"LIfting the sullen and gloomy clouds"

Strong coffee
smells like a current
of warm southerly air
in the climate of dawn.
Strong coffee
gets stronger
when poured back
through the grounds.
Opaque,
thick, hot, bitter
for waking up,
the caffeine
pumps through your center,
stains your mouth with morning,
with going to work,
surprises you
with your own
breath.

“Strong Coffee” by Anne Higgins


 "Within a daily dosage range of 300 milligrams of caffeine per day, or two to three cups, coffee improves negative moods that occur in the morning upon waking, lifting the sullen and gloomy clouds which can fog the mind upon rising. Coffee, the most flavorful and potent caffeine-bearing beverage of all, increases general happiness and feelings of pleasure – and increases positive mood overall. Coffee promotes an upbeat positive sense of self, and a feeling of well-being."

"As a mood enhancer, coffee is one of the safest and fastest agents on earth. You drink a cup, and things change rapidly. Surely, this is the primary reason that people drink coffee in the first place. Coffee’s greatest effects are exerted upon the brain and mind, since coffee is a bracing awakener. As a delivery system for caffeine, coffee acts upon the central nervous system, stimulating the brain and all the major nerves, and facilitating cognitive function overall."

"Coffee enhances the flow of blood in the brain and invigorates the mind. It enhances alertness and motivation, facilitates thought formation and concentration, and decreases mental fatigue. Every coffee drinker has experienced this combination of effects. A morning shower will alleviate grogginess, but a bracing cup of coffee will snap you to attention and prepare you for whatever lies ahead."

"In a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Harvard researchers found that drinking caffeinated coffee lowered rates of depression among women. Women who drank two to three cups of caffeinated coffee a day were 15 percent less likely to develop depression over the 10-year study period, compared with women who consumed one cup or less per day. Women who drank four or more cups of coffee a day had a 20 percent lower risk of developing depression. And what about decaf? Women who drank decaf did not experience reduced depression rates."



Chris Kilham
MedicineHunter.com