HealthWiseCoffee.com

We’ve long known that coffee is good for your heart.  Coffee is loaded with antioxidants — those molecules that help stop the chain reactions of free radicals in your system.  And by stopping those chain reactions, a person is much better off in defense against cancer and heart disease.  Now there is a new study which shows that regular coffee consumption aids those people with heart rhythm problems.

The study was led by Dr. Arthur Klatsky, a senior consultant at Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in California, and looked at the rate of hospitalization of more than 130,000 people.  The study found that the risk of being hospitalized for heart rhythm disturbances was 18% lower for people who reported drinking four or more cups of coffee a day.    

The study did not indicate why coffee would help reduce heart rhythm problems.  Dr. Klatsky was quoted as saying “Coffee drinkers don’t have to quit because they have heart rhythm problems.” 

Results of the study are being presented this week by the American Heart Association at its 50th Annual Conference on cardiovascular diseases.

Hepatitis C is a virus that can cause inflamation of the liver, which if chronic, can lead to chronic liver disease, which in turn can be serious or even fatal.  About 4 million people in the United States have been infected with the virus, and as many as half do not even know they have the infection.   About 80% of those who do have the disease do not show symptoms, and in those who do show symptons, the symptoms may not appear for 10-20 years or longer – long enough to perhaps have severe liver damage.  

There could be good news for people with Hepatitis C based on a recent study.  Coffee drinkers who consume three or more cups per day seem to have a lower risk of disease progression than non-coffee drinkers.

The study was led by Dr. Neal D. Freedman of the U.S. National Cancer Institute and published in the November Journal of Hepatology.  For the study, 766 participants completed a survey of their coffee and tea consumption, and were monitored over the course of three and a half years.  The researchers found that the risk of progression of the disease declined as the amount of coffee consumed increased, up to where those who drank three or more cups a day were 53% less likley to see a progression of the disease.  There was not such a finding with respect to tea drinkers. 

Instead of burning your leaves this fall, try mixing them with old coffee grounds for a nutrient-rich compost your garden will love.  Leaves are high in carbon, and coffee is high in nitrogen, making them a great combination for compost.  The ideal carbon to nitrogen ratio is about 25 or 30 parts carbon to one part nitrogen.  The nitrogen from the coffee grounds provides the fuel for the composting to occur, so make sure you have enough.  If there is too much carbon present, decomposition will slow down, and too much nitrogen results in a smelly pile.
 
You can also add grass clippings or other green garden matter to add nitrogen, or wood chips and mulch to raise the carbon content.  Moisten your leaves and coffee mixture so it is the consistency of a wet sponge.  It will begin to get warm as it “cooks.” 
 
Incorporate your compost mixture into your soil for your best garden ever!

When you think about sources of soluble fiber, you may think of oatmeal, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, maybe even juices, such as OJ.  But did you think of coffee?  A new study shows that brewed coffee actually contains soluble fiber, the same type found in other healthy foods.  According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, drip coffee, espresso, and freeze-dried coffee contained between .47 and .75 grams of fiber per 100 milliliters.  Women should consume 25 grams of fiber per day, and men, 38.  However, half of adults consume 15 grams or less!  A medium-sized cup of HealthWise coffee can contain 1.5 grams of fiber, as much as an apple!
 
It may surprise you to learn that juices, which are often thought of as “part of a balanced breakfast,” actually provide very few health benefits.  In fact, by removing fruit pulp from juices, valuable fiber and vitamins are lost and the drink becomes just another sugary liquid.  Juices often have as much or more sugar than soda, making them not a good source of nutrition, but of tooth decay and weight gain.  Stick to eating whole fruits and vegetables to meet your daily intake!

So another message is this:  Be confident that you are well along your way to getting your daily requirements of soluble fiber when you drink  your cup(s) of HealthWise coffee….and be alert for commercials that tell you that your day should start with orange juice
 

Nighttime heartburn is now thought to be more common than previously thought, with eight out of ten acid reflux sufferers experiencing heartburn at night.
 
In addition to acidic food consumption, nighttime heartburn can be affected by gravity and swallowing habits.  When people are sleeping and lying down, stomach acid can easily creep up into the esophagus, as opposed to when they are sitting or standing upright.  Saliva helps keep our bodies’ pH in check; when people swallow less at night, less saliva meets the esophagus to neutralize the stomach acid that may be there.  Both of these factors contribute to the occurrence of nighttime heartburn.
 
Even for people who are especially susceptible to acid reflux and the symptoms that are associated with it, cutting back on acidic foods and beverages, especially around bedtime, is a great way to help reduce these symptoms’ unpleasant effects.  Also, it is helpful to seek out foods lower in acid, such as HealthWise Coffee! 

Is HealthWise Coffee actually lower in acid than other coffees?  Well, we’re putting the issue forward as the HealthWise pH Challenge!

HealthWise Coffee is roasted through a process that allows it to be low in acid, while still retaining many health benefits that other coffees don’t posess in their roasting processes. 

What we will be doing is comparing the pH level of HealthWise against numerous coffees, both the big names in the business, lesser known coffees, and yes, other coffees claiming low acid. 

Our Newsletter Subscribers get first crack at seeing the results, so if you’d like to subscribe and see the results before the public does, please sign up for the newsletter.  See the lower right hand side of this page.  Otherwise, come back and visit for future Blog postings!   

New laboratory tests have shown that an extract from coffee can inhibit the bacteria that lead to bad breath, scientists have discovered.

