Dave and I want to pass along an article that he wrote for the monthly e-newsletter for Revolution. This is the second article he's written for us. We'll post his first one soon, too, Dave just needs to do it as it's on his jump drive.
We think all of you need to know and learn this information on coffee, caffeine and what it does to your body. If you aren't a coffee drinker, plug in Mt Dew, Diet Coke, or energy drinks wherever coffee is referenced. The same goes for those drinks, and maybe even worse! The point of this article isn't to scare you into stop drinking the things you like. Our point is to educate you and empower you with this information so you can make decisions about what you CHOOSE to put into your body after knowing the effects that can happen. Foods chemically altered (or altered in any way by Man for that matter) are toxic to the human body. We just weren't meant to eat anything not put on the Earth by God/Mother Nature/found naturally. Read Dave's article below and see what the effects of coffee(pop, energy drinks) do to our health.
-Elise
THE DAILY ADDICTION
The Dangers of Coffee
By Dave Schwartz, Chiropractic Intern
How does this morning routine sound;
Alarm goes off 6:00am, hit the snooze a few times, then reluctantly get out of bed and mosey on down to the kitchen. Thankfully you remembered to set the timer on the coffee pot last night, so a fresh pot of “liquid energy” awaits! Grab a mug, pour…enjoy.
Sound familiar? Well, 54% of America is right along with you. That’s right, 54% of Americans drink coffee every day.1 87% of Americans drink coffee on a regular basis!2 Here’s one that should get you going: 76% of children consume high amounts of caffeine daily!2
Sound like an addiction?
Before you set the auto timer on your pot of coffee tonight, read through these facts which show the dangerous effects both caffeinated and decaf coffee have on your body. If you are sitting back thinking you’re in the clear because you drink decaf, think again. Decaffeinated coffee is not just as bad as regular, it may be worse.
THE TOP 10 REASONS WHY TO QUIT DRINKING COFFEE
1. ADRENAL INSUFFICIENCY
Every time you take a sip of coffee, whether it be regular or decaf, your body responds by releasing adrenaline from your adrenal glands. Instantly your body adapts into a “FIGHT OR FLIGHT” response. This is your sympathetic nervous system in action. Imagine you were walking in the woods late at night and a saber-tooth tiger jumped out at you…what would you do? You’d run like crazy! That is what a sip of coffee is preparing your body for. Sip after sip, mug after mug, pot after pot, your adrenals get “burned out” and you go into adrenal insufficiency. This leads to exhaustion and a feeling of whole body fatigue. 3
*Instant coffee gives you 65-100mg of caffeine, brewed coffee 80-135 and dripped coffee up to 175mg of caffeine4
**Some you might be thinking that because you drink decaf you are in the clear because decaf doesn’t contain caffeine. Sorry! Decaf coffee is supposed to have 97% of caffeine removed3, so not only can there be trace amounts anyway, but this 97% rule is never enforced. Starbucks reports that there is up to 15-18mg of caffeine in each 8oz of coffee and that their “smallest” cup size is 12oz.5 This is more than enough caffeine to stimulate your adrenals and cause a sympathetic reaction.
