6 Week Detox Program finishing with a 2/3 day juice fast – This is a gentle programme that will change your lifestyle and make you glow from the inside out.
Week 2 – Caffeine Detox
Well done, hopefully you have survived week one of my detox. Well, how was it? Did you manage to stay off the booze? I managed it, even when I went out for a Valentine’s dinner I managed to stay clear from the White Wine.
Even if you slipped up you should carry on with the Detox programme, as each week is accumulative you will continue to stay clear of alcohol.
This week the item to eliminate is Caffeine. This is going to be tougher as Caffeine is an everyday item, the main culprets being Coffee & Tea.
Below is a chart that shows the Caffeine content in everyday items:
Item Caffeine (mg)
Coffee, brewed (240ml/8oz) 60-120
Coffee, instant (240ml/8oz) 70
Coffee, decaf (240ml/8oz) 2-5
Tea, black, 5-min steep (240ml/8oz) 60-100
Tea, green (240ml/8oz) 20
Coca-Cola (355ml/12oz) 34
Milk Choc (30g/1oz) 1-15
Dark Choc (30g/1oz) 20
As you can see from this, it’s not just Tea & Coffee that you have to eliminate from your diet. Sorry the Chocolate has to go…! As you may know, Green Tea has many health benefits but I will come back to these at a later date, for now all you need to know is that it contains caffeine so it’s a no, no.
What you can drink:
It’s all about the Herbal Tea’s, these days the shops are filled with so many flavours and you will be surprised at how good they taste. I recommend that you get yourself a ‘Tower of Tea’, below is mine and I’ve been an Herbal Tea addict for a long time and I’m always finding new flavours. My new favourite is from a brand called Clipper and is an Orange & Coconut flavour – Yum.
Side effects from Detoxing from Caffeine:
Caffeine is a drug. It’s addictive, gives you a sudden rush of energy and offers you a bit of a high, which is usually followed by a bit of a crash. Once you start to feel the crash, more Caffeine is needed to maintain stimulation. But the biggest sign that Caffeine is a drug is that when you have a go at detoxing from it, you will experience crazy withdrawal symptoms.
Headaches, nausea and moods so bad…this is what prolonged periods of abstinence can do to the caffeine addicted.
Drinking Coffee is a ritual and symbol of important, busy people. The more responsibilities we have, the bigger the cup of Coffee we need to carry around with us. I never drank Coffee untill I started studying to be an Acupuncturist & Naturopath, I think that it was the working full-time and studying that did it. Now I can go through phases of one Coffee a week or one everyday and I’m partial to black Tea and dark Chocolate so this is going to be a challenge.
The more stress we have in our life, the more Caffeine we drink. It’s a vicious cycle. We need Caffeine to keep up with the pace of modern life, but if Coffee is your choice, itself actually helps to create nervous energy. Coffee wakes us up and gets us going, but over time this unnatural stimulation of our nerves creates stress levels that wreak havoc on our immune systems, hormones and our adrenals.
It is widely known that Caffeine enhances alertness and concentration, but the negative effects are pretty well downplayed. The health risks include inhibiting the absorption of essential minerals like iron, magnesium and zinc as well as B vitamins. Many studies have also linked heavy Coffee consumption with higher risks for miscarriages, osteoporosis and heart disease.
Drinking Caffeine is a habit that should be gradually given up – especially if you rely on more than one cup each day. Caffeine withdrawal is not fun – for you or for those around you. Here are a few things you can do to help you kick the habit:
1. Drink more water – you can help to flush out the Caffeine in your system by drinking a lot more water throughout the day.
2. Try Dandelion and Chicory root blend tea – this tea is a great Coffee substitute as it looks like Coffee and it still has a rich flavor. You can also add oat milk or almond milk if you prefer it creamy. This stuff is rich in minerals, provides energy and is also known for its detoxifying properties.
3. Get plenty of rest – when you take Caffeine away, your body won’t know what’s hit it. Without that false energy, you will most likely feel tired and more lethargic than usual. Be gentle with yourself and honor your body with more sleep and rest.
So Good Luck, this is going to be a tough week. Any questions let me know and I’ll check in, in the week to see how you’re getting on.
Helena x
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Helena Barker ~ Acupuncture & Naturopathy 