Let's talk about caffeine
What’s the story about caffeine?
Have you ever wondered why some people can have a cup of coffee and literally roll over and fall asleep? While others sniff green tea and they are bouncing off the ceiling!
Well people can be fast or slow metabolisers. If they are fast metabolisers then they burn through the caffeine quickly so it won’t really effect them. The opposite is also true for slow metabolisers - some people don’t metabolise it very effectively so it stays in the body for much longer, causing that jittery feeling.
Focus must be placed on the slow metabolisers as the restlessness and uneasy or anxiety inducing effect can adversely effect your health and even increase your risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, IBS symptoms, rebound exhaustion and adrenal fatigue.
This group of people should absolutely avoid caffeine.
Weaning off caffeine for our 10-day Health Reset...
If you categorise yourself as such please wean off very slowly. You can reduce by 1/2 a cup a day until you get to 1/2 - 1 cup in total. Halt here for a while (a few days), then wean down to matcha or a few sips of caffeinated green tea or organic coffee a day.
If you go cold turkey you will feel awful and experience quite bad withdrawals. Some people feel achey, flu-ish, foggy, grumpy…. these effects are not worth it for your mental wellbeing ;) Keep us updated as to how you go.
The faster metabolisers need not worry so much but for the sake of this detox we would like to encourage you to also wean off. The reason being is that it is important to give your system a break from stimulants and to cleanse your body. Also remember you might be a slow metaboliser but have started tolerating it. See below…
It might feel really hard to wean off. We get it! Caffeine is completely addictive so you are going through a lot. But bare with us, we have a plan. You will feel absolutely incredible when you can bounce out of bed sans stimulants. There is nothing better than your personal high!
Here is some more info to guide you:
Are you a slow metaboliser?
When you have caffeine do you:
- Feel hot or does your face flush
- You really, really have to pee
- You can feel your heart pounding in your chest
- It makes you restless in bed at night
- Feel jittery or have muscle spasms
- Super stressed
- Feel uneasy
If you answered yes to one or more of these, you may not be able to metabolise caffeine well. Remember that we also become tolerant. So be aware that you might feel fine on your 5 cups of coffee but if you have been doing this for years you could be masking your natural balance.
Remember that we can now check your DNA to see what genotype you are and whether you are a slow or fast metaboliser.
What contains caffeine and how much are we talking?
- Brewed coffee: 95mg per cup
- Instant coffee: 82mg
- Regular tea: 45mg
- Matcha tea: 28mg (however the benefits are huge, as per green tea)
- Shot of espresso: 27mg
- Green tea: 20mg
* Green tea and matcha have such incredible health benefits it might be worth weaning with these products
What is safe?
Rooibos, herbal non caffeinated teas, decaf coffee
Please note:
Please be aware of the source of coffee. Organic is much better.
Stop all caffeine by 12pm