Many of us enjoy a cup of coffee first thing in the morning or to sustain that energy drag around 3 pm. That bolt of caffeine makes us feel happy, comforted and definitely more awake but are you aware of the darker side to caffeine?
Internally, caffeine stimulates cortisol, which is often known as our “fight or flight” response. So with each sip, your body is preparing to fight off that lion chasing you or run as fast as you can to survive the attack. So what happens? Your heart begins to race, your blood pressure increases, your appetite is suppressed but your stomach pumps out more acid and to top it off you will need to urinate and likely defecate. Sound comforting? Chronic caffeine consumption may cause…
- Heart palpitations
- Anxiety
- Dehydration
- Sleep disturbance
- Stomach ulcers
- Blood sugar imbalance
Caffeine can be found in varied amounts in coffee, soda, energy drinks, and some tea. Paying attention to the amount of that artificial energy burst is the first step into making an educated choice and helping your health. A shot of espresso has about 60mg caffeine while brewed coffee can have 200mg caffeine. 7-Up has no caffeine while Mountain Dew has 54mg. Making small changes every day can add up to big results down the line.
Schedule a time to meet with Dr. Bridget for more ideas on how to pick up your energy naturally with B-vitamins, nutritional support, and delicious teas. I am here to help!
Reference:
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1182710-overview#aw2aab6b7 Role of caffeine in various neurologic conditions