I am a coffee junkie, and I’m not afraid to admit it. That being said, I do watch my consumption on a daily basis. Like any food or substance, too much coffee isn’t always a good thing, though recent reports tell us that three to five cups of coffee a day can ward off dementia.
As a massage therapist, I find tension in the muscles of heavy coffee drinkers; caffeine being a culprit in causing muscle spasms, along with refined sugar and nicotine. When I slip into heavy java drinking mode, I find my own massages becoming painful. My muscles very tender to the touch.
However, I don’t think coffee is bad for a person. It is an herb, a stimulant, and one that I personally thinks tastes good. When I have a client ask for my opinion on coffee consumption here is what I tell them:
“Use your best judgement. Overuse of coffee as a stimulant can exhaust the adrenal glands leading to constant fatigue. It also leaches calcium from our bones. Drink a high quality blend made from organic beans. Use unbleached coffee filters and filtered water if possible. Try not to drink coffee all day to fight the afternoon work fog. A wholesome, high protein snack will do more to keep you awake. Drink plenty of water to stay well hydrated as overuse of coffee can dehydrate a body. And most importantly, listen to your body when it tells you enough is enough.”
As I sit here, sipping on my first, morning cup of organic, locally roasted, fair trade coffee, enjoying the flavor, I know that I will never give up drinking coffee. It is one of the small pleasures in my life. I will, however, limit the number of cups I drink in the morning to three. Which, coffee junkie that I am, may appear lame. Be that as it may, I plan on enjoying java the rest of my life. There is much more coffee out there to consume.
