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Quitting Caffeine

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Re: Quitting Caffeine

#171

Post by tapanjk »

Freak_NL wrote: post #162
tapanjk wrote: post #117

This article reminds me of what I have been wanting to do for a while, but have not succeeded yet in spite of having tried this a few times. The goal is to prevent large fluctuations in energy and mood. My plan is to: - Quit caffeine - Quit sugar (in all forms e.g. refined sugar, honey, fructose syrup etc.) - Consume alcohol only occasionally - Consume white flour only occasionally - Meditate > I don’t think the keto…

That's quite a list you want to undertake. Most of these seem perfectly attainable, but you might want to cut yourself some slack on the sugar bit. Way too much sugar is added to processed foods of course, and cutting back on that is beneficial for anyone, but sugar can be part of a healthy diet too; it naturally occurs in fruit (would you omit almost all fruits from your diet?) and frankly, our body simply uses it l…

I agree, and want to cut out added sugar. Natural sugar in moderate quantities in fruit and vegetables is ok, but I will avoid foods high in sugar such as honey, potato, corn etc.

Re: Quitting Caffeine

#172

Post by michalu »

Caffeine is worth quitting at least for periods of time to rebalance your cortisol and dompamine sensitivity. Both neurochemicals that affect focus, motivation, drive, etc.

I love coffee and I found that when cycling off one of the best things to do is to switch to decaf (some tasty options out there) + L-Theanine. Another great help when cycling off is Rhodiola Rosea.

Re: Quitting Caffeine

#173

Post by maccard »

jcburke wrote: post #161
wutbrodo wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> One of the more interesting comments in the article is in regards to the social stigma of only consuming water during meals Wow this is insane. The culture I grew up in is famously health-friendly, so I've never come across this, but it sounds horrible. I started drinking only water around high school, and the only reaction I ever got was "good for you, I wish I had that habit". > Because something like this still…

Ya, I think it's more that people assume that if you choose not to drink, you look down on people who do drink, and especially in one-on-one settings that makes them feel uncomfortable drinking around you

Reading the comments in this thread, can you blame people?

Re: Quitting Caffeine

#174

Post by Double_a_92 »

revelation wrote: post #45
whipoodle wrote: post #20

It has always been interesting to me that (at least in America) this particular drug dependence is something we joke lightly about ("don't talk to me before I've had my coffee"). And of course it's much less serious than other forms of dependence, but it still seems not particularly good to me. I try to refrain from having caffeine often so that it still has an effect when I drink a coffee.

Why does caffeine "dependence" concern you? It's extremely harmless and for the vast majority of the population the sole remaining effect is that of a very slight laxative. Frankly, people drinking coffee over sugary beverages is a public health win.

> effect is that of a very slight laxative

That's why I had to stop. Over time the effect bacame "non-slight". That wasn't convenient for my 1h commute...

Re: Quitting Caffeine

#175

Post by dEnigma »

5kyn3t wrote: post #168

I think the supplements and alternatives, which are mentioned in the article are a bit weird...I think those are sports-products, and not real alternatives to coffee. I also want to reduce my caffeine/coffee intake, but I want to have the "same feeling" as when I drink coffee... For this I drink the following: * My girlfriend showed me Caro Coffee (wheat-basis): http://amzn.to/2w8RhDu You make it like instant coffee…

Just a bit of nitpicking: Caro Coffee is made from roasted barley, malted barley, chicory, and rye; not wheat.

Wikipedia has a list of coffee substitutes[0], but the only one I know and can recommend is barley malt coffee, which you've already mentioned.

[0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_substitute

Re: Quitting Caffeine

#176

Post by thomasfl »

I am 50 and I am addicted to the worlds favorite psychoactive drug, caffeine. It ruins my sleep. It ruins my concentration. It makes me have to visit the toilet way too often. Day and night. If you can stop, then do it.

Re: Quitting Caffeine

#177

Post by maccard »

grecy wrote: post #90
emilecantin wrote: post #13

I drink coffee because I enjoy it, not to give me a "boost" in the morning. I limit myself to 1 large mug per day, with the (very) occasional afternoon cup. I don't notice any difference between my energy levels before / after my morning coffee, nor on days I skip it. I get a headache in the early afternoon when I skip it, though, so I'm definitely addicted. I wonder if the author's energy level issues were due to hi…

Do you notice you are more tired in the afternoon on days you have had coffee in the morning? For the life of me at around 4pm I start to feel snoozy if I had one in the morning.

I thought that originally, but turns out my lunchtime routine had more of an effect than my coffee consumption. Getting up and away from my desk for 30 minutes has far more of an impact than whether I have 0 1 or 2 coffees that day.

Re: Quitting Caffeine

#178

Post by micheljansen »

I love coffee, but not caffeine. I used to drink a lot of coffee – up to 8 cups a day – until I began to notice the negative effect it was having on my creativity.

On caffeine, my thinking is somehow more "linear", taking the shortest path to solutions. Lateral thinking is more difficult and I am more easily distracted.

For this reason, I have since cut down my caffeine consumption to 2-3 cups a day. I wish decaf tasted better. Then I would drink coffee all day. Sadly I have still not found any that I truly enjoy.

Re: Quitting Caffeine

#179

Post by grp »

costcopizza wrote: post #130

I love coffee-- the smell, the ritual, the taste, but even 1 cup turns my anxiety from a normal 2/10 to a 7/10. On top of that I don't even feel more focused or productive from caffeine. Actually I get easily overwhelmed and rather indecisive. My brain is not made for stimulants, as adderall makes me tired. I'm going to try taking theanine with a cup tomorrow, if that doesn't improve things then I'm off caffeine for…

Same reasons why I quit coffee 7 years ago.

It's not even hard. Coffee is only useful for zombies.

Re: Quitting Caffeine

#180

Post by stevewillows »

Kluny wrote: post #165
stevewillows wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I quit alcohol a few years ago. I wasn't an alcoholic or anything of the sort --- I just decided to stop. For social things along the lines of house parties, I'll bring my own cup. I bought a set of vintage tupperware cups, and, to my surprise, they're always a hit. Its silly, but it helps. I don't make a show of drinking water, and most people assume the cup is filled with beer. When people do ask what I'm drinking,…

> Regarding the stigma, it may be a regional thing (Vancouver), but most people don't care about what I order at a restaurant or drink at a social function. The strangest look I'll get is when I order room temperature tap water... but that's understandable :) I think you might be right about that (Victorian here). No one ever cared what I was drinking in Victoria. Now that I'm in Europe it seems like people drink sod…

Where you are, is the tap water any good? I often wonder if that is a major contributing factor.
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