Sunday, February 22, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Caffeine and Pregnancy: How much is too much
Caffeine and Pregnancy: How much is too much
One of the first things most of us women prepare to say goodbye to once we see those two pink lines on our pregnancy tests is caffeine. Many women will stop their caffeine habit cold turkey out of the sheer fear of doing some sort of damage to the new life growing inside of them. These women will swear off anything that has caffeine in it from coffee, and soda to even chocolate. Then there are some of us who will still drink caffeine but cut back. Instead of drinking five cups of coffee a day, we might cut back to at least one cup of coffee to get us through the day.
Our mothers and grandmothers will probably tell us that they drank the same amount of caffeine pregnant as they did when they were not pregnant and their children turned out fine. However a lot more research has been done since their time and studies are showing that too much caffeine can cause some complications such as preterm labor and/or low birth weight.
So how much caffeine is too much caffeine? Doctors are telling their patients that a moderate amount of caffeine will not harm their babies. Even though caffeine does cross the placenta, anything less than 300 milligrams a day (an 8 ounce cup of strong coffee) will not do any harm. Anything over 300 milligrams puts your baby at risk and studies have also shown that women who drink more than 300 milligrams of caffeine a day during their first trimester have a slightly higher risk of a miscarriage.
Studies have also shown that women who had over 500 milligrams of caffeine a day had babies who had faster heart rates and faster breathing rates. These babies also spent more time awake in their first few days of life rather than peacefully sleeping after their long journey.
There are a number of other reasons why we women might want to cut back on the amount of caffeine we drink during pregnancy. For starters, it has no nutritional value. If there is ever a time for us to be aware of our nutritional needs it is when we are pregnant. Second, caffeine is a stimulant which will increase your heart rate and can cause insomnia and headaches which can put some stress on your growing little one. Third, caffeine can cause heartburn. If you have been pregnant before you know that heartburn can be a burden to begin with, and caffeine just makes it worse. Lastly it is a diuretic which means it can cause you to lose fluids which can put you at a risk of becoming dehydrated.
While it is not necessary for you to give up all caffeine through out the duration of your pregnancy, you should learn how to drink it in moderation or don't drink it at all. If you can not handle having only one cup of coffee a day, then you might be better off drinking no coffee at all. Stick with caffeine free sodas and even decaf coffee. Remember though that decaf coffee still contains small traces of caffeine so make sure you take that into consideration.
Daniel Silver
www.danslearningcenter.com
One of the first things most of us women prepare to say goodbye to once we see those two pink lines on our pregnancy tests is caffeine. Many women will stop their caffeine habit cold turkey out of the sheer fear of doing some sort of damage to the new life growing inside of them. These women will swear off anything that has caffeine in it from coffee, and soda to even chocolate. Then there are some of us who will still drink caffeine but cut back. Instead of drinking five cups of coffee a day, we might cut back to at least one cup of coffee to get us through the day.
Our mothers and grandmothers will probably tell us that they drank the same amount of caffeine pregnant as they did when they were not pregnant and their children turned out fine. However a lot more research has been done since their time and studies are showing that too much caffeine can cause some complications such as preterm labor and/or low birth weight.
So how much caffeine is too much caffeine? Doctors are telling their patients that a moderate amount of caffeine will not harm their babies. Even though caffeine does cross the placenta, anything less than 300 milligrams a day (an 8 ounce cup of strong coffee) will not do any harm. Anything over 300 milligrams puts your baby at risk and studies have also shown that women who drink more than 300 milligrams of caffeine a day during their first trimester have a slightly higher risk of a miscarriage.
Studies have also shown that women who had over 500 milligrams of caffeine a day had babies who had faster heart rates and faster breathing rates. These babies also spent more time awake in their first few days of life rather than peacefully sleeping after their long journey.
