“What Happens When You Give Up Caffeine?”

Lowered Anxiety: Caffeine gives you a jolt of energy, but sometimes that jolt can mirror the symptoms of anxiety: jittery nervousness, heart palpitations, even feelings of panic. That’s your “fight or flight” response taking over. The less you take in, the less you trigger that response and the anxiety that comes with it.

Better Sleep: Caffeine is a common choice for burning the midnight oil because it boosts alertness. So, it makes sense that cutting it out makes for better ZZZs. In fact, if you throw back a caffeine drink even as many as 6 hours before bedtime, it can still bother your sleep.

Fewer Bathroom Breaks: Caffeine can act like a laxative. This makes you need to go more -- and more often than not, what comes out is loose stools. If you scale back on coffee especially, it can cut down on trips to the loo and take your output back to normal.

Less Breast Soreness: Although there aren’t studies to back up a link between caffeine and breast pain, many women say they feel less soreness when they take it out of their diet.

Slower Skin Aging: Caffeine slows down the rate at which your body makes collagen. This is a protein that gives your skin its tightness and elasticity. Once it drops, your skin starts to sag, and wrinkles appear. You make it more slowly as you age. So, if you get rid of caffeine, it can help keep that aging process from speeding up.

Dodging Dependence: Just like drugs, caffeine alters the chemistry of your brain if you take it in regularly over time. You can become dependent on it, too, and need more and more after a while just to feel the effects.

Better Nutrient Absorption: Large amounts of caffeine keep your body from taking in vitamins and minerals as it should. In fact, if you take a multivitamin with your morning cup of coffee, the caffeine could keep you from getting the benefits.

Stronger, Whiter Teeth: Coffee, soda, and tea are three of the most common caffeine delivery vehicles. All can stain your teeth with their acidity and color. Their caffeine also dries out your mouth. Saliva is a prime defense against bacteria, so the less you have, the higher the risk of tooth decay.

Lower Blood Pressure: Blood pressure spikes when you drink caffeine. Researchers think it might also keep your arteries from staying as wide as they should for healthy blood pressure. If you cut caffeine, you skip this blood pressure bump and potential complications along with it.

Withdrawal Symptoms: If caffeine is a big part of your daily diet, taking it away can have a host of unpleasant effects in the short term. These include headache, tiredness, sleepiness, down moods, trouble concentrating, and crankiness. You'll start to feel symptoms a day or two after you stop. They can last anywhere from 2 to 9 days.

Tip: Don’t Quit Cold Turkey - A step-by-step approach is your best bet. To start, replace half of your morning cup of joe with decaf, for example. Switch out your caffeinated foods and drinks over time with caffeine-free options to help ease withdrawal symptoms.

Tip: Hydrate and Rest - Keep the water coming when you give up caffeine. That plus plenty of sleep can help you sidestep many of the worst withdrawal symptoms.

Tip: Exercise - A regular dose of exercise gives you the serotonin boost your body craves so you can skip the chemical crutch. It will lift your mood and help you sleep better, too. Both can help you thrive through your withdrawal phase.

Coffee Alternatives

Why Cut Back? On the whole, caffeine seems to be safe for most people, at least up to the amount you’d get from four cups of brewed coffee a day. But that much could make you anxious, disrupt your sleep, or get your pulse racing.

Decaf: If you’re looking to cut back on coffee, this option gives you the taste with less caffeine. Some makers use chemicals or gases, like carbon dioxide, to remove the stimulant. The Swiss Water Method uses only water. Sellers must remove 97% of the caffeine from a bean to call it decaffeinated. After that, it’ll only have 3 milligrams to 12 milligrams per cup, compared with 100 milligrams in a regular cup.

Green Tea: If you’re ready to cut back on caffeine, it’s best not to do it too suddenly. That could leave you tired, groggy, foggy-brained, and peevish. It might also give you a splitting headache. Green tea can help. In addition to cell-protecting antioxidants, it has a quarter of the caffeine in a cup of coffee.

