Coffee: A health drink? Part 2

Coffee is King...and Queen of Health Drinks (Part 2) It may come as a surprise to many that almost 110 million Americans drink coffee everyday, and as noted in a previous column, it’s just not for breakfast anymore. A coffee researcher (yes there is such a field of study!) from Vanderbilt University, Dr. Tomas DePaulis, says that not only do regular coffee drinkers have a decreased chance of developing the debilitating condition of Parkinson’s disease, but that the latest drugs to treat this condition utilize a derivative of caffeine. We all know that caffeine boosts energy, but did you also realize that for some people it can aid in decreasing a headache? That’s why the makers of products like Excedrin have it listed as one of its major ingredients.

Along with caffeine coffee also contains powerful antioxidants, which may be one of the reasons it can be beneficial in helping the body in a variety of ways. Recent studies reported in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute shared some downright amazing information: that coffee may significantly lower the risk of colon and liver cancers. With all of this great news about the benefits of coffee consumption though, we must also look at the downside of the popular drink. Specialty coffees, like a double mocha latte, can have as much or more sugar, calories and fat than a fast food meal! And people who smoke and drink coffee may be at a much greater risk for heart disease. Studies linking high blood pressure and coffee are not as conclusive, but if you suffer from this condition it would be wise to cut down on your coffee consumption. As a coffee lover myself, I made the switch a number of years ago to drinking my morning brew as a mixture of 1/2 regular and 1/2 decaffeinated, hedging my bets that moderation may just be the key to better health in everything we do.. Wishing You Love and Peace, David Essel, M.S. www.davidessel.com Author, Radio & Television Host, Lifestyle Coach (Editor’s Note: For more success stories and the full eating and exercise plan, please review David’s book Slow Down: The Fastest Way to Get Everything You Want at Barnes and Noble and other fine local bookstores as well aswww.Amazon.com.)