A Foolproof Plan To Cut Tea & Coffee Addiction In A Month! Real Reviews January 7, 2015 Expert Advice & Tips views: 1355 Neha Pandit works in a typical corporate setup with 14 people reporting to her. She consumes 10 to 12 cups of tea or coffee per day, always chasing deadlines. Her New Year resolution – GIVE UP TEA AND COFFEE COMPLETELY. Better than swinging between extremes is to understand that both tea and coffee are stimulants with positive effects when consumed in moderation and negative when they become addictions. Scroll down for the recommended daily timetable. Tea The positives: 1) Tea is an anti-depressant. It reduces the level of hormone cortisol (stress hormone) 2) Tea helps cure bad breath 3) Tea prevents bacterial and fungal infections to some extent The negatives: 1) Tea is called a thiamine inactivator. This means that the consumption of tea in excess blocks the action of vit B1 2) It inhibits the absorption of iron especially from cereal sources 3) Tea also has a diuretic effect on the body. Hence excessive consumption upsets the Sodium/Potassium balance, which causes weakness in the body 4) Tea has tannin which is found to affect heart when in excess COFFEE The positives: 1) It is proven that caffeine blocks the inhibitory effects of adenosine and dopamine nerves in the brain. Hence it reduces the feeling of depression 2) People who drink moderate amounts of coffee have a lower rate of heart failure 3) Caffeine alleviates headaches and is used medically for this purpose. But in moderation The negatives: 1) Coffee effects stomach secretions including the stomach acid, which causes acidity 2) Coffee de-mineralises the tissues and makes them weak in the long run 3) Caffeine affects the blood fatty acids and blood sugar levels, which leads to atherosclerosis 4) Caffeine prevents the absorption of iron. 5) Coffee is a diuretic hence it upsets the Sodium/Potassium balance How to gradually cut down caffeine & tannin intake: Keeping a New Year resolution is not so easy. But there are ways to trick the mind into loosening up: 1) Don’t suddenly stop tea or coffee completely. 2) Slowly try switching to green tea or learn the art of making hearbal tea 3) Try having B12 rich foods (like shell fish, liver, oysters, turkey, cereals, almonds, coconut oil, milk and yogurt) or supplements as vitamin B12 plays an important role in functioning of nervous system and production of melatonin which keeps us alert and awake all day long 4) Start having fruits booster (like awla, bell peppers, guava, kiwi, dark leafy vegetables, broccoli, oranges, berries, tomatoes, papaya) as they have vitamin C which is an energy 5) Try to have the decaffeinated variant of coffee 6) Start ‘6 small meals a day’ Recommended daily timetable: After two weeks of following this schedule, cut down on one green tea and the regular tea/coffee at 4.30 pm. By first week of February you will be having your tea or coffee in moderation. You may also like: ‘Will I Gain Weight If I Quit?’ – Diet Tips for the Recovering Smoker 7 Smart Ways to Fight Afternoon Hunger Pangs and Snack Healthy!