Wow! What an amazing trip so far. My senses are on overload from all the sights I've seen over the last 10 days.
Right now I am having a much needed day of rest onboard the ship. The last 4 days have been filled with touring 5 different cities (Toulon, Florence, Pisa, Rome, Naples) from sun-up to sun-down. Very exciting and fun, but kinda exhausting too. Today I must re-charge for the next 4 days at different ports- equally excited about seeing Turkey and Greece.
My plan for the day is to hang out on deck and read a good book. For the first hour or two I will also embrace the Italian tradition of delicious cappuccino to go along with it. Which got me thinking about the topic for todays e-zine.
Is It Healthy or Harmful?
First they told us coffee was bad for you and you should cut it out of your diet, now they tell you to drink at least 6 cups a day to reap the health benefits.
There are, however, several health concerns with drinking coffee. It may significantly increase blood pressure and LDL cholesterol, as well as increase inflammation in blood vessels- all which can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. It may damage the lining of your digestive tract, increase heartburn, iron-deficiency anemia, PMS symptoms and osteoporosis in post-menopausal women. It also contains several known carcinogens, which may explain the increased risk in some cancers.
As with most things in life, moderation seems to be the answer. For most people, drinking up to 3 cups per day provides enough to reap some of the health benefits without actually causing health problems.
And of course with most things in life, it's not just that straight forward.
Are you a slow caffeine metabolizer?
Almost half the population has a genetic anomaly that makes them process caffeine much more slowly than the average person. If you are one of these people, you're up to 4 times more likely to have a heart attack from regular coffee consumption. If you are a "regular" metabolizer, your heart attack risk actually goes down from regular coffee drinking.
How do you know which one you are? If the effects of caffeine stay with you for longer than a couple of hours, you're likely a slow metabolizer, so you're better off cutting out coffee completely.
Are you drinking organic coffee?
Coffee is heavily sprayed with pesticides, so if you're not drinking organic, you're getting lots of toxins in that cup.
Is your coffee made with pure water?
If it's made with water from the tap, you're most likely getting fluoride and chlorine with it- 2 chemicals that don't belong in your body (at least in the extent that the average person gets them).
How much water or other fluid are you getting?
Caffeine is a diuretic, which increases fluid loss. With more than half the population walking around already dehydrated, most people can't afford to lose any more fluid.
What are you putting in your coffee?
If you're putting sugar, artificial sweetener, non-dairy creamer, regular cream and/or other flavorings in it, you're likely negating the health benefits of coffee (and maybe even causing other problems). Switch to black- if you do it gradually, you'll quickly get used to the taste and maybe even like it!
Are you drinking coffee from a styrofoam cup or using a plastic lid?
Coffee can increase inflammation in the body, which may exacerbate any health problems and could lead to new problems.
How is your coffee decaffeinated?
Most decaffeination processes use solvents to extract the caffeine, leaving chemicals behind- even "naturally decaffeinated" products. Make sure they use steam or pressure (ie: not adding anything).
Summary: If you're an otherwise healthy person in whom the effects of caffeine don't last more than 2 hours, go ahead and drink up to 3 cups per day of organic, black coffee made with pure water out of a ceramic/glass mug. And be sure to drink plenty of water the rest of the day.
While coffee may have some health benefits, those touting it as a health beverage and encouraging people to drink 6-8 cups a day are just plain irresponsible in my opinion.
Drink it in moderation and have a look at the rest of your diet. There are much better sources of antioxidants, like fruits & veggies that are definitely healthy for you- the more the better!
"I lost 15 pounds in 3 months and didn't feel like I was starving myself. I feel better and am more alert. I function better in my day-to-day activities."
What program is he talking about?
The only kitchen appliances you own are made by Mr. Coffee.
When someone asks "How are you?", you say, "Good to the last drop."
Your hand is permanently shaped to hold your mug.