WASHINGTON (Reuters)

Long-term coffee drinking does not appear to increase a person’s risk of early death and may cut a person’s chances of dying from heart disease, according to a study published on Monday.

Previous studies have given a mixed picture of health effects from coffee, finding a variety of benefits and some drawbacks from the popular drink. The new study looked at people who drank caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee.

Researchers led by Esther Lopez-Garcia of Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in Spain followed 84,214 U.S. women from 1980 to 2004 and 41,736 U.S. men from 1986 to 2004.

They found that regular coffee drinking — up to six cups a day — was not associated with increased deaths among the study’s middle-aged participants. In fact, the coffee drinkers, particularly the women, experienced a small decline in death rates from heart disease.

The study found no association between coffee consumption and cancer deaths.

“Our study indicates that coffee consumption does not have a detrimental effect,” Lopez-Garcia, whose research appears in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, said in a telephone interview. “It seems like long-term coffee consumption may have some beneficial effects.”

There has been a debate among scientists about the health effects of drinking coffee, which typically contains the stimulant caffeine and a number of other important compounds.

The people who took part in the research completed questionnaires on how frequently they drank coffee, other diet habits, smoking and medical conditions. The researchers then studied the mortality risk over the period of the study among people with different coffee-drinking habits.

The study found that women who reported drinking two to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day had a 25 percent lower risk of death from heart disease than women who did not drink coffee. The researchers saw a smaller decreased risk for men but it was not statistically significant.

Drinking decaffeinated coffee was associated with a small reduction in overall mortality risk, the researchers said.

The people in the study had no history of cardiovascular disease or cancer when they entered it. The women were nurses and the men doctors, dentists and other health professionals.

Some studies have indicated coffee is a great source of antioxidants, substances that may protect against the effects of molecules called free radicals that can damage cells and may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other ailments.

Recent studies have offered a mixed picture on the health effects of coffee.

A study that came out in January found that pregnant women who drink two or more cups of coffee a day had twice the risk of miscarriage as those who avoid caffeine. Another study appearing in January found that drinking caffeinated coffee lowered a woman’s risk of ovarian cancer.

By Will Dunham

A moisturizer is essential! …

Moisturizers perform several important functions. They replace both lost water and water-binding ingredients (such as glycerin) that help retain hydration in the skin. Moisturizers are specifically formulated to prevent moisture loss, act as a protective layer that traps dirt and pollutants and they can also serve as a base layer that smooths out the skin to create a more even surface for make-up application. For those of you with dry skin associated with eczema or psoriasis, regular use of a suitable moisturizer is highly recommended to prevent worsening of itching, dryness and cracking, which can further exacerbate your skin condition.

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The benefits of moisturizing …

Moisturizers are designed to reduce water loss from the epidermis (the outermost layer of the skin). In addition to preventing further dryness, emollients contained in moisturizing products provide a barrier against pollutants and dirt, improve the texture, and give a smoother appearance to your skin. A simple and easy way to restore daily hydration is to apply a suitable night-time cream just before going to bed. This allows time for absorption of the active ingredients - you may be resting, but your skin is still hard at work! You’ll definitely notice the difference in the morning!

A moisturizer can protect your skin from the elements. Think of it as a daily barrier between your skin and the air. A good moisturizing cream or lotion will not only prevent moisture loss from your skin’s deepest layers, but it will also protect your skin from the harsh effects of the wind, cold and sun. With all the concern over skin cancer and sun damage that leads to premature aging, try looking for a single moisturizing product that combines sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15 plus other beneficial ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants or peptides. Conveniently, the application of one product will address all of your skin care needs without any extra time or effort.

Maintaining soft and smooth skin …

When drying off after a bath or shower, don’t towel-dry too vigorously and always apply lotion or body oil while your skin is still damp. This will help seal in moisture and leave your skin feeling smooth before it has a chance to dry out completely. If your skin is particularly susceptible to dryness, look for body washes that contain lotions - they’ll clean and moisturize in one step. Always finish off with a moisturizer that’s suitable for your skin type

It’s time to throw open the doors and windows and get ready for some spring cleaning. Be sure to pay special attention to those spots in your house where allergens can collect from cats, dogs and dust mites.

