Coffee is not only an integral part to many world cultures, it may also be good for your health. Painting by Aimee Vasquez - Mustang Daily.

From early-morning truck stops to strong-brewed Italian to four-buck frapp-creations, people all over the world enjoy a cup of the comforting adrenalin rush.

There is an ongoing discussion in the health world over the effects of caffeine on everything from bone health to mental well-being. The end result is that the American culture is full of coffee-myths.

The world has been steeped in coffee since, as legend has it, the first hyper goats ate coffee berries in the highlands of ninth-century Ethiopia. An observant goatherd reported his animals’ strange behavior to an abbot at the local monastery, who then brewed the berries and discovered that their wakeful properties helped him with his long evening prayers.

The beverage trickled across the strait from Ethiopia to Arabia over the next few centuries. By the 16th century, the beverage was known throughout the Middle East. The Ottoman sultans in Istanbul imported a particularly sweet, rich coffee named after its most prevalent port, Mocha. By the 17th century, coffee had made its way to the western continents.

Even back then, coffee had its share of critics. In Italy, clergymen condemned the mind-altering drink as evil, and the controversy escalated until Pope Clement VIII tasted coffee and approved it.

Today’s cultural nay-saying, however, is more often based on health concerns than religion.

One of the more common claims is that drinking coffee stunts your growth, based on the theory that coffee causes osteoporosis. Today’s studies show that a high intake of caffeine, more than 300 milligrams a day, may lead to calcium loss, but the effect is so minor that it can be offset by adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk to each cup.

In addition, many of the early studies were done on populations who were replacing milk with soda or coffee, so that their higher incidence of osteoporosis was due to a lack of calcium, rather than the effect of caffeine.

Another myth is that coffee causes dehydration. Numerous studies show that, while caffeine increases the immediate urge to urinate, a few cups of coffee a day will not markedly affect overall hydration levels. According to a study described in Nursing Standard, dehydration only becomes a factor if you drink more than five strong cups of coffee a day.

According to an article in the Harvard Health School Publications, the famed after-coffee crash is best avoided by consuming two to three ounces of coffee every hour or so, rather than drinking 16 ounces at once. This is particularly effective when functioning on less than optimal sleep.

Caffeine, as many people know, is considered to be mildly addictive. Yet studies show that, while withdrawal effects, such as headache, irritability, difficulty concentrating and fatigue do occur, the symptoms lessen within a few days.

The American Medical Association Council on Scientific Affairs states that three, eight-ounce cups of coffee a day is a moderate amount, while ten, eight-ounce cups of coffee a day is considered excessive.

As a caveat, people with high blood pressure should limit their coffee to less than two cups a day, if any, and pregnant women might want to avoid the beverage until studies are conclusive.

But the rest of you might want to up your intake. Recent studies have linked the benefits of the beverage to long-term brain health, increased sports performance, higher pain tolerance, a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke and possibly a decreased risk of liver cancer.

An article in the Harvard Women’s Health Watch states that the risk for type 2 diabetes is lower among regular coffee drinkers. There are ongoing studies that link the regular use of coffee to a smaller risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

In addition, a Kaiser Permanente study found that coffee drinkers were less likely to commit suicide, possibly because caffeine increases the brain’s production of dopamine.

So order that venti with pride, and enjoy it. It’s culture and utility coexisting in a cup.

A key aspect of Herten’s book is that the long-term health effects of excessive drinking often go unpublicized. Photo by Aimee Vasquez- Mustang Daily

Local physician Jeff Herten, M.D., is working to spread national awareness about the grave but often overlooked effects of alcohol consumption. His book, “The Sobering Truth,” outlines the health risks of drinking alcohol from a doctor’s, as well as a former alcoholic’s, perspective.

“I’m a recovering alcoholic,” said Herten. “I feel a calling to try to communicate with young people to steer them away from what are some of the incredible social and health hazards of alcohol consumption.”

