Coffee- like eggs and beef gets a bad rap. Researchers tell you
it’s good for you, and then a year or two later-another group of
researchers say avoid it like the plague.
Well, if you’re a coffee drinker and don’t plan on giving it up,
then you may want to know about some of the incredible
benefits you can get from your daily 1 or 4 cups a day.

The Benefits:

a) Boost Your Memory-
Dementia and Alzheimer’s scare many of us as we age, but drinking caffeinated coffee increases the levels of a key hormone that helps
us produce new neurons.
Plus, coffee contains antioxidants that decrease or prevent
inflammation in and around the brain.
Researchers are now looking into this, they want to see
if coffee drinkers fare better (memory-wise) than their
non-drinking counterparts.

b) A Mood Booster-
Every see someone who hasn’t had their morning cup of coffee?
They’re antsy, shaky and a little wired, and for good reason.
The reason: Coffee can help lessen the effects of blue moods and
mild depression. Give credit to the caffeine, which sparks an
immediate boost to mood and energy levels.

c) Lower Your Risk of Diabetes-
Another major problem for those of us living in the
U.S…the huge increase in diabetes cases.
If you have a family history or just want to lower your
odds of getting it, perhaps coffee is the preventive
medicine you’re looking for.
Researchers say that 2 to 3 cups a day lowers your risk
of becoming a diabetic by 45%. The antioxidants in coffee
help stabilize blood sugar levels.

d) Vision Woes-
Losing one’s vision is another concern as we age, and
if you want to keep vision sharp, then 2 to 3 cups
of coffee a day might be the holistic way to do it.
Again, antioxidants in coffee help stave off age-related
eye maladies like vision-robbing macular degeneration.

e) Some More Benefits-
* Lower your odds of skin cancer. Drinking a few cups
each day helps you prevent the most common type of
skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma.
* MRSA- The talk of MRSA (the “superbug”) has diminished
thanks to Co-Vid-19, but if you’re concerned and want to
lower odds of contracting it-drink coffee.
* Hair Growth- Doctors are now looking into whether coffee
drinkers are less likely to lose their hair.
They (doctors) theorize that 3 or more cups of coffee per day,
improves blood flow throughout the body, even to your hair
follicles.
* A Younger Heart-
Drink a few cups a day and lower your odds of getting heart
disease by 35%. Again, it (coffee) removes plaque and
improves blood flow.

Some final thoughts-
* Avoid adding too much sugar to your daily cup (s) of coffee.
Too much sugar cancels out all of the health benefits from your
1 to 4 cups of coffee a day.
* Avoid The Other Sweets-
Enjoy your coffee with a danish or donut?
An occasional sweet treat is okay, but having it everyday
will negate all of the benefits.
* Add More Slowly-
Simply put, if you’re drinking one cup a day, it may not
be smart to add 3 or more cups too quickly.
Go slow, add a small amount to your usual daily serving
and see how you feel.
* Talk To Your Doctor-
If you’re on meds and only have a cup of coffee a day,
(or no coffee at all) you may want to talk to your
health-care provider before adding more.
Caffeine and some meds should not be mixed.
* This Just In-
Doctors are now advising women who experience
painful periods to forgo or avoid coffee. They say
too much caffeine may make period pain worse.
Avoid it a week to ten days before your periods
and see how you feel.

Sources:
* Kelly O’Connor, Dietitian
* Harvard Researchers
* Santay Gupta, M.D. Author of Stay Focused