Do you start the day with a hot cup of java? If so, you’re among millions who do. For years, coffee has been branded as a bad guy in the beverage family. Does this drink deserve its bad reputation? The latest studies may prompt you to raise a mug and cheer.

Benefits: Did you know that coffee is a very important source of antioxidants in our diets? Coffee provides more antioxidants than anything else, because coffee is consumed more frequently than any other source of antioxidants. Caffeine, another important compound in coffee, induces the production of certain enzymes that help neutralize some potential cancer-causing substances in the body. Drip coffeemakers yield more caffeine per cup than other brewing methods, including espresso.

Heart Disease. Men who drank more than five cups of coffee a day reduced their risk of developing heart disease by 44 percent. Women who drank four to five cups each day lowered their risk by 34 percent.

Dementia and Memory. Those drinking three to five cups of coffee a day during middle age can decrease the chance of dementia up to 65 percent. “Caffeine grows brain cells in the areas of the brain responsible for long-term memory,” state authors Bennett Alan Weinberg and Bonnie K. Bealer in The Caffeine Advantage. Caffeine increases short-term memory, concentration, and the ability to think clearly.

Diabetes. Drinking six or more cups of coffee daily reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes by 54 percent in men and 30 percent in women.

Lung Health and Asthma Relief. The chemical makeup of the caffeine in coffee can give the same effect as the asthma drug, theophylline. Caffeine helps expand air passages and keeps the respiratory muscles strong. Drinking two cups of coffee can help you breathe better for up to four hours.

And the list goes on … To read more benefits of moderate coffee drinking, pick up a copy of the 2012 Farmers’ Almanac!

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As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog. Please feel free to use my back door to the MLS and search the houses available in the Reno/Sparks and most Northwest Nevada neighborhoods. I can be reached by email @ chance@ballard-company.comhttp://www.myspace.com/chancegates .  You can also follow me at http://www.twitter.com/chancegates .  If you are behind on your house payment and looking for a loan modification, go to making homes affordable For a free copy of my report   “5 Steps For Reno/Sparks Homeowners To Prevent Foreclosures” go to my about page http://chancegates.com/about and ask for more information on preventing foreclosures. or   to request a modification.  If the modification fails, contact your local real estate professional to help short sale your home.  To make sure there is no deficiency judgment a homeowner might find it necessary to hire an attorney.

It is time to take a break from Reno/Sparks real estate and talk about the Reno Wine Walk

This Saturday  March 20     2 to 5 pm

$20 a glass per person.

Take a stroll along the river walk and savor Reno’s exciting urban renaissance.

go to http://www.winewalkreno.com/ to find where to purchase your commemorative wine glass and map.

The Reno Wine Walk is held  on the third Saturday of every month.

As a Reno/Sparks real estate consultant I always welcome any comments or questions on the Reno/Sparks real estate or any of the articles I posted.  You can email me directly at  chance at ballard-company.com

My wife and I were talking about where to go for breakfast, somehow  we decided it would be nice to try the Gold Dust West.  Like any casino it has changed drastically since my drinking days.  The coffee shop seemed to be in the same spot although it has gone through some major upgrades.  The staff was friendly, the service was good and the prices were reasonable.  The patty links were a little over cooked but the food was still really good.  My biggest complaint would have to be the food arrived before I even had time to finish my first cup of coffee,  something my wife really enjoyed.   I will go to the Gold Dust West again, it was an enjoyable experience.

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions or comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted on this blog.  I can be reached by email at:   chance at ballard-company.com or http://www.myspace.com/chancegates

As a full time Reno/Sparks Realtor, I learned that I need to spoil my wife on occasion.  So I took her to the Siena  Hotel for breakfast the other morning and was not impressed to say the least.  Service was a little slow, and the food  was a little undercooked.  However, being a positive person I try and look for the good in most things.  So on the bright side, the coffee was pretty good and one of the bus boys was pretty quick.  Which at least aloud me to have some quality time with the wife and some good coffee at the same time.

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions or comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted on this blog.  I can be reached by email at:   chance at ballard-company.com or http://www.myspace.com/chancegates