Green Tea good for weggies.

[maria garcia]

Wow, my daughter really got me by surprise:ohmy: She asked to have a meeting with her father and me. :wink1:
Well she has been reading about Wegs and vasculities. She had a whole page of food she could eat that are good for inflammation and others that she should not eat bcse it promotes inflammation. She also wants to walk ,she says she needs to stay healthy and walking is a way. I don't know if this is a good idea I feel she should be resting. Then she also said she should be drinking Green Tea. I have never heard of that especially with the prednisone. She went on with wanting a second oppinion and more. I agreed with everything except the walking and the Green Tea. I really don't know much about this. Im not trusting the internet lately. So I come to you my friends. Is Green Tea good for wegs? I have heard so many supplements that are bad. And what about walking? And I thought she was in denial she new alot more than I thought. She mentioned how rare this disease is and she said "why Me". :sad:

[elephant]

I walk 15 to 20 miles a week and drink green decaff tea.

[Dirty Don]

I drink green tea, walk, stretch, and play golf, and am on pred and mtx...your daughter is headed in the right direction...let her go there, follow her, as long as she's making good decisions about her self and her condition. Green tea is good for a lot of things...and if it makes you 'feel' better then that alone is worth it. As she learns to listen, and now it sounds as if she is interested in learning about WG and herself, she will start to make better informed and more fact based decisions which can only help her. As for 'why me'...we've all been there...which stage is it? I forget! LOL!

[Al]

Good, Maria--you and your daughter are talking seriously--a great sign!

Green tea is excellent, unless you have a certain kind of kidney stone or have an allergy to tea, which I am sure does not apply to Christina. Walking is very good as well. It is a non-stressful form of exercise. Rest is fine, but the human body needs to move as well. So I would encourage walking. Why don't you walk with her? This can be a wonderful time to share your hopes, concerns, dreams, and visions for the future.

Al

[NicShaf]

my doctors all incourage me to walk as long as I feel good enough to do so. I don't walk fast, or run, i take it easy. I've read a lot about light walking and yoga are both good for fighting inflammation in the body.
That's great that your daughter is being proactive about her health.

[pberggren1]

This is a very good sign!!!!

[maria garcia]

my doctors all incourage me to walk as long as I feel good enough to do so. I don't walk fast, or run, i take it easy. I've read a lot about light walking and yoga are both good for fighting inflammation in the body.
That's great that your daughter is being proactive about her health.

Oh yes she also wants me to get her a Yoga CD.

[annekat]

Sounds like your daughter has the right attitude, if she can follow through on it. That's my problem, I know I could and should get out and walk, but I'm busy and other things get in the way. It would be so easy, just go out the door and start walking. My body would tell me if I needed to rest. I wouldn't overdo it... she might walk too far and then find it more difficult to make it back. This happened to me the one time I went out and walked. So she should start out slow and gradually increase the time. Also, if I overexert myself, even though it feels OK at the time, Wegs will let me know later. Also, I need to watch the caffeine in the form of coffee, and since green tea has a lot less and has the added anti-inflammatory benefit, that is a great way to go. Coffee tends to drag me down after awhile, while neither black nor green tea really do that. Your family photo is great... it is a little hard to tell which of you is the mama, or all those all your daughters?

Anne

[NicShaf]

Oh yes she also wants me to get her a Yoga CD.

That's awesome. Yoga is low impact. I used to be a runner, but my doc said no running while in Pred, body is more fragile and prone to injury, that's when I got back into Yoga...and I LOVE it. Glad to hear your daughter has a good attitude, it is a hard hurdle to jump over. We all have "why me" moments, i think that just comes with the territory, but it sounds like she is doing well. That is always nice to hear:)

[Sangye]

Maria, big kudos to your daughter for doing her research and taking control of her health. Wow. I am really impressed.

Please don't hold her back. I cannot express how negatively that sort of thing impacts a person--like a bird trying to fly and someone keeps holding onto it! Let her research things and formulate her plans. She can take any questions to her doctor. Walking and green tea are perfectly fine. If she wants to do a lot of nutritional supplements it's best to see a holistic doctor for guidance.

[Al]

Maria, big kudos to your daughter for doing her research and taking control of her health. Wow. I am really impressed.

Please don't hold her back. I cannot express how negatively that sort of thing impacts a person--like a bird trying to fly and someone keeps holding onto it! Let her research things and formulate her plans. She can take any questions to her doctor. Walking and green tea are perfectly fine. If she wants to do a lot of nutritional supplements it's best to see a holistic doctor for guidance.

Sangye knows best, Maria. I would only add that be sure your holistic doctor, whether an MD or ND, is fully aware of the whole situation (that is, in fact, where the "holistic" part comes in!). Walking is an important part, I think, for several reasons. There are direct health benefits from the activity. It also counteracts the bone density loss common to prednisone users. And, perhaps most importantly, it is relaxing, and, if sometimes enjoyed with a companion (one's mother, for instance), it presents a perfect opportunity for sharing one's feelings. This is highly therapeutic as well!

