Quitting Secrets From A Caffeine Fiend

Hi, my name is Karen and I am a caffeinaholic. I love the stuff: the smell, the taste, the color -- and of course the results.

I've credited caffeine for much of my creativity and productivity. I've even often felt caffeine was responsible for 93% of my personality. I worried if I never drank another cup of coffee again, I'd become a shy, humorless wallflower - a shut in. Hence, for years I've rationalized remaining a caffeinaholic -- and became delighted whenever I found research studies supporting the perks of my percolated buddy. For example this one:

Coffee has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of several common medical illnesses--the most important of these is Type 2 diabetes, but also suicide, some forms of cancer and neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease," says Dr. Peter Martin, director of the Vanderbilt Addiction Center and researcher for the Institute for Coffee Studies -- funded in part by the coffee industry.

Oooops. Did you see that last part? This study was funded by the coffee industry!

I guess it's not just the folks who drink coffee who feel more clever -- but simply working for the coffee industry can help you feel quite clever. I gotta say, I respect how those coffee industry "researchers" found a way to report that drinking coffee can literally save your life -- by preventing suicide. Personally I had always felt that if I didn't drink coffee, even for a day, I might die. After reading about their study, it seemed there might actually be some science behind my fear!

Seriously though, I've been wanting to quit caffeine for years, and I am happy to announce I finally did quit! YAY!

(NOTE: That was NOT a caffeine induced "YAY!"-- that was a naturally energetic "YAY!" -- which leads me to my secret for breaking my caffeine addiction: increasing my natural energy.)

My story is one of a minor miracle. I decided to quit coffee on a Monday. (NOTE: The Sunday New York Times without coffee seemed just too impossible to do!). By Wednesday I gotta say I was feeling incredibly sluggish -- and starting to believe the absence of caffeine might indeed lead to suicide.

Then I looked up and saw a sign which said "energy food." I considered this sign to be a sign -- an act of divine intervention -- as I was in major need of energy!

These words, "energy food", were the subtitle on a sign hailing the presence of a fabulous healthful restaurant called PUMP -- which offers many delicious and varied foods and beverages -- all of which merrily deliver on their promise of "energy food." Their main staples are a selection of "supercharged" whole-meal dining options, including combinations of steamed fresh vegetables, grilled chicken, turkey, baked tofu, brown rice, beans, and amazing protein shakes and fresh juices.

After eating at PUMP for a month I quickly discovered -- EUREKA! -- if you eat healthful foods which give you what PUMP calls "sustainable energy", you can stay pumped with energy throughout the day -- without the aid of caffeine.

(Note: That was NOT a caffeine induced "EUREKA" - that was a PUMP-energized EUREKA!)

If you're trying to quit caffeine and live in New York I suggest you fuel up at PUMP. (For locations visit their website. )

If you live outside of New York, you can still benefit from PUMP, by following the nutritional philosophies PUMP applies to their menu, which I've listed below.

PUMP'S SECRET FOR KEEPING YOU PUMPED WITH ENERGY -- WITHOUT THE NEED FOR CAFFEINE:

1. Don't eat foods with butter, cream, mayo -- or any unhealthy fats.
2. Use salt sparingly and only from the sea.
3. There should be no Fryday in your week. Don't eat fried foods.
4. Focus in on supercharged meals - which have some healthful protein (chicken, turkey, beans) some healthful carb (brown rice), and some greens (salad or spinach).
5. Focus on whole, unprocessed, chemical-free ingredients.
6.. Eat wholewheat bread instead of white flour bread.
7. Eat brown rice instead of white rice.
8. Add protein powder to your morning shake to give you extra sustainable energy.
9. Hell, even muffins, pancakes, and desserts can have protein in them! And if you put in that protein, you can be pro-muffin, pro-pancake, pro-dessert
10. Recognize that not all calories are created equal. And it's not about counting calories - it's about eating foods which count best for nutritional nourishment -- which give you the most bang for your calorie buck.

***

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Comments

[Hopalongpoppyseed]

07:53 PM on 02/05/2009

The sinning is the best part of repentence.

[SharonMcEachern]

10:37 AM on 02/05/2009

Caffeine can be very dangerous to one's health, so much so it's been called the ultimate "health saboteur." The recent statement made by Dr. Peter Martin, executive director of Vanderbilt University's Institute of Coffee Studies, was: "Even though at one time coffee was considered harmful to your health, at this point there is no compelling research to indicate that, in fact, is true."

Whoa! Not only is this obviously false, it is dangerous to advise the public. But then once again we have a university researcher who is financially supported (initially $6 million from the Brazilian Coffee GrowersAssn.) by the industry whose product he is researching. Such a conflict-of-interest is horrible. Almost weekly the news media reports on new studies on coffee and caffeine. There is some evidence that caffeine can be positive for specific health issues; however, the negative includes miscarriage risk, heart damage, leukemia risk in offspring, hallucinations and other psychotic symptoms that accompany caffeine intoxication.

