November 15th, 2009 by Geoff Marks
The medical establishment has changed its view of the way caffeine affects blood pressure several times over the years. It kind of reminds me of that old song, “First you say you do and then you say you don’t, first you say you will and then you say you won’t…”
While it IS true that drinking a cup of coffee temporarily and very briefly raises blood pressure by a tiny bit, the caffeine does not cause the blood pressure to remain elevated for any length of time, and now almost all medical research suggests that there is no correlation between coffee drinking and an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Furthermore, there is very good research that has determined that coffee drinking is actually helpful in preventing colorectal cancer and delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Actually, it would be nice if simply giving up caffeine were the complete answer and an easy fix to the problem of …
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November 13th, 2009 by Geoff Marks
Caffeine is a natural substance that is found in coffee. Caffeine is also found in tea, soft drinks, and chocolate. Caffeine is what helps to wake us up in the morning as we sip that first cup of coffee. It is what gives us that little added boost in the afternoon when our energy is flagging.
There is research that “proves” that caffeine is bad for us and good for us. It has been determined that caffeine is a stimulant, and some researchers see that as a good thing; while others see it as a bad thing. It is true that caffeine is somewhat addictive and there are those who are deeply opposed to anything and everything that might possibly be addictive in any way.
My point is that the caffeine might be called the “active ingredient” in coffee. So, of course, it can be removed. When the caffeine is removed from coffee, though, most …
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October 19th, 2009 by Geoff Marks
The question of whether coffee is good for humans or bad for humans all depends upon which of the many reports, research papers, and studies that you choose to believe. There has been a great deal of research, but certainly no consensus of agreement on the subject.
Some studies, reports, and research suggest that because coffee is a stimulant, and because it has been proven to be somewhat addictive, it is a bad thing. Coffee does increase the heart rate, but there has never been any proof of any kind that coffee contributes to heart disease or causes heart attacks. Coffee does stimulate the kidneys, but there has never been any proof that it contributes to kidney disease.
Other studies, reports, and research suggest that because coffee is a stimulant, it is a very good thing. Coffee is known to “relieve boredom, decrease depression, increase alertness, increase physical stamina, and increase performance on boring or …
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October 14th, 2009 by Geoff Marks
The debate rages, and most likely will continue to rage, about the effects that coffee drinking has on our health. It all depends on which report or study you read as to whether coffee drinking is good for you or bad for you. Everybody seems to have an opinion, and both camps are adamant that their opinion is the correct one.
There is one school of thought that says that coffee is addictive…and, of course, ANY kind of addition is a very bad thing and should be avoided at all costs. This group says that coffee is a stimulant and that it makes those who drink coffee nervous. It increases the heart rate, they say, and it also raises the blood pressure. It is true that, for health reasons, some people should eliminate or at least limit the amount of caffeine that they consume, and I am not advocating otherwise. If you doctor tells …
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October 10th, 2009 by Geoff Marks
The debate rages, and most likely will continue to rage, about the effects that coffee drinking has on our health. It all depends on which report or study you read as to whether coffee drinking is good for you or bad for you. Everybody seems to have an opinion, and both camps are adamant that their opinion is the correct one.
There is one school of thought that says that coffee is addictive…and, of course, ANY kind of addition is a very bad thing and should be avoided at all costs. This group says that coffee is a stimulant and that it makes those who drink coffee nervous. It increases the heart rate, they say, and it also raises the blood pressure. It is true that, for health reasons, some people should eliminate or at least limit the amount of caffeine that they consume, and I am not advocating otherwise. If you doctor tells …
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October 2nd, 2009 by Geoff Marks
It all depends on what “study” you choose to believe whether coffee (caffeine) is a good thing for the body or pure poison. Personally, I’ve decided to believe those “studies” that say coffee is a good thing…a VERY good thing.
I like coffee…no, that isn’t exactly accurate….I LOVE my coffee!
The fact is that there is caffeine in a lot of things other than coffee. There is caffeine in tea, and there is caffeine in many sodas as well as in chocolate….and I am sure not going to give up chocolate! So just giving up coffee won’t mean that you have given up caffeine. Caffeine is actually the only active ingredient in coffee. There are no calories and no carbohydrates in a cup of black coffee.
Caffeine is a stimulant. There isn’t much doubt about that one. If you have a cup of coffee right before bed, you will certainly have difficulty falling asleep — at least that is true …
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