To me, what this film is documenting is the very thing that can bring transcending and fundamental changes in the world.  More than EVER, we need to spread awareness of this message…get involved in it…and encourage our friends, families, colleagues to join in.

I will tell you that doing this work for the past year has been an incredible experience.  Millions of people are shifting their habits, careers, and even their worldviews, and we need to rejoice in this global awakening!

Have you seen the Paul Hawken clip that describes THE SHIFT?  If not, check this out and begin seeing how real it is:

World’s Largest Social Movement

OK, so this is just a short post to ask that you to go to THE SHIFT site, http://www.theshiftmovie.com and sign up!

Today, the message for this powerful film and movement was finally released to a very large audience! Over 4 Million people know now about THE SHIFT…so lets give this movement some legs!

Also, for those of you bloggers, list owners, or just very popular people…please send this message around.  Vote on it on Digg, Stumble and all social networks!

Here are some links:

THE SHIFT on Digg

BRAND New Facebook Fan Page

Thanks everyone…this is going to be huge…it needs to be.  Let me know if there is anything I can do for you!

Todd

But there were a few tangible lifestyle choices I adopted which helped me overcome the awakefullness I so often felt in the wee hours of the night, and I would like to share them with you.

Like most recommendations pertaining to personal growth, the 9 activities I suggest below will not only help your sleep but also a myriad of other areas in your life. Enjoy!

1. Visualize the feelings of being tired

The first time someone suggested this to me, I thought they were mad. But it works, and its amazingly simple. After taking a bunch of deep breaths, use your mind and thoughts to intentionally generate the feeling of being tired. Your mind is used to reverting back to thoughts of your life, work, relationships, etc (FYI, this is why you don’t “feel” tired) but you can train your brain to create the emotion of tiredness. It is incredibly powerful, and there are also audio tools that can help you do this!

2. Wind Down: Partake in relaxing activities at night!

Many people complain to me that they have problems falling asleep, and when I ask them what they do before bed-time they say “lift weights” or “conference call for work” or “watch a thrilling movie”. When I write about it like this it seems pretty obvious that the adrenaline and stimulation these activities cause are not ideal preparation for a night’s rest. I suggest spending a few hours winding down instead: write in a journal, listen to relaxing music, meditate, or do something that brings peace and relaxation into your life.

3. Rise earlier

When did it become so normal for people to wake up at 10am and go to bed past midnight? As a human, the body’s natural cycle is to rise when the sun comes up, and wind down as the sun disappears into the night. Making a habit of getting up earlier will re-set your connection with natural earthly cycles, and drastically improve your quality of sleep over the long run!

4. Do work that stimulates you!

When your brain is actively engaged during the day, it will require greater rest at night. If your daily work does not stimulate you, you will be bored, anxious and even depressed. These negative feelings inhibit the release of hormones in the body that are required to generate the bodily cycle of wakefulness and rest. You need to feel alive and awake to feel tired and spent. So do work that inspires you and you will sleep like a baby!

5. Read some fiction before you go to bed

Reading is a wonderful activity as you wind your day down, but be wary of reading work-related materials or other content that might get your mind moving too fast. Even personal development and self-improvement work is not recommended before bedtime, as it gets the thoughts moving too rapidly. Fiction is ideal to read because it stimulates the more imaginative areas of the brain, and prepares the body to dream.

6. Don’t consume food after 6pm

Think about the main purpose of food: to provide the body with energy. When you stuff large quantities of food into your mouth late at night, the intelligent organism of the body processes it and activates the digestion, circulatory and nervous systems. And then you want to go to sleep? There is a dis-connect here, and if you want to start getting great nights’ sleep it is imperative to limit (or stop) eating food past 6pm.

7. Don’t consume caffeine or sugar past 3pm

On a similar note, the worst kind of food to consume at night is carbohydrates. These foods break down much faster than fats and proteins and cause a spike in energy that is hard to ignore. The worst of the worst is highly processed sugary foods that will make it almost impossible to get a peaceful night’s rest. Caffeine should also be limited because it causes a similar reaction in the body. To be safe, make a habit of limiting simple carbs and caffeine past 3pm. This one suggestion alone could be the key to healthy sleep!

