Sunny Health

Last week, a study released by the National University of Singapore declared that tea can prevent Alzheimer's disease, commonly known as dementia. With dementia becoming increasingly common, and its devastating symptoms, this is certainly a welcome piece of news. Is it really reliable though? The study was after all, only conducted on 950 seniors aged 55 years and above for seven years.

Results indicated that regular consumption of tea lowers risk of cognitive decline by 50 per cent. Those who genetically at risk of developing dementia may experience up to 86 per cent reduction in their risk of getting dementia.

The even better news is that this is in fact not the first time that such a study on the effects of caffeine has been conducted, and results have been consistent. According to Psychology Today, consumption of tea and coffee lower the risk of developing Parkinson's disease, which is a type of dementia, if you drink five to six cups of coffee per day for many years. Tea is found to have a better effect than coffee, though the difference between both is really minor. For reducing the chance of developing Alzheimer's, you'd just require at least two to three cups a day.

In fact, caffeine might not even be the substance that leads to the reduction in risk of dementia, for both beverages also contain biologically active substances like trigonelline and pyrogallic acid and antioxidants chlorogenic, coumaric, ferrulic, and sinapic acids and silverskin. These are all healthy substances.

The catch is that you should be drinking tea brewed from tea bags, and coffee brewed from coffee beans. So instants and fancy drinks like mocha might not really count due to the added number of numerous other substances.

Then there is also another study done in the UK, whereby those who drank two or three cups of black tea a day were less than half as likely to have early signs of dementia as those who never or rarely drank it. The article said that it was polyphenols in tea that had a beneficial effect against dementia, and green tea happens to be rich in these. It is assumed that Polyphenols work against dementia by preventing oxidation of brain cells, and blocking the build up of brain deposits. This study, however, states that coffee has no effect against dementia.

 So why aren't healthcare institutions and authorities encouraging the consumption of more tea?

The Alzheimer's Society in the UK warns against taking these studies at face value. The studies are often only done on a specific group of people, and media often exaggerates the impact.The best way to research the impact of tea on Alzheimer's is to have a randomnised controlled trial. Participants would be randomly split into two groups, one that drinks tea regularly, and one that doesn't, and they will be monitored over time. This is the only way to accurately determine the cause and effect. To date, there has been no such study done, despite numerous observation studies on caffeine and tea.
That is certainly a damper. But in any case, tea and coffee, especially tea, are generally harmless and far healthier beverages than soda and alcohol. There is no harm in drinking some tea everyday, as long as you don't do so before bedtime when it could cause insomnia. Green tea especially is renowned for a myriad of health benefits, from weight loss to bringing down cholesterol. Who knows, perhaps there is some truth in those studies.

Many women suffer from a certain degree of pain during their periods. If you have been relying on Panadol Menstrual to relieve your period pains, you may be devastated, like me, to find that it has been discontinued. And as I am allergic to NSAIDS, other popular painkillers for period pains, like nurofen and ibuprofen are out of question.

Nevertheless, generic paracetamol works just as well for relieving muscle soreness and cramps from period pains, according to Professor Paul Ho from the pharmacy department in the National University of Singapore's science faculty. There is also Panadol Extra, which has an extra 65mg of caffeine for better pain relief of really bad cramps. However, if your cramps are so excruciating that they affect your work and daily activities, then it is advisable for you to see a doctor.

For those who have mild cramps and can tolerate them without medication, it is in your best interests to do away with painkillers. According to thehealthsite.com, prolonged use of ibuprofen/paracetamol may cause serious side effects such as bleeding disorders and damage to the liver. Other common side-effects include:

• Gastric problem
• Stomach pain
• Irregular heartbeat
• Tightening of the chest
• Dizziness
• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhoea
• Nausea or vomiting

Incidentally, from the above list, a few are also common symptoms that accompany period cramps. So if you still experience some of these while the pain is alleviated, your painkiller could be responsible for it!

