Prevalence

Tea, this ancient and magical beverage, carries thousands of years of history and culture, exuding a unique charm and occupying an important place in people's lives. Tea is undoubtedly one of the world's greatest beverages. Its prevalence and consumption far exceed those of other drinks, with billions of cups around the globe carrying its rich flavor each year. Compared to carbonated drinks, wine, and others, tea stands out due to the endless mysteries and unique values it holds. In fresh tea leaves, water and dry matter form the basic components. Through extensive research, over 700 chemical constituents have been identified in tea. The complex layers of taste we experience when sipping tea—such as bitterness, aftertaste, astringency, sweetness—and the diverse aromas, including floral, fruity, tender, and honey-like scents, are all due to the richness of these substances. Among the many components, three stand out as particularly crucial, indispensable treasures of tea. First is tea polyphenols, often referred to as preservatives for the human body. They are present in high concentrations in tea, ranging from 18% to 36%, making them a critical component. Numerous studies on the antioxidant functions of tea focus on tea polyphenols. Free radicals can attack human tissues and…

In recent years, with the continuous improvement of living standards and increasingly refined foods, the incidence of constipation has been on the rise. According to epidemiological surveys, the prevalence rate of chronic constipation among adults in China is 4% to 6%, increasing with age; this rate reaches 22% in those over 60 years old, and up to 80% in bedridden or immobile elderly individuals with long-term illness. Some people may not consider occasional difficulty in bowel movements to be a serious issue and pay little attention to it, while others may suffer from chronic constipation but avoid medical consultation, opting instead to self-medicate. In fact, these behaviors are not advisable. What kind of constipation requires treatment? What are the potential harms behind constipation? Let's take a closer look. Manifestations of Chronic Constipation What are the manifestations of chronic constipation? Let’s conduct a self-check for constipation to see if you have any of the following symptoms: ① Reduced bowel movements, fewer than three times per week; ② Hard stools that resemble sheep droppings; ③ Difficulty passing stool, where the stool is not necessarily hard but passage is strenuous, requiring significant effort like squeezing toothpaste, and sometimes manual assistance is needed; ④…