A healthy morning ritual

    Ever felt guilty about drinking coffee?
    Many people have had this feeling, primarily because coffee used to be blamed for so many illnesses like cancer, heartburn and hyper-acidity. This has conditioned most people that coffee is indeed bad for the body. Thus, the morning ritual of having a cup of coffee became a guilty pleasure.
    But then again, recent researches prove that coffee has its own good points and now, it is being promoted as a healthy drink.
    According to Kirchheimer of WebMD, at least six studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are up to 80% less likely to develop Parkinson's, with three showing the more they drink, the lower the risk. Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. If often impairs the sufferer's motor skills and speech, as well as other functions.
    Further research shows that compared to not drinking coffee, at least two cups daily can translate to a 25% reduced risk of colon cancer, an 80% drop in liver cirrhosis risk, and nearly half the risk of gallstones.
    Coffee also cuts the risk of type 2 diabetes, which is a common disease at present according to Harvard researchers.
    There are also evidences showing that coffee may help manage asthma and even control attacks when medication is unavailable, stop a headache, boost mood, and even prevent cavities. Add to this the more vain benefit of coffee being an age defying supplement.
    Amazingly, researches also show that coffee even offsets some of the damage caused by other vices. Tomas DePaulis, PhD, a research scientist at Vanderbilt University's Institute for Coffee Studies says, "people who smoke and are heavy drinkers have less heart disease and liver damage when they regularly consume large amounts of coffee compared to those who don't."
    So, what’s with coffee? Is it the caffeine?
    The answer is a big yes!
     Some of coffee's reported benefits are a direct result of its higher caffeine content: An eight ounce cup of drip-brewed coffee contains about 85 mg -- about three and a half times more than the same serving of tea or cola or one ounce of chocolate. (Kirchheimer, WebMD)
     Yet, let not everyone be too excited about this because, just like most other health food, this is not for everyone. Excess doses can increase nervousness, hand trembling, and cause rapid heartbeat in some people. It may also raise cholesterol levels and may contribute to artery clogging. However, most recent large studies show no significant adverse effects on most healthy people, although pregnant women, heart patients, and those at risk for osteoporosis may still be advised to limit or avoid coffee.
     The bottom line here according to Harvard lead researcher, Frank Hu MD is, "people who already drink a lot of coffee don't have to feel 'guilty' as long as coffee does not affect their daily life," he adds, "They may actually benefit from coffee habits in the long run."
     So, these researchers have finally justified our overtime in coffee shops and our morning rituals of a coffee cup. But, why spend so much on this health drink when you can get them for a more reasonable price in supermarkets?
    Wipe that guilt and start living a healthy life, get a bag of coffee from start stirring your coffee cup.