Here are some things that can give a little immediate relief for your period pains:

1) Heat has always proven to be good for soreness. In this case, a hot shower or soak in a warm bath, or a hot compress over your stomach are helpful.

2) Massage your lower abdominal area with light circular motions using your fingertips. Use medicated oil or tiger balm oil for better effect; the heat generated will come as a soothing relief.

3) Hot ginger tea is a popular home remedy and helps relief the bloated feeling that you may get. You can get instant ones at the supermarkets.

The reduce the intensity of menstrual cramps, you should incorporate more exercise in your daily regime. It does not have to be anything intensive. Even a daily walk or slow jog goes a long way in keeping your body healthy and relaxed.

If you are a smoker, then you should consider quitting smoking. Chemicals from cigarettes makes your blood composition thicker. It constricts your blood vessels, thus hindering blood flow and increasing the likelihood of pain during your periods.

It's strange that the phrase "to be in hot water" refers to being in trouble, when soaking in a hot bath is such a luxury!

Indeed, getting some hot water on your skin each day drives the blues and knots away. Soaking in a bath tub is most ideal, but if you don't have one, even a hot water shower or foot bath helps.

Hot water has a great deal of benefits. It improves blood circulation. For people with joint pains and tensed muscles perhaps from a full day of hunching over the keyboard in front of the computer, you will find that being under hot water is soothing and helps to ease pain. While it does not take away the pain completely, it probably has similar effects to things like heat pads and heat rubs that you find in the pharmacies for muscle and joint aches. Water certainly feels nicer on the skin than sticky cream or pads though! Furthermore, it will not trigger allergic reactions. If your feet are aching from a full day of walking (travelers, take heed!), a hot foot bath is the way to go!

After your hot bath or shower, you may find that you are able to stretch further and better, so go ahead and streeeetch those stiff muscle knots away!

Hot water also has a calming and sleep inducing effect. I remember visiting an onsen in Japan once at night. I was very much awake and energetic when I got there, but after a few soaks, I nearly fell asleep in the rest area, and on my way back to my hotel, I found myself nodding off on the train! Not a good idea if you need to be out somewhere, but if you're having trouble sleeping, then a hot bath or shower for about 10 minutes does a lot for calming your body, mind and nerves. For extra soothing powers, add some lavender oil.


If you have a cough or sore throat, the heat from the shower can even help to generate some relief by loosening up your phlegm and mucus. For greater effectiveness, add some eucalyptus oil to freshen up your airways and help you breathe better. Additionally, if you've got the cold, you probably have the body aches associated with it, and hot water can help relieve these aches too. Just dry yourself properly after your bath to avoid making your cold worst.

A few things to note. First of all, make sure the water is at a comfortable temperature. If you make it too hot, you may damage your skin. For reference, the temperature of the hot pools in onsens are typically around 40 degrees celsius or so. If you're not accustomed to hot water, start slow with lukewarm, then slowly ramp it up a little each time. In the onsens, guests are expected to get out of a hot bath and rest for a bit, or go into a cooler pool of water, before they go back into a hot bath. Water is also accessible just nearby so that guests can re-hydrate their bodies. For some people, sitting too long in hot water can cause them to faint, so do be careful! It is important for you to feel comfortable with the temperature, since that's the purpose of the bath/shower!

Hot water can dry out your skin and hair, so refrain from indulging for longer than 10 minutes. If you wish to enjoy a long soak in a bath tub, the water will probably turn cool after a while, so that shouldn't be much of a problem. If not, you might want to consider getting out and washing your face, doing your shaves and what not before getting back into the now-cooler water to soak for longer.

Last but not least, if you have high blood pressure, do note that hot baths can temporarily increase your blood pressure while in it. Pregnant women should also not soak in water that is too hot. Lukewarm would be all right.

Incorporate this quick, inexpensive and fuss-free activity in your daily routine, and it won't be long before you notice some improvements to your body!