Why All the Fuss about Coffee Being "Bad" for Us?

Coffee and Caffeine are GOOD for us!  Read about BENEFITS of Coffee and CAFFEINE!

Just watch out for the following CAUTIONS of CAFFEINE!

1. We should drink it EARLY in the day, and by early afternoon at the latest, SO we can SLEEP!
Caffeine has a half life of six hours, so that's how long it takes to get out of your system, regardless of  the amount you take in.

So count back 6 or 7 hours from your bed time and that's the latest you should take in caffeine.  The longer it's our of your system before bed the better :)  Also, if you take a BIRTH CONTROL PILL or on an ANTIBIOTIC, both prolong the time caffeine stays in your system.  See #4 below for more on drug interactions.

2. The ADD-INs! -- these can all take away from the health benefits described HERE!

SATURATED fat from cream
Excess SUGARS from flavorings and sweeteners
Excess calories from fat and sugar may cause WEIGHT GAIN
ARTIFICIAL sweeteners in diet drinks ...look for another post on this!

Try PUMPKIN PIE SPICE Spice Latte OR DARK Chocolate Mint Coffee

3. Lastly, TOO MUCH caffeine can give us the jitters, make us irritable, headache, increased heart rate, hyperactivity.

KNOW and LISTEN to your body!
If you don't feel right, try less!  TIPS to REDUCE YOUR INTAKE!

4. Drug INTERACTIONS with caffeine -- there are many of these!

If you take a medication, PLEASE BE SURE that there is no harmful interaction between it and caffeine.  Be sure to click on the link and then select the green Interactions Tab in the middle of this WebMD page.
Be sure to discuss interactions with your doctor -- Remember, caffeine is a drug.

Your body tries to break down drugs (caffeine is a drug), so when you consume more than one, there is competition.  In some cases, the caffeine stays in your system longer, in order to break down the medication appropriately.  In other cases, your body may choose the caffeine over the drug, decreasing the effectiveness of your medication.

IF you've taken all of these factors into account, and coffee/caffeine seem to be your friend, then note that the health benefits are sometimes related to surprisingly high quantities of coffee!  Not that you have to consume 7 cups a day, but if you like to and have no harmful effects, your health benefits may also increase!

COMMENTS: Are you enjoying spring?  We were outside all afternoon yesterday until nearly bedtime!!