Hypertension is persistently high blood pressure over a period of months, which approximately 50 people in the U.S. are afflicted with. A recent Harvard University study found that coffee does not contribute significantly to hypertension ( reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association). Instead, coffee, like exercise and orgasms, causes a sharp, temporary increase in blood pressure. A study at John Hopkins in 2002 had already found that coffee drinking appeared to play only a small role in the development of hypertension; but the more recent Harvard study found that coffee may have no role. However, researchers have determined that cola does increase the risk of hypertension, but they don't know why. Please take note how I cleverly lumped together coffee, exercise, and orgasms.

   A recent study conducted by researchers from the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases and from Social & Scientific Systems, Inc, suggests that drinking two cups of coffee or tea a day may help reduce the risk of chronic liver disease in people with high risk of liver disease due to heavy drinking, obesity, diabetes, or iron overload. By analyzing 19 years of data on nearly 10,000 people, the researchers found that people who drank more that two cups or coffee or tea a day developed chronic liver disease half as often as people who consumed less then a cup of coffee or tea a day.

We're often asked why our pastries and other baked goods are made with 100% whole wheat. The reason we make these items with 100% whole wheat is twofold. One, because it adds an interesting natural flavor and adds harmonious complexity and dimension to the baked goods, and two, because we want to keep you as healthy as possible without sacrificing taste. Bleached flour have had its bran and germ removed which are the most nutritious parts of the wheat grain. In addition to just being more packed with nutrients, some of the health benefits linked to whole wheat are:

   A study published in the November 2003 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed the women who eat whole grains weight less. Research suggests that whole grains reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a strong predictor of both type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Common features of the metabolic syndrome include visceral obesity (the "apple shaped" body), low levels of protective HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, and high blood pressure. A Nurses Health Study which tracked the overall fiber intake and types of fiber consumed over a 16 year period by 69,778 suggested that eating whole grains help prevent gallstones. Whole wheat may aid in warding off cancer, most specifically breast-cancer and other hormone-dependant cancers. Whole wheat consumption has also been linked to cardiovascular benefits, especially in post-menopausal women. Last but not least, whole wheat is super for bowel regularity!

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt, March 31 (UPI) -- Egyptian scientists say drinking green tea helps make antibiotics three times more effective, even against so-called superbugs. read more