Staying Healthy Archive

Articles

Does drinking tea really help health?

Scientists can't say for sure yet if tea is good for health. However, the overall evidence on tea consumption indicates a potential benefit. Drinking tea is linked to reduced risks for heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, dementia, stress, and early death. The health benefits of tea come with drinking two to four daily cups of green, black, or oolong tea. Other types of tea, such as the fermented tea known as pu-erh, might also be good for health, though the supporting evidence is more limited.

Are you taking too many medications?

Many people need to take multiple medications for health and symptom control, but it requires extra attention to prevent risks for drug interactions, dosage errors, and other problems. Several strategies can help, such as learning the names of pills, what they do, and why they're necessary; writing down the day, time, and dose of each drug; using organization tools such as pillboxes and alarms; and scheduling a medication review with a doctor or pharmacist every 12 months, so that unnecessary pills—such as those no longer needed—can be omitted.

White-coat hypertension: A cause for concern?

White-coat hypertension refers to blood pressure that's high only when measured in a medical setting. It's defined as a reading in the doctor's office of greater than 130/80 (but less than 160/100) and an average daytime blood pressure reading of less than 130/80. If home monitoring reveals mostly normal readings, treatment may not be needed. But intermittent blood pressure spikes might still damage the heart.

Alcohol and your health: Risks, benefits, and controversies

For millions of people, alcohol is a regular part of their lives. But there are many downsides to drinking — some familiar, others less well appreciated. And concerns about the risks of even moderate drinking are on the rise.

You don't say? Can your bladder burst from "holding it" too long?

While men sometimes hold off urinating until absolutely necessary, waiting too long won't cause serious damage to their bladder. Still, over time, the practice could possibly raise the risk for urinary tract infections and make urinating difficult.

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