Coffee Anyone?

ENERGY DRAIN: Your caffeine addiction. America’s favorite drug can give you that critical afternoon kick in the butt, but so called “energy” drinks and foods actually cause fatigue, anxiety and insomnia, headaches and other symptoms. That’s because caffeine doesn’t instruct your DNA to make more energy; it tells it to activate your nervous system, a process that expends energy. Caffeine has also been shown to block adenosine receptors; getting enough adenosine during the daytime is a trigger for getting to sleep at night. If you drink a cup of coffee at noon, a quarter cup’s worth could still be in your system by midnight.

ENERGY BOOST: If you can’t go cold turkey, limit consumption to three 8-ounce cups of coffee or tea per day (about 200 or 300 milligrams of caffeine). Try switching to green tea; even though it has caffeine, its health effects outweigh any negatives. Or try ginseng tea for a refreshing pick-me-up. Avoid energy drinks and foods that contain caffeine and sugar; they only mimic the effects of energy. When your energy flags at 3 p.m., try eating a handful of walnuts or almonds instead of getting a coffee. Nuts have a unique combination of protein (for long-term energy release), fiber and healthy fats.

source: Chicago Tribune Archives