Tuesday April 8th, 2014. The day I stopped drinking coffee. For those of you who know me well or have seen the numerous posts I have on my social media accounts of fantastic coffee pictures, this make come as a shock.
One disclaimer before we go any further in this discussion: I am not cutting it out of my life 100%, forever. For the time being, however, I am 100% off of the coffee train.
Since I said goodbye to this delicious hot beverage, I have not had any coffee at all. I like to think of it as a respectful breakup. I need to have it out of my life completely for a while in order to get over it.
This will resonate with those of you who have coached with us, or have participated in a Thirty Day Life By Design Challenge. The initial period of complete abstinence is critical for changing a habit. Eventually, I intend for coffee to have a role in my life that is similar to grain-free desserts: an occasional indulgence in something that is minimally toxic and tastes really good.
As a coffee lover and health expert I have spent numerous hours studying research on both the nutritional value of coffee and the effects of caffeine on the body. On a couple of occasions I have presented several excellent journal articles presenting some of the benefits of drinking coffee to friends and colleagues. There is lots of data to show improvements in performance and improved outcomes in various health conditions related to coffee consumption. However, these studies do not negate the evidence that clearly demonstrates the role of caffeine in chronically elevating the stress response.
One of the fundamental Life By Design tenants is that increasing your adaptability to stress and decreasing your life stress moves you in the direction of better health.
Get your spine checked to maximize your nervous system’s function and adaptability, eat real food, move your body, and have a purpose and positive mental outlook. Simple steps; fabulous results.
I do all of these things. I do have fabulous results. I am happy with the way that my body looks, feels and functions. But I am always looking to push the envelope and be better. Drinking coffee is one major lifestyle choice that I have been making which is incongruent with the Life By Design principles.
As another aside: this is not an indictment of anyone who drinks coffee that is teaching, coaching or living By Design. There is huge individual variation in stress response relative to caffeine consumption and, like everything else, it is your life and you get to determine where your lines are. If you love coffee and your quality of life is improved by drinking it, keep on keeping on.
It is fair to add that I was not a one cup of coffee a day person. I was an all-day-every-day four to six cups of coffee a day person, a chain drinker if you will. Cutting down was not an appealing, or realistic option for me. Sometimes you just have to know your limitations. This was mine.
Going forward I expect to see improvements in my sleep quality and afternoon energy levels. Even if I do not see ‘symptomatic’ improvements, I know that removal of a chemical that interferes with my body’s stress response will allow me to be healthier. It is worth it. I love coffee but it is worth it to me to kick the habit and get more out of my other life experiences.
If you are interested in some science regarding caffeine and stress response, leave a comment below and I will be sure to get some articles to you.
For more simple By Design recipes why not pick up your copy of the Eat By Design Cookbook. I’ve created it in the form of a 28-day meal plan (plus grocery lists!) so you don’t need to think about what’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner for the next month. Or you can grab the first 7 days FREE by clicking here.