Even more reasons why coffee is awesome: now found to prevent prostate cancer

Right on the heels of the news that coffee might help prevent the risk of breast cancer, there is now positive cancer information (if there is such a thing?) regarding coffee, for men too!

This ground-breaking news was recently published in the Harvard Gazette:

Men who regularly drink coffee appear to have a lower risk of developing a lethal form of prostate cancer, according to a new study led by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers. The lower risk was evident among men who drank regular or decaffeinated coffee. The study was published May 17 in an online edition of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

“Few studies have specifically studied the association of coffee intake and the risk of lethal prostate cancer, the form of the disease that is the most critical to prevent. Our study is the largest to date to examine whether coffee could lower the risk of lethal prostate cancer,” said senior author Lorelei Mucci, associate professor of epidemiology at HSPH.

Lethal prostate cancer is cancer that causes death or spreads to the bones. Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed form of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among U.S. men, affecting one in six men during their lifetime. More than 2 million men in the United States and 16 million men worldwide are prostate cancer survivors.

“At present we lack an understanding of risk factors that can be changed or controlled to lower the risk of lethal prostate cancer. If our findings are validated, coffee could represent one modifiable factor that may lower the risk of developing the most harmful form of prostate cancer,” said lead author Kathryn Wilson, a research fellow in epidemiology at HSPH.

The researchers chose to study coffee because it contains many beneficial compounds that act as antioxidants, reduce inflammation, and regulate insulin, all of which may influence prostate cancer. Coffee has been associated in prior studies with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, gallstone disease, and liver cancer.

The study examined the association between coffee consumption and the risk of prostate cancer, particularly the risk for aggressive prostate cancer, among 47,911 U.S. men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study who reported their coffee consumption every four years from 1986 to 2008. During the study period, 5,035 cases of prostate cancer were reported, including 642 fatal or metastatic cases.

Among the findings:

• Men who consumed the most coffee (six or more cups daily) had nearly a 20 percent lower risk of developing any form of prostate cancer.

• The inverse association with coffee was even stronger for aggressive prostate cancer. Men who drank the most coffee had a 60 percent lower risk of developing lethal prostate cancer.

• The reduction in risk was seen whether the men drank decaffeinated or regular coffee, and does not appear to be due to caffeine.

• Drinking one to three cups of coffee per day was associated with a 30 percent lower risk of lethal prostate cancer.

Coffee drinkers were more likely to smoke and less likely to exercise, behaviors that may increase advanced prostate cancer risk. These and other lifestyle factors were controlled for in the study.

The results need to be validated in additional populations that have a range of coffee exposure and a large number of lethal prostate cancer cases. If confirmed, the data would add to the list of other potential health benefits of coffee. The authors are planning additional studies to understand specific mechanisms by which coffee may lower the risk of lethal prostate cancer.

Other HSPH researchers who participated in the study: Edward Giovannucci and Meir Stampfer, professors of nutrition and epidemiology; Julie L. Kasperzyk, postdoctoral research fellow; Stacey Kenfield, research associate; Jennifer Stark, research fellow; and Rob van Dam, adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition.

The study was supported by the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, the American Institute for Cancer Research, and the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Kit Kat's [coffee] break...

Kit Kat's famous "give me a break" slogan can now apply to more than just the candy-bar...

 

By combining Vanilla, Chocolate, and a little bit of Cinnamon coffee flavors together, a delicious drink is formed that tastes as if you were drinking a caffeinated version of the classic candy. (And really, what could be better-- trade the afternoon-slump that accompanies the digestion of sugary products for the coffee version of your favorite treat that allows you stay awake and alert!)

Can coffee prevent breast cancer?

New research shows that women who drink coffee could be protecting themselves against an especially aggressive form of breast cancer.

Oestrogen-receptor negative is a tricky type of breast cancer where tumors do not react to the most commonly used drugs, leaving chemotherapy as the only treatment option.

A study from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm Sweden has recently discovered that women who regularly drink coffee have a lower occurrence rate of this type of breast cancer, than those women who do not drink coffee.

 In the study, 6,000 menopausal women were analyzed. The women who drank five or more cups a day had a 57% reduced risk of breast cancer compared with those who drank less than one cup a day.

