coffee or not...

[Lavandula Canadensis]

Hello everyone,

I also posted this msg on MS forum in reply to this thread... and thought someone here might be interested... http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/showthread.php?t=26307

I’ve been drinking coffee for 45+ years… was told by many doctors and naturopaths it was bad… I quit for 4 periods of 6 months each, over the last 10 years… I never had any withdrawal symptoms… except that when I’m not drinking coffee, I have to take a little more things for constipation (either dried fruits or psyllium)… I just ended the last period two months ago… No more symptoms either… Normally, I was taking my coffee with goat milk… this time, I’m taking it with rice milk… no difference at all… with or without coffee in my diet… all my other symptoms remained exactly the same… pain, inflammation, allergies, anxiety, weird sleep pattern…

In my humble opinion, the tiniest pill on the market :eek: can do much more damage to one’s health than a good cup of coffee… we’re all different… that’s why it is important to trust our own inner wisdom and our own experience (with any food)… our body knows… and has its own way of telling us what is good or not for us… lets listen to it… :)

Time for another cup of café au lait (de riz) !!! Cheers !!! *coffee

[Kathi49]

Lavandula,

I have been told for the last 3 years by my Neurologist to either ditch caffeine or simply watch my intake because of neuropathy. I never really drank that much coffee...just a cup in the mornings. But a couple of months ago I had a bad gastro bug and had to stop the coffee. I noticed a DEFINITE improvement in the burning sensations in my feet...it is totally gone now. I notice though if I have iced tea, it will come right back. It might not work for everyone but I should have taken her advice a long time ago. :) And don't get me wrong...I love coffee! But I did notice such an improvement by stopping it.

[Lavandula Canadensis]

Hello Kathi,

Thanks for your reply. Thanks for sharing your experience.

I think I started drinking coffee again this time because I'm in a looong moooving prooocess... I had found a first place that had floding problems, then the 2nd place had electricity problems... well, I'm hoping the 3rd place will really be like what it looks like: perfect ! :p I drank a couple of coffee cups on the road... then started again at home...

hummm... what a taste... what an aroma... well... *coffee Isn't that a god's creation ?

I definitely want to stay totally away from it for at least a whole year... one day at a time... trying my very best to improve my health condition as much as possible... because I sincerely believe that every little action counts... even though I never felt any difference yet with or without coffee... maybe 6 months is not enough for me to feel the difference... because I've been drinking coffee for so many years ( probably since 5-6 y.o.) !!! :p

after moving on June 1, I'll quit coffee again and also want to start, another time, keeping a nutrition and symptoms chart/diary... like I did many many times for allergy rotation diet... that really helped me to point out things, to reduce/eliminate foods or behaviours that were triggering indigestion or pain... :o

[Kathi49]

You can do it! :)

I know it is hard to do because years ago when I was pregnant, I was a gestational diabetic. I had to stop ALL cokes, 7-Up, coffee...just everything with the exception of iced tea. So, for years and years all I would drink is iced tea. Anyway, when stopping all that stuff it took about 7 weeks before I felt normal. I remember the 7 week mark because I called my friend who is a nurse and she just laughed at me. She said I was withdrawing from all of it and my body would bring itself back...just give it time. And she was right...eventually I stopped falling asleep at 6:00 in the evening LOL! Oh, and here is a strange thing. After I did give birth I did ask for a Coke. OMG! After 9 months of not having any pop, I could literally feel the sugar and caffeine just go through my body.

One way I found that is fairly easy besides going decaf is to just dilute it. The Gastro doc was telling me that actually decaf is worse on your stomach than actual real coffee! That surprised me and I forgot what the reasoning was...I just know he said not even to have that if you have gastro issues. I don't know if it is the process or what it is but I need to ask him.

Anyway, the coffee won't be that strong of course when you dilute it, but it is better than nothing. :) And yes, I love and miss my coffee. But I am pretty used to just grabbing water in the morning which sounds boring. But after awhile it just gets easier.

[gizmogirl]

Have you tried some of the new teas? Traditional medicinal liver cleanse actually have some flavor, and fresh green tea (as opposed to fermented black regular tea) is supposedly good for you. When I had to quit coffee, tea saved me from depression and foggy head.
Good luck!

[Lavandula Canadensis]

Hello Kathi and gizmogirl...

Quote from Kathi49
And yes, I love and miss my coffee. But I am pretty used to just grabbing water in the morning which sounds boring. But after awhile it just gets easier.

I also prefer to drink plain spring water than bad coffee... but like gizmogirl suggests... green tea is a good option...
http://bestsmileys.com/drinking/15.gif


Quote from gizmogirl
Have you tried some of the new teas?

