You may have heard the expression, “Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.” In the same way, you could say “Once a coffee addict, always a coffee addict.”
But before I go any further in telling you my story about coffee and all the whys and
hows of quitting it, you should now that now is a good time to quit drinking coffee.
You’ve been eating mostly well, you eat your fruits and vegetables, you’ve been
reading Frederic’s newsletter – but you think, “a little cup of coffee once in a while
isn’t that bad.” Plus it’s good for the mood.
But I’m telling you right now that that cup of coffee, which I’m sure you’re enjoying
more often than you’d like to admit it, is preventing you from achieving the levels of
health you desire.
I know because I’m like you. I started drinking coffee in high school. At first, it was
to get up in the morning. But one day I discovered the gustatory delights of fancy
coffee shops and went deeper down into the wicked universe of coffee. Cappuccino,
mocaccino, caffe latte, espresso: a dozen ways to reach heaven for a few minutes at
your local café.
Of course, my vow to become a raw-foodist ended all that madness. For many
years, I resisted the temptation. But you know, once a coffee addict…
I admit having sinned many times. The lure of coffee sure got me more often than
I’d like to admit it.
Think about it: Starbucks have popped up all over the place. You can go there with
your laptop, answer your e-mails and surf the web on your laptop with their free
wireless Internet access, enjoy your delicious coffee and get a bit of the feel that
you’re really part of this world, all of that for a few dollars only.
Petrene Soames writes in the article “Wake Up and Kick the Caffeine Habit for Good”:
“Have you ever wondered why Starbucks is so popular? Why do even the spendthrift
amongst us pay over the top prices for a cup of coffee? With great packaging and
good marketing Starbucks fills a niche in the national psyche. Identification is a
major component. We simply identify with our purchases. Starbucks caters to the
fast on-the-go customer and to the kickback and relax customer. The ambiance of
the outlets is comfortable and feels like a great place to be, personal enough to take
someone new, but safe enough when you aren’t ready yet to take that new person
home.”
” Starbucks, it would seem, oozes cool and we – the consumer – have bought into
that big time. But it is not cool to stress our bodies with caffeine, and it is not cool
to blanket our emotions with quick-fix products. The longer we hide our true
feelings, the longer it will take for us to recognize our true selves. Isn’t it really time
in all our lives to stop swapping life experiences and happiness for comfort foods
and drinks?”
But there’s an ugly side to it. Contrary to common belief, even one cup of coffee a
day is too much. According to a recent study done at Johns Hopkins University,
which examined over 170 years of research on caffeine, true caffeine addiction can
occur from drinking only one cup of coffee a day.
According to Melissa C. Stöppler, M.D.,
“Morning caffeine consumption can lead to increases in blood pressure, feelings of
stress, and elevated stress hormone levels throughout the day and into the evening
hours, according to researchers at Duke University. (…)
“(…) the effects of morning coffee consumption can exaggerate the body’s stress
responses and increase stress hormone levels all day long and into the evening,
even when no further caffeine is consumed in the afternoon. Persons who suffer
from stress-related diseases or conditions worsened by stress, such as
cardiovascular disease and psychological conditions such as anxiety disorders,
could be adversely affected by caffeine intake.”
For me, even one cup of coffee taken in the morning will disturb my sleep late at
night.
But that’s just the beginning.
You don’t really know exactly what type of hells are breaking loose in your body
when you drink that little occasional cup of coffee you love so much. Just read on
my website the articles I have on coffee (http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/
nutrition.html).
But let’s be honest about it – half of the addiction or more is psychological. It has
something to do with the ritual of the coffee drinker. First I suggest avoiding that
too. Don’t go to Starbucks. Avoid temptation. Then, once the physical detox is over,
you can go back. Go hang out at Starbucks, and instead have a cup of herbal tea, or
one of their magic smoothies.
A few words of advice: giving up coffee and replacing it with tea or green tea isn’t a
good approach. An alcoholic who wants to quit won’t go from scotch to beer. He has
to stop altogether. And the truth is that tea, especially black tea, contains generous
quantities of caffeine. So you can get addicted to it just as you got addicted to
coffee. Better to give it up entirely.
I couldn’t end this week’s e-zine without a little encouragement to all of my coffee
drinking readers who are not so sure about getting off the bean:
I promise that you’ll feel better. I promise that you’ll sleep better. I promise that
you’ll have headaches less often. I promise that you’ll have more energy. I promise
that you’ll feel better in your body. I promise that your mood will be better.
By the way, the best time to quit drinking coffee is when you think you don’t have
time to stop drinking coffee.
Young entrepreneur, Frederic Patenaude, is the author of the best-selling e-book “The Raw Secrets” and is known for his no-gimmick, BS-free approach to health and nutrition. To learn more about “The Raw Secrets,” and to read his FR*EE how-to articles and newsletter, visit [http://www.askfrederic.com]
