People complain to me of a variety of health problems. Most of
them are aggavated by their daily coffee habit. This has come up so
much lately that I simply must share how important it is for all of
you out there who still drink coffee to do yourselves a favor: Quit
-- -- particularly when you are sick! Have you ever had heartburn,
excess gas, bloating ulcers or just plain poor digestion of your
food? If you answered yes, and drink excessive amounts of coffee,
you owe it to yourself to continue reading.
¨The caffeine, oils and acids in coffee irritate the stomach
lining, which can cause excessive production of hydrochloric acid
leading to a variety of digestive ailments. Decaf, which contains
the same oils and acids as regular coffee as well as traces of
methylene chloride, brings on the same increase in stomach
acid.
¨ Drinking coffee on an empty stomach produces an even greater
increase in stomach acid, and can cause stomach pain almost
immediately in some people.
¨ Research has shown a definite link between coffee drinking and
ulcers. One study of 25,000 men showed that those who drink coffee
have about a 72 percent higher risk of developing ulcers than those
who don't.
¨ Coffee affects the lower esophageal sphincter which controls the
opening between the stomach and the throat. When there is a change
in the pressure of this esophageal sphincter, a reflux of stomach
acid comes up into the throat causing heartburn. Some people
already have an abnormality in this sphincter which coffee
exacerbates.
¨ Coffee tends to slow down the passage of waste through the small
intestine and speed it up in the large intestine.
It is not how much coffee you drink but how long you have been
drinking it. If you have been drinking coffee for years, the
chronic irritation of your stomach lining can lead to inflammation
and pain -- even if you only drink one or two cups a day.