8. Exercise regularly

Pushing your physical limits 3-5 times a week is an excellent way to improve your quality of sleep. Getting the heart pumping during the day generates more efficient blood flow to the brain and body parts, and allows all body parts to experience a more graceful rest period. Plus, common sense dictates that working out will simply make you more tired at night.

9. Take several deep breaths as you prepare to sleep

The easiest recommendation that most people simply do not do is breathe! If you are consistently awake at night, try taking 10 deep breaths as soon as you lie on the bed. Close the eyes, and just let the day go. Notice how immediately afterwards you are in a different state; a more relaxed one. If you are habitually anxious, this feeling may not last long, which is why visualizing being tired (point #1) is a great next step!

OK, now if you want to know how to get up more effectively, read the wonderful article Mind Over Mattress: How To Wake Earlier When All You Want to do is Sleep by Peter over the I Will Change Your Life.

Our food has a limitless supply of “energy power” that most of us barely tap into.  We can all become more efficient eaters, and the purpose of this article is to provide 6 easy, practical tips for getting the most out of the fare we consume.

After each recommendation, I provide a “7 day trial” that you can implement for the next week.  Try these exercises and begin to feel increased energy, greater focus and heightened awareness:

1. Chew

A few years ago, I attended a nutrition lecture that I will never forget.  The speaker told the tale of his father, a Holocaust survivor who claims that chewing was the one activity that saved his life.  Apparently, he and a few friends made a pact to chew every piece of food and drink a minimum of 150 times.  No matter how small the bite or sip of water, they chewed and chewed.  And they lived.  Ask yourself: how often do I swallow my food almost whole, and what am I missing out by chewing more proficiently? 

7 Day Trial:  For the next week, chew all of your hard food a minimum of 50 times.  This is beneficial for so many reasons: it will slow you down, bring greater awareness to your eating, and also help your digestion significantly.  Make chewing a habit.

2. Go for a walk after you eat

A lengthy walk after eating can do wonders for your energy.  Walking stimulates digestion and encourages gravity to do its natural work.  People in the U.S. wonder how Europeans can eat so much butter and fatty foods, yet be so thin.  One of the reasons is that they tend to go for long walks after a meal.  This one activity can vastly improve your health.

7 Day Trial:  For the next week, make a point to walk at least 15 minutes after you eat.  Even if you have to walk around the block 5 times, do it.  Even better:  take a walk with a friend, be in an open space, and enjoy the outdoors…then go back to your daily life.

3. Drink more water during the day

Most Americans, and most people around the world, are completely de-hydrated and do not even know it!  Water keeps the body lubricated, so that when a meal enters the system it is ready for work.  How much water should you drink?  I recommend at least 4 Liters a day and it is very important to drink at least 1 liter upon waking up in the morning, as this is when you body is most de-hydrated from a long absence of water.

7 Day Trial:  For the next week, drink a big glass of water first thing in the morning (before you do anything else).  Also, make a point to drink at least 4 additional 12 oz bottle’s worth during the day.  You will see an immediate increase in energy. 
 
4. Limit your eating after 7pm at night

I am not sure about the rest of the world, but this is where most Americans fail.  Eating late at night is unhealthy for a myriad of reasons, but predominately because it disrupts digestion.  At night, the body is ready for rest, and digestion is a process that requires a lot of hard work.  Eating before bed time is simply not effective, as the food just sits in the stomach and causes grogginess and lack of energy the next day.

7 Day Trial:  For the next week, do NOT eat anything past 7pm.  You might be surprised how difficult this is, but I can assure you that you will a) sleep better and 2) experience a tremendous increase in energy.

5. Start your day with high protein breakfast

Simple carbs release sugar in the body at a faster rate than complex carbs, fats, and protein, and give the body an immediate “up” feeling.  But it is short-lived, and if you are in the habit of a high carb breakfast you are constantly fighting a battle for energy during the day.  Start the day off more balanced, and ingest a whole-grain cereal, eggs, or even an incredible nutritious health shake.

