Tag: caffeine

CAFFEINE: the UPS and DOWNS

chocolate, men, coffee – some things are better rich.

 I don’t know about you, but I start all of my mornings with two cups of Bodem (French Press) coffee with 2 tsp. of organic cane sugar (I’m refined until it comes to sugar) and cream.  Not going to compromise on the cream.  For the added calories I’d rather have that than watery tasting coffee with skim milk anytime.  I’ll have to cut calories elsewhere. Maybe ½ tsp. less sugar or honey – but honey doesn’t really replace sweetness in coffee the same way sugar does.  Oh well…

 And who invented decaf?  What purpose does it serve? Decaffeinated coffee is the devil’s blend. It’s not even that the taste of coffee is so amazing it’s only to WAKE UP!  But I do like the taste and smell of freshly ground organic coffee beans…..even if it’s a morning ritual while checking mail and catching up on others’ daily blogs while drinking the stuff.  I’m not looking to replace that.  Even fresh juice or smoothies don’t replace it – it’s just an ad-on to the morning ritual.  I know it’s good to switch up the workout routine now and then but NOT my mornings.  Typical morning: roll out of bed, quick stretch & brush teeth (can’t even drink coffee without first brushing), lazily make my way downstairs to a Bodem just waiting anxiously for me to press down on.  S L O W L Y beginning to wake up.  Second cup – finally awake.  Then it’s usually off for either a run or yoga class before coming back to shower and start the day……..I’ll spare you all the other amazing details of the rest of my day.

 Okay so while drinking my morning java the other day I came across an interesting article on the health benefits of caffeine (and happy I’m so healthy as I sip and read).  DID YOU KNOW that for all the potential benefits of coffee – from decreasing your diabetes risk to protecting against Parkinson’s – research now shows that the brew isn’t without its dangers?  Luckily there are simple ways to avoid them.  So before your next cup…. Spoiler alert:

 You should use a paper filter if you have HIGH CHOLESTEROL.  Every cup of unfiltered coffee (think my French press daily habit) contains cafestol – the most potent cholesterol-elevating substance we know of in the human diet, according to researcher Marie-Louise-Ricktts, PhD, of the University of Nevada, Reno.  One study found that drinking roughly four eight-ounce cups of French press coffee every day for four weeks could increase your cholesterol by about 8 percent.  To remove most of the cafestol, brew your coffee with paper filters (single-serve options like Keurig K-Cups, already have them built in), because they’re more effective at removing the compound than permanent metal filters.  Ooops……I’ll have to go back to my “one cup” with the natural paper filters at least a couple times per week….just incase.

 If you’re at risk for developing HEART DISEASE switch to decaf.  Sorry for putting you down decaf. Caffeinated coffee may increase your odds of having a heart attack if you already have three or more heart disease factors (such as being overweight, smoking, or having high blood pressure).  Caffeine will cause your blood pressure to briefly spike, and when you already have plaque buildup in your arteries, this can loosen and block blood flow, leading to a heart attack, explains study coauthor Ana Baylin, MD, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of  Michigan School of Public Health.  Even small amounts cam be harmful.

 If you experience ACID REFLUX– brew a darker roast.  Dark coffee may taste strong but according to one study, they’re gentler on your stomach.  The roasting process produces a compound that slows the production of stomach-irritating acid according to researcher Veronika Somoza, PhD, a professor in the University of Vienna’s department of nutritional and physiological chemistry. Darker brews are roasted longer than their lighter counterparts.

 If you suffer from INSOMNIA know when to say when. Conscience keeps more people awake than coffee.  The time it takes for half of the stimulant to leave your body is between four and seven hours.  Okay now there’s even an app (surprise, surprise) called Caffeine Zone 2 so you can enter how much coffee you drink and the app will predict how long your buzz should last.  What did we do when we didn’t have apps?

 I hope you find this helpful & interesting and that I didn’t spoil your day.  What about you?  What gets you off and running to start the day?

Also: **Don’t miss listening to “Transforming Health” with host Brad King for the most evocative and informative up-to-the-minute interviews with leading health professionals – Live every Wednesday @ 12PM-PST/3PM-EST on VoiceAmerica.com – #1 internet radio station in North America.

Here’s the link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1686/transforming-health