MORE INFO ON RECENT TOPICS

1. WHY NO PICTURES LATELY?
My brother Randy does the photos, and he's been staying with me. We haven't been blogging much. So there is a temporary hiatus from pictures on Dr. Tofuhead. Sorry for all those waiting eagerly for a visual image of a douchebag. While waiting, check the Oprah show: she has douchebags as guests on her show all the time!
2. REALLY NO CAFFEINE IN DECAF?
Randy dug up some fairly interesting study that compared decaf levels at various coffee shops. It turns out I was wrong- some purveyors of decaf actually do have a significant amount of caffeine in their decaf beans. Starbuck's was the highest- some of their decaf drinks approach 30% as much caffeine as in regular caffeinated coffees. And caffeine amounts seem to be highly variable in different types of beans. So if, for some reason, your doctor has told you to completely avoid caffeine, you probably need to avoid decaf coffee most of the time. Or you can drink Sanka, that 70s powdered instant decaf coffee that has survived the test of time. Sanka ain't that bad, and it's caffeine quantity is not noticeable. I bring it camping frequently and enjoy it immensely. But I'm not that picky about coffee.
3. IF I PEE A LOT, DO I HAVE DIABETES?
Frequent urination can be a sign of diabetes, especially if it is accompanied by frequent thirst and visual blurring. Just remember that most people who pee a lot, or think they pee a lot, don't have diabetes. People also tend to overestimate how much they pee. If your pee is clear and you pee a lot, chances are it's because you are drinking a copious, and HEALTHY, amount of water. There are a number of benign conditions that cause people to pee a lot, such as "overactive bladder," prostate enlargement, nervousness, some allergy medications, and yes, even caffeine. Caffeine does not actually dehydrate you, but it probably stimulates the bladder to contract a bit more frequently, and some people find they are peeing a lot when they drink it. If you are concerned that you are peeing too much, talk to your doctor- there are easy tests to run that can tell you if your frequent urination is a serious problem.
4. MORE QUESTIONS PLEASE
Presumably because it's summer and you are all exercising all day, eating well, sleeping like babies, and feeling fantastic, I haven't gotten many health-related questions lately. Even in my office, I'm seeing fewer patients and many of them are healthier than me. My medical brain is undergoing atrophy. You, dear reader, can help me: post a health related question in the comments! Remember, no question is stupid and all questions are answered anonymously.