Caffeine—Should We Wean?
The two times in my daily routine which I truly savor is when I get my hands wrapped around a steaming mug of half-n-half lightened, agave-sweetened black tea. Sipping that wonderful elixir seems to just ease my soul…It must be some sort of drug!
Well, in fact, it is! Not my tea specifically, but the caffeine which can be found “floating around” in it. I must admit, I’m thoroughly addicted to its eye-brightening jolt. How ‘bout you?
The question I had is this: Is my closely held addiction cause for concern? Should I (and possible you) try to wean from this naturally occurring chemical found in coffee, tea, and chocolate, and added “unnaturally” to energy and soft drinks?
While most people know caffeine is a stimulant, many don’t know why. Here’s how it works to keep us alert: In the normal course of a day, our bodies’ cell activity produces a waste product called adenosine,a “sleepy hormone” if you will. This hormone travels to the brain, and the more that collects there, the more tired we feel. Caffeine acts to block this “sleepy hormone” from attaching to the brain’s receptors. When this “mind altering” event occurs, the brain—sensing something is fearfully amiss—directs our adrenal glands to release a dose of the “fight or flight” hormone, adrenalin, into the blood stream in order to combat this perceived internal “emergency.”
The presence of adrenalin, subsequently, causes an increase in our heart rate, blood sugar levels, muscle tone, and urine production—which is why too much caffeine can have a dehydrating effect on the body. So not only does caffeine block our natural “calming” hormone, it stimulates release of an “anxious” one!
All that said, the National Institute of Health and the American Heart Association agree that 1-2 cups of caffeine per day does not pose a health concern for most people. However, if your blood pressure or sugar levels tend to be on the high side, you may want to cut this drug out of your diet altogether.
That said, I believe it’s tea time!