Good suggestion... I'll have to put more attention on my herbal teas... I have more than 50 kinds of herbal teas and individual medicinal herbs plus at least 10 kinds of green teas... either for taste or for medicinal purpose... including Lavender... the best green tea I've ever tasted is the japanese one with roasted rice... hummm ! BUT it is nothing like coffee in terms of taste !!! :) http://bestsmileys.com/drinking/3.gif

[Kathi49]

Green tea is a good option! :)

And since I am so tired I am just going to tell on myself. I am a smoker. So, since this is a constipation forum, I will just say...a cigarette and coffee will DEFINITELY get you going in the morning LOL. At least it used to when I drank coffee. But since then I have more or less turned it around by drinking water and taking in fiber so I pretty much go like clockwork in the mornings. Now, if I can just stop the smoking habit. But...just not ready to give it up yet and I know it. :(

[Mark N]

Lavandula, I wish you luck with staying away from the coffee. I agree with you though that our bodies are all different and if coffee doesn't bother you I don't think you will see any more improvement staying off of it for a year v. six months.

I have gone without caffeine from time to time but I don't see a big difference when I am drinking cokes and coffee than when I do without them. I have cut back on them because I drink much more water due to constipation but I am unwilling to give them up completely.

Good luck on move number three, I hope this one is the charm. I hate to think about making any more moves in my condition.

[Lavandula Canadensis]

thanks Mark N

for your words of encouragement... talking about move number 3... after i move june 1st, i will certainly make a place of honour for my green teas and herbal teas... and how did you know that it will be my 3rd move this year... joking... playing with words... here, it's playing with boxes... so 3rd move on drinks and 3rd move with boxes... :D:D:D

Have a wonderful day !!!

[Proton Soup]

every vice has a downside, but i can't give up my coffee. we'll just have to find a way to work around the problem. ;)

Med Hypotheses. 2001 Feb;56(2):163-70.Click here to read Links
The multifaceted and widespread pathology of magnesium deficiency.
Johnson S.

sjohnson@qwksilvr.com

Even though Mg is by far the least abundant serum electrolyte, it is extremely important for the metabolism of Ca, K, P, Zn, Cu, Fe, Na, Pb, Cd, HCl, acetylcholine, and nitric oxide (NO), for many enzymes, for the intracellular homeostasis and for activation of thiamine and therefore, for a very wide gamut of crucial body functions. Unfortunately, Mg absorption and elimination depend on a very large number of variables, at least one of which often goes awry, leading to a Mg deficiency that can present with many signs and symptoms. Mg absorption requires plenty of Mg in the diet, Se, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamins B6 and D. Furthermore, it is hindered by excess fat. On the other hand, Mg levels are decreased by excess ethanol, salt, phosphoric acid (sodas) and coffee intake, by profuse sweating, by intense, prolonged stress, by excessive menstruation and vaginal flux, by diuretics and other drugs and by certain parasites (pinworms). The very small probability that all the variables affecting Mg levels will behave favorably, results in a high probability of a gradually intensifying Mg deficiency. It is highly regrettable that the deficiency of such an inexpensive, low-toxicity nutrient result in diseases that cause incalculable suffering and expense throughout the world. The range of pathologies associated with Mg deficiency is staggering: hypertension (cardiovascular disease, kidney and liver damage, etc.), peroxynitrite damage (migraine, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, Alzheimer's disease, etc.), recurrent bacterial infection due to low levels of nitric oxide in the cavities (sinuses, vagina, middle ear, lungs, throat, etc.), fungal infections due to a depressed immune system, thiamine deactivation (low gastric acid, behavioral disorders, etc.), premenstrual syndrome, Ca deficiency (osteoporosis, hypertension, mood swings, etc.), tooth cavities, hearing loss, diabetes type II, cramps, muscle weakness, impotence (lack of NO), aggression (lack of NO), fibromas, K deficiency (arrhythmia, hypertension, some forms of cancer), Fe accumulation, etc. Finally, because there are so many variables involved in the Mg metabolism, evaluating the effect of Mg in many diseases has frustrated many researchers who have simply tried supplementation with Mg, without undertaking the task of ensuring its absorption and preventing excessive elimination, rendering the study of Mg deficiency much more difficult than for most other nutrients.

PMID: 11425281 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE

[Bahamaroot]

Coffee is not for everyone, but, most studies say it does have more positives that negitives. There is no harm in having that up of java except in certain contions, just as with tea.

[BrierRose]

This is a nice post. I will surely share this information to my friends who are coffe-drinkers. Thanks for sharing the info and the link.