There are a number of other reasons why we women might want to cut back on the amount of caffeine we drink during pregnancy. For starters, it has no nutritional value. If there is ever a time for us to be aware of our nutritional needs it is when we are pregnant. Second, caffeine is a stimulant which will increase your heart rate and can cause insomnia and headaches which can put some stress on your growing little one. Third, caffeine can cause heartburn. If you have been pregnant before you know that heartburn can be a burden to begin with, and caffeine just makes it worse. Lastly it is a diuretic which means it can cause you to lose fluids which can put you at a risk of becoming dehydrated.
While it is not necessary for you to give up all caffeine through out the duration of your pregnancy, you should learn how to drink it in moderation or don't drink it at all. If you can not handle having only one cup of coffee a day, then you might be better off drinking no coffee at all. Stick with caffeine free sodas and even decaf coffee. Remember though that decaf coffee still contains small traces of caffeine so make sure you take that into consideration.
Daniel Silver
www.danslearningcenter.com
Monday, February 16, 2009
Doctors ignoring drug interaction alerts when writing prescriptions
This article appears at House Calls by Dr Alan Inglis M.D.
www1.youreletters.com on February 16, 2009.
There's been plenty of blame to go around as drug interactions have become a leading cause of death in the United States. We can blame Big Pharma, for cooking up these deadly cocktails that unleash havoc in our systems.
We can blame the FDA, for showing no interest in how drugs will interact before bodies start piling up.
But it turns out that arrogant doctors may deserve a good chunk of the blame for unleashing illnesses and deaths related to drug interactions.
According to a new study, doctors are ignoring electronic drug interaction alerts up to 90 percent of the time!
Researchers looked at electronic prescriptions written by more than 2,800 doctors in three states. The electronic prescription software worked as it should, displaying alerts when doctors were about to write a prescription that could cause a potentially dangerous interaction or trigger an allergic reaction.
Doctors ignored 77 percent of the allergy alerts and 90 percent of the drug interaction alerts. Why? They decided to rely on their own judgment instead – in fact, they even seemed annoyed by the alerts.
If this isn't the height of arrogance, I don't know what is. This system wasn't built to inconvenience doctors – it was built to save lives! And many docs, with their rushed, seven-minute appointments, just can't be bothered.
Researchers said part of the problem was that too many alerts were being generated, and docs just stopped paying attention. The fact that so many alerts are generated is the real smoking gun here. There are literally countless ways that prescription drugs can do serious damage in your system.
You've heard me say it before - your real health problems often begin the minute you accept that first prescription. And once you take a second, you're playing Russian roulette.
Before you accept any prescription, make sure your doctor fully informs you of the risks and potential interactions. We all want to assume that doctors are performing their due diligence – but this research paints a bleak picture we can't ignore.
Comment: It is sad that such educated and dedicated men and woman are not following the readily available information to prevent the mistreatment of their patients.
Dan Silver
www.danslearningcenter.com
www1.youreletters.com on February 16, 2009.
There's been plenty of blame to go around as drug interactions have become a leading cause of death in the United States. We can blame Big Pharma, for cooking up these deadly cocktails that unleash havoc in our systems.
We can blame the FDA, for showing no interest in how drugs will interact before bodies start piling up.
But it turns out that arrogant doctors may deserve a good chunk of the blame for unleashing illnesses and deaths related to drug interactions.
According to a new study, doctors are ignoring electronic drug interaction alerts up to 90 percent of the time!
Researchers looked at electronic prescriptions written by more than 2,800 doctors in three states. The electronic prescription software worked as it should, displaying alerts when doctors were about to write a prescription that could cause a potentially dangerous interaction or trigger an allergic reaction.
Doctors ignored 77 percent of the allergy alerts and 90 percent of the drug interaction alerts. Why? They decided to rely on their own judgment instead – in fact, they even seemed annoyed by the alerts.
If this isn't the height of arrogance, I don't know what is. This system wasn't built to inconvenience doctors – it was built to save lives! And many docs, with their rushed, seven-minute appointments, just can't be bothered.
Researchers said part of the problem was that too many alerts were being generated, and docs just stopped paying attention. The fact that so many alerts are generated is the real smoking gun here. There are literally countless ways that prescription drugs can do serious damage in your system.
