Archive for August, 2009
Balanced Choices Pave the Way to Good Health and Longevity
Last week I found an article on sciencedaily.com how caffeine reversed memory loss in aged mice bred to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The article lead with the angle that “Coffee drinkers may have another reason to pour that extra cup.” It went on to discuss coterminous studies published online July 6 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease that showed that caffeine notably decreased abnormal levels of the protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease, both in the brains and in the blood of mice displaying symptoms of the disease.
However, before you decide to add an extra cup of coffee to your morning routine, let me, Dr. Jamie Phillips warn you that under “Related Stories” on the website were at least two articles about studies that showed the not-so-healthy effects of caffeine, “Morning Jolt of Caffeine May Mask Serious Sleep Problems,” and “Coffee Consumption Linked To Increased Risk Of Heart Attack For Persons With Certain Gene Variation.”
Nearly any angle of thought, it seems to me, especially when it has to do with age-related health issues, can be corroborated, or at least bolstered, by other related studies. The “good/bad” studies related to caffeine certainly aren’t, by any means, the only ones. But, it did get me to pondering about the likelihood that there will never be just “one thing” that will irrefutably help we, humans, to live longer, healthier lives. Humans are dynamic, biological beings. We aren’t raised in unnatural confinement We are free to participate in life. And, moreover, though Alzheimer’s disease is likely on the rise, obviously none of us has been “artificially induced to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease,” therefore caffeine isn’t absolutely the “one thing” that is going to prevent or reverse it.
Our body is an exquisite, involved system that is designed to function homeostasis (balance). Consequently good health is about a healthy, balanced attitude towards living, as opposed to our being blindly convinced by the latest health study and “doing” or “overdoing” one particular thing under the illusion that it will reverse all of the other immoderate and unhealthy things we have done to our bodies.
As a doctor of chiropractic in Santa Barbara, it is my belief that every moment of the day we have an opportunity to choose healthfully for our body, decisions that will assist us to live longer, healthier lives. When it comes to what is good for our body, we know what genuinely “feels” right and what doesn’t. So, I just wanted to pass along some thoughts for you to keep in mind the next time you consider having that extra cup of coffee or second glass of red wine. There is no “one thing” that will do “everything” for your good health.