Figuring out coffee - antioxidants vs caffeine

Figuring out coffee

We Finns love our coffee. So much so that it is almost impossible to wean us out of this habit. I too recognize myself as a lover of coffee even though I must admit that overly consumption has certainly a number of demerit.

But what does the science say. Figuring this out turned out to be a task. As with every consumable, the dose makes the most poignant effect: too much is never enough. First of all, I had to determine what the pros and cons were, what other habits associated with drinking coffee, what were beneficial and what would later turn to be detrimental to person’s wellbeing.

It is known that coffee influences stomach acid production which combined with certain medical conditions weakening the gastric mucosal lining (notably Helicobacter pylori) aggravates stomach ulcers. So far it is left to personal discretion whether to avoid drinking coffee due to ulcers.

In certain medical circles, people are recommended not to consume too much acidic foods the reason being that these food items rob the human cells necessary electrons. Whereas alkaline foods serve as electron donors, relinquishing necessary voltage to operate the human circuitry. Dr. Jerry Tennant is one proponent of this view and his work with body electricity is phenomenal. Other pioneering visionary in my opinion is Max Gerson, who advocated the use of coffee enemas in stimulating the liver to produce key antioxidants like glutathione s-transferase to create up to whopping 700% increase.

Beyond this there always the question of caffeine and the stimulatory effect of coffee. It is estimated that too much caffeine is no good but also that various other ingredients in coffee work in favor of person’s wellbeing. Therefore, according to Joseph Mercola, it must be true for Finns as well as Americans that coffee is single biggest antioxidant providers in their diets. Most obvious benefits come in fighting adult diabetes.

I must say that I took a well-deserved pause from drinking caffeinated drinks. After a few days I felt better and had better time getting asleep. As with any other diet, I am compelled to believe that a change of rhythm is needed to get the most of out of the next cycle. This break gave me an opportunity appreciate the effects of coffee and realize how big a stimulant it really is. Unfortunately these days, many people suffer from insomnia, or have some issues falling asleep regularly. Recently, on a Nordic talking show, I heard a doctor suggest that drinking coffee past noon would hinder one’s ability to fall asleep. Once I tried to reduce the caffeine intake, I really felt tired in a way I hadn’t felt for a long time. A pleasant surprise.

So coffee itself is ok, but how about milk, sugar or creamers. I think most of use drinking black coffee have hard time with bitterness. Some are okay with it, but cutting the taste with toxic additives is indeed bad choice. A teaspoonful of ghee or MCT-oil will aid a lot and boost your morning fast.

There’s a well-documented reason to enjoy coffee and benefit from the social boost it provides. It gives us a nice opportunity to take a brief pause of daily toiling and rejuvenates the body. We can appreciate the boosting support it serves us but amidst all the pleasance we must stay vigilant otherwise the stimulant is used to mask our symptoms and hurl us towards the breaking point.

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Mizuno Rebula 2 V1 Made in Japan Review - Class and fine tuning

What has Mizuno achieved since abandoning the praised Wave Ignitus power boot series in favor of a lighter control category boot Rebula? First of all, in early 2019, Rebula is in its second iteration. This version includes some fine tuning elements even though the overall design and spirit had remained from the first version which came in 2016/17 season.

The heel is lined outside with synthetic mesh and inside with suede.

Second generation Rebula

So what has changed. I was eager to find out how the main design with control frame allowed the leather to stay malleable yet prevented extra stretching. This time around instead of a net-like design, the internal control frame included separate elements which made the boot a less restrictive than the previous model. To compensate the lack of locking webbed structure, the brand decided to replace the short tongue with an elasticated band that locks the ankle and gives additional support. Control frame has different design this time. Some of the pieces of foam underneath the leather are thicker as one can see in the picture below. Quite noticeable are the bigger stripes of memory foam laid under the inside of the foot. It is not still like the Mukaiten pad of past Wave Ignitus but still helps to dampen the touch. It can still vividly remember the Nike Maestri 360 Control boots with rubber pad located inside the instep.

The tongue is replaced with a band that wraps one's foot in place

All in all, this design change made the boot somewhat more accessible and provided roomier fit, even though the latter is negotiable and relies on one's foots' shape. For me, by chance, I was able to secure a pair of size 9 US, which is usually the size I wear the Morelias (9.5 for Morelia Neo bc they're narrow), the size was very low volume and demanded a rigorous break-in period before I felt comfortable wearing the boot in training. After some stretching and moulding into my feet, the boot provides a one-on-one glove like fit. Compared to the previous Indonesia made Mizuno Rebula, which I wear in size 9.5 US, Rebula 2 offers a very responsive touch and very limited space. Length-wise the boot fits perfect, but otherwise my foot felt very restricted. Moving half size up, the feel of the boot changes and one can enjoy the support of the control frame. Altogether, the mid section of the boot and heel feel a lot more forgiving and don't need as long a breaking time as the smaller size. The leather in made in Japan version is very durable and will in time adopt to your foot's curves. This should be the experience as well with any other made in Japan Mizuno cleats.

