You may have heard about the health benefits of drinking green tea on a regular basis, from reducing the risk of heart disease to helping to protect the body from a variety of cancers. However, green tea is not just for sipping. Both you and your clients may be able to benefit from the regular use of a green tea massage cream.
What makes green tea different?
On a stroll through the tea section at your neighborhood grocery store, there are a number of different types of teas. The three main categories of tea are green, black and oolong. What sets these teas apart from one another is the way in which they are processed.
The reason green tea makes health headlines again and again is due to the fact that it contains unfermented leaves, which are reported to contain the most polyphenols. Polyphenols fall under the general umbrella of antioxidants, which are free-radical fighting substances.
According to researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center, the specific polyphenols green tea comprises are known as catechins, and there are six main catechin compounds found in green tea. Of these, apigallocatechin gallate, which is also known as EGCG, has been studied the most frequently and is reported to be the most active polyphenol within green tea.
What are the benefits?
Researchers have studied the benefits of green tea for health conditions across the board, from high cholesterol to cancer, mainly focusing on the polyphenols green tea contains. The University of Maryland Medical Center reported that studies have shown consuming green tea is associated with a reduced risk of dying from any cause.
In practices of alternative and complementary medicine, green tea has been tapped to treat a wide array of symptoms and issues, such as eliminating excess fluid in the body, controlling bleeding, healing wounds, alleviating gas and enhancing digestion.
How can it be used in a massage practice?
For professional massage therapists and bodyworkers who choose to use a massage cream with green tea extract, the benefits of these antioxidants may be linked to their ability to fight destructive free radicals, which are elements that can change cells, damage DNA and possibly accelerate aging. Another potentially beneficial aspect is L-theanine, which is an amino acid compound that has been researched for its ability to help soothe the nervous system.
If you do choose to purchase a massage cream with green tea, be sure to let your clients know, either verbally or within your practice menu and marketing materials, that the massage cream you use in the session room may deliver its own healthy benefits on top of the hands-on services you provide.