Everyone has a preference for how they take their coffee. With cream and sugar or plain black. Iced or hot. First thing in the morning or just whenever you get to it.

Speaking of that first cup, does the timing of when you drink your coffee in the morning matter?

"There are many benefits to drinking coffee," says Knubian Gatlin, a wellness dietitian at Houston Methodist. "The caffeine content can help increase energy levels, alertness, improve cognitive function and enhance performance during physical activity. Additionally, one of the byproducts of Caffeine, paraxanthine, plays a role in fat metabolism."

Research also suggests that coffee consumption is linked to a decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, possibly due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Other studies show it may help protect the liver by slowing the growth of scar tissue that can lead to fibrosis .

Coffee's ability to wake us up is what we tend to rely on the drink for the most. But is there such a thing as drinking it too soon after waking up? Could there be a "best time" for taking advantage of its active ingredient, Caffeine?

How does caffeine affect the body?
Let's start by defining a few terms: adenosine and adenosine receptors.

"Adenosine is a molecule that plays a role in suppressing energy and arousal, making us naturally sleepy," explains Gatlin.

It does this by attaching to adenosine receptors, found throughout the body. Adenosine levels are lowest as you wake up, but they build throughout the day. As more adenosine attaches to its receptors, the interaction promotes a cascade of sleep-promoting effects.

"Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, meaning adenosine can no longer attach to help promote sleepiness," says Gatlin. "Additionally, its mixture of vasoconstrictive and vasodilatory effects impact how nutrients are transport through our body, which promotes energy production."

In these ways, the caffeine in coffee keeps you awake and alert — and help to improve everything from cognitive to physical performance. But Gatlin says that's not all it does. The other effects of caffeine can actually work against feeling energized.

"Coffee is an appetite suppressant, meaning it can affect appropriate energy intake," adds Gatlin. "The caffeine in coffee can also act as a diuretic, which can lead to water loss via urination. If we're not rehydrating properly, even mild dehydration can impact our energy levels."

Finally, caffeine can affect cortisol levels, a hormone that plays many important roles in your body.

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The connection between caffeine and cortisol
Among the many effects of cortisol is the role it plays in the release of glucose, your body's primary source of energy. Cortisol levels naturally peak right after you wake up, and the resulting flood of glucose is used to create the energy you need to get going in the morning.

"Caffeine also increases cortisol levels," adds Gatlin. "This can help really wake us up, but it makes sense that, over time, your body might eventually adapt to produce less cortisol on its own if you drink a cup of coffee first thing every morning."

This may affect your sense of wakefulness, making it harder for you to feel energized at the start of the day — especially on one of those days when you don't get to have coffee right away.

Is there a best time to drink coffee?
Given how our body naturally wakes itself up and the various ways, both positive and negative, the caffeine in coffee can affect that, Gatlin doesn't suggest heading straight for the coffee in the morning.

"Although it helps wake us up, I often recommend waiting to have your first cup of coffee until about an hour or two after waking up," says Gatlin. "This allows your body to use its own resources for energy first."

Gatlin instead recommends starting the day with a tall glass of water and a balanced breakfast or snack. This helps rehydrate your body and set the tone for your energy usage throughout the rest of the day. It can also help prevent the discomfort that can sometimes occur from drinking coffee on an empty stomach.

"Caffeine tends to increase stomach acid and bile production, which can worsen symptoms of acid reflux," adds Gatlin.

On that note, know that it can also increase colon motility — which is why a trip to the bathroom often follows soon after that first cup of coffee. This might be a logistical factor to consider as you time your first cup.

"Lastly, be mindful about drinking coffee after about 3 pm, since this can potentially impact your sleep cycle and make it harder to get restful sleep," adds Gatlin. "Distorted sleep patterns then impact your energy levels the next day."

Every day, new research suggests breast cancer may be more preventable than experts originally thought.

“Women can take steps to mitigate their risk of developing breast cancer and increase their chances of survival, if it occurs,” said Dr. Polly Niravath, breast oncologist at Houston Methodist.

