#quittingcaffeine

The article details how caffeine can decrease the sharpness of our brains and bodies, which can seem counterintuitive to those of us who swear by our morning coffee perk. In actuality, with caffeine addiction, we go into mini-withdrawal between “fixes” and our brain and body performance drops. This forces our next jolt of caffeine to temporarily take us out of withdrawal, bumping our performance back to where it would have been without any caffeine at all. In other words, we’re working at a deficit most of the time, and that “perk” we get from caffeine is just a brief return to “normal.”

After reading this article and absorbing every last word, I decided to go “cold cucumber” and renounce caffeine completely -- no espresso, no lattes, not even chocolate.

You see, the continuum of addiction has been described as such: First, it’s a habit. Then it becomes an addiction which eventually grows into a compulsion. So it’s best to break or interrupt the habit before it moves into the addictive phase since a full-on addiction is much more difficult to get control over.

Intuitively, I knew my caffeine habit had made its way into the realm of addiction, taking ahold of me and not wanting to let go. I had noticed greater acidity in my body, revealing itself as dry cotton mouth, aches and pains, and dry skin due to dehydration. I started questioning my patience (or lack thereof). Plus, the desire to live a healthful life -- and become a strong vessel to carry a healthy baby-- kept me irritatingly aware that a latte-a-day may not be what the “good doctor” would have ordered.

I definitely had some fears around quitting. What if I didn’t have the same energy or passion? How hard would the detox process be? To help me, I made a list of why I wanted to stop. I knew that once I started the detox process and was in the thick of it, I would conveniently forget why I wanted to do it in the first place. I also assumed friends (and fellow addicts ☺) would probably insist that coffee isn't really bad for you. So having a pro/con list was key for me.

The next step was to replace the caffeine habit with a new, healthier one. I started making green smoothies and real breakfasts instead of my morning latte. I started to truly experience how the addictive substances lacked nutrients that I would otherwise be consuming, thus blocking me from achieving my optimal health goal.

I was thrilled when, after only 2.5 days of shifting my morning habit, all the passion, energy, and motivation that I thought were at least partially enhanced by caffeine were still there. Yay! In fact, they were even stronger than before because of how good I felt about actually succeeding at quitting caffeine. Needless to say, getting this non-healthy addiction out of my life was an unexpected boost to my confidence!

I’ll be honest, those 2.5 days were tough to get through. But I think the emotional and physical pain of withdrawal was actually good for me since I seem to learn best when I literally feel the truth.

HERE'S HOW IT WENT DOWN:

DAY 1: Headache, foggy brain, fatigue, hopelessness, uncertainty, over-emotional.

DAY 2: Same as Day 1, but about half as intense. This is when my inner voice started making devilish little suggestions: "Why don’t you decaf my way off the caffeine?" and "You don’t really need to stay off chocolate, too. Just go ahead and grab a chocolate peanut butter cup!" But I felt full of courage, so I told myself, "This is just for today. Keep going." (Also helping to get me through? My skin, which looked younger and softer.)

DAY 3: A little fatigue, but no headache. Well, maybe a phantom one, but it was so very slight.

DAY 4: Clear-headed and happy to be free from my $6-$12/day habit.

DAY 5: Life goes on. I am more patient with my son. I’m also more mindful of when I am tired -- caffeine seems to mask this awareness. But I am sleeping well, waking early, and exercising lightly.

The one-day-at-a-time/24-hours-only method really works for me. If you want to quit, treat it like any 12-step program. Approach it like a cleanse; you can always choose to go back to drinking caffeine again with a much more acute sense of when it’s a choice and when it’s an addiction.

I’m not sure if or when I will pick up a latte again. I do not want to be too rigid, because we all know rigidity can can lead to relapse. Yet I do want to be rigorously honest with myself. I can no longer ignore things in my daily life that I know have damaging side-effects. Admittedly, this is not my first time stopping (this year!). But in the end, it’s about progress, not perfection. I find that once we taste the truth, it becomes easier to get our power back, be in control of what we consume, and—whether slowly or quickly—start to change.

WANT TO QUIT? TRY THESE SUGGESTIONS:

If you are working or under a lot of stress and want to cleanse the caffeine, start slowly. If you can, take a day or two off from work so you can stay at home while you feel spacey and tired. Or, start by reducing your caffeine intake. If you have a double each AM, move to a single and then to a decaf Check with a doctor and stay in touch with supportive friends who can remind you “This too shall pass” as you walk though the detox process.

Personally, writing out my list of reasons why I want to quit was vital. So when that pesky voice says, "C'mon, it's just one itty bitty piece of chocolate...", I can look at my list and remember my reasons:

* Money—the cash spent on the daily drip that could be collected for better uses. * Dehydration—which leads to dry, aging skin. * I want to prepare for pregnancy, and am pretty sure that caffeine every morning is not the best thing for a calm, happy baby * Roasted beans contain acrylamide, a known carcinogen which happens naturally when coffee beans are roasted. (It’s also found in many fried starchy vegetables, commercial baked goods, and coffee at Starbucks!.) * The pH level in caffeine is 5, is more ounces of acid than I'd like to consume. * Caffeine hinders iron absorption (vegans beware)! * The jitters! I have no need for caffeine jitters. * A desire to eat a more nutritious breakfast—I found myself substituting coffee for food. Not good!

To help with the detox process, try these things on Days 1 and 2: Chinese massage Bath with Epsom salts Early to bed Music low Make a green smoothie (or two!) Stay in hydrate mode with green juices like Organic Avenue’s Sweet Greens

Keep in mind that the love of a warm beverage in the AM does not have to be dismissed when you get rid of caffeine! Here are some suggestions.

Herbal Tea: There are plenty caffeine-free teas available -- chamomile, peppermint, licorice, lemongrass, orange spice. Rooibos (African red tea) and herbal chai are also excellent as lattes.

Turmeric Latte: 1-2 tsp. peeled and chopped ginger root ¼ tsp. nutmeg, cinnamon, or cardamom ¾ tsp. turmeric ½-2 tsp. maple syrup (optional) 1 cup (8 oz.) almond or coconut milk

Mix the spices and and maple syrup together in a mug or glass. Warm the almond or coconut milk on the stove, making sure not to let it boil. Pour a small amount of warm milk into the mug and mix until the liquid is smooth. Add the rest of the milk. If you wish, strain the ginger before drinking. Triple the recipe to save time in the morning, store it in the fridge, and then heat one cup at a time. Also, the longer you let it steep, the stronger the spiced flavor. It's a little cuppa spiced fall goodness with the added health benefits of turmeric, which naturally reduces inflammation in the body.

Have a warm, caffeine-free morning beverage you love? Send it to us—we will send a gift to whomever submits our favorite!