Wrestling the coffee buzzzzzz

A coffee addict in my pre-macrobiotic days, coffee drinking always intrigued me. The macrobiotic syllabus had two whole lectures devoted to the beverage, and its effects on the digestive system. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 90 per cent of the global population drinks coffee, and with the coffee culture only growing, I thought I must enlighten you on the subject.

Classified as a stimulant, I take it off the diet if the person is battling with weight and other health issues. A healthy person, however, can take up to 400 mg a day. About 600 mg makes four to six cups a day, and will eventually have you facing a health issue.

Coffee increases the levels of hydrochloric acid in the stomach; it is the worst thing to do to yourself the first thing in the morning. This will eventually result in depletion of hydrochloric acid, which means lower stores for digestion, causing difficulties in breaking down protein. Bad bacteria feed off the undigested protein, which causes bad, smelly gas. Known also to cause an acidic blood condition, the body fluid gnaws away at the intestinal lining over time. Since it’s a diuretic, it causes the kidneys to flush out more than normal, this includes the loss of vital minerals. Simultaneously, since it’s acting on the digestive lining, absorption of minerals and vitamins is restricted.

The addiction occurs because the stimulant (coffee) first hits the central nervous system, and elevates your energy levels for a while. Once the effect wears off, comes anxiety, irritability, and drowsiness as it triggers a rise in stress hormones: cortisol, norepinephrine, and adrenaline, initiating the fight and flight response.

Too much coffee also impacts the heart and blood pressure levels eventually. It is especially harmful for those with an irregular heartbeat, and also leads to insomnia.

Now, the big question: how can one transition out of it and find a fulfilling replacement?

Start alternating coffee with green tea. If you have two cups a day, make one a cup of green tea. A week later, make it green tea on one day, and coffee and a cup of green tea the next. The third week, it’s two days of green tea alternated with one day of coffee (a cup). Week four, stop coffee. A great alternative for coffee is roasted barley tea.

Recipe

Roast whole barley in a skillet for 20 minutes, over medium heat until grains turn dark brown. Add three tablespoons of roasted barley in a pot, and three cups of hot water. You could add some manuka (medicinal) honey if you like it sweet. Stir the liquid and let it steep for five minutes. Pour yourself a glass. Enjoy.

Send in your comments on dnaofhealth@gmail.com. To get in touch with the author, please write to shonaalii@macrobioticsindia.com