Herten, while holding on to his professional life, used to be what he calls a “high-functioning alcoholic.” He said that he managed to hide his growing addiction to alcohol by drinking only at night and in the privacy of his home. Eight years ago, and after several unsuccessful attempts, he overcame his addiction and committed to writing a book about alcohol and its effects.

Herten currently runs a dermatology clinic on Santa Rosa Street, and has lived in San Luis Obispo for over 30 years.

“He’s an esteemed dermatologist from the area,” Dane Howalt, M.D., said.

Howalt is also a local physician and is certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine. He said that Herten is qualified to write a book on the health effects of alcohol because “Herten’s a board-certified physician, and has taken many years of medical school that have to do with the workings of the human body. Before one becomes a dermatologist, they are trained in the whole field of medicine. He certainly has both the undergrad and graduate training in the biochemistry of how things work.”

A key aspect of Herten’s book is that the long-term health effects of excessive drinking often go unpublicized. These secondary effects include an increased risk for over eight types of cancer, as well as depression, osteoporosis and fetal alcohol syndrome. And, “those effects are usually totally unknown,” he said.

Herten’s goal is to stop alcoholism before it starts by helping young adults make more informed choices. He is putting the information in “The Sobering Truth,” and his currently in-progress documentary, to be implemented in health programs at various universities and high schools across the country.

“Basically, he’s trying to educate youth,” said Jane Broshears, teacher at the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education and editor of “The Sobering Truth.”

Herten is funding the production and distribution of the book, and presented aspects of it to over 30 Cal Poly students Saturday morning. Delta Chi Vice President Matt Slette attended the event.

“My whole impression I guess is I’ve been to a lot of alcohol awareness events,” Slette said. “He wasn’t trying to use scare tactics. He was backing up all his claims with medical facts.”

Some students, however, remained skeptical.

“It seems like when people want to drink, they’re going to anyway. It seems like they don’t take the effects too seriously until something happens to someone they know,” architecture major Erin Osberg said. “They take it with a grain of salt.”

The National Institute of Health states that alcohol problems are highest in the 18-29 age group.

“I thought it was really informative, and it makes you think twice about some of the decisions we as college students make,” senior civil engineer Tanner Bennett said. “We’re in an environment where drinking is perfectly sociably acceptable. It’s the norm. But he’s a doctor, to be able to explain such things in such depth. The guy knew what he was talking about.”

Sports-related injuries are a common occurrence among Cal Poly intercollegiate athletes, leading to gutted teams and painstaking rehab, but the mental burden of an athlete injury is often more pressing than the immediate physical effects.

Senior defender Josh Didion was out this summer with a hip injury. Mustang Daily file photo

Many injured athletes suffer from post-injury depression, and are possibly at an increased risk for suicide, according to an article featured by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“Injury’s part of the game. But it can range from the day-to-day to career-ending,” men’s soccer head coach Paul Holocher said.

For athletes dealing with moderate to severe injuries and longer recoveries, the challenge is manifold. Many of them oriented their lives around physical proficiency, and now have difficulty with day-to-day tasks. Others miss the camaraderie of a team, or have difficulty taking the time off to recover.

“There’s a big emotional component to injuries usually,” women’s tennis coach Hugh Bream said. “As an athlete you put about 20 hours a week into your sport.”

During the recovery process from a disabling injury, many players deal with a sense of loss that can quickly slip into depression.

“I want to be playing still,” senior defender Josh Didion said. “I feel like a chunk of my life is missing.”

Didion, the oldest player on the men’s soccer team, underwent hip surgery this summer, in hopes of continuing to compete at Cal Poly.

Many athletes are so used to competing and training it’s hard to step out of that mentality.

“I’ve been playing tennis my whole life,” 2009 Big West Freshman of the Year Andre Dome said. “I’ve never really taken a break. I played almost every single day. Now it’s depressing because I can’t be out there.”

Dome injured his hip last fall while competing in a tournament in Las Vegas, and will possibly have to undergo surgery in the near-future.

“I’m prepared to go under the knife to get this fixed,” Dome said. “I’ve been injured since I got to college. I just want to feel healthy. That’s the number one thing.”