What then remains are the exquisite built quality and comfort of the Mizuno brand. The outsole hasn't changed either for better or for worse. It is a solid outsole, nice flexibility, support and reliable stud pattern for modern AG surfaces and firm grass fields. The takedown made in Indonesia models should come pretty close to competing brands such as Nike's Tiempo and Adidas's Copa silos.

Overall, the Rebula 2 V1 is a low-cut high quality scotchguarded leather firm ground football boot with nice innovation, outstanding built quality and ample comfort. However due to the lack of high profile players wearing Mizuno in the top European leagues, fewer people have the opportunity to encounter any of the brands product in local retailers (exactly the case in my native Finland). In my opinion, it equally rivals Tiempo and Copa silos. One big negative aspect of the boot is the high price tag where one is usually able to buy a MiJ version Mizuno cleat somewhere between 200–300 euros. It is one brand which I recommend buying solely on reduced price, but it is good to know that you really pay for quality and support local in Japan made craftsmanship. As for other brands, one cannot really know about the factory conditions in remote locations in the Far-East.

Similar designs

Compared to the other leather models in the market, what really sets Rebula aside from the rest. I think the closest rival from style and tech points of view is Nike Tiempo Legend 7 Elite. Tiempos run a half size smaller. In general, Nike sizes 9.5 US equals 43 in EU, whereas Mizuno 9 US is 42 EU. Therefore Rebula 2 V1 size 9 would equal 9.5 Tiempo Legend Elite.

Indonesian made Rebula V1 had more control frame

The newest Tiempo Legend 7 shares a number of other similarities with Rebula. Both have a more or less one piece leather design with internal support frames instead of old-school stitches. The outside of the heel is made of synthetic material. Both of the top models prefer an elasticated sock like structure to a classic tongue. Both have a suede heel liner and a grip insole even though Nike's insole has less grip and more porous padding than Mizuno's very plain yet effective design. Obviously the most notable differences concern the visuals of the boot, that and the variety of different outsole designs and takedown models of each brand.  

Other brands have some competitive models. These models include past Copas (18.1. & the most recent 19.1), Puma One and Umbro Medusae. Then again there are more classical leather shoes as the old Copa, Nike Premier, Adidas Gloro, Mizuno Morelia 2, Umbro Speciali, Puma King, Pantofola D'oro Lazzarini, Diadora and so forth.

Choose your size

Mizuno Rebula 2 V1 MiJ is a great control class football boot. Depending on your preference of fit or playstyle, I can recommend either going for true size (glove like responding narrow fit) or more liberating half size up for casual comfort. Both size options can result in having blisters but for different reasons. More often this occurs when the lockdown is not optimal and in hard turn the foot is given the opportunity to slide and rub against in the inside of the boot. Leather boots usually when very tight fitting will adapt to the shape of your foot after a warm up period. Although from a health point of view, it is usually good when growing up to have an additional room in the toe box to wiggle your toes. Very narrow and restrictive fit can result in cramping which is something any player wishes to avoid.

Who and where

In its own category, I find that Mizuno has done outstanding work in crafting an appealing football boot. As a FG variant, it can be used on modern artificial grass, but unfortunately like many of its current market contenders that are some understandable limitations. For instance, on wet and soggy natural grass fields, one cannot expect the kind of responsive traction than on optimal FG conditions. That said, there is a Made in Japan soft ground outsole version of Mizuno Rebula 2 V1, which people might've seen in this past summer's World Cup in Russia. Of all the variants out there, a custom made sg outsole is what people seem to prefer in professional football or at least that is my experience as I've witnessed pros wearing Mizuno in the English Premier League, such as Leicester's Shinji Okazaki or Southampton's Maya Yoshida.

