Coffee, Caffeine

Coffee, Caffeine

The Dangers of Coffee
by Dr. Wu Tao-Wei

Coffee is so much a part of the America "Way of Life" that few people can believe that it is actually an American "way of
Death". Or more precisely, it is an international speculator's
way of death since the coffee tree is not a native American bush and is solely an import-export product. At $6 billion dollars per year, it ranks only behind oil as an import item.

Those who have been addicted to drinking coffee know of the
pleasures that coffee can bring. That hot cup first thing in the morning gets the brain working, opens the eyes, invigorates the heart rate giving a euphoric, happy feeling, and coffee gets the bowels moving.

Those of us who have been addicted to drinking coffee know how we feel if we don't start the day with a cup (or five cups) of
coffee in the morning. Without our coffee, we feel grumpy and
short-tempered, we can't quite shake the sleep from our eyes,
sitting on the toilet takes forever, and we don't really feel
wide awake until nine of ten in the morning.

I got addicted to coffee because it was the beverage that all of my American co-workers drank, and so to be a part of the American morning breakfast ritual, I started drinking it, too. And so, I speak from experience. Being addicted to coffee, is no different than any other drug addiction. Just as a heroin or a morphine junky feels good when he's high and suffers when he can't get his fix, so too with the coffee addict. Even the withdrawal symptoms are similar: splitting headaches, heart palpitations, nausea, general malaise, joint and muscle aches, all lasting severaldays. These kinds of withdrawal symptoms are a result of a build-up of toxins in the body suddenly being released into the blood-stream. When you stop drinking coffee, these toxins are released, causing the above-mentioned feelings.

In future articles, I will explain the yin-yang balance of foods and beverages. But for now, all that you need to know about coffee (a dark, yin beverage) is that it is full of deadly poisons. This is no exageration! In fact, chemical analysis reveals that there are over 600 known toxins in a cup of coffee. Oh, they are in miniscule amounts, but they are a presence that your kidneys and liver must detoxify in order to purify your blood.

You see, when a coffee plantation grows their trees, they use a
variety of herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and synthetic
fertilizers some of which are banned in the United States because they are so toxic but which U.S. chemical manufacturers gladly sell to coffee growing nations since the health laws in those countries are so lax.

In addition, the coffee tree, itself, produces alkaloids and
caffeine. All of these poisons are absorbed by the coffee bean.
When the bean is roasted, the heat causes all of these poisonous chemicals to undergo chemical reaction which produces a stew of side reactions, by-products and recombinations of these poison molecules. Thus, over 600 varieties of deadly poisons are being
synthesized while you are standing in the coffee roasting company and inhaling the fragrance of hot coffee beans.

In the United States every year, are thousands of people whose
liver and kidneys fail. They must endure blood dialysis
treatments or they will die. They join long waiting lists to get expensive kidney and liver transplants. These treatments and transplants are a multi-billion dollar business. And coffee imports are a multi-billion dollar business. And so,
with so much money being made treating sick people and importing coffee, there is no reason for the physicians and bankers to announce the cause of kidney failure.

Caffeine depletes the body of calcium, so old people end up with brittle bones and hip fractures. High intake of caffeine produces symptoms such as anxiety neurosis, nervousness, irritability, tremulousness, occasional muscle twitchings, insomnia, sensory disturbances, tachypnea, heart palpitations,flushing, cardiac arrhythmias, and gastointestinal disturbances, panic attacks, chronic nervousness and irritability; digestive difficulties,
including heartburn, indigestion, and ulcers; fibrocystic breast lumps; migraine headaches; and low blood sugar. It can lead to increased risk of pancreatic and bladder cancers, and, as a heart stimulant, is linked to blood-pressure abnormalities and myocardial infarction, sleeplessness, irritability, anxiety, increased urination, stomach irritation, fibrocystic disease (benign growths) in the breast, and harm to a developing fetus.

In addition, caffeine is commonly added to various junk foods and colas, so even little children are subjected to this drug at an early age. And yet, the Medical Monopoly pretends with
hypocritical seriousness that they do not know the cause of such things as panic attacks and unruly children. The physicians claim that such children have some (fake) disease that they call "Attention Deficit Disorder" which calls for drugs from the Pharmacological Monopoly. Even though they know from their own research that caffeine has a direct irritant effect on nerves and burns up our precious supply of thiamine, or vitamin B1, the nutrient so necessary for tranquility; even though they know this, they sell you anti-depressants and other drugs, instead.

