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SusanJ
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| Posted: Oct 05 2009 at 11:22am | IP Logged
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Ladies,
Have any of you decided to give up coffee for "health" reasons and notice real benefits? I'm really struggling with emotional stuff and I suspect that it's diet-related. I have a hard time with sugar but I've had a good few weeks of radical sugar reduction. Now I wonder if I need to do something else. I drink about two cups of coffee a day and it seems to me like such a simple, inexpensive indulgence that I'm loathe to give up.
Any amazing success stories here? Or arguments in favor of coffee? 
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CrunchyMom
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I'm interested myself. I really do enjoy my coffee, but I wonder if it contributes negatively to my moods instead of positively as a soothing ritual.
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Lindsay
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Courtney
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I gave up coffee for about a year and drank green tea instead. For whatever reason, I didn't want cup after cup of green tea like I wanted coffee. I felt better and ate healthier when I wasn't "on" coffee. All that to say... I'm back at it! I really want to get off it again. I know it contributs to a little irritability and not eating well. Green tea does have a lot of health benefits I've heard. I just know for me personally, I don't have the restraint to only have 1 cup of coffee.
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Paula in MN
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I love my coffee. I don't think I would gain any benefits from not drinking it, only because I drink less than 2 cups in the morning, and not every morning. I'm afraid of what I would drink or eat if I were to stop!
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JodieLyn
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the only detriment as far as I know is the caffiene.. what about a good decaf?
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Stephanie_Q
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SusanJ wrote:
| I have a hard time with sugar but I've had a good few weeks of radical sugar reduction. |
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Good for you! I notice that my mood changes dramatically when I've had a lot of sugar. Another thing that I've noticed is that I need to be well hydrated. When I've had enough water, I can think more clearly and reasonably. The only link I could see to giving up caffeine is that it is a diuretic (although there are studies that have shown that it's really not).
Sometimes I think that maybe should start drinking caffeine, so I won't be so tired b/c I am a lot more moody when I'm tired... 
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SusanJ
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I pulled up this thread and then stopped to make my afternoon coffee and now I'm back. 
My first post wasn't entirely accurate: I had a few good weeks of sugar reduction and then "fell off the wagon" with my daughter's birthday which was last week and is probably greatly contributing to my intense irritability today.
I wonder, too, if adding a supplement like cod liver oil would help. I used to be good about that but we ran out before our move and haven't gotten more.
Apart from the fact that caffeine-withdrawal is kind of awful I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try cutting back for a few weeks. I'm headed to the store this week and could look for some good decaf (does such a thing really exist, Jodie ). I do really enjoy the ritual of my morning and afternoon coffee--I even use a manual grinder and a French Press. I drink plenty of water through the day but I also see that caffeine is kind of an appetite stimulant. It's very hard for me to not grab a couple squares of chocolate when I have coffee and if I'm at Starbucks or something I always want a scone with it.
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JodieLyn
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I don't know, I don't drink coffee but my dh can't have the caffiene now and does get a decaf french roast bean and drind it etc. So I would imagine if the only decaf you've had it resturant stuff or long ago that what's available may be greatly different than you might assume.
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Martha
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No.
I think I have to be careful not to give coffee priority, but if I eat a good protein first and drink more water than coffee - no problem.
the problem comes in when I drink a couple cups and haven't eaten.
which I would think would the problem with anything if you haven't eaten something decent first, kwim?
I've gone entirely off coffee and have to say I didn't notice a big difference.
The greatest difference I notice is when I eat something high protein (like eggs) first, it greatly reduces desire for coffee (sometimes entirely) and my mood is more leveled out.
JMPE
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CrunchyMom
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Good advice about the protein first. Lately, I've had my coffee first which "ruins" my breakfast.
CLO would likely help, too.
The best decaf I've had is from a roasterie called Pike Creek Coffee Their organic, fair trade decaf Mexican tastes like regular coffee to me.
I've heard some people swear by a particular Trader Joe's decaf, but I can't recall which. I'll bet you could ask there and someone could help you.
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Mackfam
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I read a great article a couple of years ago about the antioxidant benefits in a moderate amount of coffee (they defined moderate as no more than 2 cups a day).
Wish I could remember where I read that article!
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I've heard that too Jennifer.. but like many things.. your personal tolerance may be higher or lower than the average. And just out of curiousity.. I went looking for problems associated with caffiene..
I would NOT trust this as a definitive source.. but it would give me ideas of what might stand a better look..
Quote:
Top 10 Caffeine-Related Health Problems
Cardiovascular Problems
Caffeine increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure, and can contribute to the development of heart disease. Both decaf and regular coffee increase your cholesterol and homocysteine, the biochemical that science has linked to increased risk for heart attack. Caffeine is also linked to coronary vasospasms, the cause for 20% of all fatal heart attacks which kill otherwise perfectly healthy people.
