After a bunch of tests, they found nothing wrong with me and sent me on my merry way, assuming it was some kind of panic attack (though I knew deep down that I led a pretty stress-free life, so that seemed odd)
Anyhoo, that was in July and between then and December, I lived with this very odd, random, intermittent flutter in my chest. It was exacerbated by coffee (waaaaaah!), extreme temperatures and, believe it or not, hunger.
So, FINALLY, I went to see a doctor about it and got an ultrasound on my heart, only to discover that I *did* have a condition, but blessed be, it wasn't anything serious or life threatening. Since it affects a large portion of the population (and since Branson from Downton Abbey had the same thing) many of you might know that I'm talking about a mitral valve prolapse.
But, while this wasn't life threatening, I still didn't like that bizarre feeling in my chest. So I cut out coffee (don't worry, I still have an occasional iced decaf soy latte!) and turned to green tea. But that still has caffeine, you might proclaim! And you would be right. However, green tea also has a compound called L-theanine which is **"Able to cross the blood–brain barrier, theanine has psychoactive properties.[10] Theanine has been studied for its potential ability to reduce mental and physical stress,[11] improve cognition[12] and boost mood in a synergistic manner with caffeine."
For me, unsweetened green tea is a must in my every day routine for those very reasons listed above. This type-A personality *needs* caffeine and *needs* to feel energized throughout the day (I do have a 3-year-old, people), but I also tend to get stressed out easily and bent out of shape over, well, trivial things sometimes. I know the L-theanine is crucial to my mental health. And the green tea is good for my heart AND cleanses the liver, too! How about that!
So next time you need a brain/body boost, try reaching for a cup of green tea (and watch those sweeteners! Go for Stevia or Agave or try it unsweetened like I do). Your body will thank you!
**Wikipedia