secreted to lower the sugar. Pretty soon you feel the need for a second cup of
coffee, a cigarette, or a piece of candy or a chocolate bar.
Coffee has a negative effect on both growth hormone and testosterone. Too
much caffeine can lead to a disturbance in testosterone levels in men—including
making it break down to estrogen, the female sex hormone. You can also become
addicted to doses of daily caffeine. Heavy caffeine users may develop
withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating,
and irritability. When you are irritable, you are more likely to have sugar
cravings.
Is addiction to caffeine a serious problem? Probably not, unless some of the
withdrawal symptoms are disrupting your life. However, caffeine can increase a
woman’s risk of miscarriage, and that’s why pregnant women are advised to
avoid coffee.
Tea, on the other hand, may have an edge over coffee. I love green tea. Green
tea contains less caffeine than coffee, and contains epigallcatechin gallate
(EGCG), one of the strongest and most studied antioxidants. EGCG has shown
impressive activity against many types of cancer. It appears to protect the heart
and arteries from oxidative damage, and, applied topically, it can reverse
precancerous skin lesions. One cup of unsweetened green tea a day is fine, or
you can consume even more of decaffeinated varieties.
What about Energy Drinks?
Energy drinks are not permitted on the Perfect 10 Diet . The excess caffeine in
energy drinks is addictive, and they’re loaded with sugar. Energy drinks lose
effectiveness over time, and they set you up for a rebound as soon as you
discontinue them.
What about Alcohol on the Perfect 10 Diet?
I talked about how bad alcohol is for your hormones in the beginning of the
book. Give it up, folks. Of course, this is easier said than done—especially for
those of you who are used to drinking every day or every weekend. However, it’s
necessary, because alcohol jacks up your blood sugar levels, which is bad for
your insulin and your physique.
Alcohol is like a double-edged sword: it can be both good and bad. One drink
a day can cut your risk of heart disease by 32 percent, but excessive amounts of
alcohol can increase both morbidity and mortality. Drinking alcohol to excess
can increase your chance of developing liver disease, and there are also reports