Stress
Caffeine stimulates the excretion of stress hormones which can produce increased levels of anxiety, irritability, muscular tension and pain, indigestion, insomnia, and decreased immunity. Increased levels of stress from caffeine can keep you from being able to make healthy responses to the normal daily stress everyone is subjected to in their lives.
Emotional Disturbances
Anxiety and irritability are hallmark mood disturbances associated with caffeine consumption, but equally important is depression and attention disorders. Depression may occur as part of the let down after the stimulant effects of caffeine wears off. It may also appear during the recovery period after quitting caffeine while the brain's chemistry is readjusted. Caffeine rather than increasing mental activity actually decreases blood flow to the brain by as much as 30% and negatively effects memory and mental performance.
Blood Sugar Swings
Diabetics and hypoglycemics should avoid caffeine because it stimulates a temporary surge in blood sugar which is then followed by an overproduction of insulin that causes a blood sugar crash within hours. If you're trying to loose weight, this rollercoaster will actually cause weight gain since insulin's message to the body is to store excess sugar as fat.
Gastrointestinal Problems
Many people experience a burning sensation in their stomach after drinking coffee because coffee increases the secretion of hydrochloric acid leading to an increased risk for ulcers. Coffee, including decaf, reduces the pressure on the valve between the esophagus and the stomach so that the highly acidic contents of the stomach pass up to the esophagus leading to heartburn and gastro-esophageal reflux disease. With America 's high consumption of coffee, its no wonder the best selling over-the-counter drugs are the so-called antacids.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Caffeine inhibits the absorption of some nutrients and causes the urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and trace minerals, all essential elements necessary for good health.
Male Health Problems
Male Health Issues
Coffee is an irritant to the urinary tract and bladder. It is also a diuretic that aggravates conditions associated with frequent urination. Eliminating coffee and caffeine often relieves symptoms associated with frequent urination due to enlarged prostate glands.
Dr. Milton Krisiloff, M.D. has found that in the majority of cases, men can significantly reduce their risk for urinary and prostate problems by making dietary changes which include eliminating coffee and caffeine.
Female Health Problems
Fibrocystic breast disease, PMS, osteoporosis, infertility problems, miscarriage, low birth weight infants, and menopausal problems such as hot flashes are all exacerbated by caffeine consumption. Women on birth control pills are particularly at risk since they have a decreased ability to detoxify caffeine.
Adrenal Exhaustion
Caffeine consumption leads to eventual adrenal exhaustion which can leave you vulnerable to a variety of health disorders related to inflammation, autoimmunity, and fatigue.
Aging
Many people find in their forties that they can no longer tolerate the same level of caffeine consumption as they could in their twenties and thirties. The production of DHEA, melatonin, and other vital hormones start to decline and caffeine speeds up that downhill drop. Caffeine dehydrates the body and contributes to the aging of the skin and kidneys. It has been shown to inhibit DNA repair and slow the ability of the liver to detoxify foreign toxins.
Exhausted Adrenal Glands
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It causes the adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline, the hormone your body depends on in emergencies to elevate your heart rate, increase your respiration and blood pressure for a rapid flight-or-fight response. When you overuse stimulants, the adrenals become exhausted. If your caffeine sensitivity has diminished or you're one of those who claims you can drink 3 shots of espresso and go right to sleep, guess what? Your adrenals have given up responding. This means you have less resistance to stress, which leaves you vulnerable to health hazards such as environmental pollutants and disease pathogens
Severe Blood Sugar Swings
Caffeine forces the liver to release glycogen into the blood stream. The pancreas responds to the sudden rise in blood sugar by releasing insulin, the hormone which causes excess carbohydrates to be stored as fat. Within the span of an hour or two, the result is a sharp blood sugar drop resulting in a state of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). That's when you think it's time for another cup of coffee and the whole cycle starts up again.
Acid Imbalance
Over 208 acids in coffee can contribute to indigestion and a wide variety of health problems resulting from over-acidity associated with arthritic, rheumatic and skin irritations. Many people experience a burning sensation in their stomach after drinking coffee because coffee increases the secretion of acid in the stomach. Optimal health calls for an alkaline pH balance in the body.
Essential Mineral Depletion
Coffee inhibits the absorption of some nutrients and causes the urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and trace minerals, all essential elements necessary for good health. Women need to be concerned about osteoporosis as menopause sets in. Studies show that women who drink coffee have an increased incidence of osteoporosis compared to non-coffee drinkers. Men are not immune to osteoporosis either.
These are a number of health conditions for which doctors advise their patients to eliminate coffee and all caffeine from their diet.
