Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the UK, with up to 100 million cups consumed daily.
Although coffee is thought to have many health benefits, such as helping prevent type 2 diabetes and boosting weight loss efforts, it could also carry some risks, an expert has warned.
In a TikTok video, Doctor Poonam Desai, who goes by @doctoranddancer online, urged people not to drink coffee after a certain time of the day.
Speaking to her over 22,000 followers, Dr Desai explained why she never drinks coffee or consumes caffeine after midday.
“Caffeine has a half-life of five to six hours and could still linger in your system as bedtime approaches, preventing us from falling or staying asleep,” she said.
“So I really try to avoid any caffeinated drinks in the afternoon.”
Lack of sleep has been linked to a number of chronic health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity and depression.
According to the NHS, around one in three adults in the UK will have difficulty sleeping at least once in their life.
His advice is backed by research published in the journal Science Translational Medicine in 2015, which found that drinking the equivalent of a double espresso three hours before bed can set your body clock back almost an hour, causing thus a time difference.
Dr. Desai’s warning was part of a larger list of lifestyle habits to avoid or change for your health.
As reported by The Mirror, she said: “I’m a doctor and these are the five things I don’t do, or more, for my health.
“The first is to drink alcohol. No amount of alcohol is safe for our health.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, excessive alcohol consumption is associated with the development of chronic diseases and other health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease. and digestive problems.
It has also been linked to cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, larynx, liver, colon, and rectum.
Dr Desai then warned against using plastic containers for food.
“Plastic Tupperware, especially when heated, can release endocrine disruptors, which is why I don’t buy them anymore,” she said.
The National Institute of Environmental Health Services describes endocrine disruptors (EDCs) as chemicals that can mimic, block, or interfere with the body’s hormones, which are part of the endocrine system.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency states that these chemicals have been linked to a variety of health problems, including interference with reproduction, increased risk of cancer, and disruptions in immune and nervous system function.
Following up on Dr. Desai’s concerns about sleep disruption caused by caffeine, she recommended against regularly taking red-eye flights, which are flights that depart late at night and arrive early in the morning.
She said: “A flight with red eyes can significantly disrupt your sleep for a night, so I avoid taking them if possible. »
Dr Desai also urged people to never go a day without five different plant foods.
She added: “These can include fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. »
The five a day campaign was launched in the UK in 2003 following advice from the World Health Organization to eat at least 400 grams of fruit and vegetables a day.
