Death by too much caffeine
Friday, January 19, 2018 - Posted by SunnyHealth - 0 comments
 
Many of us would have considered caffeine a life-saver at least a few times in a life time. From coffee to chocolate to energy drinks to painkillers, caffeine is found in many substances that have the ability to give us a surge in energy to complete that seemingly unthinkable task at hand, or simply to make us feel lifted ala chocolate.


Caffeine makes us feel "high" because it is a stimulant, and stimulants have a large impact on our body. In high doses over a short amount of time, it can cause the heart to beat faster than usual and erratically, which can eventually be fatal.

This was what happened to a healthy teenager from South Carolina in April this year. He collapsed after drinking a latte from McDonald's, a large Mountain Dew soft drink and then an energy drink in a container the size of a large soft drink, in just under two hours. He died from a caffeine-induced cardiac event causing a probable arrhythmia (a condition whereby the heart beat is too fast or irregular)

According to caffeineinformer.com, a McDonald's latte has 142mg of caffeine, a 570ml (20oz) Mountain Dew has 90mg, and a 450ml energy drink can have as much as 240mg. This means that he would have consumed around 470 mg of caffeine within 2 hours.

Mayoclinic states that for most healthy adults, up to 400mg of caffeine a day is a safe amount to consume. Meanwhile, adolescents should limit their caffeine intake to under 100mg. So if you're someone who consumes energy drinks and/or several cups of coffee a day, especially black coffee, be sure to read the labels to make sure you stay within the safe range.

Caffeine overdose may produce the following symptoms, according to Healthline and Inc.com:
  • dizziness
  • diarrhea
  • increased thirst 
  • diuresis (increased urination)
  • difficulty in falling asleep
  • headache
  • fever
  • irritability / jitters / restlessness
  • Heartburn / reflux

The above are not so severe and should go away when you limit your caffeine intake and drink more water.
  • trouble breathing
  • vomiting
  • hallucinations
  • confusion
  • chest pain
  • irregular or fast heartbeat
  • uncontrollable muscle movements
  • convulsions
The above are serious and immediate medical help must be sought.

Babies can suffer from caffeine overdose too if their breast milk contains excessive caffeine. Hence, it is important for pregnant and breast-feeding Mums to limit their caffeine intake.

Ultimately, if you find yourself having to rely on energy drinks or coffee to stay energised, a much healthier and more effective way in the long term is to get sufficient sleep. Check out previous articles here and here on how to fall asleep more easily and getting better-quality sleep. If all else fails, seek professional help as long-term insomnia has very harmful effects on the body.



Non-alcoholic drinks that are perfect for the festive season
Friday, December 29, 2017 - Posted by SunnyHealth - 0 comments
Image from Pixabay

The year-end is a time to drink and make merry, but we shouldn’t exclude the friends and guests who don’t drink due to health or religious reasons. Non-alcoholic drinks can be a healthier alternative, yet festive for the season, and they’re popular even in the restaurant holiday menus as well! Here are 3 easy ones for the upcoming New Year party. Now that you can toast all night without worrying about that beer belly or the health implications on your liver!

The following recipes are courtesy of BBC Good Food and Tania Glyde.

Fruity cranberry concoctions

The bright red colour cranberry resonates well with the festive mood. Cranberry is also a very tasty and nutritious fruit and would be the perfect holiday punch when mixed with other fruit juices!

Orange and cranberry spritz.
Mix together 500ml of orange juice and 500ml of cranberry juice in a large jug. Pour in sparkling elderflower drink to fizz it up. Mix together and serve in tall glasses with ice. If you can’t find elderflower drink, any other mildly sweet sparkling fruit drinks will do as well.

Driver’s punch
You will need 100g of cranberries, 100ml of cranberry juice, 500ml blood orange juice, 600ml sparkling apple juice, 1 lime, thin wedges of orange and some mint sprigs. Place the cranberry in a freezer container, cover with water (by about 2.5cm) and freeze till solid. Mix cranberry juice with blood orange juice. Juice a lime and add the juice in. To serve, smash the sheet of frozen cranberries into shards and put in the bottom of tall glasses. There should be about enough for eight. Put a wedge of lime and orange and a mint sprig in each glass, then pour in the fruit juices and top up with sparkling apple juice.

Something warm, sweet and cozy

Hot chocolate reminds one of winter and snow. It is a wonderful and cozy feeling to sit around a fireplace with mugs of delicious hot chocolate to warm your hands and insides. In Singapore, we have neither cold nor snow, but hot chocolate is still a very yummy drink that’s perfect for a party.

