Coffee and Health

I live in a world fueled by coffee. As a non-coffee drinker, this can make me feel left out at times. Then again, I’ve always thrived off of being the outsider. The ritual of coffee drinking seems so foreign to me at times that I feel like an alien visiting another planet.

As much as I don’t care for coffee or caffeine, there’s no denying that there are some possible benefits to it that go beyond being a chemical stimulant. These other potential benefits of course aren’t the main reason countless people drink coffee the first thing in the morning. After all, when was the last time you heard an earthling say “I just have to drink coffee every morning to prevent liver disease!”? Here are some more possible benefits of coffee and/or caffeine: What are the health benefits of coffee?

That’s an impressive list, though it must be stressed that the evidence for the benefits of coffee is still mostly preliminary. Sometimes things get confusing when coffee and caffeine are conflated, though they are two different things. Some studies show coffee but not caffeine has health benefits, and vice versa.

For all its supposed miraculous benefits, there’s also the downside to caffeine, which is not surprising since it is, in essence, a stimulant drug. Sure, this extremely popular alkaloid is not in the same class as nicotine, or cocaine, but it can be problematic for many people, even if not consumed in excess. Here’s a great info-graphic from Healthline: The Effects of Caffeine on the Body

The negative effects aren’t that scary, but a lot of people could benefit from kicking their caffeine habits, or at least cutting down.

“Most people”

Stop. Don’t try to better yourself. Don’t try to eat a healthier diet. Don’t try to exercise regularly.

You may be thinking that I have gone mad or have given up on running and healthy living. Far from it.

This is just a crude example that of what many people who embark on a healthier lifestyle have to deal with on a regular basis from family, friends or just people they run into.

We shouldn’t bother, they claim. You’ll die anyway. Don’t try to eat healthier or try to inspire others to eat healthier because Most people can’t live like that!

This most people admonishment is beyond ridiculous. As if we should just follow what most people are doing. As if mediocrity is the standard we should follow. Yet most people in the U.S are overweight. Far too many die from preventable diseases due to the most people lifestyle.

There was a time when most Americans smoked. By the “logic” of most people, all those non-smokers should have smoked. What losers. What idiots for not following the crowd so they could develop serious respiratory diseases leading to an early grave.

I’m told repeatedly that most people need to eat a lot of meat, or a lot of sugar, or very large portions. Or most people can’t regularly eat fresh fruits and vegetables.

I’ve been told that health-conscious people come off as “sanctimonious” or “elitist”, to most people. Maybe they are right, but it’s just like those “sanctimonious”, “elitist” non-smokers from 60 years ago. The nerve of those people, offending the smoking majority with their non-smoking and lower disease risk! Their second hand non-smoking was always so offensive!

And I think this is what this most people tomfoolery boils down to – offending the majority. In the minds of many, if not most, the majority is something sacred. The majority, by being the majority, define what is true. And what is virtue. Especially in a democracy. The majority is overweight, so the very presence of slim individuals offends some of them. The majority can’t possibly be wrong, it is the pesky minority that is in the wrong.

Being better at something, whether it is playing piano, or writing, or living healthy is bound to spark envy in some people or cause offense. But should this stop anyone from personal betterment? Of course not!

So never ever care what most people are doing. When it comes to living a healthier lifestyle, be one of those unique people, be you and ignore those who try to sabotage your lifestyle.