Another factor that injured athletes deal with is the reality that many might never return to their pre-injury ability.

“The weird thing about doing surgery is you don’t know if it will turn out OK,” Didion said. “And the sad thing is that once you get surgery, you’re never going to be the player you once were.”

Many athletes, accustomed to an active lifestyle, have difficulty taking the time to heal fully, and so find themselves injured over and over.

“The hardest thing to do is take the time off to get healthy. I’ve never done it. I know a lot of guys who never do it,” Didion said.

To go from a tight-knit team to watching from the sidelines challenges many athletes.

“The biggest problem for players is that when they’re injured they don’t feel like they’re contributing to the team,” said assistant soccer coach Ziggy Korytoski.

“When you’re looked at as one of the main guys on the team, if you can’t play, it’s very stressful. I’d even say depressing. You go to the training room, you do whatever you can to get back out there,” Didion said.

Athletic injuries tend to fall into two categories, according to James Eggen, assistant athletic trainer in the Cal Poly training room. Contact sports such as soccer and football see more “definitive,” or acute injuries. Sports such as swimming, running and tennis on the other hand, tend to deal with over-use issues such as stress fractures or tendinitis.

When one of Cal Poly’s intercollegiate athletes gets hurt, they head to the training room in Mott’s Gym. The training center is acutely aware of the mental aspect of injury.

“We see them daily. We see how they’re doing emotionally as well as physically. We treat the whole athlete,” head trainer Kristal Slover said, adding that they work closely in conjunction with the counseling, as well as the Health Center.

ASI club sports athletes, on the other hand, generally go to the Health Center, or off-campus providers such as San Luis Club Therapy.

While there is no strict protocol for deciding if a player will be benched, “We’re always going to opt for what is safest for the athlete,” said David Harris M.D., head of medical services at the Cal Poly Health Center. “We leave a lot of these decisions to the training room.”

Financial consideration does not change on account of being unable to play.

“You don’t lose scholarship for being injured. That’s not the fault of the athlete,” Korytoski said.

During my most recent trip to Ralph’s grocery store, I found myself standing in the produce section  debating which variety of apple to select. Some of the Gala Apples boasted a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Certified Organic sticker and had a price tag listing of $2.29 per pound. The others simply labeled “Gala Apples” had no indication of being organic and cost $0.49 per pound.

I found myself wondering: Is buying the organic option worth the extra money? It seems that every food now comes in an “organic” variety, from spaghetti sauce to packaged cookies to fresh produce. When faced with a decision between two varieties of food, one costing less than the other, college students might be inclined to pick the cheaper option.

After some research, in most cases, I would say that buying the organic option is not worth the extra cost. As a cash-strapped student, I could do without a 50 to 200 percent price increase on groceries and feel that the evidence regarding health effects between non-organic and organic is too inconclusive to take into account.

Before delving into my reasoning, the term “organic” should be made clear. According to the USDA, “Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, bioengineering or ionizing radiation.”

How much more does it cost to go organic? I went into a local grocery store with a small list of things I typically buy on a weekly basis.

Here are a few of the 10 items I compared:

Non-organic Grade AA eggs (12 eggs): $2.99 vs. Organic Grade AA eggs (12 eggs): $4.99

Non-organic 1% milk (half gallon): $1.99 vs. Organic 1% milk (half gallon): $4.79

Non-organic Gala Apples (1 pound): $.49 vs. Organic Gala Apples (1 pound): $2.29

Non-organic Ragu pasta sauce (10 oz): $2.63 vs. Organic Ragu pasta sauce (10 oz.): $3.99

Based on this list, the difference in price for non-organic vs. organic was $13.66 or a 58 percent increase. The food items I looked at are just a portion of what I usually buy each week. I generally spend about $80 per week on groceries, which if increased by 58 percent would be about a $46 increase. In a year, I could potentially be spending about $2,400 more on groceries by switching to a completely organic diet.

Is it worth the extra cost? Rob Rutherford, a Cal Poly professor of animal science, describes why he chooses to buy organic food.

