We switched to decaf around two years ago due to blood pressure (it seems to help) and it works pretty well. Can’t always reliably get decaf when I’m out so I have up to one cup of caf per day, but I don’t generally notice the difference.
In my old job in York, we had a cafetière and a coffee stash and probably made around four or five cups a day for each other - when I moved to Birmingham I realised the frazzled wired state I’d been living in wasn’t solely due to the stress of asset management!
I've given up coffee twice in my life, once on a self inflicted detox and the second time after visiting a nutritionist - that lasted three months. The headaches - I feel for you! I only have one cup a day now, except last week when I had another at about 2pm by mistake. I realised the error of my ways when I couldn't get to sleep....I considered giving it up for Lent this year but the fear of the side effects put me off, and also, how would I be starting again. Perhaps I should kick the caffeine but I'm not quite ready for that yet.
I've posted this before in the wrong place! don't know how that happened - apologies that you might read it twice!
I'm intrigued why the nutritionist recommended it and why you went back - sounds like it wasn't working for you and you trusted yourself more. One cup a day would be my ideal - I just like how it tastes and makes me feel. We'll see what the doc says next week.
And no worries on on the double posting - I love when people comment and you ended up in the right place!
The decaf option sounds like a good way to keep the ritual. For the fatigue and fuzziness, I cannot recommend enough audiovisual entrainment by Mind Alive. Dave Siever has been researching (with universities and own clinic) and refining this next-gen treatment for a variety of issues since the 1980s. My psychologist and a clinic introduced me to it 20+ years ago. It helps me enormously with fatigue and anxiety. This is the migraine testimonial page: https://mindalive.com/pages/headaches-migraines
The nutritionist was part of a much bigger abstinence - all I was allowed was fruit and vegetables and chicken (I think that last one) although red wine was ok! It ended up with me eliminating dairy for 12 years. I think it was probably my age and I do now trust myself. I love that first cup (mug) of coffee so much! Normally it's my treat after walking the puppy, and I often feel like a second but usually resist. It's never quite as good as the first!
Good luck with the doc next week. If you can still have one a day, you'll appreciate it all the more!
I cut out caffeine for health reasons over 30 years ago and after the initial withdrawal symptoms I’ve never looked back. It’ll be worth it!
I need to hear this! Thank you Helen :)
We switched to decaf around two years ago due to blood pressure (it seems to help) and it works pretty well. Can’t always reliably get decaf when I’m out so I have up to one cup of caf per day, but I don’t generally notice the difference.
In my old job in York, we had a cafetière and a coffee stash and probably made around four or five cups a day for each other - when I moved to Birmingham I realised the frazzled wired state I’d been living in wasn’t solely due to the stress of asset management!
It could be worth trying an organic coffee like Exhale which is supposed to offer the lift without many of the typical side effects.
I've given up coffee twice in my life, once on a self inflicted detox and the second time after visiting a nutritionist - that lasted three months. The headaches - I feel for you! I only have one cup a day now, except last week when I had another at about 2pm by mistake. I realised the error of my ways when I couldn't get to sleep....I considered giving it up for Lent this year but the fear of the side effects put me off, and also, how would I be starting again. Perhaps I should kick the caffeine but I'm not quite ready for that yet.
I've posted this before in the wrong place! don't know how that happened - apologies that you might read it twice!
I'm intrigued why the nutritionist recommended it and why you went back - sounds like it wasn't working for you and you trusted yourself more. One cup a day would be my ideal - I just like how it tastes and makes me feel. We'll see what the doc says next week.
And no worries on on the double posting - I love when people comment and you ended up in the right place!
The decaf option sounds like a good way to keep the ritual. For the fatigue and fuzziness, I cannot recommend enough audiovisual entrainment by Mind Alive. Dave Siever has been researching (with universities and own clinic) and refining this next-gen treatment for a variety of issues since the 1980s. My psychologist and a clinic introduced me to it 20+ years ago. It helps me enormously with fatigue and anxiety. This is the migraine testimonial page: https://mindalive.com/pages/headaches-migraines
I'm going on a deep dive into this!
Other companies also make devices using this treatment modality, but Edmonton-based Mind Alive are the best with their research focus and customer/client focus. They’re always working on learning and refining. I wrote about Next-Gen treatments here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/concussion-is-brain-injury/202509/next-generation-brain-injury-treatments
And many posts on audiovisual entrainment for concussion - it is primarily used for energy, anxiety, and so on, though. Here’s one: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/concussion-is-brain-injury/201907/entraining-the-brain-the-audiovisual-way-to-treat-concussion
I have a friend who began using it and her doctor wanted to know more. If you have any questions, just message me on Signal!
The nutritionist was part of a much bigger abstinence - all I was allowed was fruit and vegetables and chicken (I think that last one) although red wine was ok! It ended up with me eliminating dairy for 12 years. I think it was probably my age and I do now trust myself. I love that first cup (mug) of coffee so much! Normally it's my treat after walking the puppy, and I often feel like a second but usually resist. It's never quite as good as the first!
Good luck with the doc next week. If you can still have one a day, you'll appreciate it all the more!