Healthy Life With A Good Cup of Coffee
Many of us cannot imagine beginning our day without our coffee. Annually more than 400-billion cups of coffee are consumed. The long-lasting and global appreciation of coffee leads us to believe that there must be benefits to drinking coffee.
Coffee gives us an immediate burst of energy. It wakes us up and is part of our daily routine. Why is coffee one of the world’s most favored beverages? We can select many drinks that will give us a surge of energy. So, what is special about this one? Let’s look at some of the other benefits of drinking coffee.
Health benefits of drinking coffee
Throughout the years, there have been many studies conducted on the consumption of coffee. Not surprisingly, it is discovered that there are many health benefits associated with the drink.
Coffee and type 2 diabetes
According to a 4-year study reported by Medical News Today, there may be a connection with the consumption of coffee and the prevention of type 2 diabetes. The participants in the study increased their coffee intake by more than one cup of coffee per day. The results showed a lower risk of getting type 2 diabetes by 11%. Coffee increases the plasma levels of sex binding hormone binding globulin or SHBG. This has a direct effect on people at risk for the illness.
Coffee and Parkinson’s Disease?
In 2012, the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre conducted a study. The short-term study showed a decrease in the shaking that is associated with Parkinson’s Disease. The study showed limited success and coffee was quickly labeled as help to handle the illness.
In 2017, Mcgill undertook a longer and more detailed study of caffeine on the effects of Parkinson’s. This study lasted 4-years and included 121 people, over the age of 62 with the disease. This more detailed study was less than promising. They determined that there was not a significant success with patients that used the coffee (caffeine) to reduce shaking. They subsequently have marked the original study as insufficient. But, they do show progress in the use of coffee to prevent the disease. Experts agree that coffee shows some promise and if you enjoy the drink and the rush of caffeine, by all means, enjoy another cup.
Coffee is a winner against liver disease
Italian researchers have sung the praises of coffee as a strong adversary against liver illnesses. A study conducted by Milan’s Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri shows that drinking more than 3 cups of coffee per day reduces the risks of getting liver cancer by 40%-50%.
The study found that coffee reduced the risk of other liver diseases. They include:
- Cirrhosis of the liver (related to consumption of alcohol)
- Reduced risk of death from cirrhosis of the liver by up to 66%
- Prevention of getting cirrhosis of the liver by up to 22%
- PCS (a rare autoimmune disease of the bile ducts)
Coffee and heart disease
Over the years there has been a debate between various experts on the effects of coffee on the heart. Some studies say coffee puts you at risk for heart disease. But more detailed studies show that to be incorrect. According to the Heart MD Institute, coffee does not increase your risk of heart disease. It seems that moderation is the key.
The study concludes that coffee in moderation not only does not increase your risks of heart disease, but it also reduces your risks of heart disease. The study also shows that coffee drinkers are less likely to die from heart disease, stroke, and other events.
There is some disagreement about how coffee will affect someone with an irregular heartbeat. One of the things coffee does for you is it gives you a surge of energy. That means an increased heart rate. If you already have a heart rate problem, it could cause more issues.
The downside
Coffee will often keep you awake. That is the reason many people drink it. But drinking coffee is not a great solution to not sleeping.
Coffee acts as a diuretic. It will keep you regular. If taken in excess, it may cause dehydration and an imbalance in the vitamins and minerals in the blood.
Note: A general study cannot take the place of your medical professionals opinion. Studies are based on general data obtained from a particular study group. Your doctor knows your history and your issues. If your doctor tells you to avoid coffee, please listen to his instructions.
Confusion
The research and verdict of coffee studies have gone back and forth for many years. First, a study will say coffee is good for you and there is little doubt that coffee has some great benefits for the right people. Then you will read that coffee is bad for you and in fact, it has caused some significant health problems in certain people.
You can compare studies from around the world and still be uncertain as to what you should do. Here are a few things to consider:
- Coffee studies are often “caffeine” studies. This means, instead of given coffee to consume, test subjects were given various amounts of caffeine to equal what they would consume in a particular number of cups. The amounts are increased over time.
- Coffee tests are conducted using a good quality coffee, brewed and filtered, served black.
- In order to conduct a test, the subjects are given their coffee or capsules at the same time every day.
A coffee over may take the positive reports of a test and run with it. Instead of slowly increasing their coffee consumption over time, they may read the increase of more than 3-cups per day as a permission slip to gulp down as much coffee as they can hold.
Instead of a high-quality coffee, the consumer may purchase any coffee on the grocery store shelf and then be dissatisfied with the flavor. This leads to adding sugar, milk, syrups, whipped cream and spices. The additions lead to more problems.
But, if you are careful and add the supplements that will boost your coffee flavor within the limits of the amount of sugar, you will be good. You can add a bulk candy, if you’d like, if added within the frame of healthy caffeine boosts, you’ll even notice that some will have even healthier effects on your organism.
If you are using coffee to help fight type 2 diabetes, heart disease, or other issues, you are sabotaging your efforts and are not using any of the data presented in the tests.
Conclusion
You are charged with the responsibility of taking care of your health. In most cases, you can work with your medical team and find a way to get the benefits of coffee without going to unhealthy limits.
You will need to understand that finding your perfect numbers is going to take time. You are going to have to record your progress and be honest with yourself with the results. This is how you reap the rewards of scientific data, enjoy better health, and have a great cup of joe.
