MMMM Coffee (better than you think)

Just a little truth and humor to start the morning.

But, in all seriousness, coffee has a ton of benefits, so drink up!! I like to tell myself I’m getting my morning nutrient blast. Coffee has the same antioxidant power as foods like pomegranate and blueberry. Damaging free radicals cause all sorts of problems. I like to think my morning cup of Joe is fighting premature aging. These are the nutrients in one cup of coffee

• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): 11% of the RDA.
• Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5): 6% of the RDA.
• Manganese and Potassium: 3% of the RDA.
• Magnesium and Niacin (B3): 2% of the RDA.

Inside the Body

•  Coffee is high in antioxidants and can reduce the risk of some cancers.
• Coffee can be an appetite suppressant and may aid  weight loss.
• Caffeine is in almost every fat burning supplement because it can increase the metabolic rate, and it sends signals to fat cells to break down (on short term usage).
• Drink a cup of black coffee 1/2 hour before the gym  and it will increase your performance on many different levels
• Some studies show that caffeine may protect against cataracts
• The caffeine in coffee sharpens you’re thinking power, alertness, and problem-solving ability. the is a Harvard study that has proven that people who drink 4 cups of caffeinated coffee are half as likely to suffer from Parkinson’s in comparison to others. This is mostly because caffeine keeps dopamine molecules active and blocks adenosine. This may slow down the build-up of a a toxic brain plaque called amyloid-beta, this toxic plaque has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Outside the body

• Use fine grounds for a skin exfoliant and cellulite treatment. I love to mix my finely ground (unused) coffee with natural unrefined coconut oil and yogurt. I use it as a mask/scrub in the shower, before my shower. Make a paste with 1/2 cup fine grounds and 1/2 cup hot water. Let the mixture sit for about 10/15 min. Then mix the grounds paste, yogurt, and oil together.  Slather it all over (without running water) massaging in a circular motion for 2-4 minutes.  The grounds will work wonders at eliminating dead skin cells, while to caffeine and antioxidants in  the grounds will soften the appearance of cellulite for a  short term.  The caffeine in coffee dilates blood vessels, which temporarily tones and tightens tissue. Plus it increases circulation and reduces water retention, all of which may also help smooth the look of cellulite. The antioxidants in coffee may help to release toxins, which is not only helpful for cellulite, but for healthy skin in general.

For the Face

• Caffeine works as a constrictor it will restrict blood flow to the area and reduce swelling.
• When applied as a face mask, Coffee will wake up your skin. The stimulating properties of coffee improve blood flow and making your skin appear radiant, bright, and more alive.
• Though it seems counterintuitive given its stimulant nature, coffee can actually also calm inflamed and red skin thanks to the same antioxidants that protect it from premature aging.
• De-puff: Swollen areas means the skin around your eyes is retaining fluids, which can be caused by everything from alcohol to salt intake, and of course lack of sleep. To minimize puffiness, Try this puffy eye treatment mix coffee grounds, green tea, and chamomile tea in disposable tea bags. steep for in hot water for 2 min. remove from the water and quickly cool in the fridge. Lightly drizzled with cold rosewater. Remove excess liquid. Place DIY teabag/eye-pads over your eyes for a few minutes.

For the Hair

• For shine, use coffee as treatment. Try this DIY tutorial from Food.com for shiny dark locks. This simple hair mask is cheap, simple, and leaves your hair smelling great like coffee.     On the flip-side try some vodka in your conditioner. Cocktail a shot with your conditioner as a treatment. The vodka is naturally  low in ph and will help seal your cuticle for shine.  Check this fun article.    Vodka for Hair

• For tint, enhance your natural (not color treated) dark hair without using any harsh dye chemicals, coffee can be an effective color enhancer. Here is a cool blog post on DIY hair color enhancers. Andrea’s Blog
• For strength,  The protective antioxidant benefits of coffee also extend to your hair—masks containing java will prevent breakage

Healthy For Your Hair

Vitamin A is crutial for healthy hair it promotes health scalp and hair cell growth. If hair is deficient in vitamin A it can lead to dry lifeless hair .

Vitamin C helps to create collagen which keeps the hair follicles health for hair growth and keeps strands strong and prevents splitting.

Biotin It’s important to eat a balanced biotin rich diet to support our body in producing the biotin that it generates. It isn’t as important to take biotin supplements as it is to eat the foods that are pumped full with biotin.

Folate and iron create healthy red blood cells that carry needed nutrients and oxygen to the scalp and follicle. lack of Iron can be the cause of hair loss in woman that experience deficiencies.

Protein is important because hair is protein. the hair structure is created from a protein called keratin. Actually hair, skin, and nails, get their building blocked from keratin. A lack of protein will slow hair growth.