"All health trends in the United States begin with the aging baby boomers," Chang continues, referring to individuals who are now in their forties. "They’re the ones who realize that they are not going to live forever. They realize that nutritional health is very important. The youth, however, is much harder to convince. Up until they’re 30, they haven’t thought that they’re going to die yet."
As president of Pharmanex, a holder of a Ph.D degree in Pharmacology from the University of London, a member of the American Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and publisher of numerous scientific papers on pharmacology (the science or study of drugs, including their sources, production, and use in treating diseases), Dr. Joseph Chang is familiar with people’s attitude towards their bodies, their health and nutrition. He also knows about the latest breakthroughs in the health and drug scene, and tries to share this with the public by producing natural supplements that will help everybody (not just the anxious fortysomething) to live a longer, healthier life.
He waxes positive about green tea, the popular herb that has been coming up in cold drinks, scents, skincare products, ice cream flavors, and your coffee shop frappucino. He credits green tea, a drink that has been part of Chinese and Japanese tradition for thousands of years and is revered for its health-preserving qualities, as the new wonder substance.
Numerous studies have led to the discovery that green tea has active substances called polyphenol, powerful anti-oxidants that act as powerful cell protectors once they enter the body. One of these polyphenol groups called catechins support healthy cell functions and prevent the damage and degeneration of cells such as DNA. Pharmanex has also done subsequent studies which show that the antioxidants found in green tea are really good in preventing cancer cells.
"In order to get the maximum benefits of green tea, you really have to drink 10 cups a day. That’s a lot for a person to adhere to as a regular consumption." Pharmanex figured that if they can capture all of green tea’s active ingredients in a capsule, it will be easy for people to get all the maximum benefits of green tea. Thus, the development of Tegreen 97, a natural health supplement that provides a highly-concentrated extract of green tea. Each capsule impressively contains 97 (hence its name) percent polyphenol antioxidants, 75 percent of which are catechins.
Each capsule is also equivalent to seven cups of green tea. Just double the dose and you take in more than the recommended dietary intake. Tegreen 97 has also been decaffeinated, erasing the possibilities of caffeine overload, sleepless nights, and suspicious wired movements. Someone as young as seven or eight can drink Tegreen97, although up until they’re 15 years old they should just take one capsule daily.
All plants contain antioxidants but it has been found that green tea has the most potent antioxidant. Laboratory studies show that green tea contains high levels of the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (save your breath and just call them EGCg), which freezes the oxidation process a hundred times more effectively than vitamin C, and 25 times better than vitamin E, vitamins recognized as the best source for antioxidants.
The long-term benefits of taking Tegreen also include better protection against the sun and skin rejuvenation. A Nu Skin-funded study at the Department of Dermatology at Stanford University shows that the active substances in green tea allow the elastin in the skin to produce fibers, thus preventing wrinkles and photoaging.
Other studies show that green tea has properties associated with thermogenesis. Says Chang, "Green tea can accelerate the burning of fat, helping you lose weight." Tegreen 97 is the perfect gym buddy as it increases your metabolism. Green tea has also been associated with better digestion.
"It’s all about living longer better. It’s all about quality of life," points out Dr. Chang. "What’s the point of living until you’re 70 years old yet you feel and look sick and you don’t have energy?" This is the era of defying death, health degeneration, and aging. This is the era that will make it possible for an individual in his 60s to still be running about and feeling like an invincible 30-year-old just by regularly drinking encapsulated tea. This is the generation of the energetic youth, and right now that even includes those health-conscious "aging baby boomers."