Kofi is a 28 year old bank executive who is obese and also recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. He joined a health club and was struggling to exercise. Then a few weeks later he stunned everyone in the club. Kofi warmed up on a stationary bike for five minutes, completed thirty minutes of full-body strength training in circuit fashion and then put in another twenty-five minutes on the cross-trainer. During this inspired hour all he did was to sip water. Many onlookers wondered, is he on a steroid or some form of energy drink? Well kofi’s secret was good old coffee. He had discovered that drinking a cup of coffee about an hour prior to his workout boosted his performance. He will also find out soon that his efforts had not been in vain because his blood sugar will also drop.
Coffee has been vilified in the past but new research makes it one of the beverages that you cannot ignore. Like dark chocolate it can taste and make you feel so good and is also packed with health benefits. A word of caution though, coffee may not be good for everyone and if you feel out of sorts after a cup it may be better to avoid. Moderation is also key when it comes to coffee, one or two cups a day is all you may need. Over-indulging may have some downsides. The caffeine in coffee is slightly addictive and it’s also been found that it is more beneficial to drink daily than occasionally. Well if you happen to be one of those who gets a headache a day after drinking coffee, your solution may be either drinking daily or forgetting it altogether. If you realize that your blood pressure shoots up soon after drinking coffee, you are not in the minority; you may overcome this setback by drinking daily.
Coffee is also a great source of antioxidants and that may account for many of its benefits. Those who are scared of caffeine for one reason or another have options; it appears there is more to coffee than the caffeine since the decaffeinated varieties also offer similar benefits and in certain instances additional ones.
The antioxidant quinine found in coffee is found to be activated by roasting. This together with the magnesium that it contains is responsible for reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. The effect of coffee on diabetes and the fact that coffee boosts athletic performance may be Kofi’s secret. So next time you need extra energy before you start exercising consider coffee instead of other commercial energy drinks.
The list of benefits of coffee for regular drinkers also includes reducing the risk of ;Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, some liver diseases and even colon cancer. This wonder beverage may also have what it takes to half your risk of developing gallstones. Coffee also contains an antibacterial agent that not only gives it that exciting aroma but in addition protects its consumers from dental caries. Those with asthma have even found their symptoms to reduce in frequency when they become converts of coffee.
People who take painkillers may have noticed that caffeine features prominently in some of these medications. Your cup of coffee may ease headaches but on the flip side some people may suffer headaches (withdrawal headaches) if they only indulge in this beverage occasionally. Caffeine also stimulates the brain and helps fight fatigue as well as boosts athletic performance. I can picture two schoolmates of mine who virtually soaked themselves in coffee on a daily basis. This is no visa for students to abuse this product, the watch word is MODERATION.
Can everything that comes from coffee be considered good? Not exactly. It may make sleep a challenge for people while others may experience jitteriness. People have also been noted to become aware of their heart beating (palpitations) but this is normally harmless. Loose stools, heartburns and reflux have also been seen in many people who have been attracted to coffee by its sweet aroma. Women who over-indulge in coffee may be at risk of infertility or miscarriage.
I think coffee has a lot to offer and has proved most of its critics wrong so for the coffee fans keep going but one or two cups a day is all you need to derive most of the benefits but if you have always avoided this beverage well you may not need to start. If you want to try coffee, remember the benefits of coffee far outweigh its downsides. If your want an energy boost before exercising, then coffee should be considered.

AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)

Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Moms’ Health Club
(dressel@healthclubsgh.com)


*Dr Essel is a medical doctor and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy and fitness nutrition.

Thought for the week – “Your Health is Your Responsibility – Take Control!”
Reference:
1. www.webmd.com
2. www.mayoclinic.com
3. Men’s’ Health, May 2013
4. Nutrition; The Complete Guide by John Berardi and Ryan Andrews