Can Caffeine Be Good for Your Health?

Caffeine and Your Health

Reading the newspaper can be a stressful activity. One day you might read that meat is good for you, while the next day you will read that it’s the worst thing you could feed your body. It’s difficult to determine what you should believe and what you should dismiss. Caffeine is one of those hotly debated topics when it comes to your health. And since so many people enjoy tea and coffee around the world, understanding the effects of caffeine is probably a good idea when you’re concerned about your health.

 

Antioxidants in Coffee, Anti-carcinogens in Tea

What many people don’t realize is that coffee actually comes from berries. And when these berries are harvested, inside are the coffee beans. This allows coffee to be rich in antioxidants which can protect the heart and the body from damage. In addition, tea has been linked with helping the body fight off cancerous growths while also having cancer protective qualities due to the makeup of the chemicals in the tea leaves. Sometimes to keep in mind, however, is that some of the anti-cancer and healthy benefits are negated when you add milk or cream to these drinks. Thus, it’s best to drink these drinks without additional dairy whenever possible.

Too Much Can Cause Health Troubles

Caffeine cocktail

At the same time, coffee and tea also contain caffeine, which can cause the body to speed up and to be more alert. This is generally a good thing, but when the body has too much caffeine, it can begin to feel fatigued. The adrenal glands can begin to tire, causing you to feel worn out and stressed. Those with heart or blood pressure problems can find that caffeine actually causes them to have a faster heart rate than they might like to have. In addition, caffeine is being linked with sudden deaths among athletes who drink an excessive amount before competitive events.

A Moderate Approach

Like with anything you eat or drink, a common sense and moderate approach seems wise when it comes to caffeine. Having two cups of a caffeinated beverage each day seems to offer health protective benefits, while still giving you a boost when your energy level is low. Try adding non-caffeinated drinks to your day as well to help keep you satisfied, while allowing you to have variety in your beverage choices. In addition, try drinking plenty of water to ensure that the caffeine doesn’t dehydrate you, as it can do.

Caffeine, like anything, can cause troubles when you have too much. Instead of trying to cut it out completely, though many people have, you should attempt to moderate your consumption and enjoy all of its health benefits, without the downsides.

Monitor Your Health at Home

Health Snapshot

With Health Snapshot, you can begin to change the way you look at your health. Instead of simply being a person who waits to get sick, you can take charge today and prevent illness in the first place by simply monitoring your health. While it might seem that you are starting out in poor health, realize that you can turn things around quickly and see positive results in just weeks. With the Health Snapshot, it only takes a few minutes to see what your body needs from you and then you can take the appropriate actions. You will see the results on your computer and make the necessary changes to your life.

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Health Snapshot

Personal health monitor. Tracks daily health changes and alerts on possible health issues (including cancer) on its early stage. Designed for health cautious individuals, wellness centers, health clubs.

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