2. DECAF COFFEE INCREASES RISK OF HEART ATTACK
Drinking decaf is no longer safe as many seem to say. Decaf has been shown to increase the level of LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream. LDL cholesterol is the “bad” cholesterol which has been shown to be a strong predictor for heart attacks. Decaf also contains chlorogenic acid which is also found in regular coffee. Chlorogenic acid raises plasma levels of homocysteine which have been found to increase your susceptibility of developing serious heart conditions. 3,6
3. DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
As your adrenals become overactive, adrenalin is produced in mass quantities. This causes your body to decrease serotonin in your body. Serotonin is another neurotransmitter that functions in the brain. It is responsible for preventing depression and anxiety. When this is decreased in the body, you become depressed and anxious. 3
4. DEVELOP AND WORSENING OF TYPE II DIABETES
According to James Lane, professor at Duke University: “Typically, in people with Type 2 Diabetes, there is a large and persistent rise in glucose after eating a meal. This spike in glucose is even larger and longer-lasting if caffeine is present. So, it’s reasonable to say that caffeine and coffee seem to make diabetes symptoms worse.” 6 The danger is the caffeine. Other studies have shown that coffee helps diabetes, however new research is showing that this is due an unknown substance in coffee. The caffeine in regular and decaf worsen diabetes and do not prevent the condition. 7
5. ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER (ADD) AND HYPERACTIVITY (ADHD)
Caffeine has been said to cause
dementia, anaphylaxis (an acute systemic
and severe hypersensitivity allergic hypersensitivity allergic
reaction),
ADD, hyperactivity (ADHD), and reduced mental functioning.
3 It does this by over stimulating the mind and body. Consistent caffeine consumption puts your body in the sympathetic state and destroys neuron receptors in the brain leading to attention disorders. The coffee “buzz” you get from a cup of java occurs when caffeine blocks a brain chemical called adenosine. Adenosine prompts feelings of drowsiness and sleepiness. So, when caffeine inhibits adenosine, your brain cannot relax and is under constant stimulation.
2
Remember that caffeine is also in soda. Think about how many adults and even children drink both coffee and soda in one day. I was just in Caribou the other day (don’t worry, I save myself a little caffeine by going with my favorite, chai tea), and a mother in front of me bought two Caramel High Rises for her teenage daughters. Caramel High Rise’s have two shots of espresso in them equating to 180 mg of caffeine!8 A large High Rise has 270 mg of caffeine, 24 times the amount found in decaf! (Remember that even 11 mg of caffeine, as is found in decaf, is enough caffeine to stimulate the adrenals and cause harm to your body, just think of what 270mg does.)
6. HEADACHES DUE TO DEHYDRATION
This is the most controversial issue dealing with coffee consumption. If you do a little research you will find that there are conflicting answers as to whether or not coffee consumption causes dehydration. However, think about how many have experienced or heard from their friends that they experienced a headache after drinking a pot or even just a cup of coffee. Thinking physiologically and the effect caffeine has on our body, dehydration from drinking coffee can definitely occur. Caffeine is a natural diuretic. The more caffeine you consume the more water you are going to pull out of your cells and remove through the kidneys and urinary system. If you are not replacing that water regularly, you will become dehydrated. Some signs and symptoms of dehydration include: headaches, thirst, dry mouth, fatigue, and body chills.
To show this, here is an excerpt from research done by F. Batmanghelidj, MD author of “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water”:
“When a body becomes dehydrated, the neurotransmitter histamine is activated. Histamine, in turn, activates prostaglandins, kinins, and vasopressin, in an effort to redistribute available water according to priority. The body’s response to dehydration, when left unchecked, contributes to many other problems, including DNA damage, reduced efficiency of DNA repair system, immune suppression, and irregular protein production in cells, which encourages cancer cell formation. When growth hormone production decreases as we enter our twenties, thirst perception also decreases. As we age and become less aware of being thirsty and drink less water, the water content within cells decreases so that cellular water can be redistributed to the brain and other vital functions. Gradually, we become dehydrated. The negative effects of dehydration are permitted to compound partly because people in modern societies have been taught to use painkillers to mask the pain caused by histamine, prostaglandins, and kinins. Masking the pain does not address the underlying problem of dehydration. Dehydration is especially prevalent among people who drink caffeinated coffee, tea, and sodas. Caffeine dehydrates the body.” 9
On a side note, notice the sentence that tells us about growth hormone decreasing when we enter our twenties? That should not happen. This is not only why we are dehydrated, but why we are obese and cannot lose weight! Exercise by BURST TRAINING to restore growth hormone levels!
