Caffeine Awareness

By Nurse Diane

On March 5th, Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela passed away from cancer.  Although they didn't specify what type of cancer he suffered from, there was mention that he drank 40 cups of coffee every day.  When I mentioned this tidbit to a friend of mine, he said he also drank that much a day, but now only drinks 2 or 3 cups.  While doing my clinical rotation through psychology nursing, I was required to attend an AA meeting.  One of the first things I noticed was the coffee. everyone was downing coffee like there was no tomorrow.  While doing my research on caffeine, I learned that the effects of caffeine on the body closely resemble the effects of cocaine.  Many people who are addicted to one substance will usually transfer that addiction to something else, whether it be drugs, alcohol, smoking or caffeine.

Some folks think that since there is no government regulation on caffeine, that any amount is safe for you.  Most people can drink about three 8 oz servings without any problems.  According to livestrong.com, ingesting more than 500 to 600 mg of caffeine per day is considered heavy use and may lead to physical side effects caused by both the addictive potential and stimulating effects of caffeine. Heavy use and abuse may result in restlessness, rapid heart rate, nausea, muscle tremors and insomnia. Lack of sleep from caffeine use can lead to ongoing sleep disturbances, fatigue, and a decline in physical performance and energy levels. Caffeine abuse can eventually lead to addiction, and you will need to ingest caffeine on a regular basis to avoid unpleasant withdrawal symptoms and mood changes. Caffeine abuse can lead to psychological symptoms such as anxiety and irritability, and withdrawal from caffeine causes marked nervousness and depression leading to reduced motivation and sleeplessness.

Caffeine is found in coffee, tea and chocolate. To calculate how much you drink, check out the chart here: http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000131000000000000000-1.html?

You can also test your caffeine knowledge here to see if you have a problem drinking too much: http://www.caffeineawareness.org/quiz.htm   I have never been a big coffee drinker, I may have 2 or 3 cups a week if its cold outside, I don't drink any soft drinks, and I just have a glass of tea for Sunday lunch.  I do like chocolate, but I also limit that to a small piece a day.  

March is National Caffeine Awareness Month and if you need help decreasing the amount of caffeine you have or would just like to talk to someone about it, click on this site for more information. http://www.caffeineawareness.org/

(All images from Google)

National Hot Toddy Day

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By Diane Forrest

The University of Mississippi is a major university in our state.  They have a chant at football games that says,

Hotty Toddy Gosh Almighty

Who in the hell are we??

Flim Flam Bim Bam

Ole Miss by damn!

I think of this chant every time I see the words hot toddy.  However, this hot toddy is not a football chant, but a drink.  A Hot Toddy is made with honey, lemon, hot water and a choice of rum, whiskey or scotch.  You can also include coffee, tea or cocoa too.  A hot toddy is a favorite drink of those who have cold weather and signs of a cold or sore throat.

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According to punchbowl.com, hot toddies originated in Scotland sometime during the 18th century. While the exact details are unknown, historians believe that the recipe was developed to make the taste of Scotch whiskey more palatable. (Apparently the women of the day didn’t care for the smoky, peat flavor.) One theory suggests that the word “toddy” evolved from “Tod’s well” (also known as Todian Spring), the water supply for Edinburgh.

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So today, on National Hot Toddy day, try a favorite warm drink to knock off the winter chill, and get rid of those nasty cold bugs!

Celebrating National Espresso Day

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By Diane Forrest

Here in the south it has been unusually cold.  I am normally not a coffee drinker, but I have found myself fixing coffee more and more in the mornings.  Not only does it heat me up, but gives me a little extra boost in the mornings to keep me busy instead of hibernating as I want.

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In 1901 Luigi Bezzera in Italy must have had the same idea.  His workers wanted to drink coffee, to warm up and give them a little boost, but he calculated they were taking too much time on their coffee breaks.  He invented this machine that would force the water through the finely ground coffee giving them more of a kick, in less amount of coffee, so they could go back to work faster.  His invention also allowed the coffee to be prepared faster, and at a cup at a time.  According to punchbowl.com, Bezzera’s patent was sold in 1903 to Desidero Pavoni who began commercially producing and distributing the espresso machine throughout Europe.  These machines are now so affordable that people can have one at home, as well as their favorite coffee shop.

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Today is National Espresso Day.  I have an Italian friend who loves to drink one with a piece of biscotti.  So if you want to warm up quick, have a steaming hot cup of espresso  a cookie or piece of pie or cake, and relax and think about Italy and Luigi Bezzera who made this day possible.

