Is Caffeine Harming My Body?

by Brian Johnson

Every day, it seems more and more products laced with caffeine are being introduced – from soft drinks to energy drinks, and even to some teas.  We have literally become a “caffeine nation”.   Most of us delve into products containing caffeine on a regular basis – whether knowingly or unknowingly!  I’d like to help you understand the effect that caffeine has on the body and why it would be best to avoid it at all costs.  I’ll also provide a great alternative!

Caffeine is not “new.”  However, only recently has there been much information on the negative effects it has on health, or the argued “benefits.”  Before my mid-20s, the only thing I knew about caffeine was that it helped get me through many a late night of studying for college exams.  But as the old saying goes, “If only I knew then what I know now…”

According to CaffeineDependence.org, “It is estimated that in North America between 80 and 90 percent of adults and children habitually consume caffeine. About 15% of the general population report having stopped caffeine use completely, citing concern about health and unpleasant side effects.”

So what’s so bad about caffeine? It can give you a little “punch” in the morning, and it can get you through the day (if you keep consuming it!).  But unfortunately, that “punch” comes at a cost – caffeine taxes our bodies in a negative way.  Caffeine is a direct stimulant on the adrenal glands, which produce our “fight-or-flight” hormones. Once caffeine enters the body, the glands start working overtime to try to keep up producing massive amounts of cortisol, which is our stress hormone. If the adrenal glands are constantly bombarded with different stimulants (caffeine, work stress, lack of sleep, etc.) then they begin to fatigue, sending us into a downward spiral better known as “adrenal fatigue.”  Bad news, my friends.

The most common caffeinated beverage that is consumed more than any other beverage besides water is, of course, coffee. Coffee contains anywhere from 150-300 mg of caffeine per cup and according to Paul Chek of the C.H.E.K. Institute, caffeine has a half-life of about six hours. That means if you have a cup of coffee with 300 mg of caffeine at 12pm, there will still be 150 mg in your bloodstream at 6pm and another 75 mg at midnight.  YIKES!   If you’re drinking coffee regularly, your body is in a constant state of panic, the effects being too much stimulation on the adrenals, inability to sleep and repair, dehydration accompanied by constipation, and a vicious cycle to “attain more energy”.

So what’s the alternative? One of the most wonderful things we’ve been blessed with here at The Movement Dallas is a lovely product called Enfusia by Nutriharmony.   Enfusia is THE answer to the caffeine junkie’s dilemma.  Enfusia provides the energizing boost of coffee without the unwanted side effects and zero caffeine.  Enfusia is a pure, organic maté tea combined with other herbs, grown in the rainforests of Paraguay.  Because Enfusia leaves have never been roasted, smoked or anything in between, the benefits to your body are many.  Because Enfusia is caffeine-free and calming to the central nervous system, there is NEVER a bog or crash, and there is no wired feeling after its consumption.  People who drink Enfusia describe it as an unmatched “mental clarity” and “sustained energy” that cannot be received from caffeine.  In fact, we have multiple clients (like Hilary and Sylvia, to name a few) who thought they would never give up coffee or soft drinks and now are exclusively drinking Enfusia!

Apart from the fact that Enfusia is caffeine-free, it literally has one of the highest antioxidant values of anything you can put into your body! Without going into why antioxidants are great for us (a topic for another day), just know that you are basically detoxifying while you drink.  Another benefit would be the fact that it helps stabilize blood sugar, and reduce hunger cravings.

If you have been constantly tired and feel like you never have energy, then this is your chance to try something new.  With all of this evidence against caffeine, why continue to harm your body when there is a wonderful alternative?