what about coffee?

[calfaro443]

Does anyone know if coffee has a positive or negative effect on the body as far as C-reactive protein levels? I read it is good then in other web sites and books, it's bad. And Why? I'm so confused!

[elephant]

I know from what Sangye said, don't quote me but it has something to do with our adrenal glands ( probably too hard on them...stress the adrenal glands) , coffee is a stimulant. I also know that coffee is a antioxidant too. I have two cups of coffee a day, can't live without it.
Sangye can say it better.
Come on down Sangye. :)

[Sangye]

LOL! Calfaro, you should be more concerned about coffee's effects on Wegs rather than a lab test. Coffee is a stimulant and causes the adrenals to make adrenaline. Those who are ill and especially those on pred have extreme adrenal depletion. So asking them to work harder only drains them further. It might make you feel better today, but it's depleting the adrenals terribly. The weaker the adrenals, the weaker the person becomes. If you chronically deplete them, you might make them dependent on pred.

Coffee is also considered a "fire" food in Eastern medicine. It promotes inflammation, irritability, anger and overacidity, which depletes the body in general.

[Natalie]

NNNNNNNNOoooooooooooo not my coffee , is it the same for tea ??

[Sangye]

LOL-- caffeine is caffeine. Tea has less than coffee but you're still overstimulating the adrenals.

For someone who's never been on pred and has reasonably strong adrenals, two regular size cups of regular strength coffee a day is fine. But just like there is no safe dose of pred, there is no amount of caffeine in a pred-affected body that is okay. I'm sorry, it's true. I wonder how many Weggies who can't get off pred consume caffeine on a regular basis?

[Natalie]

well Im one of them , you have a lot of information Sangye I look farward to your replys :) Ok well what about Milo ( hot chocolate ) lol I love my hot drinks

[Sangye]

Chocolate also has caffeine and is also considered a fire food. I'm sorry. I wish I could change...the world. :)

[elephant]

Oh Sangye, I love my coffee. How about decaf?

[Lightwarrior]

Oh Sangye, I love my coffee. How about decaf?

Decaf still has some caffeine. I love the smell of coffee more than I love coffee. I only used to drink coffee to scare my co-workers (they set up communication lines to warn each other, something about it made me more hyper than normal) lol, oh for the good ole days when I had the energy to be hyper. http://www.wegeners-granulomatosis.com/forum/images/icons/icon6.gif

[jola57]

What about green tea or white? I drink a lot of tea.

[elephant]

I know decaf has some caffeine, but was hoping Sangye would pass that as " Ok" to drink. :) Jolanta, the teas have caffeine too but they are high in antioxidants....so wouldn't that counteract that Sangye?

[Sangye]

LOL-- I love all the bargaining going on....

There are two issues-- caffeine and the nature of the food. The little bit of caffeine left in decaf coffee is not an issue, but you're still left with a food that greatly increases the Fire element. Tea has less caffeine and aggravates the Fire element less, too. Green tea is probably not an issue if you don't drink enough to really feel the caffeine. Decaf green tea is great--full of antioxidants. (If you're on blood thinners be aware that it's also high in vitamin K, so you might have to adjust your warfarin.)

Antioxidants or other nutrients don't counteract the nature of a food.

[elephant]

Thank you Sangye, I will slowly switch to decaf. I do drink decaf green tea everyday at least two cups! What foods have fire elements? Is there a site that has a list?

[Brooke]

I am horrible then. I love chocolate and I love diet coke and I have it everyday. I also have coffee in the morning at work - one or two cups. I will try to be better.

[Sangye]

I'm going to start a new thread about foods that increase the fire element, etc.... I'm making changes to my diet and it's definitely making a difference Wegs-wise.

[Brooke]

Good idea Sangye. For the past 8 months, I guess ever since I started pred, I have eaten pretty much whatever I want, and its not good at all. I think some of you would be jumping through your screen to yell at me if you knew the bad stuff I eat. Basically fast food, ice cream, pop - anything yummy.
I need to make a lifestyle change with my eating habits and it is hard being on pred just because when I get hungry, I need something right then and there. I know it will take work and preparation on my part to make snacks and meals for myself.

[elephant]

Brooke don't beat yourself up. Some of us are there with you eating the same kinda food, when your on prednisone ( this applies to some) our choices seem to be sweet, fat and salty. I know I craved that, then after my prednisone was decreased I craved it less. I too need to improve my diet ASAP so that I live longer and keep WG hanging on a cliff. :)

[calfaro443]

I'm going to start a new thread about foods that increase the fire element, etc.... I'm making changes to my diet and it's definitely making a difference Wegs-wise.
Man I opened up a can of worms here. Thanks and looking forward to your list of FIRE foods!

[Sangye]

Brooke, I've been eating terribly since I got dx'ed, for many reasons--some by choice, some not.