Al

[maria garcia]

I am very proud of her. Just surprised, she had kept quiet all this time.

[Al]

I am very proud of her. Just surprised, she had kept quiet all this time.

And we are very happy for the both of you!

[Dryhill]

I dislike tea - shock, horror how can an Englishman say that? - so what is green tea like? Do you have it with or without milk? If as good for us weggies as has been suggested then I have no real choice other than try it out.

[NicShaf]

I like the flavor of green tea. it is very different from black tea, its much lighter. you should give it a try. I drink mine without milk or sugar, but I also drink all tea without milk or sugar:)

[annekat]

Green tea, without sugar, complements food well, too. I think it is mostly what is served in Chinese restaurants. Here, you can get it in cheap generic brands or fancy expensive brands or everything in between, and with or without flavorings added. I go for the intermediate prices, without the flavorings, and look for it on sale. I'm not a tea connoisseur, but to me, it has a clean, refreshing flavor. And you can add a little milk or sugar if desired.

Anne

[malin]

I don't know anything about tea as I can't stand it lol but the walking and exercise is all good as long as she doesn't over do it and make sure she stretches etc etc

She could also try swimming once or twice a week, I found it very helpful when I was first diagnosed as it is good exercise for your whole body without really putting much stress on any joints etc and also it doesn't feel like exercise!:tongue1:

[maria garcia]

I had doubts bcse of the caffeine and prednisone would make her to nervouse, shaky. Ive noticed some diet pills contain Caffeine. Im glad her research was well done a plus to green tea. I will let her know that the forrum has approved. She laughts that I have become so close with strangers. After I always taught her not to talk to strangers.

[Al]

I had doubts bcse of the caffeine and prednisone would make her to nervouse, shaky. Ive noticed some diet pills contain Caffeine. Im glad her research was well done a plus to green tea. I will let her know that the forrum has approved. She laughts that I have become so close with strangers. After I always taught her not to talk to strangers.

Maria, we are all pretty strange here, and some of us are really strange indeed. but we are not exactly strangers in the sense you mean. First, we truly are here to help, and secondly, if you feel otherwise, or if you you feel our advice is bad, inappropriate, or plain wrong, you can just ignore it! But, hey, if Christina wants to laugh at you (or us), that, too, is a good thing!

Al

[Rini]

There are some reliable sources but I think your right asking this lot. They always have answers with experience!
In the hospital they used to make me walk as soon as I could as far as i could.my mom would get so nervous that I looked so bad but letting my body get stiff really did more harm than anything when I could not go. I ended up getting people to walk me like a puppy w/ my IV to the other end of the hospital & back....I also try to work in the yoga because it is less stress n the body & has helped me all around. I have noticed I can not mix Pred & caffeine very well...I end up like a little puddle on the floor but I do <3 green tea.

[mishb]

I just love tea....no milk, no sugar just plain old (any flavour) tea.

Can't stand coffee (YUCK)

I walk at least 45 minutes each day. It's good for the heart rate and good for the legs but doesn't seem to keep the weight down for me.

Oh well, it's cuppa time

[NicShaf]

I had doubts bcse of the caffeine and prednisone would make her to nervouse, shaky. Ive noticed some diet pills contain Caffeine. Im glad her research was well done a plus to green tea. I will let her know that the forrum has approved. She laughts that I have become so close with strangers. After I always taught her not to talk to strangers.


I always buy decaffinated or caffine free teas for that reason. They have many brands of Green Tea that are decaffinated.

[Dryhill]

Well after all the good things written here about green tea I thought I had better give it a try. With the kind offerings of neighbours and a couple of purchases I can say that I do not particularly like green tea, though one flavoured with lemon and another with orange and lotus flower are drinkable. Mind you I do not like normal (black?) tea anyway, so I suppose finding two that are sort of palatable is a success.

I will stick to good old fashioned coffee, decaffinated or otherwise, but will replace one mug of coffee for a mug of green tea a day. While buying green tea I noticed that I can get beverages made from different plants such as mint, camomile and berries. Is there any benefit in trying those out?
Jim

[annekat]

I was afraid you might not like green tea since you don't like black tea. But I'm glad you found some drinkable. Yes, there are lots of herbal teas available; camomile is relaxing before bed or at other times, mint is refreshing and has other benefits which I forget, berries have antioxidants, rosehips and hibiscus have vitamin C. I am absolutely no expert on any kind of tea, herbal or otherwise, and I'm sure others will chime in. But I do try to drink these because we need lots of liquid when taking Cytoxan, and I think I should avoid too much caffeine. I find a little sugar or honey makes some of them more palatable, while some, like camomile and mint, are fine without it. I'm sure some will warn you about any that boost the immune system a lot, since we have out-of-control immune systems that we don't want to boost. Also, we'd be working against our immunosuppressant drugs.

