Choosing Healthy Foods

We all know how important getting a good night’s sleep is, but sometimes it isn’t so easy to do. It’s possible that you may be unknowingly sabotaging your sleep with what you are eating and drinking. Foods that hurt sleep: For all the reasons that we drink coffee in the morning, we should do our best to limit it at night or switch to decaf. Caffeine’s stimulant effects can make it hard to fall asleep. Don’t stop at coffee when looking for caffeine. With the increase in “energy” products, caffeine can be found in a variety of other foods and drinks including tea, soda, bars, chocolate, gum and other candies. It is best to avoid them within a few hours of bedtime. Heartburn and other types of indigestion can also disrupt sleep and tend to get worse when we lie down. Large meals and specific triggers, like spicy or high fat foods, can increase indigestion and make it hard to sleep. Foods that help sleep: You’ve probably heard that turkey makes you sleepy, but it is really true? Sadly, no....

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, so it seems logical to  ask – Is coffee good for us? Some studies show benefit and others don’t. So what is  the bottom line with coffee? Coffee Benefits: Studies have found evidence that coffee can help protect us from a variety of illnesses. Aside  from the obvious caffeine boost, which we like for the pick-me-up, coffee contains other  beneficial compounds. A recent study found that people who drank four or more cups of  coffee per day may lower their risk of melanoma as much as 20%, possibly due to protection  from sun damage. Other studies have found that coffee drinkers have lower risk for other  cancers, heart disease and even live longer overall. Coffee Risks: While the overall research suggests that coffee has benefits, not everyone responds to coffee  or the caffeine it contains in the same way. People with high blood pressure and pregnant  women should consider limiting the...

With assistance from Northeastern graduate student Patrick H. Norwood Caffeine is the single most widely used substance in the world over, regardless of age group or cultural background. It is known as a common stimulant. We find it in a variety of foods, including coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate. Given its popularity and social acceptance, many of us come to enjoy at least a modest serving in our daily lives; Americans consume an average of 300 mg per day -- the equivalent of about 2 medium cups of brewed coffee. What, if any, are the health implications of caffeine consumption? And what if, rather than 1 or 2, we drink 5 or 6 cups of coffee each day? Are there major concerns to be had? The short answer is "No." Having a few cups of coffee throughout the day yields nearly the average intake. However, with that said some people may experience a particular hypersensitivity to caffeine even at moderate levels, in which case they may do better by avoiding it. Others, however, m...