“Allergen reduction at home is critical to a clean home,” says Mike Tringale, Director of External Affairs at the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). “The first step is to identify the problem areas of your home, and then take the necessary steps to reduce hidden indoor allergens.”

Take the bedroom, for instance. It should be a glorious sanctuary where we rest our heads, unwind, sink into cushy comforters and cling to quiet moments of relaxation. Those same pillows and blankets can become home to multitudes of allergens.

The same can be true for all those cushions, carpets and rugs in your living room and family room.

That’s why the AAFA and Procter & Gamble, which makes household cleaning products such as Swiffer Dusters and Febreze Allergen Reducer, have partnered to stress the importance of allergen reduction throughout the entire home.

Here are some tips they are offering for attacking top allergen hot spots in your home, with a particular emphasis on your bedroom, where you spend so many hours nestled among pillows and blankets:

• Walls: Although walls have twice the surface area of floors and ceilings they largely are ignored when you clean the bedroom, but walls are some of the biggest collectors of allergens. To prevent allergen buildup, pay close attention to bedroom furniture and carpets near walls, and dust the walls weekly.

• Pillows, Cushions and Blankets: Soft surfaces like decorative pillows and blankets on the bed or sofa often go unwashed, and therefore pack on the dirt, dust and allergens. When freshening, Febreze Allergen Reducer is a great tool to use on fabrics because it reduces up to 75 percent of allergens from cats, dogs, and dust mites that may become airborne. Such allergens also can hide in carpets, curtains, and comforters, so be sure to use pay close attention to these areas.

• Clutter: Keep surfaces in the bedroom clean and uncluttered to control allergens. This includes the top of your dressers, bedside tables, and any extra seating and chairs on which you tend to throw piles of clothes or reading materials.

• Ceiling Fans and Crown Molding: It’s easy to forget to clean the ceiling. However, a lot of dust accumulates on the ceiling fan above your bed and in the nooks of crown molding. For an effective approach to combat these hard-to-reach areas, use a Swiffer Duster, which traps and locks household allergens from cats, dogs, and dust mites, unlike feather dusters which can just spread them around.

• Door Jams and Window Sills: Constant airflow in these areas means that dirt and dust often collect here and go unnoticed. Dusting often and keeping this area clean is key.

Of course, keeping these areas clean all year long can make those big clean-ups a breeze, limiting the amount of allergens, dirt, and dust that seem to build up in all our homes.

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“What we’re finding is that people are cutting down on their trips to the mall, they’re eating out less; by virtue of spending more time in their home, they actually want to make sure their homes smell nicer.”

CINCINNATI - It took some new uses to turn Procter & Gamble Co.’s Febreze into a brand now within whiffing distance of the billion-dollar annual sales milestone.

After its first few years on the market, people weren’t using the original fabric odor spray all that often, and sales were flattening. But researchers then realized people were already trying out the spray in other ways in their homes.

That led to new Febreze products — air fresheners, plug-in scents, candles and team-ups with P&G detergents and household cleaners. Marking its 10th anniversary, Febreze has more changes ahead this summer, backed by stepped-up marketing.

Its story is an example of how household products companies first build an image, then a brand.

“You get a connection with the consumer, in terms of understanding what the brand is and more importantly, what it stands for,” said Bruce Cohen, a strategist for the retail consulting firm Kurt Salmon Associates. “It needs to stand for something distinctive and authentic in the consumer’s mind.”

Example: People connect V8, the vegetable juice, with something healthy and nutritious. So, Cohen said, Campbell Soup Co.’s subsequent line of V8 soup doesn’t need much explanation or introduction.

Same with the Clorox Co.’s namesake bleach, immediately associated in many consumers’ minds with clean and disinfecting, leading to products such as household wipes and toilet bowl cleaners.

“That connection allows them to develop new products … the consumer gives you permission,” Cohen said. “That’s the secret sauce.”

In Febreze’s case, he said, the brand reminds people of “a fresh-smelling, clean home.”

Martin Hettich, P&G’s air care market director for North America, recently previewed for The Associated Press Febreze plans that include a combined fabric/air freshener in a more-stylish bottle, with an easier-to-use pump that sprays a finer mist than previous models.

