How Caffeine Can Affect Your Health.
By Larry Colcy
In a regular cup of coffee there are about 170 mg of caffeine and in
decaffeinated coffee there are about 30/40 mg of caffeine.
On the stock market, Coffee is a 90 billion dollar industry but what is
significant is that just in North America 85%+ drink 3 to 5 cups of coffee
per day. A huge number of people are at risk for many of the issues
surrounding coffee consumption.
Top Ten Reasons why you should consider switching to a "Healthy Coffee".
Top 10 Caffeine-Related Health Problems.
Cardiovascular Problems.
Caffeine increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure, and can
contribute to the development of heart disease. Both decaf and regular
coffee increase your cholesterol and homocysteine, the biochemical that
science has linked to increased risk for heart attack. Caffeine is also
linked to coronary vasospasms, the cause for 20% of all fatal heart
attacks which kill otherwise perfectly healthy people.
Stress
Caffeine stimulates the excretion of stress hormones which can produce
increased levels of anxiety, irritability, muscular tension and pain,
indigestion, insomnia, and decreased immunity. Increased levels of stress
from caffeine can keep you from being able to make healthy responses to
the normal daily stress everyone is subjected to in their lives.
Emotional Disturbances.
Anxiety and irritability are hallmark mood disturbances associated with
caffeine consumption, but equally important is depression and attention
disorders. Depression may occur as part of the let down after the
stimulant effects of caffeine wears off. It may also appear during the
recovery period after quitting caffeine while the brain's chemistry is
readjusted. Caffeine rather than increasing mental activity actually
decreases blood flow to the brain by as much as 30% and negatively effects
memory and mental performance.
Blood Sugar Swings.
Diabetics and hypoglycemics should avoid caffeine because it stimulates a
temporary surge in blood sugar which is then followed by an overproduction
of insulin that causes a blood sugar crash within hours. If you're trying
to loose weight, this rollercoaster will actually cause weight gain since
insulin's message to the body is to store excess sugar as fat.
Gastrointestinal Problems.
Many people experience a burning sensation in their stomach after drinking
coffee because coffee increases the secretion of hydrochloric acid leading
to an increased risk for ulcers. Coffee, including decaf, reduces the
pressure on the valve between the esophagus and the stomach so that the
highly acidic contents of the stomach pass up to the esophagus leading to
heartburn and gastro-esophageal reflux disease. With America 's high
consumption of coffee, its no wonder the best selling over-the-counter
drugs are the so-called antacids.
Nutritional Deficiencies.
Caffeine inhibits the absorption of some nutrients and causes the urinary
excretion of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and trace minerals, all
essential elements necessary for good health.
Male Health Problems. Male Health Issues.
Coffee is an irritant to the urinary tract and bladder. It is also a
diuretic that aggravates conditions associated with frequent urination.
Eliminating coffee and caffeine often relieves symptoms associated with
frequent urination due to enlarged prostate glands.
Dr. Milton Krisiloff, M.D. has found that in the majority of cases, men
can significantly reduce their risk for urinary and prostate problems by
making dietary changes which include eliminating coffee and caffeine.
Female Health Problems.
Fibrocystic breast disease, PMS, osteoporosis, infertility problems,
miscarriage, low birth weight infants, and menopausal problems such as hot
flashes are all exacerbated by caffeine consumption. Women on birth
control pills are particularly at risk since they have a decreased ability
to detoxify caffeine.
Adrenal Exhaustion.
Caffeine consumption leads to eventual adrenal exhaustion which can leave
you vulnerable to a variety of health disorders related to inflammation,
autoimmunity, and fatigue.
Aging
Many people find in their forties that they can no longer tolerate the
same level of caffeine consumption as they could in their twenties and
thirties. The production of DHEA, melatonin, and other vital hormones
start to decline and caffeine speeds up that downhill drop. Caffeine
dehydrates the body and contributes to the aging of the skin and kidneys.
It has been shown to inhibit DNA repair and slow the ability of the liver
to detoxify foreign toxins.
Exhausted Adrenal Glands.
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It causes the adrenal
glands to secrete adrenaline, the hormone your body depends on in
emergencies to elevate your heart rate, increase your respiration and
blood pressure for a rapid flight-or-fight response. When you overuse
stimulants, the adrenals become exhausted. If your caffeine sensitivity
has diminished or you're one of those who claims you can drink 3 shots of
espresso and go right to sleep, guess what? Your adrenals have given up
responding. This means you have less resistance to stress, which leaves
you vulnerable to health hazards such as environmental pollutants and
disease pathogens.
Severe Blood Sugar Swings.
Caffeine forces the liver to release glycogen into the blood stream. The
pancreas responds to the sudden rise in blood sugar by releasing insulin,
the hormone which causes excess carbohydrates to be stored as fat. Within
the span of an hour or two, the result is a sharp blood sugar drop
resulting in a state of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). That's when you
think it's time for another cup of coffee and the whole cycle starts up
again.
Acid Imbalance.
Over 208 acids in coffee can contribute to indigestion and a wide variety
of health problems resulting from over-acidity associated with arthritic,
rheumatic and skin irritations. Many people experience a burning sensation
in their stomach after drinking coffee because coffee increases the
secretion of acid in the stomach. Optimal health calls for an alkaline pH
balance in the body.
Essential Mineral Depletion.
Coffee inhibits the absorption of some nutrients and causes the urinary
excretion of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and trace minerals, all
essential elements necessary for good health. Women need to be concerned
about osteoporosis as menopause sets in. Studies show that women who drink
coffee have an increased incidence of osteoporosis compared to non-coffee
drinkers. Men are not immune to osteoporosis either.
These are a number of health conditions for which doctors advise their
patients to eliminate coffee and all caffeine from their diet.
Acid indigestion Anxiety, irritability and nervousness Candida or yeast
problems Colitis, diverticulitis, diarrhea and other irritable bowel
symptoms Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and other auto-immune disorders Diabetes
or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) Dizziness, Meniere's syndrome or
tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Gout (Elevated Uric Acid levels) Heart
disease or heart palpitations High blood pressure High cholesterol
Insomnia and interrupted or poor quality sleep Liver disease and
gallbladder problems such as gallstones Kidney or bladder problems
including kidney stones Migraines or other vascular headaches Osteoporosis
Skin irritations, rashes and dryness Ulcers, heartburn, and stomach
problems such as hiatal hernias Urinary tract irritation.
IS THERE A HEALTHY COFFEE, BECAUSE I LIKE MY COFFEE?!?
Gano Healthy Coffee Products reduce the caffeine to about 7 or 8 mg per
cup and give you the same energy boost without the health risks. De-caf
Gano Cafe, Cafe Mocha and Tea, all blended with Ganoderma Mushroom
extract, are available online at www.Healthy-Coffee-Shop.com. Ask for a
free sample and try it for yourself.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Colcy
© Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved.