1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: Today's tip is about that morning cup of coffee. Here's 4 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: how to make it be a positive morning ritual, one 5 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: that is pleasurable in addition to possibly having some health benefits. 6 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:34,559 Speaker 1: To this week, we have been talking about ways to 7 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: take care of our brains. If we want to take 8 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: our days from great to awesome, being on top of 9 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: our mental games can help a lot. Our brains are 10 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: the most important productivity tools we have now and in 11 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: the future too, so we want to keep these tools 12 00:00:54,600 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: as sharp as possible. That brings us to today's topic, coffee. 13 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 1: In health literature, it always seems inevitable that the things 14 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 1: we love will turn out to be bad for us. Candy, soda, 15 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: hot dogs. So it seems like coffee, which many of 16 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 1: us drink every single morning and indeed, which is often 17 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: the thing that lures us out of bed, might fall 18 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: into that category. And yet that doesn't seem to be true. 19 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: Various research has found that drinking coffee on a regular 20 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: basis might improve alertness, as one might imagine, and also 21 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 1: it seems to protect the brain against cognitive impairments. It's 22 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: unclear exactly why this is, but substances in the coffee 23 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: beans and the chemical reactions that are part of roasting 24 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: the beans might have something to do with it. That 25 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 1: means it's not the caffeine itself, which is why taking 26 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: caffeine pills or drinking energy drinks probably wouldn't have the 27 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: same effect. Everything needs to happen in my duration. Downing 28 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 1: gallons of coffee a day will make you tense and irritable. 29 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: That will have negative effects on your health. But it 30 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: does seem to suggest that probably a cup or two 31 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: a day isn't bad. It might even be good. So 32 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 1: if that's the case, it is fine to make a 33 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: cup of coffee part of your morning ritual. And if 34 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: you are going to do that, well, why not make 35 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: it the best ritual possible. I will admit that in 36 00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: the past, my husband and I have made a full 37 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: pot of coffee one day and not finished it and 38 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: just reheated the remains the next day. But I recently 39 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: decided that if I am only going to drink one 40 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 1: to two cups of coffee a day, I really want 41 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: to enjoy those cups. So now it is always a 42 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: fresh pot. We make it at home since going to 43 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: a coffee shop would take way more time than we 44 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 1: generally have in our busy mornings. Plus both of us 45 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 1: usually work at home, so it's really more efficient if 46 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: you are making your coffee at home to spring for 47 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 1: the good stuff, get mugs that you like and that 48 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 1: fit well in your hand, then choose a moment to 49 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,799 Speaker 1: pour your coffee when you can actually sit and enjoy it. 50 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 1: Maybe that requires waiting until the kids are on the 51 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 1: bus and then you sit for ten minutes before you 52 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: drive to work or fire up your laptop. Or maybe 53 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: you have really little ones to the point where you 54 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: trade off with your partner to shower, so maybe each 55 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: of you gives the other ten more minutes, maybe by 56 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 1: getting up a little bit earlier so both of you 57 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 1: can sit and savor. Or if your life allows for it, 58 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: go sit outside for a bit or near a picture window, 59 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 1: or spend the time reading something delightful. Really enjoy the 60 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: experience of tasting your coffee, of feeling that heat, experiencing 61 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: the smell all and then that sense of alertness. Sip 62 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: slowly if that means you don't make it through the 63 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: whole cup in ten minutes. Well, oh well, we are 64 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 1: aiming for savoring, not slurping. If you do decide that 65 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: you need half a cup later on, so be it. 66 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,480 Speaker 1: But when that first cup of coffee is really noticed 67 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 1: and enjoyed, and when you're doing everything you can to 68 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,840 Speaker 1: get enough sleep, which you should be, then that might 69 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:33,280 Speaker 1: be all you need. You'll be possibly helping your brain 70 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:37,039 Speaker 1: with that good coffee, but you'll definitely be waking yourself 71 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 1: up in a lovely way. And who couldn't use more 72 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: of that? In the meantime, This is Laura. Thanks for listening, 73 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 1: and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, 74 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 1: everybody I'd love to hear from. You can send me 75 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:04,160 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 76 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod 77 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:13,599 Speaker 1: that's B the number four, then Breakfast p o D. 78 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:17,280 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 79 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 1: podcast at i heeart media dot com. That Before Breakfast 80 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,480 Speaker 1: is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, 81 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 1: I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is 82 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 1: a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from 83 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:39,040 Speaker 1: my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 84 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows