Monday, April 26, 2010

Do you drink coffee?

Caffeine is what we all grab in the morning to get our day started.  We all have heard that is not good for you...we all know.  But we still drink and enjoy our coffee anyways.  For me it is a bad habit.  I enjoy a cup first thing in the morning, another right after, and another or 2 in the afternoon. Sometimes it gets forgotten and cold.  So I have to pour another.  I recently have been trying to change this very bad habit of mine.  So I have been trying some coffee substitutes.  And I have noticed that I have not been missing the caffeine! No jitters at all!  Now I get the jitters when I have a real cup though :)

Some caffeine facts(from people who know more than me)


- Simply avoiding caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and any foods that trigger allergies, along with boosting B vitamins, calcium, and magnesium, can go a long way in relieving anxiety. In fact, cutting out caffeine alone often results in the complete elimination of symptoms. The diet should be rich in foods that have higher levels of B vitamins, such as leafy vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Foods high in calcium and magnesium include sea vegetables, sesame, milk, and dairy products as well as leafy green vegetables. Stress reduction and relaxation exercises are often recommended for those suffering from anxiety.
Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods 

- For every cup of tea or coffee a person ingests, the body has to mobilize about 2-3 cups of water just to remove the caffeine, a luxury it cannot afford. This also applies to soft drinks, pharmaceutical drugs, or any other substance or activity that brings about the release of stress hormones, including watching TV for many hours. As a rule, all stimulants have a strong dehydrating effect on the bile, blood, and digestive juices. To heal a cancerous growth, stimulants are counterproductive, and it is best to avoid them.
Andreas Moritz, Cancer Is Not A Disease - It's A Survival Mechanism

- But some people are so sensitive to the effects of caffeine that they should stay away from coffee, tea, and caffeinated soft drinks at any time in the afternoon. And don't assume that decaffeinated coffee is the solution to your insomnia problems. If heartburn is contributing to your nighttime sleep woes, the culprit could be decaf coffee, which can trigger acid reflux that may wake you up.
Joe Graedon, M.S. and Teresa Graedon, Ph.D., Best Choices From the People's Pharmacy

- Although caffeine is a well-known stimulant, the intensity of response to caffeine varies greatly; people prone to feeling depressed or anxious tend to be especially sensitive to caffeine. The term caffeinism is used to describe a clinical syndrome, similar to generalized anxiety and panic disorders, that includes such symptoms as depression, nervousness, palpitations, irritability, and recurrent headache. Several studies have looked at caffeine intake and depression. For example, one study found that, among healthy college students, moderate and high coffee drinkers scored higher on a depression scale than did low users.
Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D., Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Revised Second Edition

 I have found a few coffee substitutes but Teeccino way far the best!  No they are not paying me to say that  :)  But the reason why I am telling you the brand I like is because they are giving free samples away to new subscribers and I just wanted to share it with you!  Everyone loves free and this is better for you than coffee so give it a free try!
Teeccino is a herbal coffee substitute, it is naturally caffeine free, and made with 70% Organic ingredients.  I really think it tastes better than coffee!  Click on Teeccino to read more about it!

So have I convinced you to change????
A tip to help kick the habit.
Instead of 3mugs(4,5,6,?)a day, downgrade 2, then 1, then decaf, or herbal.

We will talk about Tea in another post :)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Although I agree that caffeine is hard on the nervous system like any other drug whether it is a street drug, pharmaceutical or even sugar I tend to disagree with the study finding that caffeine may be the cause of depression. There may be a link between higher incidence of depression with higher usage of caffeine but the reason may be be what caffeine does for those who are depressed. Caffeine can increase levels of serotonin as well as dopamine which may be lacking in the brains of some. Caffeine can also intensify the effects of antidepressants especially SSRI's like Prozac and Zoloft. Caffeine works by opening the synapses in the brain and keeping them open just as SSRI's do...the results are a constant flow of thinking, hyperactivity and nervous energy. I am not saying this is a good thing, just that the depression may preexist the need for consumption of caffeine. Those who are depressed tend to lean on things that boost the brain. In the long term, caffeine does more harm then good.

Debbi Does Dinner Healthy said...

I've never been a coffee drinker but I used to be a HUGE diet coke fan. Huge. Kicked it first for the caffeine and then for the aspartame that was in it. I've been off it for about a year now and I still completely crave it but I KNOW it is so much better for me not to drink it. I basically just drink water and V8 now.

Ally's Sweet and Savory Eats said...

I am not a coffee drinker and I don't think I ever will be...just don't love the taste. My husband drinks a little now and then..

Susie B. Homemaker said...

I actually only drink 1 cup/day & more often than not I don't even get that all down before it gets cold & forgotten about. I really just like it for the flavor- I add Splenda & vanilla caramel creamer... Mmmm!

Mandy said...

I'm not a coffee drinker.. my drug of choice is probably even worse for you.. Coke Zero. Oh man... it's my morning "coffee" and I had gotten up to like 6 each day in the past few months! I know.. it's bad! (especially from me.. Miss Organic, Miss Healthy, Miss Exercise Freak.)

I cannot believe you posted this today b/c I just said two days ago that I'm officially seriously cutting back! I don't see me ever giving it up.. I really enjoy it. (and I am a believer in all things in moderation) but 6 a day? Seriously? Today I've only had two... and I'm doing fine! No caffeine withdrawls or anything.. yet. lol I plan on one more with supper... three for the day. We'll see if I can cut back to 2 a day in the next few weeks.

Renée said...

I really enjoy Yerba Matte and brew it (like coffee) in a 12 cup Mr. Coffee maker. I drink a variety of herbal tea or water. No soda or coffee, and am healthier for it. Good for you for trying to improve you well-being.

Simply Life said...

Great post! I broke my coffee addiction by slowly decreasing the amount of caffeine and mixing it with decaf and it worked great!

Kristin said...

We are coffee drinkers, but only for the flavor - we drink decaf only. I do like some teas a robust, creamy substitute (w/ rice milk and sucanot of course). Some favorites are: Celestial Seasonings' Roastaroma and English Toffee and Stash's Chocolate Hazelnut. Quite delish! Oh, and PS-I tried your Naan recipe, and made the mistake of using whole wheat flour so it came out quite dense. :-( The flavor was nice though.

Becky's Big Bytes said...

Coffee has some great benefits for the brain! Saw this today in regards to Alzheimers and preventing it. It keeps the memory sharp : )

Priscilla said...

I actually think caffeine is wonderful for headaches but I know that is is in fact a drug. My boyfriend drinks or did drink 4-5 pots of coffee a day and when he came off of it he had major withdrawals.

I = caffeine junkie