Vonnies Health Spot

COFFEE AS A HEALTH DRINK?

I guess by now just about all of us have been exposed to the concept that coffee is no longer the guilt-causing beverage it used to be. When I was younger I suffered from fibrocystic breast lumps. They were quite uncomfortable, not to mention a little disconcerting, so I took myself off to the doctor for a breast cancer screening, only to be told that those aching little buggers were nothing to worry about, but that I should cut back on my coffee drinking and wear nice tight, binding bras with plenty of support.

No problem on the latter, but on the former dictum I dragged my feet. One of my most basic daily pleasures is a good cuppa java first thing in the morning and then again several times throughout the day when I felt like rewarding or comforting myself. So I continued to enjoy my vice in secret … at least secret from my MD.

Now, as is often the case, I find that my instincts were working just fine and that coffee is actually a health drink rather than the baddy it had been made out to be in the past. Science has discovered recently that coffee is loaded with antioxidants and just two cups a day can translate into 25 percent reduced risk of colon cancer, 80 percent drop in liver cirrhosis risk and around 50 percent risk of gallstones.

“Overall, the research shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful,” says Tomas DePaulis, PhD, research scientist at Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Coffee Studies, which conducts its own medical research and tracks coffee studies from around the world. “For most people, very little bad comes from drinking it, but a lot of good.”

Harvard researchers calculate that men slash their risk of developing diabetes by 54 percent and women by 30 percent if they can manage to drink six cups of coffee a day. But that’s a bit much for even me, the veteran coffee drinker. There is some evidence that coffee may help manage asthma and even control attacks when medication is unavailable, stop a headache (Here! Here!), boost mood and even prevent cavities (hmmmm).

So what is it in coffee that can have such a beneficial effect? Caffeine? Antioxidants (which, by the way, become more potent during the roasting process)? Or other mysterious properties? In a word, “yes” to all of the above. As a matter of fact, Parkinson’s drugs that contain a derivative of caffeine are in the developmental stage. Excedrin and Anacin both contain 120 milligrams of caffeine … what you would get in a good-sized cuppa.

STIMULANT
Anyone who has had to burn the midnight oil knows that a good strong cup of coffee chases away the cobwebs and helps keep us going when the stakes are high. Professional athletes have found that coffee is beneficial when they push themselves to better their stats. “What caffeine likely does is stimulate the brain and nervous system to do things differently,” says Terry Graham, PhD, of the University of Guelph in Canada. “That may include signaling you to ignore fatigue or recruit extra units of muscle for intense athletic performance. Caffeine may even have a direct effect on muscles themselves, causing them to produce a stronger contraction. But what’s amazing about it is that unlike performance-enhancing manipulation some athletes do that are specific for strength or sprinting or endurance, studies show that caffeine positively enhances all of these things.”

CHILDREN & COFFEE
“A recent study from Brazil found that children who drink coffee with milk every day are less likely to have depression than other children,” says DePaulis. “In fact, no studies show that coffee in reasonable amounts is in any way harmful to children.”

ANTIOXIDANTS IN COFFEE
Coffee contains a lot of other benefits besides caffeine, however. “Coffee is loaded with antioxidants, including a group of compounds called quinines that when administered to lab rats, increases their insulin sensitivity,” says Graham, who has studied the effects of caffeine and coffee for nearly two decades. Increased sensitivity improves the body’s response to insulin. And these same healthful antioxidants are available in decaffeinated coffee and tea too.

“We don’t know exactly why coffee is beneficial for diabetes,” says lead researcher Frank Hu, MD. “It is possible that both caffeine and other compounds play important roles. Coffee has large amounts of antioxidants such as chlorogenic acid, tocopherols, and minerals such as magnesium. All these components have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.”

COFFEE AS A DENTAL PROTECTANT?
There is another compound called trigonelline, which gives coffee its aroma and bitter taste, that Italian researchers tell us contains antibacterial and anti-adhesive properties, thereby helping prevent dental cavities from forming.

THE CAVEATS
There are some cases where coffee should be avoided. There are some people who don’t tolerate coffee well. How much is too much? Whatever your individual body cannot tolerate. If you begin to suffer from nervousness, hand trembling and rapid heartbeat, it’s a good idea to drink decaf, tea or cut back altogether. Coffee may also raise cholesterol levels in some people and may contribute to artery clogging. The most common groups of people usually advised to limit or avoid coffee are pregnant women, heart patients and those at risk for osteoporosis.

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 
Disclaimer: The purpose of this weblog is not to dispense medical advice nor in any way is meant to be construed as diagnostic or prescriptive. Always check with your physician before beginning any new program or trying any of the items discussed in the posts that appear on this site.