Golden Milk Turmeric Tea: This bright yellow spice could help your heart, ease arthritis pain, and relieve skin irritation from cancer treatments. Just stir it into a warmed jar of almond or coconut milk. Put a lid on it, and shake it until it’s good and frothy. Then, pour it into a cup and sprinkle it with bit of nutmeg. You can sweeten it with honey or sugar. But try it first. You may find it satisfying enough without sweetener.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Toss a capful or so into a glass of water or warm it up into hot tea. Add lemon, honey, and even cinnamon, if you like. Don’t overdo it, because the acid can hurt your teeth. Vinegar may help keep your blood sugar more stable after you eat, though doctors aren’t sure yet. You also might feel more satisfied on days you have vinegar and be less likely to overeat.

Maca: This root grows in the Andes Mountains in Peru. You can get it as a powder from health food stores and add it to smoothies or hot chocolate. More study is needed, but some evidence suggests it could make men and women more frisky and men more fertile. It might ease menopausal symptoms in women like hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems, anxiety, depression, and irregular heartbeat.

Lemon Water: In winter, you can heat it up like tea. In summer, drink it over ice. Lemons, like other citrus fruits, are loaded with vitamin C along with other cell-protecting antioxidants like flavonoids. Some studies show that daily lemon juice helps control high blood pressure.

Carob: It’s made from the pod-like fruit of the carob tree. You can add it to hot chocolate or smoothies. You could also mix it with warm dairy, soy, or almond milk to make a drink that stands on its own. Carob is fiber-rich, helps digestion, and may even help keep your blood sugar and cholesterol at healthy levels.

Bone Broth: It can be made from beef, lamb, or chicken. Though it isn’t quite the nutritional powerhouse that some people have claimed, it's warm and satisfying on a cold winter’s day. Plus, it’s a great source of protein, with 6 to 12 grams per cup. And there’s some evidence that chicken bone broth helps clear your nose when you’re sniffly better than other hot drinks. It also might ease swelling and inflammation.

Kombucha: To make it, you add yeast and sugar to a tea mixture and let it ferment. This creates vinegar, B vitamins, and fizzy bubbles. The result is tangy, refreshing, and lower in sugar than many soft drinks. It may help keep you regular and boost your immune system, but researchers need further study to be sure. You can make it at home, but if you do it wrong, harmful bacteria could grow and make you sick.

Rose Hip Tea: Made from parts of several plants in the Rosaceae family, it offers vitamin C along with a number of cell-protecting and anti-inflammatory chemicals (phenolics, carotenoids). It seems to lessen arthritis pain, and it may help you keep your weight under control, too. But more research is needed to be sure.

Milk: Good ol’ fashioned milk is a great source of B vitamins, including riboflavin, niacin, B6, and B12. Getting your daily allowance helps your body process food into fuel and keep your energy levels up. Look for low-fat or skim milk if you want to limit calories and fat.

Coconut Water: It isn’t a miracle drink, but it’s better than many energy drinks because it has no caffeine and less sugar. It can also replace essential minerals called electrolytes that you lose when you sweat. Still, for all but the most draining workouts, water is all you need to rehydrate. And some coconut water is sweetened further with sugar or juice, so check the label if you’re trying to cut calories.

Reviewed by: Melinda Ratini, DO, MS on July 24, 2019

Reviewed by: Christine Mikstas, RD, LD on November 08, 2018

Sources:

