THE PROBLEM WITH CAFFEINE

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Caffeine is a drug. More specifically, caffeine is the most used and popular drug in the world according to the Drug Info website. Not only is caffeine a widely used drug, it’s also a stimulant that preys upon the central nervous system. When you consume caffeine, you’re activating your central nervous system, and you are also creating an abundance of adrenaline.

THE PROBLEM WITH ADRENALINE

In some cases, adrenaline can be a good thing. When you need to act quickly in a dangerous situation, adrenaline can help you make a life-saving decision in record time. But most of us don’t need to make these types of decisions when we drink caffeine, and, yet, we’re still prompted to think and act quickly after consuming caffeine because it impacts our nervous system so much.

There are also numerous side effects to caffeine, and people that are regular consumers of the drug often experience the following emotional states:

• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Nervousness
• Insomnia
• Rapid heartbeat
• Abdominal pain
• Nauseua 

The aforementioned emotional stresses are just a few of the things that can happen when you consume caffeine – there are a lot more where those came from too. The worst thing about caffeine is, in most cases, the withdrawal you experience when you can’t have that morning cup of coffee or drink of soda.

KICKING THE CAFFEINE HABIT

It’s hard to stop drinking caffeine outright. Most people that have consumed caffeine every day on a regular basis will wind up with a very bad headache following the non-consumption of the drug. For many, the headache that comes with quitting is worse than any other withdrawal symptom. So, it’s important that you treat eliminating caffeine from your diet as you would any other drug.

Start slowly, and reduce your intake daily. You can also try to replace your morning cup of coffee with herbal tea, or with another substitute that you can find in our vegetarian cookbooks. As you begin to reduce your intake on a daily basis, you will find that going without caffeine each day becomes easier. Eventually, you will get to a place where you don’t need that morning cup, and you can simply skip those afternoon dosages too. But, at first, you’ll have to find some great replacement ideas, so we suggest looking in our vegetarian cookbook for recipes and drinks that you can have in place of regular caffeine – and, trust us, it does get easier!

WHAT YOU’LL FIND IN OUR VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK

You won’t find any recipes that contain caffeine, since we do not believe in using this drug in any form. In fact, we’ve found that not consuming caffeine makes us more alert – isn’t that amazing? What you will find in our vegetarian cookbook, though, are many warming recipes for drinks that are simply delicious, healthy, and good for your body.

Here’s one drink that we love, and that we think you will enjoy as well.

VANILLA CREME LATTE

Enjoy a *caffeine-free beverage with no harmful, or stimulating effects. Delicious hot or cold.

• 21⁄2 cups soy vanilla or cashew milk
• 1 Tbs. honey or agave
• 1 Tbs. carob powder
• 1⁄2 tsp. pure vanilla
• 2 tsp. instant *Pero, Roma, or Cafix
• 1⁄4 tsp. lecithin granules, opt.

In a saucepan, heat soymilk to desired temperature. Pour into blender. Add rest of ingredients and blend until smooth and frothy. Serve in cups.

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In the meantime, take a look at our posts on following a Christian diet, and let us know if you have any questions about the Christian diet – and, remember, kicking the caffeine habit won’t be easy, but it’s something that is really good for your body! Once you learn to live without caffeine, you’ll feel much better – guaranteed. Leave us a note if you’ve successfully eliminated caffeine from your diet.