6 Health Benefits Of Drinking COFFEE

Do you smell it? Can you taste it? For some people, that unmistakable smell and delectable taste are the main reasons to pry themselves out of bed each morning. What is it? It’s the eye-opening and mouth-watering beverage that’s consumed by an estimated 100 million Americans on a daily basis and it comes from a simple bean – coffee. But, aside from the caffeinated beverage’s eye-opening abilities and addictive flavor, there are many other hidden benefits and we’ve compiled a list of arguably the six best reasons you should be consuming coffee.

Mental Note

Is there anything sadder than seeing an aging loved one drastically losing their mental sharpness? You may be powerless to prevent it, but, according to a recent study, coffee may be able to help you from falling into the same trap. Researchers discovered that participants who drank three to five cups of coffee per day had about a 65% decreased chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia later on in life. To ensure you’re always drinking enough coffee, make it a point of always consuming coffee with your meals.

Cardiovascular Protection

Anybody who’s serious about health knows the importance of a healthy cardiovascular system. What they may not know is that by simply drinking one or two cups of coffee per day they could have a significantly reduced risk of cardiovascular disease-related death. According to a Japanese study of more than 76,000 participants, men consuming one to two cups of coffee daily reduced their risk of dying from a cardiovascular disease by as much as 38%. Of course, this still doesn’t excuse you from cardio exercises.

Risk Aversion

Want to lower your risk of death? A National Institutes of Health – AARP Diet and Health study of more than 400,000 people revealed that drinking coffee might be the answer. Between 1995 and 2008, male participants drinking even just one daily cup reduced their risk of death by 6%. Drinking either two to three cups or six or more cups reduced the risk by 10% during the timeframe of the study. The greatest reduction of death risk was 12% in the group drinking four to five cups. Know your limit: five cups.

Diabetes Defense

An alarming 11.8% of American men over the age of 20 have diabetes. Needless to say, it’s a growing concern and one receiving a great deal of attention in the medical community. Between 1986 and 1998 Harvard researchers tracked the coffee consumption and occurrence of type-2 diabetes of more than 40,000 men. They discovered that long-term coffee drinkers had a significantly reduced risk of developing type-2 diabetes and statistics indicated the risk decreased the more they drank. Just remember to limit your sugar! 

Pain Reduction

Are you in pain during the course of a typical workday? It’s not that unusual. But, what is surprising is the degree to which many people feel rejuvenated following a coffee break and there may be a reason why. Norwegian researchers observed 48 people performing office work and found that those who consumed coffee only declared a pain-intensity level of 41, whereas participants who didn’t drink any coffee reported having a score of 55. If this study is any indication, you might want to take your coffee breaks literally.

Weight Loss

When you think of coffee, you usually think of the beverage. However, if your focus is weight loss, green coffee extract could be an effective aid. Following a 22-week study of 16 overweight adults, researchers discovered that participants given green coffee bean extract had undergone significant weight loss with 37.5% of them transitioning from being at a pre-obesity weight to a normal weight range. If you’re battling the bulge, consider complementing your workouts by looking at the green bean capsule aisle of your local health nutrition store.

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6 Health Benefits Of Drinking Milk

Milk is an important part of our diet. We begin drinking it when we are young, but our intake decreases as we get older. Some people shy away from it because they fear that it will add too much fat to their diet. Others leave it out because they believe that they no longer need it. You are never too old to reap the rewards of drinking milk. 

It is a great source of vitamins and nutrients, and it has several health benefits, such as...

1. Glowing Skin

Cleopatra took milk baths to help her skin stay soft, supple and glowing. You can do the same, or you can drink a few glasses of whole milk each day to get its benefits. Milk has several nutrients which help skin look its best. It has lactic acid which can act as an exfoliant and enzymes to help smooth skin. It also has amino acids that help keep skin moisturized. Milk can help prevent damage from environmental toxins because it has antioxidants. However, if you have a sensitivity to milk or dairy products, milk can actually aggravate your skin.

2. Healthy Bones and Teeth

Milk is a great source of calcium, which is essential for healthy bones. Not only do young children need it while their bones are growing, but adults need it to keep their bones strong and to prevent osteoporosis. Milk is also great for strong teeth, and it helps prevent tooth decay and cavities. In order for the calcium to be absorbed by the body, vitamin D must be present. If you have a vitamin D deficiency, buy milk that is fortified with extra vitamin D to ensure that your body absorbs the calcium.

3. Muscles

Milk contains protein, which helps to rebuild muscles. Drink a glass of milk after you exercise to give your body what it needs to recover. It will help to keep soreness at bay while replenishing fluids that you lost during your workout.

4. Weight Loss

Studies show that women who drink low-fat or skim milk lose more weight than those who exclude milk from their diet. It is a great appetizer and it makes a healthy snack. Add a glass to your dinner, or drink a glass while eating a piece of fruit.

