CAFFEINE January 5, 2012
Posted by thenaturalist in Coffee, Depression, Health, Nutrition.add a comment
For caffeine, probably the most important risk is that it can precipitate a panic attack. If you ingest too much of it, you can get what’s called caffeinism — jitters and tremors. Caffeine can increase blood pressure and can aggravate heart arrhythmias. However, if you consume caffeine on a regular basis, you can develop a tolerance to most of its side effects. French press or boiled coffee has chemicals that can raise cholesterol, but filtering coffee removes these chemicals, and in fact filtered coffee can actually protect the heart because it also contains antioxidants. You can clearly become physically dependent on caffeine but that isn’t the same thing as addiction, in which you have a compulsion to use a substance and can’t easily quit even if you need or want to. In itself, being dependent on caffeine isn’t harmful. (Neal Benowitz, M.D., professor of medicine, University of California, San Francisco, “The buzz on caffeine,” Consumer Reports on Health, January 2012)
COFFEE January 5, 2012
Posted by thenaturalist in Coffee, Food, Health, Nutrition.add a comment
A recent analysis of the Nurses’ Health Study has fund a reduced risk of depression among coffee drinkers. Decaf appeared to have no significant effect on depression, nor did tea. Coffee contains antioxidant compounds called polyphenols that might help regulate blood sugar and prevent deadly clots. In fact, regular coffee consumption was associated with a longer life — mostly due to a reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes — in a 2008 study of nearly 180,000 people who were followed for two decades. Most healthy adults can safely consume up to 300 milligrams of caffeine daily (roughly three 8-ounce cups of coffee). People who suffer from anxiety might want to reduce or eliminate their consumption of caffeine. (Consumer Reports on Health, January 2012)
SLEEP AIDS January 5, 2012
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Milk and other proteins contain tryptophan, an amino acid that auses drowsiness. Eating carbohydrate-rich foods makes tryptophan more available to the brain. That’s why the National Sleep Foundation recommends bedtime snacks consisting of both a carbohydrate and a protein, such as cereal with milk, peanut butter on toast, cheese and crackers, or even a turkey sandwich. (Consumer Reports on Health, January 2012)
APPLES AND PEARS January 5, 2012
Posted by thenaturalist in Floods, Food, Health, Nutrition.2 comments
“An Apple a day keeps the doctor away.” A 2011 Dutch study involving more than 20,000 people found that stroke risk was 52 percent lower among those with a high intake of fruit and vegetables whose edible portion is white. Apples and pears were the most commonly consumed “white” produce. (Consumer Reports on Health, January 2012)
WATER January 5, 2012
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“DRINK AT LEAST 8 GLASSES OF WATER A DAY.” This advice persists despite an absence of scientific support…. The Institute of Medicine reports that most healthy people get the water they need by letting their thirst guide them and by consuming it through various sources, including other liquids and food. (Consumer Reports on Health, January 2012)
VITAMINS January 5, 2012
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About 40 percent of American adults take multivitamins, even though there’s no proof that they prevent chronic diseases or premature death. And two large 2011 studies don’t raise additional hope…. Major health organizations that focus on cancer, diabetes, and heart disease advise people to avoid supplements in favor of a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. (Consumer Reports on Health, January 2012)
CHEAP FLIGHTS September 1, 2011
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The cheapest time to fly is the first two weeks of December — a dead period when you’ll find bargains. (AARP THE MAGAZINE, September-October 2011)
EYE FOODS September 1, 2011
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SPINACH contains lutein, which protects the macula (center of the retina) from cell damage. It protects against cataracts and macular degeneration.BLACKBERRIES contain anthocyanins, which lower blood pressure, improve blood flow to the eye, and protect against macular degeneration. ORANGE BELL PEPPERS contain zeaxanthin, which protects the retina from the damaging effects of light and oxidative stress. They protect against macular degeneration. SALMON contains DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which prevents abnormal blood vessels from building up in the retina and protects against retinopathy. SOY contains Isoflavones, which improve tear production and protect against dry eyes. (AARP.ORG/MAGAZINE, September-October, 2011)
CREDIT CARDS September 1, 2011
Posted by thenaturalist in Money, Useful Info.add a comment
Get the best consumer protections by paying with a credit card, but keep your finance charges in check by making payments in full each month. Federal regulations limit losses from unauthorized charges resulting from a lost or stolen credit card to $50. And you may not have to pay even that under MasterCard’s and Visa’s voluntary zero-liability. Consumers aren’t liable for billing errors reported within 60 days. Consumers also have “chargeback rights” to undo a charge on their credit account if goods or services weren’t delivered as promised or were defective or otherwise unacceptable. (Consumer Reports, September 2011)
SNAIL LOCOMOTION August 17, 2011
Posted by thenaturalist in Animals, Interesting, Natural World.add a comment
In doing the research for her book The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating, Elisabeth Tova Bailey learned about snail locomotion. She offers the following analysis of how fast a snail (specifically a Neohelix albolabris) might travel. She says: “For an example of snail locomotion speed in relation to Earth time, consider a snail gliding from Maine to … the American Museum of Natural History [in New York City]. Traveling a few inches per minute, only at night, as is typical to take advantage of damp conditions, and resting by day, with seasonal hibernation and estivation time included, a snail would arrive in sixty-four years…. However, a Neohelix albolabris’s lifespan is about seven years, so it would take more than nine generations to make such a trip.” (From her “Remarks on Accepting the John Burroughs Medal Award” published in “Wake-Robin,” Newsletter of the John Burroughs Association at the American Museum of Natural History, Summer 2011)
