Caffeine Blues_ Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America's #1 Drug ( PDFDrive )

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Caffeine Blues_ Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America's #1 Drug ( PDFDrive ) Page 34

by Неизвестный


  Step Two: Listen to Your Body

  All of us at times get so caught up in the busyness and stress of life that we ignore clear warning signs of impending illness. For many people these warning signs are never heeded, and they end up in the hospital or funeral home. You’ve heard the phrase “Listen to your body,” but you might be wondering exactly what that means. For me, it means taking an inventory a few times each week of how I’m feeling, both physically and emotionally.

  I suggest you do this in a quiet place when you have a few minutes you can spend alone. Pay careful attention to any tightening in the chest, tension or pain in the stomach or solar plexus (your “gut” feelings), any clenching or pain in the jaw, tremor in the fingers or legs (restless leg syndrome), and involuntary twitching in limbs, eyelids, or face. These are all signs of accumulating stress, danger signals that need to be dealt with while they are still minor.

  Watch your breath rising from the solar plexus up to your lungs. Feel the rib cage expand and the collarbones rise. Then watch the exhalation, feeling the relaxation and letting go of the breath and body. Take time to feel the sensations that come and go, and in a few minutes, you will have a clear connection to your emotional state.

  If you’re feeling anxious or worried at all, ask yourself what is the source of your discomfort or anxiety. Is it something you can resolve, and if so, what course of action needs to be taken? For many people, the source of discomfort and anxiety is vague and unclear. It’s been described as “background stress,” and I suggest that caffeine is at the core of such feelings.

  It’s important to understand that stress and anxiety affect every part of you.

  I’ve described in detail the impact that stress has on the body and mind, but on a more subtle level, it affects who you are. The sage advice to “know thyself” is an important part of self-mastery. It helps us tune in to what is truly important and meaningful. Life is short, and we really don’t want to be “spinning our wheels,”

  or wasting precious time on matters that do not enrich us.

  I believe it is nearly impossible to gain this perspective when you’re amped out on caffeine. Scores of people have told me over the years that the most significant change they noticed when they got off caffeine was in their personality, how they related to their family, friends, and colleagues. This is the very essence of who we are as individuals and how we act together as a society.

  Step Three: Start with What’s in Front of You

  In my clinical practice, I saw people who were for the most part highly motivated to improve their health and their lives. Often they were seeking guidance on exercise, nutrition, stress management, and human performance. I learned an important lesson in those years. When I sent them home with lots of things to do, they were often overwhelmed, and so, out of frustration, they did nothing. But the people who left with one or two changes to employ often made those changes and came back for more. These were the people whose lives were changed, who got on the upward spiral and never got off. Today, they are living proof that health and vitality can be enjoyed at any age, that life can be a wonderfully exciting and deeply fulfilling adventure.

  So when it comes to change, I recommend you start with what’s in front of you. Start with a single step that will improve your physical, mental, and emotional health in myriad ways. Get off the caffeine drug, and find out who you really are.

  APPENDIX A

  Fifty Proven Stress Reducers

  1. A lot of things are “stressful” simply because we don’t allow ourselves enough time to get them done. Look for ways to take the hurry out of your everyday tasks and responsibilities.

  2. Get out of bed fifteen minutes earlier to avoid the morning rushing around.

  3. Prepare for the morning the evening before. (Set out clothes, breakfast, sack lunch, etc.)

  4. Write things down; don’t rely on your memory. (Trying to remember not to forget is stressful.)

  5. Ask questions, repeat back directions, repeat back what you heard the other person say, etc. Taking an extra minute to be sure you understand what was said can save time and prevent aggravation.

  6. Keep a duplicate car key in your wallet; bury a duplicate house key in your garden.

  7. Practice “preventive maintenance” on your car, appliances, teeth, personal relationships, etc., so they won’t break down at the worst possible moment.

