Coffee

[Kaz747]

I used to enjoy a coffee each day. Now I’ll have one or two decaf lattes a week. I thought this was a really interesting article about the benefits of quitting coffee. The link between coffee and the body’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals, including magnesium which is of course very important for anyone that has AF, was especially interesting.

nib.com.au/the-checkup/heal...

[BobD Volunteer]

Interesting article Karen. I only ever drink coffee out say at a meeting or once a week when my wife and I go for lunch somewhere and frankly would not miss it but tea in restaurants is usually so dire that there is little alternative other than maybe sparkling water if you don't mind adding to the greenhouse.

[Hidden]

Thanks Kaz. The “research” quoted seems to be a short review of sometimes contradictory claims for the effects of caffeine. The health benefit that stands out for me is the anti-oxidant effect so important in combatting chronic inflammation. Caffeine was never an issue in relation to my mainly vagal PAF. A couple of single espressos before 2 pm suits me fine.

[Kaz747 in reply to Hidden]

Coffee and chocolate and red wine and eggs... there are always studies that say ‘it’s good for you’ and then another one that says ‘it’s bad for you’ and then ‘It’s good for you again’. I think most things are okay in moderation. The post was on the website of one of our health insurers.

[Hidden]

Thanks Kaz. This makes a very strong case for quitting. I've wanted to quit but am so addicted to my morning 'strong' black coffee.

I never realized coffee had such a strong impact on absorption issues.

There are so many of us with difficulty with absorption. I'm ready to make another attempt at quitting.

I also have an adrenal cyst, which is being monitored after a thorough adrenal workup. It was seen accidentally on an xray for something else. Future removal depends on whether my lab numbers remain stable or creep up. Probably coffee is not helpful. And I don't want any surgery I don't absolutely need.

[Kaz747 in reply to Hidden]

I find decaf nowadays is so good you can’t really tell the difference ☕️.

I hope you get the cyst sorted (ideally without surgery).

[Hidden in reply to Kaz747]

Thanks, Kaz. Apparently it's been there for several years-maybe longer. It showed up on a gallbladder xray. It never caused problems and several doctors said "Don't worry. They are common. We call them "incidentalomas." Never heard that term before!

At first this sounded reassuring but then logic reasserted itself and I thought: 'Nothing stays in the body too long that shouldn't be there without eventually causing a problem.'

Last year when I finally got a good Endo he agreed. He worked it up and said we will watch and retest your adrenal function regularly. He gave me very specific lab number parameters that if they went too high we would take it out. I'm happy with that.

Don't want surgery but I think they could remove it easily with a scope like a gallbladder.

I feel good someone is not just dismissing it with the all too common dismissive"don't worry about it." It's small and seems innocuous but you never know.

[Hidden in reply to Kaz747]

PS Gotta pass on the decaf. Grew up in Miami and I'm a Cuban coffee gitl! LOL

[Hidden]

I once watched a documentary on how they chemically treat the coffee beans to decaf them. Wouldn’t touch decaf with a barge pole now!! I allow myself the occasional regular cappuccino & 2 cups of regular weak tea daily - used to be a real tea tank! I’ve graduated to caffeine free fruit, camomile or peppermint teas.

Pat x

[Kaz747 in reply to Hidden]

I’m very careful about where the coffee beans come from as I’ve seen some pretty awful stuff too

[Hidden in reply to Kaz747]

True story. Google the world's most expensive coffee and the name "KOPI LUWAK" will come up.

Apparently there is a tree cat in Indonesia (called the civet cat) which eats coffee berries then poops them out undigested. Their poop is collected, processed, and finished-not a cheap process. Then the undigested beans are ground into coffee.

Moral: I guess watch what you drink in Indonesia.

I DID NOT MAKE THIS STORY UP!!! The product is sometimes called 'civet cat coffee'.

[Kaz747 in reply to Hidden]

I think that coffee was featured in “The Bucket List” 😃

[Hidden in reply to Kaz747]

I think you're right. I saw a documentary on some very elegant prominent occasion (can't remember details)- maybe on the food channel because it featured all the expensive exotic foods that were served.

Imagine paying all that money for food made from poop!. Boggles the mind. 😕😋😂

[Hidden in reply to Kaz747]

Sending you a packet of Indonesian coffee as an early holiday gift. Watch for Fedex !!!!!!!! LOL 😂😂😂😂😂 Back soon, 8AM here. Gotta get my coffee!

[Kaz747 in reply to Hidden]

Enjoy ☕️☕️

[foxglove1 in reply to Hidden]

I love my coffee and have two non decaf good coffee each morning. Nothing after 10.00am and no problems at all. I also drink red wine in moderation.

[Thomas45]

I was sure that coffee, not caffeine, was a trigger for paroxysmal AF. I gave up drinking coffee, including decaff about 11 years ago. I also don't eat anything which includes coffee or coffee flavours. Yes the smell of coffee is wonderful but knowing its effects on me makes it very easy to avoid.