I drink coffee occasionally, not very often. I notice when I do, no matter what I do (Exercise, or diet) - nothing gives me the mental stimulation as a cup of Joe.

Any other alternatives for a clear, sharp, mind and body?

Maybe for the clearest, sharpest mind and body, it's what we do over the long term that really counts. Maybe that's actually a much better stimulant than any short term quick fix. In fact, by choosing a short term stimulant, we may be actually lowering our capacities for the future.

For the long term fix, there's nothing superior to diet, exercise, good works, good breathing, and prayer and/or meditation.

I can't wait till I feel alert without stimulants again. I gave up coffee ages ago, my body hated it but I loved the buzz. Now I drink green tea chai and don't feel as thick and foggy as I used to, if I stick to all raw (green chai excepted).
I tried yerba mate, but it often made me depressed, so I don't drink it anymore, though it's a fairly good buzz.

Opinion:

-Many substances are 'excito-toxins'. The body rallies it's energy to fight off a toxin. When those substances are no-longer in the body long-term........you might feel a whole new and original level of energy......that you have never known.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

It's good to hear this, David, although I actually knew it. I've been a coffee addict for...a long time. I tried giving it up for various reasons (irregular hear beats for one) and didn't manage for long. I've always been told it takes 2-4 days for the withdrawal symptoms to pass (HEADACHES). The longest I managed was 2 weeks of continuous headaches and then I gave in. Now, after being 90% and some days 100% raw for the past 5 months I finally gave up coffee too. I had one day of mild headache and nothing since (it's been 5 days now). I feel good, not sleepy and I can stand the terrible heat these days better. yeeeah! I needed a place to vent the excitement.

Health to you all!

kola nut or strong green tea are very stimulating...!
try a herbalist for kola nut powder

I read somewhere that when you've been raw for awhile, stimulants no longer give you that zing. I've been raw for a little over a year, and I've def been noticing this. I still drink coffee and red bulls sometimes, but they don't do much for me. I always expect the zing - but then, nothing. This reminds me of when I was 18 or 19 when first tried coke at clubs, and I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. I would do it every now & then when it was offered to me, but it was more just the sleazy novelty of it that appealed to me, not any high. Then about 8 years later I did it again, and then I understood, because it def gave me that zing. Anyway long story short I think it was the zeolite that I've been taking since this past winter that really eradicated that stimulant zing for me, because I think on just raw it would take longer than a year - or at least, raw the way I've been doing it, which is not 100%. Zeolite, by the way, is awesome, and def gives me mental clarity & energy in a healthy, healing way. I don't get that horrible lethargic feeling anymore - raw by itself didn't get rid of that for me, or at least not fast enough. Zeolite + raw fixed it.

after drinking coffee for 10 years, usually excessively, going raw helped me cut back to a more sane amount of coffee. but raw after a few years led me right away from it.

it gives me a stomach-ache, a twitchy, agitated feeling, and shaky hands. i prefer my green juice now to give me a lift and a clear head. and talk about long-burning energy!

peace-

peace-

Lots of sleep, lots of clear water, some green tea here and there...going for a long walk every night.
Sleep, exercise, fluids, raw foods...nothing beats it!

Lovers don't finally meet somewhere...they are in each other all along
Rumi

coke coke coke coke

coffe coffe coffe coffee

cacao cacao cacao cacao

Nice going, cricri and Mama Cass! Peace and health to you too!

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would give up coffee. But I did. No headaches or anything. I loved everything about coffee, grinding the beans, the aroma, everything! After being raw for a while though it just started to lose appeal. I used to get really bad headaches without my daily coffee. I figure I was spending about $30 a month on coffee, that adds up to a lot of celery!

inspirit - aka coolkarma

LOL!

wheatgrass, wheatgrass, wheatgrass.
every day, 2x a day on an empty stomach, 1oz to 2 oz at a time depending on your ability to get it down.
it is an absolute sure fire energy inducer without any nasty caffienated effects.
Try it for 3 weeks and it may just change your perspective on needing coffee forever.


joy
peace
harmony
i breathe in
i breathe out
Bikini