I've reduced my coffee intake to 1/2 cup a day. That is all I can do to stay awake with studying and long hours at work. I did go caffeine free for 4 weeks but unfortunately i could not focus due to my busy lifestyle. I know that this probably limits any detoxing that can occur (95% raw - I only cook sweet potatoes) Are there any foods out there that could replace the caffeine?

Thanks

J

Herbal tea is the perfect replacement. Yerba Mate and Chai tea are two of my favorite coffee replacements.

Green juices will help reduce your cravings for coffee.

Hey there Jonesy! I'm trying to get off the coffee, too. I'm drinking one cup per day - which is a LOT better than I used to do (maybe 5 cups)!

I'm switching to a coffee substitute called Teeccino. Many health food stores carry it or can get it for you. It's made from herbs, nuts and seeds and fruits. It has a rich flavor and has helped me cut down on the coffee. I imagine it's less acidic than coffee and has no caffeine - so it's definately a move in the right direction. They have a web site. www.teeccino.com


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any stimulants is not a good substitute for any other stimulants... neither is herbs.

There is nothing wrong with herbs. They are only stimulating for people who are toxic, which includes natural hygienists

For anyone who's trying to reduce or eliminate caffeine from their bodies, there's a GREAT book that I recommend. It's called CAFFEINE BLUES by Stephen Cherniske. When it comes to making positive changes in our lives, knowledge is power. The more we know and understand about the reasons to change, the better able we are to actually carry it out - whether it has to do with food choices, exercise, alcohol or drugs, caffeine, sugar etc - knowledge is power.

By the way, Jonesy, I found the most amazing thing when I cut down on my caffeine intake - energy!!!! Yup, and I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't experienced it myself. The other thing is deeper sleep. When I wake up in the morning, I feel more relaxed.

My writing this is a little like the blind leading the blind, because I'm still drinking that one cup in the morning. I just haven't been READY - but even in just cutting down, I feel much better.

Good Luck with that!


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Jonesy, here are some options for you:

1. Raw chocolate (cacao) - I used to eat it with green tea for that "hot beverage" feel of coffee, and cacao is very stimulating (it's the theobromine, not caffeine). You'll prob get sick of cacao after a while but as a transition off coffee it's pretty good.

2. Acai - It's a berry from Brazil, you'll have to eat it frozen as it doesn't travel well over long distances. Usually found in the ice cream section of health food stores. Shockingly awesome. Instantly gives you that happy clear raw energy feeling - it's a superpowerful antioxidant rather than the slightly strange "drug" type high of cacao.

Thanks folks
I'll try this again

jonesy8844,

What worked for me to not feel that constantly fatigued feeling is to get a lot of sleep over a long period of time. When I finally decided to address this fatigue issue, I slept 16 to 18 hours a day for an entire month. The 2nd month I slept as much as I could, which was more like 14 hours a day. I did this for a total of 4 months, and at the end I was sleeping only 10 hours a day.

However, to allow my body to get in the state where it could sleep this much, I had to radically change my raw diet, because before I made the change my diet had too many stimulants in it. After I removed the stimulating elements from my raw diet my body was able to rest and sleep for 18 hours a day. Before I removed the stimulating elements, I was sleeping 6 hours a day.

Bryan,

Your message is very timely for me. I've just given up coffee and I'm @#$%&. Sleeping about 14 hours a day and dragging myself around. Somewhere in the recesses of my sleepy brain, I realized it's just my body catching up & recovering from the stimulants, but still, I worried. Until I read your post. Thank you.

I agree with sunshine, take cacao beans and put them in dates, yyummmmmm you will be so happy all day..

Personal Opinion:

Given that coffee IS very addictive I think replacing it with a lower caffeine substance like a tea is a good first step down from the coffee, especially if you are trying to manage a busy schedule. If you just try to do it cold turkey you will suffer some side effects.

Green smoothies (mentioned in here previously) are a great idea too as they are energy givers, coffee gives a false sense of added energy but really it is stealing it from you.

I would come off the caffeine in stages rather than rush it.

Do it at a pace that feels best for you.

I find oranges very invigorating.

Gosia


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