If you wanted to dress like people in the 1950’s what would
you wear? Thinking of Sandi in ‘Grease’
or Young Lorraine in ‘Back to the Future’ one would be tempted to say a super wide
dress, cardigan slung around the shoulders and a hairband holding hair back. But, this is not what I wore to my parent’s
60th wedding anniversary party.
Mum and Dad were
married in 1952 and to help celebrate we all dressed to kill for that period. I went as a Beatnik, a rebellious group whose
women rejected those pretty dresses for black pencil-thin dresses or trousers;
and whose men instead of wearing neatly pressed button and collared shirts,
sported turtleneck jumpers and berets.
I was delighted to find during my research that Beatniks
habitually visited coffee bars in which they drank coffee and recited poetry
exploring the meanings of life. As
people who know me well will tell, I love cafés and never miss an opportunity
to visit one. Coffee is said to heighten
concentration, alertness, stamina and energy so perhaps that is why Beatniks
drank such a lot of it. But there are other benefits. Coffee has been found to lower the risk of stroke,
Parkinson’s disease, gout, cirrhosis, diabetes 2 and dementia. It also reduces exercise pain, depression in
women, and prostate cancer. Quite an
impressive list!
Unfortunately, it will not do these things if those health
problems already exist. Furthermore,
it’s a diuretic so osteoporosis and muscle cramping can occur if too much is
taken; it raises blood pressure; interferes with sleep; stimulates heartburn;
and is addictive, and this can lead to anxiety, adrenal exhaustion and hormonal
disturbances.
So… what do you think? Is coffee the good guy or is it the evil
twin?
Until next time, here’s to your very good health,
Linda.
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