5. Less Stress

Milk is a great way to de-stress at the end of the day. A glass of warm milk will help to relax tense muscles and soothe frayed nerves. Milk has also been proven to reduce symptoms of PMS and boost energy. The next time you are feeling frazzled, try drinking a glass of milk while you soak in a bubble bath.

6. Healthy Body

Milk has properties that lower high blood pressure and risk of strokes. It reduces the liver’s production of cholesterol, and it can act as an antacid. Vitamins A and B in milk can help build good eyesight. Milk has also been show to help lower risk of certain cancers.

There are several varieties of milk on the market, such as whole, 2%, low-fat and fat free. If you are concerned about the growth hormones used in milk, choose to go the organic route.  With all of the types of milk available, you should be able to find something that fits your diet and nutritional needs.

Despite the health benefits of drinking milk, you should also be wary about the milk that you buy — the vitamins and minerals that are found in milk. You should always go for organic products(though they are more expensive, but in the long run, its worth it).

Here's a list you can refer to:

Calcium: Keeps bones and teeth healthy; helps your body maintain bone mass.

Protein: A good source of energy: builds and repairs your muscle tissue; good after work-outs.

Potassium: Helps you keep a good blood pressure.

Phosphorus: Helps strengthen your bones and gives you energy.

Vitamin D: Helps your body maintain your bones.

Vitamin B12: Helps maintain healthy red blood cells and helps maintain nerve tissue.

Vitamin A: Helps maintain the immune system; helps maintain normal vision and good skin.

Niacin: Improves your metabolism; have a glass before doing aerobics.

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7 Reasons To Drink More Water

Everyone knows that we all should drink water, you see it everywhere, in school, your parents, everyone tells you to drink water. But do you know why you should be drinking water? Ever thought about it?

The presence of water is the most important factor that helps sustain life on Earth. More than 65% of the human body weight is water, and drinking more water has innumerable health benefits. Let me brief you about the findings of the National Cancer Institute’s Food Attitudes and Behaviors Survey conducted on more than 3000 individuals: an alarming 78% of the people surveyed admitted to drinking less than 8 cups of water per day. The study confirmed the high prevalence of poor water drinking habits, especially among the old. Furthermore, poor water intake was associated with several unhealthy habits and attitudes.

Here are 7 awesome benefits of drinking more water:

1. Improves your mental abilities

Drinking more water and keeping the body well hydrated have shown to help people to improve their cognitive abilities and mental functioning. On the other hand, dehydration reduces the brain’s capacity for short term memory.

2. Improves physical performance

There is a huge amount of evidence to suggest that dehydration and poor water intake are associated with decreased muscle performance and athletic abilities. Good water intake helps increase the physical performance by helping the heart pump better, as it keeps the blood more fluid and increases oxygen transport to the muscles. Furthermore, good water intake also helps to keep the body cool, and the muscles and joints work more efficiently. Not only can athletes use this to their benefit—drinking more water also keeps you energetic and feel less fatigued throughout your stressful day at work.

3. Helps expel toxins

Drinking an adequate amount of water helps to remove water soluble toxins from the body by sweat and through the kidneys. Water flushes your system and cleanses the body clean of certain toxic waste products that tend to build up in tissues and organs.

4. Helps lose weight

You read that correctly! Drinking more water can help you lose those extra pounds. Some studies have shown that people who increased their water intake while dieting lost more weight that those who kept to minimum levels. Drinking more water helps to delay the feeling of hunger, so the next time you feel hungry and find yourself reaching for junk food, drink water instead. As water fills the stomach, it tends to allay the sense of hunger, so the net calorie consumption is decreased. Furthermore, water also increases the body’s metabolism. And of course, drinking water instead of cola when you feel thirsty is definitely going to cut those extra unhealthy calories.

5. Reduces the risk of heart attacks and stroke

Drinking more water helps to keep the blood more fluid. This helps prevent clot formation in blood vessels which supply the heart and the brain that could jeopardize the oxygen supply to these vital areas, result in fatality. Adequate water intake also helps keep blood pressure in check by excreting excess salt out of the body. High salt retention in the body is one of the primary culprits that lead to high blood pressure. By keeping blood pressure in check, most of the complications of high blood pressure can be averted.

6. Improves bowel function

Constipation is common in people who consume less than the adequate amount of water required. Doctors advise their patients to increase their water consumption as a first step in preventing constipation.

7. Decreases cancer risk

Drinking more water reduces the risk of certain cancers like the cancer of the colon and bladder. It’s also been found to reduce the risk of breast cancers.
Though strong evidence for these benefits are being sought, there’s no harm in drinking more water as long you don’t overdo it.

Bonus tips:

1. Do not drink more that 3 – 3.5  litres of water, as doing so can result in harm by diluting the body’s electrolytes.
2. You can find some apps that can help keep in check with you daily water consumption.
3. A simple guide is to drink enough water to produce a colorless urine.
4. Always carry a water bottle with you.

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