How to Detox From Coffee
For some people, coffee can become an addictive daily habit that is difficult to quit. If you find yourself unable to drink coffee in moderation, then it may be a sign that your body has become used to the constant supply of caffeine and needs it to stay energized and alert throughout the day.
Quitting drinking coffee cold turkey has been associated with severe headaches, fatigue, and moodiness. This is because your body has become dependent on caffeine. It can be discouraging to experience these painful side effects when you are trying to do something good for your body. A slow transition from the caffeinated beverage may be preferable to many people because it comes without the undesirable side effects (which can be very uncomfortable and last a week or more).
Instructions
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Figure out how much coffee you are currently drinking. Are you having two cups in the morning followed by a steady stream of refills throughout the day? Get a baseline so you can see where you can start cutting. It will also be helpful to track the time of day you start drinking coffee in the morning and the approximate time you have your last cup every day.
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Replace your daily coffee schedule with a smaller, modified schedule. For example, if you find yourself drinking five cups throughout the day, try knocking it down to three cups. Spread your coffee consumption across the day so that you can still keep a steady stream of caffeine in your system to avoid those nasty side effects. If you drink coffee from 8:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon, allow your new modified schedule to fit within that timeframe.
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Start adding decaffeinated coffee to your regular cups. Continue drinking your modified schedule of coffee, but cut the caffeine down to three-fourths of your normal amount, adding one-fourth decaffeinated coffee to your cup. Try this for a few days and then move down to half decaf and half regular coffee for another few days. Gradually decrease the amount of caffeine every few days until you are drinking solely decaffeinated coffee throughout the day.
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Stop drinking coffee. Once you are down to 100 per cent decaffeinated coffee on a daily basis, it is safe to stop drinking coffee without any unwelcome side effects. If you enjoy having a warm beverage in your hand throughout the day, you can stick to decaffeinated coffee or try sipping on herbal teas instead.
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Tips & Warnings
If you find yourself experiencing headaches or other unwanted side effects during the weaning off process, slightly increase your caffeine intake until your body gets used to the change.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit coffee in coffee image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
