I don't deny that it's great to have friends who are in the health industry. They can dish out advice and shed light on many health issues which are otherwise elusive to us aka commoners. A good example is The Best Friend; she buys me antibiotics, supplements and other pharmaceutical products at a cheaper rate and tells me what cervical cancer is about. Plus she's really good in Chemistry which makes her The Brother's official tutor. This is one reason I'm staying friends with her. LOL.

Then again, medical practitioners sometimes tend to overstep their professional boundaries and cannot start a meal without first warning about the amount of calories in each glass of Milo (and the distance one has to run to lose it), the cholesterol level in prawns or the zinc/iron/steel/whatever level in seafood.

Let me get straight to the point. You can throw me a disgusted stare if I'm eating and praising totally subprime food. But you will never stop me from eating my Puay Huat minced pork noodles, with every sesame oil, chilli oil and fried pork lard included.

Last night, I had a dinner gathering with the girls to celebrate Liming's birthday. Still waiting for the rest of the perpetual late-comers, I urged two girl friends to place their orders first. While at it, I declined any drinks. I cited Starbucks is across the road and I wanted to have my caffeine fix there after the meal. A girl friend's eyes immediately flicked to me, wide open. Like I've committed the biggest taboo, she asked if I knew what caffeine could implicate. Somehow I had a bad premonition. I furrowed my brows a little and wondered if she's going to 101 me about osteoporosis.

In a slow prolonged drawl, she said, "Donnn't youuu knooow... coffee causes osteoporousisss... Next time I will see youuu in my hospitaaal."

I froze. I looked at her with my brows knitted and tangled all over. I've never felt like bitch-slapping any homo sapien as much I wanted to at that very second.

There is a mighty fine line between giving concerned advice and being bitchy. MIGHTY FINE LINE. (Yes Best Friend, I'm trying not to use profanes here)

I offered a weak smile and turned my face away because I might just give in to the urge to spit at her face. Nobody, I mean nobody, puts my latte in a corner. Especially not with that bitch-slap-friendly face.

Thanks but the tone the expression the mention of hospital... it's akin to warning me that I better start believing in God before He strikes earth with his stuff, otherwise express lane to hell is waiting for me. Pleez.

In fact, I could list out so many reasons why caffeine is the next best gift from God. (First being the cacao tree)

With moderated intake:

1. Caffeine enhances brain stimulation and alertness
2. Caffeine improves the working of Short-term Memory (STM)
3. The high level of anti-oxidants in caffeine protect us from damaging free-radicals
4. Caffeine reduces stiffness in muscles and rid of muscle-aches (Good drink the morning after a long run)
5. Caffeine consumption decreases the risk of Parkinson's disease, and delay the onset of it
6. Caffeine protects against cirrhosis of the liver
7. Caffeine protects against gallbladder disease
8. Caffeine protects against colon cancer
9. Caffeine protects against heart disease
10. Caffeine offers a laxative effect for some (good for those with constipation)
11. Caffeine is used to treat headaches and asthma
12. Caffeine has shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, which proves to be beneficial for diabetes
13. A cup of coffee after lunch counters the 'post-lunch dip'
14. Caffeine calms and reduces anxiety and depression
15. Trigonelline, a compound in coffee, has anti-adhesive and antibacterial properties, which helps prevent cavities
16. A coffee break with colleagues helps in team bonding and office gossip-spreading (very healthy)

So if you have had a loooong day at work, beer - which gives you infinite gas, burps and a bloated stomach - is not the only way out. A cuppa warm gourmet coffee gives a good level of comfort too. So you know what my stand is: put your 'hospital scare' tactic away cos ain't nobody is keeping me away from my cafe latte.

Black as the devil, Hot as hell,
Pure as an angel, Sweet as love.

- Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord