CAFFEINE : Friend or Foe ?

Caffeine can be an addictive drug. Regular use over time often produces physical and mental effects when withdrawn. While an occasional small dose of caffeine may not make a difference, heavier use has been linked to health problems.

Are You an Addict?

You could be a caffeine addict without even knowing it.

One way to find out if you are addicted is to stop all caffeine intake a week. If you’re hooked, chances are good that you will notice physical symptoms like headache, lack of appetite, and nausea, which can last from one to five days. Psychologically, you may feel down and listless, and of course, there will be a strong urge for your favorite beverage.

Breaking the Habit

If you find you’re a caffeine fiend, here are a few things you can do to ease through withdrawal.

• Gradually reduce the amount of caffeine.
• Replace it by drinking more water.
• Exercise in the fresh air.
• Get the support of others around you.
• Reward yourself for taking such a positive step.

Caffeine can produce:

• Elevated blood sugar
• Increased blood pressure
• Elevated blood fats (triglycerides)
• Heightened symptoms of Pre-menstrual Syndrome
• Tremors, irritability, and nervousness
• Aggravation of anxiety disorders and panic attacks
• Increased stomach acid secretions
• Urinary calcium and magnesium losses
• Insomnia
• Irregular heartbeat
• Increased stimulation of the central nervous system (it overrules the need for rest)

Your Challenge

Cut down on caffeinated drinks like tea, coffee, and colas and eventually skip them altogether. See how you fare. At the end of a week, review this material and give serious consideration to making your body a caffeine-free zone.

Source:

Aileen Ludington and Hans Diehl, HEALTH&HOME 2005 (Sept-Oct pp.6-7)

Body Odor No More

Body odor can be solved or minimized. The objective is to reduce the bacteria in the skin despite the hot and humid weather.

Here are some tips to prevent body odor:

• Take a bath in the morning.
• Rinse body with water mixed with powdered tawas. A tablespoon or two of powdered tawas are good enough for a regular-size pail.
• Put on a fresh set of clothing and underwear.
• Take a good body scrub with soap and water, concentrating on the underarms, neck, and groins before going to bed in the evening.
• Watch your diet. Go far the bland ones-not hot, spicy flavoring or rich, fatty foods. Eat more leafy vegetables and fruits. Drink plenty of water. Avoid soft drinks and coffee. A balanced diet will empty the bowels and urinary bladder daily.
• Wear clothes made from light materials like pure cotton during hot weather. Silk and synthetic materials cannot absorb sweat. For women, shave off excess underarm hair. Hairs in the armpit collect secretions, debris, and bacteria. It is unbecoming for a lady to have unshaved underarms.
• Apply powdered tawas directly to the underarms and other parts of the body after a bath. It kills odor-causing bacteria and absorb moisture. If powdered tawas is too irritating to the skin, baking soda-talcum powder mixture is a good substitute.
• Wash liberally with water after using the toilet. Ladies should especially do so during the menstrual period, and change pad as often as needed.

If the problem still stinks despite the daily hygiene, a steam bath once a week may help. This sweating treatment cleans the skin pores and removes impurities. If you can have the luxury of a mint or eucalyptus flavored steam bath, the better. It will not only clean your skin but make it smell good as well.

-- Herminia G. Landion

Be CAR CARE Aware

Your car is one of your big investments, so in order to maintain its reliability, preserve its drivability, and protect its resale value, you need to be car care aware. Take the following dos and don'ts from the senior service adviser of Honda Cars-Shaw, Abelardo "Dong" Vicente.

Dos

1. Bring car to service center or talyer at least every six months, for periodic maintenance to avoid engine breakdown.
2. Keep tires properly inflated to provide you the best combination of handling, treading life, and riding comfort. Visually check all tires every day. If a tire seems under inflated, verify it with a tire gauge. Even tires in good condition may lose air due to leakage. Make sure your spare tire is in good condition, too.
3. Check battery condition every month, including proper electrolyte level and corrosion on battery terminals. Start the engine for at least 10 minutes to warm it up before the drive.

Don'ts

1. Don't open hood to strangers especially if your car has a breakdown on the road.
2. Don't use hard water like salt water on tap water to top up radiator coolant or to wash car with. It corrodes inside engines and car body.
3. Don't use activities on engine oil, fuel, power steering fluid, and automatic transmission fluid unless approved by the car's manufacturer.

How to determine your car's condition through smoke emission

If the color of exhaust gas is:

Bluish - the engine oil mixing within the combustion chamber

White - the water or coolant is mixing within the combustion camber; the engine will overheat

Black - excessive fuel is not burned properly inside the combustion chamber; will make engine fuel consumption high

Colorless - the engine is performing the best optimum combustion

-- Melinda H. Tormes (coordinator for market research and advertising)

How To Eat Well Without Gaining Weight

What to eat

• Eat at least five servings of fresh fruit a day. Fresh fruit does not lead to obesity, as some people erroneously believe. To the contrary, in addition to having very low energy density (few calories in a lot of weight), it provides vitamins and fiber the\at inhibit obesity.
• Eat a plate of fresh vegetable salad each day.
• Reduce or eliminate the typical fast foods: hamburgers, hot dogs and other sausages, snacks, sauces, pastries, and sweets.
• Drink enough water each day so that your urine is clear, colorless, and odorless. It's been shown that a high intake of water and a low intake of salt is a simple way to avoid gaining weight.

Where to eat

• As much as possible, practice the traditional custom of the entire family sitting down for a meal together.
• Do not eat in the bus, the car, as you walk, or as you talk on the telephone. These activities will distract your mind, causing you to eat more without feeling satisfied.

How to eat

• Eat slowly, savoring and chewing each mouthful well. This will improve your digestion and help you to eat less than if you ate rapidly.

When to eat

• Eat at regular times, and avoid snacking between meals.
• Set aside enough time for your meals, especially breakfast, which should be your most important meal of the day.

STAY HEALTHY!!

--George Pamplona-Roger (Fast Food, Fast Disease)