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Now that gardening season is here, a great way to reuse your old coffee grounds is for a fertilizer as they make a great addition to the compost pile! They’re about 2% nitrogen by volume and serve as an excellent nitrogen source in compost, much like horse or cow manure does. Nitrogen stimulates root development, increases seed and fruit production, and promotes leaf growth.

Good homemade compost is made by mixing carbon-rich ingredients (dried leaves, straw, shredded newspaper) with nitrogen-rich ingredients (grass clippings, manures, coffee grounds, green plant trimmings). The fastest rate of decomposition occurs when there are 2-3 times the amount of carbon ingredients to nitrogen ingredients, so for every bucket of coffee grounds in the pile, you’ll want 2-3 buckets of dried leaves, etc.  Maintaining this balance will also help reduce the odor of the compost; turning the pile regularly is also helpful.  You can also add any unbleached coffee filters to the compost pile, but stay away from adding any white, bleached ones.

If you don’t have a compost pile where you live, you can still use the grounds in a garden. Just sprinkle small amounts around the soil surface or bury them in small trenches.

Some new research presented to the American Heart Association highlights some scary ways high-caffeine beverages can impede heart function.  Seven studies were reviewed with healthy participants aged 18-45, and found that energy drinks can disrupt heart rate and raise blood pressure.

The QT interval, which measures the time between heartbeats, was noticeably longer with people who had three energy drinks compared to those who had none. While this may not be relevant to an average healthy person, it may be an issue for people with underlying heart conditions and even cause heart failure.

Clearly, if you are going to drink energy drinks, it’s best to do in moderation.  With all of the health benefits of coffee, though, it is a much healthier and safer option for consuming caffeine. Read more in this article from Men’s Journal!

February is American Heart Month!  Did you know that drinking coffee is healthy for your heart? Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center reviewed five studies that analyzed the relationship between coffee consumption and heart failure risk. Of the 140,000 participants in the studies, those who regularly drank two 8-ounce cups of coffee had an 11% lower risk of heart failure than those who didn’t drink it.

Researchers think the preventative aspect comes from coffee’s healthy compounds like antioxidants, which can reduce the risk of Type II Diabetes (a known risk factor for heart failure).

Heart Disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, but fortunately it is preventable and controllable.  The CDC has some great resources for staying healthy and preventing Heart Disease available here.

Many people start the year off with resolutions about how to become healthier: watch their diet, exercise more, lose weight, etc. While these may be difficult to keep at times, drinking coffee is an easy way to become healthier in 2013.

Coffee protects against many diseases (Parkinson’s, Diabetes, Alzheimer’s, many cancers), increases concentration and provides energy, and is the leading source of antioxidants in the US diet. Oh, and it tastes great too! Also, the roasting process HealthWise uses allows it to retain more vitamins and minerals than other coffees, like calcium, potassium, iron, and zinc.

Of course, the healthiest way to drink coffee is black, without sugary and fatty additives.  From various studies, it seems that 3-5 cups per day is the best amount for these benefits. Happy 2013!

HealthWise has some specials on coffee before 1/10/13, so make sure to sign up for the newsletter if you haven’t already, or email info@healthwisegc.com for more info.

Another study on why coffee is healthy: A study conducted by US universities and funded by the American Cancer society showed that drinking coffee halves the risk of oral cancer, even in smokers and drinkers. Adults who drank more than 4 cups of caffeinated coffee per day had a 49% lower risk of dying from mouth and throat cancer than those who drank none or drank it occasionally.  The study was independent of risk factors like smoking and alcohol intake, and the same reduction in risk was not found for tea drinkers.

The study examined around 900,000 people from the study that ran from 1982 to 2008 by the American Cancer Society.

Drinking coffee and getting regular exercise have been shown to reduce the risk of dementia in seniors, and two recent studies help show why: one published by the American Heart Association shows that seniors who regularly exercise reduced their risk of vascular-related dementia by 40 percent. Just 30 minutes of exercise 3 times per week had a significant effect on brain health.

A second study published in the November issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine showed that drinking 3-5 cups of coffee per day at mid-life is linked to a reduced risk of dementia in late life. This also helps with protecting against Parkinson’s Disease- researchers attribute caffeine’s effects to how it interacts with cerebral adenosine receptors, which caffeine binds to. Regular caffeine consumption caused up to 50 percent occupancy of certain brain receptors, keeping the brain healthy and alert.

