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According to Statista.com, coffee is still one of the most popular beverages among Americans of all ages. In fact, nearly half of young adults age 18-24 drink coffee. But by far, seniors are more likely to drink the delectable beverage and they tend to drink roughly three times as many cups as day as well! […]
According to Statista.com, coffee is still one of the most popular beverages among Americans of all ages. In fact, nearly half of young adults age 18-24 drink coffee. But by far, seniors are more likely to drink the delectable beverage and they tend to drink roughly three times as many cups as day as well!
Not only is coffee one of the most satisfying and beloved beverages around, but it also comes with a bit of controversy and mystery. There are those health experts that claim coffee is beneficial to your health and those that claim it is NOT beneficial to your health.
Of course, most of these claims have to do with the caffeine content in the coffee. So what is the truth about caffeine? Is it good or bad for us? Well, the answer is – it’s both!
Let’s take a deeper dive into the pros and cons of caffeine.
It Makes Us More Alert
Let’s take a look at the most obvious benefit people experience from drinking coffee and that is it does help to give us a jolt of energy and make us feel more alert and awake. Caffeine has also been shown to improve response time and accuracy. So there really is something to people saying, “I can’t even think until I’ve had my first cup of coffee!”
It Puts Us in a Better Mood
Beyond making us more alert, caffeine can actually perk up our mood and flood us with positive feelings. Health experts believe this positive impact on our mood is what gets most people hooked on caffeinated drinks.
May Improve Memory
While more human studies are necessary, caffeine has been shown to improve long-term memory. In fact, worldwide studies have found that moderate caffeine consumption reduces the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s. In Finland, where coffee consumption is higher than anywhere else in the world, people have the lowest risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Disruption of Normal Sleep Patterns
When we drink caffeinated beverages later in the day, they can interfere with us getting a good night’s sleep. This makes us feel sleepy the next day, which then makes us reach for more and more caffeine, and the vicious cycle continues.
Increased Production of Stress Hormones
Caffeine prompts our adrenal glands to produce more of the stress hormones norepinephrine, adrenaline, and cortisol. This is really bad because cortisol release contributes to both fatigue and insomnia.
On top of this, the increase of stress hormones in our bloodstream can cause us to have an exaggerated reaction to everyday stressful events. A traffic jam can send us reeling, as can our neighbor’s barking dog and a telemarketer calling at dinner.
Heart Health
Health researchers have found a link between the habitual use of caffeine and inflammation. Now when you combine this with caffeine’s tendency to raise blood pressure (thanks to those stress hormones!), you have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Of course, how caffeine will affect you will have much to do with your own genetic makeup and how much you drink. Your best option when it comes to caffeine consumption is to use moderation and to monitor how caffeine makes you feel and go from there!
SOURCES:
According to the US Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused by the time they are 18, and 44% of rape victims are under age 18. Sadly, but not surprisingly, victims of sexual assault are three times more likely to suffer from depression, 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol, […]
According to the US Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused by the time they are 18, and 44% of rape victims are under age 18. Sadly, but not surprisingly, victims of sexual assault are three times more likely to suffer from depression, 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol, 26 times more likely to abuse drugs, and four times more likely to contemplate suicide according to the Rape and Incest National Network (RAINN).
Recognizing the real threat of sexual abuse against children is only half the battle. Talking to children about it is necessary to keep them safe. Unfortunately, many parents, particularly those of little children, have a hard time speaking to their kids about sexual abuse.
Here are some of the top reasons parents don’t discuss sexual abuse with their children:
Wrong. Child sexual abuse happens everywhere, from big cities to small farming communities and everywhere in between. No matter your location, religion, race, or yearly income, your life can be affected by it.
Sadly, 93% of all child sexual abuse happens at the hands of someone the child knows and trusts. Parents who teach only stranger danger are doing a disservice to their child.
You may be surprised to learn that the appropriate age to begin discussing the topic of child sexual abuse prevention is when a child is three years old. You can teach your young child about appropriate and inappropriate touch by saying something like, “Did you know that the parts of your body covered by your bathing suit are private and are for no-one else to see or touch?” Be sure to include any exceptions to this rule for potty training, hygiene and doctors’ visits. Also, explain that if someone does give them the “bad kind of touch,” that they are to tell Mommy or Daddy or their teacher.
You most likely don’t refrain from teaching your child about traffic safety for fear that your child will be scared to cross the street. Teaching body safety is equally important and, if done properly, can empower children.
Most children don’t immediately tell their parents. Typically, the perpetrator convinces them that the act is “their little secret” or that their parents will be angry with them. Be sure to tell your children that you would never ever be angry at them and they should come to you immediately if they ever became a victim of sexual abuse.
Children who have been the victim of sexual assault will require love and support. Parents of victims should consider seeking the guidance of a trained therapist who can help the child communicate facts and handle feelings.
If you or someone you know is a parent of a child who has been sexually abused and is interested in exploring treatment, please contact me today. I would be happy to speak with you about how I may be able to help.
Parenting in the Age of Eating Disorders Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are serious psychiatric illnesses, not unlike anxiety and depression. Individuals who suffer from one of these disorders use food in unhealthy ways to cope with difficult emotions and life situations. Sadly, eating disorders have now become an epidemic in this country. […]
Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are serious psychiatric illnesses, not unlike anxiety and depression. Individuals who suffer from one of these disorders use food in unhealthy ways to cope with difficult emotions and life situations.
Sadly, eating disorders have now become an epidemic in this country. It is estimated that roughly 11 million women and girls struggle with anorexia and bulimia. Though the average age of onset is 14, girls as young as 8 suffer from eating disorders.
It is important to mention that young men and boys also suffer from eating disorders. It is a common misconception that these issues only affect girls, and that tends to inhibit boys from seeking treatment.
It’s hard to pinpoint one single event that triggers an eating disorder. Usually, it is a combination of factors that can include genetics, peer pressure, trauma, media influence, and life transitions.
Young people may display a variety of warning signs but the most common is developing an obsession with how they look. Boys and girls may suddenly display an extreme preoccupation with food, carefully counting calories, carbohydrates, and fat grams.
While your child will be heavily influenced by numerous outside factors, you can play an important role in preventing the development of an eating disorder. To start, throughout their life, food should never be used as a reward or punishment. It’s common in our culture to reward our kids with ice cream or punish them by sending them to their room before they’ve finished dinner. This must stop because it instills in them the very idea that food is something other than nourishment.
It’s also important to walk the walk. This means preparing healthy and balanced meals in the home. Exercise should be done to stay healthy and to have fun (biking, kayaking) not because you are trying to lose weight.
Even if your doctor has told you you must lose weight for your health, choose your words carefully. “I am getting up early and walking before work to be healthier.”
Mothers, in particular, must recognize how their behavior and actions with food and body image impact their daughters. A mother who herself is obsessed with being “skinny” and counting calories will encourage these behaviors in her own daughter.
With both young girls and boys, the parental focus should be put on the child’s efforts and achievements, not on their looks, beauty, muscles, etc. And, most importantly, all children must be encouraged to focus their attention on specific qualities such as kindness, compassion, or generosity.
If you know a child who may be suffering from an eating disorder and would like to explore treatment options. Please get in touch with me. I’d be happy to discuss how I may be able to help.