Coffee Consumption Linked to Delayed Alzheimer's Onset: Study

Coffee cup (Photo credit: @Doug88888)Now and then on this blog I like to relate interesting news about my other favorite subject, coffee. I have been known to be obsessive about it but I believe there are many unknown health benefits. We have been told over the years to moderate our coffee consumption but I know how many people enjoy their morning jump-start. I have been trying to tell my wife how great coffee is and now here is the proof. The little brown bean is responsible for delayed onset of Alzheimer.

A group of researchers from the University of South Florida and University of Miami have found that higher caffeine consumption is linked with a delayed onset of Alzheimer's disease, even in older adults who already have mild cognitive impairment (thought to be an early sign of Alzheimer's and/or dementia).

"These intriguing results suggest that older adults with mild memory impairment who drink moderate levels of coffee -- about 3 cups a day -- will not convert to Alzheimer's disease -- or at least will experience a substantial delay before converting to Alzheimer's," study researcher Dr. Chuanhai Cao, a neuroscientist at USF, said in a statement.

Researchers cautioned that the study doesn't mean drinking coffee is guaranteed to save someone from Alzheimer's, but rather coffee may help to lower the risk of Alzheimer's.

They don't want to go out on a limb here but they also say with all good things take in moderation moderation is key. Excessive coffee consumption is associated with cardiovascular problems, including an increased heart rate or blood pressure and irregular heartbeats, Harvard Health Publications reports.

So when enjoying your daily coffee coffee take comfort in the fact that you are not only self medicating your coffee addiction but also you can tell your friends your keeping Alzheimers at bay.

Simplee.com Helps Manage Your Health Care Expenses

If your financially able to pay for health care, managing and understanding it is a difficult task. When you go to the doctor you may not be sure how much the doctor will charge, how much your insurance coverage will pay, and if your deductible is met yet. Juggling and keeping up with all these factors of your health care plan is a lot a work. Even if you wait till your explanation of benefits letter arrives in the mail , it can be still very confusing. You need an easy way to keep track of all these numbers.

Today we have Simplee.com to help. Simplee.com is an online personal health care management website. It's the Mint.com for health care. The way Simplee works is you simply let Simplee link to your health care providers website and it accesses the data and then it presents it to you in a simple and manageable way. The website will show you how much you were billed for a procedure, how much the insurance company will pay and what you are expected to pay. You don't have to enter any information because you allow the Simplee website to use your log on information for the health care providers website and Simplee just accesses the information itself.

You can use the information for multiple accounts and family members. It will keep track of your deductibles and even let you know what services your policy covers.


Simplee lets you drill down to individual claims to see what your insurance paid, the negotiated discount, and what you owe. It’s like a statement of benefits that actually makes sense. 

Simplee currently supports eight of the largest health plans in the U.S (including Aetna, United Healthcare, Cigna, Empire BlueCross BlueShield, and BlueCross BlueShield of California), and is adding more every week.

Drinking Coffee Is Now Good For You

Image via WikipediaGood news today on the health front. Coffee drinking is now a healthy thing to do. A leading study out of the Harvard School of Public Health claims drinking one to 3 cups of coffee per day lowers your risk of prostate cancer by 30%.

Also other findings state.

• Men who consumed the most coffee (six or more cups daily) had nearly a 20 percent lower risk of developing any form of prostate cancer.
• The inverse association with coffee was even stronger for aggressive prostate cancer. Men who drank the most coffee [six or more cups!] had a 60 percent lower risk of developing lethal prostate cancer.

This study followed 48,000 Boston men for 12 years and found that those who drank six or more cups a day reduced their risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer by 60 percent and of developing any form of the cancer by 20 percent. The study even found a risk reduction in men who drank about three cups a day.

More Studies.

Another study followed 5,929 Swedish women, half of whom had breast cancer, and found that those who drank more than five cups of coffee a day reduced their risk of developing estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer (a particularly aggressive type of the disease) by 33 to 57 percent compared to those who drank less than a cup.

