Caffeine
Posted by Kathleen Clare Waller on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Under: Health
How do you feel about caffeine?
My husband enjoying a cappuccino in Taipei.
There is a lot of information out there about caffeine and weight loss, attention, anxiety, sleep, etc. There's also a lot of information about the antioxidants in green tea and coffee, but that we should be able to get in the decaf variety. Then some people say the decaf variety contains other toxins. The information can be confusing...
There are also a lot of cultural reactions to how you enjoy your caffeine. What kind of beverage and experience? I had a conversation with some French friends this summer and found they had complete disgust for takeaway coffee. 'But that's just not in our culture. That's not what we do. A coffee is also time to sit and talk with someone or think and watch the world.' Therefor Starbucks was seen as evil. In terms of monopolies, there may be some truth to this 'evil' business, but as long as the French cafe terrace can last with a little Starbucks competition for those American-types who want to hold a big cup of something hot (especially on a cold day!), then I say keep our options open! And while I'm in Hong Kong, the cheap option is also the discount Starbucks at our university campus, where (listen carefully French friends) I can order an espresso or a SHORT cappuccino if that's really what I want. (Ok, yes, I would rather be on a French terrace! But that option is just not available!) Further, they are one of a few places in HK and very few in France that allow you to order soy milk--gluten free soy milk--with your beverage. I still don't love it, but it's convenient sometimes.
I think I am one of those people who is pretty sensitive to caffeine, so I have done some thinking and experimenting with it. For a while I was in NEED of my one cup of coffee in the morning, but it stopped there. Still, it was a NEED. I felt a headache coming on if I did not get it; I felt myself getting anxious if I was at the whim of others for breakfast. I could not function properly without the one cup/shot.
It was by mistake that I first went completely off caffeine. I had another illness that made me feel adverse to tea/coffee of any sort and the recommendation from my doctor that it would be bad for my digestive system. The first couple of days were very difficult, but then I felt so fresh and awake as soon as I woke up in the morning...often before my 5:30 alarm (which is thankfully no more). I was sleeping through the night; I was less hungry for a morning snack two hours after breakfast; I was less hot on my commute to work (in the heat of the Hong Kong summer).
But another summer came, and I found myself back in Paris where the café life is just so intoxicating. I felt crazy not to get the 'real stuff'--a hit of caffeine that would wake up my senses--better than alcohol in my book: the hyperreal vs. the not-so-real.
Actually, I was addicted to two or sometimes three tiny shots of espresso...and I woke up at night sometimes; I got tired sometimes; but when I took that coffee, it was amazing.
So I am trying the fully QUIT again. For me it's hard to be in between because I am so sensitive that I am basically hooked after two or three days 'on' it. I'm going to see how I feel--three days in and I feel quite good besides a four o'clock fatigue before my workout. Maybe if I can go OFF it then have an occasional espresso when I really want to attune myself to whatever it is in front of me, that's the best option. It's true that I enjoy the coffee experience: the smell, aroma, hot cup in my hand. There's no need to completely cut this out of my life.
What has been your experience? Let me know if you have some good ideas or articles.
Here are a few I found interesting:
http://www.bestuniversities.com/blog/2011/10-caffeine-substitutes-every-student-should-know-about/
http://purehealthguide.com/2012/01/how-to-stay-alert-without-caffeine/
http://www.everydayhealth.com/sleep/101/move-more-drink-less.aspx
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2010/08/surviving-college-without-caffeine/
My husband enjoying a cappuccino in Taipei.
There is a lot of information out there about caffeine and weight loss, attention, anxiety, sleep, etc. There's also a lot of information about the antioxidants in green tea and coffee, but that we should be able to get in the decaf variety. Then some people say the decaf variety contains other toxins. The information can be confusing...
There are also a lot of cultural reactions to how you enjoy your caffeine. What kind of beverage and experience? I had a conversation with some French friends this summer and found they had complete disgust for takeaway coffee. 'But that's just not in our culture. That's not what we do. A coffee is also time to sit and talk with someone or think and watch the world.' Therefor Starbucks was seen as evil. In terms of monopolies, there may be some truth to this 'evil' business, but as long as the French cafe terrace can last with a little Starbucks competition for those American-types who want to hold a big cup of something hot (especially on a cold day!), then I say keep our options open! And while I'm in Hong Kong, the cheap option is also the discount Starbucks at our university campus, where (listen carefully French friends) I can order an espresso or a SHORT cappuccino if that's really what I want. (Ok, yes, I would rather be on a French terrace! But that option is just not available!) Further, they are one of a few places in HK and very few in France that allow you to order soy milk--gluten free soy milk--with your beverage. I still don't love it, but it's convenient sometimes.
I think I am one of those people who is pretty sensitive to caffeine, so I have done some thinking and experimenting with it. For a while I was in NEED of my one cup of coffee in the morning, but it stopped there. Still, it was a NEED. I felt a headache coming on if I did not get it; I felt myself getting anxious if I was at the whim of others for breakfast. I could not function properly without the one cup/shot.
It was by mistake that I first went completely off caffeine. I had another illness that made me feel adverse to tea/coffee of any sort and the recommendation from my doctor that it would be bad for my digestive system. The first couple of days were very difficult, but then I felt so fresh and awake as soon as I woke up in the morning...often before my 5:30 alarm (which is thankfully no more). I was sleeping through the night; I was less hungry for a morning snack two hours after breakfast; I was less hot on my commute to work (in the heat of the Hong Kong summer).
But another summer came, and I found myself back in Paris where the café life is just so intoxicating. I felt crazy not to get the 'real stuff'--a hit of caffeine that would wake up my senses--better than alcohol in my book: the hyperreal vs. the not-so-real.
Actually, I was addicted to two or sometimes three tiny shots of espresso...and I woke up at night sometimes; I got tired sometimes; but when I took that coffee, it was amazing.
So I am trying the fully QUIT again. For me it's hard to be in between because I am so sensitive that I am basically hooked after two or three days 'on' it. I'm going to see how I feel--three days in and I feel quite good besides a four o'clock fatigue before my workout. Maybe if I can go OFF it then have an occasional espresso when I really want to attune myself to whatever it is in front of me, that's the best option. It's true that I enjoy the coffee experience: the smell, aroma, hot cup in my hand. There's no need to completely cut this out of my life.
What has been your experience? Let me know if you have some good ideas or articles.
Here are a few I found interesting:
http://www.bestuniversities.com/blog/2011/10-caffeine-substitutes-every-student-should-know-about/
http://purehealthguide.com/2012/01/how-to-stay-alert-without-caffeine/
http://www.everydayhealth.com/sleep/101/move-more-drink-less.aspx
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2010/08/surviving-college-without-caffeine/
In : Health