In Ireland, the humble cup of tea is one of the most favoured beverages. It calms us down when we’re stressed, it soothes us in times of emotional turmoil and it brings families together like nothing else.
While most of us are under the impression that a cup of the good stuff is relatively harmless, a news story from the States proves that, like with everything else, tea should be taken in moderation.
The Detroit Free Press reports that for the past 17 years, a 47-year-old woman has been drinking a jug of “thick tea” made with 100-150 teabags every single day… and you thought your tea addiction was bad!
The woman has now given up her daily jug of the super-strong brew
When the woman began suffering from pain and stiffness in her arms, legs, back and hips, doctors found that her intense tea consumption had actually caused her to develop a rare bone disease known as skeletal fluorosis.
Apparently the woman’s x-rays showed areas of abnormally dense bone in her vertebrae and calcification in the ligaments of her arms and legs. It is believed that her levels of flouride were four times higher than they should have been.
According to Dr. Sudhaker Rao, the doctor who treated the woman, she was referred to him because it was thought that she may have cancer. However, Dr. Rao recognised her condition after he came across it before in India, his native country.
The disease also made the woman’s teeth incredibly brittle – so much so that they all had to be removed (yikes!).
After counselling the woman is said to be doing a lot better and has stopped drinking tea.