Anne

[Al]

I was afraid you might not like green tea since you don't like black tea. But I'm glad you found some drinkable. Yes, there are lots of herbal teas available; camomile is relaxing before bed or at other times, mint is refreshing and has other benefits which I forget, berries have antioxidants, rosehips and hibiscus have vitamin C. I am absolutely no expert on any kind of tea, herbal or otherwise, and I'm sure others will chime in. But I do try to drink these because we need lots of liquid when taking Cytoxan, and I think I should avoid too much caffeine. I find a little sugar or honey makes some of them more palatable, while some, like camomile and mint, are fine without it. I'm sure some will warn you about any that boost the immune system a lot, since we have out-of-control immune systems that we don't want to boost. Also, we'd be working against our immunosuppressant drugs.

Personally, camomile males me nervous, as do most things that are supposed to relax me. I'll go for the straight, no-gimmick tea myself.

One note here: It isn't quite accurate to think of our disease as being an out of control immune system. It is true that certain parts of the IS get carried away (under circumstances that are far from clear), but we bash down the entire IS only because no one knows how to keep only the unruly parts tamped down. But this is 2011. My own feeling is that, in a decade or two, global suppression of the IS will seem unfathomably barbaric.

Al

[annekat]

Personally, camomile males me nervous, as do most things that are supposed to relax me. I'll go for the straight, no-gimmick tea myself.

One note here: It isn't quite accurate to think of our disease as being an out of control immune system. It is true that certain parts of the IS get carried away (under circumstances that are far from clear), but we bash down the entire IS only because no one knows how to keep only the unruly parts tamped down. But this is 2011. My own feeling is that, in a decade or two, global suppression of the IS will seem unfathomably barbaric.

Al

OK. I was going to say over-active immune system, but that didn't sound quite right either. I realize we aren't trying to bash the entire thing down except that it's the only way we know how to control the WG part of it. There've been warnings on here from those who know more than I about using herbs and such that boost the immune system or may counteract the immunosuppressant drugs. I suppose echinacea is one of those herbs.

I enjoy a cup of camomile in the evening, to wash down my second installment of Cytoxan. Anything with caffeine would keep me awake. But the rest of the day I gravitate towards the caffeinated teas, after coffee in the morning. I don't enjoy most of the herbal stuff as much, and don't like that I end up adding sweetener to it, but I drink it because I have a hard time drinking plain water anytime but in warm weather, and I need to keep up my fluid intake and watch the caffeine. I've tried fruit juices but even the unsweetened apple juice seems overly sweet. I will often dilute things with water, though, or reuse teabags for the same effect.

[Al]

OK. I was going to say over-active immune system, but that didn't sound quite right either. I realize we aren't trying to bash the entire thing down except that it's the only way we know how to control the WG part of it. There've been warnings on here from those who know more than I about using herbs and such that boost the immune system or may counteract the immunosuppressant drugs. I suppose echinacea is one of those herbs.

Don't know specifically about echinacea, though I tend to avoid most herbs and such, at least in therapeutic quantity, because the kidneys have to process all that stuff, and mine are sup-par as it is. But culinary quantities should be relatively okay. I passed a list of my favorite cooking herbs and spices (on a low-salt diet, I use a lot of alternate flavorings) to Drac. He didn't have any problem with their use in cooking. He just recommended staying away from them as supplements.

Al

[pberggren1]

We definitely don't want to take herbs that super boost immune function like echinacea. Got to be really careful with herbs and supplements. Vitamin A is another one to not over do. Best to stay away from it totally.

[NicShaf]

OK. I was going to say over-active immune system, but that didn't sound quite right either. I realize we aren't trying to bash the entire thing down except that it's the only way we know how to control the WG part of it. There've been warnings on here from those who know more than I about using herbs and such that boost the immune system or may counteract the immunosuppressant drugs. I suppose echinacea is one of those herbs.

I enjoy a cup of camomile in the evening, to wash down my second installment of Cytoxan. Anything with caffeine would keep me awake. But the rest of the day I gravitate towards the caffeinated teas, after coffee in the morning. I don't enjoy most of the herbal stuff as much, and don't like that I end up adding sweetener to it, but I drink it because I have a hard time drinking plain water anytime but in warm weather, and I need to keep up my fluid intake and watch the caffeine. I've tried fruit juices but even the unsweetened apple juice seems overly sweet. I will often dilute things with water, though, or reuse teabags for the same effect.


Ya, I think echinacea is on the list of things to specifically avoid if you're on Cytoxan.

[Al]

Ya, I think echinacea is on the list of things to specifically avoid if you're on Cytoxan.

I think this is the safest plan, Nicole.

I forgot to ask, how are you faring with the winds?

Al

[Sangye]

Echinacea is one of the absolute no-no's for us, since it affects the immune system in a way that counteracts our drugs, and also because it interacts with a lot of drugs.

[maria garcia]

Thank you everyone. I defenitely am very careful about supplements and Herbs that I give her,it's one of the first things I learned on this site. Im glad because I am a supplement junkie.