Caffeine and its impact on human health and society

Question 1

Caffeine and its impact on human health and society

Introduction

Caffeine is a drug and has an effect on human health like any other drug substance. It is relevant to know the impacts of caffeine and how they interact with the body in regard to personal health. Caffeine is considered as a natural alkaloid that is produced from the coffee beans. It is perhaps the most ingested pharmacologically element in the world.  There is a high possibility that caffeine has an effect on human health.  Caffeine is primarily produced by coffee. When it is absorbed it is distributed through the entire body. Caffeine has effects on human behavior, cardiovascular effects and general toxicity.

Therefore, the main argument on this paper is that caffeine has no nutritional value on its own and has negative side effects related to cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and central nervous systems.

Impacts of caffeine on human health

Caffeine is a stimulant of the central nervous systems. It also acts on the gastrointestinal and cardiovascular system (Nawrot et al., 2003). Caffeine increases the acid amount in the stomach and may lead to heartburn and stomach upset. Caffeine also affects the level of blood pressure. It increases the blood pressure level for a short while which is thought to be caused by increased adrenaline. An overdose of caffeine may lead to increased heartbeat and breathing difficulties. Caffeine also affects bones due to calcium absorption. Large amounts of caffeine affect the metabolism and absorption of calcium. It blocks the adenosine (brain signaling) receptors that are important for sleep. Hence caffeine blocks this process. It is evident that caffeine interacts negatively with drugs that are relied on psychiatric treatment. It also leads to anxiety, bad moods, Low performance, shaking and diuresis.

Caffeine has also been known for increased alertness. Another negative effect of caffeine is that it causes dehydration in the body and impacts digestion.  It blocks the absorption of calcium and magnesium which are key minerals that are essential for colon’s regulation for healthy and normal bowel movements. Caffeine can also cause restlessness, nervousness’s, insomnia, vomiting and nausea, increased heartbeat and breathing rate among other side effects (Ranheim and Halvorsen, 2005).

Counter argument

Caffeine has the ability to create a barrier to the brain signaling molecule (adenosine). This leads to increase in other ways of signaling molecules such as norepinephrine. This is thought to benefit the brain function and mood. Caffeine is also effective because it improves the use of fat as fuel. This is efficient because it helps in the storage of glucose in the muscles which last longer hence increasing the time taken to increase muscles for exhaustion. Coffee decreases depression and improves cognitive function.

Question 2

Scent marketing

1. Aroma billboard scent marketing

Smell is considered as the most powerful and influential in terms of sense. This makes aroma billboard scent marketing important for a real estate agent. Through the use of scent, they are able to get a closer connection with their customers. Creating more memorable emotional connections and memorable experiences are important to win customers and also long-term loyalty and brand identity (Morrin, 2011). The scent will create new customers and increase sale. It will also increase brand recognition and satisfaction of the customer. This type of scent marketing is utilized by the real estate agents in order to attract more customers. The sense of smell on consumers is believed to be 75% which can influence the daily emotions of consumers.  The close connection between emotions and memory is considered to be the power behind the smell.  This is because the sense receptors affect the brain which is responsible for emotion and memory. Aroma billboard scent marketing is important in creating perceptions on quality to the customers. Customers have to be perceived through scented products and a space that will bring quality.

1. Thematic scent marketing

This is considered as the smell which is an overall atmosphere of the retail space (Morrin, 2011).  This smell is relevant despite it being not as deliberate as aroma billboard scent marketing. This smell complements purpose and décor. This scent is important because it will make the customers to loiter around the stores and look around more.  These scents will make customers remember and create associations in their memory. The results of this type of scent marketing bring happier customers that linger longer and remember the brand of the company.  Diffusing the most effective and efficient scent will reinforce and create a better ambience for the consumers and brand identity. This is will important for the business because they will differentiate them from their competitors in the market. Placing customers in the scented area will contribute to more attraction that unscented one.

 

1. Scent branding

This is utilizing logos for brand identity. This is whereby the brand contains unique characteristics much like a graphic logo. This is less significant in the promotion of customers because the signature scent has to consistent with the image of the brand present. This is because it has to be accompanied by other scent marketing to enhance smell that will attract customers. Gingerbread does not require personality of the brand but will require a unique aroma that will attract more customers. Images are less relevant for this product as compared to an emotional response from the smell and aroma.

Question 3

(A) What problem(s) are these organizations trying to solve?

Some of the crops from developing countries are being imported and produced in socially and environmentally unstable ways. Trading organizations have been faced with challenges related to working conditions, ensuring minimal returns and sustainable environmental production (Raynolds, 2002). They have to need to increase awareness and improve the availability of various products being exported. They are trying to ensure that the small producers are not excluded and that they share equal profits with their workers. They have aimed at eliminating short-term profits that have led to environmental sustainability challenges. They have turned around to ensure that the small farmers are able to access financial support hence building their capacity.

(B) How do certification programs work to meet these goals?

