How to Give Up Coffee
How to Give Up Coffee
Learn About Coffee
- Know that coffee is a drug. Coffee has caffeine. Its chemical formula is C8H10N4O2. Its chemical name is 3,7-Dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione or 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine or 1,3,7-trimethyl-2,6-dioxopurine. Caffeine Chemistry shows a molecular diagram.
- Know that caffeine is addictive. Regular use of upwards of 350 mg of caffeine a day causes physical dependence on the drug.
- Caffeine effects the brain and the central nervous system, raises adrenaline levels, raises the production of the hormones cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine, is a diuretic (a substance or drug that tends to increase the discharge of urine). Coffee is acidic. and effects sleep (usually delays sleep onset, shortens overall sleep time, and reduces the “depth” of sleep).
- Caffeine ingestion contributes to insulin resistance and impairs glucose and insulin homeostasis as part of the stress response.
- Know caffeine content of various drinks : Coffee, Teas, Colas/Pop/Sodas, Hot Chocolate Drinks, Chocolate all have caffiene. See : Caffeine Content of Beverages, Foods, & Medications
Find Your Primary Reason
- To live a healthier life : you don’t have to join the majority of the population in regularly ingesting a socially acceptable addictive physiology-altering legal drug.
- To save money : if you belong to the crowd of people who loudly and proudly proclaim their Starbucks habit, I suggest you calculate the cost of the habit. A couple of lattes every work day is 2 x $6 x 200 = $1200. You could buy a brand new iPod every quarter or a brand new laptop every year or visit Europe on a vacation. Visualize your reward. Print out a photograph of your chosen toy or vacation spot and keep it visible at all times to remind yourself of what you are working towards.
- To become a millionaire : if you invest a Starbucks coffee a day for the next 40 years, you’ll be a millionaire! Suze Orman does the math for you. See : Are You Flushing One Million Dollars Down the Toilet?
Strategies
- Gradually reduce the amount : Every week, reduce the number of coffee cups by one. 4 cups a day in the first week, 3 in the second, 2 in the third, 1 ine the fourth. Caffeine-free in one month!
- Gradually halve the amount : Every week, halve the number of coffee cups. e.g. 4 cups a day in the first week, 2 in the second, 1 in the third, Caffeine-free in three weeks!
- At home gradually reduce the coffee : When making your coffee in a drip machine every morning, gradually use less than what you normally use until it’s so weak you can stop altogether.
- Switch to tea: Tea has lower amounts of caffeine. Every week, switch over one of your coffee breaks to tea. Upon successful transition to tea, repeat the process to transition to caffeine-free tea.
What to Expect
- Withdrawal Symptoms : Some of the common withdrawal symptoms include headache, fatigue or drowsiness, depression or irritability, difficulty in concentrating, flulike symptoms including nausea, muscle pain, and stiffness. You will experience some or all of these symptoms depending on your addiction level.
Tips and Tricks
- Sleep : get ample quality regular sleep while you are transitioning to your caffeine-free state.
- Morning Exercise : aerobic exercise, like cycling, produces endorphins and starts your day on a natural high.
- Step Outside : make it a ritual to go outside and deep breathe fresh air in the morning.
- Orange Juice : coffee is a habit. Replace the habit with a small glass of orange juice.
- Eat Breakfast : a grain or oats based (low glycemic index) breakfast will keep your brain nourished for the morning.
- Avoid Sugary Breakfast: avoid donuts or high sugar muffins; they cause a rapid buildup and slump in your blood sugar levels.
- Afternoon Snack: keep an apple or banana or a handful of cashew nuts ready for the mid-afternoon snack time instead of coffee.
- Drink More Water: carry a water bottle around and take sips regularly.
Healthy Coffee Alternatives
- Rocamojo : soy-based coffee.
- Soyfee : another soy-based coffee.
- Teeccino : herbal non-caffienated coffee.
- Chicory root (Cichorium intybus) : has long been used in the southern US as a coffee substitute.
- Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale): is second only to chicory as a coffee substitute.
- Warm Soy-Milk or Rice-Milk : part of the addiction is the need for a warm liquid; try milk or milk substitutes.
Some useful links
- HowStuffWorks: How Caffeine Works
- National Geographic: Caffeine Addiction Is a Mental Disorder, Doctors Say
- StevePavlina: How to Give Up Coffee
- Teeccino : Top Reasons to be Caffeine-Free
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March 15th, 2006 at 1:56 am
Very nice tips.