I *need* Caffeine!

[ColoQ]

So I've been doing Paleo since the beginning of the current 6-week challenge. Hot darn is it working in a lot of ways! One thing that is nagging at me, though, is an issue regarding focus and energy. 

 

Basically, for a long time I was an energy drink addict... like almost 2 per day needed to go without a headache. Last year, my wife  -erm- "gently" convinced me to reduce that. I did. but I moved to Crystal Light + Caffeine packs for my caffeine intake. Then I moved to Paleo, cut out the caffeine.. and now my mental energy, focus, perseverance is gone.

 

Any thoughts? any body have a similar issues? I should note that i only really like coffee mixed *very* sweet (lots of sugar/honey/pink packets), and don't really dig tea.  all of which I'm pretty certain arent paleo anyways.

 

[RES]

Coffee and tea are fine with paleo, I would recommend coconut sugar or honey if you have to have it sweet...I drink mine without so that was not an issue for me

[Stonie]

Coffee is the one thing I can't kick. Those withdrawal headaches floor me every time. And I'm a barista so it's a work hazard.

 

You could try slowly lowering the amount of sugar you have to put in your coffee until you don't need anymore? Your taste buds will adjust to the taste and you might even enjoy the taste of the coffee? Using coconut sugar isn't a bad idea either. I worked my way off needing milk in mine by slowly putting less in; I would imagine it would work for sugar too (although it may take longer).

 

Or you could find a good barista that will make your coffee so awesome it doesn't need additives.

[MsFitz]

I realize this isn't paleo, but I mix coffee ice cubes with almond milk and chocolate protein powder in the morning. Some days I toss in a banana.

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[Stonie]

I realize this isn't paleo, but I mix coffee ice cubes with almond milk and chocolate protein powder in the morning. Some days I toss in a banana.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Hrmm. Super powered coffee/chocolate/banana milkshake. I'm sold!

[MsFitz]

If you freeze the banana it comes out thick like a frosty.

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[crsl]

It's possible if you drink better quality coffee, you wouldn't need to put so much sweetener in it.  I got my friend a coffee pot for Christmas, and a pound of high quality freshly roasted, freshly ground coffee, and he went almost directly from light and sweet (drinking gas station swill) to a splash of cream, no sugar.

 

Or you could try espresso with a squeeze of fresh lemon (my morning drink of choice).

 

Really, there's a world of options when it comes to coffee that aren't sugar based.  I love me some coffee, and I've never put cream or sugar in it, except for lattes/cappuccinos/machiattos.

 

Consider trying: cardamom, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne pepper (if you're daring), dried and powdered blueberries, or even a bit of star anise.

[Jain26]

Have you had a full blood workup for thyroid and adrenal levels, say by a wholistic MD? Maybe, just maybe, you were compensating for a legitimate hormone/metabolic issue. I ask because I've been there too with paleo and thyroid. A wholistic or alternative MD will think outside the box on these, where a regular internist or endocrinologist will let you feel really badly as long as your numbers are even close to normal. Paleo and thyroid meds (Nature-throid) have really improved the quality if my life since 2002. It's worth a check.

[Jimbo]

I always used to need lots of sweetener and cream/creamer with my coffee until I discovered how much better it is black from a French press. I never need cream/creamer now. I use a little pure stevia for sweetness. I also prefer a medium-roast coffee, which tends to be less bitter than the darker roasts.

 

Try making your coffee in a French press using freshly ground, high-quality beans. Don't refrigerate the beans. Nuke the water until it is about 200 degrees F. Let it brew for 4 minutes, stirring gently 2-3 times. Try a few different beans black, with nothing, to see which you like the best. You may be pleasantly surprised, as I was, how much better coffee is, and how much less camouflage it requires, brewed this way.

[crsl]

Always leave a little bit left in your mug when drinking French press coffee; there's always some grounds in the very bottom of the cup.

[Jimbo]

Yes, I always leave about 2 small sips in the cup. The sediment is not terrible, but it does detract.