Peppermint hot chocolate
You will need 200g bar plain chocolate, broken into chunks, 600ml milk, 150ml pot single or double cream, Sugar to taste, 6 peppermint candy canes, a handful of marshmallows, to serve

Put the chocolate in a pan with the milk. Gently heat, stirring until all the chocolate has melted. Continue heating until the milk is steaming, then remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Divide the hot chocolate between 6 mugs, add sugar to taste and hang a candy cane on the edge of each. Pass the mugs round and let everyone stir their hot chocolate with their candy cane – letting as much of the sweet peppermint dissolve as they fancy. Put some marshmallows for a fuzzy feeling.

For the non-sweet tooths, here is another alternative for a rich, hot drink.

Hot apple pie punch
You will need: 1½ tsp ground cinnamon, a good pinch ground cloves, ½ whole grated nutmeg, 2 litres of apple juice, 2 tablespoon vanilla extract, 6 scoops vanilla ice cream

Place the cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, apple juice and vanilla extract in a large saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer.  When the apple juice has warmed through, add the vanilla ice cream and whisk vigorously with a balloon whisk until melted and combined with the hot apple juice – the ice cream should make a frothy top on the juice.

Faux alcohol is better than no alcohol

You can make your own non-alcoholic “mulled wine” with the follow recipe.

You will need: 2 litres apple juice, 2 litres cranberry juice, 1 stick cinnamon, 2 oranges, 1 lemon (unwaxed), 1 teaspoon honey, Quarter teaspoon ground nutmeg, about 20 cloves

Slice the oranges into halves. Scrape the rind off about half of the lemon and then quarter the lemon. Stud the orange and lemon rinds with the cloves – it looks great and will infuse wonderfully.
Pour one of each of the cartons of apple juice and cranberry drink into a large pan with all the other ingredients and put over the lowest heat you can get. Leave it to heat slowly until it reaches the point where it is starting to steam, then three minutes longer. This takes about 10 to 20 minutes in total – it should not boil at any point. Switch off the heat and serve into small glasses.

Have a very Happy New Year!


Do we have a case for free flu vaccinations?
Thursday, November 09, 2017 - Posted by SunnyHealth - 0 comments


 
Source: Pixabay

There has been plenty of debate about the necessity of vaccinations, with some arguing that vaccinations weaken the body’s immunity system and inborn ability to protect itself against viruses. Then there are those who question the effectiveness, as viral strains often mutate and change, possibly rendering some vaccines to be ineffective. Yet local doctors are suggesting that flu vaccines should be made free in Singapore to boost adult immunisation rates. Are flu vaccines really important?

Many of us have caught the flu bug, and for most healthy adults, we ride it over unscathed. However, there are many strains of influenza virus, some more serious than others. While previously, the flu tends to make us feel sick for up to two weeks, I have been hearing of increasing numbers of accounts suffering from symptoms of the flu for three weeks to even a month or more. Fevers, chills, body aches, sore throat, coughs and fatigue are among the common symptoms, and they cause great discomfort, affecting productivity for a prolonged period of time. Worst of all, flu is highly contagious.

Moreover, the flu, or influenza can cause fatal complications to certain groups of people, and these people would certainly benefit from annual vaccinations. They include the elderly who are 65 years old and above, those with a chronic health condition like asthma, diabetes or heart disease, those who have a weak immune system, and those in the healthcare sector who interact with patients on a regular basis.

Even those who are healthy may not be spared. If you have the flu and continue to stress yourself out with work and activities instead of resting, it can get fatal, as in the case of a 38-year-old woman who almost died from a heart failuretriggered by the flu. She had to seek treatment for 6 months.
Additionally, certain types of flu viruses can enter the heart muscle and cause infection, a condition known as myocarditis. This will lead to complications like heart failure, and heartbeat irregularities that lead to sudden death.

Pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers are also encouraged to get the vaccination, For pregnant women, changes in the heart, lungs and immune system make flu symptoms more dangerous for both Mum and the fetus. It also increases the risk of premature delivery. There are flu vaccines which are safe for pregnant women and those in doubt may consult their obstetrician. In breastfeeding mothers, the flu vaccine not only protects Mum, but the protective antibodies will get passed on to the baby, protecting him or her until they are old enough to get the vaccine themselves.

According to the World Health Organisation, seasonal flu outbreaks result in about three to five million cases of severe illness and about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths annually. In Singapore, annual influenza-related deaths occur in about 15 out of 100,000 people. It warrants concern indeed, and certainly, doctors are right to push for greater awareness and even for important vaccinations to be made free of charge. In the meantime, for those who can afford it, we should get our annual flu jab, which is available at polyclinics at $25, and most GPs. 

Sources:

http://www.todayonline.com/daily-focus/health/when-flu-turns-fatal
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/boost-adult-immunisation-rates-doctors-suggest-free-flu-vaccines-and-targeting-patients