First, I warned her that she wasn't going to lie what I said.
Then we both went to my computer and keyed in: www.hacres.com
In the search box at the top we entered "caffeine."
She was patient as I read her the dangers that were listed in the first article that appeared. There are many articles to read and we just stayed with the first one. It was frightening enough.
Then I asked for her feedback and I was so happy that I had gotten her attention and she knew she needed to wean herself off her addiction. Her boys need a live, healthy, and happy mom.
So we devised a plan.
For two weeks she is going to replace a little of the Dr. Pepper with water. She said she would do that little by little to minimize the withdrawal symptoms since cold turkey off of caffeine can cause headaches, the jitters, and other symptoms.
Of course the poison of caffeine can cause worse.
Following are a few quotes taken from Dr. John McDougall’s book The McDougall Plan.
“Some of the most popular DRUGS consumed by people of affluent western nations are found in coffee beans, tea leaves, and cocoa beans (chocolate)… all of which contain a group of natural substances known as methylxanthines. These chemicals include caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine. Many prescription and nonprescription drugs also contain methylxanthines.
“One of the most important of the methylxanthines is the popular DRUG ‘caffeine’… undesirable effects from the stimulating properties of caffeine include: elevated heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, frequent urination, increased gastric acid secretion (which contributes to indigestion, gastritis, and ulcers), nervousness, irritability, insomnia, loss of appetite, nausea, and diarrhea. Obviously, discontinuing caffeine will relieve the problems caused by this DRUG. It is particularly important for someone with hypertension who is trying to lower his or her blood pressure to stop drinking caffeinated beverages.
“Caffeine has been shown to cause birth defects in animals and is suspected of causing the same defects in humans. It would follow that you should completely avoid coffee, tea, colas, and chocolate in all forms during pregnancy.
“All three of the methylxanthines can stimulate growth of breast cells, causing painful enlargement of breast tissue and benign lumps. This condition is known as fibrocystic disease… In as many as 90 percent of women with fibrocystic disease, these benign breast lumps significantly improve or completely disappear in two to six months when methylxanthines are eliminated from the diet. There is also concern from investigators that the chronic stimulation of the breast tissue by methylxanthines may progress to cancer of the breast. Cancer of the bladder also has been related to caffeine use.
“One more undesirable effect of caffeine is that the DRUG has been shown to cause loss of calcium from the body. Therefore, another dietary maneuver you can use to prevent and possibly correct thin, calcium-deficient bones, or osteoporosis, would be to discontinue use of caffeine.
“The body actually becomes physically addicted to caffeine. When you attempt to quit taking this DRUG, expect withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, anxiety, irritability, drowsiness, tension, and depression. Withdrawal symptoms can last as long as a week.”
By the end of two weeks she will report to me what she has done and how she feels.
The second thing that she agreed to was to eat a raw apple in the morning, once a day for nutrition, and to help her stay alert and awake. Apples seem to have that effect and that's why they are sold in baskets at truck stops. Some people feel that an apple keeps them more alert than coffee.
What addiction do you need to conquer? Be honest, research the negative effects of it and then make a plan. Let me know how it goes.
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