A NATURAL SLEEP HELPER

Women metabolize caffeine slowly so your morning tea or coffee or afternoon soda will still be working at bedtime. "Limit these drinks to less than four ounces early in the day, and avoid caffeine after 3:00 PM. Alcohol should be limited to two or three a week. That glass of wine may help you fall asleep but it can wake you up at 2:00 AM. The best bedtime snack is peanut butter on toast, or a small serving of yogurt and fruit," says Dr. Tasneem Bhatia, MD. "The protein helps produce tryptophan which is more available to your brain."

If any of our readers have other medical questions, they are invited to send any questions to Dr. Travis Stork, MD to askdrstork@prevention.com. His tip for today is: "If your teeth are feeling extra sensitive lately you should minimize bleaching strips or other whitening products and don't brush within 30 minutes of drinking your morning java - that's when the acid level in your mouth is the highest and teeth enamel is most prone to damage, so brushing can do more harm than good. Another trick that my friend Clint Newman, DDS, suggests is to use a straw with all sodas, juices and other acidic drinks. Can you say "Iced coffee". This keeps the acid from landing directly on your teeth.