Monday, April 9, 2012
Caffeine risk: Good or Bad
though i have read a long term study before about the risk of caffeine..here is another good article about too much intake of caffeine.. not sure if the Italians were the number one coffee drinkers and then next were the Americans.. read on..
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Coffee culture carries caffeine risk
Bae Ji-sook
The Korea Herald
Publication Date : 23-03-2012
Koreans are definitely caffeinated: They love coffee, cola and chocolate as well as foods that contain a large amount of the stimulant.
Though it has been less than two decades since global coffee shop franchises were introduced to the country, industry insiders said about 37 million cups of coffee are sold every day, which means that 24 million economically active people drink more than one cup of coffee a day.
“I love coffee. I started with easy ‘coffee mix,’ powdered coffee extract with powdered cream and sugar. But now I am addicted to brewed coffee, which smells and tastes better. I drink about 4-5 cups a day,” said Kim Seo-yeon, a 32-year-old office worker. “Right after I wake up in the morning, after I have my lunch, during an afternoon break and while I watch TV at night, I always sip coffee.”
In addition to the frequent consumption of cola and chocolate, caffeinated energy drinks are gaining popularity among teenagers, who struggle to stay up at night to study.
However, experts warn that excessive caffeine intake could be harmful, especially since they are disguised with flavors, making easy to consume too much.
Caffeine is known for its short-term relief of fatigue or drowsiness since it stimulates the brain and nervous system. It is also known to speed up the dissolution of fat, which may lead to weight loss.
Usually, caffeine leaves the body through the urine system hours after it has been consumed, so there is not much to worry about in regards to intake. But if excessively consumed, it could lead to a fast heart rate, anxiety, depression, difficulty in sleeping, nausea, restlessness, tremors, frequent urinating or vomiting. It even has some reported withdrawal symptoms of drowsiness, headaches, irritability, nausea and vomiting.
“About 400 milligrams of caffeine is tolerable for adults, 300mg for pregnant women, or 2.5 milligrams per kilogram of weight,” said Dr. Seo Jeong-wan of Ewha Womans University Medical Centre. “It is equivalent to three-four cups of brewed coffee. But it could easily be filled by drinking 250 millilitres of cola, one canned coffee and 1 gram of chocolate, too. Therefore, people should watch what they are eating.”
Seo said teenagers should be extra alert about caffeine intake since they are in a critical stage of bone formation.
“If you drink caffeinated drinks instead of dairy, the facilitation of urination will take away the essential calcium and curb the growth of bone. If you are an adult, osteoporosis could be forecasted, too,” he added.
He advised teenagers to not rely on caffeine to overcome drowsiness.
“It could lead to insomnia if you take it for too long. Open the window, do stretching and eat food that are abundant in vitamin C such as citrons and other fresh fruits,” he said.
http://www.asianewsnet.net/home/news.php?id=28922&sec=9
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Signs of Caffeine Addiction
U.S.News & World Report LP
Yahoo Lifestyle Entertainment – Wed 18 Apr, 2012 10:27 AM IST
Miss your morning cup of coffee and get a pounding headache? Feel grumpy if you haven't had a cup of Joe in hours? Caffeine addiction is easy to develop and hard to kick. Though caffeine is prevalent and legal, it's the most commonly used drug in the world. In addition to coffee, it can lurk in soda, tea, energy drinks, chocolate, gum, vitamins, snacks like "caffeinated peanuts," and even some over-the-counter medicines. Last year, "caffeine withdrawal syndrome" was recommended for inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), which is used by mental health professionals to diagnose and research disorders. That's because caffeine can alter mood and behavior and caffeine withdrawal can interfere with sleep, work, and the ability to function at peak capacity. (The proposed revision has not yet been approved.)
"People are hesitant to think of [caffeine] as a drug of addiction because it doesn't have a lot of the health and adverse social consequences associated with our classic drugs of addiction," says Roland Griffiths, a professor in the departments of psychiatry and neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. "Yet the basic mechanisms by which it hooks people are very much like our classic drugs of addiction."
Most people experience mild to modest withdrawal, Griffiths says, which is relieved by drinking coffee in the morning after abstaining from it overnight. Many people say, "'I really don't get going until I have coffee, [and] then I feel great.' What they're not recognizing is that if they didn't consume coffee [at all], they would wake up feeling great," Griffiths says.
