Just three months ago I was on a first-name basis with the nearby Dunkin' Donut's employees. Erin definitely was running on Dunkin'. And this seemed perfectly logical and necessary for me to get through my busy days. Yes, it was the coffee. Delicious, aromatic coffee. Um, yes, and creamer.... (by the way, if you're a coffee drinker and need creamer - at least check out the organic varieties I saw at Meijer the other day!).
I am surely not knocking coffee altogether. I totally get everything about enjoying a cup of coffee with a friend.
However, the hubby and I - in a determination to shed the weight we were still holding on to even after changing our eating habits - went on a 30 day cleanse starting in July. We found out that it was strongly suggested we not drink coffee during the cleanse. So I did the only logical thing I could think of and loaded up on a couple Starbucks Caramel Macchiato's with organic soy milk and whip the weekend before we started - no, not GMO-free caramel, I'm quite sure. And then I quit coffee. For 30 days. Actually, in the last 70 days, I've had half of one cup.
But, why give up something that was so precious to me?
What I learned as I prepared for my cleanse was that coffee raises the acidity in our bodies and the goal of the cleanse was to create an alkaline body in order to avoid disease. Another reason that caught my attention is that coffee is a crop heavily sprayed with pesticides - and surely much of the coffee I was drinking was not organic. In fact, upon starting our cleanse I was given a list of 25 reasons to stop drinking coffee. If you're interested, I can pass the list on to you.
I was a little sad when I thought of my weekly coffee/Skype call with my friend. Would it be the same camaraderie without actual coffee? How about my nightly coffee with my hubby? How sad to give that up!
I can now say I am very thankful to no longer be a slave to the coffee I once felt completely necessary to get through a day. And I can also still enjoy an occasional cup should I choose. I like feeling in control of my coffee consumption rather than feeling controlled by it!
And guess what? There are healthier alternatives that still give me that satisfying cup of warmth in the morning. One such discovery ... Green Tea with a touch of honey.
I am also enjoying the tea varieties I have found at Big Lots. In fact, today, October 6, Big Lots has a 20% off sale going on - just get a coupon.