  8. Add an ounce of love to everything you do.

  9. Eat healthful foods. Don’t overeat (always leave the table feeling a little hungry).

  10. Procrastination is stressful. Whatever you want to do tomorrow, do it today; whatever you want today, do it now. Hard work is simply the accumulation of easy things you didn’t do when you should have done them.

  11. Organize your home and work area so that everything has a place. You won’t have to go through the stress of losing things.

  12. Plan ahead. Don’t let the gas tank get below onequarter full, keep a

  well-stocked “emergency shelf” of supplies at home and at work. Buy postage stamps and bus tokens before you need them, etc.

  13. Schedule a realistic day. Allow ample time between appointments.

  Make a “to-do” list and cut it in half.

  14. Relax your standards. The world will not end if the grass doesn’t get mowed this weekend.

  15. An instant cure for most stress: thirty minutes of brisk walking or other aerobic exercise.

  16. Make everyday purchases by cash or check; save credit cards for major planned purchases.

  17. Make friends with nonworriers.

  18. Every day, find time for solitude and introspection. Seek out quiet places.

  19. Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and erring—for sometime in life you will have been all of these.

  20. Simplify.

  21. Say “No, thank you” to projects you don’t have time or energy for.

  22. Always carry reading material to enjoy while waiting in lines or for appointments.

  23. Remind yourself that Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times.

  24. For every one thing that goes wrong, there are 50 to 100 blessings.

  Count them.

  25. Do nothing that, after being done, leads you to tell a lie.

  26. Put brain in gear before opening mouth. Before saying anything, ask yourself if what you are to say is (1) true, (2) kind, and (3) necessary. If it’s not all three, K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut).

  27. If an unpleasant task faces you, do it early in the day and get it over with.

  28. Do one thing at a time.

  29. Donate extra belongings to your favorite charity. Getting rid of what you don’t need will make what you do need easier to find.

  30. Write your thoughts and feelings in a journal. This can help you clarify your ideas and put things in their right perspective.

  31. When someone cuts you off in traffic, stops suddenly in front of you, etc., instead of getting mad, think of all the driving mistakes you’ve made in your life—and give the other guy a break.

  32. Remember that everyone around you is carrying some kind of burden.

  32. Remember that everyone around you is carrying some kind of burden.

  33. Get enough sleep. Use an alarm clock to remind you to go to bed, if necessary.

  34. Set up contingency plans. “If either of us is delayed, here’s what we’ll do.” “If we get separated in the mall, here’s where we’ll meet,” etc.

  35. To relax instantly, breathe as if you were trying in inflate an imaginary balloon in your stomach. Inhale slowly to the count of 10; then exhale slowly to the count of 10. Repeat.

  36. Turn “needs” into preferences. Our body’s basic needs are food, water, and keeping warm. Everything else is a preference.

  37. Don’t put up with things that don’t work right. Get things fixed or replace them.

  38. Stop worrying. If something concerns you, do somethi
ng about it. If you can’t do anything about it, let go of it.

  39. Practice labeling situations differently. Are you really “furious” about something, or are you simply feeling angry or annoyed? Are you “crushed,” or are you merely let down or disappointed? If World War II was “terrible,” can you describe your flat tire as “terrible”? No, at worst, it was an inconvenience. Resisting the temptation to exaggerate situations, and labeling situations with the appropriate word, can reduce stress.

  40. Live in the present.

  41. Every day, do at least one thing you really enjoy.

  42. Be kind to unkind people—they probably need it most.

  43. Unplug your phone or switch on your phone answering machine while you take a bath, have dinner, etc.

  44. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

  45. Laugh! It puts distance between you and your problems.

  46. Make promises sparingly and keep them faithfully.

  47. Remember that the best things in life aren’t things.

  48. Buy clothes and shoes that are: (1) comfortable, (2) easy and inexpensive to maintain, (3) easy to match with other clothes you have.

