Kyota Health

Archive for August, 2011

Caffeine, like chocolate, often receives bad publicity. Whilst in some instances, and in excess, these can have negative effects on our body, they can also be quite beneficial.

I am not disputing that some people are more sensitive to the negative effects of either caffeine or chocolate. For example, excess caffeine can create anxiety, nausea (particularly of taken on an empty stomach), an increase in heart rate, and even depression in some people. And chocolate is certainly not something that should form the mainstay of one’s diet. If struggling with sugar addiction, or wanting to lose weight, there are more nutritionally complete foods that are available.

But scientists have turned up some interesting facts on caffeine. For example, caffeine actually blocks the effects of a neurotransmitter in the brain (adenosine) that otherwise makes us feel tired. This is why it works so well to keep us awake. It also encourages the release of another brain chemical, dopamine (as well as adrenaline). Dopamine contributes to a feeling of well being.

Two studies, one a population based study (which are not as specific or rigorously defined as other types of studies, but nonetheless valuable indicators) found that drinking caffeine containing drinks like coffee and tea had a protective effect for those at risk of developing liver disease. Issues that the study participants had that increased their risk of liver disease included alcoholism, hepatitis B or C, obesity, or other complications.

And the results indicated that people who drank more than 2 cups of coffee a day had a 44% lower chance of showing actual liver damage compared to those who drank no caffeine. This was not a clinical trial, and the reason why coffee and tea had such an effect is not known. Coffee and tea contain a range of plant chemicals (phytonutrients) that could be responsible for this. A 2005 Norwegian study also found similar benefits for coffee with regards liver disease. This study found that drinking 3 cups of coffee a day could lower the risk of death from liver cirrhosis.

Even if you’re not at risk of liver disease, caffeine still has some advantages. Recent research from Austria showed that caffeine may actually enhance short term memory. Researchers found that there was an increase in brain activity (as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging) in the parts of the brain that were associated with memory and attention. These parts of the brain were the frontal lobe and the anterior cingulum. This was a placebo controlled study, meaning that some people were not given any caffeine. Another, earlier study (2004) found that caffeine did support short term memory, but only when it was in relation to a topic that people were already thinking about. This study found that when testing coffee’s effects on unrelated subjects, short term recall was actually inhibited.

Everything does have a flip side though. Adenosine, which is blocked by coffee, is also calming. This could be why it can also cause anxiety in excess, and in some individuals. After all, the balance of our brain chemistry is unique. And when we are addicted to stimulants like caffeine, we lose the sensitivity to our own natural stimulants (dopamine and adrenaline).

References:

Australian Healthy Food, February 2006.

[http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/ng.asp?n=52281-caffeine-containing-drinks]

[http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=64274&m=1FSND06&idP=2&c=qgtqmovbyiaxdub]

Combine your healthy eating program with simple exercise for the greatest effect on your longterm health. Try these 6 tips.

Fitness is the ultimate key to longer life. In fact it’s better to be fat and fit, than skinny and sedentary – but by far the best is to be slender AND well-toned. How to achieve it? Make sure your diet contains more fresh fruit and veg, wholegrain and low fat foods, and less processed and junk foods, and include simple exercise in your daily routine. Take just half an hour a day for fitness. If you sleep for eight hours, that still leaves 16 in a day…and yes, you can find just half of one of those to dedicate to a fitter you. Go for variety – one day a brisk walk, the next a cycle ride, then a badminton session, an aerobic class, or some weight-training at home. Keep at it!. It takes time for a new fitness and healthy eating regime to show results, so don’t give up. Do a little exercise every single day, and substitute two unhealthy foods with healthier alternatives. Soon you’ll find that you don’t even have to think about doing these things, because they’ve become a part of your life. Be prepared for after-exercise hunger A strenuous exercise session can leave you feeling ravenous, but don’t use it as an excuse to binge. Get a good, healthy snack ready before you start exercising, so there’s no danger of heading for the cookie jar. Try a banana and a glass of skimmed milk, a bowl of hearty soup that just needs warming, a wholegrain roll with hummus, a pot of low fat yogurt with chopped fruit stirred in. Measure your waist. If your girth is more than 81cm/33 inches for women, 94cm/39 inches for men, then you’re in danger of developing diabetes and heart disease. Start an exercise plan now, and make moves to reduce the amount of unhealthy foods you eat. Check your portion sizes. Over-generous portions are one of the main enemies of healthy eating. Don’t trust to guesswork. Half a cup – 70g – of dried pasta is a healthy serving. Always measure. You’ll be surprised how easy it is for portions to creep up.

Spread your exercise across the week, and always having a healthy snack afterwards. Make your new regime into a permanent part of your life. That way, you’re far more likely to keep the healthy eating and exercise habit going into the future. Start now – and see how quickly you feel a difference!

There are different opinions about the effects of coffee on the health. Some people say it is hazardous for health while others consider it beneficial. Some of the ways in which coffee intake effects our healths are discussed below.

1) Regular coffee drinkers feel more alert and perform better daily. According to some researches four to five cups of coffee keep the person alert and fresh as compared to the people who do not take coffee in the morning. It is believed by many researchers that it is important for giving you a good Morning-Kick.

2) It has been proved by researchers that caffeine is important in preventing cognitive decline in women. During a research it was found that women who were in habit of taking three cups daily performed better than the women who were taking one cup per day. It not only slows down the dementia process but also it good in preventing us from depression and Parkinson’s disease because of its ability to inhibit adenosine receptors.

3) Caffeine also protects us from blepharospasm, a disease in which the eye starts blinking and one can’t control its movement. It was found that this problem was cured with caffeine intake on daily basis.

4) Caffeine has laxative and diuretic effects. It speeds up the urination process but also is not good for the calcium in the body. Long term intake of caffeine results in osteoporosis.

5) It effects on sleep so it should not be taken before sleep.

6) It fights against uric acid and arthritis as well. Gout symptoms are effectively controlled by caffeine intake. Post -gym muscle pain is also controlled by caffeine intake. It is advised that one should take a cup an hour before going to the gym to reduce the post-gym pain. The pain one experiences during cycling is also controlled by its intake.

7) It makes men and women sexually excited.