Tag Archives: dementia

The Healthy Side to Coffee

Like many students at UBC, I rely on coffee to get me going throughout the day. I always have a tall americano from Starbucks in the morning and lately I’ve been getting a second cup in the afternoon as well. It’s come to the point where I’ve been told that I need to cut back and reduce my daily caffeine intake. But recent studies have shown that it may not be so bad for you after all.

Coffee. Image source: My Mzone

For example, did you know a cup of coffee has up to four times more antioxidants than green tea? In fact, scientists have discovered that it can contain more antioxidants than a typical serving of fruit, such as: blueberries, raspberries, and oranges. However, new research has shown the effectiveness of antioxidants may be lessened for those who add milk or cream to their coffee. This is due to the fact that when milk or cream is added, it binds to the antioxidants and therefore lessens its effectiveness.

Effect of Antioxidants. Image source: Lean it up

Antioxidants are very important for us because they help fight oxidation. This is a chemical process that occurs naturally in our body every day. When this natural process is disrupted, free radicals are created. These are highly unstable molecules that can cause damage to cells in the body if left uncontrolled.

Also, researchers have found that coffee can reduce the risk of stroke. A study at the Harvard School of Public Health followed a group of women over a 24-year period.  The group consisted of 83, 076 women who participated in the Nurses Health Study that had no history of stroke, coronary heart disease, diabetes, or cancer. Their coffee consumption and amount of strokes were recorded from 1980 to 2004. They were able to conclude that those who drank coffee reduced their risk of stroke by 20%.

Cause of Stroke. Image source: Flickr

In addition, a study in Finland suggests that coffee offers protection against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The researchers randomly selected 1409 participants and followed them over a 21-year period. They were specifically focused on the coffee consumption of participants at midlife and the occurrence of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia later on in life. Surprisingly, a 65% decrease in disease was found in people who consumed coffee daily.

So next time you think about kicking your coffee habit to the curb, remember all of these health benefits it’s linked to.

Coffee Beans. Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Below is a video that describes in more detail the effects of antioxidants and caffeine in coffee.

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References:

-http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/10/antioxidants-explained-why-these-compounds-are-so-important/247311/

-http://www.naturalnews.com/025737_coffee_risk_drinking.html

-Angelica Reyes

Peanut Butter Sniff Test

image source: wikipedia commons

According to the statistics of Alzheimer’s Society BC, approximately 70,000 British Columbians are suffering from Alzheimer’s or any brain-related disorder. What is Alzheimer’s? It is a neurological disorder affecting the cognitive ability (e.g. memory and thinking) and behaviour of an individual, and it worsens over time. The physiological cause of Alzheimer’s is the increase in the number of twisted fibers of protein within the brain cells and plaques between cells.

image source: flickr

 There is no cure for Alzheimer’s; therefore, prevention and early detection are vital. Assessments  of a patient suspected of having the disease includes physical and mental examination (e.g. MRI, or more generally speaking, a brain scan). The downside of a brain scan is the strenuous process of monitoring the patient and being on the waitlist, which takes months, leading up to the scan; however, there is a test still under study that could detect if an individual suffers from Alzheimer’s – it is called the PEANUT BUTTER SNIFF TEST. This test could be an alternative to brain scans. Also, this could allow for early detection of the disease, so preventative steps can be taken early.

Jennifer Stamps, a graduate student, and her colleagues from University of Florida used peanut butter to conduct an olfactory test ( article about the scientific research).

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Her group of researchers found that Alzheimer’s-affected patients had a decrease in smell sensitivity in the left nostril. David Knopman of Mayo Clinic, quoted by Singh, stated that “The idea that smell is altered in Alzheimer’s disease dementia patients is well known, and this is nothing new.” As mentioned above,  there is no cure for Alzheimer’s and the only treatment available is prevention.  Early detection of the disease leads to taking a more aggressive approach to alleviate the symptoms. The peanut butter sniff test could already be a clinical procedure used as a preventative measure for Alzheimer’s; however it is not very accurate because there are compounding variables such as: “congestion in your nasal cavities that can reduce your smell on a temporary basis, a past head trauma, severe past sinus infections”, according to Bartzokis, quoted by Oransky.

There are numerous arguments  made by other Alzheimer’s researchers against this study; however it is only at the beginning stages and Stamps is going to conduct more experiments to further develop her research.  She also gave a warning: “Don’t try this at home. Having slight differences between your left and right nostrils is normal, and you might end up freaking out over nothing.” In other words, for now just enjoy your peanut butter on a piece of toast.

-Ziharrphil Magnaye

References:

Alzheimer’s Society BC, Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Society UK, Journal of the Neurological Sciences, Shots,  MedPage Today