In the News: Coffee May Lower Suicide Risk By 50 Percent, Harvard Study Indicates

 by Sara Gates

Keep drinking your morning cup of joe, coffee drinkers. Aside from a jolt of energy, caffeinated coffee may lower the suicide risk in men and women by 50 percent, Harvard researchers indicated in a recent study.

Reviewing data from three large-scale U.S. studies, the team from the Harvard School of Public Health compared the risk of suicide for adults who consumed two to four caffeinated cups per day with that of non-coffee drinkers, those who drank much less coffee per day and people who chose decaf.

The results, published earlier this month in the The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry, were striking. Comparatively, the suicide risk for those who drank two to four cups per day was about 50 percent less than the risk for subjects in the other groups. (The total sample included more than 200,000 participants, who were studied for time spans of at least 16 years.)

"Unlike previous investigations, we were able to assess association of consumption of caffeinated and non-caffeinated beverages, and we identify caffeine as the most likely candidate of any putative protective effect of coffee," lead researcher Michel Lucas, a research fellow in the university's department of nutrition, said in a statement.

The team's findings are, perhaps, not surprising since caffeinated coffee has been linked to a lower risk of depression among women in the past. In a 2011 study, also conducted by Harvard researchers, women who drank coffee were shown to have a 15 percent reduced risk of depression as compared to non-coffee drinkers.

Speaking to The Huffington Post, Lucas stressed that it's the caffeine in coffee that's primarily responsible for these effects. He linked the lowered risks of depression and suicide to the impact caffeine has on the brain or, more specifically, on neurotransmitters that have been shown to have an effect on emotions.

And while other drinks like soda and tea also offer caffeine, they don't contain nearly the same levels as coffee.

"Caffeine from coffee is about 80 percent caffeine intake," Lucas estimated. "In one cup of coffee, you could have about 140 mg of caffeine."

"In tea, for example, you have about 47 mg," he told HuffPost, adding that someone would need about three more cups of tea to achieve the same effect as one cup of coffee.

However, as the researchers indicated in the study, moderation is still key. (Though caffeine intoxication was already a disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the latest version, DSM-5, added caffeine withdrawal as a related diagnosis.)

"Overall, our results suggest that there is little further benefit for consumption above two to three cups/day or 400 mg of caffeine/day," the authors wrote.

The Harvard study joins a growing body of scientific evidence, which has provided confirmation of the health benefits of coffee.

Last year alone, published research linked moderate coffee intake with delayed Alzheimer's onset, lowered risk of heart failure and reduced risk of basil cell carcinoma -- the most common type of skin cancer.

Seven Ways to Escape Negative Thinking

by Dawn Gluskin

If you are finding yourself trapped in negative thinking patterns and want out, here are some tips to help break the cycle:

1. Embrace a willingness to change. Be open to a different way of thinking. This is a must and can only come from within. "No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path." -- Buddha

2. Be able to face the truth. Nobody likes coming to terms with their own fears and negativity, but the only way to chase out darkness is to shine light on it. Free writing is a good way to get to the heart of these blocks. Be open and honest. Ask yourself: What is the negative story I've created for myself? How have I abused myself with my own thoughts? In your writing, you will find that, in our own minds, we can be downright nasty to ourselves sometimes!

3. Forgive yourself and others. Beating yourself up about past negative thoughts and behavior is a negative thought and behavior, and a counter-productive one at that. The same goes for holding grudges against others -- you are only hurting yourself by holding onto that negative energy. It's never too late to start again. Focus on letting go and being joyful in this present moment while embracing the endless possibilities of the future that lies ahead.

4. Choose an attitude of gratitude. We all have so much to be grateful for if we just take the time to look around and soak it all in. From the sun that rises each morning, to the ability to get out of bed and breathe in the air another day, and to being fortunate enough to have all of our basic needs met, we are surrounded by miracles. We, ourselves, are one. Appreciate!

