Doctor Approved

In Canada, you are not expected to endure the summer heat without Timmy's Iced Cap. Yes, we love our Tim Horton's so much we even have nicknames for it. Tim's being the other one; hey, we never claimed to be creative. There is a big Tim Horton's at the Pearson Airport. When you drive back from Buffalo, it is the Tim Horton's sign that welcomes you back to The True North strong and free - Canada.

So is coffee really good for us? There are a lot of myths associated with Java Joe. For instance, there is a false claim that coffee is diuretic. Similarly, heart patients are advised to avoid coffee, even though, a recent study conducted at UCLA showed that women who have one to three cups of coffee daily are less likely to have cardiovascular diseases.

But here is a bummer, coffee reduces the absorption of calcium in our body. But caffeine's negative effect on calcium can be offset by two to three tablespoons of milk. Caffeine also increases weight gain, in the long haul. I think a lot of other factors are involved here, because most people do put a lot of sugar in their coffee. So I wonder if coffee would have the same effect on those of us who relish its bitterness and enjoy it without any sweet additives.