______________________________________________________________________________________
Photo credits: Costa Rican coffee fields-Martin Harrison, iStockphoto.com; coffee machine-Nikolai Okhitin, LuckyOliver.com; cowboy-DaydreamGirl, iStockphoto.com; woman with cup-LuckyOliver.com
_______________________________________________________________________________________

WATCH FOR MY NEW BOOK

OUT IN FEBRUARY 2008

VONNIES HEALTH SPOT
VOLUME ONE

ACUPUNCTURE ENJOYS A 2,000-YEAR-OLD TRACK RECORD

Acupuncture or the practice of carefully placing very fine needles in specific locations along energy paths called meridians has been practiced by the Chinese for more than 2,000 years, but lately its popularity has been growing in the United States. A national health survey recently found that more than eight million US adults have used acupuncture to help heal aches and pains.

HOW IT WORKS
“Acupuncture sends a signal to the body to turn on its own rescue
system,” says Ka-Kit Hui, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Center for East-West Medicine at UCLA. According to Chinese medicine, energy, also known as qi (pronounced chi), flows along 12 pathways or meridian, which correspond to specific organs and body functions. If this energy is blocked, the body becomes ill. Inserting fine needles in acupoints along the meridians helps restore the flow of qi, so the body can heal itself.

Most doctors believe that the needle stick causes the central nervous system to release morphinelike painkillers called endorphins. Over the millennia other Asian cultures have adopted acupuncture and modified it, but acupuncture as practiced by any trained and licensed individual has the same basic aim, to restore the body’s healthy energy flow. “It re-regulates the body,” says Dr. Hui. “It can help turn the pain signals off.”

Another theory (Western) is that acupuncture creates a powerful placebo effect. In other words, acupuncture may work at least in part because a person believes it does. In general, Chinese medicine places greater emphasis than Western medicine on the close relationship of mind, body and spirit. Poles apart, Western medicine tends to split itself into ever more focused specialties while Chinese medicine maintains a holistic, whole body philosophy of treating ailments.

WHAT IT CAN HEAL
The World Health Organization recommends acupuncture for:

>many respiratory diseases
>eye and mouth problems
>orthopedic troubles
>neurological disorders
>gastrointestinal ailments
>helping stroke patients regain movement
>treating depression
>headaches
>low-back pain
>substance abuse
>An early study in Neuroscience Letters suggests that acupuncture may even be a useful strategy for treating Parkinson’s disease.
>According to the National Institutes of Health Consensus Statement on Acupuncture, the therapy has also shown considerable promise in relieving nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy.

WHAT IT FEELS LIKE
The needles used are only as thick as a single human hair. A tiny prick when the needle is inserted should be the only sensation. The needles usually stay in place for five to 20 minutes, depending on what’s being treated, while the patient relaxes quietly. Treatment can take place over a few days or for several weeks or longer. There should be no pain. Improper needle placement can cause pain, and perhaps harm. And the FDA requires that sterile, nontoxic needles be used only once. To make sure your acupuncturist follows these rules, seek treatment only from certified practitioners. About 40 states have training standards for acupuncture certification.

A COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH PROGRAM
Discuss the possible benefits of acupuncture with your doctor, and check with your insurance company to see if you are covered. As this treatment protocol becomes more mainstream in Western practice, more insurance companies will accept it. For best results, Dr. Hui recommends that acupuncture be part of a comprehensive wellness program that includes exercise and a healthy diet. “Our goal is to develop a model system of healthcare that will benefit people all over the world.”

For more information, visit the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine's website at www.cewm.med.ucla.edu or www.uewm.edu.

________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Disclaimer: The purpose of this weblog is not to dispense medical advice nor in any way is meant to be construed as diagnostic or prescriptive. Always check with your physician before beginning any new program or trying any of the items discussed in the posts that appear on this site.

SINGING IS GOOD FOR MORE THAN THE SOUL, IT’S HEALTHY FOR THE BODY TOO!

I think most of us sang spontaneously as kids, but as we grew and became more self-conscious, for whatever reason, we dropped the habit little by little. I loved singing so much and so wanted to develop my voice that I took singing lessons for awhile, then speech and vocal lessons. My singing coach told me I had an extraordinary amount of vibrato, which I interpreted as not a good thing, so I quit. My voice coach moved away and I didn’t find a new one. I was busy working and raising a young family, so developing my voice moved to a far back burner. I have always been aware that I have a very soft voice; in a noisy group setting I often have difficulty making myself heard. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons I became a writer. Nowadays people often comment on my beautiful, melodic voice, which I find very complimentary … if ironic.