Journal of Psychopharmacology: “Caffeine consumption and self-assessed stress, anxiety, and depression in secondary school children.” 
National Council on Strength and Fitness: “Caffeine Consumption Among Children and Adolescents.”
Sleep Medicine Reviews: “Caffeine: Sleep and daytime sleepiness.”
Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine: “Caffeine Effects on Sleep Taken 0, 3, or 6 Hours before Going to Bed.”
The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics: “Caffeine Withdrawal: A Parametric Analysis of Caffeine Dosing Conditions.”
European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology: “Is coffee a colonic stimulant?”
Harvard Health: “Breast pain: Not just a premenopausal complaint.”
Drug Design, Development, and Therapy: “Influence of caffeine and hyaluronic acid on collagen biosynthesis in human skin fibroblasts.”
American Academy of Dermatology: “Caring for Your Skin in Menopause.”
Journal of Caffeine Research: “Caffeine Use Disorder: A Comprehensive Review and Research Agenda.”
Food Science and Quality Management: “Effects of caffeine on health and nutrition: A Review.”
American Dental Association: “Top 9 Foods That Damage Your Teeth,” Dry Mouth.”
Mayo Clinic: “Caffeine: How Does It Affect Blood Pressure?”
StatPearls: “Caffeine, Withdrawal.”
Johns Hopkins Medicine: “Caffeine Withdrawal Recognized As A Disorder.”
American Psychological Association: “The exercise effect.”
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: “Coconut Water -- Is It What It’s Cracked Up to Be.”
Clinical Laboratory: “In vitro study on dental erosion caused by different vinegar varieties using an electron microprobe.”
Consumer Reports: “Is Decaffeinated Coffee Bad for You?”
Benzie, I., and Wachtel-Galor, S. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition, CRC Press/Taylor & Francis, 2011.
Diabetic Health Clinic: “Raw Hot Chocolate & Carob Drink.”
GoDairyFree.org: “Warm Spiced Carob Milk: The Hottest Dairy-Free Winter Beverage.”
Harvard Health Publishing: “What's the scoop on bone soup?”
Harvard School of Public Health: “Other Healthy Beverage Options.”
International Journal of Biomedical Science: “Therapeutic Effects of Pre-Gelatinized Maca (Lepidium Peruvianum Chacon) used as a Non-Hormonal Alternative to HRT in Perimenopausal Women - Clinical Pilot Study.”
International Journal of Molecular Sciences: “Functional Components of Carob Fruit: Linking the Chemical and Biological Space.”
Journal of Caffeine Research: “Caffeine Withdrawal and Dependence: A Convenience Survey Among Addiction Professionals,” “Caffeine Use Disorder: A Comprehensive Review and Research Agenda.”
Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism: “Effect on Blood Pressure of Daily Lemon Ingestion and Walking.”
KeeperOfTheHome.org: “Smoothie of the Morning -- Carob Delight.”
Mayo Clinic: “What is kombucha tea? Does it have any health benefits?” “Caffeine: How much is too much?”
Michigan Medicine C.S. Mott’s Children’s Hospital: “Rose hips.”
MedlinePlus: “Maca.”
MyNewRoots.org: “Superfood Haute Chocolate,” “Adaptogenic Date Shake.”
Nutrition and Metabolism: “Rose hip supplementation increases energy expenditure and induces browning of white adipose tissue.”
Oldwayspt.org: “What To Do When A Cold Comes On, According To Experts.”
OneGreenPlanet.org: “Why You Should Replace Your Caffeine Fix with Maca.”
MedGenMed: “Vinegar: Medicinal Uses and Antiglycemic Effect.”
Sajadi-Ernazarova, K., and Hamilton, R. Caffeine, Withdrawal, StatPearls Publishing, 2018.
National Health Service: “B vitamins and folic acid.”
NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: “Turmeric.”
UMiamihealth.org: “Are There Healthy Alternatives to Coffee and Energy Drinks?”
What’s Cooking America: “Golden Milk -- Turmeric Tea.”
Whfoods.org: “Lemon/Limes.”

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine, #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2LiveWell

The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.

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"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

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“Alcoholism in Black Women

Facts About Alcohol Abuse:

Alcohol abuse is a serious problem in the United States and in many countries throughout the world. Those afflicted with alcoholism suffer from a variety of problems that negatively impact upon many aspects of their lives. It is estimated that between 9 to 13 million people suffer from alcohol abuse. The statistics are quite frightening. Alcohol is responsible for half the annual deaths due to automobile accidents, and for more than 70% of adolescent suicides (Landy, 1987).