  

The scientists concluded in the journal of Breast Cancer Research that "A high daily intake of coffee was found to be associated with a statistically significant decrease in oestrogen-receptor negative breast cancer among post-menopausal women."

When pressed for information, the Karolinska Institute experts said they suspected coffee contained compounds that affected different types of breast cancer in different ways. It is possible that the drink fuels oestrogen-receptor positive breast cancers but reduces the risk of oestrogen-receptor negative breast cancer, they said.

Although findings are not completely understood as of yet, this does match other findings where coffee has shown to reduce the risk of other types of cancer too, such as prostate and liver cancers.

Rittenhouse's new coffee + communication hub

For some reason, coffee shops have always been hubs of communication. I suppose just like peanut butter and jelly, caffeine and news are an exceptionally complementary pair that withstand the test of time...

Whereas in the past it was standard for the local coffee house to offer local gossip and illicit materials hot off the press, as the years passed and technology changed, public telephones and newspapers became the de rigueur cafe communication fare. 

These days, "Internet Cafes" are raising the communication bar even further by offering free Internet and computer use alongside coffee selections, so that the entire world is now accessible from within the confines of the closest coffee shop. 

These "cybercafes" are currently very popular in Europe, and can be found in any mid to large sized European city. The recent opening of Saxbys Coffee at Rittenhouse has allowed a little of that European coffee house flair to enter our own center city community. 

Located right on the corner of 20th & Walnut, there are a slew of easy ways to stay tastefully connected. The iPads attached to each table offer immediate and easy access to the internet, and the docking stations underneath the tables allow for a quick recharge of whatever electronic device you're carrying. The computer nook offers iMacs and PCs for free usage, and the coffee shop's free WiFi allows for work to be done even at the outdoor tables. 

With the caffeine and the communication possibilities available here, this is truly the place for Rittenhouse to start it's day with a jolt.

Showcasing Philly talent: ChrissyK Photography

Saxbys Coffee Rittenhouse is proud to support local Philadelphia artistic talent, and this black-and-white photo of the Philadelphia Art Museum (by Philly freelance photographer ChrissyK) that hangs immediately in the entrance is a great example... 

Sadly though, this snapshot of a snapshot was ruined by two things. 

One-- the glare from the windows facing opposite, and two-- the ineptitude of the photographer (me-- not her!) when it came to selecting the proper camera settings... 

However, despite the hour of day and a tricky camera, photographer ChrissyK happily had the foresight to post a perfectly crisp and clear representation of the shot on her website:

A high-school guidance counselor by day, with a burning passion for photography in her free time, ChrissyK believes that every picture tells a story... and she loves to bring life to as many "stories" as possible. 

For more of ChrissyK's work, please feel free to check-out her collection of past photographs taken at weddings, engagements, special occasions, and much more. 

To contact ChrissyK, you can reach her at 267.702.3010, or chrissy@chrissykphotography.com

To contact Saxbys Coffee Rittenhouse about showcasing art (there are still some empty walls!), please contact us at info@saxbyscoffee.com

Welcome Gift: $20 to Saxbys Rittenhouse, for FREE!

It has officially been one full week since our VIP Grand Opening, and a stop to the shop today showed tables full of patrons sipping coffee, talking, and typing away furiously. (On this rainy day, when outdoor seating wasn't an option-- there was barely even room for us to sit down!) 

This frenzy of Saxbys Coffee Rittenhouse activity has made us giddy with excitement, and to show our appreciation-- and entice you to come check out the place immediately-- we are offering a deal you just cannot resist. 

Through this upcoming weekend*, buy a 10$ Saxbys Go Card (our version of a gift card) and get a 10$ Saxbys Coupon. Yes... when you do the math, it's a little crazy (we're talking 20$ worth of coffee--or froyo, salads, sandwiches, etc., for FREE), but we love our new digs, and we want you to come check us out, and love us too. 

Stop by-- we're right on the corner of Walnut & 20th, and we can't wait to see you. (Hopefully, once armed with the 20$ seeing you will be a repeated thing.)

:)

*Offer good until 5/9/11