Living Journeys Community Cancer Support, based in Colorado’s Gunnison Valley, provides support and enrichment programs to families to help manage the fear, anxiety and confusion that often accompany a cancer diagnosis. The group’s Executive Director, Darcie Perkins, said she was initially attracted to the group when she did their half marathon fundraiser. “I immediately realized how an organization such as this would have made a great difference to me when I was dealing with my cancer experience,” said Perkins. “One of the critical issues that comes up when people have to all of a sudden manage everything that comes with facing cancer head on is financial stress. At Living Journeys, the money we raise goes to help bridge the gap when those situations become desperate, so patients can take the time to focus on themselves.”
Patients who feel supported and calm enjoy an improved quality of life, which can in turn enhance their chances for positive treatment results. Living Journeys looks to bring emotional support into cancer patients’ lives through group therapy sessions, offered several times a month, as well as grants for private therapy sessions, when necessary. Their enrichment programs include youth groups for kids who need help when family members are affected by cancer. Perkins explained that, “People don’t realize the impact cancer has on all the family members. Kids process things differently. We partner with an adaptive sports program and professional therapists, who manage and run the activities, and provide emotional guidance. We lead an adventure day once a month, with activities ranging from skiing and ice climbing to horseback riding and hiking. These days out offer an outlet to focus on something way outside the sphere of fear, anxiety and stress of cancer.”
Living Journeys is also part of the Community Wellness Program at the local hospital. “Even in our small, outdoorsy mountain community, we’re not benign to cancer,” says Perkins, “so raising awareness about the role nutrition plays in disease prevention and management is key.”
Cancer doesn’t want you out socializing and having fun. Cancer has a harder fight to face when you’re with people you love, because they give you the strength and the power to fight back. Turns out you and your tea polyphenols are not the only warriors you’ve got in this fight. Several large-scale studies have examined the impact of social support and relationship satisfaction in cancer management, and the evidence indicates that high levels of social support are linked to improved clinical outcomes in cancer patients. Social support, in this case, is a reflection of an individual’s sense of satisfaction in his or her personal relationships. An individual’s sense of happiness in close personal and social relationships has the capacity not only to help his or her odds in fighting cancer but also to buffer actual physiological stress factors identified as risk factors for cancer. Those stress factors affect the biology of specific cellular and molecular signaling pathways that studies have identified can impact cancer growth and metastasis.
In a recent study on the topic, researchers followed more than 14,000 participants, surveyed at various stages in life about the nature of their social relationships. Information such as numbers of friends, marital status, religious affiliation and involvement in community domains, as well as whether they found their friends and relatives were critical, supportive, loving, argumentative or annoying was correlated against data on the participants’ physical well-being. The researchers looked at four specific health markers: blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference and a particular protein which measures inflammation, all key indicators of chronic daily stress which is known to have a link with the progression of disease. The wealth of information from the study revealed the relevance of a satisfying and active social life in improved overall health. Conversely, it showed and that loneliness in old age adversely affects longevity.
The evidence for links between chronic stress, social isolation, depression and diseases, including cancer, throws a great big monkey wrench into what we thought we knew about maintaining wellness. Just imagine how health advocates need to deal with older adults being more at risk for heart problems and hypertension as a result of social isolation than from diabetes, or how they should address the risks for inflammation being the same in socially isolated teenagers as in kids who don’t exercise. The effect of social and psychological factors on the development and progression of disease has been a longstanding hypothesis since ancient times, but the concept that the extent and reach of your social connections can impact your health just as much as diet and exercise is a radical shift from the previously accepted norm.
Gratitude has been shown to improve physical and psychological health, increase happiness and reduce depression. It can help diminish negative emotions which when left unchecked can bring on physical toxic stress reactions. People who felt grateful reported experiencing fewer aches and pains than others. They also reported exercising more often and were likely to have regular medical check-ups, which could also contribute to further longevity. No surprises here—being happy should make it easier to be more positive and proactive about your health.
