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In 1981, the New York Times reported a study from the Harvard School of Public Health finding, “a statistical link between the drinking of coffee and cancer of the pancreas.” In 2014, Inc told us “19 horrible things that can happen” from drinking too much coffee.
Flash forward to today, when a British Heart Foundation study discovered, “up to 25 cups of coffee a day still safe for heart health.” Quite the turnaround. Johns Hopkins Medicine reports other benefits of coffee, reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, colon cancer, heart failure, and stroke.
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The government Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion concurs, “If alcohol is consumed, it should be in moderation -- up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.” The American Heart Association agrees, “If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.” So does the American Cancer Society which, “recommends that people who drink alcohol limit their intake to no more than 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink a day for women.” Settled right?
But perhaps alcohol is not so safe after all. Recent research published in the Lancet “concludes there’s no amount of alcohol consumption that’s safe for overall health.” From moderate drinking to no drinking at all.
Then there is walking, with steps now easily tracked via smart watches and fitness monitors. 10,000 steps was the holy grail, as Weight Watchers described benefits beyond simply weight control, such as heart health, blood sugar stabilization, brain power, and reduced body fat.
Perhaps less is more, as the Atlantic reported new studies finding reduced mortality in walking women, but the benefits maxing out at 7500 steps per day. More walking means more wear and tear on the joints and a higher risk of falls, both prevalent in the older population.