Why Coffee Is Wreaking Havoc On Your System (& Delish Alternatives)

Wake up groggy, pull yourself out of bed, and immediately turn the coffee machine on. Down a cup and instantly crave another. Your morning isn’t quite the same without that comforting warm cup in your hand–and without it, the day is a complete write-off. Coffee first, then do the things, right?

Whether it is coffee, tea, or an energy drink, so many of us depend on caffeine. Although caffeine does have some wonderful benefits, too much of anything can cause hindrances to your health. Some signs are apparent, like jitters and insomnia, while other signs are not so instantaneous or upfront. Here are a few signs you might be overdoing it on the lattes.

Stress:

If you are already a stressed out person, then the extra caffeine consumption could be adding to your problems. It’s stated that coffee in fact adds to your stress, causing stress levels in your body to amplify. Therefore, the double effect of stress and caffeine can be crippling.

Female Health Issues:

Unfortunately for us ladies, caffeine can have some serious effects on our bodies–especially for those of us using birth control. It has been found that women on birth control who drink excessive amounts of caffeine are at higher risk of PMS, infertility issues, and fibrocystic breast disease due to the decreased ability to detoxify caffeine.

Nutritional Deficiencies:

Drinking your kale smoothies and eating your daily power bowls yet still feel depleted? Caffeine could be the culprit. Studies have shown that caffeine inhibits the absorption of some nutrients and causes the urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron.

Adrenal Exhaustion:

Since caffeine is a stimulant, it causes adrenal glands to send out high levels of cortisol. Which means, it has been shown to cause a ton of problems including chronic fatigue and anxiety. Plus, coffee can interfere with digestion and metabolism. Therefore, drinking too much caffeine can have the exact opposite effect you would think.

If these signs sound familiar to you, or maybe you feel like your coffee habit is starting to control you, it might be time to consider a caffeine detox. There are simple and healthy alternatives to regain control.

Understand your craving.

There’s always an underlying reason behind your craving or need for something. When you experience a craving, deconstruct it. It’s important to ask yourself why are you relying on or craving a particular food or drink. Is it a habit? An addiction? Get in touch with your body. Are you reaching for the caffeine because it’s a part of your morning routine or because you are insanely stressed out by your job? It’s critical to have that balance when it comes to food, and the first step is self- awareness. Personally, there came a time when I had to have a major detox from caffeine when I began to experience anxiety attacks. I had to do some serious reflection to understand why it was happening. It stemmed from overconsumption of caffeine from coffee and chocolate due to the relationship that I had with my job at the time. The underlying issue was that I was unhappy with my job on top of overworked.

Crowd out.

Start to crowd out caffeine with healthier alternatives like water. It’s never easy to give up caffeine all at once without some negative repercussions like headaches or fatigue. Therefore, start slowly decreasing your intake and replacing it with something like warm lemon water. By slowly crowding out caffeine, you are telling yourself you are in control and that you have made the choice to take care of your body.

Add more nutrients.

When your body lacks nutrients, it lacks energy. Instead of upping the veggie intake, we do a quick fix and grab a latte. Wrong. One of the best solutions to give your body a proper energy boost is by adding in more nutrient-dense whole foods such as green leafy vegetables, berries, and power seeds like chia seeds. To ensure you’re getting your daily intake, it wouldn’t hurt to add in a multivitamin, a B12 supplement, or super food supplement powder.

Look at more natural energizers.

There are so many amazing natural solutions to caffeine that give you that extra boost to get you through the day. In fact, some natural alternatives could leave you feeling even better than that old cup of joe. By better I mean, more clarity, sustained energy, improved digestion, and clearer skin. Some great caffeine-free drinks include: