I’m sure the last thing you wanted to hear was that it’s time to ditch your coffee.
Well, I’m not totally saying that, so hear me out.
Your morning java is probably one of those times during your day where you are actually pretty darn happy. That first sip is pretty blissful right? I know the feeling. I love coffee just as much as the next person, but hormonally speaking, it’s not always the best option.
You see, caffeine is very stimulating and after getting 7-8 hours of sleep and cellular rejuvenation, caffeine literally shuts down your body. It also has the ability to affect your organs, bowels, and detoxification abilities. Plus, it over stimulates your heart first thing in the morning. Not good!
But here’s something else you may not have known… caffeine works by affecting your body’s ability to break down adrenaline. That’s why you feel energized from it. So if you’re suffering with adrenal fatigue and happen to be a stress case, coffee just isn’t your friend. Those poor adrenals of yours just won’t have the opportunity to ever heal.
And if you’re feeling tired and sluggish and using coffee to ‘wake you up’ numerous times throughout the day, then this is a bad sign. Using coffee to overstimulate your adrenals (adrenaline) is no good!
Aside from adrenaline, caffeine also raises other substances in the body such as, interleukin-6, TNF, C-reactive protein and homocysteine, all of which are inflammatory compounds.
A Greek study from 2004 that involved over 3,000 participants found that those consuming 200 ml of coffee, roughly two cups a day, had between 28 and 50 percent higher levels of three kinds of inflammatory markers compared to non-coffee drinkers.
Not to mention, coffee also raises blood pressure, which I’m going to guess is probably already high if you’re a chronic stress case.
So what are your adrenal glands anyways?
Your adrenals are known as “the glands of stress.” It is their job to help manage how your body reacts to stress. From environment, food choices, emotional, mental, physical and physiological impacts, your adrenals can be bombarded with a variety of stressors, some good, some bad.
Adrenal hormones have a significant impact on every tissue, organ and gland in the body. If you are highly stressed or manage stress ineffectively, these tiny glands can become overworked which in turn will cause hormonal chaos. From here, a variety of issues can develop, such as: reproductive problems, heart issues, brain issues, fatigue, digestive upsets and chronic infections.
So what’s a coffee connoisseur supposed to do?
Well, a few things…
First, you can start by having your coffee after breakfast. Making sure you nourish your body with some good food first is important.
Second, be sure to get in your dose of coffee before 2pm. Enjoying a cup too late in the day can affect your sleep cycles. And if you’re thinking about ditching coffee altogether, I would start by cutting back by one cup at a time. Start slow. Focus on cutting back just one cup for 5 days staight. Then another cup the following 5 days and so on, until you’re down to zero!
It’s common to experience headaches while cutting back on coffee. Give yourself a few days and this will subside. Increase your water intake, incorporate a fresh pressed juice and support your body with nutritious foods to help your body recoup faster. In the end, it will be worth it! Your adrenals will start to work more efficiently, meaning your body will be better able to handle stress.
There are also numerous herbal teas you can also try, such as: green tea, honeybush, nettle, peppermint, yerba mate, lemon balm and so many more! In fact, you can try my favourite coffee alternative called Dandy Blend. It’s amazing! Every coffee lover who has tried it has not complained yet!
Dandy Blend is a blend of herbs plus dandelion. It contains no caffeine, is GMO free and tastes like a delicious cup of coffee. Trust me, it’s really good. You can order some from www.rawelements.ca (use the discount code – SAMG at checkout to save 10%).
Now before you carry on with your day feeling sad and depressed because you think you can never enjoy a cup of coffee again, there is some good news!
On the positive side, coffee contains high amounts of antioxidants that help to support cellular repair and are great for mental focus and concentration. And because it has a direct impact on adrenaline, coffee is great for athletes and their performance. Having a cup of coffee before hitting the gym can improve your exercise performance and endurance and is a great way to allow your body to utilize the adrenaline and caffeine in your system.
It’s also important to mention that if you do continue to drink your cup of java everyday, quality is important! Like really important.
Coffee is very high on the pesticide radar, plus many cheap coffees on the market contain a common mould, known as mycotoxins. The last thing you want to be doing is drinking down a cup of pesticides and mould! Yuck!
So be sure to purchase organic, fair trade coffee. It’s also important to know how the beans were harvested, where they were harvested, whether they were hand-picked, and how they were roasted. These are just a few things to look for when sourcing a high quality coffee.
So coffee lovers, I want to hear from you! Thinking about ditching your daily cup of goodness? Or at least cutting back?
What are some of your favourite coffee brands? Share in the comments below.
You can find more coffee info, plus a ton of delicious coffee alternative recipes in my book The Qualitarian Life.