I acknowledge the fact that when life is difficult, gratitude can be difficult. We’re not even talking major life challenges here. Sometimes gratitude is just hard to come by. Just pretending to act happy, regardless of what you’re feeling, can push your brain to produce positive emotions. If you choose to focus on goodness, you will feel better. Look around for good things. Look everywhere. Smells, colors and sounds can help bring us to a place where we can sense internal gratitude. Once we’re feeling it in ourselves, we can begin to spread the love, and express external gratitude. A quote from one of my favorite poets, Mary Oliver, illustrates beautifully how goodness can sometimes lurk in the most unrecognizable of forms: “Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this, too, was a gift.”
So when you want to throw cancer some really confusing messages, go celebrate your happiness with friends. Now that you’re bathing your cells in green tea antioxidants, maybe cutting back on other dietary and lifestyle vices, getting some exercise, perhaps even finding inner peace in meditation or yoga, the final advantages you can give yourself against cancer are fun and love. Realize gratitude for the present moment and find quality time with your tribe. Just say, “Stand down, cancer. This is my life.” And then go steep some tea with your friends.
Tea is a great way to get those social connections going. It’s a better choice of beverage for a get-together than alcohol, in many ways. You can assert that getting tea-drunk has better social upsides than being mildly inebriated. Tea encourages what one of my favorite tea muses refers to as sparkling conversation. On the flip side, alcohol encourages big, loud talk. Tea helps you focus and remember, whereas with alcohol, our memory tends to go straight out the window. When the most serious stuff hits the fan, I would contend that people prefer to gather intimately around a pot of tea. Alcohol can take the edge off after a rough day at work, but it doesn’t comfort in the way that tea does. Theanine is the comfort compound.
The many tea-drinking ceremonies and histories from around the world remind us that tea is much more important as a social beverage than many of us recognize. We might not think of tea as more than something to keep us warm or quench our thirst; in fact, most of us grew up thinking of tea as a weak and drab coffee alternative for grannies. But one-third of the world’s population enjoys it as a part of their every day, often as the central beverage to a soothing social occasion. Its many styles of preparation and service are as incredibly fascinating as its many flavors—ranging from the profoundly spiritual Japanese tea ceremony to a barter or business negotiation in Marrakech.
There are many aromatic, edible, stimulating, relaxing and hallucinogenic substances named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, used in the belief that they increase sexual desire. The oil of bergamot in Earl Grey, it turns out, has long been used as an aromatic aphrodisiac to reduce muscle tension, anxiety and stress. For added smoothness, add a touch of licorice root, considered an excellent edible and aromatic aphrodisiac. In fact, traditional Chinese medicine used licorice root to enhance love and lust and the ancient Kama Sutra included it as an ingredient for many recipes to increase sexual vigor. According to research done at the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, the smell of licorice root is particularly stimulating to women.
The visual beauty of rosebuds, coupled with their strong aromatic quality, have often been used as a calming tea, as well as ingredients in calming bath oils, candles and fragrances. But research unveils that rosebuds may do more than simply calm us down. Rosebuds are, indeed, an aphrodisiac. Their aroma stimulates the brain and keeps the mind focused and alert. They’re also a great mood enhancer and amplify the libido. Rose essence is said to increase blood flow through the body and fosters a sense of warm stimulation. Jasmine is also an aromatic aphrodisiac.
Needless to say, the caffeine in tea can offer an energy boost at the end of a long day to get you back to your best when starting your evening with your sweetheart. As busy and hectic as modern lifestyles are, we don’t always have the time or energy for a leisurely 6 o’clock drink. And sometimes you could use a little bit of a lift heading into the evening. You should consider a romantic tea break next time you come home. A great way to reconnect with your partner at the end of the day is over an aromatic pot of Earl Grey or green jasmine tea.
Just keep in mind the quote by the travel writer Catherine Donzel: “Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage.” Put out a small vase of flowers in varied colors exuding delicious fragrance, or a candle. They’ll share their perfume with the tea as it steeps and contribute to the lovely feeling of romance in the air.
Afternoon Tea You don’t have to be an Escoffier-trained chef to pull off a tea party that will delight and wow your companions. The secret’s in the tea! Your friends will be so dazzled by drinking real tea that they won’t obsess over the food. Just put out some breadsticks and cheeses, along with some cut fruit and veggies. Even some fancy little finger sandwiches aren’t a huge chore to prepare ahead of time. You can make it a garden tea by taking the show outdoors and adding some herbs or flowers as a centerpiece to your steeped pot of aromatic tea. For truly special occasions, open your tea party with a glass of champagne.
