Coffee and caffeine

If you want to maximize the benefits of caffeine, you should have your first cup about four hours after you wake up.

You are naturally alert when you wake up because your cortisol levels are high. So drinking caffeine first thing is just going to make the drop even harder a few hours later.

According to studies, coffee drinkers have a slightly lower risk of death over 10 years (10 to 15%) than those who don't drink it regularly.

For the coffee industry to survive, it needed a new marketing strategy. The consumer was changing and coffee-players needed to pay attention.

Crucial questions the 'me' generation will ask: "What's in it for me? Is the product 'me'? Is it consistent with my lifestyle? Do I like how it tastes? What will it cost me? Is it convenient to prepare?"

Eating a fiber-rich diet is associated with better gastrointestinal health and a reduced risk of heart attacks, strokes, high cholesterol, obesity, type 2 diabetes, even some cancers. Fiber slows the absorption of glucose — which evens out our blood sugar levels — and also lowers cholesterol and inflammation.

Fiber doesn’t just help us poop better — it also nourishes our gut microbiome.

Instead of munching on fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds, more than half of the calories Americans consume come from ultra-processed foods. On any given day, nearly 40 percent of Americans eat fast food. These prepared and processed meals tend to be low in fiber, or even fiber free. 

Because of the potential risks and unclear benefits of supplements, most doctors advise against them. However, doctors often recommend specific vitamin and mineral supplements to their patients, such as calcium and vitamin D to prevent osteoporosis and iron for people with iron deficiency.

• Consider only single-ingredient supplements. Multi-ingredient supplements make it hard to identify which substance is having an effect and they are more likely to be adulterated with banned drugs.
• Tell your doctor about any supplement you take, so they can check it will interact with any of the medicines you're on.

More research is needed to validate whether there is a causal link between genes and specific taste perceptions.

Scientists are planning to delve further into the relationship between taste perception and health - to evaluate if bitter taste genes have implications on disease risks.

• It is bad if you feel your system doesn't work properly without it: lack of concentration, tiredness, bad temper, headache.
• Why should you keep it: Drinking 3 - 4 cups of black coffee a day provides the most health benefits overall, including a lower risk of several specific cancers and neurological, liver, and metabolic conditions.
• If you’re nixing caffeine: Going cold turkey can lead to significant withdrawal symptoms like low energy, fatigue, lack of concentration, therefore a gradual reduction is suggested.

• How bad is sugar? Sugar creates hormonal insulin swings and causing inflammation. People with a diet overloaded with sugar have poor cholesterol and are at risk of high blood pressure and other chronic conditions.
• Can it be good? Sugar is a carb, and carbs are your body’s main energy source. That means the good kinds of sugar can be healthy.
• If you’re cutting out sugar, remember this: You’re likely eliminating a lot of carbs, too. That can be pretty taxing on the body. Consume extra electrolytes, plenty of fluids, lots of proteins, bone broth, and soups to help with the transition. 

According to a study, drinking one to four cups of filtered coffee per day is associated with a 15 percent reduced risk of death from any cause compared to people who don't drink coffee. It could be because coffee is rich in antioxidants, including polyphenols.

Unfiltered coffee did not raise the risk of death compared to abstaining from coffee. However, in men aged 60 and above, unfiltered coffee was linked with elevated cardiovascular mortality.

Fat molecules are made of chains of fatty acids that are held together with single bonds (saturated) or double bonds (unsaturated.)

There are three types of fatty acids: Short, medium, and long chain.

• Short and medium chain fatty acids are absorbed directly into the bloodstream and used for energy.
• Long chain fatty acids are transported to the liver, which raises blood cholesterol levels.

Studies show that coconut oil increases harmful cholesterol (LDL -low-density lipoprotein) and beneficial cholesterol (HDL - high-density lipoprotein). They also contain a high amount of lauric acid, which raises HDL levels in the blood more than LDL levels.

But lauric acid is not that healthy. It is categorized as a C12 fatty acid and is at the limit of a medium-chain fatty acid. Roughly 70% of C12s act as long-chain fatty acids, which are stored in the liver as fat, and over time, can cause nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

The “best” diet is a theme: an emphasis on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and plain water for thirst. 

That can be with or without seafood; with or without dairy; with or without eggs; with or without some meat; high or low in total fat.

But you don’t have to constantly be battling your fears. You only need to be courageous for 20 seconds at a time.

If you courageously confront fear for 20 seconds every single day, before you know it, you’ll be in a different socio-economic and social situation.