Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/65581
Diversions Coffee When coffee and trucking intersect T The daily grind by SEAN RANDALL he morning brew drunk round the world knows no bounds or unwelcomed corners — coffee is available just about everywhere, and it's quite the shape-shifter. Love it or hate it, coffee's been around throughout history, and it's more than just a drink: It's still one of the healthiest ways to get a caffeine fix when you need a boost. It has its issues, but experts are finding more and more benefits to drinking coffee, ones that aren't lost on truck drivers. Cassius Gibson, an owner- operator from Salters, S.C., leased to Dart Transit, says he drinks about two cups of coffee a day, and energy drinks don't work for him. "First thing in the DRIVERS' TAKES Steven Zepplin, a company driver for Dartco Inc., says, "I drink four to fi ve cups a week, mostly when I sit down to eat. "I prefer drinking soda and water. I don't have to worry about it getting cold. If I drink something hot in the truck, it's usually hot chocolate or apple cider," the Dale, Wis., resident says. For Jeremy Bivens, company driver for Atlas Van Lines from Oak Ridge, Tenn., there's no reason to try and stay awake when he's tired, and coffee is just another drink he happens to drink about once a day. "I drink orange Fanta sometimes," Bivens says. "Other times, it's tea or water. I don't drink [coffee] to stay awake. If I'm tired, I go to bed." 22 | TRUCKERS NEWS | JUNE 2012 morning, that caffeine gets you going," says Gibson, who brews his own coffee in his truck. Eddie Parham, owner-operator from Forest Hill, La., leased to Lakeview Nursery, also drinks two cups when he gets up to start his day. But for him, it's not about staying awake on the road. "I think it's just habit," Parham says. "I've been drinking coffee since I was a kid. Once you get tired, the best thing to do is just stop." COFFEE'S HEALTH DEBATE You may have heard warnings that coffee will cause heart disease and cancer, but recent studies show there isn't a need to panic or abandon your morning cup. Dr. Donald Hensrud, associate professor of preventative medi- cine and nutrition at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, says in an article on the Mayo Clinic website, "Recent studies have generally found no connection between coffee and an increased risk of cancer or heart disease." While there are some risks to drinking large amounts of coffee, such as mild elevation in cholesterol and increased risks of heart disease in people with a specific genetic mutation, there are some benefits, too. "Newer studies have also shown that coffee may have benefits, such as protecting against Parkinson's disease, Type 2 diabetes and liver cancer," Hensrud's article says. Coffee is