The custom of drinking tea has been around for thousands of years. Legend has it that in 2737 B.C.E., the Chinese Emperor Shen Nong was boiling water in his garden. A wild tea tree leaf landed in the steaming pot, and the leaf began to infuse. The emperor curiously drank the concoction. He enjoyed it so much that he decided to investigate it further– and made more of it! Thus, the medicinal, cultural, and emotional significance of tea worldwide was born. Fast forward to today, we still enjoy a soothing cup of tea, and science is discovering the connection between tea and cancer prevention. 

Tea Time With Dr. V

Welcome to tea time with me! Put on your cozy clothes, turn on the kettle, and find a quiet spot to read this blog and slow down. Meditation also pairs nicely with a hot cup of tea. While the simple art of enjoying a cup of tea of reason is enough to make one, today’s tea time is all about the science of “tea therapy” for your healing journey. A study sponsored by University College London found that “Stress hormones such as cortisol fell by nearly twice as much in tea drinkers as non-tea drinkers after a stressful event.” MD Anderson‘s research also notes, “Chronic stress results in the activation of specific signaling pathways in cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment, leading to tumor growth and progression.” 

Reducing chronic stress is just one of the ways tea heals. I have my routine cup of tea every afternoon while I am blogging or working on healing programs for our community.  Below I pour out tea knowledge and share my five favorite teas to accompany your journey to vibrant health.

Dr. V’s Favorite Healing Teas

OnkoTea

OnkoTeas are a Maison Beljanski product made from an exclusive blend of organic, plastic-free, non-GMO, toxin-free, and sustainable teas meticulously created to heal your body. I recommend brewing them for 5 minutes. The founder of OnkoTea, is Sylvie Beljanski, the daughter of Dr. Mirko Beljanski. He was a fierce trailblazer who researched the connection between environmental toxins and cancer, as well as the need to repair and heal cells. The Beljanski Foundation was created in his honor, and you can learn all about it in this blog post about the Beljanski approach to cancer.

My go-to flavors:

• Tulsi Mango Peach—Ingredients: Organic Gunpowder, Organic Dragonwell, Organic Red Rooibos, Organic Green Ceylon, Organic Tulsi, Natural Mango Peach Flavor, and Organic Bi Lou Chun
• Tulsi Ginger Lemon—Ingredients: Organic Gunpowder, Organic Dragonwell, Organic Green Ceylon, Organic Ginger, Organic Lemongrass, Organic Tulsi, Natural Lemon Flavor, and Organic Bi Lou Chun
• Green Tea & Lemon Essence—Ingredients: Organic Gunpowder, Organic Dragonwell, Organic Lemongrass, Organic Green Ceylon, Organic Green Rooibos, Organic Lemon Peel, and Organic Bi Lou Chun

Rooibos

Rooibos tea is also known as red tea or red bush tea. It is a flavorful and caffeine-free alternative made in South Africa. Rooibos is rich in the antioxidant quercetin, which literally “freezes” breast cancer cells. It works on multiple fronts so that cancer cells never even have a chance to form a tumor. Learn all about quercetin and breast cancer via this blog post. Lab studies also suggest rooibos tea contains compounds that may prevent tumor growth and slow aging.

Dandelion

Dandelions aren’t just pesky weeds; they actually hold a host of cancer-fighting health benefits! Dandelion root is used to treat muscle aches, loss of appetite, upset stomach, intestinal gas, gallstones, joint pain, eczema, and bruises. It also increases urine production and is a laxative to increase bowel movements. Dandelion tea can be a fantastic detoxifier and is high in Vitamin K, fiber, and antioxidants. They all work together to allow your liver to more quickly eliminate toxins. This 2022 study also discovered that dandelion extract inhibits triple-negative breast cancer cell proliferation by interfering with glycerophospholipids and unsaturated fatty acids metabolism.