Common breast cancer risk factors
When it comes to breast cancer prevention, knowing the common risk factors (and which you can control) is key.

Here are some of the factors that may put women at a higher risk of breast cancer:

Increasing age
Genetic mutation(s) linked to breast cancer, like BRCA mutations
Family history of breast cancer or conditions linked to breast cancer
Being overweight and having excess visceral fat

Now that you know the risk factors, let’s dive into the ways you can actually reduce your risk of breast cancer.

How to reduce your risk of breast cancer
Reducing your risk isn’t just about genetics — that goes for most types of cancer. There are actually several ways to achieve a lower risk of breast cancer. From a healthy diet and regular exercise to regularly scheduled breast cancer screenings, these are some ways to lower your risk:

Physical activity
Exercise, especially vigorous exercise, could be the most important weapon in your arsenal.

“Exercise is a huge factor when it comes to reducing a woman’s risk of breast cancer,” Dr. Niravath says. “Some studies estimate a 15-30% risk reduction with moderate exercise, and the more a woman exercises, the more her breast cancer risk drops.”

Doctors think the exercise-estrogen link may account for the reduced risk. The greater your lifetime exposure to estrogen, the greater your breast cancer risk. Exercise suppresses estrogen production by promoting lean body mass.

Maintaining a healthy weight
Obesity increases your risk of developing a variety of serious diseases, including breast cancer. Women with more fat cells produce more estrogen and tend to have higher insulin levels, which are linked to increased breast cancer risk. Regular exercise and a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help to keep your weight at a healthy level.

“Maintaining a healthy body weight throughout her lifetime, with a body mass index of 18.5–24.9, has many health benefits,” Dr. Niravath says.

Limiting alcohol
Limiting alcohol to three alcoholic drinks per week can lower a woman’s risk. Among the many side effects of alcohol, women who consume two to five alcoholic drinks a day have about 1.5 times the risk of developing breast cancer compared to nondrinkers.

Dr. Niravath says women who drink should take a daily multivitamin with folate, or folic acid. Studies indicate adequate daily folate intake may mitigate breast cancer risk associated with alcohol consumption.

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Breastfeeding
Dr. Niravath also encourages new mothers to breastfeed their babies if possible.

“Evidence suggests that breastfeeding reduces a woman's risk of developing breast cancer,” she explains. “We know that the longer a woman breastfeeds, the greater the protective effect.”

The reasons aren't clear. One possible explanation is women who breastfeed have fewer menstrual cycles throughout their lives, and, therefore, less estrogen exposure.

Consuming olive oil
Studies indicate consuming more monounsaturated fats such as olive oil may protect against breast cancer, too. Olive oil also contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, both of which can help to reduce breast cancer risk.

prevent Taking medications
Your doctor may recommend medications such as tamoxifen and raloxifene if you're at an increased risk of breast cancer. However, these medications can produce menopause symptoms, so you should talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits.

Some studies indicate the use of birth control pills can increase a woman's breast cancer risk. However, according to Dr. Niravath, the risk is slight.

“I don't advise against taking birth control pills, unless a woman is at high risk,” she says.

Genetic testing and intervention
Talk to your doctor about whether genetic testing is right for you, if you have a strong family history of breast cancer. Mutations in certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, increase breast cancer risk. Women with this gene mutation may have more frequent screenings or prophylactic surgery (breast removal).

Ovary and fallopian tube removal also may be an option. Besides reducing the risk of ovarian cancer, such removal prevents breast cancer by eliminating a hormone source that can fuel some types of the disease.

(Related: The Connection Between Breast & Ovarian Cancer)

Annual mammograms are still essential
Even if you follow all of these steps, every woman has at least a 12% risk of developing breast cancer. So it is extremely important to have screening tests, such as an annual mammogram begin

Surgery worked as promised to alleviate your pain. But then months (or years) later, matters regress. The location now seems tight, impairing mobility and function. Some types of exertion cause discomfort.