All of this is just from the caffeine alone without counting the effects in kidney, liver, digestive tract damage and cancer
promotion caused by the over 600 toxins found in a cup of coffee.

To stop drinking coffee is easy to do by switiching to tea. And
once you are confident that you can stay away from coffee, then
you can switch from caffeinated tea to herbal tea. It is up to
each person to take good care of yourself because no one can
manage your health better than yourself.

Proper health care requires accurate knowledge. But you cannot
expect accurate knowledge from those who make money from the
Peoples' ignorance and sickness. We did not get accurate
knowledge from the cigarette manufacturers. Instead, the people
were told lies and deceived on a grand scale. Neither can you
expect accurate knowledge from the coffee importers, bankers and physicians.

Since I stopped drinking coffee, now, when I open my eyes in the morning, I am awake and ready to start the day. I no longer
stumble around trying to wake up long enough to brew a pot of
poison. Herb tea is quite delicious. I grow my own in my garden. Sage tea and peppermint are my favorite. And if I don't drink any tea that day, I don't come down with the splitting migraines and the flu-like feeling of caffeine withdrawals. Really! Once you stop drinking coffee, you won't miss it even a little bit.

--------------------------------------------------------
Second Publication Rights Granted as long as
the following is credited:

First Published in the Chinese Swaztika Newsletter,
for free subscription send blank eMail to:
<chinswaz@bamboo-delight.com> --end of article

Comment: I ran across this article and thought it was worth presenting here.

Suzanne

Caffeine Risk Study Urged

California--A state advisory board called for a study to determine if sodas and energy drinks containing caffeine pose a risk to pregnant women. The review could lead to warning labels on the drinks under Prop. 65, a 1986 ballot measure that requires the state to identify chemicals that could cause cancer or birth defects.

In arguing for the caffeine review, a board member cited dozens of scientific studies linking the stimulant to miscarriages, premature births and low birth weight. Unfortunately, the label requirement would not cover coffee and tea, which have much higher caffeine levels, because the stimulant occurs naturally in those beverages. Prop 65 only applies to chemicals that are added to foods or products.

The distinction drew criticism from the American Beverage Association, which said the coffee exemption would confuse consumers and unfairly penalize the soft drink industry. --Source: The Assocaited Press.

Comment: Coffee, of course is the major source of caffeine in the American diet. Indeed here is more information about the dangers of this chemical:

Several years ago researchers reported in a study of heart disease in approximately 2,000 Western electric employees in Chicago that the frequency of heart disease was positively and significantly related to the amount of coffee consumed. ("Study of Coronary Heart Disease," Circulation 28:20-31, 1963).

Later other researchers showed that coffee had the direct effect of altering the human glucose response curves so that individuals showed up as "more diabetic" after drinking coffee than before. (Lancet, 527-529, March 11, 1967).

Researchers also showed that coffee drinking increases the free fatty acid levels in the blood. (Metabolism 17: 702-708, 1968). Most are aware of the role that blood fats act in heart disease and other degenerative diseases. Indeed, it immediately becomes clear how coffee drinking can increase the incidence of heart problems.

And caffeine may also plaly a role in the production of cancer. Researchers have shown that caffeine causes chromatoid breakage in human cells, like the breakage that occurs when a person is exposed to radiation. Indeed, they estimate that one cup of coffee is equivalent to .01 roentgens of radiation exposure in the X band. It was noted that "there is a strong likelihood that caffeine may prove to be one of the most dangerous mutagens in man." ("Mutagenifc Action of Caffeine," Cancer Research 28:2375-2389, November 1968).

Comment: The warnings are clear. Indeed, we Seventh-day Adventist have the counsel of the Spirit of Prophecy, as well the scientific information as to the dangers of caffeine containing beverages.

Suzanne

An article in the March 2003 issue of Prevention, gives several medically proven drugless ways to lower your blood pressure. One important point is to understand how coffee affects blood pressure.

Researachers at Duke University Medical Center found that caffeine consumption of 500 mg --roughly three 8-oz cups of coffee--increased blood pressure considerably and the effect lasted until bedtime. Caffeine can raise blood pressure by tightening blood vessels and by magnifying the effects of stress, according to Jim Lane, PhD, associate research professor at Duke and the lead author of the study. "When you're under stress, your heart starts pumpiong a lot more blood, boosting blood pressure," he warns. "And caffeine exaggerates that effect."

