Health Briefs TV Examines the Pros and Cons of Caffeine

Caffeine can be found in many common food and beverages we consume daily. It is both beneficial and detrimental to overall wellness. Health Briefs TV examines the pros and cons of caffeine.

Caffeine is a bitter tasting drug that is commonly found in the coffee bean, cacao plant, and tea leaf. It’s odorless. Scientists believe some plants developed it as a defense mechanism from being eaten. In today’s highly charged world, caffeine can give us the energy boost we need to get started for the day. We take our caffeine is different forms: coffee, tea, cocoa and in beauty care products.

Caffeine enters the blood stream through the stomach and small intestine and can take effect in 15 minutes. It blocks the brain chemical adenosine which is aligned with sleep. It releases adrenaline which can cause muscle tightening and an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. How much is too much?

The FDA notes that four to five cups of coffee per day is healthy for adults. A total of 400 milligrams of caffeine, if not a coffee drinker, is the recommended amount for adults. Children and teens are encouraged to avoid it altogether. A study by a respected medical journal notes that caffeine consumption can lower the rates of depression in women. Caffeine has also been shown to enhance long-term memory, and can lower the risk of malignant melanoma by 20 percent for some people.

Too much caffeinated food, beverages and nutritional supplements can cause jitteriness, dizziness, heart palpitations, and other medical issues. Health Briefs TV also notes that for some people, addiction is possible. The human body gets used to having caffeine in it, and more is needed to get its perks. We can also become addicted to caffeine. Imagine what the morning would be like if we did not have a few cups of coffee to get us going.

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Health Briefs TV Warns Readers about E-Cigarette Dangers

Quitting smoking is one of the most difficult things to do. Breaking that nicotine habit is hell. There is no other way to describe it. Today, there are nicotine patches, nicotine lozenges and e-cigarettes to help people who want to quit smoking. As many could guess, some of these helpers are not all that good for you.  Health Briefs looks at the dangers of e-cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes are a popular option for people who are trying to quit smoking. Shaped like a long cigarette, the item can be loaded with flavored vapors and a heavy dose of nicotine. Newer models of the e-cig allow the user to adjust the level of nicotine they get. But along with that comes a higher amount of formaldehyde, which is a probable human carcinogen. Health Briefs TV notes that cigarettes also contain formaldehyde. Researchers found that the higher the voltage chosen on the e-cigarette, the higher amount of formaldehyde. They also note that people who vaped three milliliters of e-liquid per day would inhale 14.4 milligrams of formaldehyde. This can possibility increase the risk of cancer up to 15 times.

While there are many options today to help the smoker kick the nicotine habit, our best suggestion is to ask a doctor. Most of the products on store shelves are expensive. But quitting sure beats the high cost of healthcare that a cancer diagnoses will eventually bring.

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Health Briefs TV on How to Break the Nicotine Habit One Day at a Time

Some smokers we know have said quitting smoking is the easiest thing they ever have done – because they have done it so many times. Now that the New Year has begun, there may be readers who committed to break the nicotine habit once and for all. Health Briefs TV applauds you and shares some suggestions which might help make the commitment stick.

Whichever way you choose to quit, announce it to everyone you know. Post is on social media.  The more support you have behind you, the more successful you will be.

Replace the bad habit with a good healthier one. If the urge to light up strikes right after dinner, take a pleasant walk outside with a family member, spouse, and even the family dog.

Get rid of everything in the home that reminds you of smoking. This means all ashtrays, lighters and hidden cigarettes. Health Briefs suggests throwing them all in the trash and then throw that bag in the Dumpster. Out of sight out of mind.

If stopping at a favorite gas station or convenience store, just say no when the clerk automatically hands you a pack of your regular brand. The power of saying “no thanks I quit” will make you feel like you can quit for good.

If stress is trigger, if social drinking is a trigger or if there are any other triggers, find a placement for them. Take a 10 minute break from work and go outside and walk. Order a different drink at the bar and sit where no smoking is allowed.

Check out the timeline below to see how not smoking approves overall health:

• After 20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure drops.
• After 12 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
• After two weeks to three months: your circulation improves and your lung function increases.
• After 1 to 9 months: coughing and shortness of breath decreases and lung functions improve.
• After on year: chances of heart-related illnesses are cut in half.

Quitting smoking is not easy. Get support from everyone you know. Take it one day at a time. After three months, the habit itself is broken.

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Health Briefs Remind Readers – National Prescription Take-Back Day

Saturday is National Prescription Take-Back Day across the United States. Health Briefs provides more information below.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has headed this initiative for the last four years and has held seven previous Take-Back Days. These are authorized by the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010. The agency has collected more than 780,000 pounds old and expired drugs.

This Saturday, September 27 is the day to take any unused pills to the nearest take-back spot. Why not rid the home of dangerous and poisonous prescription drugs? The less there are in the home, the less chance a child can find and ingest them. Getting rid of old medication also prevents someone from stealing it and selling it or overdosing on it. Health Briefs TV reminds readers to take back old medication and not toss it in the trash. The chemicals in them end up in the country’s landfills and water supply.

The DEA has set up Take Back sites across the nation from 10 AM to 2 PM, Saturday. Click here to find the closest one to you. Help keep your home and loved ones safe. Get rid of old medication at a take-back location.

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Health Briefs TV Shares News on Teen Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Not cool at all.

The number of teens who smoke, drink, or use drugs has gone down significantly from 2002 to 2013, according to a new study. This is good news and Health Briefs reviews more information from this research.

Alcohol, binge drinking and tobacco use are also reduced for teens age 12 to 17 in the same time period. Illegal drug use is down also. Teens that have a substance dependence problem or abuse problems also went down. The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also reports that in 2013, rates of illegal drug abuse fell among teens to just under nine percent. Alcohol abuse dropped to 11.6 percent from 13 percent in 2012. And binge drinking rates, one of the most dangerous forms of alcohol abuse, fell only one percent during the same time period. The Health Briefs TV show learns that the rate of preteens and teens that drove under the influence dropped three percent.

While these statistics are encouraging and positive, preteens and teens must learn from the adults in their lives that there is nothing cool about alcohol use or illegal substance abuse. Drinking and drunk driving are not normal teen activities and can lead to injury, death and jail time. Substance abuse ruins lives immediately.  Please help America’s preteens and teens get the help they need to kick an addiction before it kicks them.

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Health Briefs Addresses Exercise Addiction

Take a look at someone who regularly signs up for mini-marathons and marathons. They are most likely quite thin and ramped up to run another five or twenty miles. People who exercise this often and arduously could possibly be addicted to exercise. Health Briefs explains what this is.

Some of us admire people who are dedicated to working out seven days a week for hours at a time. These are not people with an addiction to exercise. They are engaging in healthy behaviors which benefit their overall well being. It is only when the obsessive, anxious or depressed person exercises to the point of injury or to the point of avoiding everyone in their life that physical activity turns into a dangerous addiction. Medical professionals note that it is the compulsive need and motivation to exercise that separates a regular exerciser, to a highly committed exerciser, to an addicted exerciser.  Health Briefs TV learns that when exercise becomes all-consuming and takes the place of everyone and everything else – such as work obligations – a dangerous line is crossed into addiction. If someone in your life seems to be heading in this direction, speak to them about it.

Regular exercise is a healthy addition for most people. It gives us energy, focus and can increase creativity. It keeps us mentally strong and agile as we age. But too much of a good thing can be harmful to not just the body but to the important relationships in our lives. Do you know someone who might be addicted to exercise?

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