Benefits of coffee

Coffee is actually very healthy.

We see people drinking coffee everywhere, all the time. At work, school, or at the mall, people are indulging in the flavorful drink and relying on it to be active and get things done.

An estimated 100 million Americansconsume coffee on a regular basis, and appreciate the amazing taste and smell of the coffee bean. Honestly, the unmistakable smell is the reason many get up in the morning.

Besides the great flavor found in the bean, what are the benefits of drinking coffee?

The beverage increases energy levels, and has enough caffeine to improve memory, mood, reaction times and general cognition functioning.

Because of the great amount of caffeine found in the drink, it also helps the body to break down body fat.  The fat is released into the blood as free fatty acids making them available as a fuel.

That’s why coffee works as a stimulant, and can keep you up whenever you need to write a 10-page paper. College students will understand.

Several studies illustrate that caffeine is one of the few natural substances that is proven to aid fat burning, increasing metabolism by 3-11 percent.

It’s no surprise. Commercials targeting people trying to lose weight often mention coffee as a way to improve metabolism and decrease body fat.

Caffeine acts as an appetite suppressant, and may temporarily squelch your appetite after drinking a couple of cups.

Participants in a study were given green coffee bean extract and had a weight loss equivalent to 37.6 percent more than those who didn’t participate. They transitioned from being at pre-obesity weight to a normal weight range in only 22 weeks.

Coffee also contains minerals, such as vitamin B5, potassium and magnesium.

For people with Type 2 diabetes, drinking coffee can regularly decrease health risks, according to an Australian research done with nearly 458,000 people.

The beverage has also been linked to lower risks for heart problems, such as heart attacks and strokes, both for men and women.

People who reported drinking 1-3 cups of coffee per day had a 20 percent less chance of being hospitalized for abnormal heart rhythms compared to non-drinkers, according to a study of 130,000 people made by Kaiser Permanente Health Plan.

Coffee drinkers have up to 65 percent lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease, the most common neurodegenerative disease and the leading cause of dementia in the world. Unfortunately, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but several studies show how to prevent the disease. This includes drinking coffee regularly, eating healthy, and exercising.

If you are feeling down, you might try drinking coffee. It has been shown to lower the risk of becoming depressed, and also the risk of committing suicide. A study with 208,424 individuals found that coffee drinkers that consume four cups of coffee per day are 53 percent less likely to commit suicide.

A coffee break might rejuvenate and even decrease your pain intensity level as well. Next time you feel tired and restless, drink a cup of coffee and enjoy a moment of peace.

Coffee is not the answer for all questions in life, but it surely can help improve our health.

A version of this article has been posted at The Vista

Don't live in your past mistakes

We have made mistakes, and sometimes it's hard to move away from the past and be positive for a bright future.

It's understandable and quite common, but there is still hope for you, for me, and for all trying to change.

You lost your flight to France, and now you are stuck with your grandparents in West Blocton, Alabama for the whole summer break. Bummer. But guess what? Alabama is still a beautiful place to visit. Your grandmother cooks amazing cinnamon rolls and many other opportunities will show up if you are hopeful and don't take things for granted.

We fail. We get disappointed, and when we think we can make better decisions, we might fail again.

It's life.

Nobody is perfect, but truly, should we live in our regrets or hope for a better journey? The more we condemn ourselves for our errors, the more we will be trapped in a negative mindset.

Try to find happiness in everything. The world is beautiful at its wonder, and we are given the gift of life, so why not enjoy that? Whenever we change our perspectives we start to see the world in a different light. The birds are singing louder, the people are smiling harder, the wind smells like roses, and the positivity lives within you. It's all about how you deal with situations.

“I’m stronger because of the hard times, wiser because of my mistakes, and happier because I have known sadness.”

Remember when you fell in front of your friends in 8th grade, and all your friends made fun of you? They were pointing at you and enjoying your pain. You were hurting, your elbow was bleeding but you still decided to numb the pain and enjoy the laughter with your classmates, right? That's how life is sometimes. You might be hurting, but deciding to find humor in your past mistakes will bring you to a state of joy.

"Happiness is in our hearts. I have no regrets of anything in the past. I'm totally cheerful and happy, and I think that a lot of your attitude is not in the circumstances you find yourself in, but in the circumstances you make for yourself," said Maeve Binchy.

Do something that makes you feel proud of yourself. You might be a skater, a painter, or a CEO, but whatever you do, do your best. Write a list of your goals, and don't give up when things get complicated. Difficulties come at some point, but persistence always wins.

Be proud of your work, and do the things you are passionate about. Life is too short to have tedious journeys. Go chase bunnies, cook exotic foods, hug the homeless, or even dance with a stranger, or anything else that will make you proud.

Keep moving forward. Life is too good for us to live in our past mistakes. You might have accidentally texted your former flame, or you might regret gossiping about your best friend and her awful hair products. But still, your problems are not the end of the world.

Controlling your negative thoughts can get you far, and give you a greater outcome in life. Be positive and hopeful.