Suzanne

Coffee and caffeine can cause many other health problems besides high blood pressure. Like most drugs, caffeine has many "side effects." My research has shown that it is a strong inducer of chromosomal damage which can cause birth defects in babies whose mother's indulge while pregnant. Other negative effects:

* Coffee consumption is assocaited with heart disease, pancreatic cancer and cystic breast disease.--Reversing Heart Disease, by Dean Ornish, MD.

* Long-term caffeine use--the amount in just a few cups of coffee per day--can boost blood pressure, heart rate and stress levels enough to increase the risk of heart disease, according to researchers at North Carolina's Duke University. --Psychom. Med. 60:327, 1998.

* James Balch, MD, writing in Prescription for Natural Healing, cautions that coffee robs the body of nutrients, including biotin, inositol, potassium, B-1, (thiamin), zinc and other B-vitamins. Interestingly the B-vits are involved in helping the hair maintain its natural color...University of Wisconsin scientists turned animal hair gray with large amounts of coffee.

* Other articles note that caffeine stimulates the ovaries to produce more estrogen and causes unnatural cellular growth and fluid accumulation. The result: breast cysts, menstrual cramps, PMS and water retention. Caffeine's cousin, the methylyanthines--are found in tea, some asthma and cold medications.

* Caffeine has a powerful pharmacological effect, stimulating the central nervous system. It has an addictive effect and many find that giving up coffee is harder than stopping smoking.

* Other Prevention, articles warn that coffee is a common culprit in many tinnitus patients (ringing in ears); can cause arrhythmia in upper chambers of the heart, can produce anxiety and stress, hand tremors, panic attacks, miscarriage, bladder cancer; can raise blood pressure as much as 10 points, etc. And like smoking caffeine stimulates adrenalin, which sensitizes to pain.

* More research in health journals show caffeine contributes to formation of fibrous tissue. Sugar and coffee kick the body into a stress response, resulting from a depletion of the B-vitamins. Caffeine is also a calcium foe, making it bad for the bones.

* Prevention, magazine warns that this substance is a surefire palpitation producer in some.

* An article in Let's Live, Oct. 1995, notes that caffeine in as little as 2 to 3 cups raises blood pressure. Giving up coffee could mean the difference between needing blood pressure medication and not needing it.

* And what about coffee drinking as an Alzheimer's preventative. Conside this: The U.S. is the leading consumer of coffee in the world--downing 400 million cups a day. At the same time the incidence of Alzheimer's Disease is increasing, affecting younger and younger folk. Go figure.

* Some are so sensitive that one cup of coffee in the morning can lead to a wakeful night.

* Let's Live, points out that there are over 1,000 chemicals identified in roasted coffee. Only 26 have been tested for carcinogenesis in rodents, but 19 turned out to cause cancer.

* And to cap it all off, Ellen White, writing in Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 424 warns: "The continued use of these nerve irritants (tea and coffee) is followed by headache, wakefulness, palpitation of the heart, indigestion, trembling and many other evils, for they wear away the life forces. Tired nerves need rest and quiet instead of stimulation and overwork."

Comment: A word to the wise.

Suzanne

Seems like there is always some study coming out the telling us how wonderful coffee, tea, and chocolate are for us, with their high amounts of antioxidants.

As you indicated, there are studies showing "coffee drinking as an Alzheimer's preventative", but the studies don't mention the "side effects".

I have found coffee to have a diuretic effect on me.

Nothing beats water for a beverage.

Have you done any research on chocolate?

Suzanne,

In the article by Dr. Wu Tao-Wei, did you include your experience with drinking coffee or was the author of the article telling theirs?

In the first article, the author refered to yin/yang. In other threads any such links would have been seen as highly damaging to its credibility (see the music thread for instance). Is it a case of "I already agree with this so I can overlook the eastern religion connection"?

Crater, the article you referred to is by Dr. Wu Tao-Wei and gives his experience with coffee.

Vastergotland, I too, had reservations about the ying-yang statement but the article was so timely otherwise, I presented it anyway.

As a born and bred SDA, (from the "old school") I did not drink coffee until I was grown, where I succumbed to the temptation to do what everyone around me at work were doing. After indulging for a short period I gave it up and now enjoy my Postum and herb teas.

Suzanne

Coffee: How to Quit

This information was posted some time ago on another forum by jps:

Quote:

"I used to be an extreme coffee drinker...1 pot of very dark coffee every day. I had tried to quit several times but got the kind of headaches you are talking about.

"One day I tuned in to 3-ABN on the web and the show about stopping smoking was on. For some reason I felt compelled to watch it even though I didn't/don't smoke. After a while he started talking about caffeine and its effect on the body....Most of this I already knew but chose to ignore...but when I heard it this time I decided to seek the Lord in giving me the strength to quit.

