Caffeine offers a pleasant pickup. Butconsume too much, and you mayend up with sleep problems, anxiety,and irritability.
For certain women, limiting caffeineintake is crucial. Researchers recentlyreported in the American Journal ofEpidemiology that the risk of fetal deathrose as women drank more caffeinatedcoffee. But the issue remains controversial.Many other studies and groupssuggest that pregnant women can safelyconsume a cup or two per day.
Other women who should limitcaffeine include nursing mothers,older women, and those who have:
- coronary heart disease,hypertension, or ulcers
- osteoporosis
- irritable bowel syndrome
- bladder problems.
Besides coffee, caffeine also lurksin over-the-counter pain relievers,appetite inhibitors, cold medicines,energy drinks, and chocolate.
To lower caffeine intake, go slowly.A too-abrupt withdrawal can triggerheadaches, fatigue, irritability, and nausea.Try these tips to tame your caffeinehabit and get healthier at the same time.
- Switch to decaf. Decaffeinated coffeeonly has about 3 milligrams ofcaffeine per 8-ounce cup, comparedwith about 100 milligrams in an8-ounce cup of regular coffee.And, according to a recent studyin the Archives of Internal Medicine,drinking decaffeinated coffee gavepostmenopausal women even moreprotection against diabetes thanregular coffee.
- Brew tea instead of coffee. Twocups of tea have only as muchcaffeine as one cup of coffee. And,a recent study in the Archives ofInternal Medicine revealed that,compared with nontea drinkers,women who drank two cups of teaeach day had a 46% lower chance ofgetting ovarian cancer.
- Take a hard look at your soft drinks.A recent study in the Journal of theAmerican Medical Association foundthat caffeine-containing colas weremuch likelier than coffee to raiseblood pressure.