The US average for coffee drinkers is two five-ounce cups per day, or 200 mg of caffeine.

Some of us decide to stop drinking caffeinated coffee long before bedtime because of the caffeine’s effects. About 10% of the American population suffers from insomnia, and some of that can surprisingly be caused by food.  Below are 5 foods that may contribute to sleep problems:

• 1. Fatty Foods: Johns Hopkins researchers show that overweight or obese people who lose weight can improve sleeping problems like insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless sleep. The key ingredient is reduction in overall body fat which also helps to reduce over the counter sleep aid use.
• 2. Veggies: These are great for you, but be careful of what time of day you eat them. Eating raw broccoli or cauliflower too close to bedtime can cause stomach unrest and sleep problems. Closer to bedtime opt for a banana with tryptophan, magnesium, and potassium, which help improve sleep.

•3.       Cured Meats:  Bacon, pepperoni, and sausage contain high levels of tyramine, which is an amino acid that boosts the secretion of brain stimulants which can keep you up at night. On a side note, these meats are also linked to COPD (lung disease) and certain cancers.

•4.       Sugar: Short-term sugar boosts from desserts like ice cream and candy can send your mind racing as you try to fall asleep, and may also contribute to nightmares.

•5.       Chocolate: A common dessert food, dark chocolate can sometimes have as much caffeine as an energy drink! While good for your heart, it’s best to eat it earlier in the day. Trail mix is a better choice, especially since it contains nuts which have melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep.

With all of the acidic foods in the typical American diet, it’s no wonder why Acid Reflux is one of the most common complaints at the doctor’s office. In 2009 there were over 9 million visits related to it!  Acid Reflux has caused millions of people to take PPIs, or Proton Pump Inhibitors, the most common type of medication used to suppress stomach acid production in people with reflux.  Most people who take this stay on it for years, or the rest of their lives.

PPIs have some nutrition implications associated with long-term use, mainly with bone and blood health:

• - Bones: PPIs can impair the absorption of calcium from the diet, as well as promoted accelerated loss of calcium already in bones. They can also impair absorption of magnesium, which is another mineral important to bone health. This can lead to an increased risk of osteoporosis (abnormally low bone mineral density) and fractures resulting from that illness.

• - Blood: Some nutrients are best metabolized and absorbed in an acidic environment, so when PPIs reduce stomach acidity, they can prevent this absorption from occurring, which can cause anemia. Specifically, anemia can be caused by an iron or Vitamin B12 deficiency. For Vitamin B12 to be absorbed from natural sources, it needs to split apart from a protein, which can only occur in a highly acidic environment. Vegetarian iron (from grains, cereals, etc.) also requires this. However, iron from animal products, and artificial Vitamin B12 can still be absorbed without the acidity.

Taking supplements and monitoring these potential conditions can help the effects of PPIs, but there are also lifestyle changes that can help to reduce the dependency on this medication.  Losing weight, eating frequent small meals instead of larger meals, quitting smoking, and eating foods that are low acid can reduce the need for people to take this medication!

Do you eat breakfast when you drink your HealthWise in the morning? As most of us know, studies have shown eating breakfast is the best way to start your day and helps with brain and overall body health.  People who eat breakfast typically…

• 1. Are leaner. People who skip it are 4.5 times more likely to be overweight.
• 2. Are healthier overall. They not only are less likely to be overweight, but they have healthier blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and are less hungry later on in the day.
• 3. Have more energy. Eating breakfast high in carbohydrates and fiber is best to help you feel more energized throughout the day.

Of course, don’t forget that coffee is chock-full of antioxidants to keep you healthy caffeine to keep you alert! See more ways breakfast helps your health here.

A few easy changes to daily habits were featured yesterday on The Today Show, and one of them was how to gain more energy from coffee and a quick nap.  If you take the recommended 20 minute short nap to recharge, you’ll gain more energy if you drink a cup of coffee before closing your eyes.  Since it takes about 20 minutes for the caffeine to reach your bloodstream, you’ll be feeling more energized because caffeine’s effects will be starting while your nap is ending!  See more quick tips here.