How to break a coffee addiction - from HMI Nutrition School
A great post by Health Mastery Institute on how to break a coffee addiction and how it can also relate to gluten intolerance.
I've had bad coffee addiction way back. My first job in NYC was in finance on Wall Street. Like everyone else, I was drinking a cup of coffee at home, then when exiting the subway I would grab a $1.00 from the NYC famous coffee and bagel carts, then I would have at least 2 more cups in the office since it was free there. So at a minimum 4 cups a day. Oh, and Starbucks was around the corner, so it was a great excuse to get out of the office for a small break to get another new flavor of coffee drink.
After a year, I was having horrible stomach pains. Like really bad. At that time I also started doing yoga. My yoga teacher would always say about going vegan to heal all the health problems, and he was also telling us to go on a 10-day juice cleanse, mostly of green juices. In 2010 I did my first juice cleanse and OMG! I got my health back.
Having a glass of fresh green juice with lemon and some ginger every morning was giving me the best kick in the morning. Way better than any coffee and 1000% more alkaline.
I replaced coffee with green juice since then. Best decision ever. Best, most alkaline, and 100% good for your body's morning boost vs coffee.
From the HMI Nutrition School:
“COFFEE: How to Break Your Coffee Addiction, Detox From Coffee, and How Coffee and Gluten Intolerance Are Related.
Although a cup of coffee enjoyed infrequently is not a problem for most people, the constant consumption of coffee really taxes our adrenal glands by pumping us full of adrenaline. As the adrenaline wears off, cortisol slowly builds up. When this cycle is continually repeated, cortisol builds up and creates the same effects as chronic stress.
Coffee also stimulates the brain to produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter. Dopamine elevates our mood and can make us feel better, which is part the reason that coffee is hard to quit for many people.
SHOCKING TO MOST PEOPLE: Habitual coffee consumption can cause gluten intolerance. Studies have actually shown that coffee is one of the most cross-reactive foods with wheat, which means that it can create gluten intolerance even though it doesn't contain wheat. 10% of coffee is a protein that cross reacts with gluten antibodies. AND, it does not matter if the coffee is caffeinated or decaf. This means that if you are gluten sensitive or celiac and are avoiding gluten containing grains or perhaps have even gone completely grain free, if you still drink coffee it is likely that the protein in the coffee is triggering the problems you are trying to avoid.
Coffee triggers the same inflammation and autoimmune response as gluten containing foods, and actually has even more serious effects. Coffee is acidic, leaches minerals from bones, causes excess stress hormones to be released, all which increase inflammation.
Coffee also contains more than 700 volatile substances, including a combination of alcohols, aromatic compounds, carbonyl compounds, esters, hydrocarbons, heterocyclic compounds, and terpenoids. If you are not drinking organic, it contains a lot of pesticide residues and other contaminants such as nitrosamines, solvents, and mycotoxins. Some of which are carcinogenic.
Coffee also causes loss of thiamin and other B vitamins, calcium, minerals, sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, and zinc, and studies have shown that a single cup of coffee can reduce iron absorption from a meal by as much as 75%.
Here are my top 5 tips for breaking the habit:
1. Coffee greatly depletes the body of magnesium. Considered the “master mineral”, magnesium supplementation neutralizes the adrenalin surges cause by caffeine, which will help with anxiety and insomnia that sometimes result from caffeine withdrawal.
Start taking magnesium citrate powder about 2 weeks before you are going to be weaned off of coffee. After 2 weeks, drink black or green tea for one week. (continue taking the magnesium). After one week on tea, switch to herbal teas like Tulsi, which is an AWESOME replacement and does not stress your adrenals. (~note: avoid magnesium oxide, as only 4 percent will be absorbed and the remainder will be a powerful laxative.)
2. Drink lots of green juices. This is amazingly effective in the majority of people. Green juices alkalize your blood, and if you begin your day with 24-32 ounces of green juice before eating anything, eventually you will not even want coffee.
3. NATURAL AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENTS: Start taking a supplement of naturally sourced amino acid supplement DL-phenylalanine (DLPA). It is a natural dopamine precursor. 500mg once in the morning, and once in the afternoon is a dose that works for most people.
4. L-Tyrosine is also effective in helping you kick the coffee. L-Tyrosine is another natural precursor to dopamine production and will help you be alert. You do not need this AND the DLPA. Most people do better with DLPA.
5. Take hot baths with Epsom salts which will help detoxify coffee metabolites through your skin. You may smell coffee in your sweat.
** If for some reason after weaning off the coffee you have withdrawal symptoms of irritability or headaches (you shouldn’t with DLPA) take homeopathic Chamomilla 12X (one dose, 4 times a day).
~ Note: Always check with your personal health care provider before taking any supplements. Pregnant and lactating women should not take any supplements without their doctor's approval”.