Health Notes
We’re Cooler Now
Since the 1850s, the normal body temperature was noted as 98.6℉ or 37℃. Sounds straightforward, but that’s never been true. Our body temperature goes down at night and up during the day. It changes by about a degree Fahrenheit. Normally, our temperate is lowest just before we wake.
Recent studies have shown that the average temperature is no longer 98.6, but rather 98. This is likely due to the lower levels of inflammation from infections. 150 years ago, people were fighting off infections constantly.
It’s important to have a medical thermometer around. It’s the only reliable way to know if you have a fever. Even a slightly raised temperature can signal an infection. You may not even know it, but it is a signal to get some rest. If your temperature runs over 99, you are running a fever.
Men and women have the same body temperature. Still, because men are usually larger and have more muscle, their bodies generate more heat per area of skin. Women tend to feel cooler than men because of this and tend to like the thermostat a bit higher. And as we age, we lose muscle mass, so we tend to feel cooler.
Coated Aspirin
Some of us take low-dose aspirin for heart disease. Most of those are enteric-coated. The enteric coating prevents the stomach from absorbing the aspirin. Most aspirin used for pain relief is not coated as it delays pain relief. The enteric coating also may reduce the effectiveness of the aspirin.
Many assume that the coating prevents stomach bleeding issues, but it doesn’t. The stomach bleeding side effect of aspirin is not related to where it is absorbed. It comes from the way aspirin relieves pain. Aspirin blocks substances that cause pain, and the same process increases the risk of stomach bleeding.
The risk of bleeding is lower with the low-dose aspirin than with a full dose, and the enteric coating does limit stomach upset. But, unless your doctor recommends taking daily low-dose aspirin for your heart, it’s not worth the risk. If your doctor recommends it, an uncoated one may be fine. Often the uncoated ones are chewable.
Caffeine Dosing
Caffeine is the most commonly used stimulant. More than ¾ of Canadians drank coffee yesterday. And if you’re older, there is a 50/50 chance you had tea. One out of 5 coffee drinkers drink more than the recommended maximum of 32 oz a day --- two large drive-through coffees. The caffeine in a cup of coffee varies from 50 mg to 200 mg or more. A cup of brewed tea usually has around 50 mg of caffeine.
Like all stimulants, you develop a tolerance for caffeine and gradually need higher doses for the same effect. Long-term use of caffeine means you eventually need it to get to your baseline. And quitting caffeine can cause mild withdrawal, with headaches, irritability, and drowsiness, as well as flu-like symptoms.
Caffeine stimulates both the mind and body. It can give you more energy and endurance, and it can improve your mental sharpness and problem-solving ability. This is especially true when you lack sleep. Caffeine does make you pee, so it is not recommended when you might get dehydrated.
Too much caffeine can have bad effects. The equivalent of 2 mid-size Starbucks coffees is enough to have adverse effects, such as nervousness and anxiety. A huge dose of caffeine can be deadly, but that dose is more than 20 large-size Starbucks coffees.
Caffeine and naps can be a good combination. If you drink a coffee and immediately take a 20-minute nap, you will wake with a lot more energy and alertness --- a perfect combination for driving.
The ideal caffeine dose has been researched by the army. If you didn’t sleep well, drink a medium coffee when you wake up and another at lunch. Coffee’s peak effect occurs about an hour after you consume it. Caffeine remains in your system for 2 to 9 hours, depending on the person. Coffee consumed within 8 hours before bedtime can interfere with sound sleep.
Coffee or tea can be a good start to the day, but avoid them after lunch.