Drink herbal tea 2-3 times daily as the Greeks and Japanese do
Drink herbal or green tea multiple times daily as a ritual, not a remedy. In Japan, this means green tea (matcha, sencha). In Greece, it means mountain tea (Sideritis). In Okinawa, jasmine tea. In Korea, barley or ginseng tea. Make it a habitual part of your day.
Why It Works
Ikarians (a Greek Blue Zone) drink herbal teas 2-3 times daily as part of normal life, not when sick. Greek mountain tea extracts cause blood vessel dilation and reduce stress on the heart muscle, lowering blood pressure. Japanese green tea catechins reduce LDL oxidation. But beyond the chemistry, tea cultures embed pause and mindfulness into the day. The Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu) is a spiritual practice where every movement is deliberate - participants become fully present and daily noise fades away.
Tips
- The ritual matters as much as the compounds - tea forces you to stop, sit, and be present
- Ikarians don't drink tea as medicine; it's simply what they drink instead of soda or coffee
- Unsweetened tea replaces sugar-laden beverages without requiring willpower
Other solutions for What cultural habits and folk traditions protect the heart?
- Eat fermented foods at every meal like Koreans and Japanese
- Join or create a lifelong social support circle like Okinawa's moai
- Alternate hot and cold exposure like the Nordic sauna tradition
- Drink wine with food, never alone - the Mediterranean rule
- Cook with spices daily like Indian, Mediterranean, and Asian cultures