Mature Life Features

Beginning next month,

a twice-a-month shuttle

will provide Verena residents

late-afternoon free transportation

to and from nearby restaurants.

Because it’s a shuttle, there is no need to sign up.

Just show up at the times advertised starting at 3 p.m.

If you miss a shuttle, wait for the next one.

Just don’t miss the last one.

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I just realized

I’ve mastered how easy it is to sleep.

I can do it with my eyes shut.

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Coffee A Healthy Break

Coffee might be considered the WD-40 of the food system. It’s been cited as a defensive mechanism against health risks ranging from sunburn to diabetes. Scientific, medical and diet gurus around the globe claim drinking three to five cups a day is a healthy regimen.

While not the source of nutrients found in diets of the health-conscious, an eight-ounce cup of coffee, regular or decaffeinated, contains more disease-fighting antioxidants than a typical serving of blueberries or oranges.

The anti-coffee culture points out that coffee also can cause nervousness, keep you awake at night and boost your blood pressure. To counter these over-stimulating effects of coffee, nutritionist suggest spacing out one’s intake, drinking a cup of coffee every few hours during the day.

A European study also revealed coffee retards the cognitive decline in the elderly.

Caffeine reduces the risk of cirrhosis of the liver as well as lowering the odds of death by heart disease among the elderly. Studies have also revealed coffee drinkers are less likely to develop basal-cell carcinoma – skin cancer – than non-coffee drinkers. Coffee has also been found to reduce pain, protect against strokes, fight depression and a variety of cancers, and protect the liver.

While the consensus is that coffee can be good for you, it shouldn’t be considered a cure-all. If coffee gives you the jitters, try decaf. If that doesn’t work, talk with your doctor.

Go easy on milk, cream, sugar and other-coffee-shop add-ons because they add calories to an otherwise low-calorie beverage. When brewing your own coffee, use paper filters that trap the oils in coffee that can increase your levels of cholesterol.

As with anything that involves your health and well-being, discuss your coffee habits with your primary care physician.