[cline]

I've been drinking coffee since I was a kid. The thing is, I LOVE the taste if coffee and always felt I could give up the caff. So I did a few challenges ago. Big surprise, it was easy. Super easy. But I missed the taste of coffee and a hot beverage. I hate tea. So, meh, I went back to coffee.

Luckily, I've never been a milk and sugar in my coffee person.

Buy really high quality coffee. It's so good.

[Jain26]

I had to go cold turkey on coffee a few years ago because i was drinking two or more pots of double brew a day to compensate for exhaustion, life sucks, disease and lack of proper nutrition. I still crave it when I smell it. I drank so much I think it stripped all the good bac out of my gut and really hurt my immune system. Hopefully, most people have the self control to drink less than that.

A couple important things about coffee are to drink organic since it's otherwise a heavily sprayed crop. Also, don't brew it in plastics like K-cups or machines with plastic innards due to the estrogens and chemicals leaked from the plastics during heat exposure. SMe reason you don't microwave in plastic. You may think I'm being flaky, but just watch, in a few years glass and metal will be standard for coffee.

[thatguyinms]

I used to drink 5-9 cups per day. I was constantly embarrassed due to sweating through dress shirts and meeting with high level management.

I have since cut back to 0 cups during the week since I have started working out and using pre workout supplements since I hit the weights at 4 am.

Now I still get a moderate amount of caffeine however no sweats. I personally prefer other stimulants to caffeine though caff is always the easiest to aquire. If I go cold turkey, I will have a hard core migraine in 2 days.

[Stonie]

I get through 2-3 shots of coffee a day (normally in the morning to get me through the afternoon) but I've got access to an espresso machine and good quality beans wherever I go. If you need to drink coffee definitely go the good stuff because it actually has a flavour unlike that pretendy instant crap.  

[Barfly]

I realize this isn't paleo, but I mix coffee ice cubes with almond milk and chocolate protein powder in the morning. Some days I toss in a banana. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Similar: chocolate milk, coffee, frozen bananas, chocolate protein. Maybe a couple of eggs. Yummo.

[ColoQ]

Only just now getting back to see these responses. Thanks for the input guys! 

[rocky555]

Go and get some guarana.

[thatguyinms]

DMAA is nice

[Sukiyo151]

Try coffee with coconut milk.

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[Jimbo]

or with coconut cream.

[insanity]

I was in a similar situation as you, between work and school I was on 2-3 monsters a day, breakfast, lunch and just before class. Went paleo, and spent a couple years as a majority paleo dieter, while allowing myself the monster/redbulls. Then I decided to take a chance at giving up caffeine completely for 30 days, I'm not one for taking medicine, but the headaches had me reaching for tylenol, and I basically just toughed it out and after a couple days the headaches were gone and by the end of the 30 days, I had more energy and it went deeper into the night,I was no longer struggling to make it through class, despite having drank a redbull an hour before class started. I was waking up more alert, I don't get the after lunch coma, and this is all on about 5-6 hours of sleep...

 

and the money I save.... Oh man... my bank account loves me..

[Liberator]

I do the Bulletproof coffee with grass-fed butter, MCT oil, a few drops of stevia with cocoa powder, vanilla or cinnamon to change up the flavor. Rich and delicious! I am alert and satisfied the whole day, no headache, no hunger pains.  I use this with the ultra-low carb diet (under 30g) I feel great and it is the easiest diet I have ever followed.  

[Olivia Benson]

If you're looking to cut caffeine and you're feeling foggy headed it's probably just temporary a withdrawal symptom, and it'll get better over time. I'm hooked pretty bad, but more power to you if you decide to cut it out.

[Barfly]

My symptoms were headache and nausea. Miserable. I was drinking, ohhh, 60 or 70 oz/day at one point, and then cut it back to 2 cups in the morning (still at that level), so yeah.

It'll pass.

I've heard that an apple in the morning wakes you up just as much as a cup of coffee. I might try that - if there is ever a worldwide coffee blight.