Hi guys and gals! Well it's about time for another newsletter! With all these public holidays going on it's very easy to lose track of time. But, rest assured, I would never forget you!
For the newcomers to my crowd, A GREAT BIG WELCOME! This newsletter is dedicated to providing you with interesting reads of a rather random selection of health and wellness topics. So if there's a topic you'll like some reading on you are most welcome to reply to this e-mail and I'll make a point of making that a subject of discussion in a future newsletter. Or, if we've touched on the topic before, I'll simply forward the link for that letter to you! I love hearing from you, so don't be shy!
Oh by the way, my name is Esté and I'm a certified health and nutrition coach, I help middleaged women get rid of that constant feeling of fatigue and own their youthful energy back! I mainly focus on sleep, recovery and stress management with a little (or a lot, depending on your personal goal) of nutrition thrown in. Now that that's out of the way ...
I think you'll agree that most of us consume at least some kind of caffeine each day. In fact, on average, adults consume about 135mg of coffee daily, which amounts to about 1 1/2 cups of coffee, Since the recommended safe amount of caffeine is 400mg/day the average adult actually consumes less than that. But, everybody metabolizes caffeine differently, and you might notice the effects of overdoing the caffeine especially on those days that you indulge in that extra pick-me-upper. The most common sources of caffeine are
coffee, tea, espresso etc (most people think hot drinks)
energy drinks and sodas
dark chocolate
guarana beans used in drinks and supplements
foods that contain coffee (like ice-cream)
many supplements
even some chewing gums
Humans can metabolize caffeine rather quickly. Approximately 99% of the caffeine can be absorbed by the gastro-intestinal tract within 45 minutes of swallowing that caffeine drink of your choice. Caffeine is then distributed throughout the body and across the blood-brain barrier where it blocks the action of adenosine and promotes wakefulness.
Very simply put, adenosine is a byproduct of the energy process and it heaps up through the run of the day, binding to receptors in the brain, resulting in us becoming tired and sleepy. Caffeine doesn't give us energy in as much, but blocks the adenosine receptors in the brain, making less receptors available for the adenosine to bind to - thus helping us to stay awake.
All waste products are cleared from the brain during sleep. If you're not sleeping enough all that adenosine might not be cleared out. So you start your day with some adenosine still hanging around ... and that will have an effect on how tired you are when you wake up ...
If you have trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep, it might help to bear in mind that caffeine has a half-life of 5 hours. This means that after 5 hours 50% of the caffeine has been totally metabolized. So having your last caffeine dose at 5pm will mean that 50% of that has been cleared by 10pm. Maybe rethink that 5pm cuppa if sleep is an issue ....
We are all different and caffeine affects us all differently. Enzymes help metabolize caffeine in the liver and people respond differently due to variations in genes that code for those enzymes. Okay, so that's a mouthful. Point is, some people process caffeine quickly, where others notice the effect of caffeine more intensely. Factors like gender, race, altitude and even smoking (smokers tend to notice less effects of caffeine) and certain medications can all affect the breakdown of caffeine in the body.
However, caffeine isn't all that bad
It increases alertness.
It increases athletic performance (that's why it's found in pre-workout supplements)
It reduces inflammation.
It increases memory and brain function.
It suppresses appetite and stimulates thermogenisis - so yes, it can aid in weightloss!
It reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
Cutting back may benefit you in a number of ways
Decreased anxiety - some people may experience jitteryness, nervousness or even heart palpitations.
Lower blood pressure - caffeine may cause a temporary spike in blood pressure after consumption, but chronically ingesting high dosages may have a more long term effect.
Whiter teeth - caffeine is known to stain teeth as it seeps through the pores in the tooth enamel. You can drink with a straw or brush your teeth immediately after - or just drink less caffeine.
Improved sleep - I think I've said enough for you to get that!
Lower calorie intake - yes, we drink calories too! Whether it's that latte, energy drink or soda, the calories add up.
Saving money - whether you're making your coffee at home, drinking it in a coffee shop or stopping on the road to purchase an energy drink or soda, those rands add up too. Do yourself a favour and write down your caffeine expenses over the next week ... you might get your motivation to cut back right there!
If you want to cut back on caffeine I'll suggest you track your consumption over the next week. Yes I know, I'm tracking and making notes again ... But knowing how much caffeine you consume might explain a couple of your issues. That in itself can be all the motivation you need! Now that you know how many cups or cans of caffeine you are drinking, you have a place to start. Instead of drinking 2 cups of coffee after each other, replace one cup with a glass of water. Instead of a cup of coffee to still that mid-morning hunger, opt for some sparkling water instead. In fact, you might find the sparkling water more filling than the coffee. Also note that I am suggesting you REPLACE your caffeine drinks with something else. Ten cups of coffee is still ten cups of fluid. Halving your coffee intake without replacing the fluid might actually lead to dehydration. To minimize those caffeine withdrawal headaches and shakes, cut back slowly and progress over time, sleep enough and STAY HYDRATED!
Did you know? Caffeine can be found in rather unexpected places! Nowadays, you can purchase caffeine infused water, jelly beans, breath mints, chewing gum and even peanutbutter! You can also find caffeine infused soaps which supposedly wake you right up during your morning shower! However, although caffeine can be absorbed through the skin it's doubtful if soap will improve wakefulness throughout the day. Caffeine has also been added to some shampoos - supposedly thickening hair and preventing hair loss. The beauty industry has jumped on board by adding caffeine to everything from eye creams to body scrubs. It is questionable though if these products work better than their less expensive counterparts. Don't put the drug industry aside. Caffeine has been added to some headache medications as it may enhance the effectiveness of these medications and bring faster relief. Caffeine is also found in the menstrual pain reliever Midol Complete. College students especially are familiar with caffeine pills to aid in those "all-nighters". You'll also find it in weight loss products and dietary supplements. Often it is not listed as caffeine, but as guarana, yerba mate, kola nut, green tea extract or coffee been extract. If you're trying to cut back on caffeine you might find it worth your while to go back and check some labels.
And there you have it. I hope this cleared up any questions regarding caffeine and if you should or shouldn't be using it. You're welcome! Before you go, I need your help. I am thinking about doing a 5-day "Detox Your Habits" challenge. For 5 days you'll be receiving a letter similar to this, discussing one specific habit and how you can easily start implementing change. All participants will be added to a whatsApp group where you can ask your questions and voice any concerns. This whatsApp group will be deleted after 5 days. On day 5, the last day of the challenge, every participant will receive the mealplan and recipe pack of their choice, from my list of available recipe packs. Go well and be awesome. Cheerio TheHappyHealthCoach