Caffeine, blood pressure, stomach irritation, and wise one advice .....

Last night I went to my local gym. Quite a fancy joint, in fact. Double storey, inside 220m running and walking track; two heated swimming pools; a squash court; weights section (plus obligatory mirrors) for young men and a few women to grow their biceps; stationary bikes and treadmills; two aerobics rooms and much more.

I joined two months ago for a number of reasons, mainly to lose weight and bring down my blood pressure. The latter had crept up slowly over the past few years into borderline zones, and as I emerge from a family of hypertensives and diabetics, the time and opportunity had arrived to do something about it. The former reason, that is the middle age spread, was, I am sure, the result of good food, too much reading and listening, but not enough exercise.

And for the last two months, together with my sons joining my routine at certain times, there was I walking and stretching and jogging and cycling and doing the super circuit. My kids informed me there was a cool machine that measures weight, height, and blood pressure, and talks back in an American accent. At the end of most sessions both my weight and height remained constant but the blood pressure remained stubbornly high.

My wise one, meaning my wife, suggested that the main culprit was my love and enjoyment of a strong cup of coffee first thing in the morning, followed by a delicious cappachinno about mid-morning. Also probably irritating my gut. No ways, I argued, defending the impossible. I was, as the addicts, say, in denial. The gentle stimulant as described by the coffee industry in moderate doses is good for health.

To cut a long story short, I went into caffeine withdrawal: the first day I do not remember as most of the daylight time was spent asleep under a warm, cozy duvet. The second day I was irritable, grumpy, unfocused, and my family just wanted me to go away and do something useful off site.The third day, I awoke with a frontal headache, drank a few glasses of water, meditated for a half hour and suddenly at 9 am noticed a clarity, a newness of being within my consciousness. Headache gone, irritability gone. Measured my blood pressure, slight decrease, weight the same- remember only coffee withdrawal, nothing else was reduced, yet.

But last night, 9 days after having my last caffeine molecule, my blood pressure measured 117/75. Wow! Told my wise one, as soon as I returned home. Gave me the look that says it all, (you know what I mean; in case not: "And who has been telling you it is the caffeine.)

"My BP is like an 18 year old's," I winked. Another look came back, which after 23 years marriage interprets as: "And what do you want to do, my dear husband, when you finally grow up??"

And by the way, not a bit of gut irritation the past ten days.

Moral of the story: Think carefully about caffeine, rather if need be, a small daily piece of 85% cocoa - dark chocolate. To be continued...