Coffee-your Thoughts

[Guest adamssa]

I know this may seem like a strange topic, but: I've been doing a lot of reading lately about eating for overall health, as well as healthy sinuses, and eating for hypoglycemia, and everything I've read says that coffee is bad. Depletes your minerals, vitamins, causes the pancreas to secrete insulin which makes your blood sugar be absorbed more quickly, may be hard on the adrenals, etc., etc. I ask what you guys think because I drink coffee every day, and I'm absolutely terrified of doing something that is going to give me further severe problems, especially now that I think I'm begining to get a handle on things, sort of maybe, after being so sick for so long.

I worry that I could make myself get something else bad, like adrenal exhaustation. And just the fact that CFS exists makes me feel susceptible to it, just because it's someting modern medcine doesn't do much for, like so many of my problems.

BUT-- I really like my coffee? Am I just obsessing needlessly? When I feel crappy digestively it really helps a lot I feel also sometimes that I've eliminated so many foods besides gluten for overall health and other problems that I want to keep something in my diet that I actually like. So, I was just wondering your thoughts. Sorry to take up your time with a beverage, I may just be overthinking everything.

Sara

[Mr J]

I too have heard some of the things you mentioned and about a year ago I was chronically fatigued - that problem really exists its not all in the mind. But there is so much information on what is supposed to be good or not good to eat, where does it end?

something has gone horribly wrong with my digestive system some of which I describe on Open Original Shared Link.

My ability to eat is considerably degraded and my eating habits don't resemble that of a normal person and I take extradordinary measures to try and get food thru my system. I am however able to enjoy 12-14 oz of coffee in the morning without digestive distress. I like it, its one of the few gastronomical pleasures left to me. So taking everything into consideration there is no way I'm going to give it up!

cheers,

Mike

[mandyann]

I really like my coffee too. Not that I drink alot, just a cup a day. When I gave up coffee (and the dairy that was in it), is when I started feeling better. It's a long story but I am back to my cup a day habit and about ready to do an elimination diet, so I know it will be going away soon, at least temporarily. I gave up gluten, six weeks ago and it is hard when you aren't able to have your regular treats. I've always said "everything in moderation" but with gluten, that's not the case. If coffee doesn't bother you, then a little shouldn't be so bad, right??

[par18]

Hi,

I actually gave it up for the first couple of months on the diet last year. When first starting I did not know how I would respond to the gluten free diet so I tried to keep it as simple as possible. I did however reintroduce it back into my routine after I had a positive response to being gluten free. I usually drink a couple of cups a day with no issues at all. Sometimes I enjoy it more after a meal than I do in the morning.

Tom

[4getgluten]

I love my coffee in the morning, and I don't know if I could give it up at this point. Sometimes I feel like it upsets my stomach a bit, but usually I'm fine. I did give up coffee once, about ten years ago. It was hard at first, but after about 3 weeks, I felt really good. Calm and relaxed. Now you have me thinking... maybe I should think about giving it up again.

[mn farm gal]

I am new to the celica thing but did give up coffee and all sodas even the caffine free ones before I knew about celiac. Didn't notice anything at first but always in the back of my mind wondered if it was good for me. So anyway I did give both of those up in March and still had a very hard time with sleep and comfort things as far as feeling relaxed and no tummy soreness and ect. The end of July I went glutten free and started feeling better right away but don't want to start the "maybe" bad habits again. I did try some hot teas and now find that if I have the Stevia hot tea drops with hot water that is satifiying to me. Good luck

[Ursa Major]

If you suspect coffee may be a problem, this is what I would do: Give it up for four weeks, noting any difference you feel (withdrawal for the first week or so might be expected, but everybody is different). Then, after a month, you drink it again, again noting how it makes you feel. If you truly believe it doesn't cause any health or mental problems, then I don't see what the harm is.

But if you are intolerant to dairy, you might have to drink it black (that thought alone would stop me from wanting it ever again, I HATE black coffee ). I don't worry about it, because I am intolerant to coffee anyway.

[BRUMI1968]

I gave up coffee about ten years ago. I loved it, believe you me, especially in the form of a wet cappuccino (I was living in Seattle at the time), but also in the form of a mug at Denny's with cream and sugar.

The first thing you should know, is that withdrawals from quitting coffee are relatively severe...in the form of headache. Some folks wean themselves, or switch to tea -- it depends why you're quitting. I was quitting because it bugged my digestion. Frankly, I don't need any stimulants anyway. I ended up drinking green tea on a regular basis. According to my Ayurvedic doc (from India), I'm not supposed to have fermented things, and black tea is fermented, so I got started on the green. You can really become quite a conoisseur (sp?) of it. It has lots of health benefits, and WAY less caffeine, but it does have caffeine in it. Another concern with green tea is fluoride, believe it or not. (I've actually quite recently quit drinking green tea for a spell, just to see.)