7 Day Trial:  For the next week, eat NO carbs in the morning.  Also limit, or stop completely, caffeine intake.  You might feel drowsy for the first few days…realize this feeling is literally a withdrawal from a bad habit.  Stay with it, and fill your body with complex carbs and protein to start your day.

6. Create the habit of Cardiovascular workouts

A minimum of 30 minutes of cardio workout, at least 4 times a week is a fantastic way to get the most energy out of your food.  Regular cardiovascular exercise optimizes your food intake, and helps create vitality, resilience and health.  Food is energy, and exercise is a mechanism for purposefully creating the flow of energy in your body.

7 Day Trial:  For the next week, force yourself to get in at least 120 minutes of cardio (not straight though).  This is especially necessary in the winter, when many of us become “lazy” and do not want to go outside, or go to a gym and exercise.  However, if you want to get the most from your food, exercise is a necessary component.

TRY these exercises.  They are simple, and can provide you unbound energy from the food you consume!  

From the 10,000 foot level we have become so ingrained with the belief that “someone else or something else can solve all our problems” that we have forgotten to look within ourselves for the answers. 

You may be scared to hear this, but the only person that can ever truly make you happy, healthy, fulfilled and at peace is YOU.  Similarly, the only thing that you truly have control over with regards to generating positive change in the world is YOU. 

There is no magic pill, no savior and no external remedy that you need now or will ever need.  Any time spent wishing, hoping and lamenting about external solutions is non-productive and reactionary. 

Healing must start from the inside—it will become transparent on the outside once it takes form from a place within.  Let me give you some tangible examples of what I mean:

Healing the Environment from the Inside Out

If you have a strong penchant for saving the planet, then the first thing you should do is look to your OWN actions as opposed to blaming lack of quality leadership, lack of funds, lack of time, etc…on existing conditions.  Every time you feel your mind being pulled in the direction that some insurmountable external factors are 100% causing the problems, pull yourself back to the present moment and ask yourself “what can I do right now to make a positive impact”? 

This is healing from the inside out, and creating the habit of being present and acting in this manner is the answer that you are so desperately searching.

Healing Your Health from the Inside Out

If you are one of hundreds of millions worldwide citizens with weight problems, you might feel that a) healthy foods are not readily available to you b) you don’t earn enough money to eat healthy c) you don’t have enough time to exercise.  Although these sentiments might be very real to you, they also levy any responsibility YOU have for helping yourself lose weight. 

“How can I lose weight amid such conditions” will be your battle cry and you will almost certainly remain as you are.  Or, alternatively, you may find some quick fix solution that allows you to lose weight temporarily but never broaches the real cause of your overweight condition.  Only through an examination of your internal thoughts and actions, and habituating the art of staying present, can you experience a sustainable remedy. 

This is healing from the inside out, and is a mindset that can be applied to your personal state of well-being as well as to more global conditions.

Healing Your Relationships from the Inside Out

Too many modern-day relationships are marked by anxiety and struggle.  We often think to ourselves, “oh, if only such-and-such person was a different way things would be better for me”.  Truthfully the only thing that will make things better for you is an honest examination of what is going inside your head.  The little chatterbox that causes the internal stress is the genesis of your failing relationships and NOT other people. 

This may be hard to understand, and hard to hear, but it is most certainly true.  Healing from the inside out, when it comes to relationships, transpires through staying present and taking note of the damaging thoughts concerning others that we have become so used to. 

Self Realization is the First Step to Healing from the Inside Out

I can feel some of you cringing in dis-belief as you are reading these words, and feeling that “yes, this is all well and good, but it is not real life—the situations that I am in, and that the world is in, are very real and need to be dealt with accordingly”.  When these thoughts enter your mind, remember that this brand of thinking is what has led you, and the world, into the situations you/we are trying to resolve.  In fact, NOT realizing this is pure madness, no?

There is a better way, and it begins with the philosophy of healing from the inside out.  Only through examination of your internal state of being can you attain personal joy, health and success while at the same time contribute to a collective healing of the world and universe we all thrive.