Acid indigestion
Anxiety, irritability and nervousness
Candida or yeast problems
Colitis, diverticulitis, diarrhea and other irritable bowel symptoms
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and other auto-immune disorders
Diabetes or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
Dizziness, Meniere's syndrome or tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
Gout (Elevated Uric Acid levels)
Heart disease or heart palpitations
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Insomnia and interrupted or poor quality sleep
Liver disease and gallbladder problems such as gallstones
Kidney or bladder problems including kidney stones
Migraines or other vascular headaches
Osteoporosis
Skin irritations, rashes and dryness
Ulcers, heartburn, and stomach problems such as hiatal hernias
Urinary tract irritation
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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Lisbet
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I ditto the protein and plenty of water thing that Martha said. The key for me is plenty of water.
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SusanJ
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Ouch, Jodie. I have a lot of those problems--or could see them coming. More than I'd like to admit. But I do think that they are caused by a lot of things, not just coffee.
Lindsay--dh and I were totally in love with a decaf from Trader Joe's for awhile. We always served it at night with guests. Then they stopped carrying it. I'll have to look again.
My midwife last pregnancy was fine with me drinking coffee but she really encouraged me to not have it first. She really thinks that the first thing you put in your body each day really sets the tone for your health that day. I stopped making coffee first thing after that and have a big glass of milk or water instead.
I read a study a few years back about the health benefits of coffee--but only if you drink five or more cups a day! This is the kind of thing that makes me wonder about studies. But it can't hurt to experiment with taking it out.
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JodieLyn
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Like I said, I wouldn't take that list as definitive.. for one thing it says adrenal fatigue is why you don't react to caffiene.. but many with adhd find caffiene to help them calm down and sleep etc. And since caffiene never bothered me when I could have it I could have a cola and go to sleep without problems. And I just am not sure how I could have had adrenal fatigue as a child. I've never been able to drink coffee and then when I was about 20 I started developing headaches from caffiene (even though it never helped me feel awake or alert) and let me tell you.. that's a motivating factor for quitting
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Martha
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Yeah when something says it has a "benfit" but only if taken to excess, I question the finding because it is highly likely that any of those benefits will be drowned out by the negative of over-consuming anything. A couple cups seems reasonable to me, when you're tanking the stuff like a you're filling up for a cross country trip tho - well maybe a better diet is in order.
that aside, I think it's interesting that coffee gets such a strong negative rap, when most people drink a LOT more pop - which often has more sugar, carbs, acids, and caffine than the average home brew of coffee. If caffine is the problem, then maybe all caffine is the issue. If not, I'd be interested in what the issue is with coffee caffine. Pop isn't an issue for me. My body doesn't know what to do with those bubbles. *blush*
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SusanJ
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Well, I certainly agree about pop. I don't ever drink it and I don't have any other caffeine sources in my diet, either. Despite my constant temptation to eat chocolate when I drink coffee I don't actually do it that much. I don't think I know anyone who thinks coffee is bad but soda is okay. I do think coffee has more of a ritual basis in our culture--which is probably an argument in its favor--but I wonder if that makes it more of a target somehow?
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Martha
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I'm tempted to eat chocolate with just about anything.
I think my post might have been worded poorly. It's not that people talk as tho pop is okay, but it doesn't seem to get much attention. That's all I meant. FAR more americans drink FAR more pop than coffee on most days, which has zero good to offer. Yet pop is really pushed in our culture more than coffee in my opinion.
I mean no one thinks anythign of my kis not having coffee.
But if I say I don't allow pop, they act like I'm depriving my children of some kind of fundamental american right.
But that's a whole other rant. 
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I was the world's biggest coffee fanatic...drinking Starbuck's lattes at 9PM, and it not affecting my sleep and then all of a sudden, one day...I could NOT drink any more caffeine. It was like, God said, "No MORE!!" My heart would race, I felt like I was having the worst anxiety attack ever...I felt AWFUL drinking just one weak cup of coffee. SO...I went decaf...and I do feel much better. You still get the antioxidants, but not the caffeine. I think the caffeine, (duh, I know) is the worst part of coffee...and yes, I was a total coffee snob, decaf sounded so, so, so wimpy!!! BUT, take heart, Trader Joes does have amazing, decaf..called, "Smooth and Mellow"--hands down..the BEST coffee ever. When I take Lily to her appts, there is a Trader Joes near by....ahhh...coffee!!!!
Can you tell I still love coffee?
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happymama
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Reading with interest, I am a "coffee addict" wondering if I'd feel better if I just completely got over it. But since I drive by Starbucks each week, it's not likely that the temptation would EVER go away for me.
When I had bad PPD, any little frustration would drive me to the kitchen, looking for junk food.
Now that I've moved beyond PPD, I'm avoiding junk food fine, but big frustrations drive me to coffee. Some days I drink a little too much - but still, it's better than too much junk food - and I do make a point to drink a ton of water.
For right now, with all the little kids and stresses and sleep interruptions, I'm going to just keep thanking God for my coffee. When my kids are older, I'll reconsider giving it up. ;)
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4Real Forums : Our Lady of Good Remedy and Care
Topic: worth it to give up coffee?
