Today's message is a bit more focused. If it doesn't apply to you it will be good information if you have someone in your life that needs to know. It's about caffeine. For a lot of people that is the last thing they give up when going on raw food. I am happy to say I never had the taste for coffee so I don't know first hand the struggle you face but I see my husband struggle with it so I know a bit about it.
Here are some of the things caffeine does to your system:
- within 20 minutes of ingestion it passes the blood brain barrier and increases the rate of firing of the nerve cell receptors
- your pituitary sees this as an emergency and sets up the "fight or flight" response
- your pupils dilate
- your respiration increases
- your heart beats faster
- blood flow to your muscles increases
- blood flow to your digestive system decreases (no wonder it gives you heart burn)
- your liver releases sugar into your blood stream
Sure it wakes you up. Unfortunately this effect only lasts for about 4 hours and then you get a let down. If you have more caffeine you are putting undo stress on your adrenals and when you need the energy your body can not summon the resources to bring it forth. It's just too tired.
In addition to all that caffeine is dehydrating. You have to drink 5 cups of water to make up for one cup of coffee. So add that to the eight 8oz glasses you be drinking every day and that is a lot of sloshing going on.
Instead of reaching for the cup of coffee or that soda pop, reach for a green smoothie. It has fiber and energy and your body will be rebuilt instead of torn down. Drink some water with a splash of lemon and a couple grains of cayenne. That will give you a boost and help cleanse.
So wake up and smell the coffee but don't drink it!!!!!!