How do you start doing it, and living in this way?  You become conscious of your mind, and you become aware of its self-deprecating thoughts.  You begin to see how the never-ending chatterbox is always pulling you away from an examination of what lies within you, and is always searching for something on the outside to substantiate itself.  You start realizing that this inner voice has pulled a great illusion and made you believe that its dialogue is the real you.

“The predominance of mind is no more than a stage in the evolution of human consciousness.  We need to go on to the next stage now as a matter of urgency otherwise, we will be destroyed by the mind, which has grown into a monster”

–Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

Once you catch even a glimpse of this reality you start becoming more present, and you allow yourself to be healed from the inside.  This is a very real and transcending experience, and is the essence of healing that can remedy your life and the world around you.

BUT, My Life Is Fine!

You may be thinking “well, my life is pretty good, I am generally happy and I don’t really have a need to change my whole way of being as you are suggesting”.  True, the mind that we have become accustomed to as being “us” can also generate feelings of happiness, fulfillment and success. 

But these moments are temporary, and the short-lived feelings of the mind pale in comparison to the enduring peace and joy that arise through present moment awareness and consciousness.  Even if the mind is telling you that you are happy and content, it is usually a function of some external experience that it is currently ensconced and “enjoying”. 

Remember, the answers are not somewhere “out there”, they are already within you.  Healing begins with presence, right here, right now.

I hope this article was motivating and inspires you to start looking internally instead of externally when problems arise in your life and in the world around you.  I look forward to your comments! 

My friend Peter over at I Will Change Your Life wrote an excellent article last week titled:  50 Tips From My Year of Change.

I enjoyed this piece not only because it gave some excellent advice, but also because it provided a very clear synopsis of what Peter, and his blog, is all about.  To me the best blogs are personal, not abstract, and places where you get a very clear sense of who the writer is and what issues are most important to them. 

With that said, I would like to share with you 8 realizations that I have learned since I started We The Change four short months ago.   These sentiments represent my own personal growth during this time and also exemplify the core philosophy of this website (at least to this point).

As always, please feel free to share your own thoughts and realizations in the comment field below.

Making a habit to think positively is not only possible, but is an activity that can change your life!

This is one of the most important lessons I learned in 2007.  Although it takes some perseverance in the beginning, understanding how to think positively is very realistic and do-able for anyone that sets their mind to it.  To create this habit, please check out 7 Effective Ways to Implement Positive Thinking and How to Break Out of Bad Habits Using Affirmations.

“Spirituality” is a very real phenomenon and can transcend your life and the world around you

Each day I feel as though I am becoming more “spiritual” and it all begins with being more conscious.  To me, once you get the smallest sense of this type of awareness, there is no going back.  What do I mean by “this type of awareness”?  For further explanation, browse through 12 Easy Ways to Become More Conscious and The Path to a Spiritual Life in 6 Simple Steps.

Being productive is really a measure of happiness

Through the creation of We The Change, and from the incredible connections I have made with readers and other bloggers, I have learned that the more productive I am, the more successful and fulfilled I feel.  Clutter and dis-organization are huge roadblocks to success and fulfillment.  To learn more about goal setting and productivity, check out 8 Unique Ways to Increase Productivity and my recent article How To Set Fantastic, Achievable Goals for 2008.

Shedding fear and expounding your personal information (and views) to the world is one of the most liberating activities you can ever experience

Recently, I published a very personal article where I wrote my own eulogy.  The wonderful response I received from readers and bloggers alike reminded me that we are all human, and that there is a very real inter-connectedness that exists between all things.  When you let go of the inhibiting mindset (and fear) that people are always judging you, it frees you to create beautiful things.

Information regarding proper nutrition and healthy eating habits are gaining such popularity because they are basic human quests

Food makes us feel connected to each other, to the world, and to the universe at large, and some of my most popular articles have concerned food.  This does not surprise me because food is so personal, and is such a powerful symbol of our inter-connectedness.  The 5 Greatest Foods for your Health and my article on Phytonutrients were spread all around the internet.  I will always write about food and nutrition, because it is such an integral component to our happiness.

Awareness of the environment and nature is the very essence of being alive

I am so thankful that we are living in a time where consciousness about the environment is exploding.  Transcending change is occurring right here, right now and I have tried to contribute my part with 40 Ways You Can Save The Environment and An Interview With Al Gore’s Climate Project.

