My Health

Clarity on control (American Diabetes Assn. Scientific Sessions)

July 30, 2007 on 5:50 pm | In Uncategorized | Comments Off When you tell a patient her hemoglobin A1c result is 8%, how does she relate that number to the blood glucose levels she measures at home in units of mg/dL? Is an A1c of 8% equivalent to an average glucose of 180?

As if diabetes management isn't complicated enough, dealing with different types of blood glucose measures can make it more so.

Local planning key to readiness for pandemic flu

July 30, 2007 on 5:50 pm | In Uncategorized | Comments Off Washington -- Although most roads to pandemic flu readiness remain riddled with potholes, some communities are making steady progress.

Those cities and towns that have made exemplary advances in planning for a surge of ill patients and ways to mitigate the flu's potential devastation were honored, and the lessons they learned were shared during the Second National Congress on Health System Readiness: Pandemic Influenza Community Preparedness Planning, held July 18 to 20 in Washington, D.C.

Researchers find 5 types of alcohol dependence

July 30, 2007 on 5:50 pm | In Uncategorized | Comments Off Alcohol dependence manifests itself in many ways, but patients with this problem have enough in common that they can be placed in five categories, according to a study published online June 26 by the journal, Drug and Alcohol Dependence. The authors hope that subtyping patients in this manner will lead to the discovery of genes that increase the risk for the disorder's specific variations and to treatments that may be more effective for particular individuals.

"Assuming that the subtyping holds up and meets the test of time, we hope to identify specific treatments for specific types of alcoholics," said Howard B. Moss, MD, lead author and associate director for clinical and translational research at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. "Some may be more amenable to medications to treat alcohol dependence than others, and researchers might find this information useful as they're putting together trials for new agents to treat alcoholism."

Is Tea Better than Coffee?

July 23, 2007 on 8:05 am | In Green Tea Products, Health Benefits of Green Tea, Green Tea Antioxidants, Healthier Living Ideas | Comments Off

When most people awaken, the first thing they grab is a cup of coffee or a cup of tea. You will also find a number of ice tea drinkers, as well as those who love ice coffee beverages, which have become quite popular. With both beverages being highly popular, we often hear the question, “Is tea better than coffee”, which is exactly what we wanted to address here in this article.

Okay, so is tea better than coffee and if so, why? The answer is yes, tea is better than coffee and we will explain why. Both beverages contain caffeine, a substance that helps get the day going but for individuals with a caffeine sensitivity problem, both coffee and tea would likely cause a problem. In addition, both coffee and tea are delicious. These drinks can be consumed as is or enhanced with cream, sugar, and honey, and so on. As you can see, tea and coffee have a lot in common but this is where the similarities begin to fade.

Now, for the question of is tea better than coffee, keep in mind that the type of tea makes a huge difference. Interestingly, different teas offer different benefits. For example, ginseng tea has been studies with results showing this type of tea can improve concentration and memory, boost a person’s reaction time, help fight off viral infections, reduce stress, and even improve circulation.

Then, you have black tea, also loaded with health benefits. For instance, black tea can prevent clogged arteries that lead to heart attack and stroke, this tea inhibits cancer growth, helps reduce inflammation, and is proven to neutralize many germs. Of course, green tea is a favorite, which also helps fight cancer, lowers high blood pressure, reduces bad cholesterol, and kills oral bacteria that causes plaque leading to tooth decay.

Although coffee tastes great, you can see the answer to the question, “Is tea better than coffee” is yes. Keep in mind that because of the caffeine makeup of coffee, most people would agree that coffee is better at providing a quick mental boost than most teas do. However, many teas contain antioxidants that work to protect the cellular structure of the body, leading to a healthier and longer life.

Again, coffee does have some health advantages over tea. In this case, studies show that coffee is a good preventative against liver cancer and that it lowers the chance of gallstones. Although these are certainly great reasons to drink coffee, we still believe that tea outranks coffee. In addition to the abovementioned benefits of tea, others include fighting off osteoporosis, reducing risk of kidney disease, providing relief from menstrual cramping and aching muscles, and calming the nerves.

The next time someone offers you coffee versus tea, we recommend you stop to thing of the age-old question, “Is tea better than coffee” to help you make the right choice. Of course, you can enjoy a good cup of coffee on occasion but perhaps you might be more apt to reach for tea instead.

Julie Health writes about the benefits of drinking green tea at her website.

You may reprint the article above in its entirety provided the resource box and its links remain.

3 studies link use of SSRIs to bone loss

July 17, 2007 on 10:36 am | In Uncategorized | Comments Off Washington -- A commonly prescribed class of antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, has been associated with bone loss in older men and women in at least three large studies published over recent months.

This suspected risk should inspire increased vigilance by physicians regarding who is prescribed these medications and for how long. But for now, no major change in SSRI use is indicated or even advisable, according to several experts.