For Your Coffee, Thank the Sheep

For Your Coffee, Thank the Sheep 

by Bill Russo - Author @ Smashwords, Amazon, Apple 

It's true, Coffee, that good ol' standby that kickstarts your day, might never have reached your breakfast table without the lucky foraging of a herd of sheep.

According to the legend, about 1200 years ago, a lone shepherd and his flock came across a strange and unknown plant growing upon a secluded hillside. 

Before he was aware of it, some of his herd began chomping on bunches of unusual red berries on the bushes. berry. Within minutes the man noticed that the animals were behaving in an odd fashion.

Not only did they seem especially alert but they also appeared to be extremely hyperactive. Being very tired and quite sleepy,  the shepherd decided to try the berries for himself, to see if the results would be the same for him as they had been for the flock.

To his great delight, the shepherd began to feel wide awake and he too became very alert. Some time later,  a roving Monk wandered by.  Upon being informed of the berries' amazing qualities, the cleric proceeded to scold the meek shepherd and lecture him on his foolish indulgence. 

After he had finished telling the shepherd just what a sinner he was,  the monk resumed his travels, but not before he adding a few pounds of the berries to his supplies.

Back at the monastery the monks tried the new and exciting substance. Soon the endless hours of praying were passed easily, thanks to the juice of the berries.  

Widespread use of the berry juice started in the Ethiopian lands before migrating on to the Arabian outlands. For many years it was guarded and keep secret as a sacred substance.  An enterprising merchant named Baba Budan, began illegally exporting the new beverage that we call coffee and it began to be distributed to a wide area. 

Word of its qualities spread rapidly from then on, and within a few years coffee emerged as one of the most valued commodities of all time.  

In the 21st century, people drink an amazing four billion cups every year, making it the most popular prepared beverage on the planet.

Although coffee is mainly known as a sleep suppressant there are those who consider coffee to have many health benefits. It is thought that people who suffer from asthma and partake of the beverage have at least 25% less symptoms which may be due to a substance in coffee called theophylline. This is known as a bronchodilator and quite simply it is thought to help those who suffer with the disease to breath with a little more ease. 

Drinking coffee on a daily basis is also thought to help lower your chances of developing colon cancer by a figure also in the region of about 25%. This may be due to the fact that coffee helps to keep you regular. Coffee can do more than just help you get through your day! 

I'm not sure if the medical community has caught on to the benefits of coffee yet.  When my doctor asked me if I drink coffee, I was afraid she might scold me. I tried to make a bit of a joke by replying, "Well, I try to drink the recommended amount - you know, between three and six cups a day."

She laughed and didn't press the subject further, so I will take that as a 'Doctor's Endorsement' and recommend that amount for you.  Have that second cup of coffee without guilt!  

As for me, I'll take at least three!

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