"For the next week I drank huge amounts of water as my only beverage...more than a gallon a day. In the morning I would have a couple of glasses of hot water and then tepid or cool water throughouit the day. That and prayer enabled me to get through it without one headache! An absolute miracle!

"If you are going to try it, I suggest loading up on lots of distilled water and drinking that if possible. If not distilled, make sure it's at least some form of purified water. To help with the constipation, eat lots of raw fiberous veggies and cut down on the starches and fats during the withdrawal time."

Suzanne

Brothers and sisters, our health message is right on target. Here is more info re: coffee:

Caffeine and Ovarian Cancer

The International Journal of Cancer reported a correlation between ovarian cancer and daily caffeine intake. Researchers found that coffee and caffeine in general was linked to an increased risk of ovarian cancer in pre-menopausal women. This is not the first study to show the connection between regular coffee consumption and reproductive cancers.

Coffee increases estradiol levels and estrogen makes cells grow. Coffee contributes to other estrogen dominant conditions like endometriosis, uterine fibroids, lumpy breasts, heavy periods, and more. --The Woman's Word, Issue #1, June 2009.

Comment: Avoid coffee to fight estrogen dominance and pour yourself a cup of herb tea.

Suzanne

Coffee and Pancreatic Cancer

Professor Brian MacMahon of Harvard School of Public Health reports in the New England Journal of Medicine, in 1981 (304, pp. 630-3) on coffee drinking as a cause of pancreatic cancer. He did a study in the Boston area of people who did and did not drink coffee. He showed that drinking 3 cups of coffee a day would increase the risk of contracting pancreatic cancer by 2.7 times. He felt that coffee drinking was the cause of 50% of all cases of pancreatic cancer.

Dr. Tim Spencer of Bartholomew's Hospital in London, reports similar findings in the Aug. 29, 1981 issue of Lancet. Before World War II in England there was not much coffee drinking. The English then drank tea. Spencer checked the importation of coffee into England and found in the period of 1948 to 1973 coffee imports increased by 120%. The same time period showed a 50% increase in pancreatic cancer. --Well Being Journal, July/August 2004.

Suzanne

Agatha Thrash published a helpful booklet in 1991:

Poison with a capital C - details the effects of methylxanthines, theobromine -- fibroids, osteoporosis... from coffee, caffeine, brown drinks & chocolate.

Inexpensive literature and very sound. Agatha & Calvin Thrash were diligent to keep the health message pure and accessible.

Wouldnt large amounts of distilled water over an extended period of time affect your salt balance negatively? Too little salt is lethal in a more acute way than is too much of it.

Brown drinks? Whats included under that?

After indulging for a short period I gave it up and now enjoy my Postum and herb teas.

Suzanne [/color] [/quote]

Are you still able to get Postum? I thought it was not being produced anymore as of late 2007.

Prune Juice.

Oh, I see... :\

Kidding aside, brown drinks may refer to sodas (colas).

Or Guinness.

I am not aware that "Guinness" had any caffeine. The ingredients being; water, barley, hops, brewer's yeast. Barley is roasted and that is what gives the stout the dark color.

You are certainly right, Dynamite, I have not been able to purchase Postum for some time now. Indeed, after drinking it since childhood. Herb teas are what I use now.

A few words regarding chocolate: The booklet, Poison with a Capital C, A Case Against Coffee and Other Brown Drinks, by Agatha Thrash, MD., condemns chocolate in several ways. As chocolate grows naturally it is highly bitter and bad tasting. Lots of added sugar and flavorings are necessary to make it palatable.

Several harmful alkaloids are also present. These include theobromine, and theophylline, etc. which can irritate the stomach, cause flushing of the skin and localized itching. The kidneys and liver are involved in dotoxifying and excreting these drugs. And if these organs are underactive, these methylxanthines can accumulate to high blood levels.

Dr. Thrash goes on to explain how cacao beans are fermented in the manufacture of chocolate. It has been shown that large quantities of aflatoxin (a cancer producing agent from molds) can be found in cacao beans. Aflatoxin contamination of cocao has been reported by many chemists. ...A high content of fat, as well as various additives round out the finished product which the doctor does not recommend. Instead she notes that carob is an good substitute. It's highly palatable, has a mild flavor and natural sweetness.

Suzanne

Raw cacao is being marketed as one of the "hot" "Super Foods", being extraordinarily nutritious!
See for the full article.


Raw cacao nuts as beans, nibs, powder, candies, and other delights that use what are considered more "healthful sweeteners" are available at health food stores and "the net".

