Ask any woman how she likes her java and, more than likely, her eyes will light up as she explains precisely what creates her perfect cup. She knows where she gets it, when she needs it and what she likes dripped or frapped into it. Then she’ll probably ask you to join her for a round.

Sixty-eight percent of Americans drink coffee or other caffeinated drinks daily for a wide variety of reasons. These reasons include energy (that extra boost to start your day), social reasons (all your friends are doing it), general enjoyment (it simply tastes good) and, most recently, for weight control (I’ll get to this one in a moment).

Though women know how they like their jolty drinks, most don’t know how much caffeine is appropriate, what the benefits and risks are, or how much caffeine they are actually drinking.

Moderate caffeine consumption is 200 – 400 milligrams per day, or the equivalent of 2 – 4 cups of coffee. If you aren’t sure how large a cup actually is, pull a standard measuring cup out of your kitchen or visualize two-thirds of a regular soda can. It isn’t all that much. Most coffee shops offer sizes that range from 12 ounces for a small and up to 24 ounces for a large size.

Caffeine in healthy amounts carries few health risks. It can actually enhance memory, alertness and physical relaxation. If you drink tea, even better. Black and green tea offer added benefits such as improved bone density (highly important for women), increased longevity, and lower risk for certain types of cancer.

Excessive caffeine intake may lead to high blood pressure, emotional or physical dependence, mood disorders, insomnia, loss of bone density and even infertility. Add to that the sugar, corn syrup, high-fat milk, heavy cream and other additives that often accompany these liquid feasts and your list of potential side effects elongates…

Caffeine has become a popular weight loss drug as of late, alarming physical and mental health practitioners alike. Body conscious women who choose caffeine, thinking it will boost metabolism or reduce their appetite, are sorely mistaken. Studies show repeatedly that caffeine is not an effective weight loss measure. Substituting meals with a caffeinated beverage can actually increase hunger. It may postpone it temporarily, but as a stimulant, caffeine kicks your bodily functions up, not down. The hunger will hit and probably stronger. What’s more, skipping meals slows the metabolism. If you’re hungry, enjoy a healthy snack or meal.

If you are happy drinking 0 – 3 cups of coffee or tea and are not experiencing negative side effects, you likely have a healthy relationship with caffeine. If a day without it seems unfathomable, you drink more than 4 cups per day or you suffer from a mood disorder, sugar sensitivity, or high blood pressure. It may behoove you to rethink your caffeine drinking practices.

photos by ahmed rabea and akatayama

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Whether you get your daily dose of caffeine from the independent coffee shop near your house, the local Starbucks or even McDonald’s — they are likely touting their social consciousness by offering a blend of coffee stamped with the universal, fair trade seal of approval. Fairtrade is a certification program developed by the Fairtrade Labeling Organization (FLO) to make consumers aware of the social, economical and environmental well-being of coffee bean farms around the world. Support for the labeling system comes from customers who routinely put aside their usual preferences for roast and flavor by requesting a Fairtrade certified brew.

Fair trade gives consumers an opportunity to feel good about what they purchase by guaranteeing that the coffee bean farms — and ones raising cotton, cocoa and wine currently jumping on the bandwagon — are not only getting a decent price for their beans, but also are adhering to strict regulations that protect laborers, families and even the environment.

The term Fair Trade defines the overall movement of ethical trading and is suffering a bit in the grand scheme of things. In order to be recognized as Fairtrade by FLO, farms must pay hefty yearly fees and constantly work under the governance of the system. With the demand for Fairtrade products on the rise, being a part of the club has its benefits but there are coffee roasters out there unable to expense membership to the FLO or are dependent on employee labor, but still adhering to the ideals of Fairtrade certification.

The situation currently unfolding with Fair Trade is reminiscent of what happened with the Organic movement — many small, local farms forgo the USDA Certified Organic label mainly because of the cost and the bureaucratic structure of the organization, but are indeed 100% organic. In Third World countries, most farms don’t try to go organic but simply lack the funds to use expensive pesticides. In the United States, many small family farms grow purely chemical-free produce but recognize the injustice of the system and choose to foster relationships with farmers’ markets and restaurants that simply trust their harvest.

Fairtrade has become a marketing tool — another absolution in the eyes of a society where consumers strive for humanitarian status while still enjoying a $4 latte. Sure Fair Trade is humanitarian in theory, but the practice of it has gone slightly corporate, a little bit corrupt and has tricked consumers into believing if it doesn’t don a swirly blue and yellow label, it is unqualified for the FLO.