The internet is a supremely powerful tool that symbolizes universal inter-connectivity

Ever since I have become ensconced in blogging, it has opened my eyes to all of the wonderful people and organizations who want to lead better lives and make positive change in the world we all live.  They are everywhere, literally, and it gives me great hope for the future.  Do we need better organizing structures and greater awareness?  Probably, and for more info please read Why Blogging and Social Networking Can Save The World and my article regarding the future of technology.

Treating the body well with physical activity is essential for a healthy mind and a healthy planet

How can we expect the world to be healed if our individual bodies are in disarray?  The answer is, we can’t.  Proper physical exercise is SO essential, and I encourage you to read my article on how to build stamina as well as visit Straight to the Bar.

Additionally, I mentioned my friend Peter at the beginning of this article, and he is one of MANY wonderful people and bloggers I have met over the last several months.  I have some other friends listed in my blogroll section, and I encourage you to check out all of their wonderful websites. 

There are a few other high quality blogs I have encountered, and I would like to share with you some of the best:

Juice of Champions– Brad always has some wonderful things to say

Gratitude Magic– I am grateful for having met Akemi and her great blog

Urban Monk– Albert is a spiritualist and a great writer

Heal Pain– Jenny Mannion provides some fantastic tips on health and wellness

Green Options– my friend Jeff really, really cares about the environment and has some excellent info here

Think Simple Now– super inspiring site run by Tina

Change Your Tree– Kevin has done a terrific job with his new blog

Moving From Me To We– Kare has a great concept going on…

Anja Merret is always “chatting to her generation”

Enjoy!!
 

Whole grains have been a central element of human diet since the beginning of civilization; from the time humans stopped being hunter-gatherers and settled into agrarian communities. 

In the Americas, corn was the staple grain.  In India and Asia, it was rice.  In Africa, people had Sorghum.  In the Middle East they had pita bread, tabouli and couscous.  In Europe, it was corn, millet, wheat, rice, pasta, dark breads and even beer that were considered health providing foods.  In Scotland, it was oats.  In Russia, they had buckwheat and kasha.  You get the picture…

Until recently, all the people living in these communities had strong, lean bodies and very few people were overweight.  But this has all changed, and people in modern times have stopped integrating unprocessed whole grains into their diets, as much of the grains we do consume are refined into negligibly nutritious fare.

We have to get back to our roots and remember that: Whole grains are some of the best sources of nutritional support, containing high levels of dietary fiber and B vitamins.  And, because the body absorbs them slowly, whole grains provide long-lasting energy! 

Whole Grains, ByDefinition

Whole Grains are the seeds of plants that belong to the grass family. This seed, also known as the kernel, is made up of three key parts: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. 

A whole grain can be a single food, such as oatmeal, brown rice, barley, or popcorn, or an ingredient in another food such as bread or cereal. Whole grains include:

whole wheat
whole oats/oatmeal
whole-grain corn,
popcorn
brown rice
whole rye
whole-grain barley
wild rice
buckwheat
bulgur (cracked wheat)
millet
quinoa
sorghum

Other less common whole grains include amaranth, emmer, farro, grano (lightly pearled wheat), spelt, and wheat berries.  For a complete list of whole grains, and their benefits, check out the Whole Grains Council website for more detailed descriptions.

Scientific Evidence

Recent research reported in the May 2007 issue of the online Journal of Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases, shows that Americans should eat more whole grains like quinoa, barley and brown rice to help lower their risk of clogged arteries, heart attacks and strokes, according to researchers. The study’s lead author, Dr. Philip B Mellen, of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina commented: “Many consumers and health professionals are not aware of the health benefits of whole grains”.

In a review of seven major studies, the researchers found that higher whole grain intake was consistently linked to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke. On average, adults who ate 2.5 servings of whole grains per day were nearly one-quarter less likely to develop cardiovascular disease than their peers who rarely consumed whole grains.  

Whole grains are believed to benefit the heart in a number of ways. The fiber and other nutrients in whole grains may help lower cholesterol, blood sugar and insulin levels, as well as improve blood vessel functioning and reduce inflammation in the circulatory system.  

