7.18.2005
Day One Without Caffeine
I normally don't mind the fact that I drink a cup of coffee a day (or a half-caff cup of Starbucks coffee, which amounts to about the same thing, since I usually get a grande, which is enormous compared to a standard 12 oz. mug). I mean, yes, I am addicted to caffeine, but anything that peps me up in the morning and makes me happy before I even get to work (!) is a great thing. The only problem is when I can't have it.
Thus, in preparation for the 17th of Tamuz, I am trying to wean myself off of caffeine (not coffee, just the caffeinated kind). Last summer, I foolishly thought I could just stop cold turkey for a day, but I could not. I got a terrible headache by 2 pm and could not function. Which was bad, and unnecessary. Someone once told me I could take caffeine pills in minor fasts to prevent headaches, but part of me hates being addicted to a drug, even a legal and fairly innocuous one, so I try to get off of coffee a few times a year, just to prove I can. (Mind over chemistry! Or something like that.) Also, it doesn't seem wise to take a caffeine pill without drinking a lot of water.
So, here's to Day One! So far, so good. No headache. Of course, I had some dark chocolate today, which may have prevented the headache. (How much caffeine does cheap bittersweet chocolate have, anyway?)
Sorry, this is kind of boring, but "Ack! No caffeine!" is really all that's on my mind today (in addition, of course, to my work). My original plan was to stay off of caffeine through Tisha B'Av, because it seems needlessly annoying to go back on and then off, but we'll see how long that idea lasts.
On a happier note, I went to part of the Harlem Meer Performance Festival yesterday with MY. It was fun, except that it started raining about half an hour into the performance. Luckily, MY and I were somewhat prepared, but it was still pretty wet...it was pouring, actually. And the musicians had to stop playing. But in any case, it was wonderful to hear half an hour of jazz (Ray Vega Quintet) and it was nice to see a part of Central Park I'd never been to before. It was peaceful. Before, during, and after the rain. To free music in Central Park!
Thus, in preparation for the 17th of Tamuz, I am trying to wean myself off of caffeine (not coffee, just the caffeinated kind). Last summer, I foolishly thought I could just stop cold turkey for a day, but I could not. I got a terrible headache by 2 pm and could not function. Which was bad, and unnecessary. Someone once told me I could take caffeine pills in minor fasts to prevent headaches, but part of me hates being addicted to a drug, even a legal and fairly innocuous one, so I try to get off of coffee a few times a year, just to prove I can. (Mind over chemistry! Or something like that.) Also, it doesn't seem wise to take a caffeine pill without drinking a lot of water.
So, here's to Day One! So far, so good. No headache. Of course, I had some dark chocolate today, which may have prevented the headache. (How much caffeine does cheap bittersweet chocolate have, anyway?)
Sorry, this is kind of boring, but "Ack! No caffeine!" is really all that's on my mind today (in addition, of course, to my work). My original plan was to stay off of caffeine through Tisha B'Av, because it seems needlessly annoying to go back on and then off, but we'll see how long that idea lasts.
On a happier note, I went to part of the Harlem Meer Performance Festival yesterday with MY. It was fun, except that it started raining about half an hour into the performance. Luckily, MY and I were somewhat prepared, but it was still pretty wet...it was pouring, actually. And the musicians had to stop playing. But in any case, it was wonderful to hear half an hour of jazz (Ray Vega Quintet) and it was nice to see a part of Central Park I'd never been to before. It was peaceful. Before, during, and after the rain. To free music in Central Park!
Labels: life
# posted by Abacaxi Mamao : 7/18/2005 05:52:00 PM
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Why wean yourself off? What I do is this: before any minor fast, I get up at 4 (or whenever) and have a cup of coffee and a protein shake [aside, Orange and Lemon-lime gatorade are both kosher, and a good nephrologist here said that they're fantastic as isotonic drinks - you hold the liquid longer...].
For a major fast, have an extra cup or two the day before, especially right before the fast actually starts: you can just power through it...
I figure that the risk of a headache one day (fasting) is worth avoiding the surety of multiple days of weaning headaches...
For a major fast, have an extra cup or two the day before, especially right before the fast actually starts: you can just power through it...
I figure that the risk of a headache one day (fasting) is worth avoiding the surety of multiple days of weaning headaches...
# posted by 
: August 01, 2005 4:57 PM
: August 01, 2005 4:57 PM
Why wean? The principle of the matter. I hate being addicted. And since I am now on Day 15 without caffeinated coffee, there are no headaches. I only had one headache, actually, towards the end of Day One. I don't know about the getting up early thing. I've never tried that. And if I had coffee, how would I go back to sleep right afterwards? I know about the Gatorade or Powerade thing. My sister told me. My sister told you about my blog, too, no?
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