The pred really messed me up. I began craving things I never wanted before-- salty snacks, lots of dairy, etc.... It also changed my constitution. Foods that were always balancing for me became imbalancing, and I could no longer read my body's signs for what it needed. Foods I used to eat to control my weight now worsen it and definitely worsen the Wegs. Until recently I had no idea which foods were balancing for this new body. To boot, moving from a dry climate (Arizona) that suited my body to a humid one (Maryland) that doesn't has made the "what's my constitution" puzzle even harder to solve. Finances have been a huge issue for me. The mostly organic diet I'd eaten for years had to go right after dx. Depression-- from the pred, the non-stop complications and a host of other personal issues all connected to Wegs-- has contributed to feeling hopeless about getting better and even self-indulgent at times. I've been incredibly weak for much of the 4 years which has left little energy for grocery shopping and food prep, so I drifted from a diet of mostly whole, natural foods to one that is mostly processed, unnatural "stuff." Throw into the pile some really bad habits I already had, and call it a 4-year dietary train wreck.

More than anyone in this group I know how to eat properly for health and I haven't, so no one should feel bad! If several of us are on the same track right now, maybe we can help each other move towards healthier choices.

[Sangye]

Man I opened up a can of worms here. Thanks and looking forward to your list of FIRE foods!
No worries-- I've been talking about it for awhile and am finally ready to start the thread!

[Brooke]

Thanks - Comforting to know I'm not the only one eating all the bad stuff! I liked sweets and bad stuff before pred but now really crave it!
That would be a good idea Sangye if we can help each other make healthier choices.

[Col 23]

I thought I better fess up, still drinking diet coke and craving sugar, getting a little bit better now Im down to 15mg of Pred but those cravings are terrible. Im
like you Brooke I have to have something and now.. I try but sometimes I cant do without my diet coke.
I know what is good for me but..... I also drink a bit of tea. But interesting what Sangye stated about the fire element. Sometimes I might want a cuppa but just makes me too hot. Thats when I turn to water or diet coke.
I know bad.....
cheers Col 23

[Doug]

Dang! Life used to be simple when I was ignorant and healthy! I truly, realy need to pay attention more to diet than I do, even if I'm off prednisone. The energy level business is a concern. I, too, tend to take the path of least effort, some days eating things even healthy people shouldn't touch! Keep pounding away, Sangye. Maybe we all can get our acts together through a constant reminder of what constitutes bad news for weggies, food wise.

[jola57]

Brooke, when i was on 60 pred, I could eat a horse with hoofs. I ate everything that was available, getting up 3-4 times a night to snack. I blossomed from a comfortable 155 to 220lb in three months.

[MCC]

Brooke, when i was on 60 pred, I could eat a horse with hoofs. I ate everything that was available, getting up 3-4 times a night to snack. I blossomed from a comfortable 155 to 220lb in three months.

Yes it was quite torturous when I was on 50mg pred.


Does any one fancy doing a diet/healthy eating thread? Everyone can decide what outcome they want- maybe just eating more healthily/sharing tips/ recipes to use those anti-inflammatory foods that are supposedly good for people with wegeners/ or trying to lose weight and we can post what we've eaten/how well we've done etc?

[Lightwarrior]

[QUOTE=Ma

Does any one fancy doing a diet/healthy eating thread? Everyone can decide what outcome they want- maybe just eating more healthily/sharing tips/ recipes to use those anti-inflammatory foods that are supposedly good for people with wegeners/ or trying to lose weight and we can post what we've eaten/how well we've done etc?[/QUOTE]

I like it, I like it a lot!!

[elephant]

Sounds good to me, I will not nag to much. :)

[Lightwarrior]

Sounds good to me, I will not nag to much. :)

NOOOOOOOOOOO....then it wouldn't be you elephant and we would worry that an imposter was posting in your place. Who would I learn from???

[elephant]

Ok, Ok, OK....I will nag tiny nickie naggets. :)

[Sangye]

LOL-- I'm in! :D

[Col 23]

Even if we had some sort of guide of whats good for us that would help.
At least we could all support each other.
Im in too.
Great idea.
cheers Col 23

[coffeelover]

Although I understand and believe what Sangye says....I have to have one vice and coffee it is! I try to only have one cup a day...but must admit that that afternoon cup creeps in occassionally. I guess it is my way of fighting back a bit.
Lisa Coffeelover

[Doug]

Life is about choices. If it adds to the quality of life (coffee does, hunh, Lisa!?), then I think one needs to go for it, but recognize there is no free ride. Decaf is out of the question: it's like a ghost compared to the living body- no substance!

[Sangye]

Doug, if coffee worsens Wegs symptoms and can result in higher/prolonged doses of meds, how is that quality of life? My mom used that argument for many years to justify eating large amounts of sugar. That sugar created fibromyalgia symptoms for her-- crippling pain every single day. She couldn't do anything at all-- no exercise, not even walk her dog. Some quality of life!

[Doug]

Quality of life, again. If that were the measureable result of my coffee consumption, then I'd do the sensible thing and stop having it. It hasn't caused me any problems, but I don't drink much of it.

[Sangye]

Yeah, you're doing okay-- in drug-free remission without Wegs symptoms. That's a good place to be! :)

[Doug]

Pretty close to that.

[coffeelover]

Life is about choices. If it adds to the quality of life (coffee does, hunh, Lisa!?), then I think one needs to go for it, but recognize there is no free ride. Decaf is out of the question: it's like a ghost compared to the living body- no substance!

I agree wholeheartedly Doug! Couldnt have said it better myself. Louie! Brinley is waiting

[jola57]

Life is about choices but it is also about balance. So Coffee may be OK but no chocolate muffin with it LOL