Tea Tasting Party If you’re really not into the food prep, take it up a step with your tea and get your guests buzzing with a selection of fresh-brewed teas. If you steep up three exquisite pots of tea, you barely need any snacks at all. Some pumpkin seeds, nuts and dried fruit and any other finger foods are all you need. Put out little cups, and have your friends sip and compare teas of different types and flavors, maybe from different countries. It’s like bringing an exotic adventure into your own home, and will definitely fuel some questions and conversation.
Go to a Teahouse Make your tea party an outing. Teahouses tend to be tranquil yin energy places where you can relax, take a deep breath and really connect with your tea and your friends. By contrast, coffee bars are where yang energy tends to be dominant, with lots of people focused on their work, their computers and getting themselves wired.
Party like it’s the 21st Century If many of your friends and family live far away, then what about throwing a video chat party? Have one or more people choose their favorite tea and join you to steep, sip and connect. It’s even fun to watch what teapots and cups they’re using to get it ready. If you’ve been geeking out with your tea ceremonies, you can show off your newly honed skills. Maybe you’ll even get someone else hooked!
Not only is afternoon tea with your kids a benefit to you, it’s also a great way to begin establishing some great social and health habits in your family. For me, this came about not by design or through some great foresight, but because for a while it was the only window of time in the day that I could consistently gear up for and be at my best. Everyone who’s had the experience of cancer surgery and chemotherapy knows about the long, long road back to finding your energy, not to mention your taste buds, your body and your hair! But during this process, you don’t stop being a mother, and you don’t stop wanting to be an asset to your family. Time still flows, consistently, no matter what kind of a compromised schedule you might be on. It was so vitally important for me to keep doing whatever I could to see that my daughters were safe, happy and thriving. When I was working on a limited reserve of energy during my recovery, I would often fall asleep right after dinner, and sometimes even the dinner hour was a bit of a disaster. The only time of day that I could ensure I was up for was right after school, which we made our tea time. The daily tradition became a hearty after-school snack, generally tea with jam and bread, and most importantly, wonderful conversation. We each took turns in describing our highlights and challenges of the day. What I noticed was that since our tea times were right after the school day, all the joys and pains were still fresh, and I got a better insight into their days than if the conversations had taken place later in the evening. The tea selection was a collective decision, as was the choice of teapot. Deciding what to steep and how to serve it was part of this daily celebration. Those choices had a lot to do with the bread or toppings we’d be eating, and got my daughters thinking about food pairings, textures and flavors at an early age.
Bread features prominently in almost all cultures across the world, as does tea. So naturally they go together in metaphor as well as in spirit. Tea with bread makes a delectable feast with just the right cup and a simple slice of the right stuff. As the late James Beard said, “Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of all feasts.” (We tea lovers would contend, with the right cuppa!) Some foods taste better with some breads, and the same rings true for tea and breads. Artisan breads can make a modern tea-time party a snap when paired with the right tea and served up with some butter or jam. Unlike uniform, rectangular breads with soft crumb and crust, artisan breads can contain whole grains, fresh herbs, fruits, nuts and honey. With the wide range of breads and loose-leaf teas available to us today, the variations and combinations are remarkable. What are the main characteristics we’re aware of when we taste a new bread? Flavor, of course, but grain and texture are also key. I found these two elements to play more strongly with various tea types than one might guess. In particular, one of the most subtle aspects of a tea’s profile, the mouth-coat, is significant when looking at the finer points of a tea-and-bread pairing. Some of our favorites are below:
Classic French Baguette Go classic on the tea side with a nice long-leaf Ceylon black tea. The tea’s tannic overtones pair well with the crunchy crust.
Sourdough Great with Assam! The sweetly dry flavor and honey-like mouth-coat in the tea make it pair superbly well with the tangy bite of the bread. Try it also with smoky black teas such as lapsang souchong, Russian caravan or a smoky green gunpowder tea.