And he recounted that, after a fast start in 1998 that saw Febreze quickly top $100 million in sales, then slowed, researchers decided the next move by visiting consumers in their homes, sitting on their sofas, and watching.

“They were using their fabric refresher in a way it was not designed for at that point,” Hettich said. “They were using it for a little spritz in the air; using it in a surround way.”

Entry into the air freshener market followed in 2004, with a campaign touting Febreze as “a breath of fresh air.” The brand saw a 27 percent sales increase, and it’s maintained 20-plus percent annual growth rates as its product line has expanded.

P&G says Febreze now leads both the fabric spray and the aerosol spray categories and is the second-leading air care brand behind Glade. Spokeswoman Pashen Black of Racine, Wis.-based SC Johnson, maker of Glade, said the privately held company wouldn’t discuss competitive rankings.

Febreze, with more than $800 million in annual sales, has been added to other P&G products, including Tide detergent and Swiffer dusters. Those brands count the additional sales in their own revenue figures; otherwise, Hettich said, Febreze would already top $1 billion, joining 23 other P&G brands including Tide and Pampers diapers and becoming one of the fastest to reach the mark.

Febreze also has begun licensing products outside P&G.

E-Z DO Inc., an Edison, N.J.-based closet innovation company, and Brandscape LLC, an Atlanta-based product development and marketing firm, have a joint venture through Febreze. They are rolling out Febreze Closet Renewable freshening products through retailers that include Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. and Target Corp., said Brandscape head Nick McKay.

The reach into additional households will enhance Febreze recognition, along with what Hettich says will be the biggest advertising campaign in brand history this summer.

He said the current economic slowdown isn’t hurting sales:

“What we’re finding is that people are cutting down on their trips to the mall, they’re eating out less; by virtue of spending more time in their home, they actually want to make sure their homes smell nicer.”

Scientists also recently discovered that caffeine may play a role in reducing the risk of ovarian cancer. In a study released in the March 1, 2008 issue of CANCER, researchers at the Harvard Medical School and School of Public Health reported: “The possibility that caffeine may reduce ovarian cancer risk, particularly for women who have not previously used exogenous hormones, is intriguing and warrants further study, including an evaluation of possible biological mechanisms.”

A new study has found that cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption do not have an effect on ovarian cancer risk, while caffeine intake may lower the risk, particularly in women not using hormones. The study is published in the March 1, 2008 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

Various studies have assessed the potential link between modifiable factors such as smoking or caffeine and alcohol intake and have generated conflicting results. To help clarify these associations, Dr. Shelley S. Tworoger, of Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues examined ongoing questionnaire data from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital-based Nurses’ Health Study, which includes 121,701 US female registered nurses. The Nurses’ Health Study cohort was established in 1976, when women aged 30-35 completed and returned initial questionnaires. Every two years, questionnaires are sent to the women to update exposure variables and document newly diagnosed diseases.

Dr. Tworoger and her co-investigators prospectively examined associations between smoking and ovarian cancer risk among 110,454 women and between alcohol or caffeine and ovarian cancer risk among 80,253 women, all followed between June 1, 1976 and June 1, 2004. For the smoking analyses, they identified 737 confirmed cases of epithelial ovarian cancer, and for the dietary analyses, they identified 507 cases.

There was no association between current or past smoking and ovarian cancer risk, however smoking status, duration, and pack-years were significantly associated with risk of mucinous tumors, a rare form of ovarian cancer. The authors also found no association between alcohol consumption and ovarian cancer risk. However they observed an inverse trend of risk with total caffeine and caffeinated coffee intake, but no association with decaffeinated coffee. The potential reduction in risk with higher caffeine intake appeared to be strongest for women who had never used oral contraceptives or postmenopausal hormones.

The authors concluded that “reducing alcohol intake and cessation of smoking is not likely to have a substantial impact on risk of ovarian cancer.” They add that “the possibility that caffeine may reduce ovarian cancer risk, particularly for women who have not previously used exogenous hormones, is intriguing and warrants further study, including an evaluation of possible biological mechanisms.”

