Has anyone quit coffee? Not OT

[BunnyHop]

I seem to have given it up entirely, after a long decaf phase.

I'm trying to avoid stimulants, so getting rid of caffeine was a good start.

I did like cold brewed coffee, though, and stuck with it a good long time. Never did try a Toddy system (or any of the others), just cold brewed and strained my own.

Lately I've been drinking roasted barley cold brewed tea. Not sure where it rates in the acidity department, but it does have a satisfying flavor. I like it better cold than hot, so other than the limited edition Tea Forte Rum Raisin Biscotti tea (which has roasted barley in it, apparently), I'm kinda stuck with hot chocolate if I want something warm.

Not sure the Rum Raisin tea doesn't have more caffeine in it than I need, but I do enjoy the flavor. (It may, or may not return to their product selection next winter, here's hoping.)

[desie]

I have given up coffee before when I had time to experience/suffer the lack of it, and also in the summer when a hot drink is not needed to warm up in the chill morning. I only stopped out of curiosity to see if no coffee is better, but came to the conclusion that I like the energy from the caffeine. However, if I HAD noticed a positive difference in well-being, then no coffee would be fine to continue with. What if you tried to remind yourself of how you feel after a cup of coffee versus times when you don't have coffee? Maybe it would be easier to avoid if you connect avoiding it with the reward of feeling better.

[marki64]

[QUOTE=desie;2617892] I only stopped out of curiosity to see if no coffee is better, but came to the conclusion that I like the energy from the caffeine. QUOTE]

That. And I thought coffee is suppose to have some health benefits. I like beer too. Isn't that also good for you, in moderation, of course. I'm going for that.

[LizEMA]

Originally Posted by CarlaVeg

I know it's soooooo hard.... the thought of giving it up it's kind of depressing LOL

Carla, it seems like you are having just as hard of a time dealing with the reflux as the psychological side of giving up coffee. I think if you try not to focus on the idea of losing something, but rather of the benefits you will get from giving up coffee, you might have better luck. It will still be hard in the beginning, but I think incorporating some of the suggestions by other VFers (cold brew, teeccino, dandy brew, etc.) will help the transition. The more you focus on the loss, dwell on the downsides and keep thinking about how miserable you'll be without coffee, the more miserable you'll be without coffee!

I have never drank coffee, so, obviously, I've never had to give it up, but, just recently, I switched up my diet, doing a 180 with it (something I thought I would NEVER ever be able to do), in just a few short weeks. It was HARD in the beginning, and I was whining about it (LOL, I had to give up almost all of my favorite foods -- EVER). Then, my mindset shifted. I started to focus on all the things I COULD have, the opportunity it was giving me to learn more about my body, to try new things, to be creative in the kitchen. It's still new to me, so I certainly still have pangs of, "Oh, I would love to have a little bit of "X" right now", but it passes quickly.

I do hope this isn't coming off "Just do this. I did it, and I did great! Easy peasy." -- SO not my intent. I just mean to say that if you can change your thinking on this, instead or putting your focus into mourning the loss of your beloved drink, I think you'll have a greater chance at success and maybe feel a whole lot less miserable.

I don't know, maybe I'm the wrong person to be opening my mouth since I've never been a coffee drinker. . .

Regardless, maybe, what also may help is doing something ELSE during the time that you usually have your coffee, something that is as rewarding and comforting to you.

And, maybe even trying to determine WHAT is causing the acid reflux -- as someone else mentioned, sometimes, instead of too MUCH stomach acid, it's actually often too LITTLE stomach acid that causes it. Maybe it's the caffeine you're reacting to? I also just heard about a month ago that, in people with hiatal hernias, coffee causes acid reflux and is extremely ill tolerated in them. Perhaps it will turn out that you may not have to give up coffee altogether.

It's a big change, though. It' WILL be hard in the beginning, but it'll get easier. Before long you may not even notice it's gone from your life!

I hope SOME of this might help you.

Let us know how it's going for you!

[Honeydew]

I make cold brewed coffee using 1 cup coarsly ground coffee beans and add in 4 cups cold water. Don't stir and let it sit for 12 hours then strain. No equipment needed!

[eyefit]

Originally Posted by CarlaVeg

Hello all.... I have tried to quit coffee about 6 times in the last 3 years due to acid reflux. I give up for a few days or 1-2 weeks to just go back to it. I only drink 1-2 cups a day, but now my reflux is so bad that it's going to my throat causing LRP (I get hoarseness, clearing throat, post-nasal drip, etc). I love drinking my coffee first thing in the morning, especially before my workouts. It wakes me up fast and It gives me the energy and motivation to do my videos..... I am very mentally attached to it, but I need to quit for good! Has anyone done that successfully? if so, do you have any advice for me? Thanks!

Hi Carla! I don't have time to read the other responses so I don't know if this has been mentioned but consider trying Tru-Cup coffee. My husband and I switched and the difference with our acid reflux is crazy! It's a way better tasting low acid coffee than the awful Folgers one. I've only been able to find it online, though. I get it on Amazon. Highly recommend!!

ETA: link- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...A1KLCT6X942FXI you can get it ground or whole bean. It tastes really good!!