Caffeine is credited with a host of health benefits, including cutting the odds of asthma, Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis. But in this case, the researchers believe that other plant chemicals in coffee are behind the benefits. They think compounds such as anti-oxidants may cut the odds of prostate cancer and reduce the likelihood of deadly tumors by altering levels of sex hormones, regulating blood sugar levels and cutting inflammation.

Be Skeptical

I am always skeptical of such conclusions from these studies. Remember, 30 years ago Harvard had another study that claimed too much coffee increases the risk of pancreatic cancer among men and woman. Ooops!

All this medical information neither sways or encourages coffee drinking. People who do or don't will continue with their opinions.

Coffee drinking is a part of our culture. Coffee is the way we start our day. It's the same with everything in life, if done in moderation you will be fine.

US Healthcare System Is "Evil," Says Justin Bieber

Image via Wikipedia
When I think of words to describe the U.S. Healthcare system, the word "evil" has never entered my mind. But to our young friend Justin Bieber, it's evil. Recently, I don't know how this could come up, but Justin Bieber commented on the U.S. Healthcare System. Here's what he told the Rolling Stone magazine when asked if he would switch from being Canadian to a US citizen. Bieber says:

"You guys are evil. Canada's the best country in the world. We go to the doctor and we don't need to worry about paying him, but here, your whole life, you're broke because of medical bills. My bodyguard's baby was premature, and now he has to pay for it. In Canada, if your baby's premature, he stays in the hospital as long as he needs to, and then you go home."

Even though he is only 16 years old he does have his opinions. I did not know he was a Canadian. He has grown up in a country that has socialized medicine. He believes it is a good thing. Lets remember that because of his youth he has a very limited knowledge of finances and paying your own way. Also remember he is being sympathetic to his body guards situation. He is coming from a good heart.

By his comments, I believe he is not that involved with his personal finances. Someday when he is old enough to take an interest in his tax returns, he may think differently. His future looks bright, with music, TV and movies in his future. He will be making obscene amounts of money and paying obscene amounts of tax. He may wonder when that day comes where his money is going to. That day hopefully he'll put 2 and 2 together and realize that his Canadian Healthcare System is not so free anymore.

Related articles

• Justin Bieber: "I Don't Really Believe In Abortion" (mediaite.com)
• Justin Bieber talks sex, politics and Swiss Chalet (theprovince.com)
• Justin Bieber to Rolling Stone: 'I don't think you should have sex with anyone unless you love them.' (popwatch.ew.com)
• Justin Bieber Does 'Rolling Stone' Magazine (pinkisthenewblog.com)

Michael Douglas & Life

Image via Wikipedia

Michael Douglas revealed this week that he has throat cancer. He is going through a regiment of radiation and chemotherapy. Fortunately his doctor found it in time to start treatment. Doctors say that the cause of the tumor was probably Douglas' smoking and drinking habits. Although the cancer has spread to his lymph nodes, it remains in his neck giving him a 80 percent chance at recovery. It's still unknown how this will effect his acting career. 
 
This news is of great interest to all of us especially to us over 50 years old. At this time of our lives we have to be on the look out for many different kind of illnesses, especially cancer. It starts in our late forty's with checking of the prostate. In the 50's, 60's and 70's we also must look out for skin and other related cancers. Mr. Douglas is 65 years old and still very active. If his doctors have caught the cancer early enough he can remain acting and speaking. 
 
Every few years a high profile person is in the news with a health crisis. Last time it was Farrah Fawcett and her cancer battle. Do we ever learn anything from their tragedy's. Do we change our health care habits? Do we get check-ups and cancer screenings. I hope some of us do. 
 
At 65 years of age Mr. Douglas is at a time he can relax and enjoy his success. His lovely wife and two small children are there to make his years even more precious. His life reminds me of what our lives could be at 65. Are we enjoying the life we prepared for, are we prepared. In a financial way are we ready. 
 
It's seems that preparation and planning are paramount for our successful retirement years. Our health also must be prepared for our older years. Do we exercise and eat healthy. Do we get regular check-ups? Maybe Michael Douglas was prepared in all these ways, yet he still got sick. It's something to think about and prepare for.