Article: “Caffeine, Alcohol, Smoking, and the Risk of Incident Epithelial Ovarian Cancer,” Shelley S. Tworoger, Dorota M. Gertig, Margaret A. Gates, Jonathan L. Hecht, and Susan E. Hankinson. CANCER; Published Online: January 22, 2008 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.23275); Print Issue Date: March 1, 2008

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“Caffeine is a safe and readily available drug and its ability to stabilize the blood brain barrier means it could have an important part to play in therapies against neurological disorders,” said Dr. Jonathan Geiger, who led the study. The study reinforces previous research that has found that high levels of cholesterol in the blood can make the crucial blood barrier “leaky”; Alzheimer’s researchers say this can trigger the condition.

\Coffee may cut the risk of dementia by blocking the damage cholesterol can inflict on the body, research suggests.

The drink has already been linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, and a study by a US team for the Journal of Neuroinflammation may explain why.

A vital barrier between the brain and the main blood supply of rabbits fed a fat-rich diet was protected in those given a caffeine supplement.

UK experts said it was the “best evidence yet” of coffee’s benefits.

Caffeine is a safe and readily available drug and its ability to stabilise the blood brain barrier means it could have an important part to play in therapies against neurological disorders

Dr Jonathan Geiger
University of North Dakota

The “blood brain barrier” is a filter which protects the central nervous system from potentially harmful chemicals carried around in the rest of the bloodstream.

Other studies have shown that high levels of cholesterol in the blood can make this barrier “leaky”.

Alzheimer’s researchers suggest this makes the brain vulnerable to damage which can trigger or contribute to the condition.

The University of North Dakota study used the equivalent to just one daily cup of coffee in their experiments on rabbits.

After 12 weeks of a high-cholesterol diet, the blood brain barrier in those given caffeine was far more intact than in those given no caffeine.

‘Safe drug’

“Caffeine appears to block several of the disruptive effects of cholesterol that make the blood-brain barrier leaky,” said Dr Jonathan Geiger, who led the study.

“High levels of cholesterol are a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, perhaps by compromising the protective nature of the blood brain barrier.

“Caffeine is a safe and readily available drug and its ability to stabilise the blood brain barrier means it could have an important part to play in therapies against neurological disorders.”

A spokesman for the Alzheimer’s Society said that the barrier seemed to work less efficiently in people who went on to develop Alzheimer’s or suffer strokes, and the cholesterol link might explain this.

“This is the best evidence yet that caffeine equivalent to one cup of coffee a day can help protect the brain against cholesterol.

“In addition to its effect on the vascular system, elevated cholesterol levels also cause problems with the blood brain barrier.”

She called for more research into whether the same effect could be seen in humans.

A new study says a daily cup of coffee could ward off dementia, adding to the litany of often contradictory findings about the popular drink.

A study by a team of researchers for the Journal of Neuroinflamation reported that when rabbits were given a caffeine supplement, “a vital barrier” between the brain and the main blood supply was protected from the dementia-causing damage cholesterol can inflict.

The experiment showed that the equivalent of one cup of coffee a day was enough to yield the benefits.

The barrier “is a filter which protects the central nervous system from potentially harmful chemicals carried around in the rest of the bloodstream,” reports the BBC.

Previous studies have tied caffeine to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and this new study may explain why.

But conflicting reports make coffee a tough drink to figure out.

Coffee has been linked to a range of health problems, including miscarriage and diabetes complications, but also to many health benefits, including protection of the brain and prevention of certain cancers, such as ovarian and liver cancer.

The consensus, according to most experts, is that moderate coffee consumption is safe, and possibly beneficial, so coffee fans can keep up the daily habit.

TORONTO — As you gulp your cup of java and then chow down on some breakfast cereal, you may wish to consider new research looking at the possible effects when these two morning favourites are combined.

Drinking caffeinated coffee an hour before eating a bowl of cereal can significantly affect the body’s blood-sugar response, according to the small study conducted at the University of Guelph in Ontario.

Terry Graham, chair of the department of human health and nutritional sciences, says this is of no consequence to healthy individuals. In fact, he notes that epidemiological studies have shown quite conclusively that prolonged decades of heavy coffee drinking decrease the risk for Type 2 diabetes.