What do you think, should we buy into it?

I'll buy some of that...particularly the minerals, antioxidants, and caffeine parts. I question the vitamin C, fiber, and sugar parts.

I've long been aware that chocolate is a high-magnesium food. Magnesium is a muscle-relaxant, not a stimulant. It is quite possible that some of the craving for chocolate originates with the body's need for magnesium and possibly the trace mineral chromium. However, the answer to a craving for chocolate in both cases is to supplement the diet with some magnesium and chromium. When the body has an adequate balance of these minerals, the craving for chocolate will likely vanish. Brewer's yeast is high in chromium. That's a good place to start.

Pure cacao may be a wholesome food. However, chocolate is rarely ever pure cacao. It's mostly corn syrup, sugar, processed milk fats, etc., all of which turn an otherwise healthful food into the body's poison.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Hmm, so eating 90% cacao dark chocolate is more healthful than drinking the chocolate bewerages? Also, going for brewers yeast for chromium, would that include drinking beer?

The interesting thing about the "beer" part there, Vaster, is that the body somehow develops a craving for beer, perhaps in part seeking the B-vitamins and the chromium, etc. that the body intuitively expects there...however, those nutrients were skimmed off in the yeast, leaving the beer itself without them. Thus, the craving perpetuates itself, as those who crave the beer continue to imbibe that which is devoid of the true source of their craving.

Theoretically, vitamin and mineral supplementation should help to ease the addiction of the alcoholic as well, but big pharma doesn't make money selling vitamins, nor for researching them. So most doctors have no education in the therapeutic use of vitamins and minerals.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Of course the raw cacao in the form of nibs and whole beans is what the article I am referring to is selling, so you get the fiber and enzymes as well.

You can eat it as is or grind and mix with date, ad to a smoothie. . .

But I find chocolate in any form tends to be addicting.

BTW GC do you eat another touted superfood "durians"? I have never tired them but have heard if you get past the smell, that they are delicious. They have frozen ones at the asian market, but I haven't brought myself to try any yet.

Crater,

I love durian. However, the frozen ones are only for those addicted to durian who have no other way of getting it. Frozen durian versus fresh durian is probably about like the difference between fresh juicy figs and frozen figs. A lot of the flavor and some of the texture is lost in the freezing. If you've never had durian, and would prefer to enjoy it, it's best to get a native in a country where it's grown to help you select a good fresh one. Once you've learned to like it, you'll always like it. If, however, you try a poor-quality durian the first time, you will find it hard to ever overcome your prejudice enough to enjoy it later.

For me, I like the smell of durian. People like to say all kinds of things in order to impress others, and the smell of durian is one of those things commonly exaggerated, about as commonly as the size of the fisherman's catch.

Having said that, the best quality durian has the least odor. There are many kinds of durian, just as there are many kinds of apples. Malaysia claims to be the durian capital of the world in terms of durian quality and variety. Supposedly, they do not export it. Thailand has some of the very best, in my opinion. In Malaysia they gave me some "bitter durian" which they claimed was the king of durian. It did have an almost bittersweet taste to it which was rather unique. Nor was its flesh the typical creamy yellow color, but more of a blackish color. I still prefer Thailand's "king of durian" which is also frequently exported. It is called "Hmon Tong" in Thai, which means "Golden Pillow." It's the best in terms of mild, sweet flavor and low odor. It always sells more dearly than the more odorous kinds like the "Monkey Durian," or the "Egg Durian."

One of the things that I've always enjoyed considering since having learned about durian and jackfruit, is the sheer size of the fruits! I remember learning in Sabbath School as a child that God made the watermelons and the pumpkins to grow on the ground and the peaches and apples up in trees, because...can you imagine what might happen if a watermelon hit you on the head?! Hahaha. My Sabbath School teachers were oblivious to the existence of durian and jackfruit! I guess the tropical areas of the world seem to have the most dangerous fruits. (Consider also the coconut.)

I find durian to be addicting. I think that this is based on its flavor....but who knows? maybe someone will do some research and tell me I must stop eating it now because it has some caffeine.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

I have had the dubious honor of tasting the durian in Thailand. I do not know which kind it was. In my opinion, it smells like slightly fermented strawberries, and tastes a little like a slimy combination of cabbage and cellery. Would you be able to identify the kind from my description Greenie?

I'm not sure, but I think you may have gotten a durian that was picked too green and/or had not fully ripened. A ripe durian should not taste as bland as celery and cabbage...not at all. Was the durian also nearly as crispy as cabbage and celery? Ripe durian will have flesh as soft as persimmon.