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National Joe Day

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By Diane Forrest

As I was looking over the month's assignments, I checked out March 27th first.  That is my father's birthday, and I wanted to see what other occasions were celebrated on that day.  The first thing I saw was National Joe Day.  I was curious about it because I have a great friend named Joe.  After doing some research on the day I learned that National Joe Day is a day where everyone can change their name to Joe for the day.  So I thought about it, why would someone want to change their name to Joe?  I looked up the meaning of Joe, or Joseph.  It means he will add, or enlarge.  Then I thought about Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus.  What a wonderful man he must have been.  Imagine, here is this young man, engaged to a young girl.  He imagines their future together.  Then out of the blue she is pregnant.  He had not had intimate relations with her, that sort of thing wasn't done back then, so he knows he isn't the father of her baby.  Can you just imagine what he must have thought?  Consider this day and age, if your fiancé came to you and said she was pregnant, how would you handle it?

Joseph was child of God, when the angel visited him and explained that Mary was having God's son, he supported her, believed in her and stayed by her side, ignoring all the gossip that must have surrounded him.  He married Mary, raised Jesus as his own, taught him his trade, the skills of a carpenter, and provided for his family.

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This made me think of my friend Joe.  He is also a child of God, a carpenter, and a supportive man that provides for his family.  He recently turned 74, and he amazes me every day.  He is constantly learning and trying new things.  He is very interested in the country's politics, not only the current races, but his knowledge of past elections not only in this country, but other country's leaders would make any history teacher envious. He recently started an exercise program at his local YMCA that would put younger men to shame.  He owns his business, and continues to work every day along with his sons.

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Even though he works daily and exercises most days, he still makes time to spend with his family and friends.  He regularly visits friends in the nursing homes, making sure they have the things they need, and he spends time with his grandchildren, teaching them to read and learn new things.  There are days when he wants to stay in bed and sleep, but he pushes himself up and gets moving to continue to keep in good health to be able to provide for and support his family.  Even while doing all of this, he still makes time for me, keeping me company so that I am not alone.

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I'm sure many of you have a "Joe" in your life.  Someone you can look to and think, I want to be like him". Someone who makes you want to be a better person.  So, today, on National Joe Day, I wanted to show my appreciation for Joe, and would be honored to be called Joe for a day.  Here are some other famous Joe's:

• Jo
• Mighty Joe Young
• Joe Six Pack
• Joe Camel
• Joe Montana
• Joe Biden
• Joe Cool
• Joe Lieberman
• Trader Joe's
• GI Joe
• Joe Jackson
• Joe Dowdle
• Shoeless Joe Jackson
• Joe Mauer
• Joe Mantegna
• Joe Palca
• Joe DiMaggio
• Joe Namath
• Joe Theismann
• Country Joe McDonald
• Joe Strummer
• Joe Jonas
• Joe Louis
• Joe Spano
• Joe Satriani
• Philly Joe Jones
• Joe Cocker
• Joe the Plumber
• Joe Torre
• Joe Frazier
• Joe Flacco
• Joe Stevenson
• Viewtiful Joe
• Joe Calzaghe

11/23 National Espresso Day

By Diane Forrest,

A few weeks ago we had National Cappuccino day.  We learned that cappuccino is a coffee drink made with espresso and steamed milk and foam.  Espresso is the base for several coffee drinks, they are listed below.  Espresso is a concentrated beverage brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee. Espresso is widely known throughout the world.  It is made by using a special machine, and rose in popularity in coffee houses across the US in the 1990's.

The espresso coffee machine was invented in Italy in 1901 by Luigi Bezzera in order to decrease his employees' coffee break time and increase their productivity. Bezzera's machine used steam pressure to force hot water through the ground coffee filters. This allowed coffee to be prepared quickly by the cup on demand and the resulting brew of coffee was also stronger in flavor and body.

Today is National Espresso Day.  Check the list below or just have a regular espresso, and enjoy a divine experience.