Certified programs will ensure that the companies care about their employees and that their working conditions are good. Being certified will ensure that fairness runs through daily operations. This is whereby these programs will ensure that social, environmental and economic standards are meet hence sustainable sourcing.  These programs have increased awareness that has contributed to the improved sustainability of a variety of products. They have been able to access different products and ensure that they meet the required standards.  These programs will also solve the problem related to lasting connections with a supply chain that will ensure reliable network (Raynolds,2002). Stable market outlet and better prices through the certification program that will promote consumer welfare.

(C) Some argue that these programs are not effective. What are these arguments? Do you agree or disagree with them?

I disagree with the opinion that the certification programs are not effective. This is because these programs have helped producers in developed countries to attain better trading conditions that have promoted sustainable products. They have also improved environmental and social standards. These programs are important because they have ensured that certain products have passed quality assurance and performance tests. They have focused on certain commodities and products that are being exported to developed countries from developing countries. They have promoted equity in international trading through transparency. These programs have also promoted sustainable development through enhancing better trading conditions. They have secured the rights of marginalized workers and producers the developing nations. They have also bought products from the developing nations at a fair price which has been an efficient means of enhancing sustainable development. It has been debated that certification programs have increased responsibility reasons that have promoted the meeting of specific agreed standards. These programs have enabled small producers to have fair terms of trade, better working condition and suitable prices. These reasons support the need for certification programs due to their positive effect on products, environment, producers and workers.

Question 4

1. Triangle trade

Triangle trade indicates trade among three regions.  Triangle trade is where a region has export commodities that are not needed in the region from where it receives main imports. Therefore, triangle trade is a method of rectifying the imbalance of trade between the three regions. Slave trade in the Caribbean sugar plantations was considered as a part of the highly beneficial triangle of trade that covered the Atlantic (Dunn, 2012). This is because the manufactured goods were being exported to West Africa for slaves. They were then shipped to the sugar plantations to their colonies. Millions of slaves were brought to the Caribbean to work on the sugar plantations.  The labor enslaved Africans for the sugar cultivation and the production of sugar. Triangle trade was evident because the manufactured goods that were exported to West Africa for exchange with slaves. In order for them to have slaves in their plantations, they would trade cash crops such as molasses, rum, sugar and wood (Sandiford,2000). Slaves would be captured and then taken to the coast of Africa where they would trade with the European in return for liquor and arms. This led to more brutality because they had exchanged their goods for slaves. fitting out a ship with slaves in the triangle trade was a costly and time-consuming business that contributed to brutality because they had purchased the slaves.

1. factors that led to brutality.

The population of slaves led to increased brutality. The number of slaves increased hence outnumbering the population of whites in the region.  The slaves began to rebel against their masters and at some point, killed their masters. Survival was their immediate goal. This led to increased brutality in order to reduce empowering slaves.  The black persons were trying to abolish slavery and be free. They had to increase brutality on the slaves in order to oppress and enslave them. Fear of rebellion also led to increased brutality (Pons, 2007). There was fear that the slaves would be rebellious hence degrading and brutality such as rape and sexual abuse were common. The slaves were prohibited from religious meetings and reading in order to prevent them from facilitating their rebellion.

1. Transition to sugar beets

Sugar beets were considered to be more profitable than the sugarcane production. Health concerns that were related to sugar beets led to increased demand for sugar beets. The sugar beets have replaced the sugarcane in continental Europe because of their production cost (Cheesman,2004). Sugar beets by-products can be used in the production of molasses which is an animal food supplement. It also contains additives for fiber dietary food which are important for health. Its water efficiency increased its significant growth as a sugar crop hence dominating sugar cane.

 

 

References

Cheesman, O. D. (2004). Environmental impacts of sugar production: the cultivation and processing of sugarcane and sugar beet. CABI publishing.

Dunn, R. S. (2012). Sugar and slaves: The rise of the planter class in the English West Indies, 1624-1713. UNC Press Books.

Morrin, M. (2011). Scent marketing: An overview. In Sensory Marketing (pp. 105-116). Routledge.

Nawrot, P., Jordan, S., Eastwood, J., Rotstein, J., Hugenholtz, A., & Feeley, M. (2003). Effects of caffeine on human health. Food Additives & Contaminants, 20(1), 1-30.

Pons, F. M. (2007). History of the Caribbean: plantations, trade, and war in the Atlantic world. Markus Wiener Pub.

Ranheim, T., & Halvorsen, B. (2005). Coffee consumption and human health–beneficial or detrimental?–Mechanisms for effects of coffee consumption on different risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Molecular nutrition & food research, 49(3), 274-284.

Raynolds, L. T. (2002). Consumer/producer links in fair trade coffee networks. Sociologia ruralis, 42(4), 404-424.

Sandiford, K. A. (2000). The Cultural Politics of Sugar: Caribbean Slavery and Narratives of Colonialism. Cambridge University Press.