Has anyone tried to quit caffeine and how did you live through withdrawals?

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Totally agree, I personally like white or green tea. The former having quite a mellow taste. I also like earl grey or lady grey without milk

White tea is quite sublime, and because of that a bit difficult to get right (temperature-wise), so I rather go with green tea or pu'er in a tea bottle with a strainer/infusers, and topping up with hot water during the day. That way I get a strong tea (when I need to wake up) in the morning and weaker, and weaker and more quenching tea later in the day.

I also like the Gray's, but prefer Lady Gray over the Earl...

 

[Mac'nCheese]

Well I was dying at work yesterday and hit the soda pretty hard. Got to say, it woke me up pretty damn quick!

 

[scubachap]

I generally drink gallons of tea and some coffee. I occasionally have periods when I cut back / give up for a bit. Did one pretty recently, seems to take about 3 days before I feel better. (The effects for me are generally a muggy headache for a couple of days). I tend to switch to decaffeinated for those periods - as much anything to stop relapses due to my habit of making tea on autopilot. I've tried various herbal teas etc but they just don't do it for me. I find doing this sort of resets my capacity for drinking tea from utterly enormous back down to just above average*. (Eventually it'll crawl back up)

* Well for a Brit anyway.

 

[JagdTiger]

I generally drink gallons of tea and some coffee. I occasionally have periods when I cut back / give up for a bit. Did one pretty recently, seems to take about 3 days before I feel better. (The effects for me are generally a muggy headache for a couple of days). I tend to switch to decaffeinated for those periods - as much anything to stop relapses due to my habit of making tea on autopilot. I've tried various herbal teas etc but they just don't do it for me. I find doing this sort of resets my capacity for drinking tea from utterly enormous back down to just above average*. (Eventually it'll crawl back up)

* Well for a Brit anyway.

What are you, PADI/NAUI/SSI or other?

 

[scubachap]

What are you, PADI/NAUI/SSI or other?

BSAC, TDI, IANTD, PADI and SAA. (Been around the block a bit, and as the old joke goes, can remember a time long ago when diving was dangerous and s** was safe!)

 

[JagdTiger]

Can you tell me what they stand for?, I am PADI (open water) don’t know the others.

 

[Solomani]

I'm going to the Patent Office to patent my "caffeine patch" today.

It's like those nicotine patches….

 

[JagdTiger]

I'm going to the Patent Office to patent my "caffeine patch" today.

It's like those nicotine patches….

While your there get a L- Thanine patch patent which is a amino acid in green tea to reduce stress and feel better.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I generally drink gallons of tea and some coffee. I occasionally have periods when I cut back / give up for a bit. Did one pretty recently, seems to take about 3 days before I feel better. (The effects for me are generally a muggy headache for a couple of days). I tend to switch to decaffeinated for those periods - as much anything to stop relapses due to my habit of making tea on autopilot. I've tried various herbal teas etc but they just don't do it for me. I find doing this sort of resets my capacity for drinking tea from utterly enormous back down to just above average*. (Eventually it'll crawl back up)

* Well for a Brit anyway.

Have you ever tried chai?

 

[scubachap]

Have you ever tried chai?

Don't think so, isn't that Indian black tea with spices but drunk with condensed milk? I'd probably like it. Mind you I haven't had condensed milk for years and years. Used to love it on canned peaches and with the way things are going in the UK at the moment we might all be back on condensed milk and corned beef sandwiches soon anyway. (I do like corned beef too - so there's always a silver lining in everything!)

I like Turkish tea and 'arabic' teas. But I don't hold with iced ones - in my book tea should always be hot... The hotter the weather the hotter the tea!

Can you tell me what they stand for?, I am PADI (open water) don’t know the others.

Sure, bear in mind some of these are UK based - You know PADI, the others: British Sub Aqua Club, Technical Divers International, Sub Aqua Association and International Assc of Nitrox and Technical Divers.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Don't think so, isn't that Indian black tea with spices but drunk with condensed milk? I'd probably like it. Mind you I haven't had condensed milk for years and years. Used to love it on canned peaches and with the way things are going in the UK at the moment we might all be back on condensed milk and corned beef sandwiches soon anyway. (I do like corned beef too - so there's always a silver lining in everything!)

I like Turkish tea and 'arabic' teas. But I don't hold with iced ones - in my book tea should always be hot... The hotter the weather the hotter the tea!


Sure, bear in mind some of these are UK based - You know PADI, the others: British Sub Aqua Club, Technical Divers International, Sub Aqua Association and International Assc of Nitrox and Technical Divers.

I prefer hot teas, as well.

However, chai can be taken with (or without) milk (condensed or otherwise). It is a form of tea that I find especially agreeable.

 

[JagdTiger]

Cold coffee

Don't think so, isn't that Indian black tea with spices but drunk with condensed milk? I'd probably like it. Mind you I haven't had condensed milk for years n dives?and years. Used to love it on canned peaches and with the way things are going in the UK at the moment we might all be back on condensed milk and corned beef sandwiches soon anyway. (I do like corned beef too - so there's always a silver lining in everything!)

I like Turkish tea and 'arabic' teas. But I don't hold with iced ones - in my book tea should always be hot... The hotter the weather the hotter the tea!


Sure, bear in mind some of these are UK based - You know PADI, the others: British Sub Aqua Club, Technical Divers International, Sub Aqua Association and International Assc of Nitrox and Technical Divers.

Me too, I like hot tea and don’t like cold coffee.

Wow, you did nitrogen dives?, those are deep...in America we PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OF DIVING INSTRUCTORS , NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF DIVING INTRUCTORS, SCUBA SCHOOLS INTERNATIONAL and some more.

 

[Solomani]

Like some have already posted, best way is to simply taper down your caffeine consumption. Do it gradually and it won't be too difficult.

There is NO REASON to completely withdraw from caffeine drinks. Yes, some caffeinated drinks have zero nutritional or health values (e.g. most colas, sodas, pre-packaged coffee packets, etc).

However, many varieties of teas are high in anti-oxidants and therefore have long-term health benefits for you. Just be careful, since some of those teas also have high caffeine content. Find a variety that has a modest caffeine content.

Myself, I like the Japanese genmai-cha, which is essentially "green tea with roasted rice". It has a very nice nutty "roasted barley" flavor to it, reminding you of certain barley/hops malted drinks. It does have higher than average caffeine content. But then again, I'd only drink this maybe twice a week.

My favorite brand comes from YamaMotoYama, the same Japanese company that has been making/producing this tea since 1690 (when shoguns still ruled Japan). Boxes of these tea bags can be gotten directly from their website, or from Amazon. Also found in some larger Asian grocery stores.

 

[0388631]

Their loose leaf is decent for cheap stuff.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

The obvious thing is to reduce - rather than cut out - one's caffeine intake, consume healthy substitutes (natural tea, water, natural juice drinks) instead, and stay properly hydrated.