The Dark Side of Caffeine Part 3

Link of part 2

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Wondering how you have been duped?

Example of an Ongoing Myth – “Vit C helps in getting rid of Flu”

American chemist Linus Pauling (1901-94) believed that massive doses of vitamin C were effective against flu, colds and even some cancers. he took upto 40,000 mg of vitmain c (recommended 60 mg) daily and maintained that his large intake of vit c had kept his prostrate cancer at bay for 20 years. Thanks to Pauling,to this day many people believe that taking a lot of vitamin c will help get rid of cold, it wont

Bill Bryson – The Body

Why abstain ,why not quit?How to abstain?

Several unsuccessful attempts of quitting caffeine helped me to form a sustainable strategy. Quitting is burdensome while abstinence is a choice. So what has triggered the change? Ask 5 times as demonstrated below:- Write and paste it on your Kitchen cabinet

Step1 Why do you want to abstain?

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Step2 Current caffeine intake, Define abstinence

Assess daily intake then define a little change you would like to make. Jan’21 I started a survey to assess caffeine intake. Sharing few pointers to set small goals–
(1) If you take 2-3 cups, reduce each cup by 1/4th (2) Avoid caffeine as first meal in the morning (3) Avoid caffeine after 3 p.m.

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Step3 How to satiate cravings?

Sugar levels

Low energy is a common withdrawal symptom. Maintain sugar levels by increasing fresh seasonal fruits

Enhance non-caffeinated experience

Flower & Herbal Teas are good alternatives. For couple of times, enhance the experience with special bites and conversations. Let brain register happiness with it. Reserve your favorite kettle and cup for non-caffeinated drinks only.

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Step4 Seven Golden Crosses

Practice abstinence for 30 days. Print and sign the below sheet, just mark for 30 days, don’t bother if it’s ‘X’ or ‘O’. We get points for intentions not righteousness

Step5 Flaunt Cruelty Free work

Share your story of being Caffeine free. How you did it? How you sleep like a baby? How you feel more liberated? It is the only way to spread awareness and progress towards caffeine free society.

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Shallow vs. Deep virtues

There’s a notion about ‘Good Health’, that it needs a massive amount of awareness, work, motivation, will power etc. We try & get overwhelmed by actions that we raise our hands and give up.

There’s a middle ground of neither justifying nor digressing .In the above image, replace overrated virtues in left with right. Adoption of change is easier when the mind is conditioned.

Condition the mind

Couple of more facts to be deeply ingrained in the mind

1. Ecologically devastating

Over 37 million acres of land is used to plant Coffee and Tea . What is absurd about this crop, the end product is extraction of caffeine molecule, rest everything goes to landfill. Our world would be a better place if the same ecosystem is put to use for real crops

2. By 2050, Coffee plantation will scale down

As a result of changing climate, by 2050 50 % of the land currently growing coffee will no longer be suitable for coffee production. Hence to feed our addiction , inorganic caffeine tablets may act as substitute. Imagine at work, there are vending machines for Caffeine tablet instead of Tea/Coffee machines.

3. Alertness is borrowed, paid back with interest

The cause of the leading chronic illnesses is not only poor lifestyle but also impaired immune system. The immune system heals during sleep, caffeine undermines the quality of sleep (Deep or ‘slow wave’ ). It’s critical for memory, mental health & immune system. This is a very short period yet deep, the slow waves start radiating from the front of brain into the back, and they harmonize all the neurons. It’s like cleaning up the workstation at the end of the day.

Think as if the body has deployed soldiers to heal the affected system but every time they fight, they get punch on their face by the toxicity of caffeine.

4. Economic exploitation

For every $4 Latte, only few pennies reach the farmer (till date each berry is plucked manually). 1989, with the rise of new liberal economics, the buying power got consolidated in the hands of few MNCs. There’s no free trade, prices are set in Futures market in London and New York. For many years, the farmers got less than the cost of growing.

Conclusion

Start demanding non-Caffeinated beverages. More tasty & healthy options will surface in the market. That’s how demand and supply work.

Like many other wrongdoings, Evolution didn’t anticipate that Humans will rely on a herbicide for productivity.

Honestly, I didn’t put together my research for adults. We are too caught up with our spiritualistic & materialistic goals. How often each one of us reflect on our actions (including me), What values are we passing on to our next generation? Why will they not indulge in Caffeine, Cigarettes, Alcohol or other psychoactive drug? I will leave you with a question – Would you like your child to suffer from any chronic illness? I am sure you won’t, then spread the awareness , stop Caffeine & stop giving them in any form like Colas, Coffee, Tea etc. Remember they are watching us!

Any man can fight the battles of just one day.It is only when you & I add the burden of those two awful entities, Yesterday and Tomorrow, that we break down. It is not the experience of today that drives men mad. It is remorse or bitterness for something which happened yesterday or the dread of what tomorrow may bring. Let us therefore do our best to live but one day at a time

Richmond Walker