  49. Using the TV or radio for background “company” can be surprisingly stressful. Learn to enjoy quiet.

  50. Forget about counting to 10. Count to 100 before saying anything that could make matters worse.

  Reprinted with permission. Hope Publications, Kalamazoo, Michigan.

  www.hopepublications.com

  APPENDIX B

  Resources

  PRIMARY RESOURCE

  www.caffeineblues.com

  OPTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES

  Herbal Coffee

  Teeccino Caffé, Inc.

  P.O. Box 42259

  Santa Barbara, CA 93105

  800-498-3434

  www.teeccino.com

  e-mail: [email protected]

  Teeccino caffeine-free herbal coffee is available in seven flavors. The company sends out literature and a 50¢ discount coupon for free. They offer a Teeccino sampler consisting of four different flavors for $5. Teeccino is distributed to natural foods stores in the United States, Britain, and Canada.

  The company sells directly to consumers via catalog.

  Instant Coffee Substitutes

  Postum Instant Hot Beverage

  Maxwell House Coffee Company

  Kraft General Foods, Inc.

  Box PR7

  White Plains, NY 10625

  1-800-432-6333

  Instant grain beverage made from wheat bran, wheat, molasses, and maltodextrin. Available in grocery stores.

  Kaffree Roma Roasted Grain Beverage

  Worthington Foods, Inc.

  900 Proprietors Rd

  Columbus, OH 43805-3194

  618-885-9511

  www.wfds.com

  Instant grain beverage imported from Germany made from roasted barley malt, barley, and chicory. Available in natural foods stores and some grocery stores.

  Pero Instant Natural Beverage

  Unifranck of Germany

  Distributed by Alpursa

  P.O. Box 25846

  Salt Lake City, UT 84125-0846

  Instant grain beverage imported from Germany made from malted barley, barley, chicory, and rye. Available in natural food stores and some grocery stores.

  Herb Teas, Tea, and Organically Grown Tea

  The Republic of Tea

  8 Digital Drive, Suite 100

  Novato, CA 94949-5759

  800-298-4TEA

  www.republicoftea.com

  The Republic of Tea distributes its full line of teas, including eleven organic teas, to specialty stores and natural food stores nationwide. They sell direct to consumers via their catalog, which also features tea wares. Annual donations are made from the sales of their Rainforest Tea to local, nongovernmental organizations in Mexico that work to preserve the rain forest and improve the quality of life for people who live in fragile rain forest regions.

  Seelect Herb Tea Co.

  P.O. Box 1969

  Camarillo, CA 93011-1969

  888-273-3532

  Seelect distributes single and blended herbal teas, including some organic herbs, to natural food stores in the United States and Canada. Upon request, the company sends out a sample and literature.

  Traditional Medicinals

  4515 Ross Rd

  Sebastopol, CA 95472-2250

  707-823-8911

  Traditional markets its line of teas through natural food stores and some grocery stores in the United States and Canada. Call to request a free sample and catalog. The company adheres to socially and environmentally responsible business practices.

  Long Life Herbal Teas

  111 Canfield Ave, #B-6

  Randolph, NJ 07869

  800-645-5768, ext VT 1296

  An environmentally conscious tea company offering many organic herbal blends. Sold in healthfood stores nationwide.

  Celestial Seasonings

  4600 Sleepytime Dr

  Boulder, CO 80301-3292

  800-351-8175

  www.celestialseasonings.com

  Celestial Seasonings distributes its full line of teas through grocery and natural food stores worldwide. You can order merchandise and teas from their mail-order catalog.

  Yogi Tea Co.

  1616 Preuss Rd

  Los Angeles, CA 90035-4212

  800-YOGI-TEA

  www.yogitea.com

  Yogi Tea has made a commitment to source organically grown herbs whenever available for all of their teas. Call to request a free natural products catalog and a sample of Yogi tea. Yogi Tea is distributed in the United States, Europe, and Canada in natural food stores and some grocery stores.

