by Lawrence Wilson, MD

COFFEE - ITS ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Coffee is an ancient beverage that has been used for thousands of years. Lately, however, it is growing in popularity in America, a nation that previously did not use as much coffee. It is also growing in popularity among young people, another trend that is somewhat disturbing.

I am not surprised at these trends, however, because more and more people are exhausted and looking for quick answers to their problem of fatigue. Medical doctors offer few remedies because they are usually unaware of the need for better nutrition and the rebuilding of the adrenal and thyroid glands. Only nutritional balancing science or similar systems can truly rebuild and body’s energy system and restore excellent energy in a natural way.

Coffee’s benefits. Today, some health professionals recommend coffee, even for teens, because studies reveal that it helps with constipation and, in fact, reduces the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease, cirrhosis of the liver and perhaps other health conditions. Coffee apparently contains some antioxidants, polyphenols and other chemicals that are beneficial for the body. Coffee can also help people stay alert for studying, driving and other activities. Also, by speeding up the oxidation rate, coffee can help a person to remain balanced emotionally and mentally. These are among the benefits of coffee. However, these are offset by the problems with the coffee habit.

PROBLEMS WITH COFFEE DRINKING

The detrimental effects of coffee include:

· Caffeine. Coffee contains some caffeine, a mild but harmful stimulant. Stimulants whip the adrenal glands into action. This eventually weakens the adrenals and perhaps the thyroid gland, and this leads to more depletion of a person’s energy. In large enough amounts, or with chronic use, caffeine from any source is associated with anxiety, irritability, tremors, dehydration, and rebound fatigue and exhaustion.
Living on caffeine, as so many young people do today, prevents one from truly relaxing and resting as well. It can also lead to mental impairment because the mind simply does not function quite as well on stimulants, although it may indeed keep a person awake, which is helpful for school and work. Thus caffeine in small amounts may be okay, but too often it is overdone, as it is socially acceptable and readily and cheaply available today in coffee, teas, and sodas.

· Toxic metals. Coffee contains some lead, cadmium, aluminum and perhaps other toxic metals. A cup of coffee now and then is not going to add a lot of toxic metals to the body. However, habitual use can add significant lead, according to our experience with hair mineral testing. All the toxic metals are quite harmful, so it makes little sense to add more to the body.

· Rancid oils. Most ground coffee sold in stores contains oils that are somewhat rancid. Rancid oils are somewhat toxic for the liver, and are also stimulants. This is why even decaffeinated coffee will give a person a lift or a ‘high.

· Toxic chemical additives. Most decaffeinated coffee and some “coffee blends” contain added chemicals that are used to remove the caffeine, add flavor, or other reasons. If one wishes to drink decaffeinated coffee, Nestle’s and perhaps one or two other brands claim to use a water decaffeination process without chemicals.

· Dehydration. Drinking more than about one cup of coffee always tends to dehydrate the body. This is one of the effects of caffeine, apparently, and a serious one. Anyone who drinks coffee must become aware of this possibility, and must drink plenty of either spring water or carbon-filtered tap water to avoid dehydration.

· Diabetes. We also find a strong correlation between drinking coffee, metabolic syndrome, dehydration and the development of diabetes. Many Type II diabetics seem to love coffee, and it worsens their condition significantly.

· Disturbed digestion. Coffee, particularly if it is strong, is an irritant to the stomach, and perhaps to other organs as well. This is the most common complaint about coffee, and the reason most people stop drinking it.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I do not recommend drinking coffee at all. It should never be given to children or to teenagers, as is the habit today. This was well known some years ago, but has been forgotten by many parents. It is just too stimulating. Unfortunately, most teens today are so tired they are attracted to coffee, and are often regular visitors to the cafes, coffee houses and Starbucks that have sprung up all over America and Europe.

If a person wishes to drink coffee, please limit it to one or at most two cups of regular coffee daily. Do not drink cappuccinos or lattes, which are much stronger. Also, please avoid the sweetened and flavored coffees that are high in sugar, chocolate and other items that are harmful for health.

Also, if you must drink coffee, do not add sugar to your coffee. However, adding real cream is good. Stay away from the fake creams such as Cremora, powdered cream or the many other fake ones. Real cream, preferably raw and certified, is a fabulous food, in fact. It can be purchased in some states, although silly laws ban the sale of raw dairy products in some states of America, parts of Europe and parts of Asia as well. These laws need to be changed, because raw dairy products are, in fact, very healthful when produced correctly. Finally, if you notice stomach irritation at all, stop drinking coffee.

Coffee often better than soda pop or some bottled sweetened teas. While I cannot recommend drinking coffee, it is better than drinking some other caffeinated beverages such as sweetened tea or the worst, soda pop. Soda pop often contains up to 70 chemical additives such as flavors, colors, preservatives and others that are not required to be on the label. It is also high in sugar, especially high fructose corn syrup, one of the worst sweeteners. Other harmful sweeteners are dextrose, glucose, maltose, and other damaging sugars.

The only sweeteners I recommend are xylitol, mannitol or a little stevia, an herb that is very sweet. Even these should be minimized, however, as they too can contribute to blood sugar problems, although not nearly as much as the regular sugars, honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, and others.

WHAT ABOUT COFFEE RETENTION ENEMAS?

Coffee retention enemas are very different from drinking coffee. I am often asked why I recommend coffee enemas, although I do not recommend drinking coffee. The reason is that coffee is apparently handled by the body very differently when it is used in a retention enema. There is less caffeine effect, and no stomach irritation. The toxic metals and other toxins in the coffee are absorbed much less through the colon wall than when it is ingested as a beverage. The coffee retention enema has an extremely positive effect on the liver and colon, in particular, that does not occur from drinking coffee.

In spite of the objections of some ignorant doctors and others, I have observed as a clinician that coffee retention enemas are a fabulously powerful, safe and effective healing modality that would benefit most people today. I did them myself daily for 15 years, and many of our clients have used them for years with only the most positive results. I am always alert to possible ‘side effects’ from them, and very few have arisen. A separate article on this website entitled Coffee Enemas offers much more information about the use of coffee retention enemas, also called rectal implantation of coffee as a method of liver dialysis.

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