Quitting Coffee Cold Turkey
So ever since returning to school after semi-resolving my serious health issues, I’ve been hooked on having a cup of coffee once a day, sometimes twice, especially after being influenced by biohacking/health podcasts concerning “bullet proof” coffee (organic coffee blended with MCT oil and butter). It has honestly been the best shit in the world when it comes to mental alertness and physical energy levels without the crash. I’m already very addicted to the taste but combined with those benefits has turned me into a fiend. (No joke if I was running late to class/clinical I would literally pack my magic bullet with a spoon of butter in it, grab a coffee otw and plug it in any outlet I could find) It’s only 1 cup a day, but apparently the fat from the butter/oil bind to caffeine more efficiently as it becomes absorbed by the body.
Studies are either boasting the antioxidant benefits of caffeine or warning about it’s tendency to leech important nutrients (iron, calcium, magnesium etc). It also makes sense that they mess up your adrenal glands with long term use and have a overload effect on the kidneys.
Why I can’t deny my coffee consumption as a big problem:
Considering I already have a digestive disorder, even though I’m in remission, it’s still possible that I have nutrient absorption issues.
My blood tests keep coming back with less than average levels of iron and calcium. My vegan friends would scowl, but I eat tons of meat these days. Calcium however I’ve been avoiding due to lactose intolerance, but I’m slowly allowing my bf to convince me to try raw, grass-fed goat milk.
Even though I have no developing cavities in my upper teeth and have good dental hygiene, my teeth are brittle and keep losing their enamel.
My Bladder! No joke I was slowly becoming incontinent and would barely make it to the washroom/frequently wet myself as I ran to the toilet 2x an hour some days. The long term diuretic effect is no fun.
My menstrual cycle has been haywire, experiencing spotting randomly and slightly acidic smelling odor. Even though I consume zero processed sugars, I was still sensitive to getting yeast infections (stopping sugar solved that problem for me in the past). When I started taking my “Chill pills” herbal blend, those 2 issues stopped immediately. Huh interesting so it’s a hormonal/nutrient thing? I’m sure it wasn’t from being in ketosis, since I am not on an intermittent fast routine anymore.
Perhaps some of these factors don’t correlate with my daily stimulating habit, but I’m going to have to trust what my body is telling me, instead of my pleasure-seeking-addicted mind haha. It’s going to be a nightmare rewiring my entire routine, especially when studying (I’m typing this now as I’m supposed to be focusing...) but my hope is that once I get my hormones/nutrients back to baseline, I could allow myself 1 coffee ONLY when it is needed (I slept 3hrs and have an exam or a 12hr shift). I know people who drink 4 cups a day (maybe not with butter), so for me my measly 1 cup every morning seems moderate, but perhaps the MODERATION my body needs, is literally ONCE IN A WHILE, AS PER NEEDED ETC.
It’ s day 2 no coffee and I’m not feeling in best condition for reading text books/making notes all day.
On the bright side- Ginseng, herbal teas, lots of water, lemons, vitamin supplements and getting back to juicing- is what's in store for my detoxing body.