Thai people like to make "durian chips" out of the greener ones. They fry it and dry it, and it tastes very good, almost like a sweetened form of potato chip.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Thanks for the first hand info on durian GC. Sounds like they get pretty big.

A person sure needs to watch where they are walking, which reminds me this just came out yesterday.

It sounds as if I might have got a yet to ripen durian. Strange since I tasted it at a fruit stall in northern thailand, not to far away from where the trees grow. The center of the fruit meat was indeed a bit more crispy than ripe persimmon.
I do know though that walking around in a durian grove at harvesttime is an experience remembered with more than one sence.

GC,

Does durian have any similarity in taste or odor with the jackfruit?

Not in my opinion. They are very similar in color, size, and form. They are related fruits. However, the durian is softer fleshed, whereas jackfruit is more crispy. Durian has a higher fat content--which is probably why I really like it. Outside of the avocado, it's probably the fattiest fruit I know. Jackfruit is more like a fruit version of cabbage. It is sweet, with a unique flavor, but not so fatty.

By the way, when I said durian is soft like a persimmon, I did not mean to speak of the kind of persimmon that is practically just water when it's overripe. I guess I was trying to find a fruit to compare it with, but the orange flesh of a ripe squash might be a better example. Persimmon and squash are both fibrous, and so is durian. Durian is not juicy--if it is, it's overripe (as in almost spoiled). It's soft more like butter--fatty type of soft.

Jackfruit is not odoriferous. Durian has its odor because of its higher sulfur content. Like garlic and onion, durian has a certain amount of sulfur, and this is what makes its characteristic odor. It may be difficult to imagine a fruit high in sulfur. All I can say is, when I taste durian, I don't notice the sulfur--it just tastes GOOD!

Probably one of the nearest equivalents to durian overall would be cheese. Cheese has an odor. But most people like the flavor. Cheese is fatty and the more it is "aged," the more sulfur it contains. I don't eat cheese anymore...and don't care for it. But cheese never tasted so pleasantly rich and sweet as durian.

Here's a link to a website which gives some interesting health benefits of durian: http://www.healthy-communications.com/durianbenefits.htm

Now...we've been off topic for a few posts here...but this may help to get back on track--sulfur is known to help the body in detoxification. Would it be at all beneficial in purging things like caffeine from the body? I wonder if durian could help people kick the caffeine addiction.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Durian ice cream, that is another novelty for me which I found I can live without.

How Caffeine Works....

Caffeine, as well as nicotine and alcohol stimulate the adrenal glands, which push blood sugar out of the liver and muscles and into the bloodstream, according to Robert J. Rogers, MD, from Melbourne, Florida. "This sudden burst of blood sugar triggers the pancreas to release too much insulin, and blood sugar drops."

"The quick rise in blood sugar is where the kick of coffee and cigarettes and the euphoria of liquor comes from. But the lift is temporary. When blood sugar plummets, the only way most people can get on top of things again is to smoke another cigatette, and have another cup of coffee or swig another drink." --Prevention, April, 1979.

Suzanne

More Bad News for Coffee Lovers!

These statements are taken from various Prevention magazines, unless otherwise noted. Some may be repetition.

* Giving up coffee is harder than stopping smoking.

* Those drinking 6 cups or more of coffee daily are 2 times more likely to die from coronary heart disease.

* Tannins found in tea and coffee may reduce the body's agility to absorb nutrients from food, throwing even a balanced diet out of whack.

* Study: Heavy coffee drinking linked to high cholesterol. Should limit both de-caf and regular coffee.

* Coffee can irritate the lining of the bladder.

* Adele Davis, writing in Let's Eat Right to Keep Fit: "Scientists at the University of Wisconsin have produced multiple B-vitamin deficiencies merely by feeding animals coffee. Heavy coffee drinkers almost invariably show symptoms of B-vitamin deficiencies, even when the diet is excellent. I strongly suspect drinking large amounts of coffee is one factor contributing to graying of the hair and perhaps to baldness."

Adele Davis continues with this statement. "Almost everything learned about positive health has first been found in experimental animals and its counterpart later recognized in humans. I know of no exceptions."

* Coffee can hike blood pressure 10 points and can cause a stroke in middle-aged men with high blood pressure.

* Our coffee-soaked, junk food diet is wreaking havoc with our health.

* Coffee burns up the B-vitamins and scalds the nerves.

* Coffee is a diuretic, robbing the body of minerals.

