Coffee - more than just a eye opener

Finally after years of being categorized as being bad for you, the medical world has done a complete about face and are showing the benefits of Coffee.

Lowers the risk of dying - they showed on going studies that followed health professionals over twenty years, along with their dietary habits - the Nurses Health Study, and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. They found out that people who drank at least five cups of Coffee per week had a lower overall risk of dying from any cause compared to those who didn't.
The effect was usually stronger in women than men and most of the reduction in death was due to a reduction in cardiovascular disease. Women who consumed Coffee in this study also had a small reduction in the risk of Diabetes as well as Chronic Liver Disease.

Benefits of Polyphoenois - People who drank Decaf Coffee benefited as much as people who drank regular Coffee which says that there is something else in Coffee besides the Caffeine that is beneficial to our Health. We know that Coffee is high in Polyphenols - plant chemicals that are known to reduce inflammation.
Polyphenols also have other positive effects on the heart, blood vessels, and blood sugar.
They help to relax blood vessels, which can also lower blood pressure.
They act as anti-oxidants and may help reduce blockages in the arteries.
They seem to improve glucose tolerance and utilization, thus reducing the risk of Diabetes.

Benefits of Caffeine
Reducing the risk of Diabetes.
Thinning the blood by reducing platelet stickiness.
Relaxing the airways in people with Asthma which can improve Asthma symptoms.
Reducing the risk of Gallstones and Gout.
Reducing the risk of Parkinson's Disease.
Possibly reducing the risk of some cancers, including cancers of the liver, colon, and esophagus.

Prostate Cancer- Watching and waiting

It seems that there is a new way that people are dealing with Prostate Cancer. Instead of going right into surgery and radiation or chemotherapy they are just leaving the cancer alone. Leave it alone? the way we have always have led to believe is that if you don't have surgery and some form of radiation or chemotherapy you were sure to die, but now there are some doctors who differ. They are saying that Prostate cancer is one of the most over-rated diseases in America. They say that surgery and radiation carry the potential for life altering side effects like incontinence or impotence.
So some are saying the strategy of active surveillance is appropriate for many men, even younger men who have early-stage, slow growing prostate cancers. They say if you are in this stage of cancer you won't die of it unless you live well into your nineties. they recommend getting a biopsy every 12 to 18 months and PSA test more frequently.
So what to do? Don't wait for the sign's that are usually recommended, back pain and urinary problems because they say when you have these symptoms the cancer is large and already set. So go out and get a PSA test (Prostate specific antigen) test if you are in your later years or if the cancer runs in your family because with these tests they can detect the cancer at its earliest stage so the outlook for longer life increases.
Some who do go the surveillance way also supplement it with some form of holistic treatments such as exercise, eating well, supplements and acupuncture. But the risks are still there that you have to weigh if it does not work it will make it harder to deal with the surgery and radiation. The surgery will remove the cancer once and for all if detected so that's one thing you have to look at if you don't have a strong mind towards the disease. So this is some thing to consider but go out and get as many opinions as you can to help you decide because a majority of the doctors will want to attack and dismantle the cancer quickly because its a proven method of dealing with the disease or as for some people the watching and waiting method is working.

Take care of your Knee's

After all those years thinking you were superman, jumping off ever thing that did not have enough steps or what you should have climbed down, now your knees are starting to talk to you. Usually the culprit is osteoarthritis or injuries such as torn ligaments or tendinitis.

Don't you remember your mom and dad telling you about these things when you were young and you just rolled your eyes saying no not me? Well now that every time you get up you look like grandpa Jones, there are some things you can do to alleviate the situation.

Body weight, for every pound of body weight you lose takes four pounds of pressure off your knees.

Feet. if you are wearing the wrong footwear or you are walking wrong you can develop knee pain. have your gait checked will help also.

Exercise, muscles that are conditioned absorb more pressure than not.

And if all fails try ice or heat to help sooth the pain but leave the medication for last.