Is Coffee Bad?
Espresso. Strong and Dark. Large quantities of it. After a big glass of water each morning I move straight onto the coffee. Never before today have I entertained the question: Is coffee bad?
I’m going through a sad time in my life. The death of a close family member leaves me often overwhelmed. I’m unmotivated and wonder when my normal zest for life will return. I confess that a strong cup of coffee in the afternoon helps lift some of the haze that surrounds me. In fact sometimes I can’t believe coffee is legal because it creates such a cognitive change in my capacities. .Turns out I’m not the only one to discover that coffee has anti-depressant properties.
Recently my partner in crime – who loves coffee as much as I – was having trouble with muscle cramps. It would hit him at the worst times; while he slept, worked out, sat in the movie theater. Then he got sore spots on his foot that came out of nowhere. He decided that coffee was the culprit. He quit cold turkey. Overnight the cramps went away. The red and inflamed spots on his feet were gone within a week. His flexibility – always a challenge – improved more in one week than in the 3.5 years I’ve worked with him.
Is Coffee Bad?
Chinese Medicine says that the oils from coffee leave deposits on the soft tissue that inhibit healing. I’m always working out, so I 
want the fastest recovery possible. I also seem to have a penchant for injury of late, and I want those to heal fast too. So if I lean toward Chinese Medicine I should quit right now!
But Western Medicine claims the opposite. This study shows that drinking coffee reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and other inflammatory diseases. Researchers concluded that coffee contains important antioxidants that reduce inflammation in your body. In addition, it’s common knowledge that you can increase your athletic performance by 15-20% with caffeine. Us CrossFitters always want that!
Like almost anything in this modern day and age, enormous quantities of pros and cons can be found on any topic. Just consult the “correct” source and your view will be substantiated.
Dr Mark Hyman asks the same question: Is Coffee Bad? After years of addiction to the life-giving brown drink he says a resounding “YES.” It’s bad. Here are his 10 reasons why you should quit. He even outlines the steps to minimize the misery of withdrawal.
Coffee Urban, a website devoted to all things coffee related purports the opposite. In fact they recently published an article all about the 25 Science-Backed Health Benefits Of Coffee.
Despite evidence on both sides, I’m sticking with the pro coffee people for now. How about you!?!
2019 05 29