called as such. So let's see another news story from that paper then:

"Why suicide bombers are Muslim (lack of sex) and liberals are
more intelligent: A controversial psychologist's VERY politically
incorrect 'truths' about human nature"

OK !

[skilfautdire]

Mouth brewing will work better yet.

Strangely this has somewhat to do with internal combustion ...

[teaisme]

There was another study on gargling green tea.....searching....Ah here I copy and paste from dens website...I wonder if its the same study but the author in the online article maybe just substituted egcg for green tea? Could be a totally separate study though, but if its the same that news is at least a couple years old. Glad to see the pic has a kyusu in it and its not just a cup with teabag.

A virus can not live by itself and must infect a host like a human being for its continued existence. Once in the host, the virus uses protuberances much like shoe spikes to stick the host's mucous membrane where it receives nutrition and grows. According to the study in Japan, EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate), a component in green tea, may prevent viruses from adhering to cell walls.

The study was conducted by Professor Hiroshi Yamada of Shizuoka Prefecture University and reported by Dr. Isao Tomita, Doctor of Pharmacy, a professor emeritus at Shizuoka Prefecture University and advisor at Shizuoka industrial University, Ocha Department. The study was conducted in a senior nursing home where some of the residents gargled with EGCG in a water solution over a period of 30 days. The results of the study indicate that there was significantly less influenza infections in the group that gargled with the EGCG solution.

The EGCG mentioned above is one of the catechins in green tea. While there are three other beneficial catechins in green tea, EGCG is the most powerful. EGCG as an antioxidant is about 25-100 times more potent than vitamins C and E.

Also, several elementary schools in Shizuoka Prefecture started a project where all the students gargle with green tea on a daily basis in winter. These schools had a lower rate of absenteeism than schools where the students did not gargle.

While this is exciting information, it is a recent study and more analysis is needed to draw specific conclusions. Also please do not rely on only one item to prevent the flu. Follow the recommendations of the medical community; wash your hands frequently, eat healthy, exercise, and get plenty of sleep

[Oni]

Imagine snorting matcha, man what could that cure, I guess lung cancer.

[IPT]

Imagine snorting matcha, man what could that cure, I guess lung cancer.

You know, I'll bet somebody's tried that already. What a buzz. Imagine how green your boogers would be

[bryan_drinks_tea]

hey auhck,

I've been gargling cheap sencha for a while now. I cannot give an absolute answer that it works, but I'm fairly sure it does something. It helps

[Catfur]

I work for the gummint, and they have posters up around the workplace that basically say gargling with pretty much anything can help prevent flu (by flushing away viruses before they can infect).

Take with grain of salt (or gargled with salt water)...