Today is International Coffee Day, so lets celebrate it!
Your cup of joe, also known as a-hug-in-a-mug, or coffee, or java, is one of the most popular beverages consumed worldwide. It is a bit of an international love language! Almost everyone loves it prepared one way or another.
Here Are 3 Reasons to Enjoy Your Cup of Joe:
First, it has a wonderful aromatic smell and taste. Even those that don’t like to drink it, and there aren’t many, love the smell of it. It is the epitome of happiness in the morning. It is also pure happiness when meeting a friend or enjoying some alone time in a favorite coffee shop. And that is before you even consider all the different flavors and delightful concoctions!
Second is the universal appeal. It has a signature of hospitality and good feelings. Isn’t it funny how a pleasurable smell can create warm and fuzzy feelings! Whether sipping it by yourself or enjoying it with others, good feelings permeate the space!
Now, these two reasons are marvelous in themselves, because anything causing positive and happy thoughts and feelings are a win for our immune system. And a win for the immune system is a win for managing an autoimmune condition such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Good feelings reduce stress. But, it is the third reason that is intriguing when considering health and wellness.
The last reason is the health benefits that seem to be emerging concerning consumption of a cup of joe. When consumed in moderation, 3 to 4 cups daily, or up to 400 mg of caffeine it seems good for most.
Roasted coffee is a complex mixture of over 1000 bioactive compounds. Some have potentially therapeutic antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, or anticancer effects.
According to the British Medical Journal, coffee can lower the risk of all cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and certain cancers, such as prostate, endometrial, melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancers and liver cancer.
Moderate consumption of coffee has beneficial associations with less Type 2 diabetes, liver conditions, Parkinson’s Disease, depression, and Alzheimers disease.
Warnings to consider:
Pregnancy and risk of fracture in women are two warning situations that should be discussed with your healthcare provider. The half-life of caffeine doubles during pregnancy and it easily crosses the placenta, therefore it is a good thing to talk to your doctor about this.
Caffeine is a stimulant, therefore a decaffeinated variety may be best for anyone on a medication that would interact with it. For those with blood pressure issues, it my be best to drink decaffeinated coffee, as well.
Happy International Coffee Day fellow autoimmune sojourners! Go ahead, take that cup of joe in a to-go cup and enjoy the flavor while getting some fresh air. Take in the season of color! Let the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds loose!
XXOO
Cathy from Arthritis Wisdom
photo credit: Sarah Shaffer from Unsplash
