In The News

Here's something interesting I found. (Scientists should just come out and say it: Coffee is the best thing in the world. We should all pretty much just have it hooked up to us intravenously, no?)


"Scientists have said that drinking coffee after exercising helps muscles replenish more quickly.

A report published in the Journal of Applied Physiology today claims that when athletes ingest both carbohydrates and caffeine following exhaustive exercise, glycogen is restored more rapidly.

In their tests, scientists found that athletes who ingested caffeine with carbohydrate had 66 per cent more glycogen in their muscles four hours after finishing exercising, compared to those who consumed carbohydrates alone.

"If you have 66 per cent more fuel for the next day's training or competition, there is absolutely no question you will go farther or faster," said Dr Hawley, author of report.

Dr Hawley added that it was currently unclear how caffeine aids in facilitating glucose uptake from the blood into the muscles, although, the higher circulating blood glucose and plasma insulin levels were likely to be a factor.

There are potentially negative effects of ingesting too much caffeine such as disturbing sleep and causing jitteriness, Dr Hawley admitted.

And therefore, scientists should look into studying whether ingesting less caffeine than those in their studies would achieve the same results, he added."
-from inthenews.co.uk

Women: Take Note!

Daily Coffee Habit Brews Up Improved Health, Longer Life
Blog Name: MedHeadlines

For coffee aficionados, there's a lot to love about coffee. The aroma. The flavor. The morning ritual. The high-voltage jolt of energy that gets the day moving. Researchers in Spain have discovered that a generous dose of coffee every day just might reduce the risk of developing heart disease, too. Especially for women.
Researchers at Madrid's Autonoma University, led by Dr. Esther Lopez-Garcia, used data from two massive, long-term lifestyle studies to track any adverse health reactions to a lifetime of drinking as much as 6 cups of coffee a day. The studies under evaluation, the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and the Nurses' Health Study involved more than 42,000 men and 84,000 women, respectively, who participated in the study from the 1970s to 2004. All study participants were free of all signs of cancer or heart disease at the beginning of the study.
When risk of death due to heart disease was compared in follow-up questionnaires completed from 1980 to 2004, female coffee drinkers were at 25% decreased risk of dying from heart disease than their non-coffee-drinking counterparts. Their risk of dying from diseases other than heart disease or cancer was 18% lower than the non-drinkers.
Men drinking the same amount of coffee each day did not realize the same health benefits the women did but coffee consumption did not adversely affect the men's health or diminish their life expectancy, either.
Previous studies indicate regular coffee consumption is linked to a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In the Spanish study, there was no significant difference in the reduced risk of death due to heart disease between drinkers of naturally caffeinated coffee and those who drank decaf. This finding leads researchers to conclude the heart-healthy benefits of drinking coffee is more likely a matter of the beverage's high antioxidant content or other lifestyle factors of the study's participants than the coffee's caffeine content.
The June 17 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine carries the full details

Article from Fox News

Fair Trade

I'd like to talk a little bit about the fair trade movement. Some of you are probably already familiar with the concept of fair trade, but if you're not, here's a quick overview:
Fair trade strives to provide farming families across Africa, Asia and Latin America with:
-Fair price
-Fair labor conditions
-Direct trade
-Democratic and transparent organizations
-Community development
-Environmental sustainability

For more detailed information, please follow the link to find out more.
One of the most popular products to buy fair trade is coffee, and other imports include tea, sugar, cotton, and vanilla. The Meeting Place on Market is currently offering Birdwatcher's Blend and Ring of Fire coffees, both of which are Fair Trade Certified.
Look for a Fair Trade Certified label, and you can know that the product you're purchasing is helping someone across the globe earn an honest and fair living.
One local shop which sells fair trade handicrafts is Ten Thousand Villages in downtown Bluffton. So if you're looking for a unique gift, check them out!

What does it mean to you?

Coffee for me is more of a comforting habit at this point than something I necessarily get the urge to drink every day. It's as much a part of mornings as brushing my teeth, and it would feel strange to start the day without it. When I've been pregnant, I would drink decaf just for the taste of it, even though I was trying to limit my caffeine intake.
It also feels like the perfect counterbalance to anything sweet: anytime I have a piece of pie or something chocolaty and rich, I want coffee with it. Unfortunately, this often works vice versa, so I end up eating more sweets in the morning than I should!
I also think it's the perfect way to connect with others. Meeting for dinner might be too much of a time commitment, for instance, and hosting a dinner might be too expensive or beyond your culinary reach, but anyone can meet for coffee downtown, or brew some up in your own kitchen to share with friends over a plate of cookies. (There's the sweet tooth again...)
What does coffee mean to you?

Intro

Welcome to The Meeting Place @ Blogspot! This is an informal venue to discuss all things caffeinated, as well as anything newsworthy related to The Meeting Place or coffee in general. Pull up a chair!

-Saturday, March 1st at 7PM The Timothy Project will be in concert at The Meeting Place. Stop out to see these unique performers!