* Excess coffee can cause the pins and needle sensation in hands and feet. This can be cured by vitamin B-1, (thiamine).

* Coffee destroys thiamine. Chlorogenic acid is the culprit, not caffeine. Chlorogenic acid is also found in de-caf.

* Coffee masks fatigue; depletes the B-vitamins, especially biotin and inositol; causes nervousness, twitching, irregular heart beat--all symptoms similar to insufficient B-vitamins. --Let's Live.

* Some are so sensitive that one cup of coffee in the morning can lead to a wakeful night. --Bestways.

* Coffee is implicated in bladder cancer. Very few bladder cancer patients drink little or no coffee.

* Coffee may be the number 1 drug problem in the North America.

* Tic douloureux pain gone when gave up coffee.

* Caffeine makes you store fat. --Trainer on Dr. Phil.

Suzanne

References for: More Bad News for Coffee Lovers

Here are the references that should have accompanied my last post.

* Giving up coffee is harder than stopping smoking. --Prevention, Oct. 1987.

* Data from the Chicago Western Electric Company, which followed over 1,890 men for 30 years, shows that men who drink more than 6 cups of coffee a day were almost twice as likely to die of coronary heart disease than others. This was even true of heavy coffee drinkers who did not smoke. A surprising finding since nonsmokers are generally thought to be at low risk for heart disease. --American Journal of Epidemiology, Nov. 1987.

* Tannins in coffee and tea can play mean games with vitamins and minerals. "Tannins at mealtime may reduce your body's ability to absorb nutrients from the food, throwing even a balanced diet out of whack," says nutritionist Liz Applegate, Ph.D., of the University of California, Davis. --Prevention, July 1988.

* Some research has found an association between coffee drinking and cholesterol levels in the blood. One Finnish study of over 12,000 people, showed an association between heavy coffee consumption and high blood-cholesterol levels. In those aged 45 to 64, the highest cholesterol levels were found in those drinking 4 to 6 cups of coffee a day. --Ibid.

* Coffee can irritate the lining of the bladder. --Prevention, August 1993, Response to a health survey.

* Caffeine can hike blood pressure as much as 10 points, boosting the risk of a heart attack and stroke, according to James Lane, PhD, associate research professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University in Durham, NC. --Prevention, July 2000.

* Coffee burns up the B-vitamins and scalds the nerves. Swiss researchers found that chlorogenic acid found in de-caf as well as regular coffee destroys thiamin (B-1). A deficiency of this nutrient can cause nervousness, irritability, fatigue, depression, and feeling of inadquancy. --International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research, vol. 46, 1976; Federation Proceedings, March 1, 1976.

* August F. Daro, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, writes in the May, 1976, Internation Surgery, that coffee robs the body of vital minerals.... --Prevention, Feb. 1977.

* Michael Lesser, MD, writing in Prevention, March 1977, notes that lots of coffee can cause pins and needles sensations in hands and feet. This is the result of a thiamin (B-1) deficiency caused by excess coffee.

And on and on it goes. Yes, there are various studies out there that try to show that coffee is the new health food. Indeed, think about it...so many folk in this country, including many SDAs cannot begin the day without their cup of Joe, and are drinking record numbers of cups of the stuff. Yet North Americans are suffering from more and various maladies, etc. Humm...sorry folks, you have to look beyond coffee for the nutrients involved in healthful living.

"The continued use of these nerve irritants (tea and coffee) is followed by headache, wakefulness, palpitation of the heart, indigestion, trembling, and many other evils; for they wear away the life forces. Tired nerves need rest and quiet instead of stimulation and overwork.... Ellen White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 326.

Suzanne

Coffee: Destructive to Hair and Nerves

Is it just me or do others notice the fact that many, many of our young men are totally bald or are losing their hair? Thinning hair abounds! Of course, other things are involved--junk food, excessive sugar, fried foods, etc. Indeed, a combination of factors are coming together to cause this devastating effect in our young men. What is going on??? Well, consider this:

Caffeine and certain other ingredients in coffee, tea and soft drinks causes increased loss of thiamin and other B vitamins in the urine. (Federal Proceedings, 1981;40:914; Nutrition Report International, 1971;4:223-27). There is evidence that caffeic acid in coffee also decreases the bioavailability of thiamin so that less of this vital nutrient is absorbed from food. ("Thiamin," in Present Knowledge in Nutrition, fifth edition, pp. 273-84. And alas! the B-vitamin status of so many North Americans is borderline to begin with, and regular consumption of coffee and soft drinks can contribute to deficiency and various deficiency symptoms, one of which is greying of the hair and hair loss. (Let's Live, Feb. 1978; Prescription for Nutritional Healing, fourth edition, Phillis A. Balch).

