April 2011 (PDF) - Antigravity Magazine

COLUMN
HELLO NURSE!
BY NICHOLE BRINING, LPN
ADVICE
DRUG OF THE MONTH: CAFFEINE
Let’s talk about my buddy caffeine. It is by far the most widely consumed drug besides
alcohol. It is so common in our culture that many never consider it to be a drug. But it is.
And I love it so much. Love love love it! Caffeine is a naturally occurring psychoactive
stimulant, which means it breeches the blood/brain barrier and causes wakefulness, stimulation
of the mind and may even cause euphoria, but unlike hallucinogens it does not alter perception.
Caffeine produces its well known alertness properties by stimulating the central nervous system.
You can find caffeine in coffee, guarana berries, kola nuts, yerba mate and yaupon holly. It is the
most widely used drug in the world. In North America alone 90% of people consume caffeine in
some form every day! We just can’t get enough! Caffeine affects the same chemicals in our brain
as amphetamines, cocaine and heroin. Of course, it is much milder than those drugs but is just as
addictive. That is why many people suffer from headaches, fatigue and irritability when they don’t
get their daily dose of coffee-- those are symptoms of withdrawal.
You don’t have to be a java junkie to be consuming caffeine, though. Caffeine is put into a
variety of products, such as coffee drinks (duh), tea, chocolate (so it’s also in things like chocolate
milk and cocoa), soft drinks (except the clear sodas and root beer), Vivarin, somas, Dexatrim,
Excedrin, Midol, Aqua Ban, Darvon, specialized soap, cosmetics (those touting, firming effects)
and Anacin. It’s everywhere, found in sixty different plants! Just the way I like it.
Some people say the benefits of caffeine far outweigh the health risks. Moderate caffeine can
benefit people who are at high risk for liver disease, increases muscle strength, decreases some
asthma symptoms, helps pain relievers work better and provides increased mental alertness.
Nature created the perfect over-achiever/last minute-doer drug. And keep in mind, caffeine is a
drug. Just because it is not culturally demonized or federally criminalized does not mean it isn’t a
chemical that one consumes to produce a desired effect that normally wouldn’t be present in the
consumer’s metabolism alone.
But all good things can have the potential for nasty side effects. Overdosing on caffeine is a real
thing. (10 grams is considered the lethal dose) And they estimate that 1,000-10,000 people die
a year from caffeine. That may seem odd, but caffeine has some serious side effects. And these
deaths are mostly attributed to bad side effects that could’ve been prevented if caffeine wasn’t
part of the equation.
This is what most people experience if they consume a lot of coffee: dizziness, irritability,
nausea and nervousness. These aren’t so serious, but if you experience tightness of the chest,
swelling of the face, shakiness, diarrhea, trouble sleeping, vomiting, elevated blood pressure,
irregular heartbeat, tremors and/or sudden unexplained bed wetting... then you need to go see a
doctor.
And here’s the clincher. If, while reading this, you decide, “No more caffeine for me!” You
will experience terribly uncomfortable withdrawal effects. You can’t quit caffeine cold turkey.
You’ll get headaches, constipation, anxiety, runny nose, vomiting, ringing in the ears, cramps,
apathy, depression, fatigue and dizziness. Plus, you’ll be a raging asshole and no one will want to
be around you. And withdrawals will start as soon as 12 hours after your last caffeinated beverage.
Caffeine is a stimulant. And any stimulant will tax your adrenal glands. Getting wired on
caffeine sends a signal to your brain that you are in a stressful situation, even if you’re not. Doing
this to your brain everyday is sort of like the story of the boy who cried wolf. If you keep telling
your body it’s stressed when there is no stress, you won’t be able to combat real stress when it
occurs.
So what is the happy medium here? How can one enjoy a stimulating cup o’ joe or chocolate
milk/red bull/Mr. Pibb without all these unpleasant risks?
It’s simpler than you think. Just don’t consume caffeine every day. Start with every other day.
Take a caffeine-free pain reliever if a headache flares up. If you find that you can not go without
coffee every day, a safe amount is two cups a day. And a note to the ladies: Caffeine likes to hang
out in our systems longer than our male counterparts. So drink more water and be a wee bit more
patient in your caffeine regulating.
What’s awesome about weening yourself off of caffeine is that it gets out of your system
quicker than most drugs. If you can bear a few weeks of occasional withdrawal symptoms, you
can dramatically reduce the amount of caffeine you take or cut it out completely.
There are supplements you can take to replenish those worn out adrenals too. One way to tell
if your adrenals are taxed is if you have intense salt cravings. Honor these cravings (pickles...
mmmmmm). Then take some liquid B vitamins. Any over-the-counter blend is fine. Follow it up
with some vitamin C and your adrenals will thank you.
there are some homeopathic remedies as well. Ashwagandha Root extract is touted as an adrenal
replenisher as well as Relora and Jaundice berry.
As an economic side note, the cost of taking care of your adrenals is cheap compared to
supplements for any other part of your body. You can afford to keep yourself in tip-top shape
until the next round of caffeine floods your system.
I love caffeine. I drink it every day, and I make no plans on stopping. Coffee shops are social
meccas for caffeine junkies to get their fix and I especially love going to them. Caffeine is
an economy. The dedication that goes into brewing and roasting coffee beans, the fad that is
caffeinated energy drinks, chocolate covered everything and soda pop that is everywhere to the
delicate tea rituals that have centuries of cultural background and history all point to one sure
thing: Caffeine is here to stay! And with a little moderation of this wonderful stuff, hopefully you
are, too!
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