For anyone looking to balance their hormones, which is most of us, this hormone-balancing tea has become my go-to! Cranberry juice is a photo-estrogen (the good food type), raspberry tea helps balance estrogen and progesterone, and dandelion is great for liver and digestion. I’d sip to all of that!

Caution: If you’re allergic to ragweed and related plants (like daisies, chrysanthemums, and marigolds), you may also be allergic to dandelion. If you are taking antibiotics, talk to your doctor first, as dandelion may decrease how much antibiotics the body absorbs.

Lemongrass

Lemongrass is widely used as a flavoring agent in Asian cuisine and a natural insect repellent. However, it provides antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and healthy digestion support. Some oncologists even use it as an adjuvant therapy during chemotherapy and radiation. 

Matcha

Matcha is the queen bee of all breast cancer healing teas! It’s called the “Tumor Terminator” for a reason.  Countless studies back up this name. Here are a few of them: 

• “Due to the EGCG, this study found that drinking 3+ cups of green tea a day is associated with a 27% lower risk of developing breast cancer.” If just 3 cups of green tea can provide such promising results—imagine what drinking matcha (137x more potent health benefits) or daily taking the caffeine-free EGCG supplement in our Designs for Health shop.
• “We found that the tea is suppressing oxidative mitochondrial metabolism. In other words, it is preventing the cells from ‘refueling,’ therefore, they become inactive and die.” Please review this study here.
• It inhibits growth and induces apoptosis in tumors. Please review this study and this study to learn more.
• ECGC and matcha tea are even more effective when combined with quercetin (read blog post) and this study.
• To dive deeper into matcha tea, EGCG, and breast cancer healing, please read this blog post on matcha and this one on EGCG.

My favorite matcha tea brand is Superfood Science’s Matcha Tea since it tests for toxins and radioactivity.  

It’s ceremonial grade and comes in to-go packs. I also want to make it crystal clear that not all matcha is created equally. Some are brimming with sugars, dyes, and other processed toxins that never belong in your body! This is why it is critical to always read labels and buy from trusted sources.

For example, the always-popular Starbucks is not helping their matcha-lovers buyers because their Grande (medium) matcha lattes contain around 30 grams of sugar or 6 teaspoons of sugar! To put it in perspective, a full-size Snickers bar is only 20 grams of sugar! Adults—at the very most—should have 25 grams of sugar a day, according to the American Heart Association. For those on a healthy breast journey, your sugar intake should be as minimal as possible since sugar feeds cancer. Please learn more about the types of matcha to avoid and a few of my favorite matcha recipes via this blog post.

If caffeine doesn’t serve you well or you don’t like the taste of matcha, then I recommend taking the Teavigo® supplement. It’s a natural, caffeine-free green tea extract that provides a highly purified and refined source of EGCG.

Dr. V’s Healing Tea Tips

1. Only if needed, use natural sweeteners like Stevia to sweeten tea. It is non-caloric and non-toxic. In my experience, most people prefer the liquid version.
2. Use loose-leaf teas. Countless studies have found a chemical called epichlorohydrin in paper tea bags. It is used to keep the bag from breaking in hot water. However, it is also a potential carcinogen and reproductive toxin. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that high levels of this chemical ingested over a long period of time may raise the risk of stomach issues and cancer.
3. These brands have been known to add illegal pesticides into their teas: Twinings, Celestial Seasonings, Lipton, Uncle Lee’s Singal, and King Cole.
4. Avoid the majority of Chinese blends because they have very low standards of regulations on products. Japan has far stricter regulations than the US and EU, so go for Japanese products.
5. On top of the teas I recommend above, these brands are known to be safe, non-toxic options. Art of Tea, Gaia, Numi Organic Tea, Choice Organic Teas, Traditional Medicinals, Five Mountains, and Earth Mama.

Happy sipping, soothing, and supporting your health!

 

Author: Dr. Veronique Desaulniers, better known as  Dr. V, is a Doctor of Chiropractic & has 44 years of experience in the wellness industry. For personalized support, please partner with a trained Breast Cancer Conqueror Coach.