5. Practice mindfulness. Become aware of your negative thoughts as they come. A meditation practice will help greatly in mindfulness training. You can also try this: Wear a special bracelet on your wrist. Each time you notice yourself having a negative thought, switch the bracelet to the other arm. At first, you might find yourself constantly switching the bracelet back and forth throughout the day. Those little negative buggers creep in constantly, from being stuck in traffic to experiencing a business deal that doesn't go as expected. But, over time, you will switch the bracelet less and less as you develop an increased awareness. By noticing these negative thoughts as they come, you can stop them from occurring as often and adopt a more positive mindset.

6. Be of service to others. Being able to help someone else in need is rewarding in itself, but it's also an incredibly humbling way to shift our own perceptions on life. We are more blessed than we know, and helping others who are struggling helps to put things into perspective.

7. Accept. There is only so much we can control in our daily lives. The act of accepting reality as it is dealt to us is completely liberating. Save your energy for what you actually have control over.
The good news: Those who are open to it and willing to put in the work can change negative thinking patterns and have a life beyond their wildest dreams! Just work on it one day at a time and you will begin to see the beautiful shift.

Playing With Light

I've decided to experiment with colored lenses to see if they affect my mood or ability to sleep.  So off I went to Amazon and eBay. and ordered up some cheap sunglasses.

Since I stare at the computer monitor all day, the first thing I ordered from Amazon was:

Sheer Vision Computer Glasses with Peach/Light Beige Polycarbonate Sheer Glare Anti Reflective Lenses, Clip on Flip up, Rectangle, A (54-56mm) B 47mm) -- cost $18.00

Product Description

Are you tired of letting the glare of your computer bother you all the time and then wondering why your vision is getting worse and worse? The consistent glare from a computer monitor isn't exactly the healthiest thing for your eyes. Visionary Supplies would like to introduce Sheer Vision.

Sheer Vision is a line of superior quality, anti-glare filter glasses for the computer eyewear market. Our company devoted the necessary time and resources to developing an Anti-Glare Computer Eyewear product that not only does the job, but is the most comfortable and stylish to wear. Here's how we did it...Sheer Vision is an enhanced polycarbonate plastic lens material with a unique coating applied to both the front and back surfaces. The coating creates a unique physical characteristic on the lens that resembles an oily residue or a drop of water in a puddle. This unique coating eliminates the glare from any computer monitor while the enhanced polycarbonate material blocks the harmful UV light rays coming from the screen.

These UV lights are normally very dangerous to the retina. The combination of these two materials on a single lens allows the user to view the computer monitor with a softness and a contrast between colors unlike ever before. Not only do Sheer Vision products reduce glare and UV light intake, but our state of the art lenses also reduce headaches that usually are caused by prolonged, unprotected exposure to the persistent onslaught of harmful rays from all computer monitors. All of our glasses come standard in a polycarbonate double-sided anti-reflective coating, scratch coating and UV protection.

..... And they didn't even mention those nasty office fluorescent lights.

Next, I read that blue light is a key to setting the circadian rhythm for sleep and also enhances a positive mood, so I bought these cool cat blue lenses to wear in the morning hours (not while using the computer) on eBay.

New Attitude Blue Lenses Sunglasses Motorcycle Black Spring Assisted Temples - cost $10.00

Then for night, in order to enhance the low-light "sunset" experience as the prelude to sleep, I plan to slip on orange lenses, which filter out the invigorating blue light from artificial nighttime lights such as electric lightbulbs and TV (a somewhat contradictory notion to absorbing that same blue light earlier in the day -- so we'll see what's what).


KD Original Orange Lenses Sunglasses Motorcycle With Storage Pouch 2128 -- cost: another $10.00

Net cost for everything -- $38.00. If anything seems to actually work, after a trial period, I may invest in high-dollar prescription ground versions of the colored lenses.

ZZ Top "Cheap Sunglasses"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vR-9NQAPIA