If you quit ingesting coffee 'cold turkey', your brain begins to reduce the number of receptors right away. But the process takes about two weeks, and during that time your body sends out mild 'distress signals' in the form of headaches, lethargy, fatigue, muscle pain, nausea, and sometimes even stiffness and flu-like symptoms. As a result most doctors recommend cutting out caffeine gradually.
Well, gradual attempts at quitting coffee did not work for me. Each time I tried - I suffered the horrors described above.
I used to drink 10+ cups a day (no sugar or milk). The more I drank the more I needed to drink. I reached the stage where it would no longer work: more coffee meant more down times. I'd drink a cup, feel the rush for half an hour and I'd hit a mental fog, and need another one. It really was a vicious circle.
I tried to quit. I tried not to drink any coffee but it just would not do. I tried reducing the amount, but it would not do. Like a smoker I tried for years to quit.
In vain I struggled. It would not do.
Until pure chance came to the rescue.
I was traveling in remote areas of Central America, with no access to reliable drinking water. I could not trust bars, I certainly could not trust tap water to boil my own...
The first few days were terrible, the rejection process was really hard.
By the end of the 3 week trip I forgot what coffee was. I never looked back. It's been over 2 years and I don't care for coffee. My head works clearly without it. I do not suffer from the afternoon downtime. I do not need the caffeine boost. I'm free.