An excellent article on the subject and caffeine research is:

http://www.ethicsoup.com/2009/01/vanderbilt-research-coffeegrowers-pay-researcher-distorts.html

[jozinha]

11:19 PM on 02/05/2009

Anything can be abused. But demonizing a beverage that billions of people enjoy and don't abuse is ridiculous.

There is much known about caffeine's effects, good and bad. Most certainly it can not be taken by pregnant women. But using the phrase "caffeine intoxication" is positively weird.

See my post below for supplements that should be taken to balance caffeine's depletions.

And really, chill a little. Coffee isn't diabolical. No more than red wine is. Both have their pluses and minuses. Both are highly prized. Have you ever had REALLY good coffee? Vienna. Go to Vienna. You'll never think about coffee the same way again.

[wm1066]

12:51 PM on 02/04/2009

She suggests eating brown rice instead of white rice. White rice is alot cleaner than brown rice, take out a table spoon of rice on a plate and really look at it, besides the green rice there are alot of decayed rice and rice that looks like it has mold on it, plus the amount of broken rice. White might have a higher glycemic index than brown but you have to take the time to clean the crap out of the brown rice, this is true with high grade brown rice also.

[ENK727]

10:08 AM on 02/04/2009

I recently gave up coffee as it bothered my stomach too much. I love coffee, but it just made me feel so sick especially if I had a cup in the morning. I switched to tea. Tea doesn't bother my stomach, but I did feel tired and groggy for a good week or more after not having any coffee.

[feyangel]

09:30 AM on 02/04/2009

Actually, there have been other studies showing coffee can have beneficial effects on the brain. PLus, why should one give up all one's vices-- as long as one moderates them? Arabica coffee has significantly less caffiene without being decaffinated. It also seems to have less acid in it, which I find, irritates my stomach less. It is relatively easy to find (we buy ours at Costco at a great price). Then, last year, I substituted my coffee sugar with fructose, which doesn't jack up my blood sugar nor fill my system with carnicigens. I limit myself to two cups before noon-- and voila, a pleasant little vice than has few ill side effects for me!

[antaeus]

08:04 AM on 02/04/2009

Avoid processed, chemically created ingredients, but then start your day with a protein-powder shake? Only use "sea salt"? (is NaCl from the ocean happier than other salt, like cage-free chickens?)

I think your heart is in the right place, but having just read Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food," I also think this list smacks of unsubstantiated "nutritionism."

Too much coffee can be crippling. One cup in the morning healthy. "Never" eat butter? Please.

[peithecelt]

09:11 AM on 02/04/2009

*laughs* thank you for pretty much beating me to it..

Michael Pollan's take on food is fascinating, and it would be fantastic for this country if more people would read "In Defense of Food" and "Omnivore's Dilemna"... ("Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver is also a good read if you haven't read it yet).

Give me moderate quantities of milk and cream and butter, give me the occasional, small serving of a tasty grass fed locally raised beef.. Give me fish from the local streams.. Give me veggies and fruit grown in my garden (or that of my neighbors)... And leave me to my occasional cup of coffee.

[nigelp]

08:56 PM on 02/03/2009

unless I missed something here, and at this hour of the morning, it is quite possible (01.54 gmt), but why give up coffee? You say you have quit drinking coffee, but I am missing the reason for such drastic measures? Please nlighten me... thanks

[DrCharlesMartin]

01:22 PM on 02/03/2009

Congratulations on discovering a way of eating that is likely to be more healthful in many ways, including glycemic load and oral health. About the caffeine link with diabetes - well, as long as the research is sound and there's no attempt to hide the funding source, anything that contributes to slowing down the raging epidemic of elevated blood sugar is tough to dismiss. We write extensively about diabetes at http://dentistryfordiabetics.com/blog.

- Charles Martin, DDS
Founder, Dentistry For Diabetics

[jozinha]

11:23 AM on 02/03/2009

Sorry to rain on your parade. I have always eaten very healthfully. But I have also indulged in one rich cup of joe per morning -- my one and only "vice." It was sad to quit that, but it wasn't difficult for me. There are lots of incredibly good decaf beans out there, if you take the time to ferret them out.

So I got off caffeine. I was thrilled with myself. No energy problems. Decent amount of exercise, as always. But then the pounds started creeping up. And up. And up.

I didn't know what was gong on. But one day I was talking to a health food sales person about something totally unrelated, and he put his finger right on my mysterious weight gain problem. All over-the-counter diet pills use either caffeine or something that acts like caffeine (like guarana, for instance).

So the light bulb went on. My lovely full mug of rich coffee every morning had been a kind of diet pill. My on-going healthy lifestyle left me no margin for altering any other intake to maintain the weight I had been always comfortable with. So I went back to coffee every morning.

I take calcium, biotin and choline supplements everyday to counteract coffee's depletion. And the mysterious weight gain issue is now over. My advice is to enjoy gourmet level coffee beans (why waste your caffeine allotment on crap) and supplement for its down-sides.

Enjoy.

[bigheadliberal]

11:23 AM on 02/03/2009

8. Add protein powder to your morning shake to give you extra sustainable energy.

My "morning shake"? It's more of a little wiggle, but, whatever.

[lmvd3]

09:52 PM on 02/03/2009

Ah, my pick, too. Good one.