A Study Linked Drinking Coffee To Health Benefits

Researchers of a large Finnish study found drinking coffee to be associated with certain health benefits.

 The study involved 60,323 Finns who completed a questionnaire about their medical history, socioeconomic factors and dietary lifestyle habits. Researchers followed the participants for a period of 19.3 years.

Participants were divided into five categories of coffee consumption:

1. 0-1 cups
2. 2-3 cups
3. 4-5 cups
4. 6-7 cups
5. 8 or more cups

The Result 

One hundred and twenty eight were diagnosed with liver cancer. The researchers  noted an inverse association between coffee drinking and the risk of primary liver cancer.

American researchers analyzed data on 82,314 women and 41,736 men. They were followed over a 20 year period. They filled out questionnaires every 2 to 4 years. The questionnaire included:

• Health conditions
• Smoking
• Coffee consumption
•  Dietary habits

The researchers compared the frequency of deaths from:

1. Any cause
2. Deaths due to heart disease
3. Deaths among people with different coffee drinking habits

The result: People who drank more coffee were less likely to die during the follow up period.  Regular coffee drinking has also been associated with a decrease in deaths from heart disease.

Good nutrition, as reflected in a healthy diet is key to the prevention of diseases and premature deaths. Limiting sugar, cream and milk when drinking coffee is advisable.  It is best to avoid sugar and use low fat milk for the full health benefits.

Health Care Begins At Home

It is important to know that health care does not begin with a visit to a medical specialist or health professional.

Health care begins at home before the need to seek medical attention. Health care will also continue at home after seeing a health professional.

No matter what the outcome is after seeing a health professional your health care must continue, this is where we, the individuals come in.

The simple things that we do in our every day lives can provide us with health care long before a visit to a medical doctor.  Although they have been given secondary importance

with health care systems, we can take these measures to prevent unnecessary use of these systems.

If you are wondering, well who is providing health care at home?  The answer is 'the individual'. Health care at home is self-care to prevent disease and premature deaths. Self-care will prevent unnecessary visits to a health care provider, save you unnecessary medical costs and insure you a healthy life.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control(CDC) have embraced health care at home(self-care), by setting standards and guidelines for the prevention of non-communicable diseases(NCD's).   NCD's can be prevented by developing a healthy lifestyle before the need for medical attention.

Should medical intervention be necessary, knowing how to self-care will ensure a complete and speedier recovery. Self care at home will continue without medical supervision.

One can implement health care at home(self care) by keeping risk factors out. The absence of these risk factors is one's first health insurance, they are:

• Unhealthy eating
• Smoking
• Physical in-activity
• Overweight/ obesity
• Alcohol abuse
• Air-pollution

 There is a consumer health education program that  prepares individuals to provide self care at home. It focuses on eliminating or reducing health risk factors. The person is encouraged to take responsibility and control of his/her health.
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