Many of us rely on a cup of coffee to kick-start our day and now new research suggests that our morning caffeine infusion may also help ward off different diseases and depression. Every morning I make sure that my mug of coffee is always in hand when I walk into the doors of my current office job.

What does coffee do for your mood? Short answer — a lot. I’m not a morning person and the first thing I do every morning is wake up excited to have my first sip of coffee each morning. It not only puts me in a better mood but makes me more productive throughout the day.

It got me thinking — while many immediately think of coffee when trying to piece together a solid morning, what does it really do to our moods and bodies? Well I started reading out on the web and found some pretty good reasons why I should continue to drink my 3-4 cups of coffee a day.

1. Coffee is a potent source of healthful antioxidants.

Some have cited coffee as a major — and in some cases, the primary — dietary source of antioxidants for its subjects.

2. Caffeine provides a short-term memory boost.

Caffeine appears to affect the particular areas of the brain responsible for memory and concentration, providing a boost to short-term memory, although it’s not clear how long the effect lasts or how it may vary from person to person.

3. Coffee may help protect against cognitive decline.

In addition to providing a temporary boost in brain activity and memory, regular coffee consumption may help prevent cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

4. Coffee is healthy for your heart.

There is some evidence that coffee may support heart health by protecting against arterial damage caused by inflammation.

5. Coffee may help curb certain cancers.

Researchers have  found ties between regular coffee drinking and lower rates of liver, colon, breast, and rectal cancers.

6. Coffee may lessen your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

A growing body of research suggests an association between coffee drinking and a reduced risk of diabetes.

7. Your liver loves coffee.

It’s true: In addition to lowering the risk of liver cancer, coffee consumption has been linked to a lower incidence of cirrhosis, especially alcoholic cirrhosis.

8. Coffee can enhance exercise performance.

Caffeine is a performance and endurance enhancer; not only does it fight fatigue, but it also strengthens muscle contraction, reduces the exerciser’s perception of pain, and increases fatty acids in the blood, which supports endurance.

9. Coffee curbs depression.

Multiple studies have linked coffee drinking to lower rates of depression in both men and women.

10. Coffee guards against gout.

Independent studies on the coffee consumption patterns of men and women suggest that drinking coffee regularly reduces the risk of developing gout.

 

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We are in the midst of winter but Monday the temperature was nearly 50 degrees. My friend and I decided to get outside and enjoy this warm weather with a 7.22 mile roller blading workout. Here in Indy, we have to take advantage of every sun-filled day that we are given. I always find that during the winter months my workout routines get boring being stuck inside at a gym.

If you haven’t ever been on a pair of rollerblades, and your last experience with shoes with wheels was roller skating at your local rink in 8th grade, then it’s time to give this activity another chance. Rollerblading can be an extremely intense workout, but just like with bike riding, it will mostly just feel like fun!

Health benefits of rollerblading:

Improves Coordination: Rollerblading takes a bit of practice in the beginning, but it improves flexibility and coordination tenfold. The activity forces you to even out your balance and find your center of gravity.

Great Cardio: rollerblading increases the heart rate and gets your lungs working, both components in aerobic exercise. Rollerblading for 30 minutes at a steady pace raises the average heart rate to 148 beats each minute.

Good for Weightloss: Thirty minutes of steady skating at a comfortable pace burns between 210 and 311 calories, while 30 minutes of interval skating burns up to 450 calories!

Firms the Lower Body: The natural side-to-side motion your legs get from inline skating is ideal for trimming the thighs, strengthening the quads, and lifting the glutes.

Low Impact Exercise: Exchanging a couple of aerobic workouts every week with rollerblading could improve your knee health and prevent injuries.

Fun: Rollerblading with a companion can enhance the fun.

More fun health related posts you may have missed:

| Improving your health | Meal Prepping | Yoga |

Here lately I’ve been trying to put more of a focus on living healthily. It’s definitely not always easy for me, but I’ve found that making small, manageable lifestyle changes work so much better than going from one extreme to the other.

Here are some of the things I’ve been doing differently that I highly suggest for anyone interested in being a bit healthier, there is always room for improvement right?

DIET
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Swap regular and diet sodas for fruit-infused water, La Croix is my favorite!
Change all of your grains from enriched white flour to 100% whole wheat
Instead of denying yourself certain foods and treats, just cut your portion sizes in half
Try to eliminate as much sugar and processed foods as possible

EXERCISE
Get moving! Always opt to walk instead of ride whenever you can, take the stairs!
Take up a sport or hobby that is physical but fun, like dance classes, volleyball, or hiking
Make it a goal to thoroughly clean one area of your house each day instead of coming home and relaxing all night. Remember to stretch!
Plan activities with friends and loved ones that include some form of physical exertion, like going for a walk and catching up
If you sit at a desk all day like me remind yourself to get moving once an hour, I make a lap around the office every hour to go to the bathroom and fill up my water bottle
Whenever you are out with your friends, dance 🙂

MENTAL HEALTH
Do something every day that truly makes you happy
Spend time with those you love and who love you most
Always try to see the positive in everything
Make taking care of yourself a priority
Get enough sleep

What lifestyle habits do you have that promote healthy living?