(Gumroad will say you can choose to pay for this. Just leave it as $0)
And now, for the actual blog post
Coffee is one of the most prevalent drugs in our society. And why wouldn't it be? It's an amazing drink that was once thought to have magical powers (probably).
However, the fact remains that Caffeine can have major negative side effects, and a number of compounds found in coffee specifically can be dangerous. Sure, there is research that is reported on nearly every day which shows that coffee can be good for you. This falls into the category of us looking for an excuse to do something we really shouldn't.
You may wish to give up coffee/caffeine/energy drinks for a number of reasons. Dr. Joel Fuhrman, one of the reigning champions of nutrition, gives a great outline on why he recommends giving up, or at least reducing coffee intake. I will not speculate why you might want to give it up, because everyone has their own reason. I have given up coffee entirely as part of my healthier diet, and that was no small feat. You see, I was a coffee fanatic. Like...I was super duper serious. I can tell you that Kaldi's Coffee in St. Louis, MO is home to some of the best roasters in the world - their beans, and their expertise in brewing coffee is nearly unrivaled in my experience around the world.
I can also tell you how to roast your own coffee. I'd been roasting my own for some time. I brew only with the french press, or AeroPress (and I was using this thing before Tim Ferris!). I have a hand grinder which I would travel with. I even created multiple videos outlining how to make a proper cup of coffee. I have even posted on this very blog (or an earlier version of it, at least) about making coffee
Here's one of the videos I created about making great coffee
in a hotel room.
Substitute the Flavor, Experience, and Energy of Coffee
So if you stop drinking coffee, then what do you drink?
Most people will say Decaf. While Decaf removes caffeine, it does not remove the other potentially dangerous compounds in coffee. In fact, it often adds a number of not-so-good-for-you compounds. If you must drink Decaf, go with water processed coffee.
If you need the flavor and taste experience of coffee, then you can use one of many herbal blends which are intended to mimic coffee. I have kept Pero on hand just in case, but I hear wonderful things about Mountain Rose Herbs Herbal Coffee, which comes highly recommend by Carrie from Carrie on Vegan (even more highly than her beloved Dandy Blend). This stuff is simple. You mix it with hot water, and go. Even easier than making traditional coffee.
If you need the energy, well, that can be hard to mimic. Seeing as how Coffee is most often used as a "pick-me-up" in times when energy is dramatically low, there are few things which have such a monumental effect on energy. Ideally, you should not let yourself get to a point where you need this boost, but it does happen.
Therefore, I am writing a guide to increasing your energy without Coffee, Caffeine, or Chemicals. I'm focusing on things which give us natural energy, and can even provide a rapid pick-me up.
In addition to a written guide (not to exceed 10 easy to read pages), this will include a one-page quick hitter to help you in your time of need. When your energy levels dip, turn to this one-pager, and you will have clear instructions on how to boost your energy immediately. I'm hoping to have this completed in the next couple of weeks, including finding a designer to make this look all nice and pretty. One of my closest friends (and business partner on Bar Crawl Bingo) is a fantastic designer (his portfolio) but I may go with oDesk or eLance, just to get some experience using these services. Either way, when I produce the final document, it will be pretty.
For a free section from Caffeine-Free Energy, just click below and enter your e-mail. (It won't be all prettified yet, but it will still be incredibly helpful information!)
(Gumroad will say you can choose to pay for this. Just leave it as $0)
I'm so very excited about this guide, and I hope to have it ready in the next two weeks! If you have any tips of your own, comment on this post, and I'll include the very best tips (and you'll be credited, of course).
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