Caffeine Blues: Ten Ways Caffeine Harms Your Health and How To Kick The Habit
consequences of caffeine consumption
1. Caffeine is highly addictive. Like other drugs, caffeine causes an addiction to chemicals in the brain. Quitting coffee or soda can create withdrawal symptoms – headaches, sleepiness, irritability, anxiety – while the brain’s chemistry readjusts.
2. Caffeine exacerbates mood disorders in adults and children. Mood such as anxiety, depression, irritability, impaired attention and are aggravated by the chronic consumption of caffeine. Rather than increasing mental activity as many drinkers believe caffeine, caffeine actually decreases blood flow to the brain as much as 30% and has a negative impact on memory and mental performance. Mood disturbances may appear after the stimulant effect of caffeine disappears – often about three hours later, prompting many to consume more caffeine – and may also appear during the recovery period after quitting caffeine.
3. Caffeine increases stress. Caffeine stimulates the secretion of stress hormones – cortisol (adrenaline) from the adrenal glands – which can increase levels of anxiety, irritability, muscle tension, indigestion, insomnia, and decreased immunity. Continued stimulation of the adrenal glands can ultimately lead to adrenal exhaustion, which leaves a person vulnerable to a variety of health problems including autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Given that increased levels of chronic stress hormone, consumption of caffeine can make some unable to make healthy responses to stressful situations that occur in everyday life.
4. Caffeine accelerates bone loss. Caffeine causes the urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and trace elements, which can lead to osteoporosis.
5. Caffeine contributes to problems of blood sugar. Caffeine stimulates a surge of blood sugar in the creation of a quick burst of energy, however, the increase in blood sugar causes an insulin peak, which ultimately causes a sugar crash in a matter of hours. This roller coaster of blood sugar can contribute to diabetes, hypoglycemia and weight gain due to insulin causes the body to store excess sugar as fat.
6. Caffeine affects the health of your heart. Because caffeine acts as a stimulant, increasing blood pressure and pulse. Also contributes to the development of heart disease because caffeine increases cholesterol levels, and a chemical called homocysteine, which has been linked to heart attacks.
7. Caffeine affects the stomach acid. Caffeine causes your stomach to produce hydrochloric acid (HCL), which creates an increased risk of ulcers, heartburn and gastro-esophageal reflux.
8. Caffeine accelerates aging. Caffeine contributes to the decreased production of hormones produced in abundance during youth – DHEA, melatonin, and others – which accelerates the aging process. Because caffeine dehydrates the body, the skin loses water from its cells, causing wrinkles and sagging.
9. Caffeine affects normal sleep patterns. Because it is a stimulant, the caffeine keeps you awake longer, thereby shortening the amount and quality of sleep each night, which takes a toll on your level of alertness the next day and overall health. Because of sleep deprivation and fatigue, a person could see a boost of caffeine, perpetuating the vicious cycle.
10. Caffeine increases the risk for men and women health problems. Studies show that caffeine increases the risk for prostate and urinary problems in men. In women, fibrocystic breast disease, PMS, osteoporosis, infertility problems, miscarriage, low birth weight and problems of menopause such as hot flashes are aggravated by caffeine.
Kick the caffeine habit
Weaning off caffeine you need patience and perseverance, as well as any other addiction for detoxifying drugs. While some people can successfully quit by eliminating caffeine all at once, most people need to reduce gradually the amount of caffeine they consume in order to minimize the suffering of withdrawal symptoms.
* Here is an example of a gradual schedule: 3 cups of coffee or soda per day during the first week, 2 per day during the second, 1 third, and none the fourth.
* Another strategy is to gradually replace coffee with decaf: during the first week, when you make your coffee, use 3 / 4 regular and 1 / 4 down the second week, using 1 / 2 and 1 / 2, the third week, use 1 / 4 regular and 3 / 4 decaf, the fourth week, you’re drinking decaf!
* If you are a soda drinker, you can gradually replace your soda with sparkling water and / or caffeine-free soda.
* Whatever strategy you choose, it is important to drink plenty of water and get plenty of sleep to aid the detoxification process.
Because caffeine consumption is so common, it is easy to be complacent about the possible health risks. However, given the mounting research, it is important to “awaken” to the hidden dangers of your morning coffee creates. Make a positive choice for their health and quit caffeine today!
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