Athena Connell

31/03/2021

Are you drinking coffee on an empty stomach? Or you don’t drink coffee at all because it gives you the jitters?

A lot of people in the “wellness” industry demonise coffee and label it a hormone disrupter and a drug. A few years ago I’d have said the same thing. I use to get jittery, experience the “comedown” and have anxiety for a few hours afterwards… BUT I was under-nourished, under-slept, stressed and drinking a long black on and empty stomach.

Depending on the state of a person’s health drinking coffee without the proper nourishment does cause an activation of the stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline. This is why people demonise it but they never ask WHY does this happen?

If someone is stuck in a fight or flight stress response almost chronically (stressful job, no down time) are undernourished (no sunlight, PUFAs or just simply not enough food) with a slow metabolism, poor thyroid function and an impaired gut then having a coffee right off the bat in the morning is actually going to cause more damage than harm. It’s like slamming your foot on the accelerator when you’re low on fuel.

However, nourishing yourself so you can harness the therapeutic effects (and taste) is going to be a lot better for your hormones and health in the long run than just simply cutting out the symptom while never getting to the cause.

Coffee is actually a superfood but only if you prepare it (and your body) correctly.

Coffee not only stimulates and boosts the metabolism, it can boost progesterone which everyone especially females need more of for balanced hormones, youthfulness and mood. It also protects the liver, lowers the risk of thyroid diseases, improves mood, has vitamin B, magnesium and antioxidants.

Here is how I drink my coffee:

EAT FIRST. A balanced plate of protein, carbohydrates and fats preferably 30 mins before I drink coffee stabilises blood sugar and ensures the energy increase happens slowly and gradually. Then I make my coffee nutrient dense like this:
- Scoop of collagen powder (this is tasteless!)
- Fresh cream or a lot of milk (raw, organic is best)
- Sugar - honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar or plain white sugar

☕️🤍

23/09/2017

We are going through some intense cell regeneration and cell defence boot camp in my household at the moment.
The baby broccoli sprout is rich in Sulforaphane. 🌿
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Sulforaphane is the master of cell health and as we all know, heathy cell production/regeneration is fundamental to our overall health and wellbeing. Being as vain as any other young gentle woman in modern society, I'm overly excited to promote healthy ageing without the use of chemicals and this little compound does exactly that.
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Sulforaphane also contributes massively to a healthy gut by aiding the little cells in the gut (enterocytes) to work more efficiently, detoxifying and reducing the buildup of toxins that lead to an overgrowth of fungus, inflammation, IBS etc.
About to get my sprouting on 🙏🏽

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