(OrganicJar) Stop drinking coffee? Have you gone mad? If you’re part of the 64% of the US population who drinks coffee everyday it might be a good idea to know the negative side of this deliciously addictive liquid. Coffee or should I say the caffeine within coffee is a psychotropic drug which alters our brain chemistry. That caffeine high comes with a steep price tag – your health.
I’m not going to lie and say I never drink a cup of coffee (you can read more of my personal thoughts at the end) and I’m not telling you to eliminate caffeine entirely from your diet. But the less caffeine you consume, the better off you are especially if you’re not currently healthy.
10 Reasons To Stop Drinking Coffee:
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Caffeine Depletes Feel-Good NeurotransmittersIt damages our ability to produce feel-good brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters. Have you heard of serotonin? It’s the brain chemical most of us don’t get enough of. It’s the reason so many of people are taking antidepressants. Caffeine actually depletes serotonin. Simple Truth: Coffee is a cheap high that robs us of the building blocks for good chemistry.
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Caffeine Hurts Our Adrenal GlandsThe adrenals are considered the storage center for the vital force, your inherited reservoir of energy. It helps produce brain chemicals that make you fell energetic, focused and ready to work. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant and causes the adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline – the hormone your body depends on in emergencies – but caffeine exhausts your adrenals. If your caffeine sensitivity has diminished or you’re one of those who claims you can drink 3 shots of espresso and go right to sleep, guess what? Your adrenals have given up responding. This leaves you vulnerable to many health hazards. Adrenal fatigue is one of the fastest growing problems. (I’ll be writing more about this soon.)
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Caffeine Lowers Your Sex DriveWhen our adrenal glands are exhausted, they can’t produce sufficient sex hormones. For one, testosterone. (Even women produce testosterone, although not as much as men.) Low testosterone = low sex drive.
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Caffeine Hurts FertilityWomen need adequate progesterone in order to get pregnant and carry a pregnancy to term. Progesterone means “for gestation.” Stress requires that we use more and more cortisol. When our adrenal glands are burned out, we can’t make enough cortisol. So our body will steal as much progesterone as it needs to make cortisol.
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Caffeine Causes InsomniaI think we all know how vital it is to get relaxing sleep at night. Caffeine reduces your sleep and research shows that people who consume more than 2-3 cups (an actual measuring cup, not your giant mug) per day have poor sleep quality.
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Caffeine Causes MalnutritionCaffeine inhibits the absorption of thiamin, B vitamins, calcium, minerals, sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. All of which are essential for good health. “Coffee and tea consumption at the time of a meal can significantly decrease iron absorption. Tea can cause iron absorption to drop by 60 percent and coffee can cause a 50 percent decrease in iron uptake.” (Source)
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Caffeine Suppresses Our Immune FunctionIn all, more than 150 hormones are produced by the adrenals or metabolized from adrenal hormones. One group, known as glucocorticoids (including cortisol), act as a brake on the immune system. Scientists have recently learned that excess glucocorticoid production (caused by stress and caffeine) can profoundly suppress immunity.
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Caffeine Makes You FatOur thyroid gland controls our metabolism. Low thyroid function = slow metabolism and weight gain. Caffeine stresses the adrenal glands. Our thyroid gland works in tandem with our adrenals. We need healthy adrenals for the thyroid to work properly. So if you’re stressing out your adrenal glands with coffee, you’re slowing down your metabolism.
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Caffeine Could Damage Your LiverCaffeine is broken down by the liver through the use of enzymes. The more these enzymes are involved in breaking down caffeine, the less available they are for breaking down other chemicals in the bloodstream. Excessive caffeine use, therefore, causes the liver to work less efficiently at its job of detoxifying the body.
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Coffee is the Most Pesticide Laden Food on the PlanetCoffee is the most chemically treated food crop on the planet. Period. It is heavily sprayed with pesticides and grown with chemical fertilizers. Many of which even kill the workers. Over 1,000 chemicals have been found in roasted coffee. 19 of these chemicals are known carcinogens (known to cause cancer). Decaf coffee is even worse because chemical solvents are used to extract the caffeine.
MY THOUGHTS:
I was one of those individuals who drank coffee all day long, and even through the night. However it became to taxing on my body and I noticed the signs. I would “need” that cup of coffee to even function, my skin was extremely dry, I had acne, and the worst was coming off that caffeine high. It was a vicious cycle that became to much. So I switched to tea and herbal infusions and slowly kicked my caffeine addiction and wouldn’t you know it, my urge for it left, my dry skin and acne disappeared and I felt a consistent energy throughout the day. I still enjoy a nice cup of “organic” coffee now and then but like all drugs I function better without – something I didn’t realize or think was possible until I overcame my caffeine addition.
The take away message is this. If you’re healthy, fit, and happy then keep drinking that coffee. If you’re not I would highly suggest you start by cutting out all the caffeine in your life and yes, that includes green and black teas as well as chocolate [I hear screams]. Keep in mind this isn’t forever, just until you get back to feeling happy and healthy. – Jason
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Share Your Love / Hate Relationship With Caffeine. Leave a Comment Below.
Image: nourishedkitchen.com
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Susan Yuditskaya | Feb 25, 2012 | Reply
I completely agree with this article. That said, I had a 16 oz coffee this am… Gotta kick the habit again!
Boris Miljković | Feb 25, 2012 | Reply
Ok. I'm done with coffee.