Over time, alcohol abuse leads to a variety of serious health problems. These can include chronic liver disease, decreased sex hormone production, pancreatitis, kidney disease, and brain damage. Psychiatric problems include depression, paranoia, and low self-esteem. It is difficult for individuals with alcohol problems to be productive and many lose jobs or cannot be successful in their area of work. Perhaps the most devastating effects of chronic alcohol problems are the social problems which manifest directly from alcoholism: domestic violence, child abuse, marital conflict, deconstruction of the family and of community cohesion.

Alcoholism Defined:

There is a difference between alcoholism and problem drinking. Alcoholics are both physically and psychologically dependent, while problem drinkers are psychologically dependent.

The physiological dependency can be seen in the high tolerance that drinkers develop - that is, the need to drink more and more to obtain the same effects. Research has shown that over time (with regular alcohol use) the body adjusts to having the chemical in its system. The body then becomes “normal” only with alcohol. The alcohol is required for basic functioning, and many alcoholics need a drink in the morning just to get out of bed.

The physical nature of alcoholism is also seen in compulsive behaviors (the inability to stop drinking once started). This is what is referred to as the “out of control” behaviors of the alcoholic.

One of the psychological aspects of dependency is the obsessive thoughts about drinking. Another is the use of alcohol to relieve tension and anxiety. Typically the heavy drinker has difficulty coping with negative feelings and discovers that alcohol relieves worry and distress. A pattern of drinking to ease daily tension and life problems escalates leading ultimately to physiological dependence. In this way, the problem drinker becomes an alcoholic.

Alcoholism and Black Women:

Those at risk for developing alcohol addiction are individuals who experience a lot of stress in their lives, have difficulty coping, have easy access to alcohol, and are encouraged to drink by their social environment. Alcoholism is especially likely when individuals grow up with one or more alcoholic parents.

White men have among the highest rates of alcoholism in the U.S. Black males experience less alcoholism than White males, but still have rates high enough to be of concern (15% in 1984 and 1995 surveys). Black women have a much lower rate (5% in both surveys) which is equal to White women (Caetano & Clark, 1998).

While the rates of alcoholism are relatively low amongst Black women, they do face the challenge of coping with the alcoholism of their male spouses. It is suggested that they may be affected by “codependency”, the tendency of family members to protect the alcoholic and take on alcoholic-like characteristics, such as denial, blaming, and rationalizing dysfunctional behaviors.

Black women must also be aware of some of the stresses and sources of depression unique to them which contribute to turning to alcohol as a coping mechanism. Causal factors of stress and depression for Black women often cited are racism, sexual exploitation, alienation from traditional African and African American values (such as spirituality and community), and increasingly poor relationships between Black women and men.

Could You Be in Danger of Alcoholism?

If you or someone you know is questioning whether drinking habits are a problem, then it will be worthwhile to complete the test found below. How you answer the questions may give you the answers you seek.

Directions: Please take a few minutes to respond to the following questions by answering “yes” or “no.”

Yes	No
___	___	1. Do you occasionally drink heavily after a disappointment, a quarrel, or when the boss gives you a hard time?
___	___	2. When you have trouble or feel under pressure, do you always drink more heavily than usual?
___	___	3. Have you noticed that you are able to handle more liquor than you did when you were first drinking?
___	___	4. Did you ever wake up on the “morning after” and discover that you could not remember part of the evening before, even though your friends tell you that you did not “pass out?”
___	___	5. When drinking with other people, do you try to have a few extra drinks when others will not know it?
___	___	6. Are there certain occasions when you feel uncomfortable if alcohol is not available?
___	___	7. Have you recently noticed that when you begin drinking you are in more of a hurry to get the first drink than you used to be?
___	___	8. Do you sometimes feel a little guilty about your drinking?
___	___	9. Are you secretly irritated when your family or friends discuss your drinking?
___	___	10. Have you recently noticed an increase in the frequency of your memory “blackouts?”
___	___	11. Do you often find that you wish to continue drinking after your friends say that they have had enough?
___	___	12. Do you have a reason for the occasions when you drink heavy?
___	___	13. When you are sober, do you often regret things that you have done or said while drinking?
___	___	14. Have you tried switching brands or* following different plans for controlling your drinking?
___	___	15. Have you often failed to keep the promises that you have made to yourself about controlling or cutting down your drinking?
___	___	16. Have you ever tried to control your drinking by making a change in jobs, or moving to a new location?
___	___	17. Do you try to avoid family or close friends while you are drinking?
___	___	18. Are you having an increasing number of financial and work problems?
___	___	19. Do more people seem to be treating you unfairly without good reason?
___	___	20. Do you eat very little or irregularly when you are drinking?
___	___	21. Do you sometimes have the “shakes” in the morning and find that it helps to have a little drink?
___	___	22. Have you recently noticed that you cannot drink as much as you once did?
___	___	23. Do you sometimes stay drunk for several days at a time?
___	___	24. Do you sometimes feel very depressed and wonder whether life is worth living?
___	___	25. Sometimes after periods of drinking, do you see or hear things that are not there?
___	___	26. Do you get terribly frightened after you have been drinking heavily?