The extract prevents malodorous bacteria from making their presence felt – or smelt.

“Everybody thinks that coffee causes bad breath,” says Professor Mel Rosenberg of Tel Aviv University, “and it’s often true, because coffee, which has a dehydrating effect in the mouth, becomes potent when mixed with milk, and can ferment into smelly substances.”

But what if you don’t take milk with coffee?  “Contrary to our expectations, we found some components in coffee that actually inhibit bad breath,” explains Prof. Rosenberg.  “We expected coffee would cause bad breath, but there is something inside this magic brew that has the opposite effect.”

Rosenberg would like to isolate the bacteria-inhibiting molecule in order to reap the biggest anti-bacterial benefits from coffee.  “It’s not the raw extract we will use”, he says, “but an active material within it.” His latest discovery could be the foundation for an entirely new class of mouthwash, breath mints and gum.  Purified coffee extract can be added to a breath mint to stop bacteria from forming, stopping bad breath at its source, instead of masking the smell with a mint flavor.

The findings were presented last month of the International Society for Breath Odor Research in Germany.

The plug here for HealthWise coffee is this:   You don’t need milk and sweeteners to mask the bitterness of coffee – so there’s possibility that drinking HealthWise coffee can contribute to better breath!

Did you know our bodies use over 80 different minerals to stay healthy? When we think of these minerals, most of us think of those we need in large amounts, called macrominerals, like calcium and sodium. However, our bodies also require minerals in small quantities called trace minerals, or microminerals. Although trace minerals are only required in minute amounts, they are nevertheless important for healthy body functioning.

For example, selenium stimulates the metabolism and is an antioxidant, meaning it helps protect body cells and tissues from damage. Adequate levels of selenium support a healthy immune system and may help combat illnesses such as arthritis and heart disease. In other words, selenium, like many other trace minerals, can help you feel younger and healthier longer.

Most of us find these minerals through fruits and vegetables, whole grains, or dietary supplements. Surprisingly, the mineral contents of many foods we consider to be healthy have decreased over time. Farmers are paid by the weight and appearance of their crops, and often use pesticides and fertilizers to achieve these ideal-looking products.

These chemicals can kill micro-organisms needed to create organic mineral complexes, and when they are killed off, so are the minerals they would have produced. Broccoli today contains 50% less calcium as it did in 1963, and onions and potatoes are now devoid of Vitamin A. To avoid mineral malnutrition, it is increasingly important to seek out foods and beverages that are high in mineral content.

Mineral malnutrition can often lead to minor or severe health problems. Adequate mineral consumption may increase energy levels and help reduce the risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, and even cancer. Each cup of HealthWise Coffee contains dozens of trace minerals, making it easy for you to add these vital trace minerals to your diet with your daily cup of coffee!

Good nutrition helps us to better cope with our emotions, thus better enabling us to manage stress, depression and anxiety. Additionally, good nutrition primes our body to be able to do work, including physical activity. With the proper fuel, our bodies become more efficient and healthful, thus making exercise more effective and possible.

1. A healthy eating plan emphasizes: fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lowfat or fat-free milk and milk products; lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts; is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium) and added sugars.
2. Make your calories count. Choose nutrient-rich foods, rather than foods with low nutritional value. For instance, an apple is more nutrient rich than a high-sugar juice drink. Both are carbohydrate-rich foods, but an apple contains fiber and phytonutrients the juice drink would not. Or, if you are choosing bread, go for whole grain rather than refined white versions.
3. Focus on variety. Eat a variety of foods from all the food groups to get the nutrients your body needs. Julie’s take: Choose different types of fruits and vegetables as much as you can. Additionally, focus on a mix of good proteins and nutritious grains. Good powerhouse foods include: salmon, quinoa, broccoli, yogurt, spinach, berries, oatmeal, natural poultry products and beans.
4. Know your fats. Limit saturated and trans fats. Include appropriate amounts of unsaturated fats like those from plant foods (i.e. olive oil, canola oil, nuts) and those in fish and fortified soy foods (i.e. soymilk). Read food labels or meet with a dietitian to learn more.
5. Physical activity for fitness and health: Set achievable and appropriate exercise goals in order to manage heart health, stress, weight, digestion and more.
6. Special nutrient needs for older adults: vitamin D, calcium, fiber and potassium are especially important for older adults.

Refer to the “Healthy Coffee“ tab and read about HealthWise Coffees high Calcium and Potassium content.  Did you know that HealthWise Coffee contains almost 6% of your Daily Fiber Requirement and over 4% of many vitamins like B1, B2 and B3?  Amazing for a totally unadulterated coffee.  Our coffee is grown in the richest soils in Columbia South America and we use only Colombian Supremo – the highest grade coffee available under License from the Juan Valdez Group – the Columbian Coffee Federation.

With beach season coming up, many people are seeking anti-cellulite treatments.  A major factor in developing this common condition is a poor diet that is unhealthy and high in acid.

Cellulite can be the result of hormonal fluctuations where bodies retain excess amounts of water and accumulate extra fatty tissue.  A report by Professional Beauty stressed the importance of drinking water to flush out any retained toxins and of eating low-acid foods to maintain healthy metabolic and pH levels.

Foods like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, blackberries, molasses, and whole grains are recommended to combat this issue.  Supplement your healthy lifestyle and low-acid diet this spring by drinking HealthWise Coffee!