Tuesday 13 March 2007

Coffee? Pros and Cons discovered!

Article Taken from Stone Slimming.co.uk

---------

Coffee
Every day people around the world drink millions of cups of coffee. It has become a staple of life. We see a StarBucks on every corner - I live in Central London, and I can't turn ANYWHERE without a Starbucks, Cafe Nero or other coffee shop walk into my line of sight.

Is coffee really this good or is it so addictive?
I think it is both really. I think good coffee almost has a sexy taste to it. It tastes rich and full bodied. Not many things can compare to it. Maybe chocolate, but that is another article all together. You love to drink coffee. You love a good cup of steaming hot Joe on a cold morning. Watching the steam come off the coffee as it snows outside is a very relaxing thought.

Is coffee good or bad for you?
Well, I think it depends on who you ask.
Usually what you will find is these scientists are paid by a company that wants to prove a point. Simply put, they pay the scientists off.
As in all things, you must drink coffee in moderation. A cup or two each day isn't going to be bad for you. If on the other hand you are drinking a pot every hour, you know that it will have an effect on you. I have known people who drink coffee like this. They drink it from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed. This is common in alcoholics. Let's talk about some of the bad things about coffee.

Coffee stains your teeth.

We all know what the color of coffee stained teeth are. It is up there with cigarette smoke stained teeth. You can buy things to whiten your teeth. I would suggest though that instead of trying to whiten your teeth, you cut back a little on the brew. - you'll save a bunch of dollars!

Bad breath.

Have you ever had a whiff of the breath of someone who is a heavy coffee drinker? It smells horrible. I would rather smell s*** with flies buzzing around it to be perfectly honest

It raises stress levels.

Too much coffee can raise anxiety levels. When this happens, you can become stressed out. This shouldn't be news to you. Have you ever seen how much a person shakes after they drink too much coffee?

It can raise the risk of a heart attack.

While science is still somewhat out on this, it shouldn't be much of a surprise. If it elevates the heart and blood pressure, too much of it can't be a good thing.

Sterility.

Yes, it can effect the little guys swimming in your semen. It can actually lower your sperm count.
I know that may sound too weird to be true, but it is - women dont need to worry about this! (except for their hubby baby-producers!)

Stomach problems.

People who drink too much coffee may have some stomach problems. The caffeine irrates the lining of the stomach.

Here are some of the benefits of coffee.
It prevents prostate cancer.
This is too weird, but it is true. Coffee contains boron, which is a chemical that helps curb prostate cancer.
It is a good social drink.
You don't drink alcohol? Well, people go to the coffee house to chat all the time. A cup of coffee could be a good reason to go out and meet new people. A cup once and while can't hurt. You never know, you might meet a good friend over that cup of Joe.
It helps wash down a meal.
In many cultures it is impolite to either start a meal or finish one without having a cup of coffee. No one is certain that coffee actually helps the digestion process, but it sure tastes good after a meal.

As with all things in life, you need to do things in moderation.

If you feel that you are over doing it, you need to cut back on the coffee. I know that coffee might taste good, but in the long run you are doing yourself more harm than good. Just keep in mind that one or two cups per day isn't going to hurt you :)

Bottled Water Vs Tap Water?

When I think of bottled water I think of hot tennis players gulping it down between matches. There certainly is a stigma about bottled water. Sometimes I think that one of the things around it is, rich people drink it. We see all of these rich famous people on television drinking it. Bottled water certainly has become popular. There is no doubting that. I go to the store and I see more brands than I can keep track of. Mainly I get it if I am out and not near home to get a drink of water. If I am out walking or exercising and don't have a water source near by.

Is bottled water a rip off?
The short answer is yes
. There is nothing great about it. The only thing that is great about it is how it has been marketed. They tell us it is the best thing that we can get. It is something we all should drink. You have to keep in mind that these companies are in the business of making money. Their goal is to sell you bottled water. Even if you don't need it.


Is bottled water better for you than tap water?

No, it certainly isn't. In fact, most bottled water is just tap water. (This is where I'll need to tread carefully...NOT).It is filtered and purified so it doesn't have the taste that the water from your tap has. Anything that will get you to drink more water is great. Though, you must realize that it is nothing more than a waste of money. You aren't getting something that your body will jump for joy when it gets.
You have to watch what you buy though. Some bottled water has things added to it. Sometimes they will add sugar or other flavorings to it. If it doesn't taste like pure water, there is something added to it. Sometimes the water will come from a spring or a mountain river. Is this any better for you? Not really. There might be some minerals in it that tap water won't have. But for the most part it is just the same, but more expensive.

You like the taste of bottled water but you don't like the taste of your tap water. What do you do?
For starters, I would suggest that you don't run to the store to get more bottled water. There are many products that you are use to filter your tap water. One of my favorites is the pitcher with the filter in it. I'm sure you have seen these on television before. When you pour the water, it goes through a filter.
These tend to be less expensive and easy to use. It doesn't take much brain power to be able to fill a pitcher with water. Check your local shop, I'm sure that you will find one there. There are also filters that you can put right over your faucet. These tend to be the best thing to use. They are easy to use and easy to replace the filters. You can get these at any Wal Mart or store like that.
There is always the water filtering system. You know, the ones with the pellets and all that garbage?. Personally, I think these are a pain in the a**. I don't know why people get these instead of the smaller faucet units. I know that some people have to use these because of the condition of their water. Sometimes the water is too hard and you need to soften it. Though, that does sound like a plot for a porno movie.

If you don't like the taste of your water, try filling up the empty bottles that you have from the bottled water with tap water. Stick them in the ice box and get them nice and cold. You will notice that when cold, the water has a different flavor. You might find this to be drinkable. I know your wallet will thank you.

The problem I see with the bottled water is, it is too expensive. They are charging you an arm and a leg for something you can get next to free. Why should you pay for it? Well, you shouldn't.
I don't know why people don't feel guilty for buying bottled water. It is one step up from going to a whore.

You should stop drinking the bottled water and see how much money you save just for one month. I find it crazy that there are people around the world dying of starvation and disease and we pay a dollar or more for a bottle of water. That seems so crazy to me.

Visit Stone Slimming.co.uk to find out more about health advice and weight loss