There’s been a lot of talk about caffeine lately - and plenty of confusing statistics. According to some researchers, drinking coffee may prevent Type 2 diabetes; lower your risk for colon, mouth, esophogeal, throat, prostate and endometrial cancers; or make it less likely you’ll commit suicide or get Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease. Other studies report that caffeine is harmful to developing fetuses and can increase one’s blood pressure, cause heartburn, make you more anxious, increase your secretion of stress hormones, and exacerbate insomnia, hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder.
Researchers generally acknowledge they don’t fully understand the effects of caffeine. It’s often difficult to directly prove cause and effect with caffeine studies because there may be other lifestyle factors - besides caffeine intake - that affect a person’s health, such as exercise, diet and sleep habits. And coffee has other substances, like vitamin E, potassium and magnesium that can play a role in a person’s health.
So what’s a person supposed to do? Ultimately, it comes down to moderation and understanding how caffeine affects you. Some people become jittery after one cup, others can have a half dozen cups and not be affected. Generally, if you do have high blood pressure or are pregnant, it is recommended that you monitor your caffeine intake.
And, here, is the next dilemma - knowing how much caffeine you are taking in. Each pot of coffee you brew will have different levels of caffeine depending on how your brew it or how long it is steeped. Other products that naturally have caffeine are chocolate and tea. There’s also talk of establishing labeling standards for products that contain added caffeine. While most sodas now list how much caffeine is contained in their product right on the label, other foods such as gum, yogurt, ice cream, chocolate bars and jelly beans do not. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an 8-ounce Pepsi has 25 milligrams of caffeine, while a Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate bar has 31 milligrams. Now think of all the coffee-flavored ice creams, candies and yogurts you consume.
Overall - think moderation. If you have medical conditions that are exacerbated by caffeine, then try decaffeinated products or eliminate those products entirely. And pay attention to labels. Right now, most products don’t list the caffeine they add, but if they’re “coffee-flavored” chances are they’ll contain some amount of caffeine.
It certainly is. While most people diagnosed with pneumonia eventually develop a symptomatic cough - not all of them do. Symptoms of pneumonia can vary widely.
For instance, one woman recently had a cough for weeks. When she went to her physician she was initially diagnosed with bronchitis. She had aching lungs, and a racking cough that was so bad she injured the intercostal muscles between her ribs, but the physician did not hear fluid in her lungs. She was also fever-free. A week later, after the original antibiotics didn’t improve her condition, she was given a chest x-ray that came back abnormal. A subsequent CT scan revealed she had pneumonia in both lungs. A stronger course of antibiotics eliminated the pneumonia.
The biggest problem with health-related New Year’s resolutions? Most of us go “too big.” And that usually sets us up for failure. Everything in moderation — that’s the ticket. If you are serious about losing weight, lowering your cholesterol, stopping smoking, exercising more, eating better, preventing diabetes II — then make that effort in this frame of mind: small gradual changes in lifestyle. In this manner, you set realistic, reachable goals for yourself. And once those are reached — you go on to the next set of slightly bigger goals. And all the while you incorporate those changes into how you live. It’s not about dieting, complete denial or starting out with a daily 5-mile run. It’s about increments of change that you can live with so you can live better and healthier.
Here’s an excellent article that serves as a great example.
I’m willing to bet the majority of you know someone who’s had the flu this year - it’s been a busy season and it’s only November. I’m often asked, “What can I do to keep myself healthy?” - and find that people are surprised by some of the basics they’ve overlooked.
We’ve all heard it before - to stay healthy you need to eat well, exercise, and get plenty of sleep. People get tired of hearing that - but these are the basic building blocks of keeping your immune system in top form. You need to fuel your body, cleanse your body with a good sweat and increased blood flow, and then give it the chance to recuperate. It really does make a difference.
Beyond that, common “mistakes” I’m seeing this year as people try to avoid the flu are as follows.
If you request a complete - or executive - physical, you should expect your physician to do more than listen to your heart and lungs. In fact, a complete physical should include a wide range of tests depending on your age and gender - such as chest x-rays, audiograms, EKGs, laboratory tests, heart stress tests, pulmonary function testing, CAT scans, urinalysis, mammograms, prostate exams, vascular age tests.
One of the most important steps in a complete physical is the first one - discussing your recent medical history with your physician. If you have concerns, are experiencing symptoms or have questions about preventative tests or measures - now is the time to be forthright. After all, what you do - or don’t - tell your physician plays a role in the examination. If you’re experiencing tenderness - tell and show your doctor. Bothered by headaches, indigestion, an inability to sleep, shortness of breath, excessive fatigue? Tell your doctor. After all, who better to know what constitutes ‘normal’ for you and what is indicative of change, than you? I also recommend that you speak with your significant other or family members or friends with whom you live. They can point out things that might not be as obvious to you - physical traits or symptoms that you have simply “gotten used to” that may be worth a mention to your physician.
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