As I write this, I'm sitting in Panera Bread, sipping on some coffee that has a name so fancy it's supposed to impress people enough to make them buy it (color me impressed, I guess). While I'm not really much of a coffee drinker, there's plenty of research out there to suggest that maybe it's something I should consider becoming.

In one of the more recent studies -- published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition -- it was discovered that consuming 2 to 3 daily cups of caffeinated drinks, including coffee, can reduce your risk of dying from heart disease by 31%. And, as if that weren't enough of a benefit, coffee may also lower your risk of developing colon cancer, so says a different study that was published in the International Journal of Cancer.

Maybe I should order myself another one of these. Now if I could only pronounce the name, I'd be all set.

As part of their morning ritual, so many people down a cup or ten of coffee to help wake up. The same is often true of people who have some java before they workout, hoping that it will 'amp' up their intensity -- if not their desire in the first place to do it. Best I can tell, the jury is still out on whether caffeine is 1) good for you, and 2) helpful in any way with respect to giving you some extra pep.

More or less, the pick-me-up you get from caffeine is a result of an increased heart rate. So, right of the bat, it may not be the best thing to be drinking before you go into the gym (where your heart rate will be increasing anyway). That being said, a little caffeine does not seem to cause safety thresholds of any kind to be crossed, so maybe it's not so bad after all. But, what about how much pep it actually gives you?

It's actually kind of funny, but about two weeks ago I stumbled upon a news story on coffee. Apparently, a study was conducted (I don't recall where) on the effects of caffeine, revealing that it does not lead to any increase in vitality whatsoever. In fact, the researchers claimed that the feeling of steadiness and alertness people experience after having their morning cup of coffee is nothing more than satiating the demands of an eight hour caffeine withdrawal.

Insofar as how much pep caffeine gives you during a workout, a University of Nebraska study found that exercisers drinking decaf coffee daily experienced the same fitness gains as those drinking regular coffee.

I've come across so much information about the effects of caffeine and as it relates to cardiovascular health, but still I am yet to be convinced of its benefits or its detriments. I'd be interested to hear what you guys think about this one.

Young Americans, average age 21 -- seem to have a problem with caffeine -- used for feelings of euphoria or just to stay awake. We're not talking cola or coffee, either. Taken to hospital for chest pains and heart palpitations, young adults on caffeine pills and energy supplements containing caffeine rarely think of the health hazards of these drugs. That's because they view caffeine as a FOOD not a DRUG -- and they end up in the ER since doctors rarely think to ask about caffeine supplements.

A review of Illinois Poison Center records revealed over 250 cases of medical complications due to caffeine overdose. Twelve percent of those cases required hospitalization. Hey kids, I know you need to stay up for that mid-term, but let's smart about it, eh?

This is not for serious coffee drinkers -- those of us who stumble out of bed blurred-eyed in abstract disjointed thought mumbling a barely coherent please don't talk to me -- I need coffee crowd for whom the automatic programmable coffeemaker was invented. No, this is for the occasional coffee drinker -- those who possess the admirable quality of non-addicted caffeine personality -- the social and moderate coffee drinker.

Brown University and Harvard School of Public Health researchers do not have good news for light and moderate coffee drinkers. After completing a survey of heart attack patients, they found heart attack risk increased by 60 percent within one hour of drinking a cup of coffee.

The reason is simple. Light and moderate coffee drinkers have not built up a tolerance for the effects of caffeine on the system in the same way as those who depend more heavily on the coffee bean caffeine beverage to jump start the day.

Tai Chi is an ancient martial art that has become popular in the West, much like yoga and Pilates. Consisting of slow, graceful movements, Tai Chi has been found to help lower blood pressure, according to Mayo Clinic studies.

In addition, the Mayo Clinic states that Tai Chi appears to offer benefits in reducing stress; increasing flexibility; improving muscle strength and definition; increasing energy, stamina and agility and in generalized increased feelings of well-being.

New research studies show that older adults practicing the art of exercise known as Tai Chi might expect to experience these benefits:

• Reduction of anxiety and depression
• Improvement of balance and coordination
• Improvement of sleep quality
• Slowed bone loss in women following menopause
• Reduction in high blood pressure
• Improvement of cardiovascular fitness
• Reduction in chronic pain

Centered on harnessing the power of breath or energy using movement, Tai Chi is a no-impact workout.

Tai Chi is founded on another Eastern practice called Qigong (chee-gong) -- meaning energy or breath (Qi) work or cultivation (gong). Qigong uses deep slow breathing combined with still postures. Tai Chi adds movement. Gentle, yet powerful and effective, Tai Chi is a healthy fitness option for those looking for a relaxing activity.

Everyday Tai Chi offers online instructional step-by-step photos of Tai Chi exercises including Awaken the Chi; Bridge over Water; Wild Goose Looks for Food; Rolling the Arms; and Quitening the Chi. When you finish your Tai Chi exercises, they suggest going for coffee and a chat with friends.

According to a Leeds University study in Britain, women who work long hours are more likely to react negatively to stress than their male counterparts. Work stress causes women to eat unhealthy food, drink coffee and smoke more.

Researchers claim that women are more vulnerable to work stress and thus become 'emotional eaters'-- reasoning that women try to escape themselves and their experience of stress by turning their attention to food. Male workers intake of caffeine, nicotine and calories are apparently not affected by working long hours. Perhaps some form of self-stress-management technique could help these women avoid the consumptive disturbance caused by overwork-- so they can avoid the contribution the extra calories and stress hormones make toward heart disease.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) strikes again! The consumer-health group that sued the operator of the KFC fast food chain this week now has its eye on Starbucks Corp. CSPI is supported by the IWW Starbucks Workers Union to campaign against the worldwide coffee purveyor for selling high-fat, trans fat products -- which contribute to the rise in obesity and heart disease.

CSPI and the workers union, which have members in three stores in New York, are requesting that Starbucks list its nutritional information on its menu boards -- not just online or in brochures. In the fast-paced, coffee-swilling world of the on-the-go, who has time to read nutritional information online or in a brochure?

According to Michael Jacobson, executive director of CSPI, Starbucks may have been overlooked in the new trans fat fast food sweep due to it's health-conscious image. "People expect foods from Dunkin' Donuts to be unhealthy, but Starbucks has more of an upper middle class, healthy, hip, politically correct facade, but the food is just as harmful to your arteries," Jacobson said. Union workers report weight gain from employment at Starbucks, where they drink free unlimited coffee and eat leftover day-old pastries.

Starbucks Corp. claims it is looking for healthier, trans fat-free substitutes for its seasonal baked goods, to be replaced by the fall. This plan doesn't necessarily include other products. "In our beverage ingredients, we have reformulated any component that contained significant artificial trans fat content," a Starbucks spokesman said.

Coffee is the second most widely consumed drink in the world, and is a rich source of antioxidants. A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that drinking one to three cups of the delicious elixir a day could prevent heart disease-related death in post-menopausal women.

The 15-year study documented 24 percent fewer deaths from heart disease and other non-cancerous inflammatory diseases among post-menopausal women who drank 1-3 cups of coffee daily, compared to those who drank no coffee at all. Researchers say the study doesn't prove that coffee is the exact cause for preventing heart-related deaths in these women, but does show a risk-reducing effect.