  Tazo

  P.O. Box 66

  Portland, OR 97207-0066

  800-299-9445

  Tazo distributes its full line of teas and microbrewed bottled tea and juice to

  Tazo distributes its full line of teas and microbrewed bottled tea and juice to specialty and natural food stores. They also sell direct to consumers via catalog.

  Silk Road Teas

  P.O. Box 287

  Lagunitas, CA 94938

  415-488-9017

  Silk Road Teas offers a rich variety of white, green, oolong, black, and puerh teas, some of which are unavailable from any other source. Most importantly, they work with established tea gardens in China and help to develop organic practices. Call for catalog.

  Brew Ware

  French presspots, gold-tone filters, and loose-leaf brewing filters can be purchased at department stores, specialty coffee shops, and gourment food stores or directly from some mail-order catalogs. The following brands are recommended:

  • The People’s Brew Basket from the Republic of Tea. Fits ten-ounce mugs.

  • Swiss Gold Cup o’Tea Permanent Tea Filter. Fits any size mug.

  • Swiss Gold One Cup Drip filter for coffee or herbal coffee. Great for making a single cup of coffee.

  • French press pots and tea pots from Bodum

  • Krups, Swiss Gold, and Mr. Coffee gold-tone filters for both cone and flat-bottom coffeemakers

  Organically Grown Shade Coffee

  Allegro Coffee Company

  1930 Central Ave

  Boulder, CO 80301

  www.allegro-coffee.com

  800-277-1107

  Supports Coffee Kids, a nonprofit organization working to improve the life of the families and communities who harvest coffee beans. Distributed in natural foods stores and sells direct to consumers via mail-order catalog.

  Cafe Altura

  Clean Food Inc.

  760 East Santa Maria St

  Santa Paula, CA 93060

  800-526-8328

  Organically grown estate coffee. Biodynamic certification. Supports Natural History Chapter of Chiapas, Mexico, and private conservation endeavors in Mexico. Sold in natural food stores.

  Equal Exchange

  250 Revere St

  Canto
n, MA 02021

  781-830-0279

  www.equalexchange.com

  Follows fair trade principles, member of Fair Trade Federation. Offers preharvest financing to small-scale farmer cooperatives that are democratically run. Sells under brand name Equal Exchange Coffee in retail.

  Sells direct to consumers via mail-order catalog.

  Frontier Cooperative

  P.O. Box 299

  Norway, IA 52318-0299

  800-669-3275

  Frontier organically grown coffee is purchased from co-ops.

  Thanksgiving Coffee Company

  Box 1918

  Fort Bragg, CA 95437

  800-648-6491

  www.thanksgivingcoffee.com

  Supports American Birding Association programs, which help fund Partners in Flight, a neotropical bird conservation project.

  NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT AND INFORMATION

  MaxCell Bioscience

  100 Technology Drive

  Suite 160

  Broomfield, CO 80021

  1-800-MaxCell

  www.MaxCell.com

  President: Stephen Cherniske

  Bioenergetic nutrition, exercise and deep relaxation audio tapes.

  Advanced Physicians Products

  831 State Street

  Suite 280

  Santa Barbara, CA 93101

  800-220-7687

  President: Kenneth Frank, M.D.

  TOOLS FOR RELAXATION, STRESS MANAGEMENT, AND

  CONFLICT RESOLUTION

  Preventive Medicine Research Institute

  900 Bridgeway #1

  Sausalito, CA 94965

  800-775-PMRI

  415-332-2525

  President: Dean Ornish, M.D.

  Ojai Foundation

  Education Retreat

  9739 Ojai Santa Paula Road

  Ojai, CA 93023

  805-646-8343

  School of Lost Borders

  Box 55

  Big Pine, CA 93513

  760-938-1177

  Attn: Virginia Coyle

  The Association for Applied Psychotherapy and Biofeedback (AAPB) 10200 W. 44th Ave #304

  Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

  303-422-8336

  Institute of HeartMath

  P.O. Box 1463

  Boulder Creek, CA 95006

  831-338-8700

  YOGA AND EXERCISE

 

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