Coffee talk
Many Americans begin their day with a cup of coffee, but for years patients with heart conditions have been counseled to avoid caffeine. A recently published paper challenges that advice. The cardiologist behind a new American Heart Association scientific statement on caffeine and cardiovascular health outlines what the evidence really shows about coffee, blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms, including why consuming up to 400 mg a day may actually lower the risk of heart failure and stroke for some people.
Guest: Dr. Gregory M. Marcus, cardiologist and chair, Caffeine and Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
Forever chemicals
From the air inside our homes to the products we use on our bodies, chemicals are everywhere. Many are invisible, odorless and unavoidable. An environmental health expert provides insight into how to limit exposure. She also explains where common toxicants like the so-called “forever chemicals,” phthalates and formaldehyde, turn up and how they can affect our health.
Guest: Sarah Vogel, senior vice president, healthy communities, Environmental Defense Fund
Chair pose
Traditional yoga can be intimidating, especially to those with balance issues, limited mobility and chronic pain. However, standard yoga poses can be adapted to fit the capabilities of everyone. A psychotherapist and yoga instructor discusses how modified poses using a chair can help build strength, flexibility and mobility without getting down on a mat. She also describes how chair yoga can promote healthy aging and reduce stress. And she guides listeners through a few poses they can try at home or at work.
Guest: Lauren Maher, psychotherapist, yoga therapist and creator of The Chair Yoga Deck