Even today, choral music provides one of my favorite forms of listening music. I find the human voice the most extraordinary musical instrument of all. Now studies are showing that singing is one of those eon-old human endeavors that exhibit a lot of benefits other than simple pleasure. Following are some of the interesting results of recent investigation:

*Human intelligence: Walter Freeman, a neurobiologist at UC Berkeley, believes singing and dancing are genetic in origin and that they helped human brains evolve. These activities also served as a means of transmitting knowledge from one generation to another. Think about learning ABCs as a toddler, it was much easier when it was sung. Right?
*Social confidence: An organization of singing groups called Chorus America conducted a survey a few years ago, and found that more people in the US and Canada participate in choral singing than in any other performing art. Most singers say that singing in a chorus builds their social confidence.
*Breathing health: Studies show that singing helps people with asthma and bronchitis because of deep and controlled breathing, which also gives a variety of muscles, such as the diaphragm, a workout. Some evidence shows that even snoring can be suppressed through singing.
*Immune system health: German researchers found that members of an amateur choir had their antibody levels rise when they sang. Temporary changes in immunity mean very little because many activities produce ups and downs in antibodies and stress hormones, but I think the key here is to view the cumulative factor.
*Healthy aging: Investigators at George Washington University devised a survey called “Creativity and Aging,” which revealed that members of senior chorales in the District of Columbia, San Francisco and Brooklyn reported better health and fewer falls than nonsingers.
*Alzheimer’s: A British branch of the Alzheimer’s Society reports that singing is helpful for patients with dementia. Singing familiar songs and learning new ones can help build self-esteem and alleviate loneliness. And while there is no proof that such activities prevent Alzheimer’s, many experts think that they may help delay the onset.

So find a singing group. Churches and other organizations have choirs and sponsor singing-related activities. Dr. William Pereira, a musician and a member of the editorial board of UC Berkeley’s Wellness Letter says, “Singing energizes your whole body and soul.” Play a CD at home and vocalize while you do housework. Invite others over to have a singalong.

Karaoke here I come!
_______________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: The purpose of this weblog is not to dispense medical advice nor in any way is meant to be construed as diagnostic or prescriptive. Always check with your physician before beginning any new program or trying any of the items discussed in the posts that appear on this site.

HMMM, I SUSPECTED THIS CONNECTION ALL ALONG

It's always so nice when science finds proof of what I thought was just me being a slight hypochondriac. I used to think I was a little weird because I would start choking every time I used a spray cleaner. While I love what spray cleaners do, I am often hesitant to use them because they take my breath away. Now I find out I’m not unusual at all. Researchers at the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology at the Municipal Institute of Medical Research in Barcelona, Spain, have found that “frequent use of household cleaning sprays may be an important risk factor for adult asthma.”

Air fresheners, and furniture and glass cleaners had a particularly strong effect. Researchers found that the risk of developing asthma increased with frequency of cleaning and number of different sprays used, but on average was about 30 to 50 percent higher in people regularly exposed to cleaning sprays. “Our findings are consistent with occupational epidemiological studies in which increased asthma risk was related to professional use of sprays among both domestic and non-domestic cleaning women,” says Jan-Paul Zock, Ph.D., who headed up the research. “This indicates a relevant contribution of spray use to the burden of asthma in adults who do the cleaning in their home.”

Two-thirds of the study participants who reported doing the bulk of the cleaning were women, about 6 percent of whom had developed asthma at follow-up. The clinical application is for physicians to be aware of the potential of cleaning products to cause respiratory symptoms and possibly asthma, according to Kenneth D. Rosenman, M.D., professor at Michigan State University.

“The relative risk rates of developing adult asthma in relation to exposure to cleaning products could account for as much as 15 percent of adult asthma cases,” says Zock.

The study is the first to investigate the effects of cleaning products on occasional users rather than occupational users and appeared in the second issue for October of the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The study included more than 3,500 subjects across 22 centers in 10 European countries. Subjects were assessed for current asthma, current wheeze, physician-diagnosed asthma and allergy at follow-up, which took place an average of nine years after their first assessment. They were asked to report the number of times per week they used cleaning products.

The study was not designed to find the biological mechanism behind the increase in asthma. “There is a need for researchers to conduct further studies to elucidate both the extent and mechanism of the respiratory toxicity associated with such products,” Zock says.

In the meantime, play it safe by using cleaners that don’t come in spray bottles, or if you must, wear a dust mask like the ones you find in hardware and drug stores. I know it looks a little extreme, but who cares if it helps to save your lungs?
_______________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: The purpose of this weblog is not to dispense medical advice nor in any way is meant to be construed as prescriptive. Always check with your physician before beginning any new program or trying any of the items discussed in the posts that appear on this site.