Day Twenty One

COFFEE!!! (WARNING: You will hear this word ALOT during this blog.)
I know that so many people (like myself) absolutely love coffee! I used to drink coffee every single day, and I found that when I stopped...I had withdrawal symptoms like headaches and fatigue.
Being on the Earth Diet, I find that sometimes I miss coffee, mostly when I'm catching up with a friend via 'Coffee'. I struggle sitting with my cold water when I can smell the aroma of coffee drifting through the air.

I've heard so many rumours about coffee...it's good, then it's bad and I find it overwhelming not knowing the truth. So, once again I spent alot of time with my good friend google today discussing the in's and out's of coffee. This one's a long one so go and make yourself a cup of coffee...(or don't, I'm not too sure yet haha) and enjoy some very interesting information :)

Coffee “beans” are actually the dried berries of the coffee plant. They are naturally very high in antioxidants, BUT!!! you can only benefit from drinking regular coffee since the antioxidants are washed away when the beans are decaffeinated. Coffee is a diuretic, and will cause frequent urination, so if you are already a heavy coffee drinker, then make sure you have a couple of extra glasses of water a day.

Here are some pros and cons about Coffee:
PRO'S:
A growing body of research shows that coffee drinkers, compared to nondrinkers, are:
Less likely to have type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and dementia
have fewer cases of certain cancers, heart rhythm problems, and strokes
“There is certainly much more good news than bad news, in terms of coffee and health,” says Frank Hu, MD, MPH, PhD, nutrition and epidemiology professor at the Harvard School of Public Health.
(BUT, please remember that coffee isn't proven to prevent these diseases)

1. Cut the Pain
   Two cups of coffee can cut post-workout muscle pain by up to 48%. From the Journal of Pain, March 2007 (link).
2. Increase your fiber intake
   A cup of brewed coffee represents a contribution of up to 1.8 grams of fiber of the recommended intake of 20-38 grams. From the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (link).
3. Protection against cirrhosis of the liver
   Of course you could just cut down on the alcohol intake. From the Archives of Internal Medicine (link).
4. Lowered risk of Type 2 Diabetes
   Those who consumed 6 or more cups per day had a 22% lower risk of diabetes. From the Archives of Internal Medicine (link).
5. Lowered risk of Alzheimer’s disease
   There is considerable evidence that caffeine may protect against Alzheimer’s disease. From the European Journal of Neurology (link).
6. Reduces suicide risk
   10 year study of 86,000 female nurses show a reduced risk of suicide in the coffee drinkers. From the Archives of Internal Medicine (link).
7. Protection against Parkinson’sPeople with Parkinson’s disease are less likely to be smokers and coffee drinkers than their healthy siblings. Just make sure you don’t get lung cancer on the way. From the Archives of Neurology (link). (http://www.energyfiend.com/2007/04/7-good-reasons-to-drink-coffee)

CON'S:

1. Liver damage: If you don't think coffee is doing damage to your liver, think again. Jennifer Zartarian, N.D., the Wellness and Research Coordinator at Long Island College Hospital of Brooklyn explains, "Caffeine is broken down by the liver through the use of enzymes. The more these enzymes are involved in breaking down caffeine, the less available they are for breaking down other chemicals in the bloodstream. Excessive caffeine use, therefore, causes the liver to work less efficiently at its job of detoxifying the body." While one to two cups each day seems normal, anything above that amount may seem excessive. Experts recommend replacing those additional cups of coffee with water instead.
2. Sleep disruption: "We should get eight hours of sleep every night," says Edward F. Group III, D.C., N.D., DACBN, of TheHolisticOption.com. When you combine stress, anxiety and coffee, the eight hours start dwindling and become easily interrupted. "Put coffee on top of that [stress and anxiety] and you'll wake up during the night, wake up too early in the morning and experience insomnia." Dr. Group mentions the body heals itself at night, so additional coffee may disrupt this normal cycle. Plus, a morning cup of java may interrupt your bodily cycle for the day. Zartarian explains, "We have a natural rise in cortisol in the morning to help us get out of bed and perform our daily tasks. However, if you are drinking coffee all day, then this cycle becomes disrupted, and your higher cortisol and adrenaline levels may interrupt a restful night of sleep."
3. Yellow teeth: If you'd like your pearly whites to stay that way, stop drinking coffee, or at least cut back. According Zartarian, coffee is not friendly to teeth. "The dark brown color of coffee that develops when it is roasted via a biochemical reaction, called the Maillard reaction, causes a stubborn stain -- which is difficult enough to remove from your clothes or living room rug, so just think of what it is doing to your teeth!"
4. Got acid?: Zartarian explains that caffeinated beverages like coffee have an acidic and astringent effect on the tissues of the body. "This prevents optimal absorption and assimilation of nutrients and fluids in the digestive tract in particular," she says. In fact, acid interferes with the absorption of magnesium and can cause stomach problems. "Acid can run into the intestine and can cause ulcers, it can burn the tissue, contribute to bowel problems. Increased acidity is a precursor to degenerative diseases," adds Dr. Group.
5. Overall health issues: According to a University of Scranton study, while coffee is a top antioxidant in the American diet, it's most beneficial when people consume a variety of antioxidants, not just coffee. Although there are positive aspects of drinking java, to prevent the negative health risks people should drink the beverage in moderation. Coffee contains volatile oils (seen as a film at the top of each cup), which disturb the function of the blood vessels. It contains a lot of pesticides, which can cause the body to accumulate too many toxins; it damages the immune system; it may cause osteoporosis as it depletes calcium levels in the body; and there's an overall increased risk of cardiovascular disease. "Are you drinking toxic or organic coffee?" asks Dr. Group. The organic, eco-friendly processing (i.e., grown without using chemicals in good, clean soil conditions) is the better choice. "Most pesticides are chemicals and cancer-causing agents. The chemicals can be stored in tissues for years." His advice? According to the Mayo Clinic, drinking a moderate amount of coffee -- two to three cups per day -- is key, but ultimately you should try to go with good ol' H2O. "That's what the body wants and needs." (http://gblsharing.app.aol.com/pop-up/)

So...there we go. The average consensus is that coffee is a mild diuretic so you will need more water than normal, it can help in preventing some diseases, it causes yellow teeth if drank in excess and it is acidic.
I guess that everything in moderation is the key to a balanced life.
Although I did get a comment from one of my Mamma's dearest friend Sarah, who said:
" Coffee is a poison that exhausted people rely on to get through the day ... Second most traded commodity after gold ... Increases anxiousness ... Prescribed to doctors in qld so they can work longer hours ... Need more let me know!!"Well, I just might ask her to write about a little something on my blog about coffee :)

Here is what the Earth naturally provided me today :)

BREAKFAST: A Warm Lemon Water, A Coffee and Plums

LUNCH: Chickpea Maehem

SNACK: Another Plum

DINNER: Lots of Almonds

DESSERT: None

EXERCISE: 2 Short runs, sit ups, dips on the bath, push ups, lunges and squats.


Sleep tight, be grateful for Love. It is omnipresent and can be manifested by you at any time! How incredible :)
Love Love Love!!!
xoxoxoxoxox