Yet, surveys show that few Americans get the recommended three servings of whole grains per day, according to the authors of the new study. More than 40 percent of U.S. adults say they eat no whole grains at all.

The Myth Concerning the Grains Available to Us

Don’t take my word for it, the following excerpt is directly from the Harvard School for Public Health’s website:

Food companies make it more difficult than it should be to spot a whole-grain food. Aware that consumers are interested in whole-grain products, and that whole grains can improve health in a myriad of ways, companies often make foods sound like they’re whole grain and healthy when they aren’t.

That means you must read food labels carefully. True whole-grain products list as the main ingredient whole wheat, whole oats, whole rye, or some other whole grain cereal. If the label says “made with wheat flour” it may be an intact grain product or it may just be an advertising gimmick, since even highly processed cake flour is made with wheat flour.

The new whole grain stamp can simplify your search. It features a sheaf of grain on a golden background. Each stamp displays the number of grams of whole grain in a serving of the food. All foods bearing the whole grain stamp offer at least a half-serving (eight grams) or more of whole grain. Foods in which all the grains are whole grains—no refined grain is added—list 100% on the stamp.

Some more important tips about grains:

• Do NOT buy a lot of foods made with white flour, as found in most breads, cereals, and baked goods. White flour has been stripped of its fiber and nutrients.  Dr. Andrew Weil explains that white flour “converts too quickly to sugar, which can lead to a number of health problems, including weight gain”.  If you buy flour, make sure it’s organic, Weil says, because wheat is heavily sprayed with pesticides. 

• You can still enjoy pasta healthfully, but choose organic durum wheat (semolina) varieties or Asian noodles like udon, soba, and cellophane (which don’t contain white flour). And don’t smother noodles with heavy cream sauces.

How To Implement Whole Grains Into YOUR Diet

The quickest way to create great grains is to experiment until you find what works for you.  Here are some basic steps I recommend:

1. Measure the grain and check for bugs or unwanted material and rinse in cold water
2. At this point, you have the option to soak your grains for 1-8 hours, which will soften them and make them more digestible as well as eliminate phytic acid 
3. Add grains to recommended amount of water and bring to a boil
4. A pinch of sea salt may be added to grains to help in the cooking process, with the exception of kamut, amaranth and spelt
5. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for recommended time

In conclusion, whole grains are ideal foods for human consumption and contribute greatly to long-term health.  But you have to learn how to find real whole grains, and understand how to prepare them to really benefit.  I hope this article was helpful and please feel free to share your insights in the comment field below.  I know many WTC readers know a LOT about nutrition, so share the wealth

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of books which discuss the wide-range of views concerning the mass use of caffeine in our culture. 

From my own research, it does not seem to be much of a debate- nutritionists and scientists have repeatedly shown, in a myriad of ways, that the caffeine chemical is not very healthy for the human body.

In his book Caffeine Blues Stephen Cherniske, M.S goes so far to propose that if caffeine were introduced today as a new food additive, the FDA would never approve it. 

He explains that any substance that causes such extreme reactions—heart palpitations, anxiety, panic, insomnia, and even birth defects—would be treated as a new drug and denied status as a food additive.

This is an interesting perspective, and if you are a big coffee drinker I urge you to consider the sentiment.  The purpose of this article is to expound on Mr. Cherniske’s insights and explore some unique and interesting characteristics of caffeine that you may not have known.

Before I get to these points, let me say that although I will paint a pretty negative picture of coffee and caffeine, my goal is NOT to scold you and suggest that you stop drinking coffee immediately. 

I hope some of the things I explain opens your eyes to the elemental effects of caffeine, but I also understand, and believe, there is a very real enjoyment for many people in a nice, hot cup of Java (for me too, sometimes)!

With that said, here are a few interesting things I bet you didn’t know about coffee and caffeine:

Its a Pesticide

By definition, caffeine is a naturally occurring compound found in the beans, leaves, and fruit of over 60 plants where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants.  If you drink a lot of coffee and caffeinated drinks, I urge you to read that sentence again and start seeing caffeine in this light—as a substance produced with the sole purpose to harm creatures that ingest it.

