Healthy

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Caffeine constricts blood vessels in the brain and decreases circulation, and when caffeine is suddenly missing from your diet, there is a sudden increase in circulation both to the brain and digestive system. This may lead to severe headaches as well as constipation or bowel upset.

So, even though it is ideal for your body to be rid of this addictive substance as quickly as possible, it’s best to take a gradual approach to cutting out coffee in order to achieve the most success, pain-free.

Here are some suggestions on how to alter your beverage habits over a 14-day period to avoid heavy caffeine withdrawal:

1. Depending on how much coffee or soda you drink, for days 1-4, cut the amount in half and replace the lost amount with cold drinking water. If you drink two cups of coffee in the morning, a soda at lunch and a cup of coffee in the afternoon, replace one cup of coffee in the morning with water and drink water with your lunch.

2. For days 5-8, for your cup of coffee in the morning and in the afternoon, while still drinking your water, mix a ratio of 3/4 cups of caffeinated coffee with 1/4 cup of decaffeinated coffee.

3. On days 9-10, increase the amount of decaffeinated coffee in your morning and afternoon cups to 1/2 decaf and 1/2 regular.

4. Days 11-12, reduce the amount of regular coffee in both your morning and afternoon cups to 1/4 cup – so that means you’re drinking 1/4 cup of caffeinated mixed with 3/4 cup of decaffeinated.

5. Days 13-14, drink your morning and afternoon cup of coffee as 100% decaffeinated, and you may even switch one of those to herbal, non-caffeinated tea.

6. Days to follow should include your move over to tea, or another un-caffeinated beverage alternative altogether since decaffeinate coffee still does contain some caffeine, as well as a high acid content that can upset your stomach.

7. As for overall beverage consumption, drinking half of your body weight number in ounces of water is an easy way to guess the amount of water you need to sustain good health. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, your daily fresh water consumption should be 75 fluid ounces (which is slightly more than nine 8-ounce cups of water).

Many individuals who cut out caffeine have also turned to herbal tonics containing Siberian and Panax Ginsengs, as well as herbs that have been shown to help detoxify the liver, kidneys and bowels such as milk thistle, parsley and psyllium seeds, to aid in releasing their body’s caffeine dependency. Another alternative is offered by way of caffeine-free, herbal coffees. One such product is called “Teeccino,” reputed to be the top choice of formerly staunch coffee-drinkers worldwide. Teeccino is a non-caffeinated blend of roasted herbs, grains, fruits and nuts that provides the enjoyment of a freshly brewed cup.

One last thing to keep in mind when you do break your ties to caffeine is to give your body ample time to adjust. For about a month after, you may experience a little “fogginess” in your brain. Try to remain calm and not go back to drinking coffee. Practicing good nutrition, smart supplementationand considering herbs like ginkgo biloba can help you to regain your mental clarity.
Are You A Coffee Connoisseur?
For most of us, the best part of waking up is that steaming java in our cup. But how much do you really know about coffee and its colorful history? Use your bean and take this quick coffee quiz.

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