[Susan G.]

Coffee quit me after I got amoebic dysentery about 25 years ago. Once in a while I have a cappuccino--some coffee with my milk. I miss it, but the discomfort leaves me no choice. There are some full-bodied loose teas, like Assam or an Indonesian blend such as "North Sea Blend" from Philadelphia's Premium Steap. The word "hearty describes them. If searching for a caffeine kick, powdered Matcha (best NOT from those mixes) can be very strong. Tea is an entire universe.

[frostyjan]

I quit at the beginning of December (2015). It's been 3.5 months. I feel better than ever. I was drinking 4-5 cups of black coffee every morning. Starbuck's fresh ground dark roast.

I feel great, although I also gave up gluten and dairy at the same time, so it could be that giving up those things contribute to my feeling of well-being.

I drink herbals teas, and Teeccino. I don't miss it at all. Teeccino is very robust, and I find it a wonderful substitute.

Good luck!

[ncl]

I quit all caffeine a few years back. I had 1-2 cups of coffee in the morning and occasionally a soda later in the day (I gave up all soda as well).

I was having very bad blood sugar crashes and despite MANY many changes to my diet (more protein, good fats, less sugar, whole grains only), my blood sugar dips just kept getting worse and worse and worse and it was freaking me out.

So I decided to do some research and did a medical literature search. Well there is abundant information on diabetes and sugar being too high but NOT on hypoglycemia. But I did find one article that mentioned that caffeine can cause problems but the amount studied was 500mg a day which was far more than what I was having. I happened to go to get my hair cut that day and my friend who cuts my hair told me she quit caffeine because of blood sugar dips. So I decided to change. I knew if I quit cold turkey I would have those nasty headaches, so I switched to black tea for awhile which I also like and has less caffeine. Then I did partially decaffeinated tea. I tapered probably over a whole year and with each step the blood sugar got better and better. Then one day I forgot to have tea and I was off. My blood sugar improved tremendously.

I also feel much more even and didn't realize how even that small of an amount of caffeine was contributing to anxiety for me (but never felt like it really helped me have energy). So much better off of it. I do drink decaf coffee. Recently, I accidentally bought regular coffee and was drinking it for about 1.5 weeks. I wondered why I wanted to eat everything in sight, was having blood sugar crashes and was getting increasingly more anxious....I suspected the coffee because regular coffee just tastes different to me and every morning I would think...that is really rich decaffeinated coffee...finally I remembered to check the bag when I got home! Whoops! Another time a barista accidentally gave me caffeinated coffee before a massage, no less. Through the whole massage, i felt like I was about to jump off the table and I felt like I could have just talked nonstop through the whole thing. Wowsa.

One of my supervisors when I was in training quit caffeine cold turkey. He would drink coffee all day long and developed an ulcer. He went cold turkey, unfortunately, right before I started working with him. He was kinda crabby and I thought...wow this guy really doesn't like me! He told me later that the cold turkey business was very difficult, he had trouble focusing and after about 3 months, he felt much better and had much more energy...so much so that he felt like he was in his 20s again! Later he offered me a job. Ha. But he felt like a new person off of caffeine. Those are my stories!

You can do it! It's just coffee. Feeling better is more important than anything one puts in ones mouth is what I say. I have made MANY successful long term changes with that mantra.

[TinierTina]

Originally Posted by desie

I have given up coffee before when I had time to experience/suffer the lack of it, and also in the summer when a hot drink is not needed to warm up in the chill morning. I only stopped out of curiosity to see if no coffee is better, but came to the conclusion that I like the energy from the caffeine. However, if I HAD noticed a positive difference in well-being, then no coffee would be fine to continue with. What if you tried to remind yourself of how you feel after a cup of coffee versus times when you don't have coffee? Maybe it would be easier to avoid if you connect avoiding it with the reward of feeling better.

I had once cut caffeinated coffee for about a 2 year period. I'd ordered decaf from Starbucks because I'd first been developing a taste for gourmet coffee (which had really taken off in the past few years!). Was using small, weak doses of St. John's Wort - all that same time - until the inevitable poop-out of even the small doses. Complained to my doctor about mental confusion during all that time. I have lacked the ability to fully concentrate, always. Doctor suggested I go back on coffee.

Now, my body reacts to caffeine and theobromine like as if I were a 70 year old (although I am not that far away). I get withdrawal symptoms from lack of caffeinated coffee, tea and cola if it's been more than 12 hours (which it always is, partially on purpose because - just like Austin Powers I always have to ask the question, "Number Two, who do you work for?").

Headaches, the sweats, nausea, ... and if I let it go too long (i.e. by t = 15 or 17 hours), vomiting. Those blood vessels in my body (I have a chronic medical condition - not just reflux) are dilating big-time overnight ...

To any heath food geeks around - do you ever use Postum or chicory root instead of coffee?

I rarely see Postum around. And I used to use it back during that 2 year phase (around the turn of the century) and probably used it a bit more when I'd been young, as several family members shunned caffeinated drinks almost like the plague ... I had not drunk it much, though. It was later said to contain a cancer-causing agent in it that it accrues during its manufacture from grains and molasses ...