Griffiths' research suggests that it only takes 100 milligrams of caffeine a day--the amount found in a moderate-strength 8-ounce serving of coffee--to trigger at least mild withdrawal symptoms. And coffee isn't the only culprit--any type of caffeine can cause withdrawal. Caffeine withdrawal symptoms typically appear 12 to 24 hours after abstaining from coffee, and peak within 24 to 48 hours. They include: headache; lethargy and drowsiness; depressed mood; anxiety; nausea; vomiting; muscle pain and stiffness; and inability to concentrate. For those who are more caffeine-sensitive, symptoms could begin within three hours and last for up to a week. Those with the heaviest habit usually experience the most severe side effects.
More severe than caffeine addiction and withdrawal? Caffeine intoxication. It's a recognized clinical syndrome that causes nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, stomach problems, tremors, rapid heartbeat, restlessness, and pacing. It can even lead to death. Caffeine intoxication cases typically stem from caffeine pills and overdosing on energy drinks, though the DSM defines caffeine intoxication as recent consumption of more than 250 mg. of caffeine (about two to three cups) coupled with five or more symptoms that occur during or shortly after caffeine use.
Luckily, kicking the habit is doable. Most experts suggest cutting back gradually, drinking one fewer can of soda or a smaller coffee each day. That helps your body adjust to lower levels of caffeine, lessening potential withdrawal effects. Opting for decaf coffee or green tea is also smart, as is keeping a written tally of caffeine consumption each day.
http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/signs-of-caffeine-addiction.html
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Study finds coffee lovers may live longer
AFP Relax
If you love your morning coffee, a new study finds that your daily habit could protect your health. In a study by researchers from the National Cancer Institute in the US, older adults who drank coffee -- caffeinated or decaffeinated -- had a lower risk of death overall than others who did not drink coffee.
The java drinkers -- especially those who drank three or more cups a day -- were less likely to die from a number of illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and infections -- although researchers found no link with cancer. Results of the study were published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Head researcher Neal Freedman and his colleagues examined the association between coffee drinking and risk of death in 400,000 American men and women ages 50 to 71 who participated in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study.
"The mechanism by which coffee protects against risk of death -- if indeed the finding reflects a causal relationship -- is not clear, because coffee contains more than 1,000 compounds that might potentially affect health," said Freedman. "The most studied compound is caffeine, although our findings were similar in those who reported the majority of their coffee intake to be caffeinated or decaffeinated."
Still, while more research needs to be done to fully understand the protective components of coffee, Freedman adds that "these results do provide some reassurance that coffee drinking does not adversely affect health."
Coffee has also been shown to improve brain function in mice studies, with researchers probing the possibility of using coffee as a treatment for people with Alzheimer's disease. Researchers in Portugal also recently found that the consumption of caffeine could protect against memory loss associated with advanced diabetes.
Still health experts don't recommend overdoing your coffee intake. The US-based Mayo Clinic suggests no more than two to four cups a day, since more than that can cause insomnia, upset stomach, and anxiety.
http://ph.omg.yahoo.com/news/study-finds-coffee-lovers-may-live-longer-112209926.html
AFP Relax
If you love your morning coffee, a new study finds that your daily habit could protect your health. In a study by researchers from the National Cancer Institute in the US, older adults who drank coffee -- caffeinated or decaffeinated -- had a lower risk of death overall than others who did not drink coffee.
The java drinkers -- especially those who drank three or more cups a day -- were less likely to die from a number of illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and infections -- although researchers found no link with cancer. Results of the study were published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Head researcher Neal Freedman and his colleagues examined the association between coffee drinking and risk of death in 400,000 American men and women ages 50 to 71 who participated in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study.
"The mechanism by which coffee protects against risk of death -- if indeed the finding reflects a causal relationship -- is not clear, because coffee contains more than 1,000 compounds that might potentially affect health," said Freedman. "The most studied compound is caffeine, although our findings were similar in those who reported the majority of their coffee intake to be caffeinated or decaffeinated."
Still, while more research needs to be done to fully understand the protective components of coffee, Freedman adds that "these results do provide some reassurance that coffee drinking does not adversely affect health."
Coffee has also been shown to improve brain function in mice studies, with researchers probing the possibility of using coffee as a treatment for people with Alzheimer's disease. Researchers in Portugal also recently found that the consumption of caffeine could protect against memory loss associated with advanced diabetes.
