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UPCOMING EVENTS
Friday, April 30, 2010 Dr.
Paul Gibbons Avian Nutrition
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Cookie Cockatoo’s 77th Bird-day party at Brookfield Zoo
Friday, July 30, 2010 Annual
Bird Show-n-Tell
Friday, October 29, 2010 TBD
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Annual Holiday Party
*Speakers for 2011 and 2012 are booking now. If you are interested in speaking
or know someone that you feel may be beneficial to invite to speak at TASC,
please email TASCCHICAGO@aol.com
The Importance of Tea
Benefits for Humans & Other Animals
Karen Shaw Becker, DVM,
NMD
Types of teas
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Green
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Black
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White
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Herbal
Tea plant:
Camellia sinensis
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Small,
evergreen shrub
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Habitat:
primarily grown in Japan, China
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The
harvested leaves produce green, black, oolong and white teas
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Variance
in flavors due to processing
What’s the
difference?
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Green:
young leaves picked and dried quickly, minimally oxidized then fired
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Black:
complete oxidation of the mature leaf prior to firing
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Oolong:
leaves are rolled after harvesting, allowing the volatile oils to react with
air. Very slow oxidation prior to firing
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White:
picked before the leaf buds have opened (buds are covered with short, white
hairs), leaves are steamed and dried quickly
Green Tea Health
Benefits:
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Polyphenols (potent antioxidants):
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scavenge
free radicals (20-30 times the potency of vitamin E)
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Vitamin C:
strengthens immune system
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Lowers LDL
cholesterol
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Increases
HDL cholesterol
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Reduces
blood pressure
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Nutrients:
carotene, B1, B2, B6. Folic Acid, Manganese, potassium
Other benefits
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American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition found green tea significantly increased energy
expenditure and fat oxidation
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American
Association for Cancer Research found green tea has the ability to prevent
gene damage (associated with the onset of cancer)
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Contains
epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) which slows angiogenesis (tumor blood
vessel growth)
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Clinical
studies confirm green tea’s role in reducing heart disease, incidence of
stroke
Black Tea Health
Benefits:
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Antioxidants keep blood vessels supple, promote healthy blood flow
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Flavonoids
reduce incidence of atherosclerosis (narrowing of arteries)
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Tannins:
Chelate heavy metals, mainly lead and iron (used at Berlin Zoo with rhinos,
Ramphastids, mynahs and tanagers for iron flushing)
White Tea Health
Benefits:
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Strongly
inhibits mutagenicity (a result of unrepaired DNA damage), potent
anti-cancer properties
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Abundant
polyphenols (antioxidants)
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Aids the
body in metabolizing carcinogens
Caffeine
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Green,
black, oolong and white teas must be decaffeinated for birds
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Purchase
teas that are decaffeinated by water and carbon dioxide (to retain the
polyphenols) NOT ethyl acetate
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Herbal
teas are naturally caffeine-free
Herbal Teas:
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Chamomile:
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Significant increases in urinary hippurate (a breakdown product of
polyphenols) which has antibiotic properties
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Increases
in urinary glycine, an amino acid that has been shown to relieve muscle
spasms
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Contains
nerve relaxants (acts like a natural calmative/sedative)
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Beneficial
for insomnia (and nightmares), pain, stress, hyperactivity, anxiety
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Digestive
tonic, IBD
Herbal Teas:
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Rose hips
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Natural
source of vitamin C and bioflavonoids. Potent blood, liver and kidney tonic.
Use for fatigue, recovery from illness
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Peppermint
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G.I.
upset, antiseptic properties, anti-viral
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Ginger
root
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Improves
circulation, anti-nausea, good for arthritis
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Anise seed
(parsley family)
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Aids
digestion, soothes cough, bronchitis
Herbal teas:
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St. John’s
Wort
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Mental
calmness, anti-anxiety, anti-OCD
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Raspberry
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Rich in
calcium, magnesium
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Considered
a “female” tonic (used at Berlin Zoo for pregnant Babirusa and other animals
to aid in uterine contraction)
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Echinacea
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Immune
stimulation (interferon and T cell activity)
Herbal Teas:
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Essiac
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Founded in
1922 by Canadian nurse Rene Caisse
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Several
herbs, including burdock root, sheep sorrel, slippery elm, Indian rhubarb
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Used to
restore health to thousands of individuals (cancer)
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Herbs are
used to help cleanse the blood, nourish the immune system
Herbal teas:
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Rooibos
(“Red” tea)
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Grown high
in the mountains of South Africa
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Mineral
rich (low tannins)
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Contains
natural anti-spasmodics (helps with colic, indigestion, muscle fatigue)
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Rich in
flavonoids, especially aspalathin, which is anti-allergenic,
anti-inflammatory
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Contains
alpha-hydroxy acid, antioxidants and SOD
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Potent
anti-mutagenic components that inhibits chromosomal breakdown
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Abundant
oligosaccharides that are anti-viral
Brewing hints:
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Use hot,
not boiling water to make tea
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Let the
tea cool completely before offering it to your birds
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Remove the
tea bag before serving
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If your
bird is suspicious, steep tea for a shorter period (make tea more dilute)
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Substitute
tea for water when making soft foods, pasta, rice, etc.
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Never
replace water with tea! Suggests a fresh water source daily.
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