Wednesday August 20, 2008 | 13 comments
My mother, who’s soon to be 89 years old, lives in an independent living facility. She relocated to Oregon two years ago to be closer to her granddaughter and me. The only down side was that she felt the need to give up her car. She was a bit overwhelmed with having to pass a driving test a in addition to learning her way around a new city. Portland has a wonderful system of public transportation which makes the transition a bit less painful. Ultimately having to give up one’s perceived independence is not an easy task.
Each time I stop by her apartment, I’m confronted with the reality of aging. Many residents have walkers and are struggling with their memories. I noticed a small rug outside a neighbor’s door last Sunday and commented to my mother about it, suggesting we find something lovely for her front door. Her response was quite alarming, “Mary got the rug to help her identify which door was hers. She can’t remember a lot of important things lately.”
I decided to do a little research and found some disturbing information. Almost 80% of people over 75 years of age will develop some form of dementia. Is that what we have to look forward to? I say a resounding NO. As a full fledged member of the Baby Boomers, I believe that we’ll do for aging what we’ve done for everything else that we’ve touched throughout our lives: we’ll push the envelope and create a new experience for the decade we find ourselves in. I’m happy to report that I came upon some encouraging tea related information from Medscape.
An article published in the July issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition noted that research with humans has confirmed that tea drinking has a protective effect on the brain. Previously there had been animal research showing this phenomenon, but until research is done with humans, it’s usually inaccurate to draw conclusions about people from research done on animals. I, for one, can breathe a sigh of relief. I love that tea has been proven to play such an important role in our cognitive health.
“The potential effect of tea drinking in protecting against the cognitive decline of advanced age thus has
great significance, given the rapid aging of the population and the rising prevalence of vascular and Alzheimer-type dementia,” the study authors conclude. “Because tea is cheap, nontoxic, and widely consumed, it has a huge potential effect in promoting cognitive health and perhaps delaying the onset of dementia.”
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Hallelujah! Thanks for this information, Michelle. It does provide a bit of comfort, especially given that I already can’t remember what the heck I went downstairs to do… Oh yeah, make some tea!
It’s interesting that the significant effects were all from the regular consumption of black and oolong teas. I wonder if the effect from green or white would be similar.
Invite a bunch of inventors over, Michelle. Have a nice tea ceremony. Then, set them to their first task for us aging Boomers: the inexpensive – but technologically advanced – hearing aid. Some folks with hearing loss get to appreciate the “off” button on the current models. . .
By the same token, who’s to say that dementia is categorically a bad thing? Each of us has a few memories we could do without.
I would predict that the effect would be greater with green and white teas, given their increased amounts of polyphenols.
As a Baby Boomer, I am drinking alot of tea and this is a good reason to do so. On our store bulletin board, there are lists and lists of potential health benefits, and this is one. My mom’s family has this problem as they get into their 80′s and I am determined not to carry it on.
Also, continuing to stay interested in life, motivated, have goals and dreams, passion about what it is you’re doing..these things also have (possibly as much) an effect on the mind. I’ve never known an old person who was involved in current events and into mind-expanding activities such as doing crosswords, reading or keeping active in some way mentally to develop senility. I’m sure it happens, I just haven’t met an example of it.
P.S. I’m beginning to hate the frequently used term these days of ‘aging Baby Boomers’.
EVERYONE is aging. Honey, the people in their 30′s today will be right there with us before they know it.
Team, my great grandma lived until she was 103: she played pinochle with her pals; continued to clean the church she attended and played competitive sudoku right up until she was called to that mystery that awaits all of us. She also drank copious cups of tea (Tetley’s Tiny Leaves) and was the epitome of clean living — no alcohol, nicotine, or anger. I can still hear her musical laugh.
At my funeral – I am sorry I will miss it by just a few days – I intend to play Mick Jagger’s “Satisfaction” as the celebrants file in and Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” as they file by.
P.S. Team: accept my apology for the redundancy “aging Boomers.”
Michelle, given the significant effects from black and oolong teas, it’s not clear which phytoconstituents are impacting the cognitive functions. Although there have been studies looking at the positive impact of EGCG on cognitive functions, it is also possible that the theaflavins and thearubigans in oolong and black tea have a protective effect as well. For all we know, there could be other constituents that aren’t even being studied yet that have a positive impact.
The good news is that drinking ALL tea appears to provide different health benefits. So, just like with fruits and vegetables, the more variety the better.
Team and Regena, aging is relative. It depends on whether you are considering the physical or psychological domains. Our bodies may be oxidizing (get the tea reference?), but our psychological states can remain as young as we choose. Fortunately, tea helps with both.
Regena, no apologies necessary. My great grandma lived to be 101 and worked in the fields on her farm in Minnesota the day before she died. Her two unmarried 80-ish sons waited for her to come down and fix them breakfast as usual and found her ‘asleep’. My grandma lived to 97. My dad died at 70 of melanoma. So, I am looking for things that will keep that immune system up and running well, as my dad had tons of stress and a so so diet.
We had a sales manager of 40 come into our shop looking to learn about and purchase tea. He had just found out that (thankfully) he did not have cancer and wanted to get into wellness in this aspect. He bought his first infuser basket and our packed on site loose leaf tea. That’s so gratifying. And it happens regularly.
I’ve always looked extremely young for my age but with some very stressful business happenings since 2006 and then starting the new store, I’m feeling some need for rejuvenation.
My mentor died at 93 with a mind like a steel trap but a very worn out body.
Well, it’s just good to feel passionate and excited and positive about what you are doing (working with tea).
By the way, I turned a young man onto your site today, Sandy and Michelle. I also am going to link it to my blog.
Regena, I just noticed it was your GREAT grandma as well, not your grandma. Maybe that was the generation that lived in a fairly unpolluted world here in the U.S. before industrialization took root? I wonder how much pollution and metals and chemicals have brought down the lifespan here, or at least the quality of life?
Thanks, Team – on both counts. It’s wonderful to hear about your passion and how you are passing it and your knowledge on to others. Thanks for all you do to further the joys of tea.
You’re welcome, Sandy. The only problem is that your web URL doesn’t come out as clickable at my blog.
Please note it is at the bottom of the first blog post as the first recommendation for tea sites, however.