Living without Coffee

So I'm now on day 5 living without coffee. I've read that the withdrawal symptoms go away within three days. Mine were pretty much gone day 3. However, I still was exhausted. About the only good thing was I didn't have to make coffee in the morning. On Tuesday I have a cup calling my name, but alas it's Saturday I've got a few days yet.

Are you all ready for some coffee facts?!
In one cup of coffee (I'm talking about an 8 oz cup, not the giant mugs we all use as our 'one cup' of coffee) there are 100 milligrams of caffeine. My coffee cup holds about two and half cups, so there was about 250 milligrams of caffeine entering my body every morning. A safe limit of caffeine per person per day is 400 milligrams. When I was working at the ski resort and a bed and breakfast this is about how much caffeine I was consuming per day. I would wake up, get my large coffee mug full (2 cups) and then I would have a cup between jobs, and one at 4pm (this would help me drive home). Four cups of coffee per day.

For some perspective as to what else has caffeine
 a Rockstar energy drink (8 oz) has about 80 milligrams of caffeine
 however, the Rockstar shot has 230 milligrams of caffeine packed into 2.5 oz.
A Mountain Dew 12 oz can has 55 milligrams of caffeine.

Looking at other hot beverages
Black tea has approximately 45 milligrams of caffeine
If you ordered a Venti (20-24 oz) brewed coffee from Starbucks you're looking at 415 milligrams of caffeine
From Starbucks a Cafe Latte has 150 milligrams for the same size.
Think to yourself 'Fine I'm going to just drink decaf"? haha cute, there is still caffeine in decaffeinated beverages. 30 milligrams of caffeine in a 20 oz decaf coffee from Starbucks.

There is also caffeine in chocolate, per 1 oz of chocolate there is 12 milligrams of caffeine. Other sources of caffeine include:
ice cream (coffee ice cream anyone?)
weight loss pills (why would anyone take these in the first place. want a bikini body? put a bikini on your body)
pain relievers two excedrin migraine tablets have 130 milligrams of caffeine.
breath mints (anyone ever try penquin mints? yup caffeine there)
There are even now caffeinated instant oatmeal breakfasts! What is our world coming to?!

Well, now that I've scared you all with my knowledge of caffeine. Don't worry, there are also reasons why coffee is good for you. Coffee is good for your liver, so if you also drink copious amounts of alcohol, you can counteract that with coffee, just kidding I have no idea. Coffee does have some nutrients in it. This is really only present if you grind your beans at home directly before making your cup of joe. There are also reports that coffee makes your smarter.

Coffee

I decided that I was going to give up coffee for a week. Why? Well because I felt very dehydrated and wasn't feeling very well in general. I also felt that maybe being off caffeine for a week and drinking lots of water would help flush out my system. Being off coffee would also give me insight as to how dependent my body had become on it. I drink a cup of coffee every morning (like most people) and I've been doing so for a few years now. Don't get me wrong, I love coffee. I was just curious to see how I'd feel getting off the stuff.

I know that caffeine is an addictive drug. I was wondering how I was going to be affected going through withdrawal. Was I even truly addicted?

Day 1:
In the morning I was OK. Tired, but still able to function.
Midday the headache started, persistent, behind my eyes
Had a cup of chamomile tea, felt mildly better.
Couldn't concentrate on anything.
around 4pm I wanted to die. My headache had started going down the back of my neck. I also wanted vomit.
Went to bed at 8pm and woke back up at midnight, I felt like a new person, no headache!

Day 2
Morning was slightly better than yesterday
headache didn't start until 2pm still persistent
It's 4:30 and I haven't had the headache drift down my neck yet.
Still can't concentrate on anything.
No puking feeling.

I'm still on Day 2 of caffeine free week. Clearly I'm having withdrawal symptoms. I didn't really think I was addicted until I went off it. So I took an online quiz to gauge caffeine addiction. Apparently, I'm mildly addicted to caffeine. Keep in mind that my norm is 1 cup per day. Withdrawal symptoms from one cup a day is a little scary. I'll keep you all posted on how my detox goes.