You wake up groggy and the caffeine kicks you in to high gear… Sounds good right?

Wrong!

Our goal is to wake up refreshed and ready to embrace the day with natural food, water and movement. 

Relying on stimulants can only further mask existing adrenal dysfunction and chronic fatigue. Over the long term, this can increase your risk for illness and disease.

Best Tips

Wean Yourself Off Caffeine Slowly

Allow a full month to reduce your coffee or caffeinated beverage intake by ¼ cup per day until you reach zero. If you are a heavy coffee drinker, it’s suggested you switch to organic green tea during the weaning process.

Eat When You Are Hungry

Eat when your are hungry and do not let your blood sugar get low.  Have some protein in the afternoon such as a handful of nuts or seeds like almonds, pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds, cooked beans, or a piece of steamed or baked fish.

Drink Filtered Water

You can use an un-expensive carbon filter made by Brita, or ideally, a reverse osmosis filter that can remove smaller toxins and chemicals. This can be installed under the sink or you can buy/refill 5-gallon jugs at the store. Avoid water in plastic (toxic petrochemicals) and use either glass or stainless steel.

Keep A Journal

Keep a journal and track your symptoms – note the difference in the quality of your energy and health while off of coffee.  It may be difficult at the beginning, but if you stick with it, you will most definitely be documenting a positive upward trend.

Meditation & Mindful Activities

Learn to slow down my pressing your ‘pause’ button.  Meditation and other mindful activities (Yoga Nidra or Restorative Yoga) can help calm an over-stimulated and stressed system while boosting the immune system.

Exercise

Exercise daily by walking 30-minutes a day minimum

Sleep

Allow more time for sleep.  If you’re irritable or having trouble sleeping, you can take a combination of calcium citrate and magnesium citrate before bed.  Please consult a Naturopathic Dr. for your correct dosage.

If you cannot increase your energy and feel consistently fatigued you may require further testing for Adrenal Fatigue

Common Caffeine Withdrawal Symptoms

Those who consume the most caffeine, alcohol and sugar, and those who have the highest toxic load, tend to have the most difficulty initially. Symptoms of withdrawal usually disappear after three or four days.

Headache

 A caffeine headache can begin behind the eyes and moves up to the front of the head.

Sleepiness 

This just isn’t your normal tiredness, this is sitting up straight but still can’t keep your eyes open tiredness.

Irritability 

Everyone and everything gets on your last nerve. It’s best gently isolate yourself until your symptoms pass.

Constipation 

Caffeine stimulates the bowel and without continual daily intake, the colon starts to underperform as well.

Depression 

Caffeine withdrawal can take away all hope for living.  Temporary mood swings are one thing, but if you already struggle with depression this could be a big issue.

Muscle Pain, Stiffness, Cramping 

 If you normally have some caffeine prior to exercise then during caffeine withdrawal you could feel as though your muscles have weights strapped to them.

Lack of Concentration 

Forget school, studying, brain surgery, or jet engine repair during this stage of withdrawal.

Flu-like symptoms 

Stuffy nose, blocked sinuses, and sinus pressure have all been reported by people withdrawing from caffeine.

Insomnia 

Some people actually unable to sleep when going through caffeine withdrawal.

Nausea and Vomiting

Could be experienced in the first couple days of withdrawal which adds to the feeling of lethargy.

Anxiety

Caffeine may cause anxiety from regular consumption, however withdrawing can also bring on anxiety and even panic attacks.

Brain Fog 

Withdrawal can cause some people to experience brain fog which is described as the difficulty of having coherent thoughts, difficulty thinking, and the difficulty of doing common tasks.

Dizziness

Caffeine withdrawal can cause some people to lose their sense of equilibrium.

Heart Rhythm Abnormalities

Since caffeine also stimulates the heart muscle, some people experience changes in their heart rhythm during withdrawal. Both low blood pressure and even palpitations have been reported.

How Caffeine Negatively Affects Your Health

Excessive Production of Stress Hormones

Caffeine increases catecholamines, epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine (noradrenaline), and dopamine, all of which are produced from amino acids: phenylalanine and tyrosine.

Decreased Insulin Sensitivity

The stress response generated from caffeine consumption elicits cortisol and increases insulin.  With habitual use, it decreases insulin sensitivity, making it difficult for your cells to assimilate sugar leading to high blood sugar levels.  This leads to arterial deterioration, inflammation and increased risk of mortality related to cardiovascular disease.