In hopes of having more energy we struggle with the question of do we or do we not drink coffee and caffeine. In the hustle and bustle of today’s world we are all on the go and are stressed out. We need to stay energized and instead of taking the healthy approach like eating right, getting enough sleep or exercising we turn to our friends coffee and caffeine.
“The causes of low energy are numerous Dr. Maoshing Ni said, author of Secrets of Self-Healing. “But first and foremost, low energy is often a result of stressful living in our modern world.”
I have boasted for years about how my morning isn’t complete with out a perfectly brewed cup of coffee. When I was working in restaurants or catering I could live off of only coffee. After drinking excessive amounts for days I experienced lack of sleep, lack of appetite, the jitters and dehydration. It would take me a week to get back to my regular self.
Thankfully these days aren’t quite as stressful. I still usually have one to two cups a day and I do see some signs from the caffeine and coffee like loss of appetite or lack of sleep but nothing too extreme. If saying good-bye to coffee and caffeine is the way to get rid of these problems then so long old friends. You were good while you lasted.
Typically those who’ve tried to stop or even have stopped have experienced a dip in energy, headaches and inability to stop a routine. Persevere to increase your overall health and energy level.
First and foremost, get out of the routine of drinking a coffee.
◦ Solution 1-Try starting a new routine of brewing fresh ginger or eating breakfast.
◦ Solution 2-Grind a 1:3 ratio of decaf to regular and as you become use to the lower amounts of caffeine increase to a 2:3 ratio of caffeine to decaf. Eventually you can move to a completely decaf coffee.
◦ Solution 3- Switch to tea and gradually lessen the steeping time of your tea to decrease the amount of caffeine put into your tea.
◦ Solution 4-Create a new habit like visiting a coworker’s office instead of going to the coffee machine or to the water cooler for water.
◦ Increase your energy level in the morning and in the afternoon
◦ Solution 1 – Exercise helps us to deal with daily stresses, without it the body is rapidly depleted of vital energy. Dr. Maoshing Ni Author of Secrets of Self-Healing
◦ Solution 2-Try eating a good breakfast and lunch with a good source of fiber (whole grains, steel cut oatmeal). Eating refined sugars will cause your body to burn them quickly giving you an instant burst of energy and leaving you lethargic for the rest of the day. Eat healthy foods such as lean proteins, dark greens, monounsaturated fats and try eating fruits such as berries and oranges.
◦ Solutions 3-For a quick burst of energy eat fresh fruit. Your body will burn it quickly giving you a jolt of energy
◦ Solution 4- Getting some sun will give you a boost of Vitamin D that could help raise your energy level
To alleviate caffeine headaches try
◦ Solution 1-A natural source that will help reduce headaches is peppermint tea. It also helps reduce your food cravings.
◦ Solution 2-Try drinking more water. (we don’t get enough as it is)
◦ Solution 3-Rest your eyes or take a quick 20-minute nap if possible
In the end you will have to figure out what works best for you. As for myself, I’m trying to create a new routine filled with different hot morning beverages such as steeped ginger, hot cider, lemon and decaf teas. And if I just have to have a taste of coffee I go for a decaf versus a regular.