Coffee causes headaches through dehydration and also through decreasing your magnesium levels because of the caffeine. You need to start hydrating yourself immediately! Your body is 60-70% water…drink at least half your body weight (pounds) in ounces daily to stay hydrated!
7. INCREASED ACIDITY
Coffee is highly acidic! Your body tries to maintain homeostasis as close to a pH slightly above 7.0, meaning your body wants to be in an ALKALINE environment. Maintaining an alkaline environment helps your body stay healthy and fight off cancer. The pH of coffee is 4.9-5.8. Decaf is even more acidic than regular.3 Drinking cups or even pots a day increases the acidity of your body making you unhealthy. You have an increased risk for GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease), heartburn, and acid reflux. 3,6
8. DISRUPTS METABOLIC FUNCTIONING
Your body metabolizes the best in an alkaline environment and when it becomes acidic you alter bones’ cell function leading to osteoporosis. Other increased risks include: joint diseases, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Iron deficiency, increased loss of magnesium and zinc. 3,10
A recent study in 2002 reported that drinking four or more cups of decaf led to an increased
risk of rheumatoid arthritis, while drinking 3 cups of tea/day DECREASED the risk! 10
9. HIGH BLOOD SUGAR
The coffee addiction leads you to a high and then a crash. Many people then think they need a “pick me up” after the crash and they turn to SUGAR! (Doughnuts being the #1 culprit.) Think also about all of those flavored sugar syrups, sweeteners, and creamers you ADD to your coffee.
10. SLEEP DISTURBANCE
Coffee is a stimulant. Studies have found that caffeine can reduce a person’s perceived quality rest and their total minutes spent in slumber. It will also increase the number of times you wake up in the middle of the night especially if you drink it at night and drinking it during the day can through off your circadian (natural) sleep rhythm.
11. BONUS! HOW DECAF BECOMES DECAF
Since listing 10 things was not enough, I thought it would be very informative to show you how decaf becomes decaf. From a natural perspective, any processed foods or processed products made by man are detrimental to your health and well being. The same goes for coffee. You need to ask how they turn caffeinated coffee beans in to decaf. It must involve some sort of processing. There are three common decaffeination methods. 3
The first involves the use of either methylene chloride or ethyl acetate. Both of these solvents are supposed to be removed in the end process, but when man messes with God’s work, do you believe that happens? Both of these solvent residues have been found in decaffeinated coffee.
Methylene chloride: carcinogenic, which means cancer causing, by the National Cancer Institute. In lower doses it may cause headaches, fatigue, and behavior similar to being drunk.11
Ethyl acetate: irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, followed by headache, nausea, vomiting, sleepiness, and unconsciousness. Prolonged exposures may cause clouding of the eye, damage to the lungs and heart and kidney and liver problems.12
The second and third decaffeination process uses the “Swiss water or European water” process and supercritical carbon dioxide. When either of these processes is used it leaves the coffee with a high acidity. Here is another shocking fact: Inferior coffee beans that are old or moldy are often used for decaffeination because the process masks the age and the condition of the beans! Sounds like cheap, rotten, acidic coffee to me. The manufacturers are obviously not concerned with YOUR health!
You need to ALWAYS be conscious of what you are putting into your body and where it came from. Caffeine in high amounts is not only addictive but, as you now know, DANGEROUS and DEADLY to your body. You must also apply this knowledge to anything else that contains caffeine, especially soda and diet soda. Always be wary of what you put into your body.