• Affogato (It. "drowned"): Espresso served over gelato. Traditionally, vanilla is used, but some coffeehouses or customers use any flavor.
• Americano ("American"): Espresso and hot water, classically using equal parts each, with the water added to the espresso. Americano was created by American G.I.s during World War I, who added hot water to dilute the strong taste of the traditional espresso. It is similar to a long black but with opposite order.
• Antoccino ("priceless"): A single shot of espresso with the same quantity of steamed milk poured above it, served in a demitasse (espresso cup)
• Bicerin ( "little glass"): Made of layers of espresso, drinking chocolate, and whole milk, invented and served in Turin.
• Black eye: A cup of drip coffee with two shots of espresso in it (alternately a red-eye or shot in the dark).
• Bombón (Sp. "confection"): Espresso served with condensed milk, served in Southeast Asia, Canary Islands, Cook Islands and Mainland Spain
• Breve (It. "brief"): Espresso with half-and-half
• Bucci Espresso served in Key West's Cuban cafes (sugar is always added; but may be added before or after brewing)
• Café au lait (Fr. "coffee with milk"): Made by combining equal proportions of strongly brewed drip coffee and hot milk . In the United States, it is usually prepared instead with French press or drip coffee. (Very similar to "latte", see entry for lattes below)
• Cafè Marocchino: Created in Turin, normally served in a small glass, this is a shot of espresso, a sprinkling of cocoa, frothed whole milk (about two tablespoons to bring to the brim of the glass), then a further sprinkling of cocoa is added on top.
• Caffè Macchiato (It. "stained"): A small amount of milk or, sometimes, its foam is spooned onto the espresso, in Italy it further differentiates between caffè macchiato caldo (warm) and caffè macchiato freddo (cold), depending on the temperature of the milk being added; the cold version is gaining in popularity, as some people are not able to stand the rather hot temperature of caffè macchiato caldo, and therefore have to wait one or two minutes before being able to consume this version of the drink. The caffè macchiato is to be differentiated from the latte macchiato (described above). In France, it is known as a noisette.
• Caffè Medici: A doppio poured over chocolate syrup and orange (and sometimes lemon) peel, usually topped with whipped cream, the drink originated at Seattle's historic Last Exit on Brooklyn coffeehouse.
• Caffè Tobio: Espresso with an equal amount of American coffee, similar to Americano or long black
• Cappuccino: Traditionally, one-third espresso, one-third steamed milk, and one-third microfoam, often in the United States, the cappuccino is made as a cafè latte with much more foam, which is less espresso than the traditional definition would require. Sometimes it is topped upon request with a light dusting of cocoa powder.
• Carajillo: (Sp. slang for "nothing"): Espresso with a shot of brandy.
• Con hielo (Sp. "with ice"): Espresso immediately poured over two ice cubes, it is preferred in Madrid during summer.
• Corretto (It. "corrected"): coffee with a shot of liquor, usually grappa or brandy. Corretto is also the common Italian word for "spiked (with liquor)".
• Cortado (Sp./Port. "cut"): Espresso "cut" with a small amount of warm milk
• Cubano (Sp. "Cuban"): Sugar is added to the collection container before brewing for a sweet flavor, different from that if the sugar is added after brewing. Sugar can also be whipped into a small amount of espresso after brewing and then mixed with the rest of the shot. Sometimes called cafe tinto.
• Doppio: (It. "Double") Double (2 US fluid ounces) shot of espresso.
• Espresso con panna (It. "espresso with cream"): Espresso with whipped cream on top
• Flat white: a coffee drink made of one-third espresso and two thirds steamed milk with little or no foam, very similar to "latte"
• Frappe: Iced coffee topped with whipped cream and usually chocolate syrup (flavors varies)
• Frappuccino: A type of espresso coffee blended with ice and milk, branded exclusively by Starbucks

• Guillermo: Originally, one or two shots of hot espresso, poured over slices of lime it can also be served on ice, sometimes with a touch of milk.
• Ice brewed: Brewed with chips or cubes of ice added to the basket, which results in more volume and creme. Originated on small, inexpensive espresso machines, the technique is useful on other machines to change depth of flavor and other characteristics.
• Latte (It. "milk"): This term is an abbreviation of "caffellatte" (or caffè e latte), coffee and milk. An espresso-based drink with a volume of steamed milk, it is served with either a thin layer of foam or none at all, depending on the shop or customer's preference.
• Latte macchiato(It. "stained milk"): Essentially an inverted cafè latte, with the espresso poured on top of the milk, the latte macchiato is to be differentiated from the caffè macchiato (described above). In Spain, it is known as manchada, Spanish for stained (milk).
• Long black: Similar to an Americano, but with the order reversed, the espresso is added to hot water.
• Lungo (It. "long"): More water (about 1.5x volume) is let through the ground coffee, yielding a weaker taste (40 mL), also known as an allongé in French.
• Marron (brown): Of Venezuelan etymology, it is an espresso with milk; it varies from marron claro (light brown) with more milk to marron oscuro (dark brown) with less milk.
• Mocha: Normally a latte blended with chocolate, this is not to be confused with the region of Yemen or the coffee associated with that region (which is often seen as 1/2 of the blend mocha java).
• Normale: A normal length shot, not ristretto or lungo, the term primarily is used to contrast with them.
• Red eye: A cup of drip coffee with one shot of espresso in it
• Ristretto (It. "restricted") or espresso corto (It. "short"): With less volume, it yields a stronger, sweeter taste (10–20 mL) (café serré or café court in French).
• Caffe Shakerato: An espresso with sugar shaken together with ice in a cocktail shaker
• Shot in the Dark: A cup of drip coffee with one shot of espresso in it. aka Canadiano.
• Solo (It. "single"): Single (1 US fluid ounce) shot of espresso
• Triple suicide A cup of drip coffee with three shot of espresso in it
• Triplo or triple shot: Triple (3 US fluid ounces) shot of espresso; "triplo" is rare; "triple shot" is more common.
• Turbo: A serving of brewed or iced coffee with a shot of espresso added, branded by Dunkin' Donuts.
• Wiener Melange (German: "Viennese blend"): coffee with milk, it is similar to a cappuccino, but usually made with milder coffee (e.g. mocha), preferably caramelised.
• Cafe Zorro: double espresso added to hot water. Ratio 1:1