Showing posts with label caffeine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label caffeine. Show all posts

September 5, 2009

Fight Dementia with Coffee

A Swedish study has found that when middle-aged adults drank 3 to 5 cups of caffeinated coffee each day, they were 65 to 70% less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer's disease later in life when compared to people who drank 2 or less cups each day. Coffee offers protection against the diseases by containing magnesium, antioxidants, and caffeine. It is also assumed that coffee decreases the risk of type 2 diabetes, which can contribute to dementia.

March 15, 2009

Relieve Eye Puffiness with Black Tea

Black tea is full of astringent compounds called tannins and caffeine that are effective at reducing swelling and discoloration under the eyes. They are also good at tightening puffiness and bags under the eyes. Eye puffiness is usually due to swelling of tissues around the eyes and fluid buildup. It is recommended to let a cool tea bag rest on each eye for 10 minutes.

November 28, 2008

Safe Tips to Sleep Better

There are several things that you can do to help you to sleep better at night. You can avoid alcohol before bedtime, avoid caffeine, turn down the thermostat, increase carbohydrate intake, and develop a sleep schedule.

It is not good to drink alcohol before trying to go to sleep. Alcohol can have a negative effect on the quality of sleep. Even small or moderate amounts of alcohol can suppress melatonin, which is a hormone that helps to regulate sleep. It also interferes with the monoamine transmitters that controls the body's ability to sleep well. Alcohol can also interfere with restorative N-REM cycles and prevent a person from dreaming by disrupting the second half of the sleep cycle.

Eliminating caffeinated drinks from your diet can help you to sleep better. Caffeine can have a negative effect on sleep by boosting a person's alertness, activate stress hormones, and increase heart rate and blood pressure. It is good to to drink a caffeinated drink at least 8 hours before your bedtime.

Keeping your bedroom or the area where you sleep cool and dark can help you to sleep better. The recommended temperature is between 54 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. A cool room makes it easier for the body's core temperature to drop, which is needed to be able to fall asleep. The body reaches its lowest temperature about 4 hours after a person falls asleep. Researchers have found that when the hands and feet are warm it causes blood vessels to dilate and heat to escape and body temperature to decrease, which could help a person to fall asleep faster.

Increasing the amount of starchy carbohydrates in your diet, such as cereal, pasta, and potatoes, can increase the ability of sleep causing amino tryptophan in the blood, which increases serotonin. Serotonin is a brain neurotransmitter that promotes sleep. Foods high in complex carbohydrates, such as bread, bagels, and crackers, can have a mild effect on sleep.

It can help to develop a regular sleep and wake schedule. That would mean going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday so that your body would regulate itself to fall asleep asleep at a certain time and wake up at a certain time.

September 2, 2008

Ways to Fight Fatigue and Sleep Better

There are many good ways to fight the feelings of fatigue and tiredness. Not getting enough sleep each day can disrupt hormones that signal your body's need for nourishment. There are foods that can help increase energy levels and help you feel satisfied without overeating.

There are certain vitamins and minerals that can have an effect on how well you sleep. Getting the right amounts of vitamins B6 and B12, calcium, iron, and magnesium can help you to have healthy sleeping patterns. Vitamin B12 helps to fight fatigue by building strong and healthy red blood cells. It may also help insomnia by having an effect on melatonin, which is a hormone that regulates sleep cycles.

Carbohydrates can help you sleep. Eating carbohydrates, such as oatmeal and whole grain products, can increase levels of serotonin to help you sleep better.

Caffeine can keep you alert. Small amounts of caffeine over the length of a day, such as 8 ounces or less each time you drink, can keep you more awake, alert and focused than a large amount would. A large amount of caffeine would peak in the bloodstream sooner than if you spread it out and take smaller doses over a length of time.

August 26, 2008

Good Ways to Ease Stress and Fatigue

Stress can trigger a surge in hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, which can cause fatigue, headaches, or back pain. There are foods and drinks that can be used to ease stress.

Carbohydrates are good at easing stress. They can boost the levels of serotonin in the brain and make you feel calmer. Serotonin is a chemical that controls the stress management system in the brain.

Dark chocolate contains high levels of caffeine and theobromine, which can improve mood and energy levels. Chocolate can have an affect on the levels of endorphins released into the brain that can ease pain and stress. It also contains tryptophan, which is a chemical that causes the release of serotonin.

It is found that combining caffeine and the amino acid L-theanine, both which are present in tea, can decrease mental fatigue and improve alertness, reaction time, and memory. Black tea can help to ease stress by lowering the stress hormone cortisol.

May 12, 2008

Easy Tips to Get Better Sleep

If you have problems getting enough sleep there are several easy remedies. It is a good idea to establish a regular bedtime routine where you would go to sleep at the same time every night. Avoid caffeine and alcohol before going to bed. It is best not to keep anything that would cause distractions in the bedroom, such as televisions and radios. It is also a good idea not to exercise within 3 hours of trying to go to sleep.

There are herbs and hormones that can be taken to help a person go to sleep. Valerian is an herb that has been used for centuries against insomnia. Melatonin is a hormone that helps to regulate the sleep-wake cycle and is used as an occasional sleep aid. Melatonin metabolizes quickly, so a person would not have to worry about being drowsy in the morning if they wake up during the night when taking this.

January 19, 2008

Caffeinated Creams Cause Slimmer Thighs

A study was done that showed that putting caffeine-infused cream on your thighs could make them slimmer. The study was done on 99 women who used a cream with more than 7 percent of caffeine twice a day for 30 days. After 30 days, over 80 percent of the women had decreased the circumference of their upper and lower thighs. About 68 percent of the women had a reduction in their hip measurements.

Read More: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,315803,00.html