Judging by the long morning line-ups at coffee shops like Starbucks or Tim Horton’s, there’s a society-wide coffee addiction going on.
And while coffee has recently been shown to have some health benefits, like a lowered risk of developing dementia, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, it’s wise not to overdo it. Drinking too much coffee, particularly late in the day, can cause sleep problems and many people don’t like it’s addictive qualities.
According to Chinese medicine, caffeine is known to increase congestion in the liver, and if you have adrenal weakness, caffeine can cause over-stimulation of the adrenals that may eventually lead to adrenal exhaustion, and burn-out. If you suffer from liver congestion or adrenal weakness, you should find other ways to boost your energy level.
Luckily, a new study published in the journal Physiology and Behavior shows that a brisk climb up the stairs will generate more energy than taking either caffeine pills or a placebo. If you’re trying to break your coffee addiction, why not give it a try? As a side benefit, it’ll also take you away from your desk and help you lose weight too.
http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/walking-stairs-boosts-your-energy-more-coffee-does
About the Author: Rebecca Wong has a BA in English Literature from the University of Waterloo and has been working in the herbal business since 2000. She studied at the Ontario College of Traditional Chinese Medicine under respected authorities Paul Des Rosiers and Vu Le, and graduated from the East West School of Planetary Herbology under Michael Tierra. She received training as a yoga teacher at The Branches in Kitchener/Waterloo, and therapeutic yoga teacher training from the School for Somatic Soulwork under Deniz Aydoslu. She now teaches yoga for anxiety, depression and burnout at Rebecca's Restful Yoga Studio in Toronto.