Did Green Tea Stave Off My Arthritis Symptoms?

OneEyedDiva

OneEyedDiva

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I had problems with my knee on and off for several years. Once while climbing stairs, I heard the left knee pop and it felt like the calf was about to fall off. I had have my son come help me and I told him I wanted my mommy! I had to use a cane for awhile. The first orthopedic doctor I went to was so rude that I left his office before he could examine me. Later found a sports medicine practice with two good, nice doctors. I found out I had two torn menisci, most likely from a car accident decades before. I got my first cortisone shot which surprisingly I didn't feel it at all. It provided much relief for weeks longer than I was told it would. I was informed when I got the second shot that only one more could be administered...ever and that I'd probably need a knee replacement within a couple of years.

Weeks later I decided that I'd better have a plan B. I read about arthritis and what could exacerbate the symptoms in Dr. Gary Null's The Complete Encyclopedia of Natural Healing. He mentioned that additives could be a culprit as well as certain foods. I had been having Hawaiian Punch sugar free grape drink mixes in water. One day I had a lightbulb moment....I'd cut that out and drink decaffeinated green tea instead. I swear...within 24 hours I felt the difference. After the cortisone shots I just experienced stiffness if I sat for 10 or 15 minutes, hardly any pain at all. It's been several years, still don't have any arthritis pain and very seldom feel stiff. I've been having my green tea daily since that epiphany, sometimes twice daily.
 

I would believe it.

I used to drink a lot of different green teas...there are so many varieties out there. I net I have at least 10 varieties on hand right now. It's fascinating...each have their own required temp and steeping times. Have you been drinking sencha, matcha or something else?

Green tea has been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties. Lots of studies on it. And even if you don't go decaf, the caffeine in tea seems to be less "harsh" than the caffeine in coffee. And depending on which day you read the studies, caffeine is an anti-inflammatory. All things in moderation, huh?

Conversely, sugar does have inflammatory properties, so you're wise to cut back. I've been thinking out cutting it out of my diet as best I can. I just hate artificial sweeteners.
 
Very happy for you, OED!

I tried and tried to like green tea, but it just doesn't like me. I get a real upset tummy when I drink it, but have heard all sorts of health benefits related to.

Your post serves as excellent advise for anyone else that is going through what you did.

Keep on feeling great! :)
 

In The Sticks said:
I would believe it.

I used to drink a lot of different green teas...there are so many varieties out there. I net I have at least 10 varieties on hand right now. It's fascinating...each have their own required temp and steeping times. Have you been drinking sencha, matcha or something else?

Green tea has been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties. Lots of studies on it. And even if you don't go decaf, the caffeine in tea seems to be less "harsh" than the caffeine in coffee. And depending on which day you read the studies, caffeine is an anti-inflammatory. All things in moderation, huh?

Conversely, sugar does have inflammatory properties, so you're wise to cut back. I've been thinking out cutting it out of my diet as best I can. I just hate artificial sweeteners.
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Sticks, the drink mix I used was sugar free and of course they say sugar free stuff is bad for us too. My grandson just told me last night that he drinks the matcha tea. I just buy Bromley because i can usually get it on sale. I started with the decaf because I used to have atrial fibrillation so I didn't consume anything caffeinated. I have read about the benefits of green tea and most recently, my new love chai tea. I bought the Bigelow vanilla chai variety. My ex DIL also has a cabinet full of teas, as do I. Do you have a favorite brand of green tea?
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Aunt Marg said:
Very happy for you, OED!

I tried and tried to like green tea, but it just doesn't like me. I get a real upset tummy when I drink it, but have heard all sorts of health benefits related to.

Your post serves as excellent advise for anyone else that is going through what you did.

Keep on feeling great! :)
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picgifs-thank-you-711931.gif
 
You’d be surprised how much artificial sugars impact health negatively. They are poisonous to our systems are cause inflammation. Then there’s artificial colours added which are also poisonous to the human body. In the Sticks is right. Green tea has an anti inflammatory effect on the body and is FAR better than any artificial fruit drink so YES it doesn’t surprise me in the least. I annoyingly preach about this often but eating foods that are anti inflammatory will make a huge difference especially when it comes to pain. If tissues are inflamed, that in itself causes pain so avoiding inflammatory foods is a smart move. Good for you.
https://www.rheumatoidarthritis.org/living-with-ra/diet/inflammatory-foods/
 
OneEyedDiva said:
I'm glad! And sorry you and green tea don't get along! :(
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I have a close friend that drinks it like water, and it was back when she got started on it 6-7 years ago), that I took an interest in it.

Strange how different ingredients and things work and play-out so differently in some people. I do find my stomach is sensitive to caffeine as well. 2-3 cups in the morning is all I can handle, otherwise I'll get an upset, sick type feeling in my stomach, yet my husband can drink a pot or two a day and suffers no consequence.
 
Keesha said:
Caffeine from coffee and tea really hurts my stomach also Aunt Marg including the stuff in green tea so I have to limit myself and drink herbal teas.
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My mom was the same, Keesha.

I do find I can lessen the effects of caffeine on my stomach just by eating a little something with my coffee, whether that be a muffin, a cookie, a slice of toast with a little peanut butter on it.
 
It's been a while since I bought any...I go through fad stages in my life.

I used to buy from these guys a lot: https://generationtea.com/

I've done lesser business with these guys: https://www.indigo-tea.com/

If you start trying these different loose teas, make certain you read up on the different water temps and brew times for them. Black tea is rugged and can survive anything. The younger green teas are tender, so you use water of a lower temp with them.

It's actually fascinating. I have teas with names like Bird's Nest (shaped like a compressed nest you break bits off of), Gunpowder (it's little BBs), Dragonwell, etc.
 
Aunt Marg said:
My mom was the same, Keesha.

I do find I can lessen the effects of caffeine on my stomach just by eating a little something with my coffee, whether that be a muffin, a cookie, a slice of toast with a little peanut butter on it.
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Yes food helps ease the pain but I don’t usually like eating first thing in the morning and that’s usually when I want a coffee or tea. My man is constantly drinking coffee so the smell lingers in the air. On days I get up late and am ready to eat then bring on the coffee cause I’m eating a stack of fresh fluffy pancakes.

What I find really relieves stomach pain is fresh ginger in my tea but I’m not always up for that.
Fresh peppermints and other mints picked from our garden are amazing too. So tasty.
 
Keesha said:
Yes food helps ease the pain but I don’t usually like eating first thing in the morning and that’s usually when I want a coffee or tea. My man is constantly drinking coffee so the smell lingers in the air. On days I get up late and am ready to eat then bring on the coffee cause I’m eating a stack of fresh fluffy pancakes.

What I find really relieves stomach pain is fresh ginger in my tea but I’m not always up for that.
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Same here, I just can't shovel back food first thing in the morning like I used to. I don't know what happened with that, but my body needs time to wake before food happens.

I can smell the heavenly tea smell right now!:)

OMG, thanks for the tip on the fresh ginger, Keesha! I LOVE ginger, so will be giving it a try!
 
I know this thread is about green tea .. and, I like Matcha - but, my favourite tea of all is Chai Masala that our former Indian neighbours used to make for us with fresh ginger and milk. Lots of sugar in it, but it counter-acted the highly spiced meals they made for us.
 
Aunt Marg said:
Same here, I just can't shovel back food first thing in the morning like I used to. I don't know what happened with that, but my body needs time to wake before food happens.

I can smell the heavenly tea smell right now!:)

OMG, thanks for the tip on the fresh ginger, Keesha! I LOVE ginger, so will be giving it a try!
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Oh you will LOVE it. You can actually instantly feel the warmth of the ginger soothing and lining the stomach to help. Twinings makes a lovely Lemon & Ginger tea which is extra wonderful with grated ginger in it and a squeeze or fresh lemon. If you like that combo that is. 🙂
 
Keesha said:
Oh you will LOVE it. You can actually instantly feel the warmth of the ginger soothing and lining the stomach to help. Twinings makes a lovely Lemon & Ginger tea which is extra wonderful with grated ginger in it and a squeeze or fresh lemon. If you like that combo that is. 🙂
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I'll be giving the fresh ginger a try in the next few days! Will let you know how I like it! :)

LOVE lemon and ginger tea! Extra fresh squeezed lemon juice, fresh grated ginger, what could be better! :)
 
Pinky said:
I know this thread is about green tea .. and, I like Matcha - but, my favourite tea of all is Chai Masala that our former Indian neighbours used to make for us with fresh ginger and milk. Lots of sugar in it, but it counter-acted the highly spiced meals they made for us.
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Black tea has health benefits as well. It also reduces inflammation, and provides other health benefits. It's caffeine level is higher than green tea but still lower than coffee...and I swear that caffeine from tea has less of a "jolt" than caffeine from coffee...it's not just the quantity.

I grew up drinking fresh brewed black tea. My mother was British. When she started working, she engaged in the sacrilege of using tea bags. As an adult I always keep loose tea around. When I helped put together a Christmas dinner for 50 people at church, I made a huge pot of freshly brewed black tea. It's funny that people comment on how nice it is to have tea for a change but rarely make it.

I'll have to try making Chai Masala. I have my own masala mix that I keep around for the rare times I make Indian food (very common spices.)

Green tea/black tea, it's all good for you.
 
20 years ago, at 47, I started to have bad knee pain and creaking noises when going up stairs. It got so bad, I started saying f---y-- with each step. I was working on the second floor of a university & I frequently had to go up & down the stairs. No elevator. I was very angry because I thought knee problems happened around 75 years of age.

I read about green tea being good for joints - some type of beneficial acid in it. There is a big oriental shopping center a few miles away. I bought a case of canned green tea; I figured it was cheaper & easier than surgery. After the first sip, I thought: "Anything that tastes this bad has to work." I drank a can a day.
I can't really explain it, but after 2 weeks, I was running up two stairs at a time. I've never drank green tea since.
 
I would not stop drinking it if you feel better. There is really no reason not to drink it unless it does not agree with you. We are all different.
 
fmdog44 said:
I would not stop drinking it if you feel better. There is really no reason not to drink it unless it does not agree with you. We are all different.
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I would have to put a lot of sugar in it to overcome the bitterness; not a good idea for me as a diabetic. Since I don't have much knee pain any more, I don't want to drink something I don't like. But I will drink it again if I have pain in the future.
 
i don't mind artificial sweeteners. i just wish green tea tasted better. it's not nearly stout enough.
 

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