Aleksandra Lazović | Feb 25, 2012 | Reply
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
Boris Miljković | Feb 25, 2012 | Reply
Aleksandra Lazović im sticking to harmless drugs ;)
Milica Gljivica | Feb 25, 2012 | Reply
Jupi, sada mozemo zajedno da ne pijemo kafu :)
Altinay Luna | Feb 25, 2012 | Reply
Chocolate, coffee and tea? But they're so good…I'm going to have only one a day (not of each) for a month and see if I notice a difference in my body. Good read :)
Dragana Caka Uremovic | Feb 26, 2012 | Reply
Mia kuliraj, vidi sta nasi kazu.. Obrati paznju koliko je kontradiktorno!?!?
Suzana Križanec | Feb 26, 2012 | Reply
Jst pa NE!!!!! ;-)))))
Mihajlo | Feb 26, 2012 | Reply
It’s all bullshit !
Jason Moser | Feb 26, 2012 | Reply
I used to drink a couple cups of coffee and two energy drinks every day. I began experiencing heart murmurs (or what the cardiologist has called back fires). It literally felt like I was having a heart attack. I only drink one cup a day, but eventually I would like to drop that as well. I feel a lot better since slowing way down on caffeine.
Nandi Nordmann | Feb 27, 2012 | Reply
well good morning! AIAIAI. this hurts.
Richard Butzbach | Feb 27, 2012 | Reply
9. Caffeine Could Damages Your Liver.
Either 'Damages', or 'Could Damage'. Not 'Could Damages'.
Laura Pijnenborgh | Feb 27, 2012 | Reply
oeps Wouter Gresnigt…..misschien ff lezen? ;-))
Stefan Müller | Feb 27, 2012 | Reply
"If your healthy, fit, happy then keep drinking that coffee…" – and soon you`ll become like all the others – unfit, unhappy and unhealthy :-) Think about it then it`s your health!
Boris Miljković | Feb 27, 2012 | Reply
ja znam po sebi da lose utice na moje raspolozenje
Monika Owoc | Feb 28, 2012 | Reply
to bad, is there any good sides of drinking coffee? ;)
Nailesh Gandhi | Feb 28, 2012 | Reply
Control drinking coffee is good
Joeri Nordmann | Feb 28, 2012 | Reply
Ik herken de Caffeine High en die loopt echt wel 24 uur p/d in mijn hoofd rond te tollen tezamen met wel meer "high's" ..dit is er eentje die ik uit ga bannen, minderen en na 't weekend drink ik geen koffie meer, althans…das 't voornemen, hou je op de hoogte, bedankt voor het sharen van de link want herken me in de gehele opsomming van klachten, op de acne na gelukkig….maar daar zou beter mee te leven zijn uiteindelijk als alle andere klachten die ik daadwerkelijk ervaar met mijn koffie-zuipen, time 4 a slide change & dit motiveert 100%, nogmaals ik hou je op de hoogte, succesvolle werkweek broer, groetjes Joeri !
Nandi Nordmann | Feb 28, 2012 | Reply
It smells so very very nice!
Treating Scoliosis | Mar 7, 2012 | Reply
For most people it’s nearly impossible to think of giving up their coffee habit. For some, it’s what they look forward to each day. However, there are many health benefits to giving it up or cutting down on the intake. For a change, try green tea instead.
Lizzie Mason | Mar 15, 2012 | Reply
Barley cup – just as delicious!
Melanie Murray | Mar 30, 2012 | Reply
I say everything in moderation. Coffee is one of the few enjoyments that I just loooovee…. but I don't consume mass quantities. Stay away from the sugary starbucks fake crap and enjoy an finely roasted brew. And didn't they just release a study saying it's now good for Alzheimer's? I can't remember hahaha. Next they will say it's bad then good then bad again.
Shawn | Apr 30, 2012 | Reply
Try drinking tea that is caffeine free… Such as chamomile tea. I trunk a cup of it with a little honey about an hour before bed… Takes the stress of the day away and helps me relax.
For those of you who are having a hard time kicking the coffee habit, try drinking iced coffee. The caffeine in cold coffee cold is absorbed much slower than that of hot coffee…
Anonymous | Jun 28, 2012 | Reply
But, but, but… I'm not addicted to coffee. It's just that I get headaches when I don't drink it…
Wow. Thank you for the pesticide reference. Can that be true? One more big reason to buy organic or grow your own.
Kristján Már Gunnarsson | Jul 29, 2012 | Reply
Sorry but this article is completely wrong and obvious that the author didn't take an objective look at the subject before posting.
There's plenty of scientific evidence for various health benefits of coffee.
Venessa | Aug 29, 2012 | Reply
Even I am not addicted to coffee. I prefer green tea over tea or coffee. It gives me refreshment every time. :)
Lucky Joestar | Oct 6, 2012 | Reply
For those of you wanting to get off coffee, it’s best to taper off by half a cup’s worth (one gram of the instant stuff) a day. That way, the withdrawal symptoms don’t kick in. Have aspirin handy.
Radiant Love Energy | Oct 13, 2012 | Reply
I think that energetically speaking coffee actually lowers your energy level. It isn’t refreshing and it dehydrates too. In moderation, and as long as you keep yourself hydrated throughout the rest of the day, I think it is an enjoyment to be had as long as you are aware of the effects.
Farha | Oct 31, 2012 | Reply
Everything…. believe me —everything—- should be taken or done within limits if you want them to benefit you.
Alluring Health | Nov 20, 2012 | Reply
I cut down on my coffee, but I don't think I can stop. I like it too much.
FUE Hair Transplant | Jun 30, 2016 | Reply
Thanks for sharing this post, Even I am not addicted to coffee. I prefer green tea over tea or coffee. It gives me refreshment every time.