morning coffee……..

Realignment
by Karen Suriano

the spying eyes of sunrise find
me stumbling bumbling to the kitchen blind
coherent thought is undermined
sleep slugs, grey matter intertwined
lurch on undaunted, the freezer is mined
of roasted nirvana for electric grind
scoop and measure the unrefined
then water, heat and bean combined
hiss and gurgle shout most unkind
but aroma kisses with peace of mind
before first sip, much was maligned
but after, my outlook is realigned

The "Pros"

Antioxidants. Coffee is loaded with antioxidants .

Parkinson's disease. Regular coffee consumption reduces the risk of Parkinson's disease.

Diabetes. Coffee consumption is potentially protective against the development of type 2 diabetes.

Liver cirrhosis. Coffee drinking may protect against liver cirrhosis.

Gallstones. There is some evidence that coffee drinking may be protective against gallstone formation in both men and women.

Kidney stones. Coffee consumption lowers the risk of kidney stones formation.

Improved mental performance. Caffeine in coffee is a well-known stimulant. Coffee promotes alertness, attention and wakefulness. The cup of coffee can also increase information processing.

Alzheimer's disease. Regular coffee consumption seems to protect against Alzheimer's disease.

Asthma. Caffeine in coffee is related to theophylline, an old asthma medication. Caffeine can open airways and improve asthma symptoms.

Caffeine safety. In 1958, caffeine was placed on the Food and Drug Administration's list as generally recognized as safe (GRAS).

The "Cons"

Heart disease. The relation between coffee consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease has been examined in many studies, but the results remain controversial. Most prospective cohort studies have not found coffee consumption to be associated with significantly increased cardiovascular disease risk.

On one hand, diterpenes cafestol and kahweol present in unfiltered coffee and caffeine each appear to increase risk of coronary heart disease. High quality studies have confirmed the cholesterol-raising effect of diterpenes. Coffee consumption is also associated with an increase of plasma homocysteine, a risk factor for coronary heart disease.

On the other hand, a lower risk of heart disease among moderate coffee drinkers might be due to antioxidants found in coffee. Besides that, caffeine can increase the risk of heart attack, especially among those people who carry the "slow" gene variant for the enzyme that metabolizes caffeine.

Cholesterol. Heavy consumption of boiled coffee elevates blood total and LDL cholesterol ("bad cholesterol") levels

Blood vessels. Coffee negatively affects the blood vessel tone and function (increases arterial stiffness and wave reflections).

Heart rhythm disturbances. Coffee can cause rapid or irregular heartbeats (cardiac arrhythmias).

Blood pressure. Although coffee consumption is not a significant risk factor for hypertension, it produces unfavorable effects on blood pressure and people prone to hypertension may be more susceptible.

Osteoporosis. Coffee intake may induce an extra urinary excretion of calcium. Heavy coffee consumption (4 cups=600 ml or more) can modestly increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially in women with a low calcium intake.

Heartburn. A cup of coffee can trigger heartburn.

Sleep. Most of us are aware of the stimulatory effects of caffeine. High amounts of caffeine taken before going to sleep, can cause restlessness and difficulty falling asleep, tendency to be awakened more readily by sudden noises, and a decreased quality of sleep. However, some people can drink coffee and fall right asleep.

Dehydration. The caffeine in coffee is a mild diuretic and can increase urine excretion.

Dependence. Caffeine is a drug, a mild central nervous system stimulant, and it produces dependence. Caffeine withdrawal is a real syndrome. You may get a few days of headache and irritability if you choose to quit drinking coffee, however, it is relatively easy to break this habit, and most people are not addicted to caffeine.

So, what is the key? The old principle - "everything in moderation" - holds true for coffee. It is not bad unless you abuse it. Coffee has its downsides, but offers enough good points to make it a worthwhile drink. For moderate coffee drinkers (3-4 cups/day providing 300-400 mg/day of caffeine), there is little evidence of health risks and some evidence of health benefits.

I’ll keep drinking my coffee (in moderation).

Mosaic Photo Links: 1. Brewed Coffee, 2. Coffee Beans, 3. a favorite mug, 4. Sonrisa Sludge, 5. Grinders & Colors, 6. Before the Flood, 7. Coffee can wait, 8. bean, 9. my mornings