The bottom line: just because one roast of coffee or brand of wine or chocolate bar displays a Fairtrade symbol doesn’t necessarily mean the other options aren’t comparable. At your favorite coffee shop, just try asking. Many owners and employees are well versed in where their beans come from and might let you in on the secret that the African blend you prefer over the Guatemalan is indeed Fairtrade — despite how naked it looks without the FLO stamp of approval.

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Nestled in a residential neighborhood of Sherman Oaks, CA is the newest community gem. Celebrating its one-year anniversary, M Street Coffee is already teeming with a devoted clientele. Even in a reclining economy, business owner Andrea McClain confides that the New Year is already off to a great start.

So what’s the secret? How did a 31-year-old harp player from Indiana manage to get it so right? First and foremost, she’ll admit it’s a commitment to a quality product. Offering organic fare, they also feature an exclusive custom roast of organic Indonesian and South American Beans, roasted in the nearby North Hollywood neighborhood. Dedicated to making incredible coffee it’s not unusual to catch even a Starbucks employee grabbing a cup before they head off to work.

But it’s something almost intangible that permeates from this tiny corner location. There’s a real community blossoming in this sunny café as the manager behind the counter chats with every customer and McClain interrupts our interview to greet a regular.

It probably has to do with McClain spending her childhood in a small town of less than 20,000 people. Realizing that community and business are inseparable, she has defined her space as being more than just a profit-turner. Like your favorite transformer that you secretly stole from your brother, this café morphs into many identities. Part art gallery, concert venue, and town hall, there’s a little something for everyone. Plus McClain isn’t afraid to give back either, offering her space for fundraisers such as children’s organizations, animal shelters, and a Save Darfur Charity art sale.

And don’t be worried; she doesn’t leave out Mother Earth. Doing her best to keep the shop eco-friendly, McClain has a strong recycling program, not to mention biodegradable cups and recycled paper sleeves.

Despite being the sole owner of M Street Coffee and performing every duty personally, including website design, book keeping, coffee brewing, and coordinating all the community events, Andrea is quick to admit, “It really takes a good team.” It takes all her employees to truly embrace what could be overlooked as a ‘simple’ vision of “Be[ing] a bright spot in someone’s day and to serve a great cup of coffee.”

Andrea McClain offers hope that small businesses can survive even as mega-corporations come crashing down all around us. It takes more than fancy business degrees and stock portfolios. By remaining true to herself and focusing her energies on promoting the things she loves instead of just the bottom line, Andrea has created an atmosphere that is both welcoming and familiar. As I look around and every table is occupied, including the patio tables outside, I guess she’s proof that “If you build it, they will come.”

Check her out at www.mstreetcoffee.com

photos courtesy of andrea mcclain

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You’ve been told so all your life.  That annoying little adage that attempted to wreak havoc with your late night parties (I mean study sessions and work preparations) but actually gave you more exercise in forgetfulness than anything else. The early bird catches the worm. And while usually you are more than content to let anyone else gather that early worm so you can eat the bird for dinner, you may soon be inclined to change that because, as it turns out, morning sunshine is really really good for you.

Strange, right?  But morning sunshine actually increases the amount of cortisol in your body (which boosts your metabolism, regulates your blood pressure, and releases insulin for blood sugar maintenance to name a few benefits) and helps you handle stress.  To keep things odd, research shows that later in the day, sunshine does not have the same effect. So it’s time to wake up early! (I saw you cringe.)

And you know what early to rise means.  Yep.  Early to bed.  Turns out that Ben Franklin guy may have been onto something with his saying, early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise (which, by the way, is something he tweaked from Aristotle)…and we’re going to add a little “wo” to that statement to let you know that early to bed and early to rise makes a woman healthy, wealthy, and wise.  Okay, the wealth and wisdom may be up for debate but we’re sticking with health part.

So you’re waking up early (right?) which means you’re getting more coritsol in your system (right!) which means you are less stressed (woo hoo) which means you are probably going to get better sleep (ahhhh).  That’s quite a cycle.  Weird how all these health things seem to run in packs – or walk briskly.

But the ultimate difficulty is in getting to the point where you are ready to be an early bird. So here are a few suggestions to get you on your way:
1.    Get up at a fixed time every day (all 7 of them) and go to bed only when you’re tired.
2.    Get up as soon as the alarm goes off. If you allow yourself the time to debate it in your mind, you give yourself the time to stay put…and you will stay put.
3.    Drink less coffee. A morning jolt is fine but try to wane yourself off that afternoon perk.
4.    Leave the blinds up. Morning light will set your body clock all on its own.
5.    Make your morning fun.  Listen to music. Have a healthy breakfast or a long shower.  All you need is a little incentive to get those feet moving, or dancing if you’d prefer to pull an Ellen.

photo by alex faraway

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