Since I started writing for The Cancer Blog, I am amazed at the number of studies out there pointing to the benefits of green tea. Here is the NCI's official page on tea. Then there is all this information out there about green tea's benefits like this one and this one and this one.

I remember a few years ago I tried to switch my coffee habit (a half a cup a day in the morning and another in the afternoon) to green tea, at least once a day.

So I bought a box of green tea, from a major tea manufacturer that I won't name, and let's just say, I didn't like the taste all that much. I don't even really like black tea all that much, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.

If you are a green tea drinker, either for the possible health benefits, or just because you like it, what is a good type to start with (bags, loose)? Is there a brand out there that tastes better than others?

According to reseachers at the Arizona Cancer Center, a concentrate from green tea boosted the production of key detoxification enzymes in people with low levels of these proteins.

In the study, which consisted of 42 people, the green tea concentrate boosted production of enzymes in the glutathione S-transferase (GST) family by as much as 80 percent in some individuals. The concentrate contained a component of green tea, catechins, equal to that of 8-16 cups of tea.

GST enzymes are believed to change cancer-causing molecules to inert molecules that cannot react with DNA.

Previous studies have shown that populations that consume green tea, such as the Chinese and the Japanese, have lower rates of cancer. The National Cancer Institute is sponsoring a series of scientific studies involving green tea, including this one.

There are countless methods we can use for optimizing our health. Each of us can surely rattle off a bunch right now. Give it a try. Quick. Name three actions you can take to improve your body, your mind, your soul. Good. Now remember what you picked -- and make each one happen.

In a recent newspaper article, one journalist listed 25 ways to live a healthy life. They're all super ideas. But I only have space today for seven. Here they are. Stop back in two weeks, and I'll give you another seven.

Keep your weight in check

Make sure your weight is appropriate for your height, age, sex, and body frame. The American Institute for Cancer Research reports that having an ideal body mass, eating properly, and exercising can reduce the risk of cancer by 30 to 40 percent.

Taking its name from the breast cancer awareness pink ribbon, Ribbon Nutrition, is a dietary supplement company that offers 40 products -- such as Fish Oil, Earth Energy Multi-Vitamin, Milk Thistle, Green Tea and Saw Palmetto. Each member of the company has been touched by a personal experience with breast cancer. Ten percent of the profit from the sale of Ribbon Nutrition products goes to cancer charity for education and research in the fight against breast cancer.

The statistics for breast cancer are still grim. It is estimated 1,150,000 women worldwide will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and 411,000 women will die from the disease. It is now the leading cause of death among US women aged 20 to 59. Why are the products turned upside down? In the Million Dollar Flip challenge, when the profits donated from the product sold reach one million dollars, the product will get turned right-side up.

According to the Ribbon Nutrition company, prevention is the key and by making better lifestyle choices, whether it's concerning your diet or the cleaners you use in your home or the deodorant you roll-on every morning, you can make a difference in your health and your family's health. Self-education and self-empowerment are at the heart of the company's efforts. They are not setting out to tell people what to think or what choices to make, but to provide access to the information individuals need to make their own informed, healthy decisions. On the Ribbon Nutrition company store website it state that the mission is to eradicate breast cancer through education, awareness, nutrition, prevention, and charity.

Dr. Heidi Lucas, of the Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center, recently interviewed on nutrition and cancer treatment, gives these tips on cancer-fighting foods and diet strategies for maintaining health while going through cancer treatment and for cancer prevention.

• Edamame is a great whole food protein. She does not recommend cancer patients with estrogen-positive cancer consume soy powder and soy supplements.
• Green tea is recommended for cancer recovery and cancer prevention. She recommends drinking loose leaf green tea and green tea in supplements to all cancer patients.
• Protein smoothie is recommended as a daily drink. Using whey protein powder, add ice cubes, milk -- soymilk or juice, tablespoon of ground flaxseeds and a handful of frozen or fresh berries. Additional sources of protein include lentils, beans and nuts -- or chicken and fish. Nuts to include in the daily diet are Brazil nuts, almonds and walnuts.
• Choose whole organic fresh food whenever possible.
  

During the interview, Dr. Lucas explained the importance of modifying blood sugar and getting refined carbohydrates out of the diet. "Cancer cells have high metabolic rates and thrive on glucose. Glucose is the favorite food of cancer cells. When someone gets a PET scan, the technicians put a radioactive tracer on glucose cells to see where they go. Where the glucose goes, that's where the cancer is found."

Sound advice. The Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center is the only cancer center in the Northwest where medical oncologists and natural medicine practitioners work as a team. Bob Condor, who conducted the interview, is the editor of Seattle Conscious Choice, which covers health, environment, food, social good, spirituality and personal growth.