This page was updated on 
October 20, 2004

Cut down on caffeine.

Caffeine is so many things today, medication, bottled water, soda, and of course those items in which it occurs naturally like coffee, tea, and chocolate.  Caffeine certainly isn't the evil foe some health advocates make it out to be (it can provide many benefits, such as alleviating asthma and allergies, keeping you alert on long drives, and even treating migraines), but that doesn't mean it's harmless either.

According to the Medline website, "Excessive caffeine intake can lead to a fast heart rate, diuresis (excessive urination), nausea and vomiting, restlessness, anxiety, depression, tremors, and difficulty sleeping."  An increased heart rate can be a problem for anyone with a cardiovascular problem or suffers from anxiety and panic attacks.  Dehydration caused by excessive urination is a problem for everyone because you can be fooled into thinking you are drinking a sufficient amount of fluids, but if your drinks contain caffeine, you are actually dehydrating yourself (which can cause headaches, inability to concentrate, and a variety of other problems).  Excessive caffeine can cause sleep problems that you aren't even aware of.  You may think that you've had a full night of quality sleep only to wake up groggy because your body wasn't able to enter into the necessary sleep stages for the required amount of time.  The lack of quality sleep can decrease your ability to function (in situations such as driving, which can be quite dangerous).  Another problem associated with caffeine is a loss in calcium and potassium, which can make it more difficult for your body to recover from activities like sports and injuries and can even increase your chances of developing osteoporosis (in men and women.

As a general rule, you should try to limit yourself to about 100 mg of caffeine per day.  That's about 1 cup of coffee (of 1 coffee drink) or 2 sodas or 1 to 2 cups of tea.  You'll need to pay attention to what you're consuming to find hidden sources of caffeine (such as kola nut or guarana and caffeine in foods you never thought it would be in).  Then only consume caffeine early in your day rather than in the afternoon or evening when it is more likely to cause sleep problems.

When you cut back on your caffeine consumption, do it gradually because many people are addicted to caffeine and will suffer withdrawal symptoms.

Sources:  http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/caffeine.html, http://www.naspe-patients.org/patients/substances/diet.html, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002445.htm,