Coffee does not make you sober…
http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/caffeine-doesnt-sober-you-up.html
Caffeine Doesn’t Sober You Up
Dec. 9 (HealthDay News) — Downing a cup or two of coffee after a few belts of liquor won’t sober you up enough to get you safely behind the wheel of a car, new research concludes.
Alcohol may lessen the effects of caffeine, but caffeine doesn’t mitigate the impaired decision-making brought on by alcohol, the study found.
The implications of the study are also especially important for younger people, to whom many of the new high-octane, alcohol-caffeine combination drinks are marketed, the researchers added.
“Caffeine decreases the sedative effects of alcohol but it doesn’t improve cognitive function, which means that decision-making processes may be compromised,” said Thomas Gould, co-author of the study published in the current issue of the journal Behavioral Neursocience. “People assume they’re not as drunk as they are and the impaired cognition that remains may lead to poor choices and decision-making. And people often drink more when it’s a caffeine-alcohol mix.”
“Caffeine doesn’t change blood alcohol levels and it doesn’t change things as far as being able to make proper choices, and those can lead to very dire consequences,” added Gould, director of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at Temple University in Philadelphia.
“Alcohol and coffee are not a good mix,” agreed Jean Bidlack, a professor of pharmacology and physiology at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is looking into the safety and legality of making and selling popular alcohol drinks that contain caffeine. In November, the agency sent letters to nearly 30 manufacturers of such drinks, which are marketed under names such as “Joose,” “Spykes” and “Sparks,” asking them to show why their products are safe and under what authority they think they can sell them.
According to an FDA news release, up to 26 percent of college students consume these high-octane beverages.
“There is a folklore that caffeine can sober you up,” Gould said. “We were explicitly testing to see if caffeine could improve alcohol-induced deficits in cognition.”
Gould’s team observed the behavior of mice that had been given ethanol, caffeine, or a combination of the two, in a specially designed maze.
Mice under the influence of ethanol had less anxiety and a reduced ability to learn, although they moved around more. This basically meant they were bumping into things they should have known were there.
Conversely, caffeine produced anxiety while decreasing both locomotion and learning.
When given together, ethanol interfered with caffeine’s anxiety-producing effect, but caffeine could not restore ethanol’s effects on learning. What you got was a laid-back mouse prone to taking risks and not knowing it was taking risks, the researchers said.
“This adds to the growing body of evidence that individuals who combine caffeinated energy drinks with alcohol may be inadvertently putting themselves at greater risk due to poor decision-making and the misperception that their judgment is intact,” said Jeffrey T. Parsons, chairman of psychology at Hunter College in New York City.
“One of the cautions [about the new study] is that this is an animal model, so we need to do more research to test this with humans. But I think the take-home message is a rum and coke isn’t going to stop you from being intoxicated and potentially making bad decisions,” he added.
Added Bonnie Levin, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, “Younger people are already more prone to risk-taking and impulsive decision-taking.”
There may be something in the Mediterranean lifestyle that helps prevent depression, and may even transcend nutrients. To be sure, nutrients matter. The latest study, of more than 10,000 Spaniards, found that those who most closely adhere to their traditional Mediterranean diet have a 30 percent lower risk of developing depression, compared to those who don’t follow the diet. While the researchers emphasize that the study doesn’t show cause and effect, they point out that:
- The abundance of antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory compounds in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and other components help protect the endothelium, the lining of blood vessels. A healthy endothelium is associated not only with less heart disease but also possibly with less depression.
- Olive oil may improve the body’s ability to use serotonin, the brain transmitter that is often found to be low in depression, and which antidepressants such as Prozac boost.
- Omega 3-fatty acids found in seafood may improve the function of nerve cells.
- Fruits, nuts and legumes (such as beans) were independently protective against depression in the study.
But the Mediterranean diet goes beyond food. The origin of the word “diet” comes from the Greek word “diaita,” which really means the manner in which you live your life, not just what you put in your mouth. It includes how you grow, buy and prepare your food, who you prepare it for, and if you and your family make and eat meals together.
To get a closer understanding, we asked Mediterranean Hot and Spicy author Aglaia Kremezi, who teaches cooking on the Greek island of Kea, Cyclades. “I can think of two factors that might play a role in the reduced incidence of depression in people who eat the Mediterranean way,” says Kremezi.
Her first thought is culinary pleasure. “They enjoy wonderful flavors as they eat seasonal vegetables and fruits that are tasty, colorful and varied, compared to the dull ‘meat and potatoes’ Western way of eating.”
Her second is about family meals. “Traditionally, in the Mediterranean countries, family and friends enjoy their meals leisurely sharing meze [small plates] and main courses around the table with a glass of wine or two. Also, as most Mediterranean dishes are made from scratch, the preparation of food is an added satisfaction that is very often shared among family members.”
So while we celebrate the nutritious balance of foods in the Mediterranean Diet, let’s remember its social and cultural lessons as well. Making meals together and sharing them with friends and family, while not a proven antidote to depression, may also play a role in the pursuit of happiness.
Jackie Warner’s Protein Shake Receipe
The Skysport Breakfast Protein Shake Recipe:
-2 cups of organic mixed berries
-1 scoop of mega green powder
-1 serving of whey protein powder
-1 tbsp of flaxseed oil (Cold Pressed)
-1 tbsp of liquid amino acids
-1 cup of ice mix in blender.
In addition to the shake for breakfast Jackie Warner also has one cup of oatmeal. Get all the protein shake ingredients for less here.
Just booked my trip to Cancun. Anyone making travel plans in the next few months?
Latest Spa Consumer Trends
This research by Coyle Hospitality Group also includes insights on the following:
Read the entire research via coylehospitality.com
- Most booked treatments - Massage
- Factors influencing spa-goers’ enjoyment - Relaxation
- Importance of specific spa facility offerings and spa attributes - Relaxation room, Cleanliness
- Spa guest loyalty
- Spa purchases
- Gift certificate purchases - In location
- Choices that would provide the most value to their overall spa experience - Bargain/discounted prices
- Where the spa goers look for spa deals, packages and offers - Online
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Caffeine affects your sleep
“According to a recent study led by a Canadian researcher in Montreal, caffeine interferes with sleep and this effect worsens with age. For shift workers, who need to sleep during the day, caffeine can really antagonize sleep.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-michael-j-breus/shift-worker-alert-curb-t_b_386058.html
Four Square
Four square is a social networking site that merges reviews and hot spots to find friends and get tips.
