Every morning, without fail, my first action is to put on the water for my 5 sips of instant, International coffee. I cannot drink any more than 5 sips, without feeling jittery. But, nonetheless, I’m completely hooked. If I don’t start the day with the most delicious of drinks, I get an immediate headache. Got to have it! Want it! Need it! My day will be different without it. What does that sound like? This sounds like I’m dealing with a substance addiction, right? Yet, we all just laugh at the possibility. Well, I did a little digging. If you’re drinking upwards of two cups of coffee a day, you have some rethinking to do, Lucy. According to the Mayo Clinic, if you are drinking more than 500 mg of caffeine a day (that’s 2.5 Starbucks Tall, 1.5 Venti’s, and 2 Grandes) you are likely to see signs of: Insomnia, Nervousness, Restlessness, Irritability, Stomach Upset, Fast Heartbeat, and Muscle Tremors. Other finding, include in that list with just 400 mg of caffeine a day: hallucinations, cardiac arrest, the inability to think straight, heart problems, excessive urination, acid reflux, dehydration, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and addiction. (And we thought those prescription medicine commercials on television shared a lot of side effects in 5 seconds!) Tea vs. Coffee An average cup of tea has approximately half of the caffeine as a cup of coffee. If you are drinking large glasses of iced tea a day, though, you may consider the ramifications from above. A 16-ouce glass of iced tea could have the same amount of caffeine as a large cup of coffee. So, drinking two large glasses should be the most you drink in a day. Benefits vs. Dangers Many recent studies have, also, shown that a modicum amount of caffeine can be very beneficial for your health. The problem with our culture is, and has always been, that we don’t know what “enough” is. Let’s just say for your health’s sake, use the parameters from above to tell you what is too much. But, the best way to know if you’ve had too much of anything, is to listen to your body. If you start having tremors, heart palpitations, and can’t sleep at night: YOU’VE HAD ENOUGH! How loud does your body have to scream for you to hear it? If you use caffeine to wake you up, pick you up, and keep you up, you are probably using this product as a crutch, and have to use some kind of sleep aid at night to get a good night’s rest. (Of course, this goes for all caffeine drinks, not just coffee.) Here are the benefits (he says with trepidation): Coffee makes you more alert, can burn fat, is a great anti-oxidant, can help Type II Diabetes, may prevent Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, and lower the risks of Parkinson’s Disease, can fight depression and make you happier, may lower risks of some types of cancer, may lower the risks of stroke, and may help you live longer! Notice, though, that a great many of those benefits say “may” before them, which usually means, “if you don’t abuse caffeine and drink too much.” Just be cautious in your caffeine usage. Again, listening to your body is the most important fact here. When people come into my office and tell me about sleep problems and anxiety, most clients haven’t even considered that they may be drinking too many cokes, too much coffee or tea, or simply are amped up on sugar all day. What we put in our bodies matters significantly when you try to live an authentic, peaceful life.
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