“Health is a condition of homeostasis. There is a balance of all the microorganisms in the soil. If we do something to destroy the balance of the soil, we are destroying the balance of food and the balance of us,” Rutherford said.

His reasoning for this all goes back to a quote that says that humankind owes its existence to the fact that there is six inches of soil and the fact that it rains. These natural phenomena should not be tampered with, he said.

While Rutherford might think that using pesticides destroys the natural balance of nature, some studies show that eating organic vs. non-organic do not show any drastic differences.

In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was determined that there were a small number of differences in nutrition between organic and conventionally produced food but not large enough to be of any public health relevance.

What should you buy?

Another study, published by the USDA, found that if deciding to go on a partial organic diet, a few food items should always be bought organic due to consistently higher levels of pesticide residue in their conventionally grown counterparts.

Based on an analysis of more than 100,000 U.S. government pesticide test results, researchers at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a research and advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C., have developed the “Dirty Dozen” fruits and vegetables: apples, cherries, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries, bell peppers, celery, potatoes and spinach. The “Dirty Dozen” all have a very thin skin, which makes it easier for pesticides to seep in.

As organic foods gain popularity, I think prices will decrease. For the time being, however, I plan to buy based on what research has discovered by buying the “dirty dozen” produce organically whenever possible, and sticking to conventional foods when it comes to processed food to save some cash. In the long run, I would like to add more organic foods to my diet when my budget allows, not just for the potential benefits on my health, but also for benefits organic farming has on the environment.

Katie Koschalk is a journalism senior and Mustang Daily reporter.

Bethany Abelson is a food science senior and Mustang Daily food columnist. Her column, “Kosher in the Kitchen” is a weekly column that will appear on Thursdays.

A five pound burrito, 50 or more hot dogs and hot wings so spicy you have to sign a waiver to eat them — sounds like enough food to feed an army . In the world of competitive eating, these are just a few examples of what could be devoured in a single competition. One of the most famous competitions is Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island during the Fourth of July. There are many others out there, including local restaurants that enable people to test their eating abilities.

If someone says competitive eating is not a real sport, they may need to think again or call up the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE), which established eating as a sport in the 1990s. It hosts more than 100 major league eating events worldwide and will award nearly $400,000 in prize money this year.

The Association of Independent Competitive Eaters (AICE) holds contests as well. They are different from the IFOCE because they forbid the dunking of foods in water, a practice which allows the food to be more easily broken down.

Training for a competitive eating contest can be compared to training for a foot race. You have to practice daily, work your way up and push yourself to your utmost limits. Competitive eater Takiro Kobayashi was featured on a segment of MTV’s “True Life: I am a competitive eater,” where he was shown going through his various training methods.

He would eat large quantities of different amounts of foods, drink a lot of water over a short period of time to stretch his stomach and eat large quantities of low calorie foods (like vegetables and pasta) along with a lot of water. Kobayashi emphasized the importance of exercising and staying fit, which seems ironic for a competitive eater, but he maintains a six pack and is not overweight at all.

Moving on to the biggest worry with competitive eating — health and long term effects on the body. Of course, the obvious health problem would be excessive weight gain, which could lead to obesity.

Studies from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine tested a competitive eater immediately after eating excessive amounts of food and found “the stomach failed to have normal muscle contractions called peristalsis, a function which transfers food from the stomach down the digestive tract.”

Other medical professionals said it can lead to ulcers and the large amounts of water consumed can lead to water intoxication. Another concern is the condition gastroparesis, which can occur when the stomach is stretched routinely beyond its capacity, causing indigestion, nausea and vomiting.

There are some local eating challenges in San Luis Obispo and cities close by. Franks, located on the corner of Monterey and California, has a challenge on Mondays to see if you can eat 10 of their mini hamburgers. Sylvester’s, on Santa Ynez Avenue off of 10th street from Los Osos Valley Road, challenges you to eat their gigantic, tray-sized hamburger, which you even have to order the day before.

All in all, competitive eating is a sport where the negatives can sometimes outweigh the positives. I’m a fan and give props to all those who go out and compete.