Prevention, February 1980 noted that the balding trend can be reversed with folate, biotin, inositol and all the other B-vitamins. Natural sources are nuts, seeds, brown rice, whole grains, and legumes. Unfortunately, these are foods that many shy away from in favor of the fast, junk food.

Other Prevention, articles show that alcohol, excessive salt, smoking, can cause loss of hair. Nutrients for the hair include: zinc, vitamins A, E, omega-3 oil, brewer's yeast, lecithin, wheat germ, the B-vitamins, calcium, etc.

Regarding the condition of our collective "nerves," here is vital information: Here again the B-vitamins are extremely important. Stephen Cherniske, M.S., writing in Caffeine Blues, notes again that the consumption of coffee and soft drinks can contribute to a deficiency of these important nutrients, thus causing neurological damage. (American Journal of Epidemiology, Oct. 1, 1996;144(7):642-44).

Of course, other factors are indeed involved, but we cannot overlook the fact that our addiction to coffee is presenting many problems.

Suzanne

Navigate the Dark Waters of Coffee - Health Claims Versus Reality

by Paula Rothstein

(NaturalNews) For many stressed out and exhausted adults, there is no moment of the day more appealing than one which merges bold taste with an infusion of energy via a hot cup of coffee. However, this particular union has a great deal of depth to its dark waters. And like all great love affairs, there is an equally great crash which follows closely on the heels of bliss. When it comes to the subject of coffee and its effect on health, it is a relationship fraught with division and confusion over claims vs. realty.

Food science is a notoriously elastic subject with studies performed all the time meant to serve an agenda. An estimated 400 million cups are consumed each day, making it the number one drink consumed in the United States. Therefore, it is no surprise that with so much profit to be made, coffee studies are a frequent pawn in the hands of food marketers. As a result, this little bean held in the hands of a marketer appears to be something akin to a health drink. For every study advancing coffee's risk, it is quickly answered with a study conveniently featuring its positive attributes.

The most recent study extolling the benefits of coffee was conducted by the Karlinska Institute in Stockholm. This study followed 35,000 women for 10 years and concluded that drinking one to two cups of coffee each day reduced the risk of stroke. The results of this study are suspect, as Gary Schwitzer, Editor-In-Chief of MayoClinic.com and health journalist, aptly pointed out: this popular study is an "observational study that does not prove cause or effect."

So, who do you believe? You should start with your own body. What is it telling you? Are you having difficulty falling asleep at night? Are you hungry after every meal? Do you need an afternoon nap? If so, you could be one of many coffee drinkers suffering from adrenal fatigue brought on by daily consumption.

The adrenal glands are responsible for hormone production, primarily cortisol. Following that first cup of coffee, your adrenals have been shocked and made ready to proceed as though under duress, releasing "fight or flight" stress hormones which can literally burn your adrenal glands out over time. Daily consumption, especially in large quantities, fatigues the adrenals, thus putting metabolic pathways off balance which in turn leads to irregular blood sugar levels.

Another not often mentioned problem with respect to coffee is that it depletes your supply of Vitamin B6, B2, and folic acid levels - vitamins known for their ability to enhance energy. In fact, increasing vitamin intake, specifically Vitamin B, would be a useful alternative to drinking coffee.

Whether or not coffee is better than it is bad, one specific exception supersedes all positives. If you suffer from any sort of systemic inflammatory condition, such as gut dysbiosis, there is recent research which shows the proteins in coffee are cross-reactive with gluten antibodies. You most definitely would want to avoid coffee entirely if this were the case.

We often make friends of our foes and foes of our friends. No doubt, this perplexing relationship, which we have with coffee, will continue in varying forms and degrees. Happily, there are alternatives that bolster our energy and sharpen our mind that have a much more positive effect on our health. One day, should you entirely give up coffee, you may look back on your troubled relationship with this stimulant and be glad you tossed it over for a better friend.

Sources:

http://www.wellnessresources.com/he...
http://www.ehow.com/list_5931458_co...
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?s...

Suzanne

Coffee intake can affect aspects of immunity. This according to investigators from Tel Aviv Medical, Tel Aviv University Sackler Faculty of Medicine, and the Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Public Health and Community Medicine in Jerusalem, Israel. They found that coffee drinking suppresses lymphocyte (white blood cells) response. --Immunopharmacology, 1990; 12:129-134.

Suzanne