Lowered Risk For Thyroid Cancer Linked To Chamomile Tea Consumption: Greek Study
By Wendy Lemeric on April 22 2015 8:30 PM
A Greek study has linked chamomile tea consumption to a lowered risk for developing thyroid cancer. The study found Athens residents who drank chamomile tea were less likely to develop the disease.
In a study involving 113 patients with thyroid cancers, researchers examined the dietary habits of these patients between 1990 and 1993 and made a comparison with 138 people who don’t have the cancer and 286 people who had a benign case of thyroid disease. Researchers also asked these patients about their diet, medical history, lifestyle and consumption of beverages like alcohol, coffee and tea.
The team then drew out an estimation of the odds of getting thyroid cancer based on how much a patient consumes tea. They also projected results of drinking tea daily and weekly and tried to study whether or not there is a difference if tea consumption continues on for years.
Rod, I see where I went wrong, instead of drinking chamomile tea I guzzled builder's tea mostly and Earl Grey for a while (with milk, I'm a pleb). Strange thing though, I've lost the fancy for tea since I've been on Levothyroxine and go weeks without drinking it.
Whilst I still enjoy tea, I don't get the same satisfaction that I used to.
I don't want builder's tea now. And always drink tea (and coffee) black. We get some rather nice flavoured and unflavoured teas which I do really like.
If anyone has any positive recommendations for chamomile tea that is especially nice (and tastes rather less like lawn clippings from the public dog-walkers' park), please do tell us. (Probably find it is what gives it that flavour that makes it good against thyroid cancer .... )
And I wish authors who refer to "the Mediterranean Diet" would define what they mean by it. I find it hard to believe that the diets of people around the whole Mediterranean are exactly the same.
I think you are right - diets do vary around the Med. I do think the Mediterranean Diet emphasis is on fresh food and basic too. More what we would call peasant food and I am more than happy with that. There is an abundance of fresh vegetables grown here in Crete - olive oil ( we have our own ) - and very little processed foods. Everyone seems to have lemon and orange trees too. Then there are the chickens - rabbits - goats - all home grown with tasty bi-products that I buy locally...yogurt, cheese, milk and so on. We all trade too - I exchange oil for lime marmalade made by a friend and another brings her eggs in exchange for her yoga class !
Italian tankers come here every year and take the Cretan Oil back - quite a sight ! Bertoli is the main one - so that extra virgin oil you buy in the supermarket probably contains some of mine !
Do not forget the wines - village ones and now more sophisticated organic ones as the younger generation go further afield to gain experiences in Oz, NZ and France.
In our next village we have three excellent Fruit and Veggie shops - also selling olives, oil, wines, yogurt, dried legumes and I realise the list is endless. Vans still visit all the villages selling their wares - the baker - the fishmonger - the greengrocer - so good food is accessible to all.
After ten years of living here I am still thrilled by the ease of shopping for fresh foods. We have organic markets too....
So it's not all doom and gloom here in Greece - self sufficiency rules OK ? Crete produces over 80% of its own foodstuffs....and we have oil under the sea
In addition to the Mediterranean Diet being good - in whatever way you follow it - I think it only works in conjunction with the sun The fruit and vegetables always taste better here - and I think it is the power of the sun.
I used to exchange English lessons for eggs in the small village where I used to live. But some times, the hens weren't laying, and he used to bring me rubber bands, instead, because he worked for Staples...
I also exchanged a days interpreting in a clock factory for a crate of champagne, and the translation of a manuel for a sewing machine - state of the art!
Nothing to do with the Mediterranen diet (except perhpas the champagne...) but it still amuses me.
As for chamomile tea... berrrrrrrrrkkkkkkk! (And even worse with a pinch of salt!)
I am very jealous! However I came to Crete when the Russian nuclear disaster was happening and the media said the cloud was over the country. Subsequently I developed thyroid cancer, probably a coincidence. Has not put me off wishing to return one day. It sounds so wonderful to have all that natural food which can only keep you well.
Yes you are right - the wind changed direction and came down through the Balkans into Crete. It also blew over the Midlands into N Wales. My daughter was in Birmingham and suffered thyroid cancer and I was in Cornwall.
Sorry to hear about your thyroid cancer - hope you are now well....
Rod, I agree it's pretty tasteless but a little honey can help. I still drink it almost every night but cancer is a very interesting story. I've been posting this man's videos regarding thyroid but equally interesting is his take on cancer. It actually is the body's way of isolating cancer cells by forming a tumor around it to protect the body. I think it might interest you.
It would taste even worse with a pinch of salt in a cup of chamomile tea! I totally agree It is a diabolical drink...but they may be on to something re it having anti cancer properties:
I have always thought it tasted like wee. However if there is some truth in it, and I had known about it, I would have drunk loads of it rather than have to have my thyroid gland removed because of papillary cancer.
I just recalled. My daughter ran her first marathon in London quite a few years ago and brought me back some chamomile tea and it was the best I'd ever tasted. I tried to find the company and now have forgotten the name. I think it was a vanilla flavored tea.
Chamomile is sold dried in packets in every mini-market and super market here in Crete and sold as drinks in cafes and bars. VERY popular so yes I do give some credence to the research. They also do a Mountain Tea and just a couple of weeks ago I had the very best one I have ever tasted. It looked like herbs and weeds in a small cafetiere and was just beautiful. The Greeks are very traditional about their food and are loathe to step outside their comfort zone and try anything that is different.
Of course things are changing - and fast - but it is not difficult to find traditional food and drinks in every town and village.
Thyroid issues are very common here - and awareness is high. Common because they test fully and do ultra sounds as part of the diagnosis. MRSA not so - well probably because they don't test for it :-(....
After all Hippocrates had all the answers to ailing health
Yes you have a point. Something I have posted about in the past The Greeks like to blame the American warships and subs that are contaminating the water around us in Souda
Is Greece by any chance a major producer of chamomile?
They produce loads - but not sure if they export it. I have only just found your question - when you want a reply from someone - you click onto Reply - the orange button or is it red ? and then the person will be notified
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