But, he said, the study’s findings might have implications for those who are diabetic or at risk of diabetes.

“If you were a Type 2 diabetic or thought you were at risk, why wouldn’t you drink decaf? Because then you’ve got all the benefits of the coffee, and not the negative of caffeine,” Graham said Tuesday in an interview from Guelph.

For his experiments, he and his colleagues recruited 10 healthy men. On different occasions they drank decaffeinated coffee or caffeinated coffee one hour before eating the cereal. Two cereals were involved in the study - Kellogg’s All-Bran, considered to have a low glycemic index, and Kellogg’s Crispix, which is considered a high glycemic index cereal.

“If you have caffeinated coffee what you find is that the insulin levels go higher than they would’ve if you didn’t have the caffeinated coffee with that particular cereal,” said Graham, who has been working with caffeine and insulin resistance in the lab for more than a decade.

“When you got up, you had your coffee and then you thought, ‘Well, I had better behave myself and I’ll have All-Bran,’ and in fact the blood-sugar response to the All-Bran exceeded what the subjects showed if they had decaf and Crispix,” he said.

“So by simply combining what you might think of as a more optimal cereal with coffee ended up giving you a response that was larger than what you would have expected from the less optimal cereal.”

The research paper, published online last week by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, calls for more research in the area, and also notes a number of limitations to the study.

There were only a small number of participants and they were all healthy men.

Sharon Zeiler, senior manager, nutrition at the Canadian Diabetes Association, said she found the study interesting but wondered why the coffee was so strong.

“It seemed to be pretty strong coffee - five milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight,” she noted.

“So that would mean that someone who’s, say, 90 kilograms, which is 200 pounds, which is not unusual in Canadian society, would’ve had 450 milligrams of caffeine … Health Canada suggests 400-450 milligrams of caffeine in a whole day. So that’s pretty strong coffee.”

“So that, also, might have influenced the results.”

She also noted that none of the study subjects was diabetic.

“I think that there would be a little bit of a difference in people who have diabetes who already have insulin resistance,” she said.

“In order to gauge the effect on people with diabetes it would be necessary to actually run this experiment in people with diabetes.”

As for drinking coffee at the same time as consuming cereal - rather than an hour earlier - Graham noted that other research finds only a modest impact on blood-sugar response.

But there was a “marked impact” when a carbohydrate-based lunch was eaten later, he said.

“The insulin levels went quite high … You dodge the bullet at breakfast, but it got you between the eyes at lunch.”

He added that caffeine levels just barely start to go down in a person three hours after drinking coffee.

As allergy-sufferers nationwide tackle their nose nemeses or keep scratching their heads - literally - in the quest to identify the source of their allergen angst, they can consider these tips for combating allergies in the home.

The most common allergens are dust mites and animal dander found mostly inside, not outside, the home sweet home. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) also lists cockroaches as common allergens, especially in inner cities or southern parts of the United States.

Perfume, room deodorizers, harsh cleaning chemicals, paint, and talcum powder are also known allergens and asthma triggers to reduce or avoid altogether.

May presents a great opportunity to:

- Replace air conditioning filters to help reduce the dust settlement,

- Incorporate humidifiers or other air filters in the home to help prevent dust mites

- Employ the use of non-toxic or natural household cleaners

- Replace artificially scented items with naturally scented oils and soy-based products

- Consider future use of Low-VOC paint

The AAFA states that allergy is the 5th leading chronic disease in the U.S. among all ages, and the 3rd most common chronic disease among children under 18 years old (according to the National Academy on an Aging Society).

“There is little we can do about external allergens, but there are many preventative measures we can take inside our homes,” said Dr. Alan Greene, renowned medical expert, author and speaker. “It is important to avoid obsessively over cleaning your home, therefore preventing allergen immunities from forming. Instead, use non-toxic cleaning products and omit other irritants from the immediate environment.”

To help combat allergens, Seventh Generation offers a full range of cleaning products that are free of fragrances, dyes and toxins - perfect for those cleaning a home with an allergy or asthma sufferer. Seventh Generation Free & Clear Starter Kits are available to help create and maintain a healthy home.

For more on National Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month please visit the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America at http://www.aafa.org.