Still health experts don't recommend overdoing your coffee intake. The US-based Mayo Clinic suggests no more than two to four cups a day, since more than that can cause insomnia, upset stomach, and anxiety.
http://ph.omg.yahoo.com/news/study-finds-coffee-lovers-may-live-longer-112209926.html
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Remain Forever Near
As we walk our path of life,
We meet people everyday.
Most are simply met by chance
But, some are sent our way.
These become special friends
Whose bond we can't explain;
The ones who understand us
And share our joy and pain.
Their love contains no boundaries.
So, even we are apart,
Their presence enhances us
With a warmth felt in the heart.
This love becomes a passageway,
When even the miles disappear.
And so, these friends, God sends our way,
Remain forever near.
as posted in tagged..
We meet people everyday.
Most are simply met by chance
But, some are sent our way.
These become special friends
Whose bond we can't explain;
The ones who understand us
And share our joy and pain.
Their love contains no boundaries.
So, even we are apart,
Their presence enhances us
With a warmth felt in the heart.
This love becomes a passageway,
When even the miles disappear.
And so, these friends, God sends our way,
Remain forever near.
as posted in tagged..
Friday, April 6, 2012
Of Good and Evil
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life.
"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.
"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.
One is evil.
He is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is good.
He is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.
This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"
The old Cherokee replied simply, "The one you feed."
Cherokee Wisdom
(as posted in fb by Tita Tes Marfil)
"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.
"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.
One is evil.
He is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is good.
He is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.
This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"
The old Cherokee replied simply, "The one you feed."
Cherokee Wisdom
Thursday, April 5, 2012
4 To-Dos for the "Someday" Entrepreneur
By Adelaide Lancaster
I talk with a lot of people who want to start a business “someday.” And as a result, I often think about the factors that determine which “someday” entrepreneurs will actually become business owners, and which will continue to say “I wish” for years to come.
Surprisingly, the ability to take the plunge has a lot less to do with people’s personalities, and a lot more to do with how accessible and familiar the experience of entrepreneurship is to them. Those who can picture themselves running a business often do. And those who continue to think of entrepreneurship as a big, scary thing that other people (perhaps more gregarious, sales-oriented, or risk-tolerant people) do tend to never move forward.
So, if you, too, dream of someday being your own boss, an important first step is just getting acquainted with the nature of the beast. Here are four things that will help you do just that.
1. Make New Friends
One of the best ways to learn what entrepreneurship is really like is by getting to know some entrepreneurs. Not necessarily the fancy, media darling types, but just normal, low-key people who work for themselves. To start, connect with entrepreneurs who match your own demographic—it helps you to start thinking “hey, if they can do it, so can I!” But be sure to branch out from there, and also to meet people in a wide variety of industries. There are lots of styles of entrepreneurship, so the more diversity you can experience, the better!
If you don’t know any entrepreneurs, just start asking people to make some introductions. Or, join groups on LinkedIn or Facebook, and start paying attention to the discussions that are happening. Ask someone you find interesting to have coffee and take it from there. Pick their brain about useful resources, groups, or meetings, and see if they can introduce you to even more entrepreneurs.
2. Pick Some New Role Models
In addition to making some new pals, it’s important to identify role models who are a little more established in the business world. You might not be able to take them to coffee, but you can learn a lot by observing them and their companies from afar.
Select three brands or companies that you like and admire. Find as many ways to follow their leaders as possible—be it their blogs, articles, or Facebook profiles. Read their books if they have them. Read their press and interviews that they’ve done. Think about how their personalities and leadership styles have shaped the brands and the companies they run. Stay abreast of their company news, and take note of what they share about their own experience.
3. Fall in Love with Small Business as a Customer
There’s a certain romance to small business. As a customer, there’s always something more special about the experience. Sometimes it’s witnessing changes over the years, other times it’s the connection to the owner, others it’s the attention to detail that’s given to the product or service.
And there’s a lot to learn from that! So, in addition to making friends with entrepreneurs themselves, it’s important to also make relationships with some actual businesses. Think about the small businesses that you currently patronize, or the new start-ups whose products you love. What do you know about their owners or story? What are their goals and where are they going? What do they do that’s memorable, distinct, or unique? What do they do particularly well? Thinking about your own experiences as a customer will give you tons of insight into running your own show.
4. Demystify “Business” Speak
Most would-be entrepreneurs get scared off by the “business” side of things. They overestimate the skills and knowledge that are needed to run a business and assume that there are huge mountains to be climbed and learning curves to overcome before even getting started.