Scoring: Those who answer yes to any of these questions may have some symptoms of alcoholism and should seek help. Yet answers to several of the questions indicate these stages of alcoholism:

Questions 1-8: early stage

Questions 9-21: middle stage

Questions 22-26: beginning of the final stage.
 

_________________

Source: From the brochure, What are the Signs of Alcoholism? Published by the National Council of Alcoholism.

Seeking Help:

Treating the alcoholic woman requires an understanding of the complex nature of her problem. For one thing, alcoholics are in need of psychological healing. This includes developing a better self-understanding, increased “emotion regulation” skills, and improved impulse control. Given the obstacles every African American woman must face, adequate coping skills are critical for prevention of alcohol problems. Positive social supports are needed as well.

Because the alcoholic often compromises her principles and morals due to her compulsive behavior, she can feel spiritually empty. The alcoholic drinker experiences feelings of guilt and shame due to her inability to keep promises to herself (and others) not to drink. In addition, because she has used alcohol to escape negative emotions, she may have failed to learn how to be responsible and may be emotionally immature. Most alcoholics tend to be in denial of their problem and blame and manipulate others to maintain their lifestyle and avoid consequences of their drinking.

Treatment:

Treatment must be complex to meet the challenges of healing the alcoholic, including breaking through denial and building a vision of a healthier lifestyle. There are many professional treatments for alcoholism. Individual therapy or inpatient treatments are the typical methods of healing. These make a logical first step because of the benefit of being in a controlled environment safe from temptations to drink. Treatment programs that focus on the unique needs of African Americans do exist (though rare). Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.), a twelve-step support group, is not professional-based, but has a very good success rate for healing the alcoholic who is motivated to change. One caveat for African American women who participate in A.A. is that its emphasis on “accepting powerlessness” may lack the empowering effect it has for others. For Black women who typically do not feel powerful in U.S. society “Surrendering” to the idea of being an alcoholic may be a more appropriate attitude.

Healing begins with admitting that drinking is out of control and recognizing the destructive consequences of drinking on the self and on others. The next step is to contact A.A. or a substance abuse treatment facility in your community. The road to recovery for African American women often leads not only to the ability to abstain from drinking, but to a new found sense of spirituality and increased self-awareness and self-esteem.

By: George Leary, M.S. 

References

1. Caetano R. & Clark L. (1998). Trends in alcohol-related problems among whites, blacks, and Hispanics: 1984-1995. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 22(2): 534-538.
2. Landy, F.J. (1987). Psychology: The science of people (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall

Additional Resources:

1. Alcoholics Anonymous: www.aa.org
2. National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence: www.ncadd.org
3. 24 hour referral line: 1-800-NCA-CALL

Utah Alcoholism Foundation
Salt Lake City, Utah

- See more at: http://www.blackwomenshealth.com/blog/alcohol-addiction-and-abuse/#sthash.wzt0kMhd.dpuf

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2Live

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)