The issue is internal scar tissue, part of the body's natural healing response after an injury. The problem is that scar tissue lacks the flexibility and elasticity of normal healthy tissue.

"Scar tissue is very common after surgery," says Dr. Corbin Hedt, a physical therapist at Houston Methodist. "It's part of the body's initial triage to an area of injury, but it then has to undergo a process of remodeling to reform into the native tissue that was damaged."

Sometimes that remodeling process occurs on its own. Other times it requires therapeutic interventions to coax the process.

There are many types of therapies for scar tissue, but the standard treatment commonly involves exercise and massage — specifically, stretching and pulling the scar tissue to soften, align and elongate it.

What is scar tissue?
Scar tissue is essentially collagen, a protein that serves as a building block to support many tissues and structures throughout the body — bones, cartilage, tendons, ligaments and skin, as well as an array of other tissues and organs.

After surgery, it proliferates at the site of the trauma, helping to generate tissue repair and provide structural reinforcement.

"The body is always generating collagen for different reasons," says Dr. Hedt. "But after an injury, after surgery, the body lays down collagen in overdrive — a quick and disorganized means of stabilizing the area."

The new foundation is different from the original, healthy tissue. Healthy tendons, for instance, are made of fibers that run parallel, providing strength and mobility and allowing for proper blood flow. Scar tissue's random layering — typically in crisscross patterns — results in a tough, fibrous tissue that doesn't move as freely, have as much blood flow and is structurally weaker. The resulting stiffness creates a physical barrier to natural movement and can cause discomfort.

Scar tissue typically begins to form the first day after surgery, but it may not produce symptoms for months, years — or ever.

Most common areas for scar tissue issues
Scar tissue can develop anywhere in the body and cause issues, but the most commonly affected areas involve the big joints because they feature lots of moving parts.

"Following surgery in those areas, just one little thing that's off — be it strength, range of motion, etc. — can create a different mechanic in how those joints work," says Dr. Hedt. "Restoring the complete normalcy that we were born with is going to be difficult. "

The most common areas where Dr. Hedt reports encountering problems with scar tissue and healing are:

Knees
Hips
Shoulders
Large muscle groups such as hamstrings, quads and calves
Dr. Hedt notes that scar tissue frequently causes reduced range of motion, stiffness and discomfort after hip replacements, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repairs and rotator cuff surgeries.

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"A lot of times it's just excess scar formation around the joint capsules that prevent that full unencumbered motion, " says Dr. Hedt.

Therapy to remodel scar tissue
In severe cases, or those injuries that affect livelihood — such as those involving athletes — doctors can perform follow-up surgery to remove scar tissue. But Dr. Hedt emphasizes that surgery isn't recommended in the vast majority of cases, only if it's absolutely necessary.

"Breaking up" scar tissue isn't the answer either. Dr. Hedt calls that a "misnomer."

The real solution, he says, is supporting the remodeling process of scar tissue, stressing it in a way that ensures it regains normal range of motion, strength and mobility. First-line therapy typically includes:

Manual stretch therapy
Joint mobility exercises
Soft tissue massage
Myofascial release
It's best to begin such therapy soon after the surgery, though long enough after for the area to heal. However, the therapy can still be beneficial years later.

"By then, scar tissue to be really stiff and not easy tends to move," says Dr. Hedt. "But there are different tricks and tools that we use — stretching for long-durations, working on strength deficits that may be causing poor mechanics and employing different ranges of motion that help the scar tissue work better."

There are also instrument-assisted techniques, such as dry needling, a technique similar to acupuncture where needles are inserted into tight and fatigued muscles. Another is the Graston technique, which employs stainless-steel instruments in massages. Warning: Graston can be very uncomfortable .

Dry needling and Graston are widely available, but Dr. Hedt emphasizes that the best therapy is very "individual dependent" — what the patient is truly deficient in,