Caffeine can be safe in your body in very low doses and sometimes caffeine ingestion is inevitable throughout the day. However, many Americans OVERDOSE on their daily caffeine. You should be ingesting no more than 100-200mg caffeine per day. Here are some common drinks and their caffeine content13:
Red Bull (8.2 oz) 80.0
Mountain Dew 55.0
Diet Coke 45.6
Diet Pepsi 36.0
Tea, Iced 47
Tea, various brands, 30-40
Tea green 15
Hot cocoa 14
Coffee, Instant 65-10
Coffee, Espresso (2 ounces) 100
Coffee, Drip 115-175
Coffee, Brewed 80-135
Coffee, Decaf, brewed 3-4
Coffee, Decaf, instant 2-3
So now what? There are two choices…
A) QUIT DRINKING COFFEE
B) QUIT DRINKING COFFEE OVER TIME
Of course, option A will be the best for the health of your body, however many people will experience “caffeine withdrawals”. These can range from headaches to fatigue or general body soreness. For those who drink copious amounts of coffee, try weaning yourself off. Here are some helpful tips in doing just that.
· Decrease your amount of coffee weekly or daily – slowly decrease the amount of coffee you ingest every day or week if that’s what it takes. Any amount you decrease is a step in the right direction!
· Become addicted to herbal tea - I know many of you coffee lovers are cringing at this piece of advice, but herbal teas have tremendous health benefits and contain half the amount of caffeine as coffee. There are many different flavors and ways to make the tea (such as by adding milk after steeping). Make sure you go organic!
· Try water therapy – start drinking half your body weight or more of water per day in ounces and rehydrate your body. Tendencies are that you won’t feel as thirsty. Try adding the all-natural sweetener Stevia to your glass, which has many different flavors, to get yourself addicted to something healthy!
· “De-Coffetize” your home – get rid of all the coffee in your home and force yourself to switch. Whenever you feel a craving, burst train or drink some tea/water/juice.
· Avoid coffeehouses – you MUST avoid Starbucks, Caribou, and other cafes until you can learn to handle your cravings. Addictions are hard to break and you must constantly be on guard for temptations. Habits are said to be formed in 40 days; the same amount of time Jesus was in the desert and defeated the devil and his temptations.
· Try Natural Coffee – Now that you coffee addicts rejected all of the above, here is one for you. Natural herbal coffee! Now, I haven’t personally tried this product, but I have researched it and it is safe for your body and your taste buds. Many reviewers say that it tastes just like regular coffee, without the caffeine or solvents! The brand is Teeccino Caffeine-Free Herbal Coffee. Here is sample “weaning plan” that will get you un-addicted to coffee:
The Pain-free Way to Wean off of Coffee3
Start by mixing normal coffee 3/4 to 1/4 Teeccino Herbal Coffee. Gradually reduce the percentage of coffee over a two to three week period until 100% Teeccino Herbal Coffee is brewed. Gradual reduction of caffeine is recommended. Side effects such as headaches, fatigue, and brain fogginess can be avoided as the body gradually adjusts to less reliance on stimulants.
Day | Regular Coffee (in tablespoons) | Teeccino Herbal Coffee (in tablespoons) |
1-3 | 4 | 1 |
4-6 | 3 | 2 |
7-9 | 2 | 3 |
10 | 1 ½ | 3 ½ |
11 | 1 | 4 |
12 – 13 | ½ | 4 ½ |
14 | 0 | 5 |
Find Teeccino herbal coffee at http://www.teeccino.com/
· GET ADJUSTED! – Subluxation has been proven to disrupt the mind-body relationship. How do you think you could defeat a craving when your brain doesn’t know what your body is doing? For you to defeat this coffee craving make sure you are adjusted regularly! As soon as you start kicking the habit and getting adjusted, your body will begin to heal from the inside out, restoring the innate God-given potential you all have and deserve!
GOOD LUCK AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, DON’T KEEP THIS FOR JUST YOU!
EVERYONE DESERVES TO LIVE TO THEIR GOD GIVEN POTENTIAL!
5 Decaffeinated coffee still contains caffeine, researchers report
7 Diabetes Sufferers: Beware Coffee. CBS News. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/29/health/webmd/main3763964.shtml
10 Mikuls, T.R et al. 2002. Coffee, tea, and caffeine consumption and risk of rheumatoid arthritis: results from the Iowa Women's Health Study. Arthritis and Rheumatism. 46(1):83-91.