Since large competitive eating competitions do not occur often, I suggest you watch the show “Man v. Food” on the travel channel Wednesday nights at 10. Adam Richman, the show’s host, is not a competitive eater in the training sense, but he competes in eating challenges at various restaurants around the country. He is pretty inspiring and makes you want to try the restaurants out.

Competitive eating is a great example of how doing something too much can hurt you, but in moderate amounts you should be OK. So the next time you are hesitating to try that eating challenge, remember that doing it one time won’t kill you. So put on your game face, tell your stomach who’s boss and come out on top in the challenge of man against food.

The films were chosen by local movie lover Bob Banner, who runs Novel Experience Bookstore on Higuera Street and owns the HopeDance film collection which includes documentaries on many subjects. Courtesy photo.

The “Film for Thought” Film Festival next week offers an opportunity for the people of San Luis Obispo to learn about some of the social and economic issues related to food and health. Presented by HopeDance Films and New Frontiers Natural Marketplace, the festival will screen one film a night at 7 p.m. from Oct. 24-30, leading up to the HANDs on Health Symposium Oct. 30-31 at the Recreation Center on campus.

The documentaries cover a variety of topics related to food, many of which are currently under fierce debate. “Killer at Large” examines the threat posed to America by the spread of obesity, and “Fresh” explores the idea of stopping to think about where, how, and by whom our food is produced. Many of the films feature well-known experts on food and health, including Michael Pollan and Joel Salatin.

The films were chosen by local movie lover Bob Banner, who runs Novel Experience Bookstore on Higuera Street and owns the HopeDance film collection which includes documentaries on many subjects.

“These films focus on topics like obesity, sustainable food systems, overfishing, grass-fed beef, raw food, and successful farm to school programs. Some of the films may be unconventional or even a little shocking, but I want to show what’s really going on as well as what is possible,” said Banner.

Banner is the editor and publisher of “HopeDance,” an online publication that focuses on issues and activities related to creating a sustainable future. He also runs “Edible SLO,” a local magazine that is dedicated to all things related to healthy food and its importance.

“Most people believe that everything is fine, and they don’t see the reality of the decisions that are being made daily about how we access our food. If these films get people to start talking about these issues let alone making healthier choices, that’s a big giant leap,” Banner commented.

Tanushree Bose was also involved in the selection of the films for the festival. A professor in the Cal Poly department of nutrition and a believer in being aware of the issues surrounding our food, Bose spent many years studying genetics and the physical and habitual causes of obesity. She will also be giving a speech after the screening of “Killer at Large.”

“These films are documenting reality,” she said. “They focus on a very captivating medium, and they really get people thinking. The topics include relevant issues like why school lunches in America are so abysmal or how prevalent corn is in our diets, and I hope that students see their importance.”

Professor Bose is also a strong supporter of Cal Poly’s recently established Slow Foods on Campus chapter. Slow Foods on Campus (a division of Slow Foods USA) is a network of student groups at universities across America that work to improve the university’s food system.

The film festival addresses issues that are also important to Cal Poly students. Sophomore biology student Alyssa Semerdjian said that “I think this festival is a really good idea. You can’t ever be too educated about health and healthy eating.”

Another group closely connected with the festival is a research project created by the Cal Poly kinesiology department called Science through Translational Research in Diet and Exercise, or STRIDE. This group is committed to spreading awareness about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and promoting activities and events that foster healthy living.

STRIDE is hosting the first HANDs on Health Symposium at the end of this month. Stephanie Teaford is the community liaison between STRIDE and the city of San Luis Obispo, and was directly involved in organizing the festival.

“When I saw these films, I was inspired to make this festival happen. Many of the films relate directly to the message we try to send and the work we’re doing with issues like obesity and sustainability,” she said.

Donations of $5-7 are encouraged and refreshments may be provided by local sustainable caterers.

All films from the festival are to be shown at the SLO County Public Library, except for the film shown on Oct. 27 which will be shown at the Templeton Community Center, and Oct. 29 which will be shown at the Tullius Chiropractic & Pilates Center in Grover Beach.