Coffee Ain't So Bad After All!

By Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., CNS

"People who already drink a lot of coffee don't have to feel 'guilty' as long as coffee does not affect their daily life." So says Harvard researcher Frank Hu, MD. In fact, he adds that folks with a coffee "habit" may actually benefit from it in the long run.

At least six research reports show that people who drink coffee are up to 80 percent less likely to develop Parkinson's, have a 25 percent drop in their risk for colon cancer, an 80 percent drop in their risk for liver cirrhosis, and an almost 50 percent lower risk for gallstones. Not only that, research from Harvard shows that drinking six or more cups of java cuts the risk for Type II diabetes by 54 percent for men and 30 percent for women.

Coffee actually provides more than just the legendary caffeine jolt. It's a big source of antioxidants, containing such compounds as chlorogenic acid and tocopherols and even minerals like magnesium. The trick is not to over-consume it. For some people, excess coffee can increase heartbeat and jitters. However, the increase in blood pressure that many worry about is largely temporary.

Before you stock up on coffee, keep in mind that unless you drink it black, you could be drinking a lot of extra sugar with your cup of joe. And, as Craig Ballantyne says, watch out for "mega-coffees" that pack in extra caffeine.

One more word of advice: Don't drink coffee after about 4:00 in the afternoon. The caffeine stays in your system for a long time and can interfere with the length and quality of your sleep.

[Ed. Note: Dr. Jonny Bowden is a nationally known expert on weight loss, nutrition, and health.]

It's Fun to Know: About Microbots

Researchers at the Korea Institute of Technology are designing six-legged robots tiny enough to travel through blood vessels. The goal is to get these microbots to blocked arteries, where they can release medicine to clear them.

The scientists believe they will be ready for human testing in about 12 years.

(Source: Wired)

Word to the Wise: Pleonasm

"Pleonasm" (PLEE-uh-naz-um) - from the Greek for "greater" - is the use of more words than necessary to express an idea.

Example (as used by Paula Cocozza in The Independent): "[He] uses many words where few would do, as if pleonasm were a way of wringing every possibility out of the material he has, and stretching sentences a form of spreading the word."

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2308, 03-20-08], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.