Coffee Addict

Coffee has been my drug of choice for nearly ten years.  It all started when my son Owen was three months old, and I was exhausted.  In my desperation for sanity, I grabbed a hold of a mug of the dark liquid and never looked back.   The taste wasn't what sold me; it was the kick of energy it gave me.  My daily cup of Jo put a smile to my face and a skip to my step; I could conquer the world. If you know me, you've heard me say: "My cup of coffee is my cup of happiness, I cannot live without it."

My cup of happiness became an addiction, yes, an addiction.  The day I realized that I was a coffee addict was a couple of years ago while in Africa.  We were driving our jeep through Savuti watching elephants, hyenas, zebras and all those wild animals of Botswana, and I had a headache, a headache that I could not shake off.  I took two Tylenol extra strength and still the heaviness in my brain persisted.  I thought for sure that Malaria was my plight and death was calling.  On our return to Maun, we stopped for a coffee and lord and behold my headache vanished, just like that.  Poof!  The realization dawned on me; I am a coffee addict, and without coffee, I am not happy. Although, I admitted to my addiction,  I refused to deny myself of my cup of happiness.

I recently decided to tackle my addiction and remove coffee from my diet.   There were a few bad days where I had a headache and lived in a fog, but I perceived and came through the other side.  The benefits have been worth it.

1. Sleep: I have been sleeping like a baby.
2. Relaxed: I have been feeling more relaxed, less irritable, and a low-lying anxious feeling has left me.
3. Appetite:    I have been satisfied with the foods that I eat and not craving foods in the afternoon.

Those benefits are worth a day without coffee.  I have replaced my cup a Jo with hot ginger tea, green tea and will soon get the fixings for my friend's recommendation of dandelion, chicory root and cinnamon stick tea.  Apparently it's bitter and a good liver detoxifier.

I have also let go of gluten, but that is another story!!!