You did WHAT?!?
Is usually the response I get, especially since I get up at 4:15 most mornings. No but seriously, I stopped drinking caffeine in October last year. To this day, I am so happy I did. Don't get me wrong, it was not easy, and I really missed that early morning pick me up, but not for long.
Within 10 days I was already feeling the positive effects of tossing my morning joe. I feel so much better. I don't get the mid morning or mid afternoon crash like I used to. I sleep better and deeper. Brain fog frequently visited me around 9:30 or 10:00 am, now it is a rare occurrence, I am actually more alert. I rarely have the feeling of being dehydrated anymore. Which happened to me a lot when I was drinking caffeine, as it is a diuretic and dehydrates you.
I'm not sure why I decided to cut my caffeine. Something in my gut just kept putting the idea into my head over and over again. So I decided to honor it.
Before I was ready to fully accepted my inevitable path, I started drinking half- caff around August. Just that tiny change started making a difference, therefore capturing my whole interest.
I love something warm to drink in the morning, whether it's hot or cold outside. The ritual of sipping it while getting ready, I was not willing to let that go. But I had always heard that decaf coffee was worse for you because it contains so many chemicals. So I did my research and found some fantastic alternatives.
First of all, most organic decaf coffee is decaffeinated through a Swiss Water Process. This removes the caffeine through a 100% chemical free process, leaving only the yummy taste! I've tried a couple different brands, some are good, some are just so so.
My favorite so far is Lucky Goat Coffee Co. Lucky Mountain Decaf (Tallahassee, FL) and Newman's Own Organics Newman's Special Decaf. Newman's Own comes in K-cups which is very convenient. But the Lucky Goat has the best flavor.
Second, I have always loved tea, but now I am becoming a tea connoisseur. Thanks to one of my awesome clients, I was introduced to rishi and it's amazing Turmeric Ginger. If you love iced tea, Tazo makes a fantastic herbal tea called iced passion. Since the warmer weather is headed our way, I will be making this tea by the pitcher soon. Some more of my favorite brands are The Republic of Tea, Yogi Tea, and Higher Living. If you have a TJ Maxx or Homegoods near you, they have a fantastic selection of organic teas on sale! Gotta love it!
Going caffeine free is not for everyone. But, I highly suggest looking at how much caffeine you are consuming during the day, merely to make sure you are not dehydrating yourself. Keeping my morning ritual meant a lot to me, and I was able to keep it while making better choices for my health.
Listen to your body, honor what it may be telling you.
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