But it’s important to confront the monster under the bed—it’s not as hard as you might think, and you certainly don’t have to have an MBA to do it. Pick a small business magazine like Inc. or Fast Company and invest $15 to get a subscription. Peruse it each month, but feel free to read only what’s interesting to you. You’ll soon see how un-mysterious business can be. From behind-the-scenes business profiles to questions about how to handle particular challenges, you’ll begin to learn a lot about the experience of entrepreneurship.
As you start talking to people, expanding your reading list, and thinking more and more about the what it’s like to be an entrepreneur, you’ll soon see that it’s not as big and scary as you might think. And that “someday” will inch a little bit closer to today.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2012/03/07/4-to-dos-for-the-someday-entrepreneur/
I talk with a lot of people who want to start a business “someday.” And as a result, I often think about the factors that determine which “someday” entrepreneurs will actually become business owners, and which will continue to say “I wish” for years to come.
Surprisingly, the ability to take the plunge has a lot less to do with people’s personalities, and a lot more to do with how accessible and familiar the experience of entrepreneurship is to them. Those who can picture themselves running a business often do. And those who continue to think of entrepreneurship as a big, scary thing that other people (perhaps more gregarious, sales-oriented, or risk-tolerant people) do tend to never move forward.
So, if you, too, dream of someday being your own boss, an important first step is just getting acquainted with the nature of the beast. Here are four things that will help you do just that.
1. Make New Friends
One of the best ways to learn what entrepreneurship is really like is by getting to know some entrepreneurs. Not necessarily the fancy, media darling types, but just normal, low-key people who work for themselves. To start, connect with entrepreneurs who match your own demographic—it helps you to start thinking “hey, if they can do it, so can I!” But be sure to branch out from there, and also to meet people in a wide variety of industries. There are lots of styles of entrepreneurship, so the more diversity you can experience, the better!
If you don’t know any entrepreneurs, just start asking people to make some introductions. Or, join groups on LinkedIn or Facebook, and start paying attention to the discussions that are happening. Ask someone you find interesting to have coffee and take it from there. Pick their brain about useful resources, groups, or meetings, and see if they can introduce you to even more entrepreneurs.
2. Pick Some New Role Models
In addition to making some new pals, it’s important to identify role models who are a little more established in the business world. You might not be able to take them to coffee, but you can learn a lot by observing them and their companies from afar.
Select three brands or companies that you like and admire. Find as many ways to follow their leaders as possible—be it their blogs, articles, or Facebook profiles. Read their books if they have them. Read their press and interviews that they’ve done. Think about how their personalities and leadership styles have shaped the brands and the companies they run. Stay abreast of their company news, and take note of what they share about their own experience.
3. Fall in Love with Small Business as a Customer
There’s a certain romance to small business. As a customer, there’s always something more special about the experience. Sometimes it’s witnessing changes over the years, other times it’s the connection to the owner, others it’s the attention to detail that’s given to the product or service.
And there’s a lot to learn from that! So, in addition to making friends with entrepreneurs themselves, it’s important to also make relationships with some actual businesses. Think about the small businesses that you currently patronize, or the new start-ups whose products you love. What do you know about their owners or story? What are their goals and where are they going? What do they do that’s memorable, distinct, or unique? What do they do particularly well? Thinking about your own experiences as a customer will give you tons of insight into running your own show.
4. Demystify “Business” Speak
Most would-be entrepreneurs get scared off by the “business” side of things. They overestimate the skills and knowledge that are needed to run a business and assume that there are huge mountains to be climbed and learning curves to overcome before even getting started.
But it’s important to confront the monster under the bed—it’s not as hard as you might think, and you certainly don’t have to have an MBA to do it. Pick a small business magazine like Inc. or Fast Company and invest $15 to get a subscription. Peruse it each month, but feel free to read only what’s interesting to you. You’ll soon see how un-mysterious business can be. From behind-the-scenes business profiles to questions about how to handle particular challenges, you’ll begin to learn a lot about the experience of entrepreneurship.
As you start talking to people, expanding your reading list, and thinking more and more about the what it’s like to be an entrepreneur, you’ll soon see that it’s not as big and scary as you might think. And that “someday” will inch a little bit closer to today.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2012/03/07/4-to-dos-for-the-someday-entrepreneur/
Rose Garden
"One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon--instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today." - - Dale Carnegie
If you spend all your time looking for big miracles, you're likely to miss a lot of the little ones; finding your keys when you need them, getting the right medicine for an illness, arriving home safely. God is giving you little miracles all the time. The more you look for them, the more you will see.
