Good morning to all! I have by my side a piping hot cup of coffee… herbal coffee, that is. I gave up my morning french press 22 days ago as part of a complete cleanse. The cleanse is over and so is my indecisiveness about “to do or not to do” coffee. I actually had an espresso yesterday morning. It wasn’t big deal. I wasn’t craving it. I didn’t need it. What a great feeling…to know that I’ve lost my coffee crutch. I don’t have an addictive personality, and I have never liked feeling dependent on anything. Needless to say, I’m feeling quite victorious over this nonsense accomplishment to some, but BIG deal to me.
Now that I’m a recovering coffee-holic, I can look at this wonderful, aromatic, tasteful bean from a different perspective. I can honestly say that I think that coffee is OK…y punto. My belief in whole food dieting tells me that coffee is a natural product/bean, and that its brew is also natural. Does it acidify your system? Yes. Is that the worst thing in the world if you are generally feeling ok? Of course not.
The real problem with coffee is not the bean, it’s the people that get hold of the bean…and rape it and modify it, and try to make it better. The oils that are added to make flavored coffees are not good for you. The other real problem is that people just drink too much coffee, and most times that coffee comes with milk and sugar. The dairy and the sugar…uh, oh…DON’T get me started on that. Oh and that cigarette that goes along with every cup of coffee…BIG problem there. As with all things, moderation is best. There were some studies done that showed that some of the natural oils from the coffee bean could aggravate liver enzymes and maybe play a role in high cholesterol when take in high amounts. Again, moderation is key.
Now I don’t know what the ideal number of cups is. What I will say is that if one or two cups of coffee is your pleasure and you do not smoke, have high cholesterol, palpitations, osteoporosis, heartburn, cancer, intestinal problems or any other inflammatory condition, then enjoy it.
If you love coffee then try to enjoy its flavor without sugar. If you can’t drink it black, then try a milk substitute. Trader Joe’s soy creamer is a great half & half substitute. As much as I hate to push genetically modified soy products, a teaspoon of the soy creamer is far better than dairy.
Will I drink coffee again? Absolutely yes. Will I drink it daily? Probably not. I’ve really grown to love the Teeccino I’m drinking daily. This is what works for me. It makes me feel good.
My friends, always do what works for you. Do what is wholesome and makes YOU feel good. Make the intention wellness, and the rest will all fall into place.
Let me know if you wanna meet for coffee!
Be well, Dr. Tina
Since writing this blog 3 years ago, I am proud to say that I am still coffee free. I enjoy my morning green juice or a cup of herbal tea. I enjoy an espresso every once in a while, but happy that I was able to kick the “need” for caffeine. And you can too!