Coffee

If you're like most Americans, you down an herbal beverage or two every morning. That's right, coffee's an herb. And it has many therapeutic values beyond jolting you awake in the morning. The caffeine in coffee can unstuff your nose, quell a headache, prevent asthma attacks and even boost athletic performance.

Of course, coffee can also cause problems like jitters and insomnia. You may even have heard of coffee being linked to more serious diseases. But the latest medical review concludes that "coffee appears to pose no particular threat in most people if consumed in moderation." Thank goodness!

Healing with Coffee:

The medically important component of coffee is caffeine, but a cup's caffeine content depends on how the coffee's prepared. A cup of instant contains about 60 milligrams (mg) of caffeine; drip or percolated coffee, about 100 mg. A 2.5 ounce serving of espresso also contains about 100 mg.

What's a reasonable dose? "I'd advise limiting caffeine intake to about two cups of strong brewed coffee a day or about three cups of instant," says Varro E. Tyler, Ph.D., professor of pharmacolognosy at Purdue University School of Pharmacy in West Lafayette, Indiana, and author of The Honest Herbal. Coffee has the power to:

• Relieve nasal congestion: Caffeine opens the bronchial tubes, relieving the congestion caused by colds and flu. Numerous drugstore cold formulas contain caffeine, which also counteracts the sedative effects of the antihistamines the drugs contain.

• Control asthma: As it does with routine congestion, caffeine helps keep asthma at bay by opening the bronchial passages to the lungs, making it easier to breathe. IF you have asthma, consider a quick cup of Java nest time you start to wheeze.

• Cool off headaches: If you take aspirin for pain relief, try chasing it with a cup of coffee. Several studies show that the combination of aspirin and caffeine relieves pain significantly better than aspirin alone.

• Boost athletic endurance: According to a report published in the journal The Physician and Sportsmedicine, drinking coffee before an athletic event improves stamina. In fact, the International Olympic Committee "caffeine loading," and it tests urine for illegal amounts. To reach illegal levels, an endurance athlete would have drink four to five cups in 30 minutes. Athletes who want coffee's benefits without risking disqualification typically drink three or four cups in the hour before their event.

• Make weight loss easier: Coffee may help you win the battle of the bulge by boosting the number of calories you burn per hour by about 4 percent. That might not sound like much, but studies show it translates to a significant increase in total calories burned-a possible benefit for people with serious weight problems.

• Lessen the effect of jet lag: Jet lag is the disorientation, insomnia and fatigue that develop after flying across time zones. Coffee may help shift the body's rhythms back to normal. Try drinking coffee in the morning when you travel west and the in the late afternoon when you travel east.

Safety Considerations:

Because caffeine is such a standard part of our culture, few realize that its some harmful aspects. For one thing, it's addictive. Regular users develop a tolerance and require more coffee to obtain the desired effect. If deprived of caffeine, they usually develop withdrawal symptoms, including nausea and headaches.

Coffee is most notorious for causing insomnia and increasing anxiety, irritability and nervousness. Few realize that it remains in the body for 8 to 12 hours. That means a cup at 5 P.M. can leave you tossing and turning well after midnight. Caffeine can also aggravate panic attacks. Also, coffee may cause stomach upset, because it increases the secretion of stomach acids. People with ulcers or gastrointestinal conditions should drink it rarely, if at all, say doctors. However, contrary to popular thought, coffee doesn't cause ulcers.

Coffee also raises blood pressure in people who aren't accustomed to drinking it. But once you develop a caffeine tolerance, the body adjusts and normal consumption no longer affects blood pressure. Some studies have linked high levels of coffee consumption with increased risk of heart attack. If you're at risk for heart disease, keep your coffee intake below four cups a day.

Finally, many of the serious charges against coffee have been disproved. Coffee's been accused of contributing to infertility, birth defects and may forms of cancer-not to mention PMS. None of these links have been proven.

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