Its Highly Acidic 

To date, over 700 volatile substances have been found in coffee, including more than 200 acids and an incredible array of alcohols, aromatic compounds and carbonyl compounds.

It Erodes Your Ability to Metabolize Blood Sugar

Caffeine stimulates the fight or flight stress response in humans and plays a major role in hypoglycemia (a condition where blood sugar levels fall below normal).  As part of this response, the liver rapidly raises blood sugar levels.  This is felt as a “lift” to the person consuming caffeine, but the body must then deal with the metabolic emergency of hyperglycemia, or elevated blood sugar. 

This is accomplished by the pancreas, which secretes insulin, driving the blood sugar down.  Over time, this “wear and tear” of our blood sugar metabolism causes the system to become ineffective and can result in hypoglycemia and even diabetes.

There is NO Positive Science

According to Mr. Cherniske:  “No scientific study has ever shown that coffee is good for you.  The discussion only concerns the degree to which it will harm you”.  Interesting.

It Causes Chronic Digestive Problems

Caffeine lowers the stress threshold of our bodies so that the events we would normally handle suddenly become insurmountable.  Because of this, coffee consumption is a major contributor to bloating, pain and gas that roughly 50% of Americans adults experience after they eat.

It Leads to “Caffeinism” Which Is Very Serious

In large amounts, and especially over extended periods of time, caffeine can lead to a condition known as caffeinism.  Caffeinism is defined on Wikipedia as: “combining caffeine dependency with a wide range of unpleasant physical and mental conditions including nervousness, irritability, anxiety, tremulousness, muscle twitching, insomnia, headaches, respiratory alkalosis and heart palpitations”.

Furthermore, because caffeine increases the production of stomach acid, high usage over time can lead to peptic ulcers, erosive esophagitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

With all this said, nearly 100 million American adults drink three or more cups of coffee a day.  But does that make it right?  Consider that sometimes we make decisions in our lives based NOT upon what is real, but upon habit, or upon what other people want us to think.

“If five million people do a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing”  –Ancient Chinese Proverb

Here are a few more myths about caffeine, effectively debunked:

Caffeine Gives You Energy

• Caffeine does not provide energy, only chemical stimulation.  The perceived “energy” comes from the body’s struggle to adapt to increased blood levels to stress hormones. 

Caffeine Gives You a Lift

• Using coffee for mood enhancement is a short-term blessing and a long-term curse.  While the initial adrenal stimulation may provide a transient antifatigue “lift”, caffeine’s ultimate mood effect is a letdown, either subtle or profound.

Caffeine Sharpens Your Mind

• While caffeine users may feel more alert, the experience is simply one of increased sensory and motor activity (dilated pupils, increased heart rate, and higher blood pressure).  The quality of thought and recall is improved no more than the quality of music is improved when played at a higher volume or speed!

In all, caffeine is substance that purports to give you energy by stimulating your nervous system.  But it really isn’t giving you anything, and is in fact harming you!  That’s because caffeine creates tension, and the ultimate result of tension is always fatigue.

So how can you start “getting off” caffeine?  There are a million and one ways to do this, and I plan on writing a follow-up article on this subject within the next week.  Here are some basic suggestions you can start with right away:

SUGGESTIONS

- Brew your coffee with 50% decaf

- Switch to an herbal tea, herbal coffee or another caffeine alternative

- Get a smaller coffee mug

- Spill half of your favorite Starbucks concoction out, before you start drinking it

- Make your coffee weaker by adding more milk

- If you must drink coffee, have it after eating a big meal (preferably after lunch)

- Start eating foods high in minerals

- Try Gingko Biloba

- Drink more water

- Do not drink coffee first thing in the morning

- Do not drink coffee before you go to bed

- Try coffee substitutes

- Drink less potent caffeinated drink

I hope this article was informative, and opened your eyes to some of the very real dangers of continuous caffeine consumption.  Look for a second article next week which goes into some more detail about how to weed yourself off caffeine, or better yet, please share your thoughts and experiences in the comment field below!