Ciabatta, Foccacia Sencha green tea is beautiful here, especially if you’re serving it with goat cheese, topped with a touch of matcha and sea salt.
Challah Love this bread with Keemun. Both tea and bread are really round and happy together on the palate.
Unleavened breads (chapatti, roti, pita) Perhaps this is a cultural choice, or maybe that’s what makes it work, but these breads pair very well with black teas from Assam and Yunnan, and Moroccan mint green tea.
Honey Wheat Pairs oh so smoothly and beautifully with a black Nilgiri or Ceylon tea, as well as Earl Grey. A nice green tea here is dragonwell, or a green Earl Grey.
Pumpernickel Rye Finds its match with a smoky breakfast blend such as Russian caravan or green gunpowder.
Walnut This bread needs a flavored, non-smoky black. Earl Grey or blackberry tea are both heavenly here.
Pretzel (bread) Lovely with pu-erh tea.
Grisini (bread sticks) Also a natural with pu-erh! And if you’re going caffeine-free, they’re great with rooibos.
A note about children and caffeine: Caffeine intake in kids has skyrocketed (up 70 percent over the past 30 years) since the advent of sodas, and more recently, energy drinks. Two-thirds of all American children consume caffeine daily, at an average of over 100 mg daily. And sadly, most of the caffeinated beverages kids drink are nutritionally empty calories, loaded with sugar. This is a growing health issue. Caffeine in kids can trigger insomnia and bring on physical fatigue, by boosting the perception of “increased energy.” There’s no suggested safe level of caffeine for kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated that caffeinated energy drinks should be eliminated from children’s diets. Caffeine consumption approaching 1,000 mg in kids has caused hospitalization and been believed to bring on cardiac arrhythmia. Health Canada’s recommendation for children under 12 is no more than 2.5 mg of caffeine for every kilogram of body weight. That would amount to about 50 mg of caffeine for a 5-year-old child. For larger adolescents, 150 to 250 mg of caffeine daily is likely safe medically. One 8-ounce (240-ml) cup of green tea or a 12-ounce (355-ml) can of cola each contain about 35 mg caffeine. A cup of black tea has 40 to 45 mg caffeine. Milk tea, made with half milk, half tea would cut that amount in two; and a kid’s-size cup would take it down proportionally even more. Also, there are many wonderful herbal tisanes that are caffeine-free.
Throw a Stress-Free Holiday Tea Party
If it’s that time of year, you can throw a traditional holiday sweets tea party. You can go as fancy as you like, but there are easy ways to get festive with a tea party as well. Serve up at least two different types of tea. It’s always good to have a caffeine-free variety, and peppermint is a great holiday choice. Then steep up a pot of your own favorite tea. The best part of holiday entertaining isn’t gifting, but sharing, and tea lovers do like to share their latest tea finds. Serving suggestions follow:
Milk chocolate and truffles pair supremely well with Darjeeling, as a contrast in textures. The sweet, smooth and buttery chocolate (imagine ganache) juxtaposed with the bright and lightly earthy tea flavor enhances the milk chocolate and brings it to a higher level of sophistication.
Dark chocolate pairs supremely well with green and white teas. It’s like a point-counterpoint theme at work here to help you pick up on subtle notes in the chocolates. Some dark chocolates have strong citrus notes. Nothing tops a citrus-scented green tea here. For the smoothest of super dark chocolates (more than 70% cacao) a fantastic pairing is white tea, or a white tea blend.
Peanut brittle resonates brilliantly with the brisk, ocean-like flavor of a fresh green sencha tea.
Caramel works in your mouth like the smoothest of chocolates. Try this with a white tea blend or a single-estate white tea. It’s like heaven on clouds …
Pumpkin pie can be paired with either a spice tea or an unflavored black tea. It also works well with pure or spiced caffeine-free rooibos.
Pecan pie’s hands-down favorite would be Darjeeling. It’s also great with any tea with vanilla or almond.
And as you’re looking for the right tea to serve with an assortment of cookies or rugelach, you need look no further than to Earl Grey. It is the prince among princes at your holiday tea parties. The subtle citrus-bergamot helps the various flavors, spices, fruits and nuts come to life.