You have no right to wish for more, until you fully appreciate what you already have. It's not the amount that matters, but the blessings you are able to receive from it. A slice of stale bread gives more to the beggar, than a new house to the rich. Everything you have has unending blessings for you hidden inside, - learn to receive them.
If you spend all your time looking for big miracles, you're likely to miss a lot of the little ones; finding your keys when you need them, getting the right medicine for an illness, arriving home safely. God is giving you little miracles all the time. The more you look for them, the more you will see.
You have no right to wish for more, until you fully appreciate what you already have. It's not the amount that matters, but the blessings you are able to receive from it. A slice of stale bread gives more to the beggar, than a new house to the rich. Everything you have has unending blessings for you hidden inside, - learn to receive them.
A lenten prayer
Forgive Me Lord
Forgive me Lord
For the wrongs I have done.
For anger I shouldn't have
Against anyone.
I know I'm weak Lord,
But I love You, I really do,
And in spite of my weakness,
I know You love me too.
Forgive me for not reading Your word,
And for the times that I stray.
Forgive me for just being too tired
When I don't take the time to pray.
Give me the strength, Lord
To do what I should each day.
Let Your love shine through me
So others will follow Your way.
Even though I've failed You Lord,
I know You'll forgive me,
And this I promise Lord,
A better Christian I will be.
For Your presence is in me
Filling my heart with Your love,
And I have Your reassurance
You're guiding from above.
I love You Lord, and thank You
For the blessings You bestow,
I will tell others about You
So Your goodness they too, will know.
from a wall post of Fernan Serraon Fernandez
Forgive me Lord
For the wrongs I have done.
For anger I shouldn't have
Against anyone.
I know I'm weak Lord,
But I love You, I really do,
And in spite of my weakness,
I know You love me too.
Forgive me for not reading Your word,
And for the times that I stray.
Forgive me for just being too tired
When I don't take the time to pray.
Give me the strength, Lord
To do what I should each day.
Let Your love shine through me
So others will follow Your way.
Even though I've failed You Lord,
I know You'll forgive me,
And this I promise Lord,
A better Christian I will be.
For Your presence is in me
Filling my heart with Your love,
And I have Your reassurance
You're guiding from above.
I love You Lord, and thank You
For the blessings You bestow,
I will tell others about You
So Your goodness they too, will know.
from a wall post of Fernan Serraon Fernandez
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Maundy Thursday
What is Maundy Thursday?
Maundy Thursday - also called Holy Thursday, is the beginning of the three day celebration of Easter - the most important time in the year for Christians. This period ('The Triduum') is one big celebration, remembering the last supper, the crucifixion and the death of Jesus, and the Resurrection to new life.
Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles.
The Last Supper
On this day, Christians remember the Last Supper. During the meal Jesus took bread and wine and shared them with his disciples. Christians continue to share bread and wine as part of their worship in church.
The Last Supper was probably a Passover meal – the meal which Jewish people share together to celebrate the time when God delivered Moses and the people from slavery in Egypt.
The night of Maundy Thursday is the night on which Jesus was betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane.
What is the origin of the name Maundy?
The name 'Maundy' is derived from the Latin word “mandatum”, meaning a commandment. Jesus Christ, at the Last Supper, commanded:
'And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.' John 13:34
from facebook page: My life with God
Maundy Thursday - also called Holy Thursday, is the beginning of the three day celebration of Easter - the most important time in the year for Christians. This period ('The Triduum') is one big celebration, remembering the last supper, the crucifixion and the death of Jesus, and the Resurrection to new life.
Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles.
The Last Supper
On this day, Christians remember the Last Supper. During the meal Jesus took bread and wine and shared them with his disciples. Christians continue to share bread and wine as part of their worship in church.
The Last Supper was probably a Passover meal – the meal which Jewish people share together to celebrate the time when God delivered Moses and the people from slavery in Egypt.
The night of Maundy Thursday is the night on which Jesus was betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane.
What is the origin of the name Maundy?
The name 'Maundy' is derived from the Latin word “mandatum”, meaning a commandment. Jesus Christ, at the Last Supper, commanded:
'And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.' John 13:34
from facebook page: My life with God
My quotes
Whatever is your religion, nobody has a monopoly on God. - Elmer S. Nagsagaray
Trust is given not earned. - Elmer S. Nagsagaray
Trust is given not earned. - Elmer S. Nagsagaray
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