Initial release colorway: Red Passion Pack was in use in the 2018 World Cup

Verdict

Visual appeal 8/10
Tech appeal 8/10
Innovation 9/10
Quality 10/10
Rarity 10/10
Full Retail Price to quality ratio 7/10
Availability 3/10
Performance 9/10

Links:

Here's a link to my Mizuno Rebula V1 best value leather review: https://finnballwizard.blogspot.com/2018/06/best-value-leather-football-boot-of.html

Here's another link to my review of the artificial grass version of Nike Tiempo Legend 7: https://finnballwizard.blogspot.com/2018/05/nike-tiempo-legend-7-ag-version-review.html

Some impressions on the Battlefield V Beta on PS4

I must say that I've enjoyed the previous EA game betas such as Battlefield 1 and both Star Wars Battlefronts. This time around I got what I expected and some more.

First of all, I can definitely say that I liked the WWII milieu of the game even though it is a bit revisionist and full of anachronisms. Both maps, Rotterdam and Narvik, provided a neat sample of different lighting and environmental effects.

However when it comes to the gameplay, one can expect a bunch of bugs and quips in every beta. Sometimes my passing was obstructed by an invisible texture. At times the sound environment turned out to be inconsistent.

Unfortunately the class loadouts are a mess. Every class can build and revive in certain circumstances. Both the medic and support classes can provide additional ammo and support packs. I thought it was frustrating that the support class weaponry made of LMGs lacked high capacity magazines. So no cover fire. Weapons so far seem to be more one and the same when it comes to effectiveness.

As far as the vehicles and tanks are concerned, I feel that the tank was pretty useless and couldn't even ram through a wooden house.

Overall the beta matches feel very low tempo which is something that might turn out to be a let down considering all the available shooters this quarter. EA has indeed handled this release awfully. Pandering to SJWesque critique is not helping the game at all with their target audience.

5 years after - a look back at Mizuno Morelia AF KR 2 - very limited release back in 2013

There are very few football shoe silos that stand the test of time. Almost everyone can name Adidas Copa and Puma King which in all honesty stand above rest of the brands in the nostalgic heritage category of boots. Yet these models very much like the Umbro Speciali series explore very little and provide very few limited once in a lifetime releases. Copa has remained unchanged and maybe that's a good thing. On the other hand Mizuno's classic boot Morelia, now in second or third variant of the silo, packs more punch with its tip to detail and luxury. That said, Mizuno has set the stage for leather crafted football boots with extra care and class with its made in Japan series. These boots are hand made with Japanese workers with top quality kangaroo leather and it shows.

Mizuno Morelia AF KR 2 is most likely one of the first boots that have boasted the elite made in Japan sign on quality even though only later on the brand truly embraced this trait as a part of its marketing. Its release is also very sneaky and the boot incorporated many features of what turned out to become integral parts in the light-weight Mizuno Morelia Neo series. Most notable aesthetic feature is probably the Adidas Samba pack imitating colorway even though Samba pack was released way later in time for the 2014 Brazil world cup. Another visual detail was placing the word Morelia to the back of heel whereas in previous and later releases the word is placed outside foot on the heel side. Then again one notable feature of the boot is the short tongue instead of the classic fold-over tongue which would from time to time appear in future Morelia II colorways. Third feature which sets the boot definitely apart from other Morelias is the stitching across the toe box in similar fashion to Morelia Neo to prevent too much stretching. That said the overall fit of the boot is considerably tighter to regular Morelias. However, when the fit lengthwise is right, the boot will start to mold to your feet after 25 minutes of wear and soon after the feel is responsive and glove-like.

The sad part of Morelia AF KR 2 is that the supply these days is extremely limited and finding a new pair online easier said than done. Fortunately some Russian online retailers seem to have few pairs in their storage but the hefty 200€ price tag might turn out to be a hurdle too high for Western customers with no experience with no-English sites. Limited supply, sizes and prices...

 

It would be nice if Mizuno were able to revive this model like it has done many times with previous limited colorways. To me, the biggest downside of the release is most likely a more rigid and narrow Morelia which after breaking in turned out to be the best boot to date which I've ever worn. 5+ years in use and still no deterioration. Top quality, built to last. Rarest of the rare, Mizuno Morelia will most likely continue to surprise us all on and off the pitch.

Mizuno Morelia AF KR2 Mij and Morelia NEO Mij side by side

Similar stitching across the toe box

Neo has a more aggressive stud pattern, less stitching inside of the toe box

Morelia AF KR2 has overall a wider shape

Front profile reveals some similarities

Only downside I can think of is obviously wet and rainy conditions which in many ways put a lot strain on leather boots. First of all, enough water will eventually enter the leather and make it swell like a sponge even though some leather treatment, like wax and shoe polish, will reduce the absorption. Second, the stud pattern is less effective with soft and wet grass and the mud will stick to the outsole.

My rating:  9/10