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As Found In Tea, Green Tea, Coffee, Cocoa,
Cola, Chocolate Etcetera
"As drinking is an integral
part of most meals, something must be said about today's
drinking habits. Huge amounts of tea and coffee are consumed in
the West and consumption is on the increase [as are many of the
associated ills]. Coffee, tea and many soft drinks are
stimulating drinks because of their caffeine content. But
caffeine is a poison (the lethal dose is around 10 grams), and
the "lift" it gives, lessening fatigue and brightening thoughts,
is very temporary and far outweighed by its long-term side
effects.
"Caffeine has been
repeatedly reported to increase stomach acid secretion and
promote ulcers. A recent study showed that it also produces
anxiety, irritability and depression. It also raises blood
pressure, damages blood vessels and causes heart attacks. Birth
defects have recently been correlated to coffee consumption
during pregnancy. And, finally, caffeine has been shown to
promote breast cancer, bladder cancer, and infertility.
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"Theophylline, which is
contained in tea, is five times more potent than
caffeine as an irritant to the nervous system.
Tea also contains tannin, which is an astringent
drug. Tannin contributes to constipation and
impairs the secretion of digestive enzymes. In
fact, drinking coffee or tea after a heavy meal
is a common cause of heartburn.
"The undesirable effects of
tea and coffee do not stop here, however. The
huge amounts of sugar which are taken with them
promote tooth decay. And cigarette smoking,
which is often part of tea and coffee breaks,
promotes high cholesterol levels and aggravates
duodenal ulcers. |
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"Tea has been
found to be a major source of aluminium
in the daily diet, especially tea leaves
that come from Ceylon, Assam,
Darjeeling, and some supermarket blends.
These contain a greater amount of
aluminium in their physical makeup than
do other teas." (Dr. H. R. Casdorph &
Dr. M Walker, Toxic Metal Syndrome,
p.108) |
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"Coffee and tea are two beverages that
anyone who cares about his or her health should try to do
without. Instead, there are numerous types of cereal beverages
and herb teas available in many flavors and fragrances to suit
practically any taste." (Dr. Michael Sharon, Complete
Nutrition, p.109)
More
About Caffeine
`Caffeine is a mild
stimulant. High doses can make someone feel jittery or on edge
and may prevent sleep. Very large doses may cause flashes of
light or odd noises. As with other stimulants, the greater the
high, the greater the fall. It also can increase heart rate and
blood pressure, is a weak diuretic (encourages urine formation)
and increases the respiratory rate.
`Coffee
is drunk in every country of the world and is a mainstay of most
offices in Europe and the US. The standard dose needed for
stimulant effects is 200mg, or the equivalent of two cups of
strong
coffee or three cans of soft drink. As many as 30% of
coffee
drinkers say they “couldn’t do without it” and are probably
mildly addicted. Tolerance can develop rapidly.
`Death from caffeine has
been known, but only after doses of around 10 grams, the same as
100 cups of
coffee. High doses of caffeine may affect the size of
babies at birth. The foetus is especially likely to be harmed in
the last three months of pregnancy, when the mother’s ability to
get rid of caffeine is reduced. Low birth weight, miscarriage
and withdrawal symptoms in babies (breathing difficulties) have
all been described.
`Mothers who are heavy
drinkers of
coffee or cola drinks in pregnancy have twice the risk
of their babies dying suddenly, even when other factors are
allowed for such as age at motherhood, smoking and bottle
feeding. Heavy caffeine intake also increases the risk of sudden
death of babies after birth. Tea, coffee and cola should
therefore be avoided in large doses in pregnancy.
`Caffeine increases the
effect on the unborn of other substances, such as tobacco and
alcohol, shutting down the blood supply to the placenta,
starving the foetus of oxygen and increasing the risk of low
birth weight or malformations.
`A possible reason for
increased cot death in babies of heavy caffeine consuming
mothers is that caffeine stimulates respiration and when this is
removed, the baby has less drive to breath. That may make all
the difference when it comes to fighting off infection or other
problems.' (As published at
www.globalchange.com)
And
Still More About Caffeine
`Caffeine, the
white, crystalline alkaloid in coffee, acts as a temporary
stimulant to the brain and artificially lessens fatigue. And it
does other things which are less advantageous:
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After one or more cups of coffee, the
stomach temperature rises 10 to 15 degrees. |
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The secretion of hydrochloric acid
increases 400 percent - a significant physiological change directly related
to causing Alzheimer's disease. |
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The salivary glands double their
output. |
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The heart beats faster. |
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The lungs work harder. |
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The blood vessels narrow in the brain
(also significant) and widen in and around the heart. |
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The metabolic rate
increases. |
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The kidneys manufacture and
discharge up to 100 percent more urine. |
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The cells respond by a greater
tendency to mutate with the potential for cancer. |
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Coffee being the major dietary source
of cadmium, the body is burdened by an extra amount of this toxic metal. |
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`Intensive tests on guinea
pigs, who were given doses of coffee, indicated that the effect
on their brain and nervous tissues caused more destruction than
doses of morphine.
`Regular coffee drinking
produced dose-related changes in most standard
electroencephalogram-electrooculogram sleep parameters of normal
adult males monitored in a sleep laboratory. The changes were
always in a direction that indicated sleep disturbance. Drinking
four cups of regular coffee, without cream, milk, or sugar,
produced equal effects.' (Dr. H. Richard Casdorph & Dr.
Morton Walker, Toxic Metal Syndrome, p. 86-87)
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