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Coffee       Just tell me what to take Coffee is derived from plants and is an herb. Moderate coffee consumption (three to five cups a day) is probably safe for most people. But individuals at high risk of cardiovascular diseases should exercise caution and cut back on those double-tall lattes. Orange juice, rich in folate, is certainly a healthier wake-up drink. It may not have that caffeine zing, but it's full of minerals and vitamins and will give you a lot more nutritional bang for your buck.  If you drink coffee, you may be a special candidate for magnesium deficiency.  Since magnesium and calcium all work together to make your heart muscle contract in a regular rhythm, one of the first signs of a magnesium deficiency is an irregular heartbeat. As a result of calcium/magnesium imbalance, calcium deposits may form on the heart muscle. If this happens, the heart cannot contract properly. Magnesium is also important in breaking down fats you eat into fatty acids that can be useful in building body parts like nerve sheaths and cellular membranes. If those fats are not broken down properly, they begin to collect in deposits, which lodge on damaged arterial points. Thus a magnesium deficiency can increase you risks of contracting the two major degenerative heart diseases: atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis. Another point to remember in this regard is that magnesium is necessary for the synthesis of lecithin, which also helps break down those fats.  Coffee floods nutrients out of your body via the urine. This includes Vitamins A, D, E, K and essential fatty acids. This diuretic effect which is created when drinking coffee can also interfere with your absorption of iron simply because so many nutrients pass so quickly through the kidneys. Although coffee contains water, because it causes the body to excrete more water than it actually takes in. The result is a fluid deficit, which, over time, can lead to a variety of health problems, including dry skin, constipation and bladder infections.  Coffee can lead to a chronic deficiency of B vitamins.  Coffee can cause a buildup of toxins within the body, which increases your need for vitamin C and other antioxidants. Two cups of coffee may contain 30 mg of caffeine. This is enough to raise your blood pressure and pulse rate significantly. Research that has been done: Researchers from the Netherlands studied the effect of coffee consumption on blood levels of homocysteine, a naturally occurring substance that forms when the body breaks down protein. Elevated levels of homocysteine have long been associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Exactly how this amino acid harms the heart is unclear, but our best guess is that it either makes the blood clot more frequently or damages the lining of blood vessels in the heart. (Genetic defects and vitamin deficiencies have also been shown to cause an elevation in homocysteine.)  There is a product we found that does help to handle the blood homocysteine levels.    The Dutch researchers focused on strong, unfiltered coffee, and their results are not great news for folks who drink large quantities of caffeine. After just a two-week period of drinking six cups of unfiltered coffee a day, homocysteine concentrations increased 10% in subjects who started out with normal levels. At the same time, cholesterol levels shot up 10% and triacylglycerols (other fatty substances) 36%--both precursors to artery-clogging atherosclerotic plaque. The bottom line, according to the authors: drinking 48 oz. of unfiltered coffee a day may carry a 10% increase in risk for heart attack or stroke. An incidental but equally important finding was that levels of vitamin B-6 decreased 21%.  Why would unfiltered coffee be more dangerous than filtered? A leading suspect is a group of substances called diterpenes, found widely in nature--and in coffee beans. Diterpenes are known to raise homocysteine levels, and the paper filters used in coffee machines are usually fine enough to catch them. Some coffee roasters prepare their beans with processes that remove some of the offending diterpenes. Check with your favorite brewer for details.  The good news for coffee lovers: increased levels of homocysteine aren't necessarily permanent. Removing the offending agent--in this case, unfiltered coffee--will help bring the levels back to normal, as will increasing your intake of the B vitamins B-6 and folic acid. Vitamin supplements, green leafy vegetables and citrus fruits are good sources of folate.  Stop drinking coffee?          Getting off of coffee. If you avoid these completely, be aware that at first you might experience headaches, fatigue, or dizziness due to withdrawal symptoms. However, after a week or so, you energy level and mood should improve. What to take: Water - sufficient water is necessary, so drink enough.  How much is enough?  Read our article on Our Need for Water Vitamin A & D Vitamin B Complex Vitamin E Calcium/Magnesium Where can I get these supplements? The Health & Wellness Pack Essential Fatty Acids - see our Article Essential Fatty Acids for more info and what to take and how much and how to get supplements? Garlic - helps reduce high blood pressure Homocysteine reducers -  The need for handling homocysteine is to get an absorbable B vitamin  (B6, B12, and Folate).  These vitamins change the homocysteine to Cysteine which the body uses to make Glutatione, the body's master anti-osxidant.  The problem is that a percentage of the population has a genetic difference that makes using these B vitamins difficult.    There is a supplement that delivers these B vitamins. They are marked as a Nerve Support Formula mainly for neuropathy.  However, they are an excellent source of the needed vitamins.  For a good source of Whole Food Supplements