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Hi, my name is Kristen. And I'm an addict.
Let me start this off by saying, you might be wondering why this is posted in Flirts Get Support if it's about coffee. Well, despite not being an animal product, coffee is not good for your body and is full of dangerous pesticides. Therefore, isn't 'kind' to your body or your mind.
I've wanted to become vegan since I first picked up The Kind Diet and did some research on my own about the treatment of factory farm animals, animals in general, and their effect on our bodies after years of consumption.
What holds me back today, ultimately, is my lack of willpower against coffee. I simply do not believe I can quit. I feel like I've already lost the fight. I have a very busy life. I need it for energy and to stay awake. I have school, work, and an internship. I worry that a vegan diet will not be enough to sustain me throughout the day.
And if I'm drinking coffee, that's not healthy, so why give up cheese and food that had milk in it? If being (for me) vegan is about feeling my best, I won't feel all the benefits of the vegan diet if I'm drinking coffee... but... I need(?) the coffee.
I also worry about the transition and withdrawal. The transition from vegetarianism into veganism and the coffee withdrawal (after drinking 6 to 8--measured--cups a day).
So, Kindlifers! I'm wondering if you have had any experiences like mine, any words of advice. What did you experience transitioning from vegetarianism to veganism? (Emotional or physical symptoms.) Have you ever been a coffee drinker? Coffee junkie? How did you quit? Is there anything I can eat/drink to help me detox?
Thank you! <3
Kristen
Former coffee addict here--I'm a flirt, and one of my biggest weaknesses was cream and sugar in my morning (and mid-morning, and pre-lunch, and mid-afternoon...) coffee. I work in an office setting with limited natural light, so coffee in hand was a requirement for not falling asleep most days. I made an early switch to organic yerba mate, which still packs some of the caffeine of coffee, but with less of the acidic bitterness that you find in black coffee. The first few days were ROUGH. I was cranky, sleepy, unfocused, easily discouraged, found myself yelling at my dog for standing in the corner, flipped my lid on my boyfriend when I found a sock that didn't quite make it in the hamper --but I stuck with it. It took the better part of 2 weeks before I started to feel as if I were in control of my cravings and emotions. Since then, I've replaced mate with herbal teas.
The biggest thing to remember is that coffee is an addiction like any other--you can break it with determination, but only you will know if an occasional cup will send you backsliding or not (for me, it would). Good luck!
I'm a former addict as well (two pots a day at my peek!) but I haven't quit entirely (0-1 cup a day now). My husband happens to be a neuroscientist and he's given me a lot of information about the science of coffee addiction. Most importantly, caffeine addictions can start and end relatively quickly. Like Marla implied, about 2 weeks after cessation, the physical addiction is broken (even if the delicious aroma still calls to us). It also only takes about 1-2 weeks to create a dependence, so backsliding is common. I'm far from a superhero (love vinegar and tomatoes too much) but my kind diet has definitely helped me to not need the caffeine. So, Kristen, I recommend that you focus on the food first, and then once you have that under control, you'll have the energy you need to break the coffee cycle. I also used a gradual approach, first switching to black tea (about 1/4 the caffeine of black coffee), then green, then white. For me, having a hot drink as part of my morning routine helped me not to miss the coffee jolt.
About coffee; I was looking for something simular... not only in taste but also in ritual. I found LIMA Yannoh filter coffee. It is made of barley and other. Important for me is that I do exactly the same things as with coffee, boil water, put Lima Yannoh in a filter and make coffee. I boil the plantmilk ofcouse and make a "cappuccino" .
It really does give me the same feeling as coffee used too :) I think also i have tricked my body because i have no withdrawal symptoms :)
So happy because I dont know if I could have stopped the coffee without it....
For instant -coffee look here:
http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/detail/561664_Lima_Yannoh_Instant_Coffee_Alternative_125g.html
I can really suggest this to all of you who have trouble quiting coffee!
:))))
Start slowly adding water to your coffee to make it weaker. It's a gradual approach. I found that I more needed the "Warm cup" in my hand. Withdrawal - Well, not fun.. but after two days you should start feeling better.
I'm a former addict but after becoming vegan I started to not need it anymore and now I don't drink it at all. I drink lots of water along with tea/green smoothie if I am feeling tired or run down.
An honest question here: I drink organic coffee from Guatemala that is cold-pressed right after harvest so there are mycotoxins. I have a cup in the morning blended with coconut oil. Other than the caffeine addiction, can you share with me the other dangers and why it's so bad? I've been a vegetarian for years and a vegan for less than a year. I've cut out almost all processed foods, but do have the occasional lapse. Eating well and kind has become my new obsession! Thanks for any info you all can share.
There might be some evidence that caffeine lowers the risk for dementia. I LOVE coffee and have about two cups a day. I don't want to be addicted to neither sugar, coffee or anything else, so I'm thinking about just drinking coffee two times a week or something. You don't have to quit entirely if you like coffee.
Hello all, I drink coffee daily being a college student but stick to the kind diet. I do drink coffee that is certified organic and rainforest alliance...all of that. But my biggest question/concern is what could I use other than cream and sugar?? I cannot drink coffee without it, and I think for me its okay to have to occasional morning coffee but I do want to know what you guys think are good alternatives to the cream and sugar. (and for the sugar, I use raw but still not sure if that's good)
Kayla, have you tried any of the coconut based creamers? So Delicious makes a variety of them; a serving has about 4g of sugar but the good thing is you don't need a lot to get that creamy mouth feel. I usually add only that to my coffee and find that doesn't need any sugar. Silk also makes a soy based creamer, I've used it before but prefer the taste and creaminess of the coconut ones.
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