WWTBAM Bored

...advice on replacing caffeine.

Seriously, peoples!

As a result of the recent gallbladder attack/brush with mortality, I am giving up caffeine.

It irritates my innards too much.

I have switched to herbal tea. I am in the process of weaning myself from coffee (see below).

I take an occassional piece of dark chocolate after a larger-than-I-have-grown-used-to meal, for digestive purposes. And I don't feel the need to have chocolate other than that -- which surprises me to no end.

BUT, when I come to work and need a pick-me-up, I still want a cup of coffee. I will take a cup with two-thirds coffee and one-third skim milk. That works but doesn't help with the caffeine elimination.

Has anyone else given up/cut down on caffeine? What did you substitute for that pick me up. Or how did you replace it totally?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

That's a coincidence, I'm soliciting as well!

Careful, I hear they like to kick us spammers off the board!

What a disappointing post after a subject line like that!

I like my caffeine, so I can't suggest any substitutes if you still want the stimulation. However, if you want suggestions for different herbal teas that simply taste good, try some Rooibos (pronounced like "roy-boss").

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooibos

No help.

Melly, take care of yourself-that gallbladder stuff is scary.

Your post set me to thinking-when I was young I drank 10 cups of coffee a day when I was working. I'm thinking I quit when I stayed at home with the kids. So, you need to quit working and stay at home and throw out your coffee maker.

For some reason I can take or leave coffee, don't care about soft drinks and chocolate is pleasant but not needed. Excedrin, which contains caffeine, though, seems to be the only thing that works for headaches. Coincidence? I think not.

I'm not much help.

I am a big fan of cutting back on stuff slowly - really letting your body get used to not 'needing' the drug.

Take a week and have 1/5 decaf, 2/5 caf. Each week cut back on the caf.

Take a brisk walk in the PM when you are feeling the need for a jolt. The walk can last less than 5 minutes and you will feel the increase in energy.

Drink more water.

mellytu74 wrote:...advice on replacing caffeine.

Has anyone else given up/cut down on caffeine? What did you substitute for that pick me up. Or how did you replace it totally?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

I had to cut it out due to medication issues. I switched to some tea called Plantation Mint to get used to a different flavor and then went to the decaf edition of same after tapering off for a week. It could be totally in my head but I think the mintiness does give me a bit of a boost. A spicy snack also seems to help. I think giving my mouth a bit of a flavor kick now and then keeps me a bit more awake.

I'm allowed caffeine again now but I'm limiting it so that I don't get re-addicted and so that when I really need a boost, it actually does something. Good luck!

I stopped drinking coffee and switched to crack then crystal meth for a while.

It's not the caffeine, it's the coffee that's upsetting your stomach. You're probably brewing a pot and letting it go sour.

I was drinking about five cups a day in my early 30s and quit cold turkey (with the resultant pain and agony, dunno how y'all who have quit nicotine did it -- well done!). I drink a lot of water and a lot of herbal tea. If I have a caffeinated tea, I use the same teabag about four times. I love weak tea.

I have the occasional decaf coffee with some kind of gunk (half and half, non-dairy coffee creamer, etc.) plus sugar or Sweet N Low maybe a couple times a month. Dunno if it's the gunk or the coffee, but it makes me thirsty.

Good luck! This is an excellent quest, especially for women. Caffeine has been implicated in bone density loss.

SportsFan68 wrote:I was drinking about five cups a day in my early 30s and quit cold turkey (with the resultant pain and agony, dunno how y'all who have quit nicotine did it -- well done!).

LOL. Drugs. Lots of them.

Good Luck. I ended up eating granola bars mostly when I needed a pick me up while avoiding caffeine. I also found that fruit helped or liquid yogurt also worked. I have no personality without caffeine. Duller than dirt. Put myself to sleep.

Edited to explain my bouts of caffeine free dullsville were while I was pregnant and breastfeeding. I now consume many many cups of coffee a day willingly and joyfully. I know eventually the end will come. I am enjoying it while I can.