Caffeine Tapering Consultation

Want to Reduce Your Toxin Load and Feel Better Almost Instantly? -  Consider Eliminating daily Caffeine Consumption!

That's right the coffee you just consumed is probably causing you more harm to your health than you could ever imagine!  It is possible there may be some health benefits to caffeine consumption or at least that is what some people claim. But the reality is the cons greatly outweigh any pros if they do exist.  Health advocates have scrutinized the effects of sugar and nicotine over the years and more recently gluten and dairy are getting their fair share of attention.  But unfortunately caffeine has gone under the radar!  Most people including many health care practitioners view caffeine consumption as relatively harmless.  After learning about the adverse effects of caffeine at a seminar on hormone balancing and healthy aging back in 2008 I was extremely surprised myself at what daily caffeine intake does to our bodies.  I have to admit like most others I did not really think 1 or 2 cups of coffee per day was too much of a problem for most people.  Now after having studied the effects of caffeine on hundreds of clients since then I am truly amazed at how toxic caffeine is to our bodies and the part that fascinates me the most is how it can affect people in so many different ways!  With caffeine so readily available nowadays and the vast majority of the population consuming it daily whether it is in the form of coffee, soda pop, energy drinks, etc. - no wonder it is so challenging for people to stay healthy!

Caffeine leaches your body of Important Nutrients that are Essential for Optimal Health and Well Being

While most people find caffeine especially in the form of coffee comforting, giving more energy, improved clarity and possibly even stress relieving these benefits are very short lived.  For example the energy it gives a person is only a temporary "pick me up" and a person might feel less stressed when drinking coffee but in the big picture it has only made things worse as it can potentially cause crazy dips in energy and mood and create unnecessary anxiety and/or insomnia.  Caffeine is extremely dehydrating and as a result it is very nutrient depleting and can cause rapid depletion of the following essential nutrients in the body: 

• magnesium, B-Vitamins, Vitamin C, calcium, potassium, iron

Each one of these nutrients serves a multitude of functions in your body.  This list is so great that it would not be possible to list every one of these functions here.  For example, magnesium by itself is responsible for over 300 different functions!  So given that single fact alone it is no wonder why so many people struggle with health issues nowadays. I find it mind boggling to think about what the other nutrient deficiencies may be causing.

Caffeine is a great advocate of increasing Inflammation - Now is that Why I have a Chronic Health Issue?

Yes, you read that right!  Now that you have an idea on what nutrients caffeine can decrease our bodies of you may be wondering does caffeine increase anything?  Well unfortunately, caffeine is a huge promoter of inflammation!  The other bad news here is that just about every chronic medical condition has high inflammation associated with it. To top it off caffeine crops are so heavily sprayed with many chemicals that can further increase your toxic burden. The reality is caffeine has zero nutrient value to add to your diet and while it does make people happy and alert in the short term – it can really wreak havoc on your overall health.  And the unfortunate thing is most people are not even aware of it as consuming caffeine is very socially acceptable in our modern day society!

Daily Caffeine Consumption can potentially Cause or Worsen your Medical Condition or Symptoms

Because caffeine depletes the body of so many essential nutrients and is pro inflammatory, we see numerous symptoms and medical conditions that most likely develop as a result of it or can be exacerbated from it.  If you have any of the following symptoms or conditions, please speak to our staff to determine if caffeine can be a possible source of your medical issue.  This list is not meant to be conclusive but is some of the more common things we have seen in our clinical pharmacy practice:

• a tired but wired feeling
• consistent low energy and fatigue (a "need" to comsume caffeine to push you through the day)
  
• feeling lousy and run down
• making you feel more stressed
• hormone imbalances (i.e. heavy periods, hot flashes, anxiety etc.)
• low iron levels (i.e. anemia
  
• worsening of your thyroid functioning
• mood disorders such as anxiety and depression
• insomnia (inability to fall asleep and/or stay asleep)
• musculoskeletal issues such as muscle cramping, twitching, tension and stiffness
• back pain
• poor nerve functioning
• weakening of bones (i.e. osteoporosis/osteopenia)
• worsening of arthritis
• cognitive issues such as inability to focus, lack of concentration leading to errors/mistakes
• cardiovascular issues such as high blood pressure, heart palpitations etc.
• diabetes or high blood sugar
• temperament changes such as mood swings, more easily agitated, more irritable etc.
• migraines and headaches
• poor digestive health
• queasy feeling in the gut
  
• airway functioning (i.e. asthma and COPD)
• tremors
• irritation of the stomach lining
• diarrhea
• suppressed immune health leading to yearly colds, flus and other infections
• adrenal fatigue as caffeine is a sure way of burning down your adrenal glands
• chronic inflammation
• allergies (food, environmental, seasonal and yearly)
• acne and/or blotchy skin
  
• accelerating the aging process
  

At our pharmacy we can help you kick this habit if you are ready to do it but need some guidance.  Kicking this habit is not an easy thing to do as caffeine can be addictive for most people.  In fact, what blew me away is when I learned that caffeine can have the same effects on our brains as cocaine can but at a lower potency!  It is no wonder so many people are hooked on it and can't let it go.  Please read the book Caffeine Blues: Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America's #1 Drug by Stephen Cherniske if you want to learn more about this. 

In your private consult we will help you with the following:

• Identifying when and why you personally need caffeine as determining this is very important in your efforts to quit.

• Help you formulate a plan to quit and to deal with your triggers and need for caffeine as identified in number 1.

• Setting up a custom supplement program to replenish some of the deficiencies the caffeine has stressed your body of.

• Review any medications and other supplements you may be taking.

• Educate you about the repercussions of daily caffeine consumption.

• Referral to any appropriate allied healthcare practitioner as necessary.

Consultation fee for this service will be dependent on the amount of time spent with the client.  Please see pharmacy fee schedule for details.

"In today's high tech world where caffeine is so socially acceptable - it has become in my opinion the new modern day nicotine addiction."

Peter Lee, Integrative Health Pharmacist
Founder of Balanced Health Integrative Pharmacy

"Balancing Your Health as Naturally as Possible"