How To Curb The Caffeine

I love Twitter if you use it come and join my followers @debbiehuxton there is lots of banter and solid, quick interaction that takes place daily. Today I am not writing about social media. This blogpost is prompted from a tweet I sent out about caffeine in response to some banter I was having with my 4Networking friends. This morning I have a DM (direct message) that came through to me privately asking me about caffiene and safe levels to drink.

"Hi Debbie, YTDy, you've tweeted not to totally cut out caffeine. How much do you suggest is OK and in what form ? Thanks, Aliz"

I have to be honest and say my biggest nutritional vice, not bigger than chocolate, but more than bread or great cheese, is a good mug not cup of great black coffee. I enjoy sipping a good cup of coffee, I love the smell of it, especially ground beans, any coffee shop is heaven for me. Something quite soothing and homely about the aromatic, pungent smells I find very comforting.  I also appreciate the slight edge of brain-boosting energy that it gives me during the day. I don't drink it first thing in the morning to wake me up. I love my adrenal glands and would not subject them to such harsh treatment. I have my first cup towards midday and don't drink it after 6pm as I like to SLEEP. When  I was nursing coffee kept me awake during night shifts, but on my days off I was like a zombie.  I generally make the right choices when it comes to health and fitness: regular exercise, frequent small meals and snacks of energy-rich whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats, along with a daily supplement regime of Chlorella, Wheatgrass and Spirulina and Omega 3,6, & 9 and plenty of water.

So for me, now I have left nursing and those horrendous adrenaline, caffeine fuelled night shifts behind. 

I have more energy as I drink less coffee mainly decaff (although this has chemicals in it),I don't drink tea, but we have decaff bags at home. I only drink organic herbal tea and never touch energy drinks and any lack of energy for me now is more about a lack of sleep. Even after juggling family and friends with my business, there's just so much that I want to do! In my busy schedule and so much to do with the launch of my new business, sleep is often the first thing to go. To counter feelings of sluggishness, I go for a walk or meditate now and if I am tired I sleep if I can. Many people I know still use caffeine as there pick me up.  Caffeine is reported to be one of the most widely used drugs, with an estimated 80 percent to 90 percent of North American adults consuming caffeinated beverages every day and we in the UK are not far behind this.

Fortunately, as I said in my tweet a little caffeine isn't so bad.

- There is no link between caffeine intake and an increased risk of osteoporosis or heart disease, though unfiltered coffee think espresso or French-pressed might increase cholesterol and triglyceride levels. There is something to think about. And the American Cancer Society reports that there is no evidence caffeine raises the risk of breast cancer or other types of cancer.

- As far as pregnancy is concerned even pregnant women don't have to forgo their caffeinated beverage of personal choice. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and they know there stuff state that expectant mothers can safely have up to 200 mg of caffeine daily (about two small cups of coffee, depending on the strength of the brew) without increasing the risk of miscarriage or early birth.

- There are actually some benefits to moderate caffeine consumption. The most immediately noticeable is an increased sense of alertness. Additionally, coffee is linked to the prevention of several diseases, including type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease and liver disease.So it is not all bad.

Caffeine has also been studied extensively for its impact on weight loss. 

Many diet pills contain some form of caffeine, which functions as an appetite suppressant and provides a slight boost in metabolism. Now don't think that drinking copious amounts of caffeinated drinks or taking supplements will help you lose weight quickly. It won't!

Many studies show that, at best, regular caffeine consumption might raise your metabolism by 4 percent to 5 percent. For the average a woman weighing 150-pounds, this is a difference of 75 calories daily less than what's in a standard slice of bread. During the course of an entire year, trimming an extra 75 calories every day can mean the difference of about 8 pounds. Look at that math, so if you take 150 calories off a day that's a stone in a year and you haven't starved and given up all the things you love. That could just be on going for a 40 min walk everyday and not adding in any extra to what you are already consuming, weight loss IS that simple it's just that it has been complicated by too many people trying to make a quick buck, appealing to our lazy, image obsessed nature. We even add caffeine to creams and potions promising to dissolve cellulite overnight or after several uses. I can't say if these work or not as I have never used them.

I digress let's get back to caffeine consumption.

Caffeine is also well-documented as a performance enhancer, particularly for endurance athletes. It might help our bodies use fat for energy more effectively during exercise, thus sparing our carbohydrate stores and delaying fatigue. It might also benefit performance in short bouts of high-intensity exercise, such as sprints or strength training. One theory is that as a central nervous system stimulant, caffeine buffers our perception of pain and perceived exertion, allowing us to work harder. And contrary to popular belief, caffeine won't leave you dehydrated at least not if consumed in the amount normally found in standard servings of coffee, tea or soft drinks. Large quantities might cause a short-lived increase in urine output in individuals not accustomed to consuming caffeine, but a tolerance develops over time to minimize the diuretic effects.

Now don't be fooled so far it's not all good news.

We know that too much caffeine can leave us feeling restless and irritable and can interfere with sleep. And we can become dependent on it, becoming foggy or getting headaches without our usual fix. While caffeine doesn't seem to have a long-term impact on high blood pressure (hypertension), it can cause a brief increase in blood pressure, raising systolic and diastolic pressure each by about three to 15 points. To find out whether caffeine is raising your numbers, check your blood pressure before consuming caffeine, then again about 30 minutes after caffeine intake. I know it raises mine and if I have more than two cups a day I get palpitations.

In conclusion a moderate intake of caffeine is OK a for the majority of the population

With most health organisations defining "moderate" as not more than 200 to 300 milligrams per day. You may, however, want to talk with your GP to determine what's best for you, based on your current health and medication.

If you decide that you need to curb your caffeine intake, a few tips can make the transition easier.

I don't drink coffee daily mainly at the weekend and its only 2 cups a day. Yesterday I had 2 delicious cups at our dear friends Paul and Karens. As I write this on a Sunday morning I have had none and after writing this actually don't fancy any for now! When I reduced my intake I did suffer headaches and felt like I had flu for 3 days but after the 4th day I was feeling better, no lethargy, no slumps, no headaches and as I go to the gym 4 -5 times a week swimming now I believe that my weekend coffee and the odd week day slurp have little or no effect on my health.

If you are looking to reduce your intake

I suggest you start by tracking how much caffeine you're getting daily from foods and drinks. Remember to count medications and supplements as well. Cut back gradually to minimise withdrawal, aiming to consume one less serving every day or two until you achieve your goal of moderate caffeine consumption.

If you find it difficult to cut back and some people will

Go half-and-half, incorporating decaff coffee, tea, or soft drinks. You can also substitute decaffeinated herbal tea, or steep your usual tea for less time to lessen the caffeine content. Turn to other natural energy boosters, such as exercise. Even a short, brisk walk can boost alertness. Eat small meals and snacks every three or four hours throughout the day, and avoid high-fat meals, which can leave you feeling sluggish and tired.

And finally, aim to get a good night's sleep

I have turned my sleep patterns around I go to bed for 10pm weekdays and get up at 6am ready to go. I have no energy slumps in the day. Weekends I am in bed between 1130pm and midnight (unless out and about smoozing) and up by 8ish although today I snuggled until 9am (10am before clocks went back). Life is all about moderation ENJOY it.