You've heard me say it before - your real health problems often begin the minute you accept that first prescription. And once you take a second, you're playing Russian roulette.
Before you accept any prescription, make sure your doctor fully informs you of the risks and potential interactions. We all want to assume that doctors are performing their due diligence – but this research paints a bleak picture we can't ignore.
Comment: It is sad that such educated and dedicated men and woman are not following the readily available information to prevent the mistreatment of their patients.
Dan Silver
www.danslearningcenter.com
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Multivitamins for Woman - Flawed Study
(NaturalNews) A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine claims that multivitamins are useless at preventing cancer and cardiovascular disease in women. The mainstream media has predictably picked up on this story, gleefully running it as "proof" that nutrition is worthless and only pharmaceuticals can enhance your health.
What they're not telling you, though, might shock you. Here's the truth about this so-called "scientific" study on multivitamins:
• No multivitamins were even used in the study! The women followed in this study weren't actually given any multivitamins at all. They were simply asked if they take multivitamins!
Read the whole story here http://www.naturalnews.com/News_000725_multivitamins_womens_health_study.html
What they're not telling you, though, might shock you. Here's the truth about this so-called "scientific" study on multivitamins:
• No multivitamins were even used in the study! The women followed in this study weren't actually given any multivitamins at all. They were simply asked if they take multivitamins!
Read the whole story here http://www.naturalnews.com/News_000725_multivitamins_womens_health_study.html
Multivitamins for Woman - Flawed Study
(NaturalNews) A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine claims that multivitamins are useless at preventing cancer and cardiovascular disease in women. The mainstream media has predictably picked up on this story, gleefully running it as "proof" that nutrition is worthless and only pharmaceuticals can enhance your health.
What they're not telling you, though, might shock you. Here's the truth about this so-called "scientific" study on multivitamins:
• No multivitamins were even used in the study! The women followed in this study weren't actually given any multivitamins at all. They were simply asked if they take multivitamins! ...
Read the rest of the story here Women's Multivitamin Study Seriously Flawed, As Usual">Natural News.
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What they're not telling you, though, might shock you. Here's the truth about this so-called "scientific" study on multivitamins:
• No multivitamins were even used in the study! The women followed in this study weren't actually given any multivitamins at all. They were simply asked if they take multivitamins! ...
Read the rest of the story here Women's Multivitamin Study Seriously Flawed, As Usual">Natural News.
<
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Freaky Facts about Spray-On Tans: Are You in Danger?
Even the FDA believes spray tans are dangerous -- although you most likely have never heard that. If you go to a spray tanning salon, you are likely to be told that the treatment is completely safe and has the full backing of the U.S. government.
In fact, the spray tan solution, DHA, contains lead, mercury and arsenic. In the 1970's the U.S. government approved DHA for bronzers intended to be rubbed on your skin -- but it has not specifically approved its use in spray tan booths. When it is inhaled or sprayed onto the porous mucous membranes of your body, it can enter your bloodstream, leading federal regulators to call the procedure "unsafe".
DHA has been known to cause coughing, difficulty breathing, fainting, and dizziness. The greatest danger comes if you undergo the procedure without protecting your eyes, nose and mouth.
Sources:
CBS3 May 17, 2006
Associated Content September 19, 2008
To read the comments from Dr. Marcola and other sources go to Marcola.com and read article from February 5, 2009
In fact, the spray tan solution, DHA, contains lead, mercury and arsenic. In the 1970's the U.S. government approved DHA for bronzers intended to be rubbed on your skin -- but it has not specifically approved its use in spray tan booths. When it is inhaled or sprayed onto the porous mucous membranes of your body, it can enter your bloodstream, leading federal regulators to call the procedure "unsafe".
DHA has been known to cause coughing, difficulty breathing, fainting, and dizziness. The greatest danger comes if you undergo the procedure without protecting your eyes, nose and mouth.
Sources:
CBS3 May 17, 2006
Associated Content September 19, 2008
To read the comments from Dr. Marcola and other sources go to Marcola.com and read article from February 5, 2009
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