If you are quitting for the caffeine part - you certainly might consider weaning: switching to black tea, then to green tea, then to herbal tea. This will save you some miserable headaches. You'll want to be well hydrated - even though each cup of coffee you drink probably only comes out to 1/4 of its liquid (since it's a diuretic), you'll still want to sip something.

Oh yeah, coffee still smells good to me, but I had a sip of my DH's last week and didn't like the taste at all. Now I'm onto tea lattes made with english breakfast and rice milk, with nutmeg, cloves, and cinnimin (sp?). YUM!

Good luck.

[Rebecca47]

I was not drinking coffee at the time when I was diagnosed with Celiacs Sprue, because I had thought it was the cause of my having chronic Dirreah on and off for the last five years. When I was diagnosed with CS 3 months ago, I went on a gluten free diet, and now have been drinking 1or 2 cups instant coffee dailyand it seems to me that I tolerate it fine. Thats not to say others won't have a problem. I am a newby at being a Celiac. So please tell me anything I should know.

Thank you

rebecca

[lorka150]

a cup of coffee a day is actually recommended. it contains antioxidants.

it's good for you.

drink it if you like it.

[BRUMI1968]

Coffee has good and bad, like all things. There is virtually nothing on this earth that can said to be "good for you" and apply to everyone, save maybe for clean water and clean air.

An example: you're constantly hearing about how great red wine is for you. Supposedly it is why French folks are so darned healthy, and Americans are so darned unhealthy ... as if something like that could be whittled down to any one thing (and as if we just drank wine with our McDonalds, we'd be healthy). So wine has these great antioxidants/it helps keep fat from sticking to your bones so to speak/ it fights cholesterol. What wine also does, if you're a woman, is raise yor risk of reproductive cancer starting at the very first glass. It has sulfites, which are bothersome to lots of folks. It is not good for everyone. And there are better sources of "antioxidants". You often don't hear that grapes and grapejuice have as much antioxidant power as wine, or green tea, or fresh fruits and vegetables.

Coffee, like most things, has gotten good and bad press. For example, a recent National Institutes of Health study said, "The effects of coffee drinking are long-lasting and exaggerate the stress response both in terms of the body

[emcmaster]

I'm having a lot of thyroid and adrenal problems that have caused me to be ridiculously tired all the time, so I've started drinking 1 cup a few mornings a week, and it has definitely helped my tiredness. I have never drank coffee regularly - more like a cup or two a week, except for a period of a few months last year where I drank it every morning at work.

I'm not sure what I believe about whether it is good or bad for you, but I know that my 1 cup is not nearly as bad (or good) as those that drink a pot a day.

[ajay]

I'm having a lot of thyroid and adrenal problems that have caused me to be ridiculously tired all the time, so I've started drinking 1 cup a few mornings a week, and it has definitely helped my tiredness. I have never drank coffee regularly - more like a cup or two a week, except for a period of a few months last year where I drank it every morning at work.

I'm not sure what I believe about whether it is good or bad for you, but I know that my 1 cup is not nearly as bad (or good) as those that drink a pot a day.

I have low blood pressure & some other issues, so I start the day with a double shot of espresso and drink black tea through the rest of it. I know it's not the best thing for me, but without it, honestly, I am a slug. I did do a serious elimination diet way back when, and at that time I cut out all caffeine. I tapered off, though, because caffeine headaches are hideous. I spent about 2 weeks slowly cutting back a bit at a time, and by the time I cut it out completely, I didn't have any nasty withdrawal symptoms. I also got pretty much nothing done during my first caffeine-free week.

I fell off the wagon about 3 weeks after that. I might try again someday, but after losing a year or so, it's really frustrating to lose even a day of being a functional human being.

[Guest adamssa]

i guess that what worries me the most about coffee is the adrenal bit. i have hypoglycemia, and i'm worried about stressing out my adrenals and giving myself adrenal exhaustation. but, at the same time, i am finding that i just don't have the self discipline to cut out everything that may have some risk. i've managed to stick with eliminating gluten (not tempted at all of on that one and refined sugar, sugary fruits, fatty foods etc. but, having done that it's been harder for me than i thought it would be to adapt to a hypoglycemic diet too so if i get rid of coffee too then it's kind of like maybe i won't enjoy anything that i swallow.

i guess that i am just going to try to stick with some moderation, no more than a cup or two a day, with the occasional lattee, for now. i'd like to believe that since i'm starting to really get a handle on everything that i need to address i'll be o.k. without eliminating it. it's just that all the possible immune disorders and their complications really scare me and they seem endless but i'll have to stop worrying at some point.

But, for the record, I do KNOW that coffee helps relieve the symptoms of gallbladder disease. Right before I had mine removed was when I started drinking it, and it really did help reduce my discomfort.

thanks for all your posts :-)