http://www.drmirkin.comHere are two posts in Dr Mirkins recent email letter.
You should click link above and learn more.
*************************************************
Dear Dr. Mirkin: I’ve heard that green tea is good for your heart. Does regular tea have the same effect? Probably. Several studies show that people who drink green tea have a reduced incidence of heart attacks. Since black tea is made by fermenting green tea leaves, you would think that green tea and black tea would be the same, and they may be. But almost all studies on tea and heart attacks have been done with green tea, probably because green tea companies support and publicize the studies. Both green and black tea contain potent antioxidants: flavinoids, polyphenols and catechins. These antioxidants block cox-2 enzymes that cause clots and block arteries. Scientists do not recommend tea to prevent heart attacks yet because there may be other variables. Tea drinkers may have fewer heart attacks because they have healthier lifestyles for other reasons.
*************************************************
Dear Dr. Mirkin: Sometimes I just can’t make it through the day without a nap. Is that abnormal? I think naps are good for you, and I nap every day. Napping may even make you smarter. One study compared a people’s ability to learn after no sleep, a 30-minute nap, or a 60-minute nap. Those who had a 30-minute nap did better than those who didn’t nap, while those who took a 60-minute nap did far better than those who took only a 30-minute nap. When you start a nap, your eyes are kept still, called non-rapid-eye-movement sleep. You drop down from stage one sleep into a deeper stage two, then a deeper stage three, and then your eyes start to move rapidly back and forth. This is called Rapid Eye Movement sleep, or REM sleep. This study shows that you learn better if you wake up right after non-REM sleep (stage two), and you get more non-REM sleep in a 60-minute nap than a 30-minute nap. If you feel tired most afternoons, you are normal. In many parts of the world it is traditional to take an afternoon nap or siesta. Studies of office workers and school children show that people work best in the early morning. As the morning progresses, they lose their ability to concentrate. Then they go out to lunch and function way below their capacity for the rest of the day. It gets worse as you age. Tiredness is a signal that your brain needs a rest. Find a quiet place to lie down and take a nap. *************************************************
