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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (March 8, 1985)
Alternatives to Caffeine * If you decide to cut down your caffeine consumption, consider coffee substitutes other than beverages. Many people say coffee "gets them going" 1n the morning. But a short run, 15 minutes of yoga or a brief meditation session may have the same effect. * If you decide to eliminate caffeine al together, consider tapering off. If you stop "cold turkey", you may experience a headache . | or morning drowsiness for as long as a week, depending: on how heavy a coffee drinker you ■ .were.--'.. : V-;• •• •. * If you find a hot morning drink a satisfy ing part of your wake-up routine, a switch from coffee to tea might be a qood way to taper down. The average cup of tea contains less than half the caffeine of a cup of brewed coffee. Most herbal teas don't contain any caffeine and may be an even better alternative. HERBAL TEAS-: Some favorites are camomile, spearmint, peppermint, jasrihe, and rose hios. “ost of these teas don't contain caffeine and are delicious cold as well as hot. Some herbai teas do contain add . e'd caffeine, so be sure to read the label. WATER: Water is needed by. the body for all i ts meenainfcal and; chemical processes,. It ; Is important' to include at least A; .glasses, of water a day, in addition to water devised ♦rom other food and beverages. A glass of cold, clea- ice water is•• an excellent sub stitute for iced tea or cola drink, and may provide the: emotional pick-up of coffee. FRl'IT J'JI-ES.: Another good alternative is unsweetened, fruit juice such as apple, orange, grapefruit, or grape. * It's easier for one member of a family to make a change 1n caffeine consumption 1f others 1n the household do likewise. You might ask your housemates for support In your efforts to cut back. One way to do this 1s to make all the coffee In your house de caffeinated (the pure water process 1s pre ferable to the solvent method). * We encourage you to experiment with your caffeine Intake. In doing so, you may dis cover some ways to Increase your energy naturally and Improve the quality of your life! Th** Knd of the Story While an occasional cup of coffee isn’t particularly harmful, the effect* of a hijjh caffeine intake (over 300 mRH.) cun cause health problem*. There ure healthier alternatives that will incream.* your en erKy and sharpen your senses without the nervous ness and other effects of caffeine. If you’re concerned about your health, you owe it to yourself to look lignin at your urn? of caffeine and deride whether it's time to make a chungr How Much Caffeine?—Compare for Yourself! Caffeine Amount (Milligrams) : 110)50 Hb 5 ounces . •’ .I": * ■ -V' Tea Black ,or.(Jreen l eaf . 70 . Herbal . Negligible 5. ounces •Soft Drinks . Caicn Cola, l )r i’epjpcr . MobnUiin'Jlpw Tab ... v fhetHite Chocolate *’* tViiiNi : . . ‘42-fVI 5 ounces Milk ('hocblat* ;U ! ounce Medications . •' .* Anacin. Midol .12.51) • Coricidjn D, Empinn Kxittirin bf> b tablet or No Do* MKI’ -capsule liexatnm • 2*K) IWumini* i40/ - •. .• :«5 hi . 55 . 12.ounces 4 iJ •..32 . • ; ;* Source Coffee Brewed Instant I krcaffcinated M'iiffiitit i/TinWi<t trt-ne, Im'iC */*»)*■ 'iii i*i. I ,S. *. rly 7f)"' of. all carl*»n.il<v Caffeine & Pregnancy Like most drugs, caffeine enters the blood stream and crosses the placental barrier to reach the unborn child. Evidence 1s mounting that caf feine may cause birth defects, such as cleft salate, miscarriages, and breech births when taken 1n high dosages during pregnancy. As a reasonable precaution, some doctors are now advising women to reduce or totally eliminate caffeine consumption during the first 3 months of pregnancy when these defects are most likely to Dccur. In 1980, the Food and Orug Administration advised women, "If you're pregnant, you'd probablj be wise to avoid caffeine."