Daily Loaf

One of life’s great pleasures (especially here in Tampa) and health benefits — coffee has it all. Caffeine, aroma, deep flavors and, to coffee connoisseurs around the globe, coffee is a known as a tonic that prevents diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and cancer. No wonder we hold a fascination with brewing this tasty bean!

Here’s a tip: next time you grab your morning joe, sprinkle a little cayenne on top. Not only does the spice help wake you up, but this pepper is packed with vitamins A and C along with the full spectrum of B vitamins. And taken in tiny daily doses, it can help prevent heart attacks and strokes. Read the rest of this entry »

So now that the “novel H1N1 swine flu” has been proven to be a dud, what shall we be afraid of now. Actually, fear is a downer, a harmful, immune suppressant emotion that is “the only thing we have to fear”.

When fear strikes, the adrenal glands go into overdrive, pouring out stress hormones: cortisol, adrenalin, noradrenaline. The adrenals are two little pyramid shaped caps, one on each kidney. They are responsible for salt balance in the body, and represent the body’s alarm system. When cortisol is released in higher than normal quantities, blood sugar rises, insulin levels go up, the brain becomes focused, immune function reduces and digestion comes to a screeching halt. Since our stresses usually don’t go away, the adrenals are chronically on alert, leading to diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, insomnia and anxiety states (even panic attacks). Read the rest of this entry »

With both 2008 and the Bush presidency slowly drawing to a close, here is Letterman’s top 10 George W. Bush moments.

• GMAC gets an infusion of federal cash.
• Grandma Sarah Palin.
• You know, Caroline Kennedy, you know, made a, you know, gaffe.
• Jaw-dropping: “Republican Party reaction is divided over the decision of a candidate for party chairman to distribute a CD that features the parody tune “Barack the Magic Negro,” with the majority of Chip Saltsman’s political rivals criticizing the move.”
• High blood pressure: It’s in the genes.
• Fanboy freakout: Fox to try to stop March release of Watchmen.
• Derrick Brooks plans to return to the Bucs in 2009.
• Bonus Bucs: Cadillac Williams gets good news … sort of.