A Japanese Tea That Works for Hay Fever
Do you suffer from hay fever but don’t like taking the pills you buy from the pharmacies? If you have a friend from Japan around you, ask him/her what they use in their country – one of the answers you get must be a tea called Ten cha.
Ten cha is usually translated as “Chinese Blackberry Tea” in English. Obviously, the tea leaves are from Chinese Blackberry trees, and its Latin name is Rubus Suavissimus S. Lee. You might have never heard of it. Yes, it is one of the few wonders from Japan that has not been introduced in UK at all yet.
Although it has been consumed in Japan and China (and possibly other parts of Asia too) for a long time, it the Japanese beverage company Suntory that discovered its anti-allergy effect. They started marketing it as one of their health tea line of products, and one day it was featured in one of the most powerful TV shows (Japanese equivalent of Oprah, I’d say) and that was it – now you see it in shelves of many supermarkets and drugstores all over the country.
The reason of its success was that compared to pharmaceutical options, the tea does not make you drowsy or sleepy. As it is very common to take herbal teas for many health purposes, it was seen as a very familiar, more natural solution against the seasonal itchy eyes and runny nose. It became the most popularly practiced cure against hay fever in Japan. In a research conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, about 40% of the sampled patients of allergic rhinitis who prefer non-pharmaceutical treatment were found to be using Chinese Blackberry Tea (Tencha).
While in UK, I have always thought there is not enough variety of treatments on offer, although so many people suffer from hay fever. You don’t want to take pills when you have to drive, or work hard in the office all day. So having a natural option could help many of our lives get a little better.
Search Chinese Blackberry Tea on the net. It is usually advised that you brew the tea in hot water for 2-3 minutes, and drink it every morning. I would love you to try it once. I gave it to some of my friends here in UK. They felt a difference and some of them became big fans!
What is “Kampo”?
“Kampo” is a Japanese word for traditional herbal remedies, which have been practiced since the 7th century. Traditionally Japanese people prefer the medicines that